This week, ABC Religion & Ethics explores how we navigate conflict, community and connection.
 

On The Minefield, Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens tackle the ethical and legal boundaries of self-defence. In light of Israel's recent strikes on Iran, they ask: when is military action justified and what responsibilities do nations have to avoid escalating violence?
 

On God Forbid, it's all about hair. Whether it's grown long, shaved off or covered up, hair has long been a source of religious identity and social controversy. This episode explores how modesty, freedom and faith intertwine, and why the same head covering can provoke vastly different reactions depending on who's wearing it.
 

And on Soul Search, a change of pace: a collection of heartfelt reflections from listeners and returning guests on how they find meaning and connection in 2025. From community rituals to moments of quiet contemplation, it's a reminder of the many ways people are still searching — and finding — spiritual grounding in everyday life.

Israel's strikes on Iran have reignited debate over the slippery logic of "self-defence." When both sides claim it, and when threats are pre-emptive rather than imminent, what are the ethical and legal limits?
 

The Minefield: Sunday 10am, rpt. Monday 9pm, Thursday 4am and Saturday 12am on Radio National

Whether it’s grown out, shaved off, or covered up, hair has long been a site of tension and meaning in faith communities. The same head covering can be seen as a symbol of modesty, oppression, or freedom — often depending less on the fabric itself than on the religion of the person wearing it.
 

God Forbid: Saturday 4am, rpt. Sundays 6am and 10pm, and Wednesday 11am on Radio National

What does community look like for you and how does it shape your spiritual practice? As we reach the mid-year mark, Soul Search listeners and returning guests share their reflections on finding community in a busy — and sometimes isolating — world.
 

Soul Search: Sunday 6pm, rpt. Wednesday 11pm, Thursday 12pm on Radio National

Australia has imposed sanctions on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, citing a history of violent and racist statements, but the pair are crucial to propping up the Netanyahu government in parliament. Even so, the government could fall later this year over compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox men. 
 

The Religion and Ethics Report: Wednesday 6pm, rpt. Thursday 5.30am, Friday 11am on Radio National

Analytic philosophy has often understood itself as being in some sense "above" history, using reason and logic to explore problems that are timeless and apolitical. But this week we're talking with the author of a new book that places analytic philosophy firmly in its social and historical context.
 

The Philosopher's Zone: Sunday 5:30pm, rpt. Thursday 1:30pm, Sunday 5:30am on Radio National

"After two incidents involving women who were implanted with the wrong embryos, the Australian IVF industry is facing an overdue reckoning — this must include the central question of human instrumentalisation," writes Xavier Symons.