Scallop shells have accompanied pilgrims to and from Santiago de Compostela for centuries, for more than one reason

Only have sex with a person you love — a novel concept!

Fire-breathing dragons may represent chaos and the human impulse to conquer that threat.

Belief is not just about God or ghosts.

The Arabic word fatwa can mean “explanation” or “clarification.”

Be more like Goldilocks.

We're still using 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid a year, but burials are becoming far less common.

When justice isn’t tempered by something such as mercy, forgiveness, or nonviolence, efforts to make society more equitable often backfire.

While becoming a monk is an evolutionary dead end for the individual, celibacy reaps benefits for the group as a whole.

The "End of Days" defines how we see time.

Just as there are many types of believers, there's not only one type of atheist.

That Nietzsche quote might not mean what you think it does.

Ideas often taken for granted in the United States and Europe about what it means to be a person are, quite simply, not shared with other cultures.

Is "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch a condemnation of sin or a celebration of hedonism? Art historians still aren’t sure.

Gradualism rejects the idea of a "bright line" in the abortion debate/

In the wake of the pandemic, the crystal industry boomed, with customers hoping the stones might relieve a little anxiety.

The role of the Devil’s advocate was to argue against the beatification of mystics. Contrary to popular belief, they did not wear Prada. 

It might seem like science and faith are at war, but the two have a historical synergy that extends back in time for centuries.

Three out of four Russians accused of witchcraft were men.

In the Canaan religion, Yahweh was a lesser god, who was assigned the land of Israel. Here's how he became "God Almighty."

The English writer left behind a mind-expanding collection of books.

You can love a romantic partner, but also a pet, a book, God, or the sound of someone’s voice. We need many more words for love.

The sonnenrad is a Heathen symbol composed of 12 repeated runes.

No ouija board required.

Regardless of political ideology, one of the few things that many people seem to have in common is a moral hypocrisy that arises from a fundamental lack of self-reflection.

Bernini created art for 8 different popes. In the process, he helped reinforce and redefine Christianity’s visual culture.

Human sacrifice appears to be as old as humanity itself. Still, experts disagree on how and where the practice first originated.

Black cat crossed your path?

Millions of people have had a near-death experience, and it often leads them to believe in an afterlife. Does this count as good proof?

Mathematics and religion both embody awe-inspiring, eternal truths.