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215 Religion Research Paper Topics for College Students

Studying religion at a college or a university may be a challenging course for any student. This isn’t because religion is always a sensitive issue in society, it is because the study of religion is broad, and crafting religious topics for research papers around them may be further complex for students. This is why sociology of religion research topics and many others are here, all for your use.

As students of a university or a college, it is essential to prepare religious topics for research papers in advance. There are many research paper topics on religion, and this is why the scope of religion remains consistently broad. They extend to the sociology of religion, research paper topics on society, argumentative essay topics, and lots more. All these will be examined in this article. Rather than comb through your books in search of inspiration for your next essay or research paper, you can easily choose a topic for your religious essay or paper from the following recommendations:

World Religion Research Paper Topics

If you want to broaden your scope as a university student to topics across religions of the world, there are religion discussion topics to consider. These topics are not just for discussion in classes, you can craft research around them. Consider:

The role of myths in shaping the world: Greek myths and their influence on the evolution of European religions
Modern History: The attitude of modern Europe on the history of their religion
The connection between religion and science in the medieval and modern world
The mystery in the books of Dan Brown is nothing but fiction: discuss how mystery shapes religious beliefs
Theocracy: an examination of theocratic states in contemporary society
The role of Christianity in the modern world
The myth surrounding the writing of the Bible
The concept of religion and patriarchy: examine two religions and how it oppresses women
People and religion in everyday life: how lifestyle and culture is influenced by religion
The modern society and the changes in the religious view from the medieval period
The interdependence of laws and religion is a contemporary thing: what is the role of law in religion and what is the role of religion in law?
What marked the shift from religion to humanism?
What do totemism and animalism denote?
Pre Colonial religion in Africa is savagery and barbaric: discuss
Cite three religions and express their views on the human soul
Hinduism influenced Indian culture in ways no religion has: discuss
Africans are more religious than Europeans who introduced Christian religion to them: discuss
Account for the evolution of Confucianism and how it shaped Chinese culture to date
Account for the concept of the history of evolution according to Science and according to a religion and how it influences the ideas of the religious soul
What is religious education and how can it promote diversity or unity?7
Workplace and religion: how religion is extended to all facets of life
The concept of fear in maintaining religious authorities: how authorities in religious places inspire fear for absolute devotion
Afro-American religion: a study of African religion in America
The Bible and its role in religions
Religion is more of emotions than logic
Choose five religions of the world and study the similarities in their ideas
The role of religious leaders in combating global terrorism
Terrorism: the place of religion in promoting violence in the Middle East
The influence of religion in modern-day politics
What will the world be like without religion or religious extremists?
Religion in the growth of communist Russia: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
Religion in the growth of communist China: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
The study of religions and ethnic rivalries in India
Terrorism in Islam is a comeback to the crusades
The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping world diplomacy
The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping plurality in Christianity
The religion and the promotion of economics
The place of world religions on homosexuality
Why does a country, the Vatican City, belong to the Catholic Church?
God and the concept of the supernatural: examine the idea that God is a supernatural being
The influence of religion in contemporary Japan
Religion and populism in the modern world
The difference between mythical creatures and gods
Polytheism and the possibility of world peace
Religion and violence in secular societies?
Warfare and subjugation in the spread of religion
The policies against migrant in Poland is targeted against Islam
The role of international organizations in maintaining religious peace
International terrorist organizations and the decline of order

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

As a student in a university or MBA student, you may be requested to write an informed paper on sociology and religion. There are many sociology religion research paper topics for these segments although they may be hard to develop. You can choose out of the following topics or rephrase them to suit your research interest:

The influence of religion on the understanding of morality
The role of religion in marginalizing the LGBTQ community
The role of women in religion
Faith crisis in Christianity and Islamic religions
The role of colonialism in the spreading of religion: the spread of Christianity and Islam is a mortal sin
How does religion shape our sexual lifestyle?
The concept of childhood innocence in religion
Religion as the object of hope for the poor: how religion is used as a tool for servitude by the elite
The impact of traditional beliefs in today’s secular societies
How religion promotes society and how it can destroy it
The knowledge of religion from the eyes of a sociologist
Religious pluralism in America: how diverse religions struggle to strive
Social stratification and its role in shaping religious groups in America
The concept of organized religion: why the belief in God is not enough to join a religious group
The family has the biggest influence on religious choices: examine how childhood influences the adult’s religious interests
Islamophobia in European societies and anti-Semitism in America
The views of Christianity on interfaith marriage
The views of Islam on interfaith marriage
The difference between spirituality and religion
The role of discipline in maintaining strict religious edicts
How do people tell others about their religion?
The features of religion in sociology
What are the views of Karl Marx on religion?
What are the views of Frederic Engels on religion?
Modern Islam: the conflict of pluralism and secularism
Choose two religions and explore their concepts of divorce
Governance and religion: how religion is also a tool of control
The changes in religious ideas with technological evolution
Theology is the study of God for God, not humans
The most feared religion: how Islamic extremists became identified as terrorist organizations
The role of cults in the society: why religious people still have cults affiliations
The concept of religious inequality in the US
What does religion say about sexual violence?

Religion Essay Topics

As a college student, you may be required to write an essay on religion or morality. You may need to access a lot of religious essay topics to find inspiration for a topic of your choice. Rather than go through the stress of compiling, you can get more information for better performance from religion topics for research paper like:

The origin of Jihad in Islam and how it has evolved
Compare the similarities and differences between Christian and Judaism religions
The Thirty Years War and the Catholic church
The Holocaust: historic aggression or a religious war
Religion is a tool of oppression from the political and economic perspectives
The concept of patriarchy in religion
Baptism and synonym to ritual sacrifice
The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology
The life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the themes of theology
How can religion be used to promote world peace?
Analyze how Jesus died and the reason for his death
Analyze the event of the birth of Christ
The betrayal of Jesus is merely to fulfill a prophecy
Does “prophecy” exist anywhere in religion?
The role of war in promoting religion: how crusades and terrorist attacks shape the modern world
The concept of Karma: is Karma real?
Who are the major theorists in religion and what do they say?
The connection of sociology with religion
Why must everyone be born again according to Christians?
What does religious tolerance mean?
What is the benefit of religion in society?
What do you understand about free speech and religious tolerance?
Why did the Church separate from the state?
The concept of guardian angels in religion
What do Islam and Christianity say about the end of the world?
Religion and the purpose of God for man
The concept of conscience in morality is overrated
Are there different sects in Christianity?
What does Islam or Christianity say about suicide?
What are the reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
The role of missionaries in propagating Christianity in Africa
The role of the Catholic church in shaping Christianity
Do we need an international religious organization to maintain international religious peace?
Why do people believe in miracles?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

Creating argumentative essay topics on religion may be a daunting exercise regardless of your level. It is more difficult when you don’t know how to start. Your professor could be interested in your critical opinions about international issues bordering on religion, which is why you need to develop sensible topics. You can consider the following research paper topics religion and society for inspiration:

Religion will dominate humanity: discuss
All religions of the world dehumanize the woman
All men are slaves to religion
Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the return of the repressed, “the sigh of the oppressed creature”: discuss
Christianity declined in Europe with the Thirty Years War and it separated brothers and sisters of the Christian faith?
Islamic terrorism is a targeted attack on western culture
The danger of teen marriage in Islam is more than its benefits
The church should consider teen marriages for every interested teenager
Is faith fiction or reality?
The agape love is restricted to God and God’s love alone
God: does he exist or is he a fiction dominating the world?
Prayer works better without medicine: why some churches preach against the use of medicine
People change religion because they are confused about God: discuss
The church and the state should be together
Polygamous marriage is evil and it should be condemned by every religion
Cloning is abuse against God’s will
Religious leaders should also be political leaders
Abortion: a sin against God or control over your body
Liberty of religious association affects you negatively: discuss
Religious leaders only care about themselves, not the people
Everyone should consider agnosticism
Natural laws are the enemy of religion
It is good to have more than two faiths in a family
It is hard for the state to exist without religion
Religion as a cause of the World War One
Religion as a tool for capitalists
Religion doesn’t promote morality, only extremisms
Marriage: should the people or their religious leaders set the rules?
Why the modern church should acknowledge the LGBTQ: the fight for true liberalism
Mere coexistence is not religious tolerance
The use of candles, incense, etc. in Catholic worship is idolatrous and the same as pagan worship: discuss
The Christian religion is the same as Islam

Christianity Research Paper Topics on Religion

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not as you need to develop a range of topics for your essay or project. To create narrow yet all-inclusive research about Christianity in the world today, you can consider research topics online. Rather than rack your head or go through different pages on the internet, consider these:

Compare and contrast Christian and Islam religions
Trace the origin of Christianity and the similarity of the beliefs in the contemporary world
Account for the violent spread of Christianity during the crusades
Account for the state of Christianity in secular societies
The analysis of the knowledge of rapture in Christianity
Choose three contemporary issues and write the response of Christianity on them
The Catholic church and its role towards the continuance of sexual violence
The Catholic church and the issues of sexual abuse and scandals
The history of Christianity in America
The history of Christianity in Europe
The impact of Christianity on American slaves
The belief of Christianity on death, dying, and rapture
The study of Christianity in the medieval period
How Christianity influenced the western world
Christianity: the symbols and their meaning
Why catholic priests practice celibacy
Christianity in the Reformation Era
Discuss the Gnostic Gospels and their distinct historic influence on Christianity
The catholic church in the Third Reich of Germany
The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament
What the ten commandments say from a theological perspective
The unpredictable story of Moses
The revival of Saul to Paul: miracle or what?
Are there Christian cults in the contemporary world?
Gender differences in the Christian church: why some churches don’t allow women pastors
The politics of the Catholic church before the separation of the church and the state
The controversies around Christian religion and atheism: why many people are leaving the church
What is the Holy Trinity and what is its role in the church?
The miracles of the New Testament and its difference from the Old Testament’s
Why do people question the existence of God?
God is a spirit: discuss

Islam Research Paper Topics

As a student of the Islamic religion or a Muslim, you may be interested in research on the religion. Numerous Islam research paper topics could be critical in shaping your research paper or essay. These are easy yet profound research paper topics on religion Islam for your essays or papers:

Islam in the Middle East
Trace the origin of Islam
Who are the most important prophets in Islam?
Discuss the Sunni and other groups of Muslims
The Five Pillars of Islam are said to be important in Islam, why?
Discuss the significance of the Holy Month
Discuss the significance of the Holy Pilgrimage
The distinctions of the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments?
The controversies around the hijab and the veil
Western states are denying Muslims: why?
The role of religious leaders in their advocacy of sexual abuse and violence
What the Quran says about rape and what does Hadiths say, too?
Rape: men, not the women roaming the street should be blamed
What is radicalism in Islam?
The focus of Islam is to oppress women: discuss
The political, social, and economic influence of modernity on Islam
The notable wives of prophet Muhammad and their role in Islam: discuss
Trace the evolution of Islam in China and the efforts of the government against them
Religious conflict in Palestine and Israel: how a territorial conflict slowly became a religious war
The study of social class and the Islamic religion
Suicide bombers and their belief of honor in death: the beliefs of Islamic jihadists
Account for the issues of marginalization of women in Muslim marriages
The role of literature in promoting the fundamentals of Islam: how poetry was used to appeal to a wider audience
The concept of feminism in Islam and why patriarchy seems to be on a steady rise
The importance of Hadiths in the comprehension of the Islamic religion
Does Islam approve of democracy?
Islamic terrorism and the role of religious leaders
The relationship of faith in Islam and Christianity: are there differences in the perspectives of faith?
How the Quran can be used as a tool for religious tolerance and religious intolerance
The study of Muslims in France: why is there religious isolation and abuse in such a society?
Islam and western education: what are the issues that have become relevant in recent years?
Is there a relationship between Islam and Science?
Western culture: why there are stereotypes against Muslims abroad
Mythology in Islam: what role does it play in shaping the religion?
Islam and the belief in the afterlife: are there differences between its beliefs with other religions’?
Why women are not allowed to take sermons in Islam

Can’t Figure Out Your Religion Paper?

With these religious research paper topics, you’re open to change the words or choose a topic of your choice for your research paper or essay. Writing an essay after finding a topic is relatively easy. Since you have helpful world religion research paper topics, research paper topics on religion and society, religion essay topics, argumentative essay topics on religion, Christianity research paper topics, and Islam research paper topics, you can go online to research different books that discuss the topic of your choice.

However, if you require the assistance of professional academic experts who offer custom academic help, you’ll find them online. There are a few writing help online groups that assist in writing your essays or research paper as fast as possible. You can opt for their service if you’re too busy or unmotivated to write your research paper or essay.

The Best 50 Religion Research Topics to Use for Students

In our multi-religious and multicultural society, crafting a great research paper on religion is a challenging task. Indeed, this challenge starts from the first stage of preparing your paper: identifying a good religious research paper topic. Further, it is almost impossible to write a paper without offending one or more religious feelings, especially when working on the history of religion. To make writing your paper easy, you must start by picking good religious paper topics.

In this paper, we list 50 religion research paper topics and a guide for selecting the best. If you want to get good grades, start with the right step- the best topic.

Why You Need the Best Religion Research Paper Topics

When working on any research paper, the most important step is identifying the topic. Indeed, the topic determines the direction you will take with the paper. Here are other benefits of selecting the best topics for a religious research paper.

It allows you to work on the preferred area of interest.
With a good topic, you do not get bored midway.
A great topic offers you the opportunity to fill knowledge gaps in the field of religious studies.
It is your opportunity to make your contribution felt.
Picking the best topics is the first step to better grades.

How to Pick the Best Topics for a Religious Research Paper

Now that you know the benefits of selecting the best topics for your religious papers, you might be wondering, “How do I pick it?” Here are some useful tips to help you identify the best:

Brainstorm your religious study subject. This will help you to get the best ideas to work on.
Comprehensively research your area of interest. For example, you might be interested in the history of religion, church and social action, creationism, or modernism and religion.
Look at the latest happenings. Things such as religious involvement in economics and education might inspire your paper ideas.
Follow your teacher’s recommendation. Often, professors give guidelines to students on the areas they should work on. For example, if you were covering a certain area in your religious education studies class; your teacher might ask you to pick topics from that section only. But in most cases, teachers leave the topics open for students to select on their own.
Read other research on religious studies. Most researchers point at gaps that exist in the niche so that later students can work on them. This is a great place to commence your research paper.

The Best Religious Topics for a Research Paper

Whether you prefer working on religious controversial topics or philosophy of religion essay topics, we have listed the best 50 ideas to get you started. Check them and pick them as they are or tweak them to fit your preferred format.

Christian and economics.
Religion and homosexuality.
Black churches.
Christianity history.
Comparing and contrasting Christian and Islam history.
A closer look at world religions without gods.
The concept of religion and soul.
The impact of religious laws on morality.
The phenomenon of trickster gods.
The impact of Greek religion on European culture.
Impact of religion on American culture.
Impact of religion on Chinese culture.
Comparing the similarities of images of gods in different religions.
How does gender affect religion?
Islam in modern India.
What is the future of religion?
Afterlife: What are the differences in diverse religions?
What are the main causes of the faith crisis?
Analyzing the influence of female clergy on religion.
Relooking at the reincarnation concept.
What role do men have in religion?
The impacts of yoga on religion.
Can faith remove the harshness of adolescence?
Why is Ramadhan referred to as the holy month?
Comparing religious counselors to classical psychologists.
A closer look at the main differences between the bible and Koran.
What is the importance of Christmas for Christians?
Creationism.
Religion and science.
How do people implement different religious practices today?
Should atheism be considered another form of religion?
Judaism: A closer look at its history.
Analyzing attitudes towards sex in the Christian religion.
Children: Are they considered innocent in all religions?
A closer look at the history of Hinduism.
A closer look at the existence of God as a supernatural being.
Comparing and contrasting monotheistic cultures.
Female goddesses.
Chaplain-ship: How does it trigger peace and harmony?
Impact of women in the history of Christianity.
What are the implications of forced religion on people?
Religion and terrorism.
Religion in the workplace.
Religion and evolution.
Nordic mythology.
A world without religion: Is it possible?
Applying religion to address global problems.
The primal religions.
Do you think religion should play a role in modern politics?
Do you think religion influences societal virtues?

Got the Best Religion Topics to Write About – What Next?

Now that you have a list of the best world religion research paper topics, it is important to appreciate that the journey of writing your assignment has just started. The next step is to write down your paper in line with your teacher’s guidelines. This is where your writing skills come into play. Well, it is never easy for many students. Often, some lack good writing skills, have other engagements, or acquire the right resources is a challenge. For others, the deadline is too tight and almost impossible to beat. The best idea is to seek affordable college assignment writing help.

After selecting the best topics, be they sociology or religion research topics or religious debate topics, writing help is provided by experts with years of experience in academic writing. They have handled such papers before and are willing to help you craft the best paper for top grades. Well, do not let that religious research paper stress you anymore, let a professional help you!

35 Inspiring Theology and Religion Research Topics for Undergraduates

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Picture this – you're sitting at your desk, a blank document open on your screen, the cursor blinking back at you. The task? A research paper for your theology and religious studies class. The problem? You have no idea what your topic should be. We've all been there. Whether you're a novice researcher or a seasoned academic, choosing a research paper topic can be daunting.

But fear not, brave scholar! Whether you're interested in the spiritual beliefs that have shaped societies over millennia or the philosophical debates that underpin religious thought, theology and religious studies offer a vast, rich field to explore. So, let's turn that daunting task into an exciting opportunity. In this blog post, we'll explore 30 inspiring research topic ideas for undergraduate theology and religious studies students. But first, let's better understand this intriguing field of study.

The Power of Interfaith Dialogue

Interfaith dialogue plays an instrumental role in promoting understanding, respect, and peace between people of different religious and cultural backgrounds. It encourages constructive conversations that facilitate empathy and respect for diversity. Here are several aspects to focus on:

1. Necessity of Interfaith Dialogue in a Multicultural Society

Explore how interfaith dialogue can help create cohesive multicultural societies.
Potential sources: Studies on multicultural societies, case studies on successful interfaith dialogue initiatives.

2. The Role of Interfaith Dialogue in Peacebuilding

Analyze how interfaith dialogue has been used as a tool for peacebuilding in areas of religious conflict.
Potential sources: Reports from international peacekeeping organizations, historical accounts of conflict resolution.

3. Interfaith Dialogue and Mutual Understanding

Discuss the significance of interfaith dialogue in promoting mutual understanding and respect among diverse religious communities.
Potential sources: Interfaith dialogue guides, accounts of interfaith initiatives.

4. Education and Interfaith Dialogue

Examine the role of education in fostering interfaith dialogue and how it can be integrated into educational curricula.
Potential sources: Educational policies, studies on religious education.

5. The Role of Religious Leaders in Interfaith Dialogue

Investigate the influence of religious leaders in encouraging or discouraging interfaith dialogue.
Potential sources: Statements and speeches of religious leaders, accounts of interfaith meetings.

6. Interfaith Dialogue and the Media

Discuss the role of media in promoting or impeding interfaith dialogue, and how it can be used constructively.
Potential sources: Media studies on religious coverage, case studies on media's role in interfaith initiatives.

7. Obstacles to Effective Interfaith Dialogue

Identify common obstacles to interfaith dialogue and propose strategies to overcome them.
Potential sources: Studies on interfaith dialogue, reports on religious conflicts.

8. Interfaith Dialogue and Social Justice

Explore how interfaith dialogue can contribute to social justice movements and the advocacy for human rights.
Potential sources: Reports from human rights organizations, accounts of social justice movements involving interfaith dialogue.

9. The Future of Interfaith Dialogue

Consider the future of interfaith dialogue in an increasingly globalized and interconnected world.
Potential sources: Futuristic studies on religion, expert opinions on the future of interfaith dialogue.

10. Case Studies of Successful Interfaith Dialogue

Analyze case studies of successful interfaith dialogue initiatives and draw lessons from them.
Potential sources: Records of successful interfaith dialogues, interviews with participants.

In this journey of understanding the power of interfaith dialogue, it's crucial to approach each topic with respect and sensitivity, acknowledging the diversity of beliefs and practices within and across religious traditions.

Exploring World Religions: Comparative Studies

Exploring world religions through a comparative lens allows for a deeper understanding of the diversity, complexity, and richness of different religious traditions. This section of the dissertation could delve into the following areas:

1. Methodologies in Comparative Religion

Discuss various approaches to comparative religion studies, their benefits, and potential limitations.
Potential sources: Academic texts on comparative religious studies, methodology guides.

2. Comparative Analysis of Major World Religions

Examine key religious concepts, beliefs, practices, and rituals across major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and others.
Potential sources: Religious texts, scholarly articles, ethnographic studies.

3. Similarities and Differences in Religious Practices

Identify and discuss similarities and differences in the ways that different religions approach worship, ritual, and community life.
Potential sources: Ethnographic studies, scholarly articles on religious practices, religious texts.

4. Comparative Analysis of Religious Philosophies

Analyze the philosophical underpinnings of different religions, comparing their approaches to questions of morality, existence, knowledge, and the nature of the divine.
Potential sources: Religious philosophy texts, scholarly articles on religious philosophies, expert opinions.

5. Comparative Study of Religious Myths and Stories

Compare and contrast the myths, stories, parables, and legends that form part of the narrative traditions of different religions.
Potential sources: Religious texts, scholarly articles on religious narratives, studies on mythology.

6. Interactions and Influences among Religions

Discuss historical interactions between different religions and how they have influenced each other's development and practices.
Potential sources: Historical accounts, scholarly articles on religious interactions, studies on syncretism.

7. The Role of Religion in Society: A Comparative Analysis

Analyze the societal roles of religion in different cultures and societies, examining how different religions interact with and influence social structures, norms, and values.
Potential sources: Sociological studies on religion, case studies, historical accounts.

8. Comparative Study of Religious Reform Movements

Compare and contrast various religious reform movements across different religions, examining their causes, impacts, and outcomes.
Potential sources: Historical texts, scholarly articles on religious reform movements, case studies.

9. The Evolution of Religions Over Time

Explore how various religions have evolved over time, comparing the ways in which they have adapted to changes in society, science, and technology.
Potential sources: Historical studies, scholarly articles on the evolution of religions, religious texts.

10. Case Studies in Comparative Religion

Conduct in-depth case studies of particular aspects of different religions, drawing out points of comparison and contrast.
Potential sources: Case study reports, academic articles, religious texts.

Comparative studies of world religions can serve to broaden our perspectives, deepen our understanding, and foster greater respect for the variety of religious experiences and expressions around the world.

Religious Influences on Society and Culture

Religion profoundly influences society and culture. It is a force that shapes our understanding of morality, law, and human relationships, influences our arts and literature, and plays a key role in social cohesion and conflict. This section of the dissertation would explore these influences in the following ways:

1. The Role of Religion in Shaping Morality

Investigate how religion forms moral codes and principles in different societies, examining the ways in which these codes shape behavior and social norms.
Potential sources: Sociological and philosophical texts, religious doctrines, scholarly articles on morality and religion.

2. Religion and the Formation of Law

Explore how religious principles have influenced legal systems around the world, from religious laws themselves to secular laws influenced by religious thought.
Potential sources: Legal texts, religious scriptures, scholarly articles on law and religion.

3. Religious Influences on Arts and Literature

Examine how religion has influenced various art forms and literature, from religious iconography in visual arts to religious themes in literature.
Potential sources: Art history texts, literary analysis, scholarly articles on religion in arts and literature.

4. The Impact of Religion on Social Cohesion and Conflict

Discuss the dual role of religion in promoting social unity and causing conflict, drawing from historical and contemporary examples.
Potential sources: Sociological and historical texts, case studies, news articles, scholarly articles on religion and conflict.

5. Religion and Cultural Identity

Explore how religion contributes to the formation of cultural identities and how these identities can influence religious practices and beliefs.
Potential sources: Cultural studies, ethnographic research, scholarly articles on religion and identity.

6. Religious Influences on Gender Roles

Examine the role of religion in shaping gender norms and expectations in different societies.
Potential sources: Gender studies, sociological texts, scholarly articles on religion and gender.

7. The Role of Religion in Education

Investigate the role of religion in shaping education systems, curricula, and philosophies of education.
Potential sources: Education policy documents, scholarly articles on religion and education.

8. Religion and Social Change

Analyze the role of religion in social movements and societal changes, such as civil rights movements, environmental movements, or movements for gender equality.
Potential sources: Historical texts, sociological studies, scholarly articles on religion and social change.

9. The Influence of Religion on Healthcare and Well-being

Discuss how religious beliefs and practices can influence attitudes towards health, disease, medical ethics, and well-being.
Potential sources: Medical ethics texts, scholarly articles on religion and health, case studies.

10. Case Studies in Religious Influence

Conduct in-depth case studies of specific instances of religious influence on society and culture.
Potential sources: Case studies, historical texts, academic articles, cultural analyses.

Religion's pervasive influence on society and culture is a fascinating area of study. Understanding these influences can provide insight into how societies function, how cultures develop, and how individuals form their identities and worldviews.

Religion and LGBTQ+ Rights: A Comparative Study

The intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ rights is a hotly debated topic in both academic and public spheres. Understanding how different religions view and influence LGBTQ+ rights can provide valuable insights into broader societal attitudes and legal frameworks. Here are some aspects you could delve into:

1. Religious Doctrines and LGBTQ+ Rights: A Comparative Analysis

Compare the doctrines of different religions regarding LGBTQ+ issues.
Explore how these doctrines have evolved over time.
Potential sources: Religious texts, theological studies, writings from religious leaders.

2. The Role of Religion in Shaping Societal Attitudes Towards the LGBTQ+ Community

Analyze the influence of religious beliefs on societal attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Explore differences and similarities across various cultures and religions.
Potential sources: Sociological studies, surveys on religion and societal attitudes, academic papers on religion and LGBTQ+ rights.

3. The Impact of Religious Lobbying on LGBTQ+ Legislation

Examine the influence of religious lobbying on laws related to LGBTQ+ rights.
Consider both progressive and conservative religious movements.
Potential sources: Legislation history, records of religious lobbying activities, studies on religion and public policy.

4. LGBTQ+ Rights Advocacy Within Religious Communities

Explore the role of LGBTQ+ advocacy groups within religious communities.
Discuss how these groups navigate the intersection of religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights.
Potential sources: Statements and publications from advocacy groups, news articles, interviews with advocacy group members.

5. Religion, Conversion Therapy, and Mental Health

Investigate the practice of conversion therapy within religious communities.
Discuss its impacts on mental health and legal responses to this practice.
Potential sources: Psychological studies, survivor testimonies, legislation documents.

In this part, your objective is to shed light on the complex relationship between religion and LGBTQ+ rights. Ensure that your analysis respects the diversity of views within each religion and emphasize the importance of promoting understanding and human rights.

Choosing Your Topic: A Handy Guide

Having established a broad context of the study of religion, it's now time to choose your specific research topic. The selection of a topic is critical as it sets the direction for your research and, ultimately, the success of your dissertation. Here are some guidelines that may help you:

Personal Interest : Select a topic that genuinely interests you. Your passion for the subject will help to sustain your motivation during the often arduous process of researching and writing your dissertation.

Familiarity : While it can be exciting to venture into new territory, choosing a topic you are already familiar with can often prove beneficial, especially if you're already well-versed in some of the literature or theoretical approaches related to your topic.

Originality : Although your topic should be based on established scholarship, it should also make an original contribution to the field. Avoid merely summarizing existing research; instead, seek to provide a new perspective or uncover previously unexplored aspects.

Feasibility : Keep in mind practical considerations such as the availability of resources, time constraints, and the scope of your project. You want your project to be challenging, but also achievable within your given timeframe and resources.

Relevance : Consider the relevance of your topic to the current academic discourse. Selecting a topic that relates to ongoing debates or recent developments in the field can help to ensure that your research will be of interest to others.

To guide you through the process of choosing your topic, here are a few steps you might follow:

Brainstorming : Start by brainstorming a list of potential topics. Don't worry about being too precise at this stage.

Preliminary Research : Conduct some preliminary research on each of your potential topics. Read recent journal articles, check out related books, and familiarize yourself with the current discourse surrounding each topic.

Narrowing Down : After conducting your preliminary research, narrow down your list of potential topics. Discard topics that don't seem feasible or that don't hold as much interest for you as others.

Refinement : Once you have a shortlist of potential topics, refine each one. Develop a research question for each topic and consider what kind of research would be necessary to answer it.

Final Selection : After refining each topic, make your final selection. Choose the topic that you are most interested in, that is most feasible, and that will make the most significant contribution to the field.

Seek Feedback : Once you've selected your topic, seek feedback from your dissertation advisor and other mentors. They can provide valuable insight and help to further refine your topic.

Remember, your dissertation is a significant piece of work that represents a culmination of your academic journey. Choose a topic that not only fulfills the requirements of your degree but also allows you to showcase your intellectual curiosity and scholarly skills.

Understanding Theology and Religious Studies

Theology and religious studies is a diverse and fascinating field, delving into the depths of human history, culture, philosophy, ethics, and more. It's not just about studying religious texts and rituals; it's also about understanding how these beliefs and practices shape societies, influence individual behavior, and impact global events.

Whether you're studying a mainstream religion like Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism, or exploring the philosophies of lesser-known or ancient religions, you'll find that this field is ripe with intriguing research questions. This field allows for a broad array of research approaches, encompassing historical, philosophical, anthropological, sociological perspectives, and even engaging with modern debates around politics, human rights, and scientific progress.

So, whether you're drawn to the metaphysical questions or the practical implications, theology and religious studies provide a rich field of research that can help illuminate the world in surprising and insightful ways.

Now that we have a good grasp of the field let's delve into some potential research topics that might pique your interest. The following topics are designed to be diverse, covering a wide range of areas within theology and religious studies. Each topic will come with some bullet-pointed guidelines on how you might approach your research. Ready? Let's jump in!

The study of religion is a broad and multi-faceted field that offers numerous potential topics for dissertation research. The intersection of religion with society, culture, politics, and personal identity provides a fertile ground for intriguing questions and deep scholarly exploration.

Whether examining the theological complexities of a single faith, comparing the similarities and differences between multiple religious traditions, investigating the societal impact of religious practices and beliefs, or diving into the transformative potential of interfaith dialogues, the opportunities are vast and varied. The key is to choose a topic that resonates personally, offers a chance for original research, and contributes meaningfully to the ongoing academic discourse.

In this ever-evolving world, understanding religion’s role and impact becomes increasingly significant. By choosing a topic that contributes to this understanding, you engage in a conversation that spans across cultures, continents, and centuries, gaining insights that extend well beyond the academic sphere and into the diverse realities of human existence.

Your dissertation is more than a paper; it is an intellectual endeavor that can have an impact in academia and beyond. It is a testament to your commitment, intellect, and passion in your chosen field. Choose wisely, dedicate earnestly, and let your work add a valuable brick to the edifice of knowledge that the study of religion is.

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Exploring Faith and Belief: Religious Research Paper Topics

Table of contents

1 Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics
2.1 Christian Research Paper Topics
2.2 Islam Research Topics
2.3 Siddhartha Essay Topics
2.4 Buddhism Essay Topics
2.5 Hinduism Research Paper Topics
2.6 Judaism Religion
2.7 Theology Research Paper Topics

Exploring the realm of religion opens a multitude of avenues for scholarly inquiry. Research papers on religion delve into profound questions that have captivated humanity throughout history. These studies not only illuminate the intricacies of faith and belief systems but also examine their profound impact on culture, society, and personal identity.

Choosing a research topic about religion requires a thoughtful consideration of a wide spectrum of beliefs, practices, and philosophical interpretations. From the rituals that bind communities to the spiritual philosophies that drive individual conduct, religion research topics offer a rich tapestry of areas for academic exploration. With such diversity, the challenge lies in pinpointing a singular path that resonates with both current discourse and timeless questions of the human experience.

Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics

Navigating religious research paper topics presents a unique set of challenges. Crafting research questions about religion demands sensitivity and a deep understanding of diverse belief systems. Scholars often grapple with the subjective nature of spirituality, striving to maintain academic rigor while exploring profoundly personal and often religious controversial topics. The multifaceted nature of religious research paper topics also requires an interdisciplinary approach, intersecting with history, sociology, psychology, and theology.

Additionally, researchers must balance insider and outsider perspectives, often working to gain the trust of faith communities while preserving critical distance. Research papers on religion must also contend with varying interpretations of sacred texts and practices, which can vary widely even within a single tradition. Moreover, the dynamic nature of religion, constantly evolving in the face of modernity and globalization, poses a challenge to researchers aiming to capture the contemporary religious landscape accurately. The task, then, is to approach these topics with a blend of scholarly curiosity, methodological precision, and cultural competence.

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List of 70 Religion Topics to Write About

Embark on an intellectual journey with this curated list of 70 religion topics, each offering a unique window into the diverse ways faith shapes and is shaped by the world we live in.

Christian Research Paper Topics

Diving into Christianity offers a rich vein of inquiry for scholars. These biblical topics for research papers present fresh perspectives on age-old discussions, inviting a deeper understanding of one of the world’s most-followed faiths.

The Evolution of Christian Thought in Postmodern Society
Analyzing the Role of Women in Early Christian Communities
The Influence of Christian Ethics on Modern Business Practices
Cross-Cultural Interpretations of Christian Symbols in Global Contexts
The Impact of Digital Media on Christian Worship and Community
Environmental Stewardship and its Theological Roots in Christianity
The Psychological Effects of Christian Practices on Mental Health
A Comparative Study of Christian Mysticism and Contemporary Spiritual Movements
The Political Expressions of Liberation Theology in Latin America
Christian Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and Bioethics

Islam Research Topics

The study of Islam uncovers a tapestry of cultural, theological, and historical themes. These research topics on religion provide a platform for a nuanced exploration of Islam’s multifaceted impact on the world.

Modern Interpretations of Sharia Law in Various Islamic Societies
The Role of Sufism in Contemporary Islamic Practice
Islamic Economic Principles and Their Application in the 21st Century
Gender Dynamics within Islamic Theology and Practice
Islamic Artistic Expression in the Digital Age
The Influence of Islam on Classical Scientific Discovery and Philosophy
The Political Significance of Islam in Non-Majority Muslim Countries
Interfaith Dialogues between Islamic and Western Philosophical Traditions
The Evolution of Islamic Educational Institutions from Classical to Modern Times
The Representation of Islam in Western Media and its Societal Impact

Siddhartha Essay Topics

Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” is a rich narrative ripe for exploration, intertwining themes of self-discovery and spirituality. These religion topics to write about offer a pathway to understanding the profound messages embedded in this classic tale.

The Concept of Enlightenment in Siddhartha Versus Traditional Buddhist Teachings
River Imagery as a Symbol of Life’s Journey in Siddhartha
Siddhartha’s Relationship with Nature as a Reflection of His Spiritual Quest
The Influence of Hermann Hesse’s Personal Beliefs on the Portrayal of Religion in Siddhartha
Comparing Siddhartha’s Ascetic Life with Modern Minimalist Movements
The Role of Mentorship and its Impact on Siddhartha’s Spiritual Evolution
The Dichotomy of Material Wealth and Spiritual Fulfillment in Siddhartha
Siddhartha’s Search for Authenticity Amidst Societal Expectations
The Function of Love in Siddhartha’s Journey Towards Self-Actualization
Relevance of Siddhartha’s Lessons in the Context of Contemporary Religious Practice

Buddhism Essay Topics

Buddhism, with its profound philosophical foundations and global influence, provides a fertile ground for scholarly exploration. These religious research topics and world religion paper topics delve into the heart of Buddhist doctrine and its practical implications in today’s world.

The Intersection of Buddhist Philosophy and Contemporary Psychotherapy
Ethical Consumption and Environmentalism through the Lens of Buddhist Teachings
The Role of Meditation in Modern Healthcare as Influenced by Buddhism
Analysis of Buddhist Responses to the Challenges of Globalization
The Adaptation of Zen Aesthetics in Western Art and Architecture
Buddhist Principles in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts
The Impact of Technological Advancements on Traditional Buddhist Practices
A Study of Gender Roles within Buddhist Monastic Communities
The Influence of Buddhism on Western Philosophical Thought
Exploring the Growth of Buddhist Tourism and its Cultural Impacts

Hinduism Research Paper Topics

Hinduism’s rich tapestry of mythology, philosophy, and cultural practices presents an expansive field for academic inquiry. The following religion topics for research paper encompass both the depth of Hindu traditions and contemporary issues, offering a platform for insightful discourse.

Analyzing the Impact of Hinduism on India’s Environmental Policies
Feminine Divinity in Hinduism and its Influence on Gender Roles
The Evolution of Hindu Temple Architecture Over Centuries
Caste System Interpretations in Modern Hindu Society
Yoga as a Global Phenomenon: Origins and Transformations from Hindu Traditions
The Role of Hinduism in Forming India’s National Identity
The Philosophy of Karma and its Relevance to Modern Ethics
Ayurveda: Ancient Hindu Science of Health in the Modern Wellness Industry
The Dynamics of Hindu Pilgrimage: Economy, Ecology, and Tradition
Hindu Rituals and their Psychological Implications in Contemporary Practice

Judaism Religion

The exploration of Judaism offers insights into one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, rich with history and tradition. While the following topics are not centered on religion research paper topics, they reflect the depth and diversity inherent in Jewish studies.

The Influence of Jewish Mysticism on Contemporary Religious Thought
The Preservation of Jewish Traditions in Diaspora Communities
Jewish Perspectives on Bioethics and Modern Medical Dilemmas
The Role of the Synagogue in Jewish Cultural and Religious Life
The Impact of the Holocaust on Theological Understandings in Judaism
Jewish Contributions to Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding
The Evolution of Kosher Laws and Their Application in the Food Industry
The Intersection of Jewish Law and Modern State Legislation
The Role of Hebrew Language Revival in Jewish Identity Formation
Jewish Feminist Theology and its Quest for Gender Equality in Religious Practice

Theology Research Paper Topics

Theology, the systematic study of the divine, invites scholars to probe the depths of religious belief and practice. These theology research paper topics are designed to inspire critical thought and original analysis on various aspects of spiritual inquiry.

The Role of Prophecy in Abrahamic Religions Comparative Study
Liberation Theology’s Influence on Social Justice Movements
Theological Responses to the Problem of Evil in Different Faiths
The Impact of Feminist Theology on Traditional Religious Practices
The Integration of Theology and Science in the Modern World
The Concept of the Afterlife in Theological and Philosophical Perspectives
Ecumenism and the Pursuit of Christian Unity in Theology
Theological Underpinnings of Contemporary Environmental Ethics
The Influence of Digital Media on Theological Education
The Role of Ritual in Expressing and Shaping Theological Beliefs

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Religiosity, Spirituality and Work: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Directions

Review Paper
Published: 10 June 2021
Volume 179 , pages 573–595, ( 2022 )

Cite this article

Sandra Leonara Obregon ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7009-8774 1 ,
Luis Felipe Dias Lopes ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2438-0226 1 ,
Fabiola Kaczam ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0460-9927 2 ,
Claudimar Pereira da Veiga 3 &
Wesley Vieira da Silva 4 , 5

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This article presents the results of a systematic literature review (SLR) on religiosity and spirituality, particularly in the work context. We aimed to verify the state-of-the-art of scientific production related to these themes. To achieve the proposed objective, we identified 312 articles published in journals in the period between 1960 and 2018 using a rigourous method of analysis and sorting, which resulted in 52 appropriate studies. The analyses presented are based on the three bibliometric laws: those of (i) Lotka (16:317–323, 1926), (ii) Bradford (137:85–86, 1934) and (iii) Zipf (1949). This article brings contributions that encompass four approaches: (i) measurement scales of spirituality and religiosity; (ii) behavioural benefits of religiosity in individuals; (iii) insertion of religiosity and spirituality in social service practice; and (iv) research directions. This research presents technical and managerial implications to provide theoretical support for the creation of programmes and/or practices of spirituality and religion in the workplace as an effective strategy, towards ethical attitudes. Also, this study contributes to the methodological achievement of SLRs in the field of religion in the workplace, highlighting an effective method for thematic mapping, and holistically identifying new research topics and directions, especially because of the several guidelines presented.

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Leveraging Spirituality and Religion in European For-profit-organizations: a Systematic Review

Spirituality: Definition, Religion and Ethics

Spirituality and Religion: Seeking a Juxtaposition That Supports Research in the Field of Faith and Spirituality at Work

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Obregon, S.L., Lopes, L.F.D., Kaczam, F. et al. Religiosity, Spirituality and Work: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Directions. J Bus Ethics 179 , 573–595 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04856-7

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If your topic is “prayer in the public schools,” for example, enter “prayer” and “public schools” with “and” on the same line to locate sources directly compatible with the primary focus of your research paper. To find research on more specific aspects of your topic, from your list of keywords that you developed, alternate with one new keyword at a time in between (for example, “prayer and equality and public schools,” “prayer and free speech and public schools,” “prayer and protests and public schools,” “prayer and religion and public schools,” “prayer and states and public school,” etc.).

For additional help with keyword searching, navigation or user guides for online indexes and databases by many leading providers—including Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, EBSCO, H.W. Wilson, OCLC, Ovid Technologies, ProQuest, and Thomson Gale—are posted with direct links on library Web sites to guides providing specific instruction to using whichever database you want to search. They provide additional guidance on how to customize and maximize your searching, including advanced searching techniques and grouping of words and phrases using the Boolean search method—of your topic, of bibliographic records, and of full-text articles, and other documents related to the subject of your research paper.

Selected Source and Subject Guides

As part of your preliminary research to find appropriate resources for your research paper, information source and research guides are available at most public and academic libraries and are keyword searchable through your library’s online catalog (to search and locate guides enter your “subject” followed by these keywords one search at a time: “information sources,” “reference sources,” and “research guide”). Printed guides available for this subject area include

American Religion and Philosophy: A Guide to Information Sources , by Ernest R. Sandeen and Frederick Hale, 377 pages (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., 1978)

A Guide to Information Sources for Social Work and the Human Services , by Henry N. Mendelsohn, 136 pages (Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1987)

Religion Information Sources: A Worldwide Guide , by J. Gordon Melton and Michael A. Koszegi, 569 pages (New York: Garland Pub., 1992)

Theological and Religious Reference Material: General Resources and Biblical Studies , by G. E. Gorman and Lyn Gorman (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1984)

In addition to these sources of research, most college and university libraries offer online subject guides arranged by subject on the library’s Web page; others also list searchable course-related “LibGuides” by subject. Each guide lists more recommended published and Web sources—including books and references, journal, newspaper and magazines indexes, full-text article databases, Web sites, and even research tutorials—you can access to expand your research on more specific issues and relevant to the subject of your research paper.

Selected Books and References

Dictionary of American Religious Biography , 2nd ed., by Henry Warner Bowden, 720 pages (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993)

This revised and enlarged second edition offers 550 biographical sketches, including 125 brand-new entries, of the most prominent religious figures in history “reflecting America’s cultural and religious diversity.” Each entry summarizes the subject’s personal history and his or her contributions to religious life, followed by a list of sources. Appendixes provide easy cross-referencing of subjects by religious denomination and place of birth.

Dictionaries

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible , edited by David Noel Freedman, 1,425 pages (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W. B. Eerdmans, 2000)

Written by 600 leading scholars of all theological persuasions, this first-rate illustrated dictionary covers nearly 5,000 books, persons, places, and major terms noted in the Bible. Each entry critically analyzes each biblical book and related writings, as well as their “cultural, natural, geographical, and literary importance.”

Religious Sites in America: A Dictionary , by Mary Ellen Snodgrass, 508 pages (Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2000)

Comprehensively explores some 160 worship groups and religious centers in the United States, including their origin, history, location, and purpose.

Encyclopedias and Guides

Encyclopedia of American Religions , 8th ed., by J. Gordon Melton, 3 vols., 1,253 pages (Detroit, Mich.: Gale, 2009)

This three-volume reference, updated in 2009, features descriptive essays on more than 2,300 prominent and obscure North American religious groups in the United States and Canada, from Adventists to Zen Buddhists, and 22 religious families. Entries focus on the origins and traditions of each religious group. Also available online and in an e-book edition.

The Encyclopedia of Christianity , edited by Erwin Fahlbusch et al., 912 pages (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W. B. Eerdmans; Leiden, Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, 2008)

This five-volume set, an English version of the German edition, Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon, thoroughly surveys the 2,000-year history of Christianity from a global perspective. Articles discuss religions and their philosophies and include statistical information on other continents and more than 170 countries in context. Relevant social and cultural issues are likewise discussed, including armaments, genocide, and racism, as well as biblical and apostolic traditions.

HarperCollins Concise Guide to World Religions: The A-to-Z Encyclopedia of All the Major Religious Traditions , by Mircea Eliade and Ioan P. Couliano, with Hillary S. Wiesner, 320 pages (New York: HarperCollins, 1999)

Fascinating A-to-Z guide that explores 33 major religions and religious traditions around the world, from Buddhism to the religions of Africa and Oceania. Entries also cover religious figures, histories, mythologies, mystical techniques, and sacred texts in context.

Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices , edited by J. Gordon Melton and Martin Baumann, 4 vols., 1,507 pages (Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2002)

Features core essays on major religious traditions and also 1,000 religious groups and 276 recognized nations and territories, principally focusing on the development and practice of those religions covered.

Contemporary American Religion , by Wade Clark Roof, 2 vols., 861 pages (New York: Macmillan Library Reference, 1999)

This highly recommended reference features more than 500 well-written articles on contemporary religion, religious personalities, and other popular topics, such as fundamentalist Christianity, Feng Shui, Elvis cults, and temptation. Each article is followed by a list of references for further study. Approximately 200 black-and-white photos and graphics complement the text. An e-book version was published in 2003.

Selected Full-Text Article Databases

Academic Search Elite (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost, indexing/abstracting: 1984– , full text: 1990– )

Provides access to full-text articles on current and past events and a broad range of academic disciplines. Abstracts are indexed since 1984, full-text articles from 1990 to the present.

ATLA Religion Database (Chicago: American Theological Librarian Association/Cambridge Scientific Abstracts/EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost/National Information Services Corp./OCLC, 1949– )

This premier online database—also known as the Religion Index Database—indexes more than 1.9 million citations, with some full text, of articles, book reviews, and essay collections from some 1,577 journals and 15,300 multi-authored works from the past 50 years in all fields of religion. Subcategories include religious research in such fields as anthropology, business, history, law, medicine, sociology, and psychology. Also available in compact disc form as ATLA Religion Database on CD-ROM, both versions correspond to the printed editions of Religion Index One: Periodicals, 1949– ; Religion Index Two: Multi-Author Works, 1960– ; Index to Book Reviews in Religion, 1949– ; Research in Ministry: An Index to D.Min. Project Reports and Theses, 1981– ; and Methodist Reviews Index, 1818–1985.

ATLA Serials Online (Chicago: American Theological Librarian Association, 1924– )

Offered individually and as part of the ATLA Religion Database, this full-text collection covers 50 religion and theology journals, including more than 50,000 articles and book reviews, from 1924 to the present in the fields of archaeology, Bible study, ethics, missions, pastoral ministry, philosophy, religion, society, and theology. Journals include Arts, Archaeology, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Christian Century, Eastern Buddhist, International Bulletin of Missionary Research, and many others.

InfoTrac Religion & Philosophy (Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale InfoTrac, indexing: early 1980s– , full text: 1983– )

Updated daily, this Web database contains more than 1.1 million articles discussing the impact of religion on culture throughout history, including arts, literature, and language, culled from more than 250 academic journals and magazines covering all aspects of religion and related disciplines, among them, anthropology, archaeology, and philosophy.

International Medieval Bibliography (IMB) (Leeds, U.K.: University of Leeds; Turnhout, Belgium: International Medieval Institute, 1967– )

Indexes full-text articles from more 4,000 periodicals and 5,000 miscellaneous volumes, including conference proceedings, essay collections, and Festschriften, on the Middle Ages in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa from c. 400 to 1500. IMB online is the electronic version.

LexisNexis Academic Universe (Dayton, Ohio: LexisNexis, 1970– )

Current events database offering full-text articles on a broad spectrum of fields and subjects, including news, business, legal information, country and state profiles, federal case law, the U.S. Code, the Constitution, and court rulings.

ProQuest Direct (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest/UMI, indexing: 1971– , full text: 1986– )

This online database indexes citations and abstracts to articles from popular magazines and newspapers as well as general and academic journals in all fields of study, many of them in full text from 1986 to the present. Disciplines covered include culture, current events, history, literature, psychology, religion, sociology, and women’s studies.

The Philosopher’s Index (Bowling Green, Ohio: Philosophy Documentation Center, Bowling Green State University/Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, 1940– )

This online index cites journal articles, books, contributions to anthologies, and book reviews from nearly 570 journals of philosophy from 43 countries. Topics covered include aesthetics, epistemology, ethics, metaphysic logic, political philosophy, and the philosophy of law, religion, science, history, education, and language, with links to full-text where available. The Philosopher’s Index: A Retrospective Index to Non-U.S. English Language Publications from 1940 is the print equivalent to this electronic edition.

ProQuest Religion (Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest, 1986– )

Updated daily, this Web-based database—formerly called ProQuest Religious Periodicals—features a fully searchable index of more than 150 titles, including 130 full-text religious periodicals, including Catechist, Cistercian Studies Quarterly, Journal of Biblical Literature, Old Testament Abstracts, Spiritual Life, Theological Studies, and 85 other English-language religious publications. Indexing is for items published since 1986, with full-text material from the early to mid-1990s. Articles are available in different formats (text or image).

Religion and Philosophy Collection (Ipswich, Mass.: EBSCO Publishing, EBSCOHost, 1975– )

This essential tool for researchers and students of theology and philosophical studies features abstracts and full-text articles from nearly 300 journals, including almost 250 peer-reviewed titles. Subjects covered include biblical studies, epistemology, major denominations, philosophy, religious history, and world religions. Journals indexed in the collection include Archaeology, Biblical Interpretation, British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Catholic Historical Review, Christianity Today, Comparative Sociology, Ethics, Greek Orthodox Theological Review, Islamic Law and Society, Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, and many more.

Wilson OmniFile Full Text Select (Bronx, N.Y.: H.W. Wilson Co., Wilson Disc/WilsonWeb, January 1994– )

High-quality indexed and abstracted articles, all in full text on CD-ROM and online, culled from the following H.W. Wilson databases: Readers’ Guide Abstracts, Humanities Abstracts, General Science Abstracts, Social Sciences Abstracts, and Wilson Business Abstracts.

Selected Periodicals

America (New York: America Press, Inc., 1909– , weekly)

Published and edited by lay Roman Catholics, this national Catholic weekly, founded by Jesuits of the United States in 1909, offers commentary and opinion from various standpoints on many social and political issues, written by well-known writers and theologians. Contents include timely and thought-provoking articles, book, film or art reviews, and special issues on crucial topics and prominent individuals. Articles from earlier published volumes are referenced in such major print and online indexes as Catholic Index, Guide to Social Science and Religion Periodical Literature, New Testament Abstracts, Old Testament Abstracts, and The Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature. Back issues of America are available online through ProQuest Religious Periodicals from 1988 to the present.

Christian Century: An Ecumenical Magazine (Chicago: Christian Century Co., 1884– , biweekly)

Established in 1884, this biweekly nondenominational journal has offered a moderate to liberal viewpoint on matters of religion, politics, and society. For more than 100 years, the publication has published articles by some of the most respected theologians, historians, and church leaders examining ethical and social issues, contemporary concerns, and religious and moral issues. In addition, the staff-written and contributed articles and editorials have focused on such topics as poverty, human rights, economic justice, international relations, national priorities, and popular culture from a religious perspective.

Christianity Today (Carol Stream, Ill.: Christianity Today, 1956– , biweekly)

Founded by Protestants more than 40 years ago, Christianity Today features in-depth news, articles, editorials, and reviews on Christian life of interest to ministers and other religious professionals. Each issue explores the major challenges facing Christians today, including education, family, life ethics, money and business, persecution, politics and law, sexuality and gender, and social justice, all written from an evangelical Christian perspective. Issues from 1994 to the present are accessible through the publisher’s archives page at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/ .

Commentary (New York: American Jewish Committee, 1945– , monthly)

Adhering to its mission to “clarify public opinion on problems of Jewish concern,” this monthly journal focuses on major Jewish issues in United States and abroad. Published since 1945 by the American Jewish Committee, each issue provides commentary and opinion on political topics and problems of bigotry, human rights, and Jewish cultural interests. Full-text of the journal is available via the online databases PCI Full Text (1945–90), and Expanded Academic ASAP (1992– ).

Commonweal (New York: Calvert Pub. Corp., 1924– , 22 times yearly)

Reflecting a largely Roman Catholic perspective, this award-winning, independent opinion journal, edited and managed by lay Catholics, focuses on contemporary and social issues of interest to Roman Catholics. Each issue comprises columns, editorials, essays, letters to the editors, and reviews of books, movies, plays, and other media. Tables of contents with selected links to articles in current and past issues, from 1997 to the present, are retrievable online at http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/ . Issues are also searchable back to 1924 but full-text articles require a nominal fee.

Journal of the American Academy of Religion (Oxford University Press, 1933– , quarterly)

One of the top academic journals in its field, Journal of the American Academy of Religion features scholarly articles exploring a variety of theological issues. In addition to provocative and insightful articles, each issue includes a large section of reviews of current literature. The journal is indexed and abstracted in such popular databases as ATLA Religion Database, Guide to Social Science and Religion in Periodical Literature, Humanities Index, ISI: Current Contents, New Testament Abstracts, Religion Index One: Periodicals, Religious and Theological Abstracts, and Religious Periodical Index. To browse full text .PDF (2001– ) and HTML articles (2000– ) from past issues, visit the publication archives at http://jaar.oxfordjournals.org/content/by/year .

Journal of Early Christian Studies (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press/North American Patristics Society, 1993– , quarterly)

The official publication of the North American Patristics Society (NAPS), this quarterly scholarly journal principally focuses on the study of Christianity and late ancient societies and religions from AD 100–700. Contents of each issue include engaging articles about traditional patristics scholarship, new themes, and methodologies, plus an extensive book review section. Previously published issues are indexed and abstracted in several leading databases, including Arts and Humanities Citation Index, ISI: Current Contents, Humanities Index, MLA International Bibliography, and New Testament Abstracts.

Modern Judaism: A Journal of Jewish Ideas and Experience (Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1981– , three times yearly)

This interdisciplinary scholarly journal discusses the modern Jewish experience. Articles address topics relevant to “the understanding of Jewish life today and the forces that have shaped that experience.” Modern Judaism is indexed and abstracted in a variety of online databases, including ATLA Religion Database, America: History and Life, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Historical Abstracts, Humanities Index, Index to Jewish Periodicals, and many others. Full-text access of past issues is offered online through ProjectMUSE (1996– ).

Religious Studies Review (Hanover, Pa.: Council on the Study of Religion, 1975– , quarterly)

Published by the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion in association with Valparaiso University since September 1975, this scholarly journal reviews more than 1,000 publications annually in the field of religious studies and related disciplines. Each issue includes lengthy essays on recent books or single-topic articles. In addition, the journal publishes bibliographies and a registry of religious dissertations completed or currently in progress.

Selected Web Sites

Adherents.com ( http://www.adherents.com/ )

Reportedly the second most frequently visited general religion site on the Internet, this independently operated Web site features 43,870 adherent statistics and religious geography citations of published membership/adherent statistics and congregation statistics for some 4,200 religions, churches, denominations, and more worldwide.

Glossary of Religious Terms ( http://www.religioustolerance.org/glossary.htm )

This Web page offers a helpful glossary of important terms for various religious groups around the world.

Religious Movements ( http://www.has.vcu.edu/wrs/ )

Part of the Religious Movements Homepage Project at the University of Virginia, this Web site offers an archived version of profiles about more than 200 different religious groups and movements in the world today, as well as essays, articles, and other valuable resources through 2003 following the passing of its editor Jeff Hadden.

Virtual Religion Index ( http://virtualreligion.net/vri/ )

Global directory cataloging a myriad of religion-related Web pages with links from the Rutgers University Religion Department.

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Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

203 Informative Religious Research Paper Topics For A+ Grades

Religion is the way people deal with the ultimate concerns of their lives and fate after death. Hence, people in different religions believe in a supernatural, powerful being; God. Who is all-powerful, sacred, and divine. Some religions even believe in certain spirits.

Most religions cling to a certain belief in a supernatural being. If you want top grades you have to do thorough research, consult your professor, invest in data collection, and proofread. You will need to first do an outline to stipulate how the work will be, draft then write the final paper.

Major Religion Topics

Faith: Religion touches on people’s faith. In some religions, they believe in the power of faith. In that, you can believe in something and through faith, it gets fulfilled.
Religion and Technology: There are many new technologies like cloning, artificial insemination, and frozen embryo that are being used. Many debates come upon whether they are ethical.
Religious and Mental Health: Religion is also linked to mental health based on certain beliefs that people have.
Philosophy and Theology: Religion is also interlinked with philosophy and theology. Most religious leaders go to learn theology to get a better understanding of their religion.
World Religions: Most of the religions are closely interlinked. The only difference is the kind of rituals, beliefs, powerful being, and spiritual being that they believe in.
Religious History: Most of the topics also rely on the history of the various religions. Some myths have strongly been nullified and agreed upon. This also interlinks with development over time.
Traditions: Most people live life according to the Holy Book’s teachings. This is what guides people in the various phenomenon.

Interesting Religious Research Paper Topics

Understanding religion is easy when you do thorough research. You just have to get the best resources and link them with the specific topic.

The causes of the faith crisis.
Evaluate the history of Hinduism to modern Indian social life.
Can faith be used to reduce the harshness of puberty?
The major difference between the Bible and the Quran.
The implications of the technological error to religion.
The major roles paid by men in Christianity.
The major similarities of god images and myths.
The impact of yoga in boosting health.
Evaluate Confucianism broadly.
The effects of the emergence of a new religion.
The history of Christianity.
Evaluate the world religions broadly.
Evaluate the existence of God as a supernatural being.
The major similarities found in monotheistic cultures.
The major differences found in monotheistic cultures.

Exceptional Religion Research Topics

If you want to get top grades, you must work towards doing a proper literature review. You can get enough information from documentaries, books, articles, and even other scholarly articles.

The relation between the soul and religion.
The implications of trickster gods.
The influence of religion in theocratic states.
The effects of the Greek religion.
The impact of religion on modern Japanese culture.
Why are children considered innocent souls in religion?
The influence of religious laws on morality.
Evaluate polytheistic religion.
The major triggers of peace and harmony.
The impact of gender on religion.
The relation between religion and the LGBT community.
The influence of the clergy on religion.
Evaluate the reincarnation concept in modern religion.
The major impact of women in Islam.
The major role of men in Christianity.

Informative Religion Research Paper Topics

Are you writing a dissertation or thesis? Have you chosen a topic yet? You can use any of these topics to do your research. If you are at the graduate level, you must be great at research. This will be a walk in the park.

The similarities of the afterlife in diverse religions.
The influence of religion on economics.
The significance of Ramadan month to Islam.
Make a comparison between shamanism and modern religions.
Make a comparison between modern psychologists and religious counselors.
The impact of religion on terrorism.
The significance of Christmas to Christians.
Animalism manifestation in the modern world.
Is the “Great Flood” story found in all religions?
The manifestation of totems in the modern world.
Evaluate how atheism is the new world religion.
The different attitudes of sex in different religions.
The significance of baptism to people and infants.
The justification of military action through religious ethics.
The different religions’ methods of converting followers.

Research Question about Religion

Are you looking for ideal research questions? Well, you can start with these. However, if you feel like you won’t manage, you may consult us. We offer the best essay, research project, proposal, and thesis writing help.

How does the Bible boost religion?
What is the significance of the clergy in religion?
How does religion help in impacting social morality?
How does Hinduism influence modern Indian life?
How does religion influence societal virtues?
How can religion be used to combat terrorism?
How does religion play a role in politics?
Which are the major religious cultures?
Do all religious alignments lead to the same destination?
How do wars present politics as a cover when religion is at the core?
What makes the different religions different from each other?
Does religion play a role in whether a candidate will win in an election or not?
Do all religions consider children as innocent?
What is the difference between the creation story and theories of Genesis Chapter 1?
Do you think a person who had been divorced can be remarried?

Religion Paper Topics

When you plan to do a paper, ensure you consult your supervisor thoroughly. He or she will guide you on what is needed for your research paper. This is whether you are in university or college.

Evaluate the principles of Western and Eastern religious faiths.
Evaluate the religious beliefs in modern-day India to their beliefs in the 20th century.
Do young babies go straight to heaven when they die?
Discuss the existence of guardian angels.
Evaluate the Old Testament and New Testament laws.
How does divinity represent itself in nature like the Egyptians believed?
Evaluate broadly the hypostatic union.
The impacts of the female clergies in various religions.
Evaluate how God only exists in the minds of those who believe in Him.
The impact of Greek myths on European culture.
The impact of religion on European culture.
Hinduism and Islam in India.
Differentiate the Gnostic faith from modern Christianity.
How different religions deal with the end of the world.
Compare the Jewish Bar Mitzvah versus the Catholic confirmation ritual.

Best Religious Paper Topics

As a student, you need to devote your time to proper research. Once you have a topic, it can be easy to research a specific religious topic. Here are some of the best that you can start with.

Is it possible to know God’s will in our lives?
How do the different religions cannibalize the past religions?
The importance of religious books like the Bible and Quran.
The influence of politics on religion.
How does reincarnation occur in Hinduism?
Provide an elaborative overview of the Buddhist religion.
Can atheism be termed as a religion?
Is ethical egoism a logical moral code?
DO you think debt is Biblically allowed?
The assumption of believer drinking; it is allowed?
The various thoughts on contraception.
Do you think freezing embryos is religiously right?
The implication of artificial insemination.
Evaluate Mormonism and whether it is true American religion.
How have the Jewish people managed to navigate persecution that well over the centuries?

Religious Topics For Research Papers

Research is vital when doing any assignment. It can even help you with the most controversial topics. You just need to choose an ideal topic and give it your best shot.

The significance of tithing in the different religions.
The major difference between the Old Testament and New Testament giving.
The similarities and differences in monotheistic religions.
The relation between Nordic mythology and religion.
Evaluate how politicians should not meddle in religious disputes.
The role of religion is solving political conflicts.
Evaluate the polytheistic religions.
The implementation of religious practices in the modern world.
Discuss religion in modern Japan.
The relation between religion and law.
Should religious leaders have legal and political power?
Evaluate counseling Biblically.
How can religion be used to guide teenagers?
The similarities and differences of the afterlife in different religions.
Evaluate the concept of the soul in different religions.

Engaging Religion Topics To Write About

Once you are done with any assignment, always remember to do proofreading. Hence, if you try out any of these engaging religious topics, be sure to proofread thoroughly.

The history of Islam.
The history of Judaism.
The history of Hinduism.
The History of Christianity.
The basic understanding of trickster gods.
Can the taking of one’s innocent life be justified ethically and religiously?
The different mythology surrounding creation. Evaluate the various myths.
The religious and cultural reasons behind wearing a hijab.
What were the major causes of the Protestant reformation?
The major causes of the emergence of a new religion.
The various moral ways considered as living a spiritual life.
Ethical beliefs are involved in the Hindu faith.
The major purposes of missions in modern religion.
The purpose of the church – Why did it start?
The role of ritual sacrifice in different religions.

Argumentative World Religion Paper Topics

These are some of the best argumentative world religion paper topics. If you doubt yourself, our educated writers can help you. They will offer nothing but professional output. You will get top grades!

The causes that made Martin Luther split from the Catholic faith.
The relation between yoga and religion.
The relation between the world religions and modern science.
Evaluate the various world religions that have no god.
The importance of doctrinal competency.
The occurrence of trial and suffering.
The role of women in congregations.
Are situation ethics important in ensuring moral code?
Evaluate Zoroastrianism in the modern world.
Evaluate the major world religions.
What causes the emergence of new religions?
The view of religion on LGBTQ people in the world.
The religious views regarding abortion.
When is abortion allowed?
The concept of reincarnation in the modern world.

Good Topics on Religion

As students, you need to always consult the professor. Yes, they have provided the assignment, but it is still vital to learn about their requirements. If it is a research project, ensure they approve your topic and objectives before proceeding on.

The Christian view of gay marriage.
Satanism is a valid religion. Discuss.
The endorsement of slavery by religions.
Is polytheism a valid religious choice?
Does religion have more conflicts than it solves?
The basic concepts of the Religious books.
The different obligations of religious groups in Arabic countries.
The various methods used to build peace in religion.
Evaluate cloning from a religious point.
The connection between religion and anthropology.
The features of a person who can become a saint.
The importance of the church in building national well-being.
Compare how different religions convert people into their followers.
The traditions of the Islamic world.
The different ways to celebrate Christmas.

Interesting Religious Topics

If you want to succeed at school, you need to be collaborative with other students. In the case that you chose any of these interesting religious topics, you can brainstorm with your friends and know how best to phrase it.

The role of religion in society.
The debate between religious groups and scientists.
The polygamous marriages in the Islamic world.
The Saint place of the world according to the Bible.
The major changes made through religious practices.
The rules of behavior in the Orthodox Church.
The most ancient religions in the world.
The religious view of abortion.
The differences of funeral rituals in different religions.
The development of Christian music.
The major differences between atheism and agnosticism.
The impact of mass media on religion.
The major problems faced by pagans
The relation between the big bang theory and religion.
Evaluate the orthodox sacrament of marriage.

Christian Research Paper Topics

Christianity is one of the most common religions of the world. Here are some of the best Christian research paper topics. They are simple, straightforward, and engaging.

Religion is the opiate of the people.
Is it right to change religions?
The difference between Judaism and other religions.
The most popular reference book in Islam.
The role of female preachers in congregations.
The way Asian people perceive death.
Is cloning acceptable in Christianity?
Is Islam a peaceful religion?
Evaluate the tradition to attend church on Sunday.
Is Buddhism a religion or philosophy?
The negative implications of Buddhism
The goal of theism in modern society.
Is freedom of religion possible in Arabic countries?
How religion can be used as a tool for government control.
Evaluate the concept of religious inequality.

Religion Research Papers

There are different religions in the world. However, they all have different beliefs and rituals. Hence be mindful of that when choosing an ideal religion research paper.

The role of different cults in society.
Explore divorce in two different religions.
The major views of Karl Marx on religion.
The conflict of pluralism and secularism in modern Islam.
The Islam and Christianity beliefs of the end of the world.
The various reasons why the church separated from the state.
The benefit of religion on society.
The role of being born again in religion.
The concept of guardian angels in religions.
The different Christianity sects.
Islam and Christianity say on suicide.

Religious Studies Research Paper Topics

In most schools, religious studies are compulsory. Hence, you can choose an easy topic from this list and use it in your essay, proposal, research project, thesis, or dissertation. As long as you do thorough research you will be sorted.

The role of missionaries in the early Church.
The relation between sociology and religion.
Evaluate religious tolerance.
The various reasons why people change religion.
Faith is a reality.
Do you think polygamous marriage should be forbidden?
Evaluate whether all men are slaves to religion.
Can religion be termed as a tool for capitalists?
Is cloning abuse against God?
Can abortion be termed as a sin against God or having control over your body and kids?
Should religious leaders also be politicians?
Evaluate agnosticism broadly.

Haven’t Finished Your Religion Research Paper?

All these topics are ideal and can help you to meet your academic goal. In the case that you have too much on your plate and need some assistance, we are here to help. You can contact our reliable customer support. They will answer immediately.

After you provide all the details of the assignment, we will provide the work fast. Our writing is something that you can trust. Additionally, writing is all about passion. All our writers are passionate about writing and always give their best.

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Researchers analyze prevalence, impact of ethical or religious barriers to providing medical aid in dying

by CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Recently published research led by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus examined the prevalence—and impact—of physicians' ethical or religious barriers to their involvement in medical aid in dying (MAiD), a multi-step process where a physician provides a terminally ill adult with decision-making capacity with a lethal dose of medication to end their life.

The research article , " Conscience-Based Barriers to Medical Aid in Dying: A Survey of Colorado Physicians ," was published this May in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. It shows that 26% of physician survey respondents reported large ethical and/or religious barriers to their involvement in MAiD.

Despite these barriers, the research suggests these conscience-based barriers do not appear to affect these physicians ' willingness to discuss medical aid in dying with their patients. However, they are much less likely to have any direct participation in it—being significantly less likely to serve as a consulting or attending physician—compared to physicians without these barriers.

Informing public policy

As legislators and health leaders across the nation continue to debate policies related to medical aid in dying, research like this is vital to making informed decisions.

"Medical aid in dying is under consideration in a number of states, and it comes up every legislative session. You cannot make policy around things that are not well understood, and so it was critical to gather data to better understand what's going on," says Mika Hamer, Ph.D., MPH, the first author on the paper and a post-doctoral research fellow with the CU Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

"It is important to look at the actual behaviors of physicians. This research offers essentially the first look into what is happening on the ground in a previously hidden and difficult-to-study population."

For Hillary Lum, MD, Ph.D., a co-author of the paper and associate professor in the CU Division of Geriatric Medicine, getting involved in this research was important to her as a geriatrician and palliative medicine physician, given that questions about MAiD may arise when caring for older adults with serious illnesses.

"Medical aid-in-dying was legalized in 2016 in Colorado, but physician experiences providing care for patients seeking MAiD was under-studied," Lum says.

A reason for the lack of data is because there are extensive protections in place for physician and patient privacy. As a result, the vast majority of data that exists are from qualitative studies or surveys of the general physician population.

"There is a long-standing debate around MAiD—the legality, the ethical appropriateness, the morality—and people have extremely strong opinions about it. But when we let those really strong opinions drive policy, rather than empirical data , we run the risk of implementing misguided policy that is more amenable to the cultural sentiment or social context at the time," Hamer says.

To gather data about this important issue, researchers used anonymized, aggregate information on the 554 patients known to have received a MAiD prescription in Colorado from 2017 to 2020 and then identified the clinical conditions most prominent in this patient population.

The research team then determined which physicians in Colorado were providing care to patients likely to qualify for MAiD based on their clinical conditions and sent them an anonymous survey regarding their willingness to provide MAiD and actual prior participation in MAiD. Ultimately, 300 physicians responded.

Since then, researchers have published several papers about the study, including: a scientific report about the research methodology; an analysis of physician's attitudes and experiences ; an examination of their perspectives on disclosure, presence, and eligibility ; and the use and influence of medical aid in dying service on physician experiences .

"We felt there was an opportunity to look at this untapped aspect of the survey research. We had a hunch that there was something about ethical or religious barriers that may be different than other types of barriers physicians faced, like lack of time or fear of stigma," Hamer says.

"We wanted to understand what these physicians have actually done when faced with these decisions, and we had a unique opportunity to measure that and lend some empirical data into what is a very contentious topic—but one that's really quite understudied as far as hard data goes," she adds.

Lum agrees with Hamer, saying, "In the absence of data, it's easy to make assumptions—either that there are many physicians who have a conscientious objection to MAiD, or that there are few."

"Thus, this study was important to actually measure the percentage of physicians who have a religious or ethical reason for not participating in MAiD activities," Lum adds.

What the research shows

Out of the 300 survey respondents, 26% of physicians likely to care for MAiD-eligible patients in Colorado reported large ethical and/or religious barriers to participating in MAiD activities.

The survey also shows physicians with a longer time in practice and those identifying as non-white were more likely to report these conscience-based barriers.

Hamer said she was surprised that the survey data shows the physicians with these conscience-based barriers are still willing to participate in some aspects of the MAiD process. Specifically, when comparing physicians with and without these barriers, there was no difference in ancillary participation, meaning having discussions about MAiD or referring patients to other providers.

However, there were significant differences regarding direct participation in MAiD. To be eligible for MAiD, a patient must have decision-making capacity and a prognosis of less than six months to live. This prognosis must be independently verified by two physicians—an attending and consulting physician.

The survey found that only 5% of physicians with conscience-based barriers had served as a MAiD consultant, as compared to 31% of physicians without conscience-based barriers. When it came to serving as a MAiD attending, no physicians with conscience-based barriers had served in this role compared to 21% of physicians without these barriers.

"Participation looks different for different people. As far as consulting or attending, which are much more active roles that may involve writing prescriptions or doing evaluations—that's where we start to see those barriers really show up in terms of changes in behavior," Hamer says.

Lum says, "I think this emphasizes the importance of the relationship between physicians and patients. Whether a physician is willing to discuss, refer, serve as a consulting physician, or serve as a MAID attending physician is likely to vary. And there may be different reasons and situations related to the individual patient."

Both Hamer and Lum noted that this study was limited in its sample size, highlighting the need for further research. With regard to conscience-based barriers, Hamer says it is important to distinguish that these "are not necessarily barriers to be overcome in the traditional sense of barriers."

"We really see this as a space where physicians need accommodation—not intervention to help change their mind around this barrier," Hamer says. "It calls for continued protection of physician rights to conscientiously object or not participate in a service to which they have deeply held, conflicting beliefs."

There is also a need to better understand what support systems and processes need to be in place in clinics or hospitals to help support those physicians who have religious or ethical barriers. For instance, perhaps a formal referral process could be created so that physicians with these barriers can be involved in the beginning stages of MAiD, but when it comes to the more active roles, there is an established team the patient can be referred to.

"We must have protections in place and processes to support these physicians while ensuring patients are able to get the care they desire," Hamer says. "It is something that needs to be considered especially as the legality of MAiD potentially expands. We need a balance between protecting physicians' rights and preserving patient access."

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Jewish American Heritage Month

'my world changed overnight': 87-year-old edith jucker shares her holocaust survival story.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Edith Jucker was only 2 years old when the Nazis invaded Poland, triggering the start of World War II on Sept. 1, 1939. However, she still vividly remembers when her 26-year-old mother decided to leave everything behind and run for their lives with two of her uncles and their families.

"My world changed overnight. My father was immediately drafted into the Polish Army," Jucker said. "We were running with hundreds of others through the forest covered with leaves and underbrush. I couldn't run as I was too little to keep up, so my mother carried me. She essentially gave me life twice."

During the dangerous trek, they separated from the rest of their family in the forest once they reached the river and jumped into different boats. However, Russian soldiers surrounded them, thinking they were German spies, and took them to a gulag labor camp for political prisoners in Siberia.

Jucker and her mom stayed there for three years in what she described as deplorable conditions.

"There was a lack of food and medicine. There was no electricity, so we used kerosene lamps. No running water or toilet. Only an outhouse outside in the yard serving the families in the barracks," she recalled. "Siberia was a wasteland with malaria and flies. In the summer, I was covered in mosquito bites. The winter was extremely harsh and about -94 degrees."

SEE ALSO: 'The Holocaust is inside you': Remembering the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on Yom HaShoah

They were finally freed after the Nazis invaded Russia and forced its soldiers to divert their attention to the battlefield. After living with Jucker's uncle for a short time in the Ural Mountains of Siberia, her mom and aunt-in-law joined the Polish Army. It allowed them to head home with a military transport in 1945 as the war ended. During the three-month journey, Jucker said she was the only child on the train.

"All the way from Russia, we were constantly attacked by Ukrainian resistance that collaborated with the Germans. We traveled at night, and during the day, we camouflaged," she remembered.

Once they finally arrived in Krakow, Jucker was shocked by what she saw.

"Krakow was a beautiful city with beautiful gothic buildings, churches, parks, and synagogues. But everything was abandoned. The sidewalks near the Jewish cemetery were made out of headstones taken from the graves. It was a heartbreaking experience because we couldn't even find a headstone from our family that died before the war," she said.

Jucker and her mother stayed at a temporary shelter until they could find an apartment. Each day, she said they would go to the Jewish community to look for any of their relatives or friends who survived. Nearly two years later, her father eventually tracked her down after both of her parents had remarried. She lost touch with him shortly after and never saw him again.

"War is a horrible thing. It tears families apart," she said.

READ MORE: Houstonian travels back to France to honor family who hid her during Holocaust

Even after returning home to Poland, Jucker didn't feel safe once the war was over. She said Jews were still being targeted in antisemitic attacks, prompting her family to move to Israel 13 years later. That's where she eventually met her future husband, who brought her to Houston, where she's rebuilt her life.

She currently lives in Meyerland and now has three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

As she reflects during Jewish American Heritage Month, she said she's grateful to defy the odds and share her harrowing story of surviving the Holocaust at 87 years old.

"That's proof that Hitler cannot win and only love can survive the hate," Jucker said. "It's important to me that an event like the Holocaust should never happen again. Not just to Jewish people, but to any human beings in the world."

For stories on Houston's diverse communities, follow Rosie Nguyen on Facebook , X and Instagram .

Holocaust survivor remembers the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on Yom HaShoah

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These US companies are best at cutting their emissions to fight climate change

People across America are trying to do their part to fight climate change by buying electric cars, installing solar panels and making decisions large and small that reduce their carbon footprint. Some companies are too.

Those actions can make a big difference: between them, the U.S. industrial and commercial sectors were responsible for 25% of the nation's total carbon dioxide emissions in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Transportation still makes up the lion's share at 38%.)

But which companies are doing the best at reducing their carbon footprint? That's a surprisingly difficult question to answer. It's also an important question for customers and investors who want to support companies making climate-friendly strides in their business.

Currently, there are no federal or even state requirements in place requiring companies to disclose how much they’re lowering their greenhouse gas emissions.

To better understand which U.S. businesses are making progress, USA TODAY has partnered with market research firm Statista to create the second annual America's Climate Leaders list. It provides an easy to comprehend, data-driven metric of companies that have significantly decreased their carbon dioxide emissions (adjusted by revenue) between 2020 and 2022.

Since last year’s list , there was a 16% increase in companies meeting the inclusion criteria. The list includes U.S. based companies with more than $50 million in revenue that reported their carbon emissions independently. To make the list, those companies must have reduced their carbon intensity (carbon emissions divided by revenue) by 3% year-to-year.

Why is it so tough to determine which companies are best at reducing their carbon footprint?

In short: The data is messy and inconsistent.

Evaluations of companies' climate impact require deep dives into multiple, sometimes conflicting metrics. That's because there’s no U.S. requirement that companies disclose their emissions, though many do so voluntarily.

“Data availability is getting better,” said Lisa Abels, a senior analyst with Statista who worked on the list.

It could keep improving, too.

Last month, after a two-year effort, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission passed new rules requiring some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks. The final result was less strong than originally proposed and its climate disclosure rules don’t begin until 2026 when the first large companies will be required to include information in their annual reports.

As of 2024 an appeals court had temporarily paused the rules, so it’s not clear when or if they will go into effect.

California has also enacted climate-related reporting requirements for companies doing business in California with total annual revenues in excess of $500 million but it will not take effect until January 2025.

With no national requirements for reporting carbon dioxide pollution currently in effect, having more transparency and data about companies’ emissions is “incredibly important,” said Christian Leuz is a professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and a scholar at the Energy Policy Institute. A study he co-authored in 2023 found that if global corporations had to pay for the damages caused by their greenhouse gas production it would cost 44% of their profits .

Data that allows the public to see how emissions relate to companies’ activities and are changing over time lets consumers and investors make informed comparisons between companies – which can have “a real impact,” said Leuz.

“Such benchmarking can create peer pressure, stimulating investors, other stakeholders and customers to call on firms to do more to reduce their emissions. Companies voluntarily making this data public is an important first step,” he said.

Mandates to make such disclosures would “be even better, as it would shine the light on companies with high emissions that are reluctant to provide these data voluntarily,” he added.

How do companies make it on USA TODAY's list of America's Climate Leaders?

The first list, developed last year, began with 2,000 U.S.-based companies which were narrowed to 400 that cut their emissions intensity from 2019 to 2021. For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.

The ranking uses these and other indicators to gain a picture of how good a job companies have done at lowering their carbon emissions. Because the analysis includes 2020, during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the metrics are difficult to evaluate because of the hit the global economy took, resulting in sharp drops in emissions worldwide.

This year’s analysis compares companies' core emissions adjusted by revenue for the years 2020 and 2022. This measure is called emission intensity. As the pandemic unfolded, 2020 was an especially bad year for revenue for many companies, making 2022 emission intensity lower but that’s partly driven by an increase in revenues after the pandemic years, said Abels.

“The absolute emissions didn’t go down as much I expected or hoped for, which will be important for years to come,” she said. The distortions caused by the pandemic are still visible in this year’s data. Some may still be present in the data used for the rankings in next year's but should be entirely gone by 2026, she said.

Overall, U.S. emissions numbers across the board have been coming down, with the number of million metric tons of carbon dioxide released by the United States down 6.6% since 2019. Much of that decrease came because U.S. electricity is getting cleaner.

What companies ranked highest on USA TODAY's list of America's Climate Leaders?

At the very top of the Climate Leaders list is Dayforce (formerly called Ceridian), a human resources and software company.

By switching to 100% renewable energy across its global operations, Dayforce reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from more than 10,000 metric tons CO2 equivalents in 2020 to less than 500 metric tons CO2 equivalents in 2022.

It is followed by T-Mobile, which was on top of last year’s list. The third spot goes to financial company Cboe Global Markets.

How companies were chosen

The rankings began with a list of more than 2,000 US-based companies with revenue of more than $50 million in 2022. Of those, 700 reported their emissions data, making a verifiable ranking possible.

Here are some of the data and considerations used in the rankings:

Emission intensity : The amount of greenhouse gas a company produced relative to its revenue. This helps put big companies and small companies on a level playing field.
Annualized reductions in emission intensity : Calculated between 2020 and 2022. Companies that showed low reductions were not considered.
Carbon disclosure rating : A measure of a company’s environmental sustainability. These rankings are administered by CDP, a nonprofit that runs a global disclosure system for companies’ environmental impacts.
Other criteria : Some enterprises were excluded if known business practices suggested they couldn’t be seen as a climate leader.
Data used : Scope 1 and 2 emissions, based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard.

The full, interactive list below allows readers to view a variety of criteria, including year-over-year reduction of emission intensity, emission intensity, how many tons of CO2 equivalents the company emitted, total emissions reduction, and whether a company participated in two highly regarded programs that set targets for and account for emissions, the CDP and Science Based Targets initiative .

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Israeli Views of the Israel-Hamas War

1. Views of the Israel-Hamas war

Table of contents.

Views of the Israeli military response against Hamas
Attitudes toward Israel’s war cabinet
Current concerns about the war
Confidence in Biden
Views of how Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas war
Who is Biden favoring in the conflict, or is he striking the right balance?
Views of the U.S.
Who Israelis want to play a role in diplomatically resolving the war
Success against Hamas
Israel’s future national security
The future of Gaza
Views of Palestinian leaders
Palestinian statehood and coexistence
Acknowledgments
Methodology

At the time of the survey in March and early April, Israelis voiced differing views of the war. Reactions to the military response against Hamas were generally mixed, as were attitudes toward the principal decision-makers – the three members of Israel’s war cabinet . However, most Israelis shared concerns that the war could expand across the region and last a long time.

A pie chart showing that Israelis are split in their views of the military response to Hamas in Gaza

When asked to assess their country’s military response against Hamas in Gaza, about four-in-ten Israelis say it has been about right. Another 34% say it has not gone far enough, while 19% say it has gone too far.

Israeli Arabs are much more critical of the military response, with 74% saying it has gone too far. Only 4% of Israeli Jews agree.

Views of the military response are divided along ideological lines. Roughly half of those who place themselves on the right (52%) say the military response has been insufficient. About a quarter of those in the center (24%) agree and only 9% of Israelis on the left say the same.

On the other hand, a majority of Israelis on the ideological left (55%) say the military response to Hamas has gone too far. Only 15% of those in the center and 5% of those on the right share this view.

Among Israelis who have a favorable view of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, roughly half (49%) say the response to Hamas has been about right, but another 45% say it has not gone far enough. Only 1% of those who favor Netanyahu think the military response has gone too far.

A bar chart showing that Israelis have the least positive views of Netanyahu compared with the other war cabinet members

In the days following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the country’s then-governing coalition struck a deal with National Unity, an opposition party, to join an emergency government . The leader of the party, Benny Gantz, together with Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, formed the core of the new war cabinet , which was tasked with navigating the course of the conflict. (The survey was conducted before Gantz threatened to leave the war cabinet .)

Of the cabinet’s three voting members, Gallant enjoys the most public support in our survey: 61% of Israelis say they have a very or somewhat favorable view of him. Around half say the same about Gantz. As for Netanyahu, approximately four-in-ten Israelis have a positive view of the prime minister.

For more on views of Palestinian leaders, refer to Chapter 3 .

A line chart showing that Netanyahu’s favorability among Israelis is at its lowest level in Center polling, from 2013 to 2024

The majority of Israelis (58%) see their prime minister in a negative light. The share of Israelis who have a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Netanyahu is the largest it has been since the Center first started asking the question in 2013, up 6 percentage points from last year.

Related: A growing share of Americans have little or no confidence in Netanyahu

Netanyahu’s favorability ratings have fallen among Jews and Arabs alike. However, roughly half of Israeli Jews still see him positively, compared with only 7% of Israeli Arabs.

Favorability among right-leaning Israelis – the mainstay of Netanyahu’s political coalition – has also declined. In this group, 69% have a favorable view of Netanyahu, compared with 85% last year.

A dot plot showing that Israeli Jews mostly favor war cabinet members, while Israeli Arabs are much more skeptical

Views of the three members of Israel’s war cabinet vary by ethnicity, ideology and levels of religious observance.

About three-quarters of Israeli Jews have a favorable view of Gallant, but only 9% of Israeli Arabs agree. Of the three war cabinet members, Gantz has the highest share of support among Israeli Arabs (30%).

A dot plot showing that Israelis across the ideological spectrum have differing views about members of the country’s war cabinet

Among those on the ideological right, about two-thirds have a favorable view of the prime minister. Only 18% of centrists and 8% of those on the left share this view. Gantz, a centrist party leader, is favored by 71% of Israelis in the center and a smaller majority (56%) of those on the left.
Most Hiloni (“secular”) Jews in Israel (76%) say they have a favorable view of Gantz – more than double the share of Haredim (“ultra-Orthodox”) and Datiim (“religious”) who say the same (32%). Netanyahu, who relied on religious parties and their voters to build his governing coalition, is seen favorably by 88% of Haredi and Dati Jews, but by only 21% of the Hiloni public.

Most who have a favorable view of the prime minister feel similarly about Gallant, his minister of defense and fellow Likud member (84% have a favorable view of him). Gantz has less appeal among those who express a favorable view of Netanyahu – only about a third in this group also hold a favorable view of his political rival.

Thinking about the course of the war, most Israelis express a great deal of concern about its scope and duration.

A bar chart showing that Israelis are highly concerned about the spread and duration of the Israel-Hamas war

Around six-in-ten are extremely or very concerned about the war expanding to other countries in the region, and about seven-in-ten are seriously worried about the war lasting a long time. (The survey was fielded amid escalating conflict along Israel’s border with Lebanon but prior to Iran’s missile attack on Israel in mid-April.)

Jewish and Arab Israelis are equally concerned that the war might expand to other countries (61% in each group voice this concern), though Arabs are slightly more likely than Jews to say they worry about a long war (77% vs. 66%).

Approximately a quarter of Israelis on the ideological left and in the center are extremely concerned about the war expanding across the region – roughly double the share of right-leaning Israelis who express the same level of alarm.

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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At the time of the survey in March and early April, Israelis voiced differing views of the war. Reactions to the military response against Hamas were generally mixed, as were attitudes toward the principal decision-makers - the three members of Israel's war cabinet.However, most Israelis shared concerns that the war could expand across the region and last a long time.

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