Doctrine & Practice
How sacred images in many Asian cultures incorporate divine presence and make them come ‘alive’
By Michael Naparstek — December 6, 2023
(The Conversation) — Through the power of rituals, inanimate objects can be understood to transform into agents who can see, hear, taste and respond to the concerns of those who worship them.
When is St. Nicholas Day? And how did this Christian saint inspire the Santa Claus legend?
By Luis Andres Henao — December 6, 2023
NEW YORK (AP) — The legends surrounding jolly old St. Nicholas — celebrated annually on Dec. 6 — go way beyond delivering candy and toys to children.
Hanukkah message of light in darkness feels uniquely relevant to US Jews amid war, antisemitism
By Giovanna Dell'orto — December 6, 2023
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Many feel that having a joyful Hanukkah is another way to show defiance to terror — even though most will include in their family celebration somber prayers for the hostages still held by Hamas.
Parties canceled. Celebrations toned down. Hanukkah won’t be the same this year.
By Yonat Shimron — December 5, 2023
(RNS) — With the Israeli military in the midst of a destructive showdown in its war with Hamas, many U.S. Jews aren’t in the mood for triumphant Hanukkah cheer.
How the keffiyeh – a practical garment used for protection against the desert sun – became a symbol of Palestinian identity
By Armin Langer — December 5, 2023
(The Conversation) — The keffiyeh’s prominence soared in the 1970s when Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, adopted and popularized the garment.
Takeaways from The AP’s investigation into the Mormon church’s handling of sex abuse cases
By Jason Dearen and Michael Rezendes — December 5, 2023
HAILEY, Idaho (AP) — Nondisclosure agreements, also known as confidentiality agreements, have been used frequently by the Mormon church and other organizations, including the Catholic Church, to keep sex abuse allegations secret.
New documentary tells the story of queer religious families in the Midwest
By Fiona André — December 4, 2023
(RNS) — The movie profiles queer families and individuals living in the Midwest, grappling with their identity in a conservative and traditional environment.
Pilgrims yearn to visit isolated peninsula where Catholic saints cared for Hawaii’s leprosy patients
By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher — December 4, 2023
KALAUPAPA, Hawaii (AP) — The pilgrimage to Kalaupapa is logistically challenging to make under normal circumstances. It is even more so today because of lingering COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
This Christmas, churches are preparing for a frenzy of festivity
By Fiona André — December 1, 2023
(RNS) — You think you have a busy Christmas? The country's best-attended churches are managing a crush of Masses this year.
Israel’s mosaic of Jewish ethnic groups is key to understanding the country
By David L. Graizbord — December 1, 2023
(The Conversation) — The diversity of Israel’s Jewish population has been a source of tensions, but also strength, over the decades.
What to know about Hanukkah and how it’s celebrated around the world
By Giovanna Dell'orto — November 30, 2023
(AP) — On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah — a multibranched candelabra.
Opposing communities plan separate memorial services for Carlton Pearson
By Adelle M. Banks — November 29, 2023
(RNS) — ‘I want to show diversity,’ Pearson said in a recording near the end of his life, which has ended up being shown through the range of services.
Timekeepers no more, rank-and-file Jehovah’s Witnesses say goodbye to tracking proselytizing hours
By Peter Smith — November 27, 2023
For the first time since 1920, leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses have removed the hours-reporting requirement for rank-and-file adherents.
In the US, Hmong ‘new year’ recalls ancestral spirits while teaching traditions to new generations
By Giovanna Dell'orto — November 27, 2023
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The majority of the approximately 300,000 Hmong in the United States are animists and believe that spirits live throughout the physical world.
Houston’s Hindu youth will soon have a summer campsite of their own
By Richa Karmarkar — November 24, 2023
(RNS) — The Texas Hindu Campsite is set to open by the summer of 2024, just one year before the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp's 40-year anniversary.
