While Christianity seems to be on the decline in Australian society, there’s no denying its influence in politics with numerous prime ministers (Scott Morrison, John Howard, Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott for starters) and other politicians belonging to the faith. Notable Australian journalist Greg Sheridan tackles the subject in his latest book God is Good for You which probes the ...

As the year draws to a close and the books come out for a summer read on the beach or veranda, Nick Mattiske selects a few of his favourites from 2018. What were your favourites from this year? Please let us know in the comments below. Much of the focus of Tom Wright’s career has been on the theology of ...

It’s one of the most popular music genres today but rock music has traditionally had a complicated relationship with Christianity. Nick Mattiske reviews a pair of recent books on the topic to explore the intersections between music, race, religion and politics. In the early 1990s Christian music superstar Amy Grant was the subject of controversy for her “crossover” into mainstream ...

While dinosaurs lie in the distant past, a couple of recent books The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs and Too Big to Walk, for those readers whose childhood fascination with dinosaurs extends into adulthood, are notable for showing that palaeontology is often entangled with personal quests and with personalities. Nick Mattiske writes. Dinosaur history is inextricable from the more ...

Billy Griffiths’ latest book Deep Time Dreaming uncovers the role archaeology has played in shaping our understanding of Australia’s vast history, particularly in relation to Indigenous culture, and what this means for contemporary relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Nick Mattiske reviews. In the 1960s the archaeologist John Mulvaney was told by the ABC that there would be “no interest” ...

The “Good Book” has played a crucial role in shaping Australia’s modern history, from its arrival on Australian shores via the First Fleet through to its influence on politics in the 20th century. Meredith Lake’s latest book The Bible in Australia explores the history of the nation and how the Bible has been a mainstay of Australian society, touching the ...

While scientists continue to push forward into new frontiers of knowledge about physics, are they getting closer to answering the big questions about our universe’s origins or is the quest for science-based answers doomed to fail? Nick Mattiske reviews a pair of books exploring the big questions about our universe’s known knowns, unknown knowns and unknown unknowns. For some, religious ...

As science progresses and we learn more about the universe and our place within it, what role does religion and spiritual thought play in unlocking the mysteries of our cosmic beginnings? John Haught’s book The New Cosmic Story grapples with the big questions of our existence and how religion has a far greater role in understanding the universe than some ...

For many Christians, Billy Graham was the American icon of faith that transformed 20th century evangelism. His preaching reached hundreds of millions through television, radio and books and Graham would become a mainstream figure in popular culture earning praise from as diverse a coalition as Muhammad Ali, President Obama and Johnny Cash. Nick Mattiske examines the life and legacy of ...

Ever wondered how beliefs in God, the supernatural and worship evolved in the period between the Old and New Testaments? Philip Jenkins’ latest book Crucible of Faith examines the development of Christianity in the “Crucible Era” (the intertestamental period) and will likely kickstart fascinating conversations about the faith. Nick Mattiske reviews. A universal God, monotheism, heaven, hell, the Day of ...