How Beijing is allegedly using a popular folk religion to spread its influence in Taiwan. Also, sex industry survivor Rose Hunter is urging South Australian politicians to rethink their support for full decriminalisation of the trade.

South Africa's international court case against Israel, Is the new Ram temple in Ayodhya a "Hindu Vatican"? and the Pope's statement on same-sex blessing and surrogacy.

Father Patrick Ryan was the embodiment of a typical village priest in Northern Ireland. But he lived a top secret life, because for almost 20 years, he worked undercover as a spy for the Irish Republican Army.

Along with the drug culture of the 1960s and 70s, there was also a serious search for enlightenment. Many people looked to the gurus and philosophies of eastern religions. Musicians such as The Beatles were particularly inspired.

Have you hiked the Camino trail in Spain? Some of you may even tinker with a little Zen decor at home. But are these acts of curiosity, taste, or are they appropriating something deeply religious? 

New York Times correspondent Isabel Kershner's book explores the cultural and religious shifts in Israel, which she fears challenges the country's democratic ideals.

Even in a rapidly secularising Australia, it's a minority that totally reject the idea of a divine presence or saviour. So what replaces the God of the Bible?

The Cold War liberals of the 1940s and 50s thought they were upholding the best ideals of Christianity. But Yale historian Samuel Moyn explains how their good ideas went grievously awry.

New report finds that for the vast number of Australians with African background, religion is "central to most aspects of their lives." Also, how can we build belonging in society?

Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders has historically had an anti-Islam and anti-immigration stance. And after last week's elections, he's closer to power than ever. Also, why centre-left European parties are conflicted over the Gaza war.

Finnish parliament member Paivi Rasanen has been cleared of legal charges brought against her for quoting the Bible, and the mystery around the priest who gave last rites to president John F Kennedy.

In the fog of two wars — in Gaza, and Ukraine — has the world lost sight of the humanitarian tragedy in Myanmar? And the US professor calling for compulsory ethics to be taught in higher education.

The war in Gaza is also having an effect in South Asia, one that could kindle another wave of terrorism. And the true story of the Irish priest involved in espionage and gun-running for the IRA. 

Almost 10,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza. Tragically as well, there's the long-term impacts of war on children. We also look at how the west became enamoured with Indian spirituality. 

Jerusalem's Catholic Cardinal has offered to exchange himself for the Israeli children that Hamas is holding hostage. The Israel-Lebanon boarder could become a dangerous flashpoint in the Gaza war, and what churchgoers think about climate change. 

Hamas' slaughter of 1400 Israelis was blood curdling. But how far should Israel go to avenge their murders? And what does international law say? How Sydney's diverse west voted on the Voice, and the devout Spanish city telling tourists to cover up. 

After the terror attack by Hamas, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu says he will eliminate Hamas and remake the Middle East. What's Iranian President Raisi's hardline political vision?, and the Pope on same-sex blessings.

Why Putin is turning to anti-Semitic rhetoric in his war on Ukraine, Notre Dame University has introduced a compulsory unit addressing modern slavery, and the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

Thousands of Armenians are fleeing the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, how next month's Vatican summit could lead to the biggest power shake-up in the church in centuries, and does liberalism today have an elitist tinge?

There's growing pressure to reboot Malaysia as a fully Islamic society, do Australians think our institutions act ethically?, and why young Catholic women are more conservative than previous generations.

The Unification Church in Japan is at risk of being dissolved. Are Australian Jews supportive of Israel? And a rare look into the Exclusive Brethren sect.

Black American scholar Tyler Austin Harper addresses today's anti-racism movement. And is religion in China booming?

The FBI has been monitoring traditionalist Catholics for possible political extremism. Why is Pope Francis visiting Mongolia? And is Malaysian politics becoming more Islamist?

Afghanistan under the Taliban two years the international withdrawal. More nations are in dire need says the aid organisation Compassion Australia, And the legacy of sociologist and religious scholar Robert Bellah.

Isabel Kershner's new book, Land of Hope and Fear: Israel’s Battle for its Inner Soul explores what she fears is the unravelling of the state's social fabric.  In recent months, pilgrims walking Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa have come under increasing harassment, even attack. Francis Martin of The Church Times describes what he saw on a recent visit.

A report claims minority religions are target of new restrictive laws and policies, particularly in France. Sound of Freedom is criticised for its portrayal of human trafficking. And the ups and downs of inter-faith marriage.

What is the impact of new migrants being pushed into particular suburbs because there is insufficient housing in more established areas? Why are more young people supporting alt-right parties in Europe? And the background to the Southern Baptist Convention expelling churches that ordain women.

It's reported that one in three Catholics are considering leaving the church in Germany. Why? Also, why the Barbie film release was delayed in a province of Pakistan. And, is being a social justice campaigner in the spirit of Protestant ethics?

An Amish community in Minnesota has won the right not to install septic tanks on their land, despite a local government law. The Senate is scrutinising the role and ethics of consulting firms, and is Hindu nationalism on the rise in the Indian diaspora?

What are the ethics of using cluster bomb munitions? What could a permanent UN peacekeeping army achieve? And NSW Parliament to debate gender Self ID laws.

With a national focus on anti-corruption, is there a risk we could criminalise politics — which, by its very nature, is so often transactional? And, the significant demand for one faith-based organisation's financial hardship support program.

Buried deep inside key Russian security documents is the doctrine of so-called "spiritual security." And are the vicars of England about to walk out of their pulpits and onto the picket line?

Human rights commissioner Lorraine Finlay is calling on the federal government to do more to combat modern slavery, and how dowries are fuelling a tide of violence against women in India.

Pope Francis is fighting on three fronts – recovering from serious surgery, bringing peace to the war on Ukraine, and calming the vitriol consuming social media. And, are we building a virtuous society?

Can DeSantis and Pence draw religious voters away from Trump?, why Hispanic Americans are leaving Catholicism, and to how will AI chatbots change religion? 

The number of internally displaced people reaches record high in 2022, why the Archbishop of Canterbury has been named an influential progressive, and is society searching for saviours?

How popular is the Indian PM with Australia's Indian diaspora? Very, if his reception in Sydney is a gauge.

The takeover of Calvary Public Hospital in Canberra raises questions over the independence of faith-based institutions. And we meet two fathers united over grief and a pursuit for peace in Israel-Palestine.

Türkiye’s ruling AKP party, led by President Erdoğan, has been trying to frame the election as a contest between Sunni Islam and western liberalism. Also, why Catholicism has a strong cultural grip on Australia, despite waning religious observance.

For all the pomp and statecraft, the coronation is essentially a religious event, and traditionally Anglican. But this coronation will have elements reflecting a modern — and religiously diverse — Britain.

Have you hiked the Camino trail in Spain? Some of you may even tinker with a little Zen decor at home. But are these acts of curiosity, taste, or are they appropriating something deeply religious? 

A split among Ethiopia's Orthodox leaders could threaten peace in the war-torn nation. And Myanmar's Buddhist monks are divided over whether to voice their support or opposition to the military dictatorship. 

Is multiculturalism flourishing in UK politics? Why peace is so elusive in Israel Palestine, and how Australia came to be a WEIRD nation.

According to a recent survey, 45% of Americans say the US should be a Christian nation. There's differing views on what that means, but some Republican politicians now call themselves "Christian nationalists." This includes far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. We explore why this is a troubling trend.

Why the Uluru Statement from the Heart is a religious call from First Nations peoples, and how race has influenced religion and politics in the US.

Child exploitation is a hidden, but huge problem in cocoa industry. Is Israel really on the brink of a civil war?, and new report finds Muslims were abused online during the covid pandemic.

The Andrews government is legislating a ban on the Nazi salute, after 30 neo-Nazis performed the hate symbol outside Victoria’s parliament house. But will a law overcome a growing popular ignorance of Nazism and its monstrous history?; and the US invasion of Iraq, twenty years on.

Could religious participation lead to less 'deaths of despair'?, Women aged over 45 are at growing risk of experiencing homelessness; and Scottish politician Kate Forbes and the role of personal faith in politics. 

What do Catholic women want? Over 17,000 women from 104 countries have spoken in the largest survey of Catholic women ever undertaken. Also, what is the "care economy" – and how is it a hurdle in the way of women's equality?

Why presidential candidate Nikki Haley's faith background is capturing attention; how can we create a more civil and constructive environment for political debate?; and how the world's religions can help us confront the ecological crisis. 

How have Türkiye's religious authorities responded to the devastating earthquakes; why is the Vatican interested in AI?; and what happens when celebrity collides with Christianity?

Does the pursuit of so-called 'humane war' make conflict more frequent and long-lasting?; and are Hindu Nationalists hijacking the Bollywood industry?

Malta was one of the first countries in the world to outlaw gay conversion practices. So what happens when a young man goes on a popular TV show, then a radio show, and shares his experience of being no longer gay because he found God? That's the story of Matthew Grech, whose case has been brought to court; and more.

The spiral of violence is worsening in Israel and the Palestinian territories, could this be the start of a third intifada?; and a debate over Islamic art at one of America's oldest universities raises questions over academic freedom and whether images of the Prophet Muhammad can ever be shown.

Australian Sikhs, along with millions of others around the world, will vote in a referendum to establish a separate Sikh state in India; In the days after his death, it was revealed that Cardinal George Pell was the author of a searing critique of Pope Francis. So what motivated these claims?; and more.

Has the sexual revolution that began in the early 60s had unintended – and possibly damaging – consequences? It gave women sexual freedom but did it also liberate men from the consequences of their own behaviour?

Cardinal George Pell died at the age of 81 from heart complications following hip surgery. So what is the future of the Catholic Church following the passing away of two staunch conservatives – the former Pope Benedict XVI and George Pell?

Jordan Peele's 2017 film 'Get Out' was a modern day horror movie, where the bodies of black people were stolen and their souls removed. For Afro-Jewish philosopher Lewis Gordon, it's an allegory for race, and what he calls the Fear of Black Consciousness.

We explore the question of forgiveness — including one of the most pressing — is it ever possible for a Ukrainian to forgive Vladimir Putin? And what does it take to break the cycle of vengeance and resentment?

Pentecostal Christianity is in a three-way race with Islam and Hinduism to become the world's fastest growing religion. In the English-speaking world, one of its biggest names is the Hillsong church. In the past year it's hit turbulence with the departure of its charismatic, and at times controversial, founder Brian Houston.

A spat has broken out between Indonesia and the UN after the parliament in the world's biggest Muslim nation passed a new criminal code that includes tougher laws on sex; And 2022 has been a year of political change in Australia, war in Europe, and a pandemic that isn’t going away. But can we see in this time of turmoil, the opportunity for religious themes like redemption and renewal?

Why protests over COVID restrictions in China carry another message for leader Xi Jinping; New research reveals how religious communities around the world were affected by COVID restrictions; and will the coronation of King Charles III reflect a modern Britian with diverse beliefs?

Why is the global Hillsong empire facing turmoil, and what is its future?; And when does religious homage become appropriation?

Right-wing parties won a clear victory in Israel’s recent election. But forming a government, is proving much harder than the presumptive prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expected. American Catholics have a conservative new leader and should healthcare workers have the right to opt out of procedures they are ethically opposed to, even they're enshrined in law? 

American Muslim candidates have made historic gains in the US mid-term elections; Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu will form a government relying on orthodox religious parties but also the far-right 'Religious Zionists' group; and we look at whether players and spectators should boycott the World Cup in Qatar. 

Australia has signed an agreement with Thailand to fight human trafficking, but do we need to do more to ensure there's no exploited labour in Australia's supply chains?; Are Hindu nationalists hijacking the Bollywood industry?; and more. 

This week, Nine media reported that crime bosses are using loopholes in Australia’s immigration system to run a prostitution ring involving possibly hundreds of vulnerable migrant women; Some U.S. Republican politicians now call themselves "Christian nationalists" — why is this a deeply troubling trend?

What significance does Rishi Sunak's appointment as PM have for the British South Asian diaspora?; Israel's elections and the rise of the far-right; and a New York case brought before the employment tribunal has reopened a debate about commercial surrogacy.

What are the implications of the Albanese government's decision to reverse the previous government's position on recognising West Jerusalem?; a joint UN investigation accuses Russia of gross human rights abuses; and what do Christians think about transhumanism?

Protests have convulsed Iran for three weeks and counting, Does Thorburn have a legal case?, and a recent survey has surprising findings on today's average Australian churchgoer.

Andrew Thorburn has stepped down as Essendon football club's CEO, due to his connection with a conservative Melbourne church; Is social justice becoming a new religion?; And, has the tide of right-wing nationalism sweeping Europe reached its peak?