Animals may have religion
The word “religion” usually brings to mind complicated belief systems, rituals, and symbolic engagements with a higher reality – all of which seem well beyond […]
religion
Religion boosts self-control
In the never-ending quest of figuring out why religion evolved, many have proposed that religion enhances group fitness. If correct, then researchers should be able […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Review: Inside the Neolithic Mind
David Lewis-Williams and David Pearce’s Inside the Neolithic Mind (Thames & Hudson, 2005) claims to descend into the nebulous world of Neolithic people’s consciousness in […]
Review: Medicine, Religion, and Health
With Medicine, Religion, and Health (Templeton Foundation Press, 2008), Harold Koenig makes a valuable contribution to understanding the relationship between religion, spirituality, and health for […]
IN FOCUS: Religion, spirituality, and health – Part II
In December 2011, the Journal of Behavioral Medicine dedicated an entire issue to studies focusing on religion, spirituality, and health. Many of these papers attempt […]
IN FOCUS: Religion, spirituality, and health
Over recent years, researchers have gotten serious about studying the effects of religion on health. Before the turn of the millennium, there were abundant studies […]