Organised religion as we know it is undergoing significant change in late modernity from a number of sources. Young people are far less religious than post war generations although very open to spiritual ideas and multi-faithism. Religious institutions have also been under the hammer over the ways in which they operate financially with the state providing special privileges that other institutions cannot claim. They have also been under scrutiny for their failure to protect children from serious harm in the form of child abuse in religious organisations such as schools, parishes and orphanages. There have been hundreds of public inquiries across the world investigating child abuse in religious organisations, particularly the Catholic Church. Dr Kath McPhillips is an expert in institutional child sexual abuse in religious organisations and in this episode, she examines some of the key features in institutional failure, cultural change and redress.
