Sightings Articles

black and white image of large crowd at session of first parliament of world's religions

Parliament of World's Religions | religious pluralism | theology of brotherhood | ecumenism

Connection and Celebration at the World's Parliament of Religions

At the height of racism in the US and Western colonialism, the Parliament was one attempt to mitigate human division and the sectarian passions nurtured and released by religious certainty.

May 25, 2023
Green glowing light saber held by white man with long hair wearing dark robe

Star Wars | Daoism | Film

This is the Way: Daoist Themes in Star Wars

Return of the Jedi resonates with themes, ideas, and symbolism from real-world religious traditions.

May 3, 2023
Two white marble figures embrace

Kiss | morality | Symbolism

The Symbolism of a Kiss?

A single human action can take on multiple meanings, personal, social, cultural, and even moral and religious.

April 21, 2023
Pregnant woman in hospital bed wearing green gown

abortion | Myth | pregnancy

When Women’s Fears are Twisted into Myth

Women should not be the subject or target of myth as they should not of any anti-abortion legislation. Rather, they should have the central and deciding voice in all matters regarding pregnancy care and childbirth.

April 13, 2023
Two hands typing on the keyboard of a silver laptop computer

ChatGPT | artificial intelligence | education

On ChatGPT: A Letter to My Students

The rapid development of AI-generated content has led to something of a crisis in higher education.

April 6, 2023
The square white buildings against a blue sky with white clouds

interfaith | tolerance | tourism

Tolerance as Tourism? Dual Developments in the Arab Gulf

Through the Abrahamic Family House, the UAE carefully curates the public sightseeing of what counts as true religion, what is tolerable and what is not, and what never reaches open discussion in the first place.

March 23, 2023
Rows of gray desks in a classroom

education | evolution | Critical Race Theory | cultural change

Public Education as Cultural Battleground

Attacks on public schools cannot be extricated today or historically from the use of religion as a unifying source of grievance and a particular vision of the nation fueled by an intense fear about cultural change.

March 16, 2023
Painting of Oedipus at Colonus

Oedipus | humanities | Religion and Literature

Oedipus Then and Again … And Again

Pasolini’s Edipo Re reminds us of the boldness at the heart of humanistic learning: the conviction that the texts we decide to study should matter not just for us but for anyone.

March 9, 2023
Book in flames against dark background

education | literacy | politics

Banning Books; Banning Brains

Neglect of commitments to education has profound social and political implications.

March 2, 2023
Silhouettes of multiple hands raised against a blue gray backdrop with white text

Revival | Evangelicalism | Media

What’s So Special about the Asbury Revivals?

Even moments that seem most sacred, amid revival, have the potential to reinscribe the racially and politically profane.

February 23, 2023