Ziya Miral: global conflict and religion's role

Does religion shape violence or does violence shape religion?

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

a dirt barricade blocks a cross roads, behind which stands a roadside cross

A crossroads in Ukraine.

Jonny Gios on Unsplash.

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Is John Lennon right, would all wars cease if religion were to vanish? And, finally, what is the theology of conflict? These are topical, real-time, questions – all of which are explored in this episode of GodPod, with the help of Dr Ziya Meral.

Ziya is a lecturer in International Studies and Deplomacy at SOAS (School of African and Oriental Studies), researcher and advisor specialising in global conflict and the role of religion.

For Ziya’s book: How Violence Shapes Religion: Belief and Conflict in the Middle East and Africa : Meral, Ziya: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Podcast

Podcasts

Seen & Unseen Aloud

3 November 2025

1 min read

Eccles, Older Brothers and a King and a Pope

Listen to articles by Derek Hughes, Will Fagan and Graham Tomlin

Natalie Garrett

Natalie produces and narrates The Seen & Unseen Aloud podcast. She's an Anglican minister and a trained actor.

Two brothers look at each other in front of their ironworks.

Sibling rivalry House of Guinness style.

Netflix.

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About this episode

This week, Derek Hughes tells the story of how a tiny congregation in a forgotten town tried something that changed their community for the better; Will Fagan watches Peaky Blinders and House of Guinness, to see how Steven Knight shows being needed—not being perfect—transforms people; and Graham Tomlin unpacks the historical significance and the cultural hope of King Charles and the Pope praying together.

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