Fact Sheets
Fact sheets are written by academics, journalists and commentators to explain the context and background of stories and current religious issues.
Browse all Fact Sheets…
Christ Church Oxford timeline
By Tim Wyatt The Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, has…
Humanist weddings factsheet
Humanist wedding history, beliefs, other faiths responses, recent court case…
Mystical, neo-Nazi and explicitly malevolent: the Order of Nine Angles
Beliefs, background, in the news, list of commentators. By Dr.…
The Presidents’ Church becomes a new battleground
St John’s Episcopal church opposite the White House – history,…
Pentecost, birthday of the Christian Church
What is Pentecost? Fact sheet on this Christian festival and…
Genesis II, the ‘non-religious church’ that wants you to drink bleach
by Sarah Harvey The American president Donald Trump, at a…
The Pagan Festival of Beltane
Factsheet on the pagan festival of Beltane. History, customs, beliefs,…
How digital technology became sacred for Hindus
By Tilak Parekh The coronavirus has led to seismic and…
Understanding conspiracy theories
By Dr David Robertson In times of stress, people look…
Fascinating facts about .. rainbows
By Rosie Dawson Along with the heartbreaking images of the…
Is the Church growing online?
By Dr. Peter Phillips From the start of the coronavirus…
God and coronavirus – a primer
By Professor Stephen Pattinson Western theistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)…
Cardinal George Pell freed from jail
Cardinal George Pell, the former Vatican treasurer, has been freed…
Jehovah’s Witnesses and the 2020 Memorial
The one major ceremony in the calendar of the Jehovah’s…
Coronavirus and the sacred
By Professor Gordon Lynch How do we explain the phenomenon…
Coronavirus: how it affects religious dietary laws
By Lianne Kolirin Images of panic-buying and empty supermarket shelves…
Fascinating facts about … St Patrick
17 March, St Patrick’s Day, is usually celebrated as a…
Holi, the colourful end of winter
by Lianne Kolirin Millions of people around the world are…
‘Anti-Muslim’ law brings violence to India
By Tim Wyatt Anti-Muslim rioting in India’s capital Delhi last…
Coronavirus: Impact on UK Churches
By Tim Wyatt As the government announces its plan to…
Church at the heart of South Korea coronavirus
Sixty per cent of the 1,000 coronavirus cases in South…
L’Arche and Jean Vanier
By Tim Wyatt
Unregistered religious marriages
By Russell Sandberg
Lent and Easter
The Christian season of Lent starts in 2020 on 26…
What is the Anglican Synod?
By Tim Wyatt
Living in Love and Faith
Progress on the Church of England’s Living in Love and…
Antisemitism – on the Rise
By Lianne Kolirin Three-quarters of a century after the end…
Franklin Graham banned
William Franklin Graham III is a Christian evangelist and missionary.…
Kashmir -The Facts
By Professor William Gould, University of Leeds
Church Bells – Interesting Facts
By Trevor Barnes
Hanukkah – Festival of Lights
Hanukkah is an 8 day celebration starting any time from late…
What is Christmas?
by Dr Chris Deacy, University of Kent [/fusion_text][fusion_text] Only two gospels recount…
Anglican Cathedrals in the British Isles
Thousands of people are expected to visit English Cathedrals this…
Faith manifestos
by Tim Wyatt [/fusion_text][fusion_text] Faith groups in the UK have…
How faith communities vote in UK elections
Faith leaders, in contrast to the convention that they leave…
Religion in political manifestos
by Tim Wyatt [/fusion_text][fusion_text] The main political parties in the…
Church of England glossary
Key words, titles and explanations to understand the C of…
Hate Crime Against Faith Groups in The UK
Detailed look at Home Office hate crime figures for 2018-19…
International Freedom of Religion or Belief Day
International Freedom of Religion or Belief day (27 Oct 2019)…
Collective worship in England and Wales
by Dilwyn Hunt Legal action in a campaign to replace…
Sex Abuse in UK Christian Churches
Charting the history and scale of sex abuse in British…
Glossary of Jewish Terms
Aliyah Literally means “ascent” but has come to mean the…
Roman Catholic Glossary of Terms
by Catherine Pepinster MASS This most important church service for…
A Basic Guide to Ahmadiyya
WHAT IS AHMADIYYA? Ahmadiyya (or Ahmadis, or the Ahmadi) follow…
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is an Australian Evangelical “mega church” with branches…
Yoga in Britain
by Suzanne Newcombe [/fusion_text][fusion_text] OVERVIEW Yoga, which is spreading in popularity…
What is Iskcon?
by researchers at Inform [/fusion_text][fusion_text] Krishna consciousness BACKGROUND The International Society…
The Vatican and the transgender ‘crisis’
by Catherine Pepinster [/fusion_text][fusion_text] The Vatican’s decision to issue guidance on…
Islamophobia defined
by Chris Allen [/fusion_text][fusion_text] TOWARDS A WORKING DEFINITION The term Islamophobia…
Contemporary Persecution of Christians
by Julia Bicknell [/fusion_text][fusion_text] The first Christian killed for daring to…
What is ISIS?
by researchers at Inform [/fusion_text][fusion_text] BACKGROUND The group calling itself…
Basic Guide to Ramadan
By Michael Munnik Ramadan is the ninth month of the…
Christianity in Sri Lanka
By Gehan Gunatilleke [/fusion_text][fusion_text] ARRIVAL IN SRI LANKA Christianity arrived…
Easter Resurrection – Events and Theology
By Rev Dr Andy Byers, lecturer in New Testament, Cranmer…
Basic Guide to Good Friday
By Helen Bond, Professor in Christian origins at the University…
A Basic Guide to Passover
By Rabbi Alex Goldberg OVERVIEW Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is…
A Basic Guide to Vaisakhi
By Dr Jasjit Singh WHAT IS VAISAKHI? Vaisakhi is a…
Brunei and same-sex persecution
Brunei, a Muslim-majority former British protectorate in south-east Asia with…
Islam and LGBT
Comment and context on Muslim parents’ protests at LGBT+ teaching…
Basic Guide to Baha’i New Year
by Sophie Gregory Naw-Rúz, 21 March, is the first day of…
Church of England campaign against payday lenders
BACKGROUND The 2008 financial crisis was followed by rapid growth…
25 years of Women as Priests in the Church of England
This year marks the quarter-century since women were first ordained…