Religion has sometimes been a friend of democracy and sometimes an enemy. It is impossible to generalise (about either religion or politics). But the 'credit' side is often overlooked in current debates.

The Economist has today (2 November 2007) published a special report which examines religion's place "in today's modern society" - the role it is likely to play in this century's politics and "how we should deal with it". But is it saying anything new?

It is wrong that "rules of law, human affairs and democracy are cast aside to worship a barrel of oil" said Mark Thomas in protesting about the Saudi state visit to the UK.

As the debate on migration continues, Jon Cruddas argues that it needs to be located in relation to population change, service provision, housing, employment/the economy and global factors.

BCC Radio 4's flagship Today programme was officially fifty years old on 28 October 2007. How could we not send our congratulations?

A discussion is taking place over on the Thinking Anglicans website, following a trenchant article by Giles Fraser in the Church Times: Is secularism neutral on faith or anti-religious?

Both in the UK and the USA, 'religion' is discussed furiously. The loudest voices, including some prominent anti-religious figures and a range of what could be called zealous religiosi, are often those least equipped for thoughtful debate - and least interested in acquiring the skills and data.

The US religious right is powerful and vocal, but it is defending a dying corpus while failing to attend to the true source of life, suggests Diana Butler Bass in remembering respectfully yet critically a man described by Rolling Stone magazine as "the most influential evangelical you’ve never heard of.”

The latest controversy over Martin Amis's comments about Islam illustrates how ignorant our debate on identity has become, writes Sunny Hundal.

This week (21-28 October 2007) is One World Week - an opportunity for people from a variety of faith backgrounds and none to highlight justice and peace issues arising from the local and the global, as we encounter it on a daily basis.