Topic: Belief and Practice

  • Paryushana Parva is a festival of fasting, friendship, and forgiveness. Members of the Jain faith are celebrating the holiest time of the year. It coincides with monsoon season in India, which is where Jainism began.
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    August 24, 2001

  • Deborah Rosenthal is a respected artist who is also an observant Jew. As a result, her work is often infused with her religious beliefs. Recently, she was asked by the conservative Jewish congregation to which she belongs to create two stained glass windows for its sanctuary. For the commission, she chose two objects drawn from Jewish faith and Jewish history. More

    June 29, 2001

  • While a Bris, or circumcision ritual, has been the traditional way for Jews to welcome baby boys into the covenant, many families are now creating rituals to welcome their baby daughters. More

    June 22, 2001

  • Wicca, as modern witchcraft is often called, and its symbol of the pentacle are becoming more visible in today’s society. It is a polytheistic, earth-based religion that emphasizes feminism and the environment and encourages diversity of beliefs. It has no theological system or creed, no central text, and no hierarchy.
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    June 15, 2001

  • Baptism is an important rite of initiation in the Christian tradition, but the baptism ceremony varies depending upon the denomination. Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and many in the Protestant denominations baptize infants. Baptists and Pentecostal Churches baptize only adults or children old enough to profess their faith. More

    April 13, 2001

  • The National Conference of Catholic Bishops have approved the first national guideline for church art and architecture. Titled “Built of Living Stones,” the document advises parishes, priests, and architects on appropriate church styles, which reflect solid theological foundations. More

    November 17, 2000

  • African tribal religions include diviners who are believed to communicate with the gods in the spirit world. Diviners discover and then relate what the gods want, and harness the gods’ powers to help followers overcome illness and other crises. More

    October 27, 2000

  • Bob Abernethy takes a look at the 7-day Jewish observance of Sukkot. More

    October 13, 2000

  • We spoke with Rabbis Deborah Wechsler and Robert Tobin, both of Chizuk Amuno congregation in Baltimore, Maryland, about the High Holidays and their preparation for them. More

    September 29, 2000

  • BOB ABERNETHY: Now, Belief & Practice. This Sunday is Pascha or Easter for the world’s more than 250 million Eastern Orthodox Christians. They observe the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar followed by most westerners. For the Orthodox, Holy … More

    April 28, 2000

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