Why Suicide Was a Sin in Medieval Europe
Although there were historical and scriptural precedents for honorable suicide, Christian theology saw it much differently.
Making Sense of the Divine Right of Kings
The United States threw off the yoke of a king more than two centuries ago. Funny how we can't get enough of our erstwhile sovereigns today.
What Did the Diggers Really Believe?
The early modern Protestant sect has been seen as a predecessor to radical political views. But is that how they saw themselves?
The Colonization of the Ayahuasca Experience
“If someone is from the Amazon,” says Evgenia Fotiou, an anthropologist who studies Western ayahuasca usage, “they bring some legitimacy” to an ayahuasca ritual.
Religious Identity and Supreme Court Justices
If successful, Amy Coney Barrett would become the 7th current Supreme Court justice to be raised a Catholic, and the sixth conservative Christian.
The Rise of Disability Stigma
Religion once held sway over how people thought about disability. How did that change with the rise of secularism?
Who Is Santa Muerte?
The folk saint Santa Muerte might seem mysterious, but her devotees embrace a wide variety of everyday practices.
Healing, Spirituality, and Black Lives Matter
Spirituality has long infused and inspired social justice movements. Activists today expand that heritage.