The podcasts presented here derive from an international conference in Norway entitled ‘Modernism, Christianity and the Apocalypse’, held on 18-20 July 2012. This interdisciplinary event welcomed a range of leading scholars from Religious Studies and Theology, Art and Literary Criticism to consider the role and relevance of secular and Christian visions of the apocalypse in … Continue reading »
Tagged with secularism …
Free Virtual Issue on Secularism (Journal of Religious History)
Secularism A Free Virtual Issue The interface between religion and secularism has in recent years generated both heat and light about the evolution of modern post-industrial, post-colonial societies. Local advocates of secularism have argued that neither Australia nor New Zealand are Christian nations and that secularism without religion forms the underlying ideology of the … Continue reading »
NEWS: Religion and Coexistence/Existence in the 21st Century
Is the world becoming more religious or more secular? The secularization thesis (religion disappears with the rise of Modernity) has been challenged as the Christian “megachurch” phenomenon continues, radical Islam remains at the fore of public dialogue, and politicians continue to blur the lines between church and state as they invoke various religious aphorisms. Louis … Continue reading »
NEWS: Muslim Treatment of Minorities Condemned at Parliament of the World’s Religions
“How Islam treats minorities is excessive, no question’’, the former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister said in Melbourne on Saturday. Anwar Ibrahim, who is now an opposition leader, told the participants at Parliament of the World’s Religions that Muslims cannot talk about religious discrimination in the West as long as they are willing to turn a … Continue reading »
BOOKS: ‘Atheist Delusions’ reviewed
Hart, David Bentley, Atheist Delusions, Yale University Press, London / New Haven, CT £19.99 Hardback: ISBN 978-0-300-11190-3 Review by Matthew Feldman, University of Northampton The battle has finally been joined. For Atheist Delusions is the frontal counter-attack that intelligent persons of faith have been long awaiting. Poor arguments against belief are simply swatted away (e.g. … Continue reading »
NEWS: Young Iranians Are Rapidly Turning Against Religion, Survey Finds
The London-based Association of Iranian Researchers has recently published the findings of a 2007 internet survey on Iranian identity, which gives some interesting insights into the lives of young Iranians aged 20-29. A detailed analysis of more than 4,000 valid filled questionnaires shows that some 40% of this age group does not self-identify as religious, … Continue reading »
NEWS: Triumph of ‘New Atheism’?
Madeleine Bunting (The Guardian) uses the start of Holy Week to highlight what she describes as the spectacularly rapid collapse of British Christianity. Furthermore, she identifies the fundamental role of the ‘New atheists’ as one of drowning out real debate about faith. It is the perceived rise of the ‘New atheist debate’ which gives Bunting … Continue reading »
NEWS: International Conference on Islamic Feminism
Barcelona is hosting the third International Congress on Islamic Feminism, where a group of prominent Muslim scholars have gathered to discuss some pressing issues facing Muslim women. Making a distinction between the particular socio-cultural contexts within which Islam was born and the universal principles of the religion, Muslim feminists seek to articulate new interpretations that … Continue reading »
BOOKS: Stolen Bibles
By Roland Boer Roland Boer is a research fellow at Monash University, and the author of ‘Rescuing the Bible‘. Apart from writing books, he loves to travel by ship when he can and cycle as far and as long as possible. I would like to paint a landscape – the contemporary religious landscape. What does … Continue reading »
