Former Irish President Mary McAleese argues that infant baptism violates children’s human rights by imposing church membership without consent. Critics respond that parents possess religious freedom ...

MERCOGLIANO, Italy (RNS) — The pews of the Church of the Annunziata in Mercogliano, a town just outside of Naples, were filled with guests wearing lacquered nails, towering wigs and heavy eyelashes.

Across religions, humans have practiced extreme rituals involving piercing, fire, and physical trauma. These acts appear irrational, yet they persist across cultures and centuries. Research shows ...