Followers of Ásatrú, or Norse paganism, still honor their gods, and in Iceland, where Ásatrú is the second-most-practiced religion after Christianity, a new temple to the Norse deities is rising now on Öskjuhlíð, a hill overlooking the center of the capital city of Reykjavik. Dedicated to the whole pantheon of Norse gods and nature spirits, it is the first pagan temple to be built in more than 1,000 years. (Kumar, Religion News Service)
Read MoreThe draft “uniform civil code” from Narendra Modi’s Hindu government forces Indians of all faiths to subscribe to the same laws on marriage, divorce and inheritance — banning polygamy and giving women and men equal rights to inherit. (Dhillon, The Times UK)
Read MoreToday’s 65-year-olds are redefining a milestone long associated with retirement parties and the end of productive years. They are wealthier and by many measures, healthier, and expected to live another 20 years. A growing share are divorced. Many turn their focus to what they want in this next stage. (Ansberry, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreMany… historic Black churches were at the forefront of American social and civic movements, hosting political rallies and meetings during the Civil Rights era and community socials in the years of Jim Crow; before that, some served as sanctuaries for those escaping enslavement on the Underground Railroad. (Ramirez, USA Today)
Read MoreA sharp shift in health care is taking place as more than one-third of American adults now supplement or substitute mainstream medical care with acupuncture, meditation, yoga and other therapies long considered alternative. (Richtel, The New York Times)
Read MoreNotions of what constitutes sobriety and problematic substance use have grown more flexible in recent years as younger Americans have shunned alcohol in increasing numbers while embracing cannabis and psychedelics — a phenomenon that alarms some addiction experts. (Londoño, The New York Times)
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