Historically, in most religious traditions, suicide has been considered a sin. In light of this, many survivors have felt religiously stranded. How can their faith help them heal when that same faith may fault their loved one for the act of suicide? More →

October 21, 2005

The numbers on how family structures have changed are dramatic. Counting parents with children at home, as recently as 1970, traditional families — mother and father with children under 18 — made up 40 percent of all households. But by 2000, that had fallen to just a quarter of all households. More →

October 21, 2005

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. “Fasting, for me, is a constant prayer that you’re engaged in throughout the day. For 12 hours or more, you’re praying,” says Zuleqa Husain, a young American Muslim. More →

October 14, 2005

The fate of St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans is uncertain. Its pastor was evacuated to Baton Rouge, while members of the church have spread across the nation. Amy Butler, the church’s former associate pastor, is trying to minister to members online from Washington, D.C. Also, what role should the government have, if any, in providing compensation to the victims? More →

September 9, 2005

Although authorities have mostly focused on evactuating New Orleans residents, there were also a few people who had fled the city who were allowed back in. One of them was the Episcopal Bishop of Louisiana, Charles Jenkins, and correspondent Deborah Potter went with him. More →

September 9, 2005

As the Gulf Coast reels from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the federal government tries to speed up its much-criticized response to the crisis, especially in New Orleans, religious groups are playing a key role in emergency relief efforts. More →

September 2, 2005

The emerging church movement seeks to apply the Christian message in a contemporary, postmodern culture and is developing new ideas about worship, theology, and mission. Brian McLaren’s provocative writings have become a manifesto of sorts for many in the emergent conversation. But he’s also generating intense controversy, especially among conservative evangelicals. More →

July 15, 2005

Drug makers and neuroscientists are enhancing what human brains can do, but what are the implications of these developments? For instance, what if brain researchers someday learn to find out what a patient is thinking? Or to predict a disabling disease? Or, right now, what about so-called “smart pills” that improve a college student’s performance on an exam? More →

July 15, 2005

Transcendental Meditation was widely popular 40 years ago: a technique for relaxation and awareness using certain sounds and ways of breathing, 20 minutes, twice a day. Now, it is flourishing in Fairfield, Iowa, the home of what is now the Maharishi University of Management. More →

July 8, 2005

Judith Miller, a reporter for THE NEW YORK TIMES, went to jail rather than reveal to a federal grand jury the names of sources she had promised to keep confidential. Bob Abernethy discusses the moral arguments of that case with Deborah Potter, a former network news correspondent who now teaches newsroom ethics. More →

July 8, 2005