“Buddhist Studies” at Chula In-depth studies, activities, and research

Chulalongkorn University isn’t a Buddhist university but it does serve as a resource center for Buddhist Studies research and education. There are now various programs that offer courses in Buddhist Studies, as well as the Center for Buddhist Studies of the Institute of Thai Studies and its worldwide network of academics who are active in the exchange and collaboration in research, along with the International Tipitaka Hall and the CU Dhamma Center which serves as a venue for study and research along with organizing activities related to Buddhism.

Most older adults are wary of mixing health care and religion or spirituality, poll finds

When it comes to matters of personal beliefs, most older Americans prefer to keep their health care and their spiritual or religious lives separate, a new University of Michigan poll finds. But they do see a role for their health care providers in helping them cope with illness by looking for meaning or hope.

Greater Empathy in Adolescents Helps Prevent Bias-based Cyberbullying

Little is known about cyberbullying and empathy, especially as it relates harming or abusing others because of race or religion. A study is the first to examine general cyberbullying, race-based cyberbullying, and religion-based cyberbullying in young adolescents. Results show that the higher a youth scored on empathy, the lower the likelihood that they cyberbullied others. When it came to bias-based cyberbullying, higher levels of total empathy were associated with lower odds of cyberbullying others based on their race or religion.

WashU Expert: SCOTUS ruling hints at why religious freedom means living with views we don’t like

While the ruling in the Maine case is unsurprising giving the court’s recent decisions around freedom of religion, some of the rhetoric around the case misrepresents the role of constitutional protections for religion in a pluralistic society, said John Inazu, expert on law and religion at Washington University in St. Louis.

Nurse, Heal Thyself – Spiritual Practices in the Midst of a Pandemic

For nurses on the frontline, the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially disparaging, challenging and even life altering. Nurses have worked extremely long hours faced not only with the excessive, increased number of deaths of their patients, who were dying alone, but also grieved the loss of coworkers. Researchers explored the use of spirituality and religion in nurses on the frontline as a way to find purpose and meaning in life, especially during times of heightened stress and uncertainty.

Ithaca College Graduates Encouraged to Find A Gift in the Losses

Emmy-nominated television creator and producer Liz Tigelaar told some 1,300 Ithaca College graduates that the beauty in life comes in the questions and the unknowns, and to relish being in a moment where there is so much to discover. A 1998 IC graduate herself, Tigelaar was the main speaker at the college’s 126th Commencement ceremonies held on Sunday, May 23.

Massiah Foundation challenge gift to fund UCI chair in Zoroastrian studies

Irvine, Calif., July 29, 2020 – The University of California, Irvine has received a $1.5 million challenge commitment from the Massiah Foundation to establish the Ferdowsi Presidential Chair in Zoroastrian Studies – the first of its kind in the United States. Additionally, the University of California will support the chair with up to $500,000.

Reading the Unreadable: Brent Seales and Team Reveal Dead Sea Scroll Text

“When I first saw the text inside the scroll, it felt like I was a kid again — like digging through the sand for fossils at one of those museum exhibits and actually finding one. I was so excited,” Tamasi said. “I was the first person to see the contents of the scroll this millennium. There aren’t many opportunities like that.”

Story of jailed 17th-century Iberian “mulatto pilgrim” told in new book by John K. Moore Jr.

The book tells the story of a man jailed for impersonating a priest in 1693 Spain, when he was likely trying to escape racial persecution. It gives readers a fascinating look at a centuries-old legal case against a man on pilgrimage and shows how Iberians of black-African ancestry faced discrimination and mistreatment.

How religions around the world are keeping the faith during COVID-19

COVID-19 has rocked everyday life for people around the world, requiring religious communities to shift worship at a time that many consider the most holiest of the year. Daily and weekly services at churches, synagogues, mosques and temples have transitioned to take place in the home with family members as many places of prayer are closed for the first time in their history.

U.S. protections for constitutional rights falling behind global peers

New research from the WORLD Policy Analysis Center at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health (WORLD) shows that the United States is falling behind its global peers when it comes to guarantees for key constitutional rights. Researchers identified key gaps in the U.S. including guarantees of the right to health, gender equality, and rights for persons with disabilities.