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

Seen & Unseen Aloud

31 March 2025

1 min read

Simnel cake, culture wars, Amandaland and singing along.

New episode: Katherine Amphlett, Graham Tomlin, Beatrice Scudeler, and Natalie Garrett write.

Natalie Garrett

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

A close up of a Simnel Cake shows 12 balls on top.

James Petts, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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In this week's particularly eclectic mix, Katherine Amphlett shares what she's learnt about forgiveness from a Simnel Cake; Graham Tomlin brings Blaise Pascal into play in today's culture wars; Beatrice Scudeler finds the reality of Amandaland, and Natalie Garrett lets loose with some Primary school assembly bangers.