Everyday Ethics

Archbishop Eamon Martin reflects on the life and death of his predecessor Oliver Plunkett. Born 400 years ago this weekend, the saint's head is preserved in St Peter’s Church in Drogheda. Mark Devenport is joined by Dr Niamh Wycherley and John Thavis to discuss the role of relics in the 21st century.The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times Africa correspondent Declan Walsh explains the background to violence and killings in south west Sudan.And on All Souls Day, grief bots and avatars promise to preserve our loved ones from beyond the grave. Dr Elaine Storkey, Dr Nathan Mladin and Professor Victoria Haneman discuss the ethical concerns to what some see as compassionate technology and others dismiss as a sinister intrusion into the painful process of bereavement.

Father Carlos Ferrero, a parish priest in Gaza City, shares the realities of life under a fragile ceasefire and the humanitarian challenges his community faces. Madeline Davies analyzes tensions in the Anglican Communion, highlighting GAFCON's disputes and its implications for church leadership. Jonathan Pugh and Katie Kirk discuss the ethical dilemmas surrounding performance enhancement in sports, debating if the Enhanced Games can be considered fair competition or merely spectacle. Connie Marshner uncovers Eastern Christian influences in early Irish Christianity, linking ancient practices to present beliefs.

In this discussion, guests include Jane Kinnanmont, a UN expert, Professor Catherine McNeely, an international rights authority, Mark Devonport, a former BBC UN correspondent, Conor Bowman, a barrister and author, and Martin Palmer, a religious advisor. They explore the UN's relevance as it turns 80, highlighting crises linked to great power politics and suggesting a focus on peace and climate. Conor shares his personal journey about adoption, while Martin addresses China's crackdown on religious groups and the implications of state control on faith.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza.

Dr Mohammed Mughaisib has spent the nearly two years working in hospitals in Gaza, in the midst of  bombs, death and destruction.  His family fled to Egypt in February of last year- he hasn't seen them since.  He himself escaped to Dublin around three weeks ago.

Is the Social Contract dying?

After a UN Commission of Enquiry rules that Israel has committed acts of genocide in Gaza, where do we go from here?

The 6th century monastery of St. Catherine's and the tourist mega resort on its doorstep

Rev Izzy Hawthorne Steel and Rev Chris Bennett on how they dealt with church arsonists aged 10 and 11 and Carl Stauffer on restorative justice around the world.

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde recalls her sermon before Trump—a plea for mercy in Washington National Cathedral that sparked his outrage the morning after his inauguration.