Sightings
Reporting and commenting on the role of religion in public life.
Smart Sightings
Smart Sightings is a new partnership between the Marty Center and the University of Chicago's Smart Museum of Art. This series invites readers to contemplate the many connections between art and religion through written reflections on pieces in the Smart's exhibition, Calling on the Past: Selections from the Collection, on display at the museum from March 21, 2023 to February 4, 2024. Featuring illuminating pairings of objects from the museum's permanent collection, Calling on the Past encouraged viewers to see the collection – and themselves – with fresh eyes.
Recent Columns
![Students rest on the green lawn on the main quad at University of Chicago](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-06/uchicago-spring-2023-5_web.jpg?itok=uPQHJh1U)
Sightings on Summer Hiatus
By Lauren PondDear Readers,Today marks the beginning of Sightings’ summer hiatus…
June 27, 2024
![An American flag hangs in a classroom with the English alphabet on the wall behind it.](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-06/5402942501_551b46c3a4_o_drupal.jpg?itok=-xJBfHIT)
Civil Religion as a Gateway to Christian Nationalism
By Brian Kaylor and Beau UnderwoodSeventy years ago, the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag was…
June 20, 2024
![Pro-palestine protesters with Palestinian flags and signs](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-06/janne-leimola-szf2ceg7pqk-unsplash-2_web.jpg?itok=FIwlURZN)
What We Write about When We Write about the War in Gaza
By Sarah Hammerschlag"[T]hey were made of the same cloth as we, they were average human…
June 12, 2024
![Jürgen Moltmann stands at a podium and speaks into several microphones](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-06/congres_wereldraad_van_kerken_in_utrecht_dr_moltmann_bestanddeelnr_925-8071_web_0.jpg?itok=tDsFFBBR)
The Fullness of Life: Remembering Jürgen Moltmann
By Janna GonwaOn June 3rd, after 98 years on this earth, Jürgen Moltmann entered…
June 6, 2024
![A person with long purple hair wears the pink and blue transgender flag in the style of a cape.](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-05/karollyne-videira-hubert-c6pf1cilsgg-unsplash_web.jpg?itok=cbWLn8HO)
Liberalism’s Identity Irresolution
By Timothy GutmannIn the United States today, the culture wars are said to divide…
May 31, 2024
![A man in a blue shirt and safety goggles adds droplets to a test tube](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-05/national-cancer-institute-dyqfoftwgxw-unsplash_web.jpg?itok=K2eiBvKK)
Asking the Right Questions about Genetic Engineering
By David BarrReservations about human genetic engineering generally fall into two…
May 22, 2024
![A pile of shiny gold coins with the letter "B" prominent on their face](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-05/kanchanara-4kjjezdyo3m-unsplash_web.jpg?itok=AasC8V3j)
The Passion of Bitcoin Jesus
By William SchultzBitcoin Jesus had it all. Wealth. Fame. The nickname "Bitcoin Jesus."…
May 15, 2024
![Figurines on a shelf](/sites/default/files/styles/sightings_landing_page_recent_article/public/2024-05/kadyn-pierce-49x42qrgumq-unsplash_web.jpg?itok=a0-mOeVR)
Demon Slayer: Pop Religion and Japanese Anime
By Bruce WinkelmanVisitors to movie theaters across the United States recently had the…
May 8, 2024
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Browse by Associated TagsSighting Religion in the Public Square
Through the eyes, ears, and keyboards of a diverse group of writers, Sightings displays a kaleidoscope of religious activity: a reflection of how religious currents are shaping and being shaped in the world.