Rabbi Emeritus David J. Goldberg relates the irrational side of the human condition, how he has more in common with moderates of other religions than he does with extremists of his own, and the constant tensions between particularism and...

Historian David Hollinger (UC Berkeley) describes the Ecumenical Protestant movement and its huge impact on American cultural and political life.

Historian Nile Green (UCLA) cites the model of religious economy as a counter-argument to classical Weberian secularization theory.

Renowned polymath and physicist Freeman Dyson (Institute for Advanced Study) describes how the so-called "militant atheist" movement leads to intolerance and extremism.Reno

Historian Nile Green (UCLA) describes how using a sometimes provocative new language to describe what we think we already know forces us to broaden our understanding.

Historian and social anthropologist Nile Green, UCLA, describes why he uses the model of “religious economy” as an “anti-rhetoric” to deliberately get people to think about religion and core religious principles in a new and different way.

Author and independent scholar Pankaj Mishra describes how, despite being born not far from where the Buddha lived and preached, he had to make a special effort to learn about Buddhism.

Historian Nile Green, UCLA, describes why the notion of a “Clash of Civilizations” between the West and the Islamic world is inappropriate, while describing how the model of “religious economy” can help us improve both understanding and...

Inspired by Simon Clark's call for his subscribers to post "How I Became a Researcher" videos, I'm posting a short biographical sketch of my journey from a history Bachelors student to a religious studies PhD candidate. Hope you enjoy!

What is religion? The answer might not be as simple as you thought.

What is Shinto? This is Episode 1 of a 5-part series introducing what some call the indigenous Japanese religion. What is it all about? What are kami? And how do people practice it?

How can computer models help in the academic study of religion? Today I sit down with Dr. Connor Wood with the Institute for the Bio-Cultural Study of Religion to find out.

Religious studies draws inspiration from multiple academic disciplines: sociology, anthropology, history, neuroscience, biology, psychology, political science..so no matter what you're interested in, you can probably find a home in...

Religion is a tough subject to study. One of the reasons why is because we bring our own preconceptions about particular religions to the subject. Our stereotypes affect how we interpret different religious traditions. This can lead to...

This is the 2nd part of my interview with Dr. Connor Wood talking about the Modeling Religion Project.

In this episode we examine the topic: What is the Difference Between Theology and Religious Studies?

"Ritual." We all think we know what it means...right? Ritual, though, is a lot more complicated than you think.

In this episode we examine the topic: When Shinto Became a “Religion"

Across cultures, religious communities that expect more from their members thrive (or religious communities in which members face greater consequences for leaving). Meanwhile, lenient religious groups struggle to maintain membership. Why...

Religion is a social thing. It involves beliefs and practices passed on from generation to generation as an integral part of culture. But is there a biological default to religion hardwired in the brain of homo sapiens?

Religious Literacy can be summarized in three key assumptions about religion. It is not simply learning every detail about world religions.

In this episode we examine the topic: Ceremonial Deism: The Religion of the Supreme Court

People often seem to follow the religion of their parents. But why? And why do so many people leave their religious upbringing too? The answer may have something to do with "practicing what you preach."

An example of a magical text from the 5th century CE. What can it tell us about the beliefs and practices of ancient individuals living in Greco-Roman Egypt?