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Many young Jains are finding that living in the modern world requires more flexibility than the anti-materialistic rules of their religion allow. “My grandparents said they don’t eat food at night. But going out with friends, having a social circle, we can’t be as strict as our grandparents,” says twenty-year-old Geetika Jain. More
Black and white pastors in Sanford, Florida work toward racial reconciliation 50 years after the historic freedom march, and a series of protests in North Carolina use the language of faith to counter a conservative state legislature More
Recent events such as the shooting death of Trayvon Martin and the subsequent trial of George Zimmerman have highlighted racial divides that still exist in the U.S. 50 years after the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In the wake of the shooting, local black and white pastors in Sanford, Florida are taking a hard look at what more they can do to promote dialogue, understanding, and racial reconciliation. More
“We need to remember that the anniversary of the March on Washington is not the anniversary of a speech, but the anniversary of a very important point in history to expand democracy, to deepen democracy, and to make democracy more faithful to its own sayings.” More
Religious leaders in North Carolina are being arrested in growing numbers to protest new laws they say adversely affect the poor, the aging, and children. “There is great biblical precedent for people being arrested,” says Rev. Richard Edens. “It’s a great heritage to be a part of.” More
“There is a lot of irony in the fact that the monk Wirathu and his followers are using fear in order to incite acts of violence that are precisely against the spirit of so much Buddhist teaching,” says Eyal Aviv, a professor of religious studies and international affairs at George Washington University. More
A report from India on the problem of bride trafficking; a visit with the student volunteers and the founder of buildOn, a movement inspired by the social justice demands of his Catholic faith; and a conversation with Buddhist teacher and author Lewis Richmond about aging as a spiritual practice. More
In a country where the expectation to marry is high, is a shortage of females fueling the trafficking of young women to fill the need for brides? More
“I am convinced that the kids from the most challenging circumstances are also the grittiest, the most determined. and have the biggest capacity for compassion,” says buildOn’s founder Jim Ziolkowski. More
Watch Buddhist teacher and author Lewis Richmond explain a Buddhist approach to old age and read an excerpt from his book “Aging as a Spiritual Practice: A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser.”
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