This month on Discourse, Jaqueline Hargreaves, Jennifer Uzell and Theo Wildcroft approach the news from a Religious Studies perspective. We cover public responses to the Christchurch attack and the wearing of religious symbols as an act of solidarity. We discuss the boundaries of culture and religion, secularism and Buddhism, talking about the translation of mindfulness practices into indigenous Australian languages. Finally, we contemplate the intricate relationships between religious practice and materials, considering a number of recent news stories that involve fire and ash in acts of purification and consecration.
Links:
Headscarves and hakas:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/25/an-image-of-hope-how-a-local-photographer-captured-the-famous-ardern-picture
https://talkradio.co.uk/news/nz-women-wear-headscarves-solidarity-christchurch-victims-19032230378
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/02/jacinda-ardern-christchurch-grief-muslims-new-zealand
Mindfulness in indigenous languages:
https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-17/outback-meditation-aboriginal-women-create-mindfulness-app/10901896?pfmredir=sm
Book burning and Ash Wednesday:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/04/polish-priest-apologises-for-harry-potter-book-burning
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26478900
Sadly, we didn’t have time to note the best religion-based April Fool’s joke of the year:
https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2019/04/government-to-approve-first-jedi-faith-school
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