Night Waves - Religion

Philip Dodd talks to John Micklethwait, editor of The Economist magazine, about how a revival of religion is changing the world. In his new book God is Back, Micklethwait argues that a spread of religious fervour is having a profound effect on politics and society. From Russia to Turkey to India, nations that swore off faith in the 20th century are now run by avowedly religious leaders. In particular, he claims the destabilising effects of religion can be seen in such places as Iraq. Pointing out that by 2050 China could well be the world's biggest Muslim nation as well as the biggest Christian one, Micklethwait believes that to understand the politics of this century, we cannot afford to ignore God, whether we believe in Him or not.