Sunday

BBC Radio 4
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  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Every two weeks

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

  1. 57 min ago

    Remembering Edward Stourton

    There have been many tributes this week to our dear colleague Edward Stourton, who died last weekend at the age of 68. They've come from across the media, from the churches and faith communities he covered for so long, and from listeners who simply trusted his voice on a Sunday morning. William Crawley looks back at his extraordinary contribution to religious broadcasting. Also in the programme, Andy Burnham's first visit as prime minister was to a Catholic run homeless shelter in London called the Passage. He made his first pledge as PM to end rough sleeping. People familiar with his work as mayor of Greater Manchester will know it's a promise he made when he was elected in 2017. Emily Buchanan visits a project set up by a Christian charity in the city to hear about his track record there and his ambition for the country. Every day, dozens of Palestinian patients from the occupied West Bank cross into Israel for desperately needed specialised medical care they can’t get at home. Waiting to drive them to hospital are Israeli volunteers who have increased in number since the October 7th attacks in 2023. Since the war started, it’s become an increasingly rare space for Israelis and Palestinians to speak and build trust. A meeting of two worlds amid the trauma of war. Naomi Scherbel-Ball has been joining the patients and volunteers for the journeys from the checkpoints to hospitals in Israel. Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: Katy Booth, Rosie Dawson, Catherine Murray, Dan Tierney and Carmel Lonergan Studio Managers: Lynsey Akehurst and Catherine Everatt Editor: Tim Pemberton

  2. 19 Jul

    Burnham's Faith & Politics, AI Sermons, World Cup & the Virgin Mary

    As Andy Burnham prepares to become the UK's new Prime Minister we look at how his Catholic upbringing shaped the values behind his politics. William Crawley discusses the interplay of faith and politics with Nick Spencer, senior fellow with the think tank Theos, and Francis Davis, visiting fellow Kellogg college, Oxford, who has written widely on Catholic social teaching and the role of faith in public policy. Artificial intelligence is quietly finding its way into church life. But is it always clear when a prayer, a sermon or a piece of pastoral advice has been shaped by a machine? The AI Christian Partnership want churches to be upfront about it, and they've just published new guidelines. Plus, it's World Cup final day, and this year's showdown carries an extra layer of meaning for people of faith. Argentina and Spain don't just share a footballing rivalry, they also share the Virgin Mary, in different guises. What does this tell us about faith and national identity? Presenter: William Crawley Producers: James Graham and Rosie Dawson Studio Managers: Lynsey Akehurst, Patrick Shaw and Helen Williams Editor: Catherine Murray

  3. 12 Jul

    Spanish Civil War at 90

    This week marks 90 years since the start of the Spanish Civil War. In July 1936, a rebel general, Francisco Franco, led a military coup against Spain’s Republican government. It triggered a conflict that tore the country apart, drew in fighters and writers from across the world and claimed half a million lives. William Crawley explores how Spain remembers, and how it still argues about, its bloodiest modern chapter.  And he'll ask why Pope Leo’s visit to the Sagrada Família last month passed over the war in silence.  Presenter: William Crawley Producer on location: Dan Tierney Sound engineer on location: Ash Jones Production Co-ordinator: Hattie Valentine Studio producers: Catherine Murray & James Leesley Editor: Chloe Walker Studio Managers: Nat Stokes & Ben Houghton

  4. 5 Jul

    Ayatollah Khamenei's Funeral, 'Conversion Therapy', Football Fever in Mexico

    As mourners gather in Iran to pay their respects to the country's former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, we hear from Tehran about the significance of the six-day funeral. His body is currently lying in state at the Grand Mosalla mosque and will travel to several religiously significant cities before a burial in his hometown of Mashhad. Authorities expect 15-20 million people to attend the ceremonies across Iran and Iraq which take place more than four months after Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli strikes. So called 'conversion therapy' is set to be criminalised under draft legislation put before Parliament. This is the practice where someone tries to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the draft Conversion Practices Bill perpetrators of abusive practices could face up to five years in prison. We dissect the different views around the Bill, from an advocate who argues it will offer essential protection, to those who say it could criminalise preachers simply offering help and support. And with all eyes on Mexico ahead of England's round of 16 tie against the country at the Azteca Stadium, we hear from the Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City which has allowed a statue of the Christ child to be dressed in the national team's shirt and put on the altar. Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: James Graham, Rebecca Kelly and Liberty Phelan Studio Managers: Teifi James and Helen Williams Editor: Dan Tierney

  5. 28 Jun

    Venezuela earthquakes, America 250, pilgrimages

    With the number of people known to have died following earthquakes in Venezuela rising, rescue teams are racing to find those who are still missing. Operations Manager of the Lutheran World Federation based in Caracas, Maria Caraballo, speaks about the work her organisation has been doing. The United States of American will mark 250 years since its independence this week. The separation of Church and State - religious freedom - came a few years later in the 1st amendment to the constitution and has been debated ever since. We continue that debate with Dr Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons of the Interfaith Alliance and Pastor Mark Burns, a spiritual adviser to President Trump. Pilgrimages are tremendous social occasions, whatever their religious inspiration. The British Pilgrimage Trust says more of us are attracted to them and the Italian government is now promoting five pilgrim routes, known as the Antichi Cammini d'Italia, or Ancient Ways of Italy. People who have completed their journey tell us about their experiences. Presenter: Edward Stourton Producers: Katy Booth and James Leesley Studio Managers: Kelly Young, Matthew Dempsey and George Willis Editor: Tim Pemberton

  6. 21 Jun

    C of E Adoption Apology; Anish Kapoor; Burnham’s Catholicism

    The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, this week apologised for the Church of England's role in the forced adoption of children in the decades after the Second World War. We hear from former Labour MP Ann Keen, a trustee of the Movement for an Adoption Apology, on her experience and reaction to the apology, and Joanne Grenfell, the Bishop of Suffolk, who chaired the Church of England's working group on historical adoption practices. A new Anish Kapoor exhibition opened this week at the Hayward Gallery in London. Assistant curator Thomas Sutton tells us of the optical illusions, and blood and gore used to depict religious sacrifice. Dr Siobhan Jolley, lecturer in Christian studies at Manchester University, explains the significance of religious sacrifice throughout art history. Following Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield by-election, professor of politics at the University of Liverpool, John Tonge, explores whether the Labour MP’s Catholic upbringing will make a difference to the way he governs if he were to secure the keys to Downing Street. Presenter: Ed Stourton Producers: Alexa Good and James Graham Studio Managers: Phil Booth and Joe Stickler Editor: Chloe Walker

  7. 14 Jun

    Belfast reaction; Coming Home; Faith and Football

    Thousands of people gathered at an anti-racism protest in Belfast on Saturday, after violence across the city this past week saw people's homes, businesses and vehicles targeted. The disorder was sparked after footage of a knife attack in north Belfast on Monday night was shared widely on social media, which left the victim with serious injuries. Religious leaders have joined calls for calm and Emily Buchanan hears from people in the Muslim and Methodist communities in the city. It’s been five years since the Church of England set out an ambitious plan to provide affordable housing. Its 'Coming Home' report examined how the church could use its significant land assets to help solve England’s housing crisis. So have they made much progress? Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani of Chelmsford, is also the Bishop for Housing and gives an update. Three quarters of English club players identify with Christianity, according to a report from the charity Christians in Sport. The research also mentions that 40% of clubs regularly host Christian activities such as Bible studies and prayer meetings. As the men's World Cup gets underway, we'll explore the connection between football and religion from a player and supporter perspective. Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: Katy Booth and Rosie Dawson Studio Managers: Catherine Everatt, Joe Stickler and Helen Williams Editor: Dan Tierney

    Belfast reaction; Coming Home; Faith and Football

  8. 7 Jun

    Archbishop AI; Sikh Kirpan; World Cup

    On Friday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, told a House of Lords debate that current AI regulation is “wholly inadequate”, saying the technology raises fundamental questions about what it means to be human, what we’re here for, and how we discern truth. William speaks to the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, who also spoke in that Lords debate. Also on the programme, the murder of Henry Nowak has brought renewed attention to the Sikh kirpan, a small ceremonial dagger worn by initiated Sikhs as an article of faith, despite it not being used in this attack. Some politicians are now questioning the legal exemption that allows it to be carried. As Sikh organisations prepare new education initiatives and community leaders reflect on what one academic has called a "watershed moment"- what will the debate mean for Britain's Sikhs and for the future of religious freedom. William speaks to the CEO of Sikh Women, Sahdaish Pall. A new song from a Catholic composer has been released to coincide with the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off in Mexico on Thursday. Three Lions Rising was composed by Andrew Dineen, whose early encounters with music include hearing his father play the church organ. William speaks to Andrew, and to Lisa Grand who was the lead singer alongside the choirs of St Edward's School and Ashley Manor Prep School in Cheltenham. Presenter: William Crawley Producers: Bara'atu Ibrahim & James Graham Studio Managers: Olivia Miceli & Catherine Everatt Editor: Chloe Walker

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About

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2026
  • Episodes
    535
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Show Website
    Sunday

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