The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast

Who are the real leaders behind the current MAGA movement in the US? There's no doubt that Trump has amassed a significant, largely male support base. But there's a growing movement of politically-engaged conservative Christian women who are challenging long-held stereotypes and proving to be a formidable force in right-wing politics. They have modelled themselves on a prominent figure of the Old Testament and are reshaping perceptions of what it means to be on the religious right. GUEST Katie Gaddini, associate professor at University College London and author of Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power the American Right. This program was made on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora nation

Australia’s Law Reform Commission is due to release its review of surrogacy laws this week. Surrogacy advocates have lobbied hard to allow commercial or compensated surrogacy for women who bear children for couples who cannot, or choose not to, have a natural pregnancy. But the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women is urging the federal government not to liberalise the laws. Reem Alsalem says it will lead to the exploitation of poor women. She was in Australia recently and met the commission to put her case. GUEST: Reem Alsalim is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

For the first time since the 1930s, a far-right party is poised to take government in a German state. In the weekend elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Deutschland won 44 per cent of the vote. The party’s unmistakably, and unashamedly, anti-Islam but its relationship with the Christian churches is severely strained. GUEST: Jan-Werner Mueller is a Princeton University political scientist and one the world’s leading experts on the far right. His latest book is called Street, Palace, Square: The Architecture of Democratic Spaces .

As the war in Sudan continues into its fourth year, with a death toll as high as 400,000, violence has come to the last refuge. In the Nuba mountains, Christian and Muslim Sudanese have traditionally lived in peaceful co-existence, and in roughly equal numbers. But the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has set up a de facto government, principally to control the abundant resources of the mountains. GUEST: Mohaned El Nour is a distinguished Sudanese human rights lawyer who works with the group Christian Solidarity Worldwide .

Australia’s Law Reform Commission is due to release its review of surrogacy laws this week. Surrogacy advocates have lobbied hard to allow commercial or compensated surrogacy for women who bear children for couples who cannot, or choose not to, have a natural pregnancy. But the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women is urging the federal government not to liberalise the laws. Reem Alsalem says it will lead to the exploitation of poor women. She was in Australia recently and met the commission to put her case. PLUS For the first time since the 1930s, a far-right party is poised to take government in a German state. In the weekend elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Deutschland won 44 per cent of the vote. The party’s unmistakably, and unashamedly, anti-Islam, but its relationship with the Christian churches is also severely strained. AND As the war in Sudan continues into its fourth year -- with a death toll as high as 400,000 – violence has come to the last refuge. In the Nuba mountains, Christian and Muslim Sudanese have traditionally lived in peaceful co-existence, and in roughly equal numbers. But the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has set up a de facto government, principally to control the abundant resources of the mountains. GUESTS: Reem Alsalim is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Jan-Werner Mueller is a Princeton University political scientist and one the world’s leading experts on the far right. His latest book is called Street, Palace, Square: The Architecture of Democratic Spaces . Mohaned El Nour is a distinguished Sudanese human rights lawyer who works with the group Christian Solidarity Worldwide . STATEMENT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION The ALRC typically establishes an advisory committee for each inquiry. Advisory committee members are selected for their expertise and experience relevant to the area of law under consideration, including expertise in regulation, research, policy, or practice. An advisory committee is not intended to represent all stakeholder groups involved in an inquiry, as the ALRC consults more broadly through a range of other mechanisms. The role of an advisory committee is solely advisory. Advisory committee members provide feedback and share their views. Their input is one of many sources that inform the ALRC's work. The ALRC always consults broadly and hears from a range of views. We do so through public submissions (open to anyone with an interest in an inquiry), consultations, surveys, webinars, round-tables, and other stakeholder engagement activities. Advisory committee members, like all consultees, have no decision-making role. The views of any consultee or advisory committee are informative but are not determinative. All inquiry decisions are made by the ALRC's President and Commissioners. In developing recommendations, the President and Commissioners consider the totality of the evidence before them, including submissions, consultations, research, and the ALRC's independent analysis. This program was made on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora nation

“The scale and suddenness of this flood have left many families facing immense uncertainty and hardship.” says Roslyn Gabriel, World Vision’s National Director in Nepal. The death toll from the floods that have swept the border region between Nepal and Chinese-controlled Tibet continues to rise, along with the intense rescue effort. But Nepal must also rebuild the villages in the path of the flood or rehouse people who’ve moved to the capital, Kathmandu. Hundreds of children have also reportedly been made orphans. PLUS Almost every UN member country has signed covenants to guarantee human rights. But what happens when there’s a clash of rights, such as personal identity versus religious liberty? Some battles end in the courts but official human rights agencies are trying to balance these claims. The Templeton Foundation is funding a $1.2 million global study of the issue. AND It’s five years since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, erasing, almost overnight, the human rights gained in the previous 20 years. A western occupation had its problems – a Brown University study found it cost allied powers around $2 trillion – but for two decades it empowered many women and girls to live as full citizens. Now they face what Afghanistan’s former human rights chief is calling a “femicide”. GUESTS: Roslyn Gabriel is the National director of World Vision Nepal Nicholas Aroney is Professor of Constitutional Law at The University of Queensland Shaharzad Akbar is a human rights activist from Afghanistan, currently in exile and a Visiting Scholar at Wolfson College, Oxford Australians can support World Vision’s Nepal emergency appeal at the World Vision Australia website: Nepal emergency flood appeal | World Vision Australia Also the ABC is supporting the Emergency Action Alliance member charities and their local partners. Your donation will help provide food, water, financial support, emergency shelter and aid to those in need. Go to ABC.net.au/gives to find out more and donate. Nepal-Tibet Floods - ABC Gives

“The scale and suddenness of this flood have left many families facing immense uncertainty and hardship.” says Roslyn Gabriel, World Vision’s National Director in Nepal. The death toll from the floods that have swept the border region between Nepal and Chinese-controlled Tibet continues to rise, along with the intense rescue effort. But Nepal must also rebuild the villages in the path of the flood or rehouse people who’ve moved to the capital, Kathmandu. Hundreds of children have also reportedly been made orphans. GUEST: Roslyn Gabriel is the National director of World Vision Nepal based in Katmandu Australians can support World Vision’s Nepal emergency appeal at the World Vision Australia website: Nepal emergency flood appeal | World Vision Australia

It’s five years since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, erasing, almost overnight, the human rights gained in the previous 20 years. A western occupation had its problems. A Brown University study found it cost allied powers around $2 trillion. But for two decades it empowered many women and girls to live as full citizens. Now they face what Afghanistan’s former human rights chief is calling a “femicide”. GUEST: Shaharzad Akbar is a human rights activist from Afghanistan, currently in exile and a Visiting Scholar at Wolfson College, Oxford

Almost every UN member country has signed covenants to guarantee human rights. But what happens when there’s a clash of rights, such as personal identity versus religious liberty? Some battles end in the courts but official human rights agencies are trying to balance these claims. The Templeton Foundation is funding a $1.2 million global study of the issue. GUEST: Queensland University law professor Nicholas Aroney is project leader.

Have democratic socialists in the US bagged the biggest catch of all in Pope Leo?

Twenty-five years ago – September 11, 2001 – an Islamist terror group emerged from its refuge in Afghanistan to strike down two symbols of America.

They are, right now, the hottest thing in American politics.

The conviction of the Catholic bishop of Broome raises new questions about the ability of the church to investigate itself, especially in cases of abuse. A court found Christopher Saunders guilty of 12 counts of sexually abusing two young men and one count of rape. But it took eight years from when the allegations arose to get a criminal conviction. Now one of the world's leading experts on church law says Australia's bishops should establish an independent tribunal of senior jurists to act swiftly against abusive clergy.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, known as the Mormons, is an American original. It's a religion that grew out of the US to become a global church. And for decades, faithful women were its mainstay — well-educated, conservative, committed to family and community. But new research has shocked the overwhelmingly male leadership of the Mormons. More than half of all Gen Z women who grew up in the church have left. What does this mean for the church? GUEST: Dr Jana Reiss, columnist with the Religion News Service, and a member of the Mormon church.

Is there a growing moral crisis among young men? In an essay for the online magazine Quillette, prominent psychiatrist, Tanveer Ahmed, takes a deep dive into statistics about young men who are dropping out of the labour market — and worries about the deeper consequences. Has a generation of men become demoralised — in every sense? GUEST: Dr Tanveer Ahmed, psychiatrist and writer.

The conviction of the Catholic bishop of Broome raises new questions about the ability of the church to investigate itself, especially in cases of abuse. One of the world's leading experts on church law says Australia's bishops should establish an independent tribunal of senior jurists to act swiftly against abusive clergy. Plus, the female exodus from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). An insider take on what it means for the church. Also, has a generation of men become demoralised — in every sense? GUESTS: Professor Rik Torfs from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, civil and canon lawyer. He's also a former member of the Belgian parliament. Dr Jana Reiss, columnist with the Religion News Service, and a member of the Mormon church. Dr Tanveer Ahmed, psychiatrist and writer. This program is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.

The ABC’s head of religion, Noel Debien, has been watching the proceedings at ICAC and is here with an update. In New South Wales, the Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating claims that the head office of Catholic schools – but not the schools themselves -- employed some staff to work primarily on factional activities for the Liberal Party. There’ve also been allegations that the organisation paid a consultant who then funnelled his money to a faction known as the Reformers. How have socially conservative Catholics found a home for themselves in the Liberal Party, especially considering its early history as a bastion of Australia’s protestant establishment? It’s due in large part to the end of long romance between the Catholic Church and the Labor Party. GUESTS: Noel Debien is a religion expert and broadcaster, and heads the Religion and Ethics unit at ABC Radio National Dr Jeff Kildea is the author of the new book Iron Law No More: The Rise and Demise of the Catholic-Labor Alliance in Australia . Anne Benjamin is a respected educator, who was Director of Schools for the Parramatta diocese. This program is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation

In New South Wales, the Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating claims that the head office of Catholic schools – but not the schools themselves -- employed some staff to work primarily on factional activities for the Liberal Party. There’ve also been allegations that the organisation paid a consultant who then funnelled his money to a faction known as the Reformers. But first, the ABC’s head of religion, Noel Debien, has been watching the proceedings at ICAC and is here with an update. GUESTS: Noel Debien is a religion expert and broadcaster, and heads the Religion and Ethics unit at ABC Radio National Anne Benjamin is a respected educator, who was Director of Schools for the Parramatta diocese.

How have socially conservative Catholics found a home for themselves in the Liberal Party, especially considering its early history as a bastion of Australia’s protestant establishment? It’s due in large part to the end of long romance between the Catholic Church and the Labor Party. GUEST: Dr Jeff Kildea is the author of the new book Iron Law No More: The Rise and Demise of the Catholic-Labor Alliance in Australia .

For six years, a Church of England priest has been trying to uncover the fate of more than 60 Iraqis taken prisoner by Coalition forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion.