Ethics + Religion – The Conversation – Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and more

Two women wearing black head coverings embrace as a man looks on toward the scene ahead.

Two women wearing black head coverings embrace as a man looks on toward the scene ahead.

San Diego mosque shooting reflects how online rhetoric, media depictions and political discourse contribute to increased Islamophobia

Anisah Bagasra, Kennesaw State University

A black and white postage stamp with a small red illustration of a hand holding a flaming sword, and the words 'I have sworn...Hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.'

A black and white postage stamp with a small red illustration of a hand holding a flaming sword, and the words 'I have sworn...Hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.'

What Jefferson and Madison would have thought about ‘rededicating’ the US to God

Steven K. Green, Willamette University

America’s musical founding father: ‘Liberty songs’ by a self-taught singer and tanner helped fuel the Revolution

David W. Stowe, Michigan State University

A faded illustration of seven men in formal coats sitting around a table, with a musical score surrounding the image.

A faded illustration of seven men in formal coats sitting around a table, with a musical score surrounding the image.

Uncovering coded antisemitism online takes both human expertise and AI automation

Wendy Melillo, American University School of Communication; Jeff Gill, American University, and Nathalie Japkowicz, American University

A section of a computer keyboard, with keys that say 'share,' 'post,' threat,' 'like' and 'hate speech,' which is in red font.

A section of a computer keyboard, with keys that say 'share,' 'post,' threat,' 'like' and 'hate speech,' which is in red font.

Is AI really ‘writing’? From a priestess to philosophers, ancient authors would have said ‘no’

Ryan Leack, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A pale stone disk with a relief in the middle depicting four figures standing in a line, facing left.

A pale stone disk with a relief in the middle depicting four figures standing in a line, facing left.

How tarot readers are using AI – and what it says about our growing reliance on chatbots for emotional support and advice

Ziv Epstein, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, University of Michigan, and Vana Goblot, Goldsmiths, University of London

A table with crystals, an orb and colorful cards spread out on the surface.

A table with crystals, an orb and colorful cards spread out on the surface.

Read our latest religion articles

America 250

Several people view artwork displayed on screens outside a brick building.

Several people view artwork displayed on screens outside a brick building.

America’s founding promise of religious freedom has long coexisted with prejudice, even as many Christians have worked to confront it

David Mislin, Temple University

What the Declaration of Independence does – and doesn’t – say about God

Thomas Tweed, University of Notre Dame

A black and white illustration shows a crowd of well-dressed people in 18th century garb milling outside a stately building.

A black and white illustration shows a crowd of well-dressed people in 18th century garb milling outside a stately building.

The Erie Canal: How a ‘big ditch’ transformed America’s economy, culture and even religion

Matthew Smith, Miami University

An outdoor scene of a calm river surrounded by banks with leafy trees, and a rust-colored bridge in the distance.

An outdoor scene of a calm river surrounded by banks with leafy trees, and a rust-colored bridge in the distance.

Lafayette helped Americans turn the tide in their fight for independence – and 50 years later, he helped forge the growing nation’s sense of identity

Matthew Smith, Miami University

A faded drawing of two men shaking hands on a beach while many soldiers and other people look on.

A faded drawing of two men shaking hands on a beach while many soldiers and other people look on.

What James Madison can teach Americans about religious freedom today

Corey D. B. Walker, Wake Forest University

A historical painting shows a group of formally dressed men in long coats, breeches and white wigs gathered in discussion, with one seated at a table while others stand around having conversations.

A historical painting shows a group of formally dressed men in long coats, breeches and white wigs gathered in discussion, with one seated at a table while others stand around having conversations.

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War and peace

A man in ornate white robes and a tall gold-colored hat waves and holds a staff.

A man in ornate white robes and a tall gold-colored hat waves and holds a staff.

‘Just war’ has guided Catholic thinking on conflict for centuries – including criticism of Iran war

Valerie Morkevičius, Colgate University

Christian satellite TV has broadcast evangelical faith – and end-times prophecies – into Iran for decades

Febe Armanios, Middlebury College

An apartment building with three satellite dishes hanging out of windows, illuminated against the night sky.

An apartment building with three satellite dishes hanging out of windows, illuminated against the night sky.

Trump’s clash with the pope reenacts a 1,000-year-old question: What happens when sacred and secular power collide?

Joëlle Rollo-Koster, University of Rhode Island

A medieval-looking illustration of a man in a tall hat placing a crown on a kneeling man's head, set against a red backdrop.

A medieval-looking illustration of a man in a tall hat placing a crown on a kneeling man's head, set against a red backdrop.

Shiite grief over attacks on Iran’s sacred cities has deep historical roots

Mary Thurlkill, University of Mississippi

Several men, holding photos of Ayatollah Khamenei, raise their arms in protest.

Several men, holding photos of Ayatollah Khamenei, raise their arms in protest.

Iran’s ruling structure explained

Eric Lob, Florida International University

Hundreds of people gathered, holding green, white and red flags and carrying a large portrait.

Hundreds of people gathered, holding green, white and red flags and carrying a large portrait.

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Global religion

Three women sit for Israeli Rabbinate’s exam, amid growing recognition for Orthodox Jewish women’s religious leadership

Michal Raucher, Rutgers University

Two women and two girls smile and seem to chant or sing as they stand in a large crowd of women in an auditorium.

Two women and two girls smile and seem to chant or sing as they stand in a large crowd of women in an auditorium.

What an ancient devotional text means for the women of Nepal

Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, Penn State

Hundreds of women dressed in red sit closely together, many with heads bowed and one hand raised in a gesture of ritual offering.

Hundreds of women dressed in red sit closely together, many with heads bowed and one hand raised in a gesture of ritual offering.

Growing up during Sri Lanka’s civil war taught me that getting along with people across divides is a virtue we can learn

Eranda Jayawickreme, Wake Forest University

Men wearing white turbans and red skirts wave clusters of feathers as they dance outside at night.

Men wearing white turbans and red skirts wave clusters of feathers as they dance outside at night.

The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them

Daniel M. Stuart, University of South Carolina

A brightly lit pagoda standing within a green-painted wall, surrounded by trees.

A brightly lit pagoda standing within a green-painted wall, surrounded by trees.

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AI ethics

Is AI really ‘writing’? From a priestess to philosophers, ancient authors would have said ‘no’

Ryan Leack, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

A pale stone disk with a relief in the middle depicting four figures standing in a line, facing left.

A pale stone disk with a relief in the middle depicting four figures standing in a line, facing left.

AI is showing up in court cases – but only a human jury can grapple with the moral weight of assessing guilt

Sonali Chakravarti, Wesleyan University

An illustration of a blindfolded woman holding up the scales of justice, but all the images are made up of tiny 1s and 0s.

An illustration of a blindfolded woman holding up the scales of justice, but all the images are made up of tiny 1s and 0s.

AI’s fluency in other languages hides a Western worldview that can mislead users − a scholar of Indonesian society explains

Gareth Barkin, University of Puget Sound

An Asian woman reads on her tablet

An Asian woman reads on her tablet

Moral metrics: Are corporate algorithms becoming our new moral authorities?

Beth DuFault, University of Portland

Hands type on a keyboard, as the words 'credit score' and a colored chart float above.

Hands type on a keyboard, as the words 'credit score' and a colored chart float above.

AI ethics

Read more about AI ethics

Ancient texts

A Tibetan painting depicts a wrathful, multi-armed deity rendered in blue and gold, surrounded by a circle of smaller attendant figures.

A Tibetan painting depicts a wrathful, multi-armed deity rendered in blue and gold, surrounded by a circle of smaller attendant figures.

‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ is actually not just about death

Jue Liang, Case Western Reserve University

What a Muslim folk trickster can teach us about the danger of holding a single worldview

Perin Gürel, University of Notre Dame

A man in a fake white beard and white turban leads a long line of children through a park.

A man in a fake white beard and white turban leads a long line of children through a park.

The apocrypha, Christianity’s ‘hidden’ texts, may not be in the Bible – but they have shaped tradition for centuries

Christy Cobb, University of Denver

Two open books rest on a table next to a pile of three more books.

Two open books rest on a table next to a pile of three more books.

How women are reinterpreting the menstrual taboos in Chinese Buddhism

Megan Bryson, University of Tennessee

Painting of women in a pond of blood with monks standing above them on land.

Painting of women in a pond of blood with monks standing above them on land.

An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries

Thomas A. DuBois, University of Wisconsin-Madison

An illustration in shades of red, blue and green shows a line of men rowing a boat.

An illustration in shades of red, blue and green shows a line of men rowing a boat.

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