For as long as we have had language, we have told stories - and some of the oldest stories, are fairytales. What can they teach us about the world, and why do they still appeal?

Guests: 

Marguerite Johnson, classicist, historian and Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland.  

Tom Wright, theatre writer and Artistic Associate at Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney  

Michelle Smith, Associate Professor in Literary Studies at Monash University  

What would make religious spaces more accessible for people with disabilities? Transcript available at the ABC God Forbid website.

Guests: 

Carly Findlay OAM, writer, speaker and activist

Professor John Gilroy, ARC Research Fellow in Indigenous Disability and Community Development at the University of Sydney

Dr Louise Gosbell, a disability theologian and Research Manager at the Australian College of Theology

Cleansing rituals are a part of every major religion – from baptisms to Islamic Wudu, to bathing in sacred rivers. Where do these rituals come from and what do they mean to the faithful? 

From the sacred remains of saints to the revered memorabilia of celebrities and  sporting stars, relics are objects that act as a kind of a bridge between the material and spiritual world.  But why do religious and non-religious people alike gather to venerate these objects? Is it macabre, superstitious, or simply human?  

Surrogacy – carrying and giving birth to a baby for someone else – has been around at least since biblical times. But as the industry and fertility science advances, Christians and feminists remain divided on the issue.  

Why are so many Australians passionate about fishing? Is it simply the thrill of the catch or is there something deeper that keeps us hooked?

Love feels the same now as thousands of years ago, yet the rules around it are changing. On God Forbid, join James Carleton and the panel as they explore love in ancient times, to romance and dating today.

Exactly where do ideas and creative inspiration come from? ANd how do we explain when someone is 'blocked'; when the creative line goes dead? And what can be done about it?

Where we are really going when we walk or run – is it about finding the post-pain pleasure of endurance, or perhaps something more: self-awareness, meaning, or even wisdom? 

More of us in the West are seeking the help of shamans and psychedelic medicines. But why? And do they help?