Category Archives: Religious Studies

The belief in an afterlife is an important part of the Christian tradition. And unsurprisingly, there are many competing images of what that would look like and who would be allowed in. In an article for The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, … Continue reading →

“In a tiny northern Chilean town in the driest desert in the world, 200,000 people are gathering this week for one of the most remarkable, vibrant, and little-known Catholic feasts in the world,” said Thomas Landy, director of the Rev. … Continue reading →

In an article for The Conversation, Joanne Pierce, professor of religious studies at Holy Cross, traces the conceptual evolution of hell through the Jewish and Greek cultures and their influence on the Christian description of hell or the afterlife, including … Continue reading →

“Comparing traditions during Holy Week gives us a chance to recognize Catholicism as the vivid tapestry of practices and cultures that it is,” said Thomas Landy, director of the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics, and Culture. … Continue reading →

With the Roman Catholic Church banning the use of gluten-free wafers for communion, Joanne Pierce, professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, writes a piece for The Conversation on the history of communion wafers and how … Continue reading →

What do Harry Potter and Christianity have in common? According to Rev. William Reiser, S.J., professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, they have more in common than you’d think. In an article published by America Magazine, … Continue reading →

Following the suicide bombing outside of the Manchester Arena in England, which killed 22 concert attendees and the bomber, Salman Abedi, the Manchester Central Mosque has declined to be involved in Abedi’s funeral — a decision that The Atlantic reports … Continue reading →