Lead story

Terrifying dragons have long been a part of many religions, and there is a reason for their appeal

Editor's note:

HBO’s prequel to “Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon,” which premiered on Aug. 21, is bringing attention to the mythical creature that has fascinated people over the centuries. I remember growing up on tales from Indian mythology about a dragon serpent that was slain by the god Indra.

Indeed, dragon lore exists in many religions and cultures across the globe. What makes our fascination with the often winged, shape-shifting or fire-breathing monsters so enduring?

While scientists have come up with rational explanations for the belief in dragons, Emily Zarka, a scholar of monsters, writes it could be related to the “problematic idea” that humans can dominate forces that cannot always be controlled – or just that some mysteries cannot be explained.

Religion News

Hawaii seeks end to strife over astronomy on sacred mountain

For more than 50 years, telescopes and the needs of astronomers have dominated the summit of Mauna Kea, a mountain sacred to Native Hawaiians. That’s now changing with a new state law. By Audrey McAvoy/The Associated Press

Newest US cardinal: A San Diego-based ally of Pope Francis

San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy is the only American among the 21 clerics being installed as cardinals by Francis in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica. By David Crary/The Associated Press

Jehovah’s Witnesses to return to door knocking, a sign of new COVID-19 stage

Door knocking has not only been a physical mainstay for Jehovah’s Witnesses but an ideal they have fought for in courtrooms. By Adelle M. Banks/Religion News Service

Family struck by grief after it loses 6 in Egypt church fire

For Mariam Habeib, the grief seems never ending: She lost her older sister, two nieces and a niece’s three young children in a church fire that killed 41 people. By Samy Magdy/The Associated Press

31 UMC churches in NC demand immediate exit from denomination, threaten lawsuit

Legal action or the threat of legal action represents a new strategy on behalf of churches wanting an immediate exit from the United Methodist Church. By Yonat Shimron and Emily McFarlan Miller/Religion News Service

Commentary and Analysis

Demi Lovato’s fusing of the sacred and the profane is part evolution, part miracle

Lovato knows how it feels to break the tenets of conventional society while all eyes are on you. By Da'Shawn Mosley/Religion News Service

Yoga versus democracy? What survey data says about spiritual Americans' political behavior

As the US gets less religious, some thinkers warn that it may get more selfish as people engage less with their communities. A team of scholars decided to investigate that concern. By Evan Stewart and Jaime Kucinskas for The Conversation

Religions have long known that getting away from it all is good for the mind, body and spirit

Rituals of rest and contemplation are woven into many religious traditions around the world. By Kristen Lucken for The Conversation

We praise people as ‘Good Samaritans,’ but there’s a complex history behind the phrase

Samaritans still live in Israel, where they are often caught between Israeli and Palestinian identities. By Terry Giles for The Conversation

Photos of the Week: Dormition of Mary; Hindus celebrate Krishna and more

People pray before forming a human pyramid to break the "Dahi handi," an earthen pot filled with curd, as part of celebrations to mark Janmashtami festival in Mumbai, India, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. The festival marks the birth of Hindu god Krishna and the event seeks to reenact the story of Lord Krishna stealing butter during his childhood. (AP Photo/Rajanish kakade)

Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click the button below to subscribe.

• This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
• The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.