Giles Fraser's Thinking Aloud podcast: can we talk about the persecution of Christians?

Millions of Christians around the world currently face violence for what they believe

Rather than struggling to build bridges within the church, Rowan Williams's successor must engage those alienated from religious belief

The modern church should be as bold as the prophet Isaiah and allow gay people to participate fully within the walls of the church

The rhetoric of happiness is often just one big conspiracy to avoid what can feel like an admission of failure. For many of us, life is bloody hard

Belief and unbelief are not polar opposites and when complex matters are reduced to a boxing match format, the result is often misleading

Lady Warsi's speech at the Vatican complaining about 'militant secularism' is odd. Secularism is not the political arm of atheism

What's the point in being cool if you have a rubbish love life? Put away the Joy Division records and enjoy Valentine's Day

How effective is shame as a means of punishment and how valuable is it in shaping social norms? Giles ponders the subject in the wake of Fred Goodwin being stripped of his knighthood and the release of Steve McQueen's new film about sex addiction

Giles compares his new surroundings in the Guardian newsroom with his former workplace at St Paul's Cathedral