In 1945, near the village of Nag Hammadi along the east bank of the Nile River, a local farmer, digging for fertilizer in the arid desert, made an unlikely discovery: a sealed jar containing a collection of leatherbound, previously unknown early Christian texts. Now known as the Nag Hammadi Library, the findings, dated to the 4th century and including now-famous works such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Truth, revealed to scholars a much more diverse, if not confounding, version of early Christianity than...

The following "Researcher Reflection" from Dr. Alicia Mayer is part of an ongoing series spotlighting CSWR scholars and their research.

Calvinist Christian doctrines brought to New England by the Puritans inspired adverse reactions against the many “different others” they encountered, especially Indigenous Americans, who did not fit a Calvinist God’s providential scheme of salvation. In this unknown, unexplored American landscape, native others were considered unsaved, nor could they be saved. The idea fueled the difficult, tense, and frequently violent relationships...

In a thought-provoking online panel titled "Psychedelics and the Future of Religion: The Curious Case of Integration," hosted by the Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 5:30 to 7 pm via Zoom, experts delved into the complex intersection of psychedelics, spirituality, and therapeutic integration. The event, part of the "Psychedelics and the Future of Religion, Transcendence, and Transformation" programming series, drew attention to the evolving landscape of psychedelic research and its potential impact on religious and spiritual practices....

The following "Researcher Reflection" from Dr. Barakatullo Ashurov is part of an ongoing series where we spotlight CSWR scholars and their research.

Traditional healthcare practices in Central Asia are embedded in local cultures, histories, and religiosities. They are more than just different or alternative healing methods that contrast modern medicine. Interpreting such healing practices as religious survivals, reflections of pre-Islamic culture, or evidence of some universal shamanism fails to appreciate their holistic approach to care, which resonates with diverse...