Power of Prayer: Studies Find Prayer Can Lead to Cooperation, Forgiveness in Relationships

Praying for a romantic partner or close friend can lead to more cooperative and forgiving behavior toward the partner, according to a new study co-authored by a Florida State University researcher.

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New Book Questions Preferential Legal Treatment of Religious Liberty

The Western democratic practice of singling out religious liberty for special treatment under the law is not in sync with the world we live in today, argues University of Chicago Law School professor Brian Leiter in his new book, Why Tolerate Religion?

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Pope Francis Appointment Appears as 'Too Little, Too Late' Marketing Strategy, Says Cornell Historian

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Children of Divorced Parents Are More Likely to Switch or Leave Religions

Adults whose parents were divorced are more likely to switch religions or disassociate themselves from institutional religions altogether — but growing up in a single-parent family does not have any effect on private religious life, including praying, according to a study by a Baylor University sociologist.

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Mother Teresa: Anything but a Saint…

The myth of altruism and generosity surrounding Mother Teresa is dispelled in a paper by Serge Larivée and Genevieve Chenard of University of Montreal’s Department of Psychoeducation and Carole Sénéchal of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education.

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Experts Available on Electing the New Pope

Members of The National Communication Association who study spiritual communication can provide insight into the election of the new pope.

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St. Patrick’s Day Is ‘Great American Story’ Says Irish Studies Expert

St. Patrick’s Day has become an American tradition where everyone is Irish. However, these annual March celebrations were born from the painful experiences of early Irish immigrants, many of whom were Catholic, says Mary McCain, Irish studies instructor at DePaul University in Chicago.

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Catholic Scholar Available to Discuss Papacy and American Catholics

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Moments of Spirituality Can Induce Liberal Attitudes

People become more politically liberal immediately after practising a spiritual exercise such as meditation, researchers at the University of Toronto have found.

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Virginia Tech Historian Carefully Watching Papal Election

As the world awaits white smoke from the Sistine Chapel roof -- the signal that a new pope has been elected -- Virginia Tech historian Frederic Baumgartner speculates about what will happen next.

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