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About the Iona Institute

The Iona Institute promotes the place of marriage and religion in society. We defend the continued existence of publicly-funded denominational schools. We also promote freedom of conscience and religion.

The Iona Institute is headed by religious and social affairs commentator, David Quinn.

Bishop Michael Nazir Ali's address to The Iona Institute

Last week Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali addressed The Iona Institute on the positive contribution of Christianity to law and culture and how this is now threatened by aggressive secularism and aspects of multiculturalism.

Latest News

Catholic schools must be allowed celebrate faith in their own way says Martin

Constraints should not be put on Catholic schools on how they celebrate their faith, the leader of Fianna Fáil, Michéal Martin, has said. In an interview with this week's Irish Catholic, Mr Martin said: “I don't think any constraints should be put on Catholic schools on how they celebrate their Catholic faith. His statements come after the Advisory Group to the Government-appointed Forum on Pluralism and Patronage made a number of recommendations which critics said would weaken the denominational identity of faith schools.
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Freedom of religion under threat say Canadian bishops

Canada's Catholic bishops have warned that freedom of religion and conscience are in danger of disappearing from Canadian society. Canada has one of the most active networks of human rights commissions in the world which have targeted religious freedom in the name of ‘equality’. In a pastoral letter published on Monday, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said: “In the past decade in Canada there have been several situations that raise the question whether our right to freedom of conscience and religion is everywhere respected.”
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The Iona Blog

Bishop Michael Nazir Ali debates aggressive secularism on Today with Pat Kenny

Last week, the Church of England Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir Ali (pictured), gave a talk to the Iona Institute on aggressive secularism. You can listen to him debate the topic here with secularist David Robert Grimes.
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Recent and Upcoming Events

May

A talk by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

Our next talk will be given by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali , President of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue (OXTRAD). His topic will be 'Triple Jeopardy: Aggressive Secularism, Radical Islamism and Multiculturalism’ which is also the name of his upcoming book.

Mar

Denominational schools in a pluralist Ireland

In the light of the forum on the future of primary schools set up by Education Minister, Ruairi Quinn, our next conference will examine the role of denominational schools in a more pluralist society.

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