Religion
The Desert Mothers
The Desert Mothers of early Christianity were as determined as male mystics to live solitary lives in the most testing of conditions. While their characters and lives are less well documented, what we do have gives intriguing glimpses into what it was like for a woman to be a recluse in a milieu dominated by men.
Fakirs and Holy Men: Mysticism in America, Europe and the Middle East — with Raphael Cormack and Finbar Anderson
Raphael Cormack tells New Lines’ Finbar Anderson about the mystics who fused elements of the spiritual and the modern to build huge followings from Beirut to New York in the early 20th century, as described in his new book “Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age: A Forgotten History of the Occult.”
The Global Rise of Narco-Pentecostalism
Brazilian prosperity theology has made it possible for pastors and their congregants to be “involved in the drug trade and human trafficking, even in prostitution, and yet still see themselves as loyal and steadfast Christians,” Chesnut says, even if outsiders see “great contradictions in slinging an AK-47 across your shoulder after you've attended church.”
Why Pilgrims Are Dying on the Hajj
A recent overhaul of Saudi Arabia's visa system has caused the rise of an international network of “Hajj racketeers.” When unauthorized pilgrims reach Mecca, stringent new security measures force them to undertake long, arduous treks on foot under the scorching desert sun to fulfill their religious duties.
For Pilgrims Traveling Unofficially, Performing the Hajj Can Be a Harrowing Journey
A trusted friend informed me of an opportunity to perform the Hajj, albeit informally. I had often heard the saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," but I never imagined that my journey to Mecca outside the official pilgrimage system would lead me to a nightmare.
Ramadan and Eid’s Crescent Wars
Controversy over how to determine the dates of Ramadan and Eid has long been framed as being about the science of astronomical calculation versus religious traditionalism. Yet this fails to capture the legal heart of the question, and obscures the politics of what I like to call the “Crescent Wars.”
Alone and Pregnant at 15, I Had To Choose Between an Abortion and My Faith
The story of how I had a change of heart about abortion is a journey of a thousand miles, 2 million steps, and I am unable to trace from memory what each of those steps were. But now that I am “pro-choice,” I find myself feeling angry about the way liberals ridicule and caricature those living within the conservative paradigms.