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National Gallery of Art, Samuel H. Kress Collection
The Origins of Christmas
December 22, 2011 09:00 AM
Since the mid-fourth century, Western Christians have celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25 to honor the birth date of Jesus Christ. The date is not supported by Biblical evidence, however, and the true origins of the celebration may lie in secular festivals centered around the winter solstice.
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December 01, 2011 11:00 AMMany believe that the Shroud of Turin is Jesus Christ’s burial cloth and bears the image of his face and body, but skeptics call it a medieval forgery. -
April 02, 2010 07:00 AMAs Christians prepare to celebrate one of the religion’s most important holidays, debate persists over evidence of Jesus Christ's resurrection. -
November 10, 2009 11:30 AMA recent study found that intense prayer and meditation have a positive effect on mental ability, leading one researcher to suggest that it’s possible to reconcile science and religion.
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October 22, 2009 12:00 PMIn response to Anglicans dissatisfied with their Church, the Vatican has opened its doors, highlighting the differences between the two denominations. -
July 28, 2009 09:00 AMOn June 30, four women were found dead inside a car submerged in the Rideau Canal near Kingston, Ontario. Family members who mourned the deaths are now chief suspects. -
June 24, 2009 06:30 PMEarlier this week French President Nicolas Sarkozy denounced the practice of Muslim women wearing burkas—long loose garments that hide the faces and bodies of the wearer.
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June 18, 2009 07:30 PMThe Michigan Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that judges may ask those testifying in court to remove niqabs, or Islamic facial veils, at their discretion. Where is the balance between religious rights and security? -
June 18, 2009 06:00 PMChefs across America are donating their skills to homeless shelters, transforming donated food into gourmet meals. -
June 07, 2009 02:00 AMOn June 7, 1099, Christian knights launched an assault to free Jerusalem from Egyptian control as part of the first Crusade.
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June 01, 2009 07:30 PMThis is the first slaying of an abortion provider since 1998, but clinics and doctors have experienced numerous violent incidents and threats over the years. -
May 27, 2009 10:30 AMDaniel Hauser, who fled the state after a court ordered him to receive chemotherapy, is back home and scheduled to resume treatment today. -
May 26, 2009 07:30 AMAs the number of people unaffiliated with any religious group grows faster than any organized religion, nonbelievers are finding it easier to go public with their views on faith.
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May 20, 2009 07:30 PMA 13-year-old Minnesota boy with cancer and his mother fled Monday, skipping a Tuesday court appearance and triggering a nationwide alert. -
May 18, 2009 06:00 PMA family who wants to treat their teenage son's Hodgkin's disease with alternative treatments must get him chemotherapy. -
May 14, 2009 07:00 AMThe closure of factories, a prohibition on accepting unemployment benefits and lower prices for food are leading the tradition-steeped Amish to review their practices.
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