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Speaker Tony Blair with Programme Director Professor Linda Woodhead after the event (photo by R Martin Seddon)

WDF 7 Religion in Public Life

24 July 12

Press Release

Tony Blair, Rowan Williams and Charles Moore discuss religion in public life in Westminster

On Tuesday 24^th July at 17.30 three major figures from British politics, media and the church gathered together to discuss the role of religion in public life in 21^st century Britain. Before an invited audience at Westminster Central Hall, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan William and former editor of the Daily Telegraph Charles Moore touched on many of the most pressing issues for contemporary society.

The event is the finale of the Westminster Faith Debates series, hosted by the AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society programme, Charles Clarke and Theos, which have been running since February. They are designed to bring the best academic research into the public eye, making the very topical debates on the role of religion in society more informed on subjects from extremism to multiculturalism, welfare reform to religious freedom.

Watch and access podcasts from the event here.

Media Coverage

• 'Blair puts faith in 'religion-freindly democracy', The War Cry 4 August p2, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life including a photo of a young Tony Blair with the Salvation Army member who had interviewed him and invited him to pray, download the PDF at the bottom of this page.
• Sunday 29 July 2012, BBC Radio 4, featuring sections from the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life (about 10 mins in): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01l5pfm#synopsis
• 'For God's sake' The Tablet 28 July p16, description of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life.
• Sebastian Borger, 'Der tolerante Religionskrieger', Basler Zeitung, 27 July p6, Swiss write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life.
• Sebastian Borger, 'Gott und die Welt under der Vermittler Tony Blair', Der Standard, 27 July p6, Austrian write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life.
• Terry Sanderson 'Religious differences are reinforced by misguided enthusiasts like Tony Blair' comment piece on the National Secular Society website 27 July about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.secularism.org.uk/blog/2012/07/religious-differences-are-reinforced-by-misguided-enthusiasts-like-tony-blair
• Bjarne Nørum 'Der er plads til religionen i det offentlige rum' Kristeligt Dagblad 27 July, Danish write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/471776:--Der-er-plads-til-religionen-i-det-offentlige-rum
• Madeleine Davies 'God can look after himself', Church Times 26 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2012/27-july/news/uk/‘god-can-look-after-himself
• Ruth Gledhill 'Blair and Williams in confessional mood for debate on faith', The Times 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life.
• John Bingham 'Tony Blair says Christians should "speak up and speak out", The Daily Telegraph 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/9424859/Tony-Blair-says-Christians-should-speak-up-and-speak-out.html
• Andrew Brown 'Tony Blair denies praying with George Bush', The Guardian 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jul/25/tony-blair-denies-praying-george-bush?CMP=twt_gu
• 'No comeback, Tony promises party faithful', London Evening Standard 25 July, referencing the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life and the Telegraph interview between speakers Charles Moore and Tony Blair: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/no-comeback-tony-promises-party-faithful-7976095.html?origin=internalSearch
• Press Association 'Blair in staff prayer admission' 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gTAtZVeWZvji6dQMbzr7_t-yhOBA?docId=N0394181343157402805A and Burton Mail http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/National-News/Blair-in-staff-prayer-admission-1-751608.xnf
• Richard Goodwin 'Blair and a curious case of morality' Evening Standard 25 July, about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life (scroll down page): http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/the-spirit-of-the-games-is-in-the-volunteers-7976018.html?origin=internalSearch
• Jonathan Barr 'Westminster Faith Debate: Religion in Public Life', The Baptist Times 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/index.php/national-news/408-westminster-faith-debate-religion-in-public-life
• 'Archbishop Cranmer' 'Westminster Faith Debate - religion in public life' blog post 25 July, about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/westminster-faith-debate-religion-in.html
• 'Tony Blair: People shouldn’t be embarrassed about faith', Christian Today 25 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/tony.blair.people.shouldnt.be.embarrassed.about.faith/30339.htm
• 'Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister, Did Order Number 10 Staff To Pray' Huffington Post 24 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/07/24/tony-blairm-former-prime-prayer_n_1699362.html
• Charles Moore 'Tony Blair: 'The West is asleep on the issue of Islamist extremism', The Daily Telegraph 24 July, front page feature about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life featuring Tony Blair and Charles Moore: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/9420909/Tony-Blair-The-West-is-asleep-on-the-issue-of-Islamist-extremism.html
• 'Blair in staff prayer admission', The Belfast Telegraph 24 July, write up of the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/blair-in-staff-prayer-admission-16189200.html
• John Rentoul 'The Return of Tony Blair' blog post for The Independent 24 July, referencing the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life and the Telegraph interview between speakers Charles Moore and Tony Blair: http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/24/the-return-of-tony-blair/
• Kuwait News Agency 'Blair to join debate on religion' 24 July, about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2254404&language=en
• The Open House, Australia, 23 July, radio interview with Linda Woodhead about the 24 July WFD Religion in Public Life: http://www.openhousecommunity.com.au/search-podcasts.php?q=woodhead

Associated file:
TB-Salvation army.pdf

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