Feature Channels: Religion

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Released: 23-Apr-2019 2:00 PM EDT
Experiences of ‘Ultimate Reality’ or ‘God’ Confer Lasting Benefits to Mental Health
Johns Hopkins Medicine

People over the millennia have reported having deeply moving religious experiences either spontaneously or while under the influence of psychedelic substances such as psilocybin-containing mushrooms or the Amazonian brew ayahuasca, and a portion of those experiences have been encounters with what the person regards as “God” or “ultimate reality.” In a survey of thousands of people who reported having experienced personal encounters with God, Johns Hopkins researchers report that more than two-thirds of self-identified atheists shed that label after their encounter, regardless of whether it was spontaneous or while taking a psychedelic.

Released: 1-Apr-2019 10:05 AM EDT
Mental Health Stigma, Fueled by Religious Belief, May Prevent Latinos from Seeking Help
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

Religious and cultural beliefs may discourage many Latinos in the United States from seeking treatment for depression and other mental health disorders, a Rutgers University-New Brunswick study finds. Mental health providers and researchers should therefore engage with faith-based organizations and other community venues to help them address the stigma associated with mental illness and to encourage people to seek help, said Susan Caplan, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Nursing.

   
Released: 15-Mar-2019 1:05 PM EDT
Rutgers Law Professor Available to Comment on New Zealand Mosque Shootings
Rutgers University

PROFESSOR SAHAR AZIZ of Rutgers Law School, an expert on national security and civil rights with a focus on the impact of Muslim, Arab, and South Asian diasporas in the West is available today to talk about the mosque shootings in New Zealand.

Released: 28-Feb-2019 2:20 PM EST
Grieving and Complaining in Prayers Can Help Prevent Spiritual Stagnation
Baylor University

Long before there were therapists, there were biblical psalms — many of them praise to God and pleas for forgiveness. But there are more laments in the book of Psalms than any other type of psalm, says a Baylor University scholar of the Old Testament. And they go a long way toward dealing with reality as opposed to the way we wish things were.

27-Feb-2019 3:50 PM EST
Hundreds of Children and Llamas Were Sacrificed in a Single Ritual Event in 15th Century Peru
PLOS

The largest sacrifice of its kind known from the Americas was associated with heavy rainfall and flooding

Released: 18-Feb-2019 2:45 PM EST
Women More Likely to Believe the Bible Is Literally True, But Study Finds this May Have More to Do with Intimacy than Gender
Baylor University

Women are more likely than men to believe the Bible is literally true, but a recent Baylor University study finds this may have more to do with how people relate to God than it does gender. Both men and women who report high levels of closeness to God take the Bible more literally – and this confidence grows stronger as they seek closeness to God through prayer and Bible study.

Released: 7-Feb-2019 12:05 PM EST
Sociologists study the impact religion has on child development
University of Texas at San Antonio

Do children raised by religious parents have better social and psychological development than those raised in non-religious homes? In a new study, researchers found that religion can be a mixed blessing for children as they get older.

Released: 5-Feb-2019 12:05 PM EST
Ten Commandments in Texas Classrooms: But What Version?
University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly approved the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments monument that has resided on the grounds of the state Capitol since 1961. Now, Texas House Bill 307 would allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms in public schools by preventing school boards from banning the displays.

Released: 1-Feb-2019 1:05 PM EST
Women who wear Muslim garments in court are viewed as more credible witnesses
Lancaster University

Sexual assault victims wearing the hijab or niqab are viewed more positively when testifying in court than uncovered women reveals a study.

Released: 1-Feb-2019 10:05 AM EST
Study finds Muslim-majority countries lack, but hold surprising potential for, religious freedom
University of Notre Dame

In his newest research, Daniel Philpott, professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, examines conditions in 47 Muslim-majority countries and considers a question at the center of intense public debate: Is Islam hostile to religious freedom?

Released: 17-Jan-2019 3:05 PM EST
2017 Women’s March solidarity events drew 100 times national protest average, minimal counterdemonstrators, study shows
University of Notre Dame

Based on a survey of sister marches across the United States, key characteristics of the events were massive turnout, majority female leadership, low rate of counterdemonstrators, substantial grassroots mobilization and strong support from faith-based groups.

Released: 10-Jan-2019 11:05 AM EST
New analysis suggests lepers may not have been pariahs in Jesus’ time
Vanderbilt University

New insights into how disease and impurity were viewed in first-century Jewish society suggests scholars may need to reevaluate how they interpret Jesus' interaction with people affected by leprosy.

Released: 4-Jan-2019 1:05 PM EST
The Science of Consciousness TSC 2019Interlaken - Switzerland June 25-28, 2019
Center for Consciousness Studies, University of Arizona

The Science of Consciousness (TSC) 2019 is the 26th annual international interdisciplinary conference on fundamental questions and cutting-edge issues connected with conscious experience. https://www.tsc2019-interlaken.ch/

Released: 3-Jan-2019 2:05 PM EST
FSU research finds religious involvement impacts women’s body mass
Florida State University

According to Florida State University researchers, black women in the United States who attend church regularly tend to have greater body mass compared to white women with the same amount of religious involvement. The findings, by Associate Professor of Sociology Amy Burdette and recent FSU graduates Dawn Godbolt and Preeti Vaghela, were published in a new study in the Journal of Religion and Health.

18-Dec-2018 3:10 PM EST
Certain Moral Values May Lead to More Prejudice, Discrimination
American Psychological Association (APA)

People who value following purity rules over caring for others are more likely to view gay and transgender people as less human, which leads to more prejudice and support for discriminatory public policies, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.

Released: 19-Dec-2018 2:25 PM EST
Are the late Stephen Hawking's religious beliefs typical of U.K. scientists?
Rice University

The late Stephen Hawking famously didn't believe in God. Neither does the renowned Richard Dawkins. But is that typical for U.K. scientists?

Released: 27-Nov-2018 12:05 PM EST
Hidden History of Rome Revealed Under World's First Cathedral
Newcastle University

Supported throughout by the British School at Rome the team - drawn from Newcastle University, UK, the universities of Florence and Amsterdam and the Vatican Museums - have been able to bring the splendour of successive transformations of the ancient city to life.

   
7-Nov-2018 1:05 PM EST
Why belief in ‘Limbo’ has disappeared in recent decades – Queen’s University Belfast research
Queen's University Belfast

A research study from Queen’s University Belfast has found that the belief in Limbo – a place for unbaptised babies - has declined throughout the decades in Ireland due to the changing beliefs and values of the nation.

Released: 7-Nov-2018 12:05 PM EST
UIC to host event exploring Chicago's native communities
University of Illinois Chicago

The University of Illinois at Chicago's Great Cities Institute and Native American Support Program will present Natives in Chicago, a discussion on the impact of policies and the work of community organizations to provide services and programs that contribute to the city's thriving native communities.

Released: 7-Nov-2018 10:05 AM EST
Researchers to Digitally Map Lived Religion in St. Louis Region
Saint Louis University

With a $400,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, researchers at Saint Louis University will create a digital portrait of religious life in the St. Louis area.

Released: 29-Oct-2018 11:20 AM EDT
Thrill-Seeking, Search for Meaning Fuel Political Violence
American Psychological Association (APA)

WASHINGTON – What drives someone to support or participate in politically or religiously motivated acts of violence, and what can be done to prevent them? While one factor may be a search for meaning in life, research published by the American Psychological Association suggests people may be further driven by an increased need for excitement and feeding that need with thrilling but non-violent alternatives may curb the desire.

Released: 16-Oct-2018 3:05 PM EDT
Research Suggests Pope Did Not Do Enough to Address Abuse in Ireland – Queen’s University Belfast
Queen's University Belfast

A research study from Queen’s University Belfast has revealed that the majority of Irish people believe that Pope Francis did not do enough to address clerical abuse during his recent papal visit to Ireland.

Released: 16-Oct-2018 10:20 AM EDT
Religious Leaders’ Support May Be Key to Modern Contraception Use
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Women in Nigeria whose clerics extol the benefits of family planning were significantly more likely to adopt modern contraceptive methods, new research suggests, highlighting the importance of engaging religious leaders to help increase the country’s stubbornly low uptake of family planning services.

   
Released: 8-Oct-2018 8:55 AM EDT
Concealed Silver Cross Testifies to the Religious Tolerance of the First Muslim Caliphate in the Seventh Century CE
University of Haifa

A brass weight weighing approximately 160 grams discovered during the University’s archeological excavations at Hippos (Sussita) provides groundbreaking evidence of the delicate relations between the Christian residents of the city

Released: 25-Sep-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Smithsonian Snapshot: Illuminating Culture
Smithsonian Institution

Pepón Osorio created “El Chandelier” for a performance piece that explored the life of a Puerto Rican woman living in New York.

Released: 24-Sep-2018 9:00 AM EDT
Take a Step Back From Yourself to Better Realize the Benefits of Awe
University at Buffalo

Religion and nature can both lead to awe, and turning to one or the other is a common coping strategy for the stress. But an awe-inspiring experience can have negative consequences as well as benefits, according to a novel UB-led study that uses cardiovascular responses to stress to take a broad look at awe and the critical role perspective plays when considering the effects of encountering awe.

Released: 11-Sep-2018 11:30 PM EDT
Adolescents Whose Religious Mothers Die Are Likely to Become Less Religious as Young Adults
Baylor University

Bereaved children whose late mothers were very religious are likely to be less religious after their mother dies than those who do not suffer a maternal loss. Conversely, youths whose late mothers placed no value on religion are more likely to become religious.

Released: 6-Sep-2018 8:05 AM EDT
Religion vs. Science: Shaping Graduate Students’ Identities
West Virginia University - Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Could graduate students’ religious beliefs prevent them from gaining confidence as scientists? A West Virginia University sociologist is exploring the conflicts between graduate students’ religious and professional identities and how those conflicts influence their career goals.

Released: 5-Sep-2018 11:05 AM EDT
Keeping the Beat: Turtle Shells Served as Symbolic Musical Instruments for Indigenous Cultures
Florida State University

Researchers investigate the important role turtle shells played as musical instruments for indigenous cultures in the southeastern U.S.

Released: 31-Aug-2018 12:05 PM EDT
UIC faculty member among 5 chosen as US-Japan creative artist fellows
University of Illinois Chicago

Since 1978, the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission (JUSFC) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), along with the International House of Japan and the Government of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, have administered the program.

Released: 13-Aug-2018 5:05 PM EDT
Muslim Community Activists from Across the U.S. Meet to Address Muslim Community Health Issues
University of Chicago Medical Center

As part of a project titled Engaging Muslim Activists for Research on Community Health (E-MARCH) -- led by Aasim Padela, MD, associate professor of medicine and Director of Initiative on Islam and Medicine at the University of Chicago -- UMMA Clinic of Los Angeles, California, hosted fourteen Muslim community leaders to discuss Muslim health disparities and community-based health research.

Released: 13-Aug-2018 10:35 AM EDT
Positive coping strategy in Islam linked with less depression, anxiety from spiritual struggles
Case Western Reserve University

Adopting an Islamic concept of coping with spiritual struggles, known as “spiritual jihad,” is associated with post-traumatic growth and virtuous behaviors—and related to reductions in anxiety and depression, according to a new Case Western Reserve University study published in the journal Religions.

Released: 8-Aug-2018 4:05 PM EDT
Smithsonian Releases Season Three of Sidedoor Podcast
Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian’s podcast “Sidedoor” returns Aug. 8 with an episode that takes listeners inside one of the most exclusive places in all of Washington, D.C.: the National Gem Collection vault.



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