The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s aiming to topple the regime in Iran, as part of his continued strikes against the country’s nuclear facilities and civilian infrastructure, such as oil refineries. But what forces could he unleash by overthrowing Iran’s Islamic theocracy? There’s a serious prospect that a Shi’ite backlash could erupt across the region GUEST:Dr Ali Mamouri of Deakin University, former adviser to the Iraqi prime minister.  Australia has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, citing a history of violent and racist statements.  The two men are crucial to propping up the Netanyahu government in parliament. Even so, the government could fall later this year over compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox men. GUESTS:Dina Kraft, journalist with The Christian Science Monitor Linda Gradstein, journalist with Voice of America and National Public Radio 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s aiming to topple the regime in Iran, as part of his continued strikes against the country’s nuclear facilities and civilian infrastructure, such as oil refineries. But what forces could he unleash by overthrowing Iran’s Islamic theocracy? There’s a serious prospect that a Shi’ite backlash could erupt across the region GUEST:Dr Ali Mamouri is an academic and journalist specialising in religious studies, Middle East studies, fundamentalism, Salafism and political Islam at Deakin University. He previously served as strategic communication advisor to the Iraqi prime minister from 2020 to 2022.

Australia has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, citing a history of violent and racist statements.  The two men are crucial to propping up the Netanyahu government in parliament. Even so, the government could fall later this year over compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox men. GUESTS:Dina Kraft, journalist with The Christian Science Monitor Linda Gradstein, journalist with Voice of America and National Public Radio 

It’s boom time for Islam. According to the most comprehensive study of global religious affiliation in a decade, there are now two billion Muslims in the world. The study, conducted by Pew Research, also finds there’s an interesting twist in the data about the growth of those with no religion. CONRAD HACKETT was the senior researcher on the project.

It’s boom time for Islam. According to the most comprehensive study of global religious affiliation in a decade, there are now two billion Muslims in the world. The study, conducted by Pew Research, also finds there’s an interesting twist in the data about the growth of those with no religion. CONRAD HACKETT was the senior researcher on the project.Despite the growth of Islam, there were markedly fewer Muslims attending this year’s Hajj celebrations in Mecca. The pilgrimage is required of every able Muslim but numbers were down. The reason, however, is even more intriguing. Associate Professor MILAD HAGHANI from Melbourne University studies urban risk and resilience.Christianity may be thriving in much of the global south but, for the Anglicans of Melbourne, times are tougher. They’re now just 5.5 percent of the population, according to the census. Will their new Archbishop be able to turn around the fortunes? RIC THORPE is currently the Anglican bishop of Islington in London, where he’s been a successful church builder. What’s his plan for the Melbourne diocese?GUESTS:CONRAD HACKETT - senior researcher at Pew ResearchAssociate Professor MILAD HAGHANI from Melbourne UniversityMelbourne Archbishop RIC THORPE 

This year’s Hajj celebrations wrapped up last Sunday in Mecca. Thankfully deaths and injuries from overcrowding and overheating were well down on last year.The Hajj is required of every able Muslim, but overall numbers were also down. The reason is intriguing. Associate Professor MILAD HAGHANI from Melbourne University studies urban risk and resilience.

Christianity may be thriving in much of the global south but, for the Anglicans of Melbourne, times are tougher. They’re now just 5.5 % of the population, according to the census. Will their new Archbishop be able to turn around the fortunes of a shrinking church base? RIC THORPE is currently the Anglican bishop of Islington in London, where he’s been a successful church builder. What’s his plan for the Melbourne diocese?

Christian nationalism is a phenomenon we usually associate with the United States. But it’s also a driving force behind Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine. MARLENE LARUELLE specialises in the fusion of religion and global politics at George Washington University. She writes about Russian Christian nationalism in the Journal of Illiberalism Studies. Why is taking so long to choose a new leader of the world’s 80 million Anglicans? It took the Catholic Church about three weeks from the death of Pope Francis to elect his successor, Pope Leo. But it’s almost seven months since Justin Welby resigned, in controversial circumstances, as Archbishop of Canterbury. MADELEINE DAVIES of The Church Times in Britain has some answers – and a tip about his replacement.How did a young man go from being a racist teenage thug,  who did gaol time, to one of the world’s leading Catholic writers. You can thank that lovable character from the G.K. Chesterton novels, Father Brown. JOSEPH PEARCE became captivated by the gentle, crime-solving priest, turned his life around and became a biographer of Chesterton and J.R.R. Tolkien. He brought his extraordinary story to Australia recently as a guest of Hartford College, a liberal studies school in Sydney.GUESTS:Marlene Laruelle Research Professor and Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the George Washington University. Madeleine Davies journalist at The Church TimesJoseph Pearce is a US based British philosopher and author

Christian nationalism is a phenomenon we usually associate with the United States. But it’s also a driving force behind Vladimir Putin and his war on Ukraine. MARLENE LARUELLE specialises in the fusion of religion and global politics at George Washington University. She writes about Russian Christian nationalism in the Journal of Illiberalism Studies. GUEST:Marlene Laruelle is Research Professor and Director of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the George Washington University.

Why is it taking so long to choose a new leader of the world’s 80 million Anglicans? It took the Catholic Church about three weeks from the death of Pope Francis to elect his successor, Pope Leo. But it’s almost seven months since Justin Welby resigned, in controversial circumstances, as Archbishop of Canterbury.MADELEINE DAVIES of The Church Times in Britain has some answers – and a tip about his replacement.