How can we build a fairer world? This is a gateway website for anyone interested in human discord, and in dialogue as a pathway to genuine peace. Its focus is on the British Empire and the First World War, the impact then of religious beliefs, and how we make sense of them all now. It remembers carefully. It encourages direct engagement with difference and diversity throughout formal education and faith community life. It's specially important for teachers and lecturers, believers of every conviction, journalists and media makers.  What can learn from our past, in the present, for our future?

ArmisticeNow.net shows the make-up of the British Forces were significantly more diverse in religious beliefs than is the UK today. British victory would not have happened without massive engagement from across the world's religious traditions. It shows how religions provided both personal inspiration and challenge. It provides a basis for deeper understanding of the Armistice Centenary and for renewed inter faith reflection on peace and justice. It suggests follow-up activities for use in schools and colleges, families and communities.

ArmisticeNow.net is a portal for deeper conversation and dialogue regarding fundamentally different religious beliefs and faith perspectives. It is set in the context of the First World War. Historically war had often been local, national or regional, but never before fully global. That global outreach was unquestionably an outcome of European imperial ambitions, but no less so of religious convictions from both within and beyond Europe.

ArmisticeNow.net is made up of some 20 component parts. Together they cover the religious diversity of the nations involved on each of the global fronts on which the war was fought. Amongst the components are ones focusing on contentious issues such as conscientious objection, racial prejudice, and how the same religious beliefs were invoked by opposing sides to justify killing.

ArmisticeNow.net components each take the form of careful explanations replying to questions about basic aspects of the war. The format includes some pictorial content to illustrate the more extensive text. Throughout there are hotlinks to sources and resources selected for relevance and best scholarship.

ArmisticeNow.net can be used in many different ways. For instance: 

• single questions can be clicked for one-off interest
• an entire component part can be worked through
• the whole portal can become read as an interactive book.

ArmisticeNow.net encourages its users actively to engage with others in exploring the dual interplay of beliefs and values both then and now. It recognises that deepest beliefs and central values conflate as religions, even though their correlation with institutional religious forms may be strained and generate ‘a-religious’ counters to them. The beliefs behind such labels as 'Humanist', 'Non-religious', 'Atheist', and 'Sceptic' belong in this exploration as much as those of specific religions and faiths.

NAVIGATING THE SITE

Home page This is where you are now. It gives a welcoming rationale for the portal. Please explore..
Components This overview page of all twenty components provides an initial indication of how the portal content is organised. By clicking on any one of the headings (ArmisticeNow 1-20), there’s a summary of headings on the right and on the left the click on for each of the questions. Once clicked the question heading turns white and the content appears on the right, and within it relevant hotlinks.
Search button The magnifying glass image in the top right hand corner can be used to search the portal for specific topics and terms.
Contact Us This is a simple means for providing comments and suggestions, or asking questions. They will all be acknowledged

ADVISORY NOTE: a smartphone may be handy for viewing the site; some shrinking of page configuration is possible. However, for use of the portal to best advantage a laptop or pc is recommended.