Ann Taves (UCSB) and Egil Asprem (Stockholm): Explanation and the Study of Religion. Timothy Alexander Smith (Otago): Science and Religion: A Conflict of Methods. The introduction to Religion: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters by Christian Smith. E. Fuller Torrey on his book Evolving Brains, Emerging Gods: Early Humans and the Origins of Religion. Caitlin E. Barrett (Cornell): Archaeology of Ancient Religions. Ideas were not enough: Locke, Spinoza and Voltaire were all brilliant, but religious freedom in Europe was driven by statecraft not philosophy. Lea Ypi (LSE): From Revelation to Revolution: The Critique of Religion in Kant and Marx. Landon Schnabel (Indiana): Opiate of the Masses? Social Inequality, Religion, and Politics.
Peter Jonkers (Tilburg): Religion as a Source of Evil. Does religion cause violence?: Chris Fleming on the end of politics. What religious beliefs reveal about post-truth politics. Fuck it: Let’s rank the religions.
