What Became of the Conversos of Spain?

Last updated on: July 21, 2025 at 10:35 am By Barbara O'Brien

Conversos were Jews in Spain and Portugal who were forcibly converted to Catholicism in the 14th and 15th centuries. Often the alternative was death. After conversion the conversos were still subject to mass violence, discrimination, and investigation by the Inquisition. Even though there were risks, it’s known that many conversos still practiced Judaism in secret. And, understandably, many Jews left Spain. Those who hadn’t already left were expelled in 1492 But what became of the conversos who remained? I recently... Read more

The Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday and What Happens Next

Last updated on: July 3, 2025 at 10:07 am By Barbara O'Brien

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His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will be 90 years old on July 6, 2025. Celebrations of this auspicious event have already begun. I am not aware that the Dalai Lama has any particular health problems other than growing more frail. He may have a few years left. But his passing, when it comes, will not just be a sad day for Tibetan Buddhists. It will set off a messy power struggle between the government of China and Tibetan Buddhism... Read more

The Ten Commandments: Back to School?

Last updated on: June 27, 2025 at 12:16 pm By Barbara O'Brien

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The crusade to enshrine the Ten Commandments in U.S. public schools reached a couple of landmarks in the past few days. Last week a panel of three federal appellate judges found Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law unconstitutional. A few hours after the Louisiana ruling was announced, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a nearly identical bill into law in Texas. This week lawsuits to stop the Texas bill are being filed. And many of these lawsuits are being filed by religious people, including... Read more

Religious Orientation: Are You Intrinsic or Extrinsic?

Last updated on: June 12, 2025 at 4:48 pm By Barbara O'Brien

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Intrinsic and extrinsic are the two orientations measured in the Allport Religious Orientation Scale. Also called the Intrinsic/Extrinsic Scale (I/E), the Religious Orientation Scale was published in 1967 by psychologists Gordon Allport and J. M. Ross. Rather than measure beliefs or practices, the ROS measures attitudes, intentions, and motivations. The scale explains how different people following the same religious tradition can follow it so very, well, differently. The scale proposes that people connect with, or orient themselves toward, religion in... Read more

U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Catholic Charter School

Last updated on: June 6, 2025 at 10:21 am By Barbara O'Brien

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A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling has stopped Oklahoma’s plan to fund a Catholic charter school. I wrote about St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School nearly two years ago, when Oklahoma announced the state would subsidize a school providing sectarian religious instruction with taxpayer dollars. As explained in the earlier post, for a very long time such funding would have been considered an obvious violation of the U.S. Constitution. And it still is, apparently, but just barely. Justice Amy... Read more

Pope Leo XIII: The Father of Catholic Social Doctrine

Last updated on: May 12, 2025 at 8:48 am By Barbara O'Brien

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Pope Leo XIII is in the news, more than a century after his reign ended. Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, told reporters that the new Pope Leo XIV’s choice of a name is a “direct recall of the social doctrine of the church and of the pope that initiated the modern social doctrine of the church.” And that would be Pope Leo XIII. Pope Leo XIV has since told his Cardinals that he plans to address the... Read more

Catholicism in China: The Challenge for the Next Pope

Last updated on: June 30, 2025 at 3:13 pm By Barbara O'Brien

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Catholicism in China poses a formidable problem for the Vatican. The late Pope Francis is warmly remembered for his deep, sincere faith and compassion. But the Holy Father has also been accused of abandoning the Catholic Church in China. This criticism is about an agreement made between Pope Francis and the People’s Republic of China regarding the ordination of Chinese bishops. After looking into the matter, I found myself somewhat more sympathetic to Pope Francis’s position than most of his... Read more

Religion in Public Schools Hurts Religion (and Schools)

Last updated on: April 16, 2025 at 11:22 am By Barbara O'Brien

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Religion in public schools has been a hot topic in the U.S. for decades. It might surprise you to learn that many of the lawsuits challenging religion in American public schools have been filed by religious people. Yes, there are religious people who want less religion in public schools, not more. If you assumed otherwise, please keep reading. Today, school districts throughout the U.S. are doubling down on introducing religion into public schools. For example, last year the Texas State... Read more

Myanmar Earthquake: Mosques and Temples Destroyed

Last updated on: April 1, 2025 at 3:46 pm By Barbara O'Brien

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On March 28 an earthquake struck central Myanmar and was felt in several Asian countries. It destroyed many religious and historic sites, according to news reports. Since Myanmar is home to many revered Buddhist temples and shrines, I’ve been trying to determine which have been damaged or destroyed. Information has been sketchy, however. As I write this the reported death toll is in the thousands and keeps going up. It may be a few days before there is a final... Read more

Mahabodhi Temple Protests: The Fight for a Sacred Site

Last updated on: March 27, 2025 at 12:57 pm By Barbara O'Brien

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Mahabodhi Temple — one of the world’s most sacred places — is now the site of a growing protest movement. Mahabodhi Temple is believed to mark the place where, about 26 centuries ago, the Buddha sat in meditation and realized enlightenment. Today the temple is claimed by both Buddhists and Hindus. Since 1949 the temple has been administered by a joint committee of Buddhists and Hindus, but this arrangement seems now to be entirely breaking down. The protests have not... Read more

I saw a vision of four living creatures with four faces—human, lion, ox, and eagle—beside wheels within wheels. Who witnessed this?