‘I don’t want to stop believing in humanity’: Matthew McConaughey on faith, fame and the shocking incident that defined him

He was once so stoned he missed his own birthday party, but the Oscar-winning actor has swapped pot for poetry. He reveals the trauma and triumph that taught him why it’s more important to be a good man than a nice guy

Domination by Alice Roberts review – a brilliant but cynical history of Christianity

The humanist historian brings objects to life beautifully, but falters when it comes to people and their beliefs

Chasing the Dark by Ben Machell review – the original ghostbuster

An entrancing biography of Tony Cornell, who displayed a scientist’s commitment to impartiality as he investigated the paranormal

The Rev John Heywood Thomas obituary

Other lives: Theologian of note and proud champion of the Welsh language

Leila Aboulela wins PEN Pinter prize for writing on migration and faith

Judges praised the Sudanese author for centring Muslim women, describing her writing as “a balm, a shelter, and an inspiration”

Patricia Herbert obituary

Other lives: British Library curator and author of The Life of the Buddha

‘A moral crisis’: how the Sydney writers’ festival grappled with the Israel-Gaza war

The tragedy in Gaza has loomed over the festival, with chair Robert Watkins promising ‘a plurality of voices’

Faith leaders denounce US book burning as hate-fuelled intimidation

Interfaith group responds after books on Black, Jewish and LGBTQ+ history were burned and shared in racist video

Chopping Onions on My Heart by Samantha Ellis review – can you save a culture?

A woman tries to cling on to her parent’s Judeo-Arabic language – and the food, feeling and history that goes with it

The Guardian view on the meaning of life: Easter and the ultimate question

Editorial: From Verdi to Douglas Adams, artists and writers have wrestled with why we are here. The Christian festival gives us pause to reflect

The King of Kings review – Charles Dickens retelling of the Jesus story does a serviceable job

The famous author tells his son and their cat the story of Jesus in this mixed-bag family animation, voiced by an impressive cast

Meryl Streep in talks to play Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movie

Oscar-winner set to take on role as godlike lion usually perceived to be male in upcoming adaption of The Magician’s Nephew

Cross Purposes by Jonathan Rauch review – crises for Christianity and democracy

The Atlantic contributor frets about religion, politics and America – and the questions he poses are existential

The Koran and the Flesh by Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed review – the trials of a gay Muslim

This courageous, melancholy memoir, about the author’s struggle to reconcile his faith with his sexuality, argues that homophobia is a cultural phenomenon, not a religious edict

When it’s illegal to cause distress to believers, call it for what it is: a secular version of blasphemy

Language can ‘open eyes’, Salman Rushdie wrote, yet still ideas of profanity are being used to silence dissenting voices