Why is there so much naked flesh on TV?
The other day I frowned at Love Island. I dislike adding (in my tiny way) to such shows’ publicity, but…
How tolerant should liberals be of Islamic theocracy?
I quite enjoyed James Fergusson’s exploration of British Islam – Al-Britannia, My Country. If it is done intelligently, I approve…
Why snobs love Love Island
A certain sort of person likes to show how relaxed he or she is about sex. The current vehicle for such…
Embracing liberal Christianity can lead the Lib Dems out of irrelevance
In a sense it was the Liberal Democrats who did worst in this odd election. For the point of this…
It is not enough for Muslims to say ‘we condemn terrorism’
It is not enough for Muslims to say ‘We condemn terrorism’. Sure – we believe you. But something more is…
Can a liberal Catholic now save France?
France is a muddled nation, n’est-ce pas? And at the root of the muddle is, guess what, religion. Maybe the muddle…
Corbyn’s views on religion contribute to his lack of popular appeal
This election was won two days before it was announced, on Easter Sunday. Theresa May put out an Easter message…
Christianity is at the heart of Britain’s shared values
Theresa May does a decent job of saying that Christianity is at the heart of our shared values. It’s a…
Secularism is part of God’s cunning plan
How should Christians relate to the culture around them? That is the question raised by Rod Dreher’s article in the Spectator…
In defence of Christian doubt
A new survey finds that a quarter of British people who describe themselves as Christian say they do not believe in…
Theocracy should scare us more than terror
In yesterday’s Guardian, David Shariatmadari confronts the claim that Islam is an especially violent religion. The claim, he says, is undermined…
Cynicism is the West’s great weakness
Pankaj Mishra’s book Age of Anger is good in parts, but also shows the weakness of leftist thought. It is…
Is ‘post-theocratic Islam’ a contradiction in terms?
Omar Saif Ghobash, who is the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Russia, has written a good Muslim-reformist tract called Letters…
Islam – unlike Christianity – refuses to see virtue in secularism
There was a good programme last week on Channel 4 about Muslims looking for love, or at least marriage. It…
The Church of England should be agnostic towards homosexuality
Let me state the obvious for a moment: the Church of England does not know what line to take on…
Camp vicars and smug gossips: is this really the Church of England’s best look?
I have mixed feelings about ‘the Reverend Richard Coles’, whose new memoir I have just read. It’s great that a vicar…
Saint Joan is the perfect religious play for our ignorant era
The chief appeal of Saint Joan, which I saw last night at the Donmar, is that it is a brilliant…
In our post-religious society, we now find faith in Hollywood
What do we believe in, in our largely post-religious culture? The pursuit of individual happiness, obviously. A vague humanism, thankfully.…
America won’t forget Obama’s message of hope
Those who sneer at Obama for promising more than he could deliver have little understanding of the nature of moral…
Want to make a subject more appealing to students? Add a ‘trigger warning’
Before you read any further, be warned that this post contains some shockingly racy material. Well, not really – I…
George Michael’s death shouldn’t mean that we gloss over his flaws
One should not speak ill of the dead, but if their flaws or vices are glossed over that is also…
Is an oath to ‘British values’ really such a bad idea?
Most commentators have been over-hasty in ridiculing Sajid Javid’s proposal of an oath of allegiance to British values, to be…
In defence of Britain’s humanist values
In yesterday’s Guardian Giles Fraser dismisses Louise Casey’s report on social division. Its desire to ‘integrate’ communities is serving liberal capitalist…
Theresa May’s religious faith should bring her more joy
I like the fact that Theresa May is an Anglican, a good, solid, unashamed, unflashy Anglican, whose allegiance has not…
Is patriotism a virtue?
Michael Gove makes a semi-persuasive case for patriotism in The Times this week. Brexit and Trumpism are largely just assertions of…
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