Use this page to scroll back through over 800 previous entries across several topics and disciplines. See the various subject matter pages for content selected for specific disciplines.
Physicist Marcelo Gleiser briefly surveys several perspectives about religious belief and scientific belief: “When discussing the relationship between science and religion, people often take a polarized position: It’s either ‘I believe’ or ‘I don’t believe.’ The fact is that religion and science do overlap in people’s minds, in their life choices, in the difficult moral […]
Reprogrammed Stem Cells Work as well as Those From Embryos: The journal, Science, reports that a new study suggests that ES stem cells and iPS stem cells are equivalent, and this may help soothe worries about the capabilities of iPS cells. From 2002 to 2010, claims about the unique potential of human embryonic stem cells were common. Now, ES cells and […]
Old Languages Never Die; They Just Fade Away: The preacher speaking aloud in Latin in the middle of the first millennium may have been producing sounds that were startlingly at variance with the spellings in his written notes. This can explain how it is that congregations could understand St. Augustine’s sermons, though written down and […]
Christianity Today presents a point-counterpoint exchange with Michael Gerson, Washington Post columnist, and Peter Wehner, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, writing on Christians in a same-sex world, and a response from Rod Dreher, senior editor at The American Conservative, on living in a post-Christian world. Students can assess and consider the contours […]
The Court will hear birth-control challenges in March, 2016, a challenge brought by faith-based hospitals, schools, and charities that contend the government’s opt-out provision for birth-control coverage does not go far enough to accommodate their religious beliefs. Under the ACA, congregations are not required to provide birth-control coverage for their workers. But religious non-profits that […]
A Different Kind of Street Ministry: Local leader Richard Parker asked Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church to consider providing a peaceful presence in his Baltimore neighborhood. Congregation members were eager to find a way to be engaged in the community. Pastor Deborah McEachran and others gathered every Friday at a street corner known for drug dealing and […]
From Issues In Christian Education, Fall 2015: Christians make ready reference to the image of God. But what should we mean by this expression and to what does it refer? In a time of culture shift and debate about identity, the sources of the self, and the nature of being human, this edition of Issues provides […]
In Religious Arbitration, Scripture Is the Rule of Law: For generations, religious tribunals have been used in the United States to settle family disputes and spiritual debates. But through arbitration, religion is being used to sort out secular problems like claims of financial fraud and wrongful death. This investigative piece examines cases in which the courts […]
Human-animal Chimeras: Stanford Scientists Condemn Funding Ban — The NIH has put a moratorium on stem cell and embryo research which strives to grow human organs in animals, called “chimeras.” Proponents say this could lead to an endless supply of organs for transplantation and improved drug testing, but opponents say it poses ethical and animal welfare […]
California Law Adds New Twist To Abortion, Religious Freedom Debate: Crisis pregnancy centers, often linked to religious organizations, provide low-cost or free services to pregnant women, while encouraging these women to not have abortions. The Reproductive FACT Act requires all such health care providers to provide written notice that abortion is legally available in California. But several pregnancy centers […]
