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.
A-Z of Believing: from Atheism to Zealotry on Audioboom
The podcast series was also published by The Independent as weekly short essays.
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Z for Zealotry
Zealotry has had a bad press. But has this always been justified?
Y for Year
What is the date? There are more religious calendars ticking along than most of us dream of.
X for Xenophobia
Xenophobia seems to be on the rise… again.
W for Words
Words are ambiguous but translating them is theologically treacherous…
V for Violence
Is human violence inspired by religion or mitigated by religion?
U for Universalism
Universal religious values should not threaten what is unique to each religion.
T for Tolerance
Tolerance is agreeing to differ, and that is a sign of strength not weakness.
S for Sex
Sex is glorious, sex is sinful, sex is necessary. Opinions differ...
R for Repentance
Repentance is more than just saying sorry.
Q for Quietness
Quietness is desirable but not when it is an evasion of the truth
P for Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage can be literal or metaphorical
O for Occult
Is the occult just religion without rules?
N for Nationalism
When religion turns patriotic...
M for Martyrdom
Was Jesus the first religious martyr?
L for Land
One person's Holy Land is another person’s land grab
K for Karma
Are we punished for our sins, or by them?
J for Jokes
Even Jesus had a funny side...
I for Incarnation
How does God come down to meet us?
H for Heresy
All orthodoxy was once heresy...
G for God
Sometimes even atheists are tempted to believe...
F for Fundamentalism
Fighters for truth or unworldly fantasists?
E for Evil
Could evil be understood as the "eclipse" of God?
D for Dialogue
Do we understand ourselves better by understanding someone of different beliefs?
C for Conversion
If I am right - must you be wrong?
B for Beauty
What makes religious ritual so irresistible?
A for Atheism
God is dead, yet a divine shadow still looms...