On Thursday, a federal judge refused to grant a temporary restraining order to prohibit a requirement that incoming freshmen and transfer students at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill read and discuss a book about the Koran. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argued that the book --_Approaching the Qur'án: The Early Revelations_, by Michael Sells, a professor of religion at Haverford...

Launched in 2001, the Pew Form on Religion & Public Life "seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs." To create and maintain such a dialogue, the Forum has created this website which functions as both a clearinghouse and as a town hall of sorts. The Forum focuses on four primary areas, including religion and politics, religion and the law,...

There has always been a great interest in the spiritual beliefs of young people, and in the past few decades, an increasing interest in the beliefs of those young people in colleges and universities around the United States. One group that is intently interested in this topic is the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California at Los Angeles. The Institute's primary...

The "Tell Me More" program on National Public Radio promises to bring "the wisdom of renowned thinkers, activists and spiritual leaders" to the curious public. The show is hosted by Michel Martin, and she describes the program as "a gathering place for dialogue about the important issues facing the country." Regular features on the program include "Political Chat," "Faith Matters," and "Wisdom...

The diverse forms and expressions of African-American faith and spirituality are sometimes underappreciated, a situation that this particular six-part documentary, developed by PBS, hopes to rectify. This Web site, a companion to "This Far by Faith," provides a host of information about these many experiences, beginning with African slaves brought to America and continuing to the present day....