This year, almost three million Muslims are making the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It’s considered one of the five fundamental obligations of Islam. An estimated 15,000 Muslims from the U.S. traveled last year, and considerably more were expected this year. Imam Shaker Elsayed of the Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in Virginia has been on many hajjes. He went again this year and agreed to discuss the journey. More →

December 29, 2006

During the month-long Muslim holiday of Ramadan, these two teenage boys led prayers and recited the entire Qur’an from memory. More →

October 6, 2006

In northern California, Rabbi Alan Lew encourages Jews to borrow from the Buddhist tradition of meditation to enhance their practice during the High Holidays and all year round. Says Lew, “what really makes Jewish prayer powerful is something inexpressible, and meditation really sensitizes you to the inexpressible.” More →

September 15, 2006

Read more of Bob Abernethy’s July 6, 2006 interview in Washington, D.C. with Francis S. Collins, director of the Human Genome Project: Q: How do you describe yourself as a Christian? A: I’m a serious Christian. I take my faith … More →

July 21, 2006

Popular in poorer neighborhoods, storefront churches preach love and gratitude. Often set up wherever space is available, these houses of worship have the unique capability to meet their worshippers right where they are.

July 14, 2006

WEB EXCLUSIVE: The following remarks were delivered by Bill Moyers at the funeral service for William Sloane Coffin on April 20, 2006, at Riverside Memorial Church in New York City. There are so many of you out there who should … More →

April 20, 2006

Read an excerpt from IN THE COMPANY OF CHRIST: A PILGRIMAGE THROUGH HOLY WEEK by Benedicta Ward. More →

April 7, 2006

“Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, is by far the biggest festival during the year.” says Nguyen Ngoc Bich. More →

February 3, 2006

In some observant Jewish families, a little boy’s first haircut is more than just a haircut. It marks the beginning of not only his formal education but also his obligation to keep the commandments and perform mitzvoth — good deeds. More →

January 27, 2006

One of the numerous ways that people in this country try to get fit these days is through the practice of yoga. There are many different forms of this discipline, but the most commonly taught is called Iyengar. It’s named for the Indian guru B.K.S. Iyengar, who teaches that yoga has a deeply spiritual component uniting the body, mind and soul. More →

January 6, 2006