Religion

The relationship between religion and rationality was an intimate one in 17th-century England. Christopher J. Walker looks at the arguments and controversies of the time, which helped to forge a more open society.

For nearly two hundred years Jesuit missionaries held a privileged position at the court of the Chinese Emperors, C.R. Boxer writes, where they laboured not only as fishers of men, but as astronomers, mathematicians, portrait-painters and skilful architects.

S.G.F. Brandon describes how the Roman conquest of Jerusalem marked a crisis in the early development of Christianity, and paved the way for a general acceptance of the Pauline message.

E.E.Y. Hales profiles Pope Pius IX (1846-78), who saw the end of the Papacy as a temporal power as the opening of a new era in its world-relationships.

Though Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, the influence of St Columba on Scottish Christianity remains profound. Ian Bradley examines the Celtic evangelist’s legacy 1,450 years after his arrival on the Hebridean island of Iona.

The King of Aragon was deeply involved in the religious wars of the thirteenth century in south-western France, writes Jan Read.

Stuart D. Goulding introduces the founder of the colony, Roger Williams, who returned to England in 1643 and 1651 and had many friends among the English Parliamentarians.

Geoffrey Grigson examines the treatment, by artists and poets, of the "three wise men" of Christian scripture.

Michael Grant analyses Mithras and its importance to the ancients.

The ruthless archbishop died on 15 May 913.