In 5 of 7 Muslim-majority countries most people prefer that women just cover their hair, not necessarily their face. But in Turkey and Lebanon, 1 in 4 don’t think any covering is necessary. That’s what a study conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research discovered. The Pew Research Center just published the study which you can read here. Thanks to @jenanmoussa for tweeting the link. Here’s another interesting graph from the Center.  And Max Fisher has an article... Read more

Do your students know the difference between a Bar and a Bat Mitzvah? If not, here’s a great explanation of the difference between the two from True Tube, a British site that provides lessons and videos for religion classes. This is part of a new series they developed called Rites of Passage. Read more

Islam and the West–A clash of civilizations? Maybe not. In this engaging short clip above, Shereen El Feki suggests that Islam represents a mesh of civilizations or a “cross cultural hybridization.” She offers examples of this hybridization.  They include Barbie and Fulla. And El Feki points to 4Shabab, or Arab TV, which combines both Western and Muslim ideas.  She shows how Islam’s first superheroes, the 99, eventually join forces with Wonder Woman and Superman.              ... Read more

Studying Hinduism and the concept of dharma?  The South Asia Center has a series of excellent lessons dealing with some of the moral dilemmas in the Ramayana. In different abbreviated stories, characters must figure out the most righteous behavior or proper dharma in response to the dilemma.  You can copy and print out the five short stories and ask students to discuss how the different characters should respond. They can also complete this chart as they read. Thanks to Mrs Steer... Read more

If you cannot take your students on a field trip to see a mosque, this video tour is the next best thing. It’s a lighthearted tour of a mosque in Hartford, Connecticut and shows you both the men’s and women’s prayer areas. My thanks to Hind Makki for tweeting the the link. Read more

Who has the right to use the word “Allah?” Only Muslims? Islamic authorities in Malaysia confiscated 300 Bibles because they used the word “Allah” to refer to God. Malay courts had ruled earlier that it was illegal for non-Muslims to that word. The BBC News says “people of all faiths use the word Allah in Malay to refer to their gods.” Read more

What is religion?  Is it about social control as Karl Marx argues, or ritual as Auguste Compe suggests? Could it be a virus as Richard Dawkins contends? Find out in each of the four 60 second clips below. They are all engaging and funny. They come from Open Culture and are part of the Open University series called 60 Second Adventures. I like showing them at the beginning of the year when we study different theories of religion.   Read more

Did you know that some female Muslims in China can head mosques and enjoy a great degree of religious tolerance, unlike Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists? They are Hui Muslims  and an ethnic minority in China. According to this story from Al Jazeera,  they represent about half of the country’s 20 million Muslims. And unlike Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists, the Hui enjoy a relative amount of religious tolerance. Al Jazeera says that’s probably because of “their friendly historical relations with... Read more

Many cultures, in addition to Muslims and Sikhs, wear head coverings as you can see from this cool graphic which I found here. Read more

What are the limits of free speech when it comes to Israel? Last month,  the Swartmore College campus Hillel organization defied a ban on anti Israel speakers at its meetings.That sparked a big controversy that might make for a good discussion. Here is a review of the events with links to various stories. Hillel International is a Jewish organization on college campuses all over the world. It attempts to “foster an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.” In 2011,... Read more