In Pursuit of Peace, Ancient Athens Created a Goddess
In the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War, Athenians worshipped Eirene. Her cult reflects the political role of religion in Ancient Greece.
The Pagan Heart of Florence + The Machine
Welch’s new album continues the band's long-running dialogue with magic, myth, and modern witchcraft.
Quakers Against Thanksgiving
In colonial America, government “thanksgivings” blurred faith and politics. For Quakers, rejecting them was an act of religious conviction.
Should Yoga Be More Than Exercise?
How should Westerners studying modern postural yoga think about the religious and medical systems in which it developed?
Islamic Calligraphy in West Africa
The Hausa people of northern Nigeria have adapted—and continue to transform—sacred Islamic calligraphy that originated in the Arab world.
One Woman’s Path to Jonestown
While the events that led to the Jonestown massacre included profound tragedy, the life—and death—of one of its residents offers lessons on community and resilience.
The Sacred and Profane Dogs of Mongolia
In Mongolia, dogs are close companions to humans and a key part of a cosmology with Buddhist and shamanic influences. But they’re also seen as unclean.
Tavolette: Paintings to Comfort the Condemned
Charged with saving the immortal souls of the condemned, comforters held tavolette showing the Crucifixion in front of the eyes of those facing execution.
Healing Dance at an African Church in Ireland
For congregants at the Yoruban-influenced Christ Apostolic Church in Dublin, sacred dance is a form of mental health care.
When the Bishop Married the Abbess
When a new bishop was installed in the see of medieval Florence, he was also expected to marry—at least symbolically—the abbess of San Pier Maggiore.