ABSTRACT
Religion has recently become a central topic of debate in the West. Twenty years ago, it was relegated to the back pages of the quality press, or limited to sex scandals in the tabloids. Terrorist assaults and their repercussions have added to religion’s recent prominence. There is nothing like the perception of constant threat to heighten awareness. However, the issues thrown up by the debate are far from being answered. Indeed, on some of them discussion has hardly begun.
