Religion
Harvard President Gay Forms Advisory Group to Combat Antisemitism on Campus
After Harvard faced fierce criticism over its response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, top administrators will work with a newly established advisory group to combat antisemitism on campus, University President Claudine Gay announced at a Harvard Hillel Shabbat dinner Friday.
Dean Distances Harvard Divinity School From Israel Statement Issued by Religion and Public Life Program Leaders
Harvard Divinity School Interim Dean David F. Holland distanced the institution from a statement on the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza issued by leaders of the HDS Religion and Public Life program.
Two Years Into Tenure as Pusey Minister, Potts Says ‘The Biggest Delight’ Has Been Connecting With Undergrads
For Pusey Minister Matthew Ichihashi Potts, creating a “space of belonging” in Memorial Church has remained a priority during his time as minister.
Harvard Affiliates Gather at Hillel to Show Support and Grieve Amid Invasion of Israel
More than 100 University affiliates attended a Harvard Hillel gathering Saturday afternoon to mourn the lives lost to a deadly invasion of Israel by the Islamist militant group Hamas and to offer support to those affected by the attacks.
‘Celebrations Come to Life’ for Harvard Students Celebrating Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur
Students sporting suits, ties, and dresses gathered in the lofty Wasserstein Hall at Harvard Law School on Yom Kippur Monday night to break their fast with bagels and lox.
Bishop Barron Talks Catholic Faith, Reason, and Tradition at Harvard Memorial Church Lecture
Harvard affiliates and Greater Boston area residents filled Memorial Church on Sunday for a lecture by Bishop Robert E. Barron on the fundamental claims of the Catholic church.
Oprah Winfrey, Harvard Business School Professor Discuss New Book on ‘Happierness’
Television host and producer Oprah Winfrey and Harvard Business School professor Arthur C. Brooks discussed their new book “Build the Life You Want” at the Business School, reflecting on their past experiences and journeys to “happierness.”
After Ramadan’s Conclusion, Harvard Muslim Students Criticize Religious Accommodations Policy
After Ramadan came to a close Friday, many of Harvard’s Muslim students criticized the College’s religious accommodations policy, citing challenges including a lack of adequate prayer facilities, poor accessibility, and insufficient dining options.
Harvard Affiliates Rally in Copley Square Against Al-Aqsa Mosque Raids in Israel
Harvard College and Harvard Law School activists joined Boston-area students and organizers for a rally in Copley Square Sunday in response to police violence at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Award-Winning Playwright Kushner Talks Creative Process at Harvard Center for Jewish Studies
Harvard’s Center for Jewish Studies hosted Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter, and activist Tony Kushner for a conversation with Harvard professor Stephen J. Greenblatt Tuesday evening.
Harvard Hillel Executive Director Jonah Steinberg to Step Down After 12 Years
Rabbi Jonah C. Steinberg will step down as executive director of Harvard Hillel, the University’s Jewish center, at the end of this academic year after 12 years in the role.
Harvard Divinity School Faculty Discuss Teaching the Legacy of Slavery
A panel of Harvard Divinity School faculty reflected on the school’s ties to slavery and its responsibility to educate the next generation of religious scholars and leaders in a webinar Monday evening.
Harvard Chaplains Host Vigil Honoring Legacies of MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Closing out Black History Month
Members of the Harvard Chaplains and other religious leaders hosted a vigil in Memorial Church on Tuesday evening to mark the end of Black History Month and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King.
Harvard Divinity School Hosts Conversation on the Presence of Enslavement in Early Christian Stories
Harvard Divinity School hosted a discussion on the presence of enslavement and enslaved people in early Christian stories at a virtual forum Monday night.
‘Spiritually Stimulating’: Harvard Students Embark on First Umrah Trip in Four Years
Thirty-two Muslim Harvard undergraduates embarked on the University’s second Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, over winter break — one of two religious pilgrimages within the Muslim faith.
Cambridge Public Schools Establishes Sacred Spaces On All Campuses
Cambridge Public Schools established sacred spaces at each campus for students and staff to practice regular religious prayers, becoming the first public school district in New England to do so.
Harvard Divinity School Dean David Hempton to Step Down After Decade in Role
Dean of Harvard Divinity School David N. Hempton announced Thursday he step down from the school’s helm at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, though he will continue teaching.
Harvard Chabad Announces $5 Million Endowment
Marking 25 years since its founding, Harvard Chabad announced last month the establishment of a $5 million dollar gift toward the Harvard Chabad Endowment for Jewish Leadership.
Faith and Life Forum Returns at Harvard’s Memorial Church
At Memorial Church’s first Faith and Life Forum of the semester on Sunday, Minister Matthew I. Potts commemorated the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
HDS Hosts Panel on Extremism and De-Radicalization Efforts
Experts, including former extremists, discussed efforts to counter hate groups and extremist violence at a panel hosted by the Harvard Divinity School on Monday.
Pusey Minister Matthew Potts Reflects on Past Year and Looks Forward to New Initiatives
As his first year as Pusey Minister in the Memorial Church draws to a close, Matthew Ichihashi Potts — who also serves as the Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard Divinity School — reflected on his time as minister in an interview with The Crimson last week.
HDS Fellow Presents Art Exhibition on Cultural Activism and Identity
Taurean J. Webb, an instructor at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and a Harvard Divinity School fellow, presented a collaborative art exhibition called “Ye Shall Inherit the Earth & Faces of the Divine” at a virtual event sponsored by the Divinity School.
‘A Great Time to Reflect’: Back In Person, Students Observe Lent at Harvard
Lent observances are underway on campus, and students are making the most of being back in person.
Harvard Divinity School Prof. Discusses Black Church Arson at Virtual Lecture
Todne Thomas, an associate professor at the Harvard Divinity School, examined the 2015 burning of a predominantly African American church as part of a wider discussion about the phenomenon of Black church arson at a virtual lecture Friday.