Culture & Traditions

In both Hebrew and Greek, letters have numerical values, so many people, both in the past and today, saw hidden meanings in words as well as numbers found in the Bible. Here are just a few examples.

By Dave Roos

You might think it's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. But you're wrong. And anyway, that's a song, not a word.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Some words are extra important. Enter capitalization, the perfect way to show just why such words are special. How adept are you at knowing what to capitalize? Take this quiz and find out!

By Alia Hoyt

He makes just one brief appearance in Genesis, yet he's been seen as a precursor of Jesus Christ. What was he really and how did he become associated with Jesus?

By Dave Roos

Afrofuturism isn't just about placing a Black person in a futuristic landscape. It takes into account the challenges Black people face and allows them to imagine futures of their own making.

By Yves Jeffcoat

The New Testament is full of tense exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees, who often tried to trip him up in legalistic debates. But who were the Pharisees really and what did they believe?

By Dave Roos

There are some 50 Chinatowns in America and hundreds more in other countries. What led to their creation and will they survive into the next century?

By Tara Yarlagadda

In this age of electronic communication, the art of letter writing has all but been lost, but the knowledge necessary to address an envelope is something we all should certainly possess.

By Francisco Guzman

There are about 170,000 English language words currently in use. So, we're bound to mess up some of them. Take this quiz and find out what common words you might be misusing.

By Alia Hoyt

‌It's one of the largest religions on Earth but little-known in the West, where its practitioners are often mistaken for Muslims or Hindus. What else should we know about the Sikh faith?

By Dave Roos

Many Jewish people will affix a mezuzah, a decorative case, to the doorframe of their houses. What's the significance of this?

By Dave Roos

Some words, like "cat" or "dog" are easy enough to spell. Others, however, cause quite the spelling frakas. Or is it fracas? Take the quiz to determine your spelling IQ!

By Alia Hoyt

Lao-tzu was the legendary Taoist philosopher whose words sound profoundly modern. They help us maintain a sense of harmony in an often-chaotic world. Here are five of his sayings to ponder.

By Dave Roos

Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs have been forced to abandon their long-standing practices around mourning the dead as COVID-19 overwhelms the country. What are they doing now?

By Natasha Mikles

Asian Americans continue to challenge injustice and a rising tide of hate crimes directed at them, while mainstream narratives fail to address their bravery, history and struggles.

By Tara Yarlagadda

An obscure passage in Genesis mentions a group of superhumans who were the offspring of angels and women. Why was this included and what does that have to do with the Watchers?

By Dave Roos

AAPI Month commemorates two important dates in Asian American history, but it wouldn't have become a reality without the efforts of one determined woman with some Congressional backing.

By Francisco Guzman

It takes a lot of brass to pull off chutzpah successfully. What does the word mean and what separates it from mere impudence?

By Dave Roos

Millions of people around the world still speak whistled languages, but they're becoming less common in a world of electronic communication and text messages.

By Jesslyn Shields

Cain and Abel are depicted in the Bible as the first pair of brothers and also the first case of murder on Earth. But what does the story really mean?

By Dave Roos

The black-haired "demoness" of folklore turns up in the legends of many ancient cultures but in the 20th century she has been recast as a feminist symbol. This is her story.

By Dave Roos

In many countries, the practice of hypergamy has shifted since early times. Part of the reason has to do with the changing roles of women in education and the workplace. So, what does that mean for marriage?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

Chinese philosopher Confucius tutored many young men on ethical behavior. Here are five of his quotes about personal morals and good government that we can still learn from.

By Dave Roos

Sure, you might know which candy bar you're supposed to break a piece off of, but there are a lot of other jingles out there. See how many of these you recognize!

By Alia Hoyt

The tell-all interview between Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey had many people wondering at the differences between the British royal family and "The Firm" — and who's really calling the shots.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus