It's time for another guest post! Today we've got a piece by freelance writer and Harvard Divinity School student Hannah Gais on the recent schism between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over the latter's decision to give Ukrainian church leaders permission to form an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Hannah argues … Continue reading Inaccurate Conception: Orthodoxy, Autocephaly, and the Nation-State
Tag: religion
On the Yazidis
Since we're now bombing northern Iraq in part to try to save the Yazidis, it's worth knowing more about them. This National Geographic piece is a pretty good start: The Yazidi religion is often misunderstood, as it does not fit neatly into Iraq’s sectarian mosaic. Most Yazidis are Kurdish speakers, and while the majority consider themselves … Continue reading On the Yazidis
The Hajj and Islamic Pilgrimage
If you’re already familiar with the Hajj then this essay isn’t going to break any new ground for you, but if you’re not then I hope you come away with at least a basic understanding of its purpose, origins, and practices. The Hajj is a group pilgrimage to the city of Mecca (whose full name … Continue reading The Hajj and Islamic Pilgrimage
The Foreign Exchanges Companion 