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May 2024

May 23, 2024

The Appeal to Heaven Flag and Why It’s Controversial

The Appeal to Heaven Flag, also called the Pine Tree Flag, is a bit of...

May 19, 2024

Louisiana Passes a Ten Commandments in Public Schools Bill

The Louisiana legislature just passed a bill mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in...

May 17, 2024

Why It’s Hard to Separate Church and State

The relationship of church and state is one of the vexing issues of our time. ...

May 10, 2024

The Problem With “Spiritual But Not Religious”

Let's talk about "spiritual but not religious." Certainly you are free to call yourself that,...

April 2024

April 17, 2024

The Great Disappointment of William Miller

The Great Disappointment is the name given to a time when the world as we...

April 11, 2024

The Rapture: A Brief History

The recent solar eclipse visible in North America inspired much social media commentary about the...

April 04, 2024

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume: The True Story, Possibly

"Dr. Livingstone, I presume." The famous encounter between journalist Henry Morton Stanley and missionary David...

March 2024

March 12, 2024

Wu Zetian, Ruthless Empress and Patroness of Buddhism

The empress Wu Zetian (624-705) was one of China's greatest rulers. She is also known...

March 07, 2024

Shogun the Miniseries and Real Japanese History

How close is the new Shogun miniseries (not to be confused with the old one...

February 2024

February 29, 2024

Thích Quảng Duc: The Burning Monk

One of the most iconic images of the 20th century is the photograph of a...

February 26, 2024

Frozen Zygotes and the Middle Way of Compassion

The recent consternation about frozen zygotes, in vitro fertilization and "fertilized egg personhood" laws made...

February 20, 2024

Have We Reached Peak Jesus?

By "peak Jesus" I mean that there may be a limit to how much Christianity...

February 14, 2024

William I of Orange and Religious Freedom

William I, Prince of Orange (1533–1584), is remembered as a champion of religious freedom. He...

February 08, 2024

The Warlord and the Tea Master

I've been writing about Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries, and before moving on...

February 04, 2024

When Christianity Was Banned in Japan

Christianity was banned in Japan in 1614. This was about 65 years after it had...

February 03, 2024

The 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki

The 26 martyrs of Nagasaki were Christian missionaries who were crucified in Nagasaki, Japan, on...

January 2024

January 26, 2024

Why Are There More Nones?

Why are there more nones? The "nones," you probably know, are people who have no...

January 21, 2024

The Thai Forest Tradition of Buddhist Monks: A Short History

The Thai Forest Tradition, or more formally the Kammaṭṭhāna Forest Tradition of Thailand, is a...

January 17, 2024

U Dhammaloka, Irish Activist and Buddhist Monk

U Dhammaloka (1856–1914, maybe) was (possibly) the first westerner to become an ordained Buddhist monk....

January 11, 2024

The Vipassana Movement: Spreading Insight Everywhere

This is the story of the Vipassana Movement, which began in 19th century Burma --...

January 02, 2024

Christian Public Schools in the U.S. ?

Will there be Christian public schools in the U.S.? Recently Heidi Przybyla reported for Politico...

December 2023

December 18, 2023

The Commercialization of Christmas: A Short History

The commercialization of Christmas is something both endorsed and lamented. Many people imagine Christmas to...

December 14, 2023

When Christmas Was Banned in Boston

Christmas was banned in Boston, and the rest of Massachusetts, by the legislature of the...

December 02, 2023

Wonhyo, Buddhist Folk Hero of Korea

The story of Wonhyo (617-686 CE), who was among the most important philosophers of east...

November 2023

November 27, 2023

Muslims in Colonial America

Yes, there were Muslims in colonial America. Some of them -- not all -- were...

November 19, 2023

The Wall of Separation Has Two Sides

The wall of separation between church and state is in the news again. Recently Rep....

November 16, 2023

Anagarika Dharmapala, a Missionary for Buddhism

Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) was a pivotal figure in the modern history of Buddhism, both in...

November 09, 2023

Dorothy Buxton and the Children of War

Dorothy Buxton (1881-1963) was a peace activist in a time of war and a humanitarian...

November 06, 2023

Is “In God We Trust” Religious or Patriotic?

A new law in Louisiana requires posting "In God We Trust" in every classroom in...

November 04, 2023

Henry Steel Olcott, the “White Buddhist”

In front of the main railway station in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a golden statue...

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