Beyond Belief

50 years ago, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution to rid the Communist Party of his rivals. He ended up destroying much of China's social fabric, calling on young, radical "Red Guards" to take party leaders to task for their embrace of bourgeois values and lack of revolutionary spirit. He ordered them to destroy the "four olds" - old ideas, customs, habits and culture. Religion was a prime target. Temples were ransacked and churches were destroyed. Religious leaders were sent to factories and farms for re-education through forced labour. Many of them died. Visibly, religion was all but wiped out. In recent years, however, there has been a strong religious revival. Some experts believe that by 2025 there will be more Christians in China than anywhere else in the world, despite the fact that religious freedom is still curtailed. Ernie Rea explores the impact and legacy of the Cultural Revolution on religion in China with Martin Palmer, author and China expert; Isabel Hilton, Editor of the 'China Dialogue' website; and Laureen Leung, a Chinese Christian who was born in China in 1966 at the start of the Cultural Revolution and who now lives in the UK. Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

The Battle of the Somme, fought in northern France between 1st July and 18th November 1916, was one of the bloodiest of World War One. The British and French armies engaged the Germans in a brutal battle of attrition on a 15-mile front. In total, there were over one million dead and wounded on all sides. The slaughter was on an unprecedented scale. How did individuals and society grieve? How did faith institutions respond to the traumatic loss of life? What was its effect on the spiritual psyche of Britain in the immediate aftermath and in subsequent decades? Ernie Rea and guests discuss the religious response to the Battle of the Somme.Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

Despite the constitutional barrier between church and state in America, politicians hardly ever give a major speech without invoking religion. In particular, the political relationship between Christian evangelicals and the Republican Party has existed for decades. But is the expected announcement of Donald Trump as the Republican nominee next month about to shake things up? He is very different to the usual candidate that would appeal to the religious right. If he gets the evangelical vote, he'd be the first nominee to do so without really talking about God or the Bible. How has he proved so successful? Ernie Rea and guests discuss religion and the US Republican Party.Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

50 years ago this week, the Vatican's list of banned books was finally abolished by Pope Paul VI. The aim of the Index Librorum Prohibitorum was to protect the faith and morals of Catholics by preventing the reading of what the Church deemed to be heretical and immoral books. The final list reads as a who's who of some the greatest writers, philosophers and thinkers in Western culture. But religious censorship is not just part of the Christian story; it has been practiced in many societies and by many religions. Ernie Rea explores the relationship between religion and freedom of expression with Ed Condon, a canon lawyer and a writer for the Catholic Herald; Barry Kleinberg, a lecturer at the London School of Jewish Studies and an Orthodox Jew; and Khola Hassan, an Islamic scholar who sits on the Islamic Sharia Council for London.Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

Belgium is steeped in Catholic history, having been part of the French Empire until 1815 and eventually gaining independence from the largely Protestant Netherlands in 1830. The State subsidises all officially-recognised religions, paying the salaries of teachers of religion in state schools, stipends and pensions for Catholic clergy and for the renovation of church buildings. Yet it's thought Belgians practice their faith less than in most other European countries, and over many decades, there has been a fierce political debate about how much funding should go towards religious institutions. Muslim immigration in the 1960s changed the country's religious landscape. Following the recent Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the Brussels district of Molenbeek has been accused of being a breeding ground for violent Jihadists. Ernie Rea and guests discuss how religion has shaped Belgium and the role it has to play in its future.Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

Saint Benedict is often regarded as the founder of Western monasticism. He wrote his Rule for monks in the 6th century, which is still followed by monks and nuns of the Benedictine order today. It sets out the spiritual and practical code for life in a religious community. Compared with earlier monastic writers, Benedict is much more moderate in the demands he makes on people. He was also aware that his Rule would need to be adapted to different times and circumstances. Ernie Rea and guests discuss the Rule of Benedict and what it has to offer the modern world. Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

The Catholic Church still affirms the doctrine of original sin. For more than 1,500 years the Church has maintained that the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden was passed on to every subsequent human being. This meant that every baby was born bad, with its inherent human nature corrupted and attracted to sin. This was not a marginal teaching; it has underpinned Christianity. Ernie Rea and guests discuss the religious, social and cultural legacy of the doctrine of original sin.Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

In the virtual world of social media, religious communities are now global. But is this at the expense of local relationships? Does lively discussion on social media translate into to social action? And does social media genuinely have the power to reform religious institutions, challenge extreme views or change someone's personal religious experience? Ernie Rea discusses the relationship between religion and social media with Michael O'Loughlin, journalist and author of "The Tweetable Pope"; Dr Bex Lewis, a Christian and Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University; and Shelina Janmohammed, a Muslim writer and blogger. Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

Since 2010 a Vatican commission has been investigating the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina. An announcement is expected soon, amid concerns that the supernatural claims of six visionaries are getting out of the Vatican's control. Beginning in 1981, the apparitions purportedly continue daily, and thousands of pilgrims from all over the world travel to the small town each month to meet the alleged seers. What exactly are Marian apparitions and how have they been explained? What are some of the stories associated with them? Why have they become such a powerful tool for conversion over recent decades? Are they always an aid to religious devotion or can they lead to unhealthy superstition?Producer: Dan Tierney Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is working with other Christian churches to agree on a fixed date for Easter, which he hopes would happen "in between five and 10 years time". The first attempt to make such a change was in the 10th Century. The date, which is different in the Eastern and Western Christian traditions, is also intrinsically linked to the Jewish celebration of Passover and Christian church liturgy is steeped in its Jewish origins. Why historically has the date been different among Christians? What would it take to agree on a fixed date? Why does it matter? What could a change to a fixed date mean for Christians and Jews? Producer: Dan Tierney Series producer: Amanda Hancox.