It is clear that religion is an important factor in understanding how events unfold in the world of international studies, and no less so than in recent years. We run a great risk in failing to understand precisely how religious matters - and how, indeed, it does not, where it is used as an excuse to problematise religious communities. This group within BISA will be a platform to discuss and tease out some of these tensions, and to build on such discussions for publications, events and further activities going forward.