923 years after the launch of the first Crusade, world leaders are still invoking their memory to explain ongoing conflict. But what were the Crusades, really? Chances are, much of what we think we know about the Crusades is wrong. (read more)

It’s often said that it was the intolerance of Christians, from the apostle Paul to the Renaissance Popes, that led to the Enlightenment’s secular cry for “freedom of religion” - and even freedom from religion. Religion fosters bigotry and violence toward difference. Enlightened secular thought fosters peace and pluralism. Right? But did you know there are religious origins to religious freedom? (read more)

People sometimes speak of ‘religious guilt’ or ‘Catholic guilt’ and it’s almost always used negatively. The assumption is that if you are religious, you are dealing with much more guilt than the regular person; much more than is healthy. But maybe guilt is actually good? (read more)

Perhaps you’ve heard it before - religion is bad for your mental health. It triggers feelings of guilt, self-loathing and bigotry. But, actually, there are many ways in which the opposite is true. (read more)

The military graves across the world that bear the inscription, 'Unknown Soldier - Known Unto God' carry a more profound message than you may have ever realised. (read more)

For thirty years Catholic killed Protestant and vice versa in beleaguered Northern Ireland. But was it really a religious war? (read more)

An advisor to federal governments on economic policy, Gordon Menzies believes Australia has embarked on a new path of extremism. (read more)

The American Soul is rife with divisions, such that its people are now more united by what they hate than what they love. (read more)