The Religion and Ethics Report

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has told British MPs he would rather see the Church of England disestablished, rather than see the church split over disagreements over conducting same-sex weddings. That's according to multiple reports.

The spiral of violence worsens in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Could this be the start of a third intifada?

One of America’s oldest universities is mired in a debate over Islamic art. Hamline University in Minnesota terminated the contract of an adjunct lecturer who displayed two reverent artworks of the Prophet Muhammad. 

This episode raises questions over academic freedom and whether images of the prophet can ever be shown.

In the days after his death, it was revealed that Australia’s Cardinal George Pell was the author of a searing critique of Pope Francis and his relatively liberal leadership. Writing under the pseudonym Demos, the late conservative cleric branded this papacy a "disaster" and a "catastrophe." So what motivated these claims? 

Australian Sikhs, along with millions of others around the world, will vote this Friday in a referendum to establish a separate Sikh state in India. Sikhs have faced increasing discrimination in India, especially with the growth of Hindu nationalism.

If Francis is facing another round of destabilisation from his right-wing critics, how likely is the church to survive?

Has the sexual revolution that began in the early 1960s had unintended – and possibly damaging – consequences?

Cardinal Pell’s sudden death has been met with mixed responses by the public, including an outpouring of anger, disturbance, and sorrow from survivors and survivor groups. 

How much reform has the Catholic church in Australia made on the issue of sexual abuse?

Danny Casey first worked with the Cardinal as business manager of the Archdiocese of Sydney, then as Director of the Secretariat for the Economy at the Vatican. So how effective was Cardinal Pell's work in Vatican finances?

A new phase in the Catholic Church is taking place in 2023 – with two powerful conservative figures passing away within weeks – Cardinal George Pell and former Pope Benedict. So what does this mean for the future of the Catholic Church?