Everyday Ethics

BBC Radio Ulster

Provocative weekly debate on moral, religious and ethical issues.

  1. 2 days ago

    Love

    A special programme on the theme of love. How is love defined? Is it a thought? An emotion? A feeling? Our world is awash with explanations of how and why we love yet we still remain reluctant to define it. Are humans expected to love unconditionally, in the way that people of faith believe that God does? How can they when they are not divine? Do faith institutions provide their followers with a path to love or has history shown they don't live up to that ideal? And in a world where so much hate abounds, what purpose is love serving? So many questions. To answer some of them we brought together three people from different faiths: Dr Naomi Green is a Muslim, Dr Elaine Storkey is a Christian and Dr Sarah Shaw is a Buddhist Later in the programme we hear from Colin Doherty who is in charge of medical training at Trinity College Dublin about why he's introducing Love to his curriculum. He wants his students to show more than just compassion and empathy to their patients and thinks that love will make them better doctors. And we finish by speaking with journalist Sally Hayden about her new book, "This is also a love story," highlighting acts of love in war zones across the world.

  2. 5 Jul

    Donaldson Fallout, Archbishop of Jerusalem, USA 250

    In the wake of Jeffrey Donaldson’s conviction, we look at whether he used his faith as a shield to cover his crimes. Eve Rosato talks to theologians Dr Fainche Ryan and Professor Laurence Kirkpatrick about the issues of forgiveness and whether church processes should be used at all in criminal matters. We also speak to the Archbishop of Jerusalem about the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Belfast and his work in the Middle East. Finally, as the USA celebrates its 250th anniversary, we speak to Presbyterian minister Neil Craigan who is based in Minnesota about how the city has recovered from the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration earlier this year.

  3. 28 Jun

    American Revolution, Clonard Novena, Trauma and Healing

    What role did Ulster Presbyterians play in the American Revolution? Audrey talks to Professor Richard Bell from the University of Maryland about the influence of emigrants from here like Thomas McKean from Ballymoney who was the last man to sign the Declaration of Independence. As the Clonard Novena ends we talk to Ed Peterson about the peacebuilding role they have played. And Trauma affects us all, including Liz Laird who has written a book about her experience as student nurse in the Royal Victoria Hospital at the height of the troubles and the trauma that hit her years later. Audrey also talks to Elaine Miller-Karas from the Trauma Resource Institute about how we can help heal our body from historical trauma.

  4. 21 Jun

    Scapegoating, Peacemaking Reimagined, Sabbatical Reset

    In the aftermath of last weeks riots, where are the stories of hope and resilience? Audrey talks to Tim Magowan from the Duncairn Centre and Maureen Hamblin, who has lived here for 26 years, about how she felt being scapegoated for the colour of her skin. Our main discussion asks whether we need a new kind of peace-making process in Northern Ireland – one that moves beyond Protestant/Catholic reconciliation to embrace the new Northern Ireland. Audrey is joined by Michael Gibbs, Father Martin McGill and Dr Gladys Ganiel. And, resetting your body. Husband and wife Susan and Chris Bennet both received a diagnosis of MS in the same week. They tell Audrey how that affected their faith, their marriage and how taking a campervan around Europe for year helped them to reset both physically and spiritually.

  5. 14 Jun

    Racism, Misogyny, Violence

    Disorder and Racial Attacks - Audrey speaks to journalist Allison Morris and Rev Brian Anderson from East Belfast Mission who was on the streets and whose building was damaged in the rioting. Our main discussion in the light of the recent Katie Simpson and Natalie McNally cases looks at violence against women and girls across the island of Ireland and how can it be prevented. Audrey is joined by Allison Morris, former principal Kathleen O'Hare, writer and teacher Andrew Cunning and Professor Louise Crowley from University College Cork. The PCI General Assembly was meeting this week. Alan Meban reports on a new moderator and developments in the Safeguarding Scandal.

  6. 7 Jun

    Nussaibah Younis, Ebola, Civil Rights

    Fundamentally is a novel by Nussaibah Younis about a young women who ends up in Iraq designing a deradicalisation programme for ISIS brides. It’s a comedy but it mirrors her own experience of having done exactly that. Ahead of an appearance at the Belfast Book Festival she speaks to Audrey about the novel and also what motivates young people to become radicalized today. We also hear from Sean Farrell, CEO of Trocaire about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and how cuts in overseas aid meant it was detected a lot later than it should have been. Also part of the Belfast Book Festival American writer Forest Isaac Jones talks about his latest work looking at the links and learning shared by the Civil Rights Movements in the US and Northern Ireland. Finally on the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death we look at the man known as God’s architect and why he is on the road to sainthood.

  7. 31 May

    William Dalrymple, Pope Leo & AI, Carers

    William Dalrymple has won many awards for his writings and is an expert on Indian history - a country he moved to from his native Scotland around 40 years ago. He is also the co-founder of the Jaipur Literary International Festival which is in Ireland this week and among other things, he spoke to Audrey about global empires, Middle East Christians and the links between India and Ireland Pope Leo's first Encyclical was published this week and, as expected, it concentrated on Artificial Intelligence. It is called Magnifica Humanitas - Magnificent Humanity. Audrey speaks to Elise Ann Allen from Crux Magazine about how it has been received in Rome and then we discuss the possibility of an Ethical framework around the technology with Dr Lyndon Drake from the Oxford Collaboration of AI and Theology and by Dr Kate Devlin- professor of Artificial Intelligence and Society at Kings College London. Finally to mark the end of BBC Carers Week we learn about the Shared Lives project which provides respite care. Audrey speaks to carer Lorraine Finn and Agnes Lunny from Positive Futures.

  8. 24 May

    NEETS, Nuns, Hajj Pilgrimage

    There are almost one million NEETS in the UK – that’s 16–24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training. But with budget cuts to youth services what chance do young people have of finding a job? Audrey talks to Ciara Fitzpatrick from UIster University and Sara Haller from Include Youth about a research project led by young experts who are themselves former NEETS. Two of the experts Allyshia Kali Campbell and Sé Gormley tell us their story and how Youth Services helped them on their journey. The annual Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca begins this week and Audrey talks to Fermanagh Imam Darragh Monahan about why it is important to his faith and what its like to join millions of other pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. And the untold story of Nuns during the troubles. Audrey talks to author Brigid Rafferty about her new book Catholic Sisters, Conflict and Peace in Northern Ireland 1968-2008.

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About

Provocative weekly debate on moral, religious and ethical issues.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio Ulster
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    Everyday Ethics

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