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Understanding faith. Enriching society.

Theos stimulates the debate about the place of religion in society, challenging and changing ideas through research, commentary and events.

Event — Latest

Faith and Belief on Campus: Division and Cohesion – 4 July 2019, London
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Interview — Latest

The Sacred podcast explores how we can have better public conversations about the things we value, despite our differences. It is presented by our Director, Elizabeth Oldfield.
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Comment — Latest

Ben Ryan argues that minority political groups with extreme ideas can easily shape the views of the mainstream majority.
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Comment — Latest

Madeleine Ward makes a case for the sacred importance of social cohesion in post–Brexit Britain.
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Report — Latest

Our latest report ‘Forgive us Our Debts’ examines personal, corporate, and public debt in the UK within a moral framework.
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Comment — Latest

Nick Spencer asks whether Boris Johnson’s comparison of Brexit to the Exodus is 100% justified.
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Interview — Latest

Nick Spencer speaks to Eric Kaufmann about immigration, identity, the populist Right and his book ‘Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration and the Future of White Minorities’.
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Comment

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What Do Unbelievers Believe?

We get atheism wrong if we see it simply as a detached, philosophical (dis)belief in God, argues Nick Spencer. 06/06/2019

Atheism, Belief, Faith, Secularism

Never walking alone: the poster boys for public faith

Liverpool Football Club and its star player Mo Salah are normalising religious faith in the world of football, writes Hannah Rich. 04/06/2019

Christianity, Islam, Sport

Game Of Thrones: How a modern myth captured the hearts of millions

Sex, violence and big budgets drew us in, but we stayed because of the power of myth, says Madeleine Ward. 21/5/2019

Jean Vanier – Prophet for our troubled times

Andy Walton reflects on the life and legacy of Jean Vanier (1928–2019). 07/05/2019

Jean Vanier, L'Arche, Prophet, Saint

Latest thoughts from the Theos team and guest contributors on current issues around religion and society.

Theos is a body that commands attention.

The Economist

Research

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London is bucking nationwide trends and becoming more religious. The project seeks to analyse this phenomenon and offer evidence–based recommendations to decision makers on accommodating, practically responding to and making the most of religious diversity in London. (Upcoming)

Britain, Christianity, Communities, Faith, Identity, Religion

Reports

Forgive Us Our Debts

Nathan Mladin

The project examines personal, corporate, and public debt in the UK within a moral framework. (2019)

Britain, Debt, Economy, Ethics, Government

Reports Buy Download

People, Place, and Purpose: Churches and Neighbourhood Resilience

Paul Bickley

Paul Bickley explores the role of churches in building neighbourhood resilience – helping them overcome challenge and disruptive change. (2018)

Brexit, British Values, Churches, Communities

Reports Buy Download

Prepare your church for emergency response: Lessons from Grenfell

Amy Plender

This guide draws on our research into faith group responses to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and can be used in emergency response preparation. (2018)

Britain, Christianity, Church, Communities, Religion, Social Action, Trauma

Reports Download

The Future of Religious Education: Debating Reform

Simon Perfect

RE faces very significant challenges. This paper summarises a series of expert discussions about the subject’s future, hosted by Theos in 2017. (2018)

Education, Religious Education

Reports Download

After Grenfell: the Faith Groups’ Response

Amy Plender

A study into the responses of faith groups to the Grenfell Tower tragedy on 14th June 2017. (2018)

Charity, Communities, Faith, Social Action

Reports Buy Download

Theos researches and investigates the intersection of religion, politics and society in the contemporary world.

Audio & Podcasts

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The Sacred #40: Ruth Yimika Afolabi

In the 40th episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield talks to the Founder of Magnify magazine, Ruth Yimika Afolabi. 29/05/2019

Christianity, Faith, Podcast, Social Media

The Sacred #39: Sanderson Jones

In the 39th episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield talks to the comedian and co–founder of Sunday Assembly Sanderson Jones. 15/05/2019

Atheism, Comedy, Communities, Podcast

The Sacred #38: Ash Sarkar

In the 38th episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield talks to the broadcaster and journalist Ash Sarkar. 01/05/2019

Activism, Capitalism, Gender, Islam, Podcast, Politics

The Sacred #37: Justin Welby

In the 37th episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield talks to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. 17/04/2019

The Sacred podcast explores how we can have better public conversations about the things we value, despite our differences. It is presented by our Director, Elizabeth Oldfield.

Events

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4 July 2019

Faith and Belief on Campus: Division and Cohesion

This conference considers the roles that faith and belief can play in promoting cohesion in universities, and launches our research in this area.

12 June 2019

Religion Online: How the internet is changing faith

Hussein Kesvani speaks about his adventures in the digital lives of Muslims and explores what this means for faith more broadly.

16 May 2019

City of God? The Desecularisation of the City

David Goodhew will join Theos’ Paul Bickley for a conversation on the power and profile of churches in London.

23 May 2019

Religion and Violence: what is the connection?

Authors Rupert Shortt and Ziya Meral tackle the difficult question, what is the connection between religion and violence?

Theos hosts public debates, discussions and lectures about relgion and society.

Among the most pressing political challenges of our time is to define the politics of the common good – ways of resisting the relentless commodification of our lives, our families and our communities. Theos shows us how the Christian tradition has a huge part to play in meeting that challenge.

Jon Cruddas MP

In the news

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Elizabeth Oldfield on BBC Radio 5live: The Emma Barnett Show

Theos has done a huge amount to raise the level of public debate about religion. It has won respect for its high–quality research and respect for honest enquiry.

Linda Woodhead, Professor, Sociology of Religion, Lancaster University

Understanding faith. Enriching society.

Event — Latest

Faith and Belief on Campus: Division and Cohesion – 4 July 2019, London

Interview — Latest

The Sacred podcast explores how we can have better public conversations about the things we value, despite our differences. It is presented by our Director, Elizabeth Oldfield.

Comment — Latest

Ben Ryan argues that minority political groups with extreme ideas can easily shape the views of the mainstream majority.

Comment — Latest

Madeleine Ward makes a case for the sacred importance of social cohesion in post–Brexit Britain.

Report — Latest

Our latest report ‘Forgive us Our Debts’ examines personal, corporate, and public debt in the UK within a moral framework.

Comment — Latest

Nick Spencer asks whether Boris Johnson’s comparison of Brexit to the Exodus is 100% justified.

Interview — Latest

Nick Spencer speaks to Eric Kaufmann about immigration, identity, the populist Right and his book ‘Whiteshift: Populism, Immigration and the Future of White Minorities’.

What Do Unbelievers Believe?

Never walking alone: the poster boys for public faith

Game Of Thrones: How a modern myth captured the hearts of millions

Jean Vanier – Prophet for our troubled times

Theos is a body that commands attention.

Religious London

The Theos Team

Forgive Us Our Debts

Nathan Mladin

People, Place, and Purpose: Churches and Neighbourhood Resilience

Paul Bickley

Prepare your church for emergency response: Lessons from Grenfell

Amy Plender

The Future of Religious Education: Debating Reform

Simon Perfect

After Grenfell: the Faith Groups’ Response

Amy Plender

The Sacred #40: Ruth Yimika Afolabi

The Sacred #39: Sanderson Jones

The Sacred #38: Ash Sarkar

The Sacred #37: Justin Welby

4 July 2019

Faith and Belief on Campus: Division and Cohesion

12 June 2019

Religion Online: How the internet is changing faith

16 May 2019

City of God? The Desecularisation of the City

23 May 2019

Religion and Violence: what is the connection?

Among the most pressing political challenges of our time is to define the politics of the common good – ways of resisting the relentless commodification of our lives, our families and our communities. Theos shows us how the Christian tradition has a huge part to play in meeting that challenge.

Elizabeth Oldfield on BBC Radio 5live: The Emma Barnett Show

One in three of us trust in guardian angels. Why?

Will we worship artificial intelligence in the future?

The brutish origins of British liberalism

Theos has done a huge amount to raise the level of public debate about religion. It has won respect for its high–quality research and respect for honest enquiry.