Sightings Articles
Rare Convergences and Sacred Calendars
The convergence of sacred calendars, rare as it is, should help marshal the will of believers in these traditions to live fully into human time fearlessly seeking reconciliation among their traditions even as these calendars offer the violent and dea...
April 20, 2022
Sunday Politics in Georgia: Punting on Historical Reckoning
As Sen. Raphael Warnock seeks reelection this year in Georgia, the Baptist minister might find a key group working against him—fellow pastors....
April 12, 2022
The Return of Franz Bibfeldt
Bibfeldt’s return invites us to remember that there is an essential place for the occasional fit of laughter in even the most scholarly house....
April 6, 2022
On Kinship, Collective Memory, and Ukraine
The developing, collective memory of Ukraine’s recent history, with the short stories and images that encapsulate and promote it, is unlikely to be suppressed or soon forgotten....
March 29, 2022
Why Believe in Democracy? What Martin Luther King Jr. and Volodymyr Zelensky Have to Teach Us
Why is democracy a good thing? Is it? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s appeal to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helps us understand what it takes to answer this question. ...
March 29, 2022
Ukraine: Religion In Plain Sight?
When gods and kings are too closely aligned, religion becomes an engine of discord and war....
March 24, 2022
COVID Sermons with WBEZ Chicago
In partnership with WBEZ Chicago, the Martin Marty Center is proud to present "COVID Sermons" where religious leaders from around the city reflect on the relevance of their tradition for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic on the second anniversary of t...
March 18, 2022
The Affair of the Sausages and Religious Freedom
Five hundred years ago today, some Swiss people ate sausages. This was a major event in the history of Christianity....
March 8, 2022
The Birth of “Pharmaco-Hasidism”
Young Jews are eager to employ hallucinogenics in their practice: they may be connecting to a tradition they think they've left behind....
March 3, 2022
The Great Defiance: Religious Objections and Vaccine Mandates
Vaccination defiance among healthcare workers reveals much about how many Americans think about themselves and their faith....