The rise of “new age” spirituality in secular society
Sweden is one of the most secular societies in the world (at least in terms of participation in church activities), yet, despite its strong secularism, […]
Research News
Challenging the idea of “spiritual but not religious”
Many people assume a sharp contrast between spirituality and religion. Spirituality involves strange experiences and feelings of ecstacy, whereas religion means boring sermons and social […]
A look at libertarian morality
You know your libertarian friend? The one who votes Republican but scoffs at “family values,” who posts Ron Paul quotes on Facebook and thinks taxes […]
Thinking about physics suppresses our social minds
Last year, a scientific study out of UBC-Vancouver made a splash by claiming that analytical thinking decreased people’s belief in God. Of course, this wasn’t […]
Five ways religion can influence political beliefs
Typically, when people think of “religion and politics,” they think of social issues such as abortion, contraceptives, and gay marriage. While that’s not a bad […]
Do you believe in magic? Seriously.
No self-respecting defender of science would admit to believing in magic. Science has surpassed magic by providing real explanations. Yet, when put in the right […]
Religion and personality
Envision the typical religious believer. What personality traits come to mind? For some people, religious people epitomize ignorance, intolerance, and stubbornness; for others, they personify […]
Sufism and mindfulness
“Mind-body medicine,” or the integration of spiritual practices with techniques for healing, is a big topic these days. While many of the practices that go […]
Dreams and religion
In the many discussions on the new cognitive science of religion, one never hears mention of the relation of dreams to religion. Yet dreams have […]
Is altruism real?
Think you’re a loving friend, committed family member, and a diligent worker? Well, think again. Many biologists would argue that you’re nothing but a collection […]