The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast

The Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella and Theophilos III, have described the forced relocation of Gaza's residents as akin to a “death sentence”. As Israel intensifies its operations in the Gaza Strip, the two Christian leaders have declared their priests and nuns will not leave their vulnerable congregations.Reverent Father Nabil Kachab offers an Australian perspective.GUEST:The Rt Rev Father Nabil Kachab is Dean of St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Sydney.

As Israel intensifies its operations in the Gaza Strip, two of the most significant Christian leaders have declared their priests and nuns will not leave their congregations in Gaza City. The Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella and Theophilos III, have described the forced relocation of the city’s residents as akin to a “death sentence”. Professor BENJAMIN ISAKHAN of Deakin University researches the plight of religious minorities in the region.Just how liberal do you have to be to be thrown out of the very permissive Episcopal Church in the United States? That’s what’s happened to one minister, whose name is Hunt Priest. He’s been defrocked for dabbling in psychedelic drugs. The church says he crossed the line by advocating the illegal use of drugs. KATHRYN POST of the Religion News Service has been following the story.For many, stargazing means swooning over the latest song, tweet, or Instagram post from Taylor Swift. But for Jesuit brother GUY CONSOLMAGNO, it’s – almost – a search for the heavens. He’s about to finish a ten-year term as director of the Vatican Observatory. Br Guy, who has science degrees from Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the Pope’s astronomer. GUESTS:Benjamin Isakhan is Australian Research Council Future Fellow in the Alfred Deakin Institute and Professor of International Politics in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin UniversityKathryn Post is a journalist from the Religious News Service who wrote a piece on Hunt PriestBrother Guy Consolmagno is an American research astronomer, physicist, religious brother, director of the Vatican Observatory

Just how liberal do you have to be to be thrown out of the very permissive Episcopal Church in the United States? That’s what’s happened to one minister, whose name is Hunt Priest. He’s been defrocked for dabbling in psychedelic drugs. The church says he crossed the line by advocating the illegal use of drugs. KATHRYN POST of the Religion News Service has been following the story.GUEST:Kathryn Post is a journalist from the Religious News Service who wrote a piece on Hunt Priest

As Israel intensifies its operations in the Gaza Strip, two of the most significant Christian leaders have declared their priests and nuns will not leave their congregations in Gaza City. In churches and church compounds nuns and clergy continue to care for vulnerable people with disabilities, and shelter those made homeless by the Israeli bombing.The Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox patriarchs of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabella and Theophilos III, have described the forced relocation of the city’s residents as akin to a “death sentence”. Professor BENJAMIN ISAKHAN of Deakin University researches the plight of religious minorities in the region.GUEST:Benjamin Isakhan is Australian Research Council Future Fellow in the Alfred Deakin Institute and Professor of International Politics in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University

The implications of Australia severing ties with Iran are potentially serious. The Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi  has been given seven days to leave after ASIO identified Iran as being behind at least two of the anti-Semitic attacks seen in Australia since October 7, 2023. Dr Ali Mamouri speaks to Andrew about the implications of the move by the Australian government.ANDIn 2000, at a secret meeting in the Vatican, an Australian bishop warned a deluge would soon overwhelm the Catholic Church. The sex abuse crisis would become the greatest challenge to the authority and reputation of the Vatican since the Protestant Reformation almost 500 years earlier. But this warning went largely unheeded. It’s another revelation in the new book, Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church, by Philip Shenon. In part 2 of this interview, we look at how the scandal enveloped three popes (but we begin with another controversy for then Pope John Paul II). GUESTS:Dr Ali Mamouri research fellow at Deakin University specialising in Middle Eastern studies and political Islam and author of this piece in The Conversation  Philip Shenon – investigative reporter and author of Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic ChurchThis program was made on the land of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and Naarm

In 2000, at a secret meeting in the Vatican, an Australian bishop warned a deluge would soon overwhelm the Catholic Church. The sex abuse crisis would become the greatest challenge to the authority and reputation of the Vatican since the Protestant Reformation almost 500 years earlier. But this warning went largely unheeded. It’s another revelation in the new book, Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church, by Philip Shenon. In part 2 of this interview, we look at how the scandal enveloped three popes (but we begin with another controversy for then Pope John Paul II). GUEST:Philip Shenon – investigative reporter and author of Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church

The implications of Australia severing ties with Iran are potentially serious. The Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi  has been given seven days to leave after ASIO identified Iran as being behind at least two of the anti-Semitic attacks seen in Australia since October 7, 2023. Dr Ali Mamouri speaks to us about the implications of the move by the Australian government and what the Iranians would gain if the claims by ASIO are true.GUEST:Dr Ali Mamouri is research fellow at Deakin University specialising in Middle Eastern studies and political Islam and author of this piece in The Conversation  

The first hundred days of a president, prime minister, even a pope make lots of headlines. Leo XIV may have less dramatic flair than his predecessor, but he’s used his first three months in office to differentiate himself from Francis, particularly on the question of the Ukraine war. Claire Giangrave reports from Rome that Leo’s unifying message has been consistent.GUEST: CLAIRE GIANGRAVE is Vatican correspondent for the Religion News Service.

The first hundred days of a president, prime minister, even a pope make lots of headlines. Leo XIV may have less dramatic flair than his predecessor, but he’s used his first three months in office to differentiate himself from Francis, particularly on the question of the Ukraine war. GUEST: CLAIRE GIANGRAVE is Vatican correspondent for the Religion News Service.If the first hundred days of a papacy can shake up the Catholic church, how much drama occurs over 80 years? History rolls on, one war ends, another begins, scandals aplenty unfold. But for author Philip Shenon, there has been a constant tension – how much should the church express judgement of the modern world and how much mercy should it extend. Philip’s the author of a sweeping new history of the church since World War II. It’s called Jesus Wept. It chronicles the triumphs, controversies, and political significance of the seven papacies before Leo. This is part 1 of the 2-part discussion.GUEST:PHILIP SHENON - investigative reporter and author of Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church 

If the first hundred days of a papacy can shake up the Catholic church, how much drama occurs over 80 years? History rolls on, one war ends, another begins, scandals aplenty unfold. But for author Philip Shenon, there has been a constant tension – how much should the church express judgement of the modern world and how much mercy should it extend. Philip’s the author of a sweeping new history of the church since World War II. It’s called Jesus Wept. And it chronicles the triumphs, controversies, and political significance of the seven papacies before Leo. This is both parts 1 and 2 of the 2-part discussion.GUEST:PHILIP SHENON - investigative reporter and author of Jesus Wept: Seven Popes and the Battle for the Soul of the Catholic Church