Editor's note

The recent Pennsylvania grand jury report revealing widespread sexual abuse by priests has led to considerable turmoil in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis faces calls for his resignation over allegations of a cover-up. One question being asked is whether mandatory priestly celibacy is at the root of the crisis. Kim Haines-Eitzen, a scholar of early Christianity, writes that priests weren’t always celibate – and explains what led to the shift.

Have you ever wondered if someone you were interacting with online was authentic – or a Russian troll? Social media scholars Savvas Zannettou and Jeremy Blackburn explain some clear and objective ways that propaganda-spewing trolls behave, so that you can pick them out from the crowd of regular internet users.

Sociologist Ted Thornhill wanted to know if black activists were getting a fair shot in the college admissions process. He sent out hundreds of fictitious inquiry emails to see how activists fared compared to black students who expressed other interests. What he found is that black students who talk about racial justice are treated differently by admissions professionals.

Kalpana Jain

Senior Religion + Ethics Editor

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New priests being ordained during a ceremony led by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, when they take vows, including to remain celibate. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

How views on priestly celibacy changed in Christian history

Kim Haines-Eitzen, Cornell University

Early Christians were open to marriage for priests. It wasn't until the 12th century that celibacy became mandatory in the Catholic Church.

They may look similar, but online trolls act differently. Daren Woodward/Shutterstock.com

Propaganda-spewing Russian trolls act differently online from regular people

Savvas Zannettou, Technological University of Cyprus; Jeremy Blackburn, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Some behaviors might help tell propaganda-spewing trolls apart from regular internet users, but the main protection is for people to think more critically about online information.

Black students who express an interest in racial justice are less likely to get a response from predominantly white, private liberal arts colleges, new research shows. AshTproductions/www.shutterstock.com

Black student activists face penalty in college admissions

Ted Thornhill, Florida Gulf Coast University

New research by sociologist Ted Thornhill shows that black students who indicate they plan to fight for racial justice are more likely to be ignored by white admissions counselors.

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