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

3 February 2025

1 min read

Beer, balance, and thanking the universe

New Seen & Unseen episode.

Natalie Garrett

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

A painted sign on a road reads 'THANK YOU'

Caleb Chen on Unsplash.

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In this week's bumper episode, we hear Callum Elwood's exhortation to Sabbath - as opposed to constant hustling or quiet quitting; Jonathan Torrance takes seriously the marketing suggestion to "drink religiously"; Graham Tomlin suggests that the philosophy often espoused by Love Islanders - thanking the Universe - makes no sense; finally Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski celebrates the power of the little red cross, trusted by everybody.

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