Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern
In 1789 Napoleon set off to conquer the East. We're still living with the fallout, says Michael Binyon
Faith & Religion
In Denial
Nick Cohen caused a furore when he published "What's Left?", an excoriating attack on what he sees as liberal hypocrisy. Here he answers his critics
Holy Relics
Why do we still tolerate the presence of bishops in the House of Lords? Jake Bromberg calls for their eviction
Free from crooked things
Buddhism is fatalistic, deeply misogynist and riven with superstition. And yet, argues Karen Connelly, it also inspires resistance to tyranny and the fight for freedom
Be tolerant or else
Eliane Glaser challenges a core British value
Blind faith
Does it derive from delusion or derangement, irrationality or something deeper? Laurie Taylor explores the meaning of belief
Editorial: He did God
Tony Blair helped bring the toxic certainties of religious belief back into politics and culture. Let's hope Gordon Brown doesn't do the same, says Caspar Melville
Editorial
Forget the carping, the special pleading and the moans of faith groups. Reason, free thinking and a sense of humour do the job
Holy Warriors: A journey into the heart of Indian fundamentalism by Edna Fernandes
Meera Nanda on India's fundamentalist mix
Have a Nice Doomsday by Nicholas Guyatt
Toby Saul doubts the power of the American end-timers