IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES

8SCHOOLS FOR SCOUNDRELS Francis Beckett reports on the great City Academy scandal

16SECRET OPENINGS Even rationalists could benefit from a little mystery,argues Laurie Taylor

22ANTI-GOD SQUAD Caspar Melville catches up with the militant atheists using the internet to build a movement

24DANCING WITH DINOSAURS The creationist denial of science is part of a growing political threat,warns Chris Hedges

30MIRACLE WORKERS Toby Saul finds out how you make a saint

32BAD VIBRATIONS Has string theory unravelled? AC Grayling reports 18 SLICE OF LIFE Can circumcision ever be rational,asks Sally Feldman

CONTRIBUTORS

Robin Ince (diarypage 6) is a comedian and comedy writer. His writing credits include Dead Ringers and The Now Showon Radio 4 and he's appeared on TV on Mock The Weekand The Late Edition. He's not at all narked by the success of his friend Ricky Gervais,with whom he is currently touring.

COVER STORY

12 HOSTILE TAKEOVER The secular future of Europe is in grave danger,warns Donald Sassoon

Francis Beckett,who exposes the City Academy scandal on page 8,is the author of ten books including a biography of Tony Blair. He writes regularly on education for the Guardian.

Nina Power,who writes on humanism and pornography (page 27),is a lecturer in philosophy at Roehampton University,specialising in humanism and anti-humanism and continental philosophy.

Chris Hedges,who writes about the American Christian right’s assault on truth (page 24),was a foreign correspondent for nearly 20 years, including a spell as the bureau chief in the Middle East and the Balkans for theNew York Times. He is currently a fellow of the Nation Institute.

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