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Religion News

2016-12-21T18:28:02-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Social media is toxic. Religious studies tells us why.

Last updated on: December 21, 2016 at 6:28 pm By Connor Wood

Why does social media bring out the worst in us? Religious studies tells us that ritual helps stabilizes society – and there's no ritual on the internet. Read more

Ideology and religion

Modern culture and religion

2016-11-29T14:13:42-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Overworked? Try a little ritual

Last updated on: November 29, 2016 at 2:13 pm By Connor Wood

Human ritual is an evolutionary product of the behavioral instinct for play. Without that instinct, we might work ourselves to the bone. Read more

Editorial

Evolution of Religion

Modern culture and religion

2016-11-15T23:36:19-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why Donald Trump happened

Last updated on: November 15, 2016 at 11:36 pm By Connor Wood

Connor Wood On Election Tuesday last week, I flew from Boston to Norfolk, Virginia, for a work conference. The day was beautiful and sunny, and people were friendly. My colleagues and I got an incredible view of Manhattan taking off from our layover in LaGuardia, its numberless spires catching the light like crystals. I was optimistic about the future and hopeful for the election. That evening, as the world realized that Donald Trump would win, that hopeful optimism was replaced... Read more

Editorial

Ideology and religion

Modern culture and religion

2016-09-06T12:07:29-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

White American ethno-nationalism is on the rise. Why?

Last updated on: September 6, 2016 at 12:07 pm By Connor Wood

According to historian Peter Turchin, the white American ethnicity arose out of protracted military struggles against native Americans. But could there be a way to create social unity and cohesion without fighting against an outgroup? Read more

Editorial

Modern culture and religion

Religion and prejudice

2016-08-04T11:56:20-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Religion builds self-control and excludes outsiders – simultaneously

Last updated on: August 4, 2016 at 11:56 am By Connor Wood

A new model suggests that religion may benefit mental health by building adherents' self-control. The catch? The rituals that build self-control are what discriminate insiders from outsiders. Read more

Costly investment theory

Evolution of Religion

2019-10-31T11:12:41-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Brexit, the farmer, and the forager

Last updated on: October 31, 2019 at 11:12 am By Connor Wood

Psychologists say authoritarianism is to blame for the Brexit and Donald Trump. But there's another way to see things: cosmopolitans think like hunter-gatherers, while populists think like farmers. Read more

Editorial

Ideology and religion

Modern culture and religion

2016-06-12T20:59:10-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Science explains why America is going off the rails

Last updated on: June 12, 2016 at 8:59 pm By Connor Wood

Any country's success depends on its social capital, or "asabiya." The United States is losing its social capital, and the consequences could be tremendous. Read more

Editorial

Modern culture and religion

In which I am interviewed for a Vlog

Last updated on: August 10, 2017 at 10:48 pm By Connor Wood

Two gripping video interviews by the Religion for Breakfast vlog about computer simulation and religion. Also Mormons. Read more

Modeling Religion Project

big gods

Boston University

computer simulations

modeling religion project

religion

Religion for Breakfast

religious violence

shamanism

2016-04-18T10:41:44-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why the world needs liberals

Last updated on: April 18, 2016 at 10:41 am By Connor Wood

Cultural liberalism is valuable. More than that: it’s something to feel patriotic towards. I’m lucky to live in a society that lets me criticize any aspect of tradition I want – even as I also value the conservatism that makes tradition possible. Read more

Editorial

Ideology and religion

Modern culture and religion

openness to experience

2016-03-21T22:13:53-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How “big gods” make us play nice

Last updated on: March 21, 2016 at 10:13 pm By Connor Wood

Believing in gods that care about human morality may encourage people to treat each other more impartially – thereby stabilizing social institutions that depend on anonymous cooperation. Read more

Evolution of Religion

Modeling Religion Project

Religion and ethics

Scientific study of religion

supernatural punishment

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