Religion & Beliefs
India’s Maha Kumbh Mela religious festival starts, with 400 million expected to attend
Nearly 15 million Hindu pilgrims attend first day of world’s biggest religious festival, held every 12 years
Plan to introduce foreign languages at primary level could ‘divert time from Irish’
New curriculum for primary schools draws contrasting reactions from teachers, parents and other stakeholders
The Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year 2025 is a time of celebration, an expression of praise to God
Rite & Reason: Pope Francis situates the need for hope in the challenging world of ‘gloomy discouragement and ill-concealed cynicism’
Monasticism in Ireland: AD 900-1250 by Edel Bhreathnach – A valuable contribution to the history of the Irish church
A scholarly work that seeks to deepen our understanding of Irish monasticism and its influence on church traditions
On Christmas Day, what family and friends believe about Christ will be irrelevant
Rite & Reason: What makes Christmas religious is that regardless of their specific beliefs, people come together to celebrate the mystery and beauty of life
Where to now for our declining churches? Younger clergy reflect on a brighter future
Exciting times are ahead for Christian communities, based on joy, hope, energy and finding context and relevance in contemporary society
Dublin school to review ethos statement over message telling parents students must attend all religious ceremonies
Lobby group Education Equality says school's instruction breached children’s constitutional rights
Southern Irish Protestants by Ian D’Alton: A work of great originality and scholarship
Author connects particular concerns, often focused on Cork Protestantism, with wider debates
Churches carry huge crosses as they try to move on from mistakes of past
Rite & Reason: All Churches face huge challenges moving on from terrible abuses into an advancing secularism
Why is there a Christian monopoly on chaplaincy in Irish institutions?
Rite & Reason: Iron grip that Christian denominations have over chaplaincy in Ireland cannot continue
Here’s why churches across Ireland will turn red next Wednesday
Rite & Reason: One in seven Christians in the world faces persecution or extreme discrimination because of their faith
I know how to behave in a church and I ticked the box for ‘Roman Catholic’ on the census. But I am not a Catholic
Rite & Reason: Going to church, attending Mass or engaging with the Catholic Church in any meaningful way has always felt, to me, like acting
Sexual violence kept secret by up to 80% of survivors but those who speak out offer them hope
Rite & Reason: Callers to Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s helpline often just want to verbalise their abuse once and will never call again. People like Kathleen Correia offer them great inspiration
Walking the Camino: ‘We spoke about the tension I felt when people spoke of God. I realised, as a gay man, I assume I’ll be judged’
The pilgrim walk is famous and cargoed with expectation. Ultimately it might help us find meaning within ourselves
In Good Time review: Methodist minister casts light on peacebuilding by church
The Rev Harold Good’s memoir illuminates the role of religious commitment in limiting conflict
God help us all, Russell Brand has found religion
Christianity has been around for some time and will weather this particular trend cycle, no matter Russell Brand’s risible public display. And these online Christian gurus will find a new cause celebre
Synod on Synodality aims at missionary outreach to the excluded and marginalised
Rite & Reason: This month, 368 delegates from around the world are gathering in Rome for the second session of the Catholic Church’s Synod on Synodality
Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity review: Magisterial work on theologies around sex
Diarmaid MacCulloch’s ambitious book looks at celibacy, marriage, homosexuality and trans issues from the perspective that there is no single consistent view of these in the Bible, Patsy McGarry writes
A Life Among the Dead review: Compassionate reflection on the rites of death
David McGowan draws on his experience as a small-town funeral director to offer warm insight into the ceremonies around bereavement
Spiritual inspiration after a nasty review drove me to write one of my best songs
Rite & Reason: Melody and lyrics come to the musician in mysterious ways. And sometimes the humble pie of criticism can fuel great artistic triumph
Why is ‘news avoidance’ on the rise? The nocebo effect may be playing a part
Unthinkable: The ‘evil twin’ of the placebo effect could shed light on why people say consuming the news makes them feel worse
The idea of a permanent hell is tolerable only if God is seen as an autocratic and merciless ruler
Rite & Reason: If our personal potential is not realised on earth surely it doesn’t disappear at death but becomes realisable in our next level of existence
How Irish scientist John Tyndall supercharged the modern debate on consciousness in lecture 150 years ago
Tyndall contended there was no point in the history of the cosmos when ‘creative acts’ of a ‘deity’ were required
‘Cultural Christians’ Elon Musk and Richard Dawkins undermine Christianity’s very foundations
They claim to applaud the principles of Christianity while professing none of its faith
Rite and Reason: Sitting on the fence during conflict is a form of taking sides
Rather than abstain from a dispute or race to support one or other side, we can draw on wisdom that teaches us even fierce disagreements can be resolved if the element of community is introduced
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