The Inquisition’s Secret Weapon
With the aim of converting souls rather than punishing them, the Jesuits were vital collaborators in the Roman Inquisition.
Religion
A Spiritual Wilderness
In the Victorian countryside, what did going to church on Sundays actually mean?
Holy Women and the Rise of Royal Power in France
Medieval French monarchs used – and abused – the charismatic power of religious women.
Inside the Ancient Bull Cult
King Minos and the Minotaur remain shrouded in mystery and mythology, yet evidence of a Bronze Age ‘Bull Cult’ at the Minoan palaces abounds. Were bulls merely for entertainment or did they have a deeper significance?
The Future of God in 1943
Christian thinkers whose lives and thoughts connected in 1943, when it looked like the Allies were on top and minds turned to the future.
The Lost Voice of Notre-Dame
The devastating fire at Notre-Dame destroyed more than just bricks.
‘Sacred Britannia’ by Miranda Aldhouse-Green
A study of cultish rituals in Roman Britain reveals a cross-fertilisation of religions.
Murder at the Vatican
An unsolved Renaissance mystery casts light on the dark world of extortion, revenge and power politics at the heart of the Catholic Church.
Method in the Madness
Methodism gained great popularity in the 18th century, but its followers were thought enthusiastic to the point of insanity, posing a serious threat to the established church.
What is a Bodhisattva?
A Bodhisattva is a compassionate Buddhist deity who walks among us.