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A-level Journal: Challenging Religious Issues

Challenging Religious Issues is an online journal supporting A-level Religious Studies for students and teachers. The journal was set up through Welsh Government sponsorship and is now published by the St Mary’s Centre in partnership with St Peter's Saltley Trust.

Articles are written by leading scholars and practitioners
A wide range of popular A-level options are covered
Activities and live links to recommended websites are included
The journal is published every term

Challenging Religious Issues can be accessed FREE through Hwb Cymru (https://hwb.wales.gov.uk),St Peter's Saltley Trust (http://www.saltleytrust.org.uk/challenging-religious-issues-journal) and here on this web page.

Unfortunately, we have not been able to find financial support to continue funding the Welsh translation of this journal. Therefore, a Welsh edition will not be available from Autumn 2018 onwards.

Challenging Religious Issues (English version) ISSN 2053-5163
Herio Materion Crefyddol (Welsh version) ISSN 2053-5171

We welcome any comments and suggestions for future articles in Challenging Religious Issues.
Please contact us.

Issues 19 onwards are available here.

Issue 18 Spring 2021 (English version) (Welsh version - to be published soon)
Jesus’ Public Ministry Part 1: Words and Works
James M. M. Francis

Jesus’ Public Ministry Part 2: Rejection and Responses
James M. M. Francis

Hume’s Criticism of the Argument from (to) Design Part 1
L. Philip Barnes

Hume’s Criticism of the Argument from (to) Design Part 2
L. Philip Barnes

Considering the Impact of Covid-19 on Christianity in the UK: Opportunity or Challenge?
Leslie J. Francis and Andrew Village

Assessing the Impact of Covid-19 on Christianity in the UK: Opportunity or Challenge?
Leslie J. Francis and Andrew Village

Issue 17 Autumn 2020 (English version) (Welsh version)
Family Tree: Who is Baby Jesus
John Holdsworth

Religion Goes Viral: Faith and Belief in a Pandemic
Martyn Percy

Stephen Hawking and a Universe without God?
David Wilkinson

Does the Genetic Basis of Life on Earth Make Life after Death an Impossibility?
C. Mark Harrison

On Buddhism and Violence
Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Some Trends in Ecotheology
Samuel Tranter

Issue 16 Spring 2020 (English version)
Aliens: Ecclesiology and 1 Peter
John Holdsworth

The Nativity and Crucifixion in Christian Art: Encounter, Interpretation and Devotion
Bridget Nichols

Mind, Brain and the Unifying Soul
Mark Graves

Implicit Religion: A New Approach to the Study of Religion?
Francis Stewart

The Ineffable Mystery of God?
Jeff Astley

Made in the Image of God: Experiences of a Woman with Disability in Nigeria
Jessie Fubara-Manuel and Elijah Obinna

Issue 15 Autumn 2019: Special Issue on Science and Theology (English version)
This special issue was made possible through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

Technology and Human Experience
Adam Willows

Evolution and the Argument from (or to) Design
Jeff Astley

Stewardship of Creation
Andrew Village

Thinking about Being Human in a Universe of Aliens
David Wilkinson

Is Creation Complete? A Critique of Continuing Creation
Timothy Wall

Issue 14 Autumn 2018 (English version)
Atonement: Experience, Story, Theory?
Jeff Astley

Religion and Popular Culture
Clive Marsh

'Impersonating Beyonce is Not Your Destiny, Child': Reflections on Feminist Theology
Hayley Matthews

Richard Swinburne on the Soul
Jeff Astley

Issue 13 Summer 2018 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
New Atheism
David Wilkinson

Islam and Democracy: Are they Compatible or Irreconcilable? (Part 2)
Abdullah Sahin

Some Non-Cognitive Theories of Morality
Jeff Astley

Religious Experience Through Art
Daniel Moulin-Stozek

Issue 12 Spring 2018 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Rudolf Otto on Numinous Experience
Jeff Astley

Was Jung Correct: Is Religion Good for the Psychological
Wellbeing of Normal People?
Leslie J.Francis

Islam and Democracy: Are they Compatible or Irreconcilable? (Part 1)
Abdullah Sahin

Utilitarianism and Theological Ethics
Samuel Tranter

Issue 11 Autumn 2017 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Ian Ramsey on Religious Language
Jeff Astley

Protestants and Natural Law: Rejection and Retrieval
Samuel Tranter

The Earliest Easter Narratives
James Francis

Thomas Aquinas and Just Cause for War
Emily Pollard

Issue 10 Spring 2016 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
William James on Religious Experience
William K. Kay

Worship: Receiving, Developing and Living Tradition
Bridget Nichols

The Enlightenment Debate in Early Buddhism
Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

The Reformations: Magisterial and Radical
Paul Wilson

Issue 9 Autumn 2015 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Approaching New Religious Movements
Richard Bartholomew

John Hick’s Philosophy of Religion
Jeff Astley

The Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith
Peter Watts

The Five Pillars of Islam and their Significance in Modern Society
Declan O’Sullivan

Issue 8 Summer 2015 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Eternal Life as a Present Possession
Mikel Burley

Kant on God and the Good: Hoping for Happiness
Christopher Insole

Soul-making and ‘Horrors’
Ian James Kidd

The Ethics of War: Just War Theory
Emily Pollard

Issue 7 Spring 2015 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
The Objectivity of Religious Experience: Philosophical Arguments
Jeff Astley

All in the Mind? Psychology of Religion and Religious Experience
Mark Fox

Identity and Belonging: A perspective on Paul's letter to the Galatians
James Francis

The Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements
William K Kay

Issue 6 Autumn 2014 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Euthanasia: Do We Have a Right to Die When We Want?
Dr Michael Armstrong

The Zionist Movement
Professor Gareth Lloyd Jones

Fundamentalism as a Response to Biblical Criticism
Paul Wilson

The Concept of Jihad in Islam
Dr Declan O’Sullivan

Issue 5 Summer 2014 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Jung and the Psychology of Religion
Philippe Dauphin

Is Belief in Miracles Reasonable in a Scientific Age?
Professor David Wilkinson

The Development of Faith
Professor Jeff Astley

Situation Ethics: Was Joseph Fletcher Right All Along?
Dr Ashley Wilson

Issue 4 Spring 2014 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
Mind after Death? Substance Dualism, Immortality and the Near-Death Experience
Dr Mark Fox

Jeremiah
Professor Gareth Lloyd Jones

Blasphemy and Free Speech
Dr Richard Bartholomew

Are We Free Beings?
Adam Willows

Issue 3 Autumn 2013 (English Version) (Welsh Version)
God in Pop Culture
David Wilkinson

Aristotle’s Virtue Theory
Adam Willows

Faith, Reason and Revelation
Gerald Loughlin

Describing God
Jeff Astley

Issue 2 Summer 2013 (English version) (Welsh version)
Evil and Suffering
Professor Jeff Astley

Psychology and Mysticism: An Empirical Approach
Professor Leslie J Francis

Secularisation: Approaches and Aspects
Dr Richard Bartholomew

Secular and Religious Meditation
Phra Nicholas Thanissaro

Issue 1 Spring 2013 (English version) (Welsh version)
Evolution and Creation
Professor Jeff Astley

Researching Religious Experience in China: The Alister Hardy Project
Professor Leslie J Francis

Christian Sexual Ethics: Homosexuality and Marriage
Dr Stephen Parker

The Growth of Neo-Pentecostalism in Britain: A Critique of Secularisation
Professor William K. Kay