In some cultures, menstruation and childbirth are treated as polluting, not life-giving. One Buddhist text’s interpretation of ‘Blood Pond Hell’ shows how far such beliefs go – and how women respond.
Ethics + Religion – Articles, Analysis, Opinion
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The Kalevala, a poetic epic filled with myth, reflects the shared roots between Finnish and Karelian cultures.
Clergy demonstrating against ICE in Minneapolis have turned to classic ‘freedom songs’ – the music associated with protests ever since the Civil Rights Movement.
Medieval texts and frescoes show how Francis of Assisi’s legends formed – and why his call to poverty and care for creation still resonates.
Mindfulness is taught everywhere, from schools to workplaces. But scientists define and measure it in very different ways. Here’s why that matters.
President Donald Trump described a Dec. 25 airstrike on suspected insurgent camps as a ‘Christmas present’ from the US. Many in Nigeria are not viewing it as such.
Augustus Tolton was ordained in Rome in 1886. Previously, the only Black Catholic priests in the US had been men who presented themselves as white.
The claim that national security can justify territorial acquisition marks a sharp break from the principles the US championed after World War II.
Forgiveness is key to relationships – but it’s not as simple as deciding you’d like to forget and move on. A counselor breaks down misconceptions.
Philosophers from Aristotle to Nietzsche have debated whether being virtuous only helps others, or if it benefits the virtuous person, too.
Students respond to history that feels local and personal. There are ways to do that even as Holocaust survivors pass away, one professor writes.
From ancient Greek myths to Scripture and papal teachings, Christianity has long wrestled with hope.
The Christian apocrypha, texts not included in the Bible, include stories of Jesus’ female followers – including St. Thecla.
Grief can inspire concrete acts of loyalty and generosity.
Some women adopted non-Jewish identities to support the resistance. For most, though, it was simply a strategy for survival – one with constant risk of exposure and execution.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh shared a vision of ‘beloved community’ that shows how democracy begins not with power, but with how we live together.
Christian Reconstructionism, a little-known movement to rebuild society on biblical law, can often shape US debates over religion, politics and education.
Po'pay, a Tewa religious leader, led the Pueblo Revolt, the most successful Indigenous rebellion in what’s now the United States.
Though they lived centuries apart, Aristotle and Tsunetomo both explored what it means to live virtuously, and the risks of wanting praise or recognition.
Social media has turned traditional Japanese matcha into a commercial trend, though its roots lie in Zen Buddhism. A scholar of premodern Japanese literature unpacks that history.
The practice of this meditation often involves quietly reciting to oneself several phrases that evoke and visualize the beings who will receive loving-kindness.
‘The Testament of Ann Lee,’ Mona Fastvold’s 2025 film, depicts part of the long history of Shaker worship.
The Middle Ages weren’t as dreary and desperate as you’d think, and peasants often had weeks of idle time during the holidays. On Christmas Day, the party was just getting started.
Debating whether to step back from a career to take on caregiving responsibilities can be a tough decision – not just financially or emotionally but ethically as well.
Just war theory, a centuries-old field of ethics, deals with how and when to start conflicts. It can also guide decisions about how and when to end them.