Encounter (ABC RN)

Does God belong in school?

Why are we here? How should we conceive of God? What is eternity? This we we tackle some of the Big Questions - and find that they can offer pointers for answering smaller questions about everyday life.

Encounter delves into the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of volunteering overseas.

Does Islam need a Caliphate? The extravagant brutality of the IS group in Syria and Iraq has Muslims worldwide saying that if this is the restored Caliphate, we want no part of it. But what about the idea of a “proper” pan-Islamic polity, established and run according to Koranic principles? How might it work – and how likely is it to happen?

If someone tells you to go to Hell, you’ve probably got a good picture in your mind of what you’ll find when you get there: Somewhere deep underground, devils with pointy tails, lots of fire and brimstone. But where does our western idea of Hell come from and why does it take this particular form? And what can Hell's most famous architect – Dante – teach us about living together in the modern world?

A tribute to distinguished poet, priest, scholar and educator, Peter Steele who died on 27 June 2012. Peter Steele’s poetry has appeared in seven volumes and last month his final book of ‘essays in poetry’ was published as Braiding the Voices. This program features Peter Steele in conversation, his poems, and reflections on the life and work of this notable Australian cultural figure.

Encounter delves into Buddhism's long history in Australia and how it has adapted to this land and its people, and it's not as peaceful as you might imagine.

Religious mystics have often experienced visions and trance-like states that they say come directly from God. But in the modern era, there's speculation that these figures may have been experiencing hallucinations brought on by epilepsy – and indeed many people today with similar neurological conditions say that their seizures can often come in the form of intensely mystical or religious experience.

When people talk about “The Asian Century”, they’re usually referring to the expected economic and political dominance of Asia over the next hundred years. But if the growth of Christianity in the region continues, then the 21st century could also turn out to be the Asian Christian Century.

Is religion intrinsically violent? Many atheists say yes - while many religious believers see their faith tradition as being about peace and harmony. This week we complicate both pictures.

There's a back story to the upcoming Meredith Music Festival (Australia's hippest festival?) about a woman whose life God 'interrupts'. That's the way Mary Nolan puts it.

Have you met Jason Chan the walking Buddhist monk yet? Find out about his journey from far north Queensland to Sydney walking barefoot.

Does Islam need a Caliphate? The extravagant brutality of the IS group in Syria and Iraq has Muslims worldwide saying that if this is the restored Caliphate, we want no part of it. But what about the idea of a “proper” pan-Islamic polity, established and run according to Koranic principles? How might it work – and how likely is it to happen?

As ISIS militants continue their mission to purge Iraq of its minority populations, diaspora Iraqi Christians campaign in defence of those they have left behind. Who are these Christians? Who supports their campaign? There are fourteen Christian denominations represented in Iraq, in steadily declining numbers. Is the growing solidarity among them as religious believers the way to go? Or should religious identity give way to an Assyrian ethno-nationalist identity?

Jewish communities across Europe are currently feeling the cold winds of history blowing, as the recent rise in anti-Semitic attacks stirs terrible memories. This week we trace the similarities and differences between then and now, via a walking tour of Prague, using Franz Kafka as our guide. Why Kafka? Because he was there last time it happened.

The 20th century was haunted by the figure of the enemy - that often spectral, but sometimes all-too-real threat to national well-being and way of life. This second of a two-part series explores the fundamental drama of ethics – how to discern whether a stranger is in fact an enemy, or a bearer of divine grace, and the way that the surprising and often unconventional example of modern "saints" can expand our moral vision.

Has the 20th century left Western society so overwhelmed by the threat of evil that it can no longer imagine the Good?

The law is set up to dispense justice and compensation. But justice doesn't always means the same thing to everybody - and for people who have been the victims of terrible crimes, compensation is far from being the end of the story.

Financial pressures are escalating for traditional Christian churches, as secularism rises and child abuse compensation payouts loom. Find out how the mission of the church is changing by the enforced sale of many of their buildings and properties to pay debts.

This Encounter in the Central Australian desertintroduces Morris Stuart,a former pastor who was born in British Guyana in the Caribbean. He uses sacred music to help empower indigenous people, working with local choirs in Central Australia,Alice Springs and, most recently, with the famous South African Soweto Gospel Choir.