Guest Blog: Jane Fitzpatrick, Contributing Writer for Religion Matters Danish anthropologist Rane Willerslev documented his personal experiences with a group of Siberian hunters called the Upper Kolyma Yukaghirs in his book, Soul Hunters. He primarily studied their hunting practices, which demonstrated the group’s distinct views of the world: spirits, along with humans and animals, persistently […]
Interfaith Work and Interfaith Families:
Building A Toolkit
Guest Post: Susan Katz-Miller and Dalia El Ariny What do you think of when you hear the word “interfaith”? Perhaps your town gathers people of different religions for an annual Thanksgiving service. Or, maybe you get together more regularly, for community service in a soup kitchen. Or, you may have attended educational programs, with representatives […]
Lived Religion in the Contemporary U.S.:
Establishing Context in a High School Elective
Guest Post: Elsa Kunz, History Department, The Webb School This semester, I have the privilege of teaching a high school elective about lived religion in the contemporary United States. For many of my students, if not all, this course will be their first experience with the academic study of religion. However, their lack of academic […]
Hanukkah Book Recommendations for Kids in Schools
Guest Post: Vicki Garlock, Founder of World Religions 4 Kids Hanukkah, often called the Jewish festival of lights, lasts for eight days and nights. The most obvious ritual practice is lighting a menorah. According to tradition, a small band of Jewish rebels retook control of their temple after it had been trashed by the ruling […]
Bill of Rights Institute: Removing Obstacles to Teaching About Religion in Schools
Guest Blog: Scott M. Petri, Ed.D. A Ross Douthat editorial in the NY Times entitled Is The World Ready for a Religious Comeback? posits that the decline of religious practice is increasingly seen as a social problem. He then cites a study that investigates the demise of the “Nones” — Americans with no religious affiliation […]