Religion
Pope Leo and the Trojan Cross
From far-right billionaires to ultraconservative TikTok influencers, a who’s who of France’s identitarian Catholics played a role in the pope’s first visit to France since his election, and left Easter eggs all along his route for their followers to see.
The Texan Tablets
Should the Ten Commandments be displayed in Texas schools? The question is pending review by the Supreme Court, and justices will likely look to the intentions behind the Constitution to guide their decisions. They are unlikely to find easy answers.
A Double Standard on Religious Liberty in Schools
This year, Texas introduced a $1 billion school voucher program that gives parents thousands of dollars toward tuition at private and religious schools. But families choosing Islamic schools are facing obstacles, in a case that recalls a long history of debate over faith and freedom.
American Support for Israel Is a Political Religion
What makes the relationship between the U.S. and Israel unique, one that can’t be captured by ordinary frameworks? It’s as if the two states were a single entity — “AmericaIsrael” — functioning like an article of faith and producing its own heretics.
Sufism Endures in Lebanon’s Marginalized North
While Sufi practices in Lebanon’s cities have dwindled under pressure from Salafists, rural Akkar remains a bastion of mysticism. Across its villages, Sufi congregations host centuries-old “zikr” prayer ceremonies that center on music, dance and joy.
How the Rise of Bureaucracy Reshaped Religion
The ways that today’s states deal with the sacred are not determined by how “secular” they are or the lingering effects of ancient traditions. Variations in how religion relates to public life around the world were rather set by the evolution of modern bureaucracies.
Syria Needs a Strong Society, Not a Strongman
The world is worried about the jihadism of Syria’s new leaders, but the world may be missing the point. Whether the state is religious or secular, Syria needs a strong society, not a strongman.