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• Religion

Exploring the implications of a liberal understanding of freedom for religion in civil society, and analysing religion as a form of social capital in the public sphere. Recent research focuses on anti-Semitism and religious hatred, along with broader questions as to the meaning and value of religion in Australia.

Must Religion be a Threat to Liberty?
Robert SiricoJuly 21, 2008

The arguments for the unity of freedom and unbelief are common cultural currency. We are...

Do Secular Societies Promote Religious Extremism?
Tom FrameApril 7, 2008OP108

In looking at secularism in society, Tom Frame concludes that in a genuinely secular society...

Religion and Politics: Contemporary Tensions
Paul KellyMay 12, 2007OP105

Religion is becoming more important in Australian politics and this will pose fresh opportunities and...

Islam in Pluralist Indonesia
Mohammad Fajrul FalaakhOctober 3, 2002OP83

In this, The Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom for 2002, noted Indonesian academic Mohammad...

Dangerous Protections: How Some Ways of Protecting the Freedom of Religion May Actually Diminish Religious Freedom.
Robert ForsythSeptember 24, 2001OP78

The 2001 Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom delivered by Robert Forsyth. Sometimes efforts to...

Playing with Fire: Churches, Welfare Services and Government Contracts
Samuel GreggAugust 14, 2000IA14

Striking a balance between state funding and religious autonomy is the latest challenge for church-based...

AP46 religion
Faith No More? The inadequacy of Australia’s protections for religious freedom
Elisabeth TaylorApril 6, 2023AP46

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is inextricably connected to the freedoms of expression, assembly,...

Victims of failure – how the COVID-19 policy response let down Australians
Monica WilkieDecember 9, 2020AP18

The government response to COVID-19 has imposed restrictions on Australians unseen in peacetime. As Australians...

Cancelled! How ideological cleansing threatens Australia
Peter KurtiAugust 17, 2020AP13

‘Cancel culture’ campaigns in Australia are intended to erase elements of our history and to...

Rights, Morals, Dignity: Why defending religious freedom matters
Peter KurtiApril 10, 2020OP173

Calls for protections of rights are often made without much reflection on what it is,...

Religious schools
Respect and division: How Australians view religion
Monica Wilkie, Robert ForsythDecember 2, 2019PP27

Religious tolerance is vital for a well-functioning secular democracy. The ability to tolerate even undesirable...

Toxic Mutation of an Ancient Hatred: Left-Wing Antisemitism
Peter KurtiNovember 13, 2019PP25

Antisemitism is on the rise in many Western countries. On the postmodern left, this ancient...

When it feels like Australia is falling apart, hard truths can bring us back
Peter KurtiJune 12, 2025DAILY TELEGRAPH

Faced with violent protests, rising antisemitism and growing cultural division, Australians are entitled to ask...

Why hope still matters in a divided world
Peter KurtiApril 17, 2025AFR

Hope is easily dismissed as illusory when the grounds for holding fast to it appear...

Religious schools
Religious freedom is not an absolute right
Simon CowanMarch 23, 2024CANBERRA TIMES

It seems we are to go through yet another debate on the issue of religious...

Hamas Palestine Gaza
Don’t be fooled by Hamas
Peter KurtiNovember 10, 2023SPECTATOR

Many Christians were clearly unsettled by the determination with which the Israel Defence Force (IDF)...

Religious schools
Majority keeping the faith in religious schools
Peter KurtiApril 26, 2023DAILY TELEGRAPH

Pot shots are taken regularly at religious schools whenever their beliefs come into conflict with...

We must be more tolerant
Peter KurtiJanuary 10, 2023DAILY TELEGRAPH

The past year has been one of growing intolerance towards people of faith, with one...

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