In the evangelical subculture I was raised in, we were taught to cover most of our bodies for the sake of modesty. I was told repeatedly, “Your body is a temple.” So you can imagine my shock when, as a…
The tattoo artist
I never have had a tattoo on my body, although every time we go down to Daytona Beach on vacation, I tell my wife I think it’s about time. There are parlors everywhere and “it would be discreet,” I say. I’m not…
Don’t panic, mom and dad: your kid’s tattoo may reinforce religious identity
Parents are often disappointed when a teen or adult child acquires a tattoo. But a newly published study led by Baylor University scholar Kevin Dougherty suggests Mom and Dad may want to go easy when the images are religious in nature.
The sacramentality of tattoos
Following an Orthodox tradition, the executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches got a tattoo to commemorate her pilgrimage to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. It is a visible sign that points to invisible realities, she says.