A richly detailed and original study of the relationship between the landscape of Britain and Ireland, and the tumultuous religious changes of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The Reformation was a seismic event in European history, and one which changed the medieval world. Much which followed in European history can be traced back to this event. In this Very Short Introduction Peter Marshall seeks to explain the causes and consequences of religious and cultural division and difference in western Christianity.

The constitution of Britain is changing rapidly, and the House of Lords is next on the agenda for reform. This book provides an international context, using material as yet unpublished in the UK. What can we learn from the appointed Canadian Senate, the elected Australian Senate, the German federal Bundesrat, or our other European neighbours.

Einstein's theory of relativity shattered the world of physics - replacing Newtonian ideas of space and time with bizarre and counterintuitive conclusions: a world of slowing clocks and stretched space, black holes and curved space-time. This Very Short Introduction explores and explains the theory in an accessible and understandable way.

Religion is an important social force, both for good and evil, in the modern world. In the final volume of his comparative theology, Keith Ward considers the main ways in which religion and society interact, and the ways in which major world religions need to adapt themselves in the modern world.

Drawing on political philosophy and theology, theory and practice, this essay collection tackles the complex questions arising from the interface of religion and public life. Includes critical analyses of theorists Rawls, Stout and Habermas, and discussion of key issues such as religious education and human rights.