An A-Z Of Believing

Zealotry has had a bad press. But has this always been justified?

What is the date? There are more religious calendars ticking along than most of us dream of.

Xenophobia seems to be on the rise... again.

Words are ambiguous but translating them is theologically treacherous...

Is human violence inspired by religion or mitigated by religion?

Universal religious values should not threaten what is unique to each religion.

Tolerance is agreeing to differ, and that is a sign of strength not weakness.

Sex is glorious, sex is sinful, sex is necessary. Opinions differ...

Repentance is more than just saying sorry.

Quietness is desirable but not when it is an evasion of the truth.

A pilgrimage can be literal or metaphorical.

Is the occult just religion without rules?

When religion turns patriotic...

Was Jesus the first religious martyr?

One person's Holy Land is another person’s land grab.

Are we punished for our sins, or by them?

Even Jesus had a funny side...

How does God come down to meet us?

All orthodoxy was once heresy...

Sometimes even atheists are tempted to believe...

Fighters for truth or unworldly fantasists?

Could evil be understood as the “eclipse” of God?

Do we understand ourselves better by understanding someone of different beliefs?

If I am right - must you be wrong?

What makes religious ritual so irresistible?

God is dead, yet a divine shadow still looms...

Join us for a new podcast starting Monday 20th August. From the Woolf Institute comes An A-Z of Believing: from Atheism to Zealotry. This new podcast, presented by Dr Ed Kessler, is a 26-week crash course on religion and society. What makes the beauty of ritual so attractive? Do Abrahamic religions teach karma? How do people from different faiths have constructive conversation? Join Ed as he explains a new letter each week. Listen Sundays on the Woolf Institute podcast site (woolfpods.wordpress.com), iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Transcripts of this series are published exclusively by the Independent every Sunday.