Jun 11 Watch 5:01 For the first time, Vatican will judge bishops for sex abuse By PBS News Hour More than 800 priests have been defrocked over the years in connection to sexual abuse scandals, and 2,500 have been penalized. Now a Vatican tribunal is being established to publicly judge and discipline bishops accused of covering up or failing… Continue watching
May 30 Your holiday cheat sheet to Vesak Day By Wendy Thomas Russell Although Buddhism is unlike any other religion (in that it does not require belief in a deity), it’s still got some of the classic markers — and the celebration of holidays is one of them. So here, as part of… Continue reading
May 21 Pentecost is this Sunday. What the heck is Pentecost? By Wendy Thomas Russell From a historical perspective, Christianity didn't start with Jesus' birth, his death or even his storied ascension to heaven. It started with Pentecost -- the day the "Holy Spirit" entered a room holding Jesus' apostles and entered each… Continue reading
May 20 Watch 8:35 Morocco trains female spiritual guides to fight extremism and empower women By PBS News Hour In Morocco, a school that trains imams to lead prayers in the country's many mosques is at the center of a government program to provide "spiritual security." Here, female students are studying to become spiritual guides, on a mission to… Continue watching
May 12 Watch 8:12 America is less religious today, and it's not just about the Millennials By PBS News Hour While the U.S. is still an overwhelmingly Christian country, since 2007 there has been a notable drop in the number of Americans who call themselves such, and the number of people who don’t identify as any religion has risen dramatically. Continue watching
May 12 Fewer Americans are calling themselves Christians By Anna Sillers Fewer Americans identify as Christian, a Pew Research Study recently found. While the change in affiliations crosses nearly all demographics, the Millennial generation appears to be driving the growth. Continue reading
May 09 Watch 8:14 Is Cape Town's women and gay-friendly mosque a sign of new Muslim attitudes? By PBS News Hour A Muslim academic recently opened a gay- and women-friendly mosque in Cape Town, South Africa, which was largely regarded as a response to the culture of exclusion and conservatism in the Muslim faith. And despite receiving death threats and fierce… Continue watching
May 07 Watch 6:13 Destruction of Nepal's temples puts spiritual culture at risk By PBS News Hour Since a massive earthquake struck last month, Nepal has been overwhelmed by the unfolding humanitarian crisis, as well as a culture crisis. Home to a rich heritage of art and architecture, the mountainous, remote country has suffered significant damage to… Continue watching
Apr 16 Watch 4:26 Under Pope Francis, Vatican changes its tone toward American nuns By PBS News Hour The Vatican ended its crackdown on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the major umbrella group for American nuns. Under the previous pope, an investigation and overhaul was launched against the group for straying from church teachings. To discuss the… Continue watching
Apr 03 Your holiday cheat sheet to Easter By Wendy Thomas Russell Ironically, secular parents often have an easier time explaining Easter (without religion) than many Christian parents do (with it). The Passion is just such a darn mystery. Continue reading