Neuroscience Research Getting Attention in Fields Like Religious Studies and Philosophy
John Teehan, professor of religion at Hofstra University in New York, believes evolution shaped human brains to see the world in certain ways and respond morally. These responses can help explain questions of religious ethics and violence. “A lot of the teachings and general moral thrust we see in the Bible fits with what cognitive science teaches us about the way people think,” he said. (Tom Heneghan, Reuters)

Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History Will Open “Hall of Human Origins”
“The exploration of human origins helps to tell us about how we came about and also helps place our own existence,” said curator Rick Potts, director of the museum’s Human Origins Program. This will be the Smithsonian’s first permanent exhibit focused solely on human evolution. (Brett Zongker, Associated Press)

What Happens at a Meeting of the President’s Faith Council?
There is no across-the-board rule about having full consensus, but there is a good faith effort to hear all the voices around the table and to come up with recommendations that genuinely represent common ground. (Eboo Patel, The Faith Divide, On Faith, Newsweek/The Washington Post)

The Inconsistent Morality of Fairytales
They reward girls who are modest, obedient, kind—and who lie, deceive, disobey, and keep their eye on the main chance, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel. Boys succeed in the tales by being energetic, adventurous, and keeping an eye on the main chance. Opportunism is everywhere, and happiness is construed as marriage, wealth, and the gratifying awareness that your rivals have been fantastically punished: rolled down hills in barrels studded with nails, danced to death in red-hot iron shoes, boiled in oil, cursed to have reptiles leaping from their mouths, or just chopped into pieces. (Sarah Churchwell, The Guardian)

Bible Goes Digital
The Glo Bible features more than 7,500 encyclopedia articles, 7, 700 pieces of artwork, 2,400 high-resolution photos, nearly 150 maps, and 3.5 hours of video. (Andrew Hough, Telegraph)