Teenage witches on agenda in Bath

Bath Spa University research found a rise in the number of teenage witches

More than 700 sixth formers will take part in a three-day religious education conference in Bath later this month.

Students from eight secondary schools in the area will discuss issues such as teenage witches, Star Wars and football with leading experts in the field.

The Imam of the Bath mosque, Imam Rashad Azami, will also explain Islam and its role in the life of a Muslim from an insider's point of view.

The conference begins at Bath Spa University on July 6, 2009.

Further questions to be covered at the conference include: "Why do teenagers become witches?" - based on research by Bath Spa University - and "Can Jedi really be a religion?"

The latter question was inspired by the 2001 Census, in which 390,000 people identified their religion as 'Jedi' (from the Star Wars films).

One of the other workshops puts God on trial for 'crimes against humanity'.

Another looks at the relationship between religion and football, taking its cue from this famous quotation by the legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankley, who said: "Football isn't a matter of life and death, it's more important than that."

The conference's keynote speech will be delivered by Ian Jamison, a pioneer in religious education teaching techniques who won a Guardian Award for Secondary School Teacher of the Year in 2007.