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Religion – Analysis and Comment

Evidence to support the idea of a married Jesus is about as minimal as it ever has been. mnd.ctrl

The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife can’t be taken as gospel

The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife, once thought to be authentic, has been revealed as a fraud. How did critical scholarship uncover the truth, and how can it further biblical studies?
Very few of the millions of refugees from Syria and Iraq have made it to European countries in the hope of resettlement. Reuters

Who are we responsible for in the age of mass migration?

Solving the refugee crisis depends on the extent to which the people of the world – in the Gulf, Europe, Australia or anywhere else – are willing to live up to their moral responsibilities.
Narratives of grievance are foundational to Islamic radicalisation. It may have helped motivate 15-year-old Farhad Khalil Mohammad Jabar’s actions. AAP

How are Western youth conditioned to commit terrorist acts?

Each individual case of radicalisation has its own characteristics. But the research has highlighted some patterns that may help to explain the dark world that is drawing in some Australian youth.
B.A. Santamaria (left) is the subject of a new biography by political commentator Gerard Henderson. Wikimedia Commons

Book review: Santamaria, A Most Unusual Man

Gerard Henderson has produced a rounded and at times fascinating portrait of B. A. Santamaria. His broad conclusion is that Santamaria was a compelling, skilled and persuasive man who was enormously devoted to his causes.
Religious arguments in opposition to same-sex marriage have been less explicit in Australia’s current debate. AAP/Lukas Coch

What really lies behind conservative opposition to same-sex marriage?

Prominent arguments against same-sex marriage have been based on history, tradition, human rights, and social scientific research into health and welfare. The role of religion has been less explicit.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are under the spotlight at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. AAP/Tracey Nearmy

Jehovah’s Witness hierarchy means child sex abuse goes unreported

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not report child abuse to authorities. Instead, they convene an in-house judicial committee, which is fraught with difficulty because they rely on a “two-witness rule”.
The discovery of Kepler-452b raises questions that go to the heart of religion. NASA/AAP/ Artist's impression of Kepler-452b.

Heavens above: what Earth 2.0’s discovery means for God

Kepler-452b’s discovery last week has raised the perennial question: are we alone in the universe? While the find’s scientific import is huge, it also poses questions that go to the heart of religion.