Beyond Belief

Yoga is big business. Its worth $10bn a year in America alone. Does the growth in yoga's popularity, particularly in the West, mean that its spiritual content and religious roots are being neglected? Can yoga be practised aside from these roots? Are there even dangers in doing so?Ernie Rea is joined by Jim Mallinson from SOAS, University of London, Suzanne Newcombe from the charity Inform and Ramesh Pattni from the Hindu Forum of Britain.

Officially anyone who declares that "There is one God and Muhammed is his prophet" is a Muslim. But many Muslims argue that the beliefs of the Ahmadi community mean they cannot be part of the faith. There are about 12 million Ahmadi worldwide and their headquarters, originally in Pakistan, are now in London. Their founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, claimed to be a prophet, although a lesser one than Mohammed, and it is this claim that critics say put his followers outside the fold of Islam. Joining Ernie to discuss the Ahmadi are Imam Ataul Rashed from the Ahmadi London Mosque, Dr Sahib Bleher founder of the Islamic Party of Britain, and Dr Simon Valentine, author of "Islam and the Ahmaddiya Jama'at.".

Last year Sir James Munby, president of the Family Division, gave a speech in which he said the law of this country is secular, and that Christianity no longer informs its morality or values." Happily for us," he went on, "the days are past when the business of judges was the enforcement of morals or religious beliefs."Ernie Rea is joined by Sir Mark Hedley, Joshua Rozenberg and David McIlroy to discuss the relationship between Christianity and the Law.Producer: Rosie Dawson.

In the trailer for the final run of Desperate Housewives, viewers are seduced into watching the series with a variety of tantalising images. Four beautiful women in provocative poses, attracting the longing gazes of their easily led men. Snake like belts draped sinuously around their waists are provocatively removed or loosened. And there's an apple, red and luscious, newly plucked from a tree. A 21st century television hit makes its appeal by drawing on an ancient biblical character which it assumes will resonate with the viewer.Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the Biblical figure Eve, and what has been made of her down the centuries are Katie Edwards, lecturer in Biblical Studies at Sheffield University; Amy Orr Ewing, Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics; and Maureen Kendler, head of Educational Programming at the London School of Jewish Studies.Producer: Rosie Dawson.

Discover the groundbreaking find of the earliest known Buddhist shrine in Nepal, pushing the date of the Buddha's birth back three centuries. Explore how archaeology reshapes religious narratives, from King David's legacy to implications for modern conflicts. Dive into the influences of personal beliefs on archaeological interpretation and the fine balance between preserving history and meeting community needs. Uncover aspirations for dream excavation sites that promise deep cultural insights, revealing the fascinating crossroads of faith and archaeology.

40 years since the death of J.R.R. Tolkien many people remain as spell bound as ever by the richly detailed world he created in his epic works of fantasy fiction. The books are among the nations most loved and 150 million copies have been sold worldwide. The Peter Jackson films, first 'The Lord of the Ring' series and now 'The Hobbit', have been among the highest-grossing films of all time.What underlies this enduring appeal? Tolkien, a devout Catholic, described 'The Lord of the Ring' in a letter as "a fundamentally religious and Catholic work".How are we to interpret the theology of Tolkien's world of 'Elves' and 'Orcs', 'Froddo' and 'Gollum', darkness and light? How do we reconcile Catholic symbolism with the magic and mysticism that lean to a more pagan reading of his stories? And what do these epic battles of good versus evil tell us about Tolkien's own faith and world view?Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the religious and philosophical nature of J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works are Joseph Pearce, writer in Residence and Fellow at Thomas More College and author of 'Tolkien: Man or Myth'. Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at Bristol University, specialising in ancient and medieval paganism and magic. And Rev Dr Alison Milbank, Associate Professor, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Nottingham University and author of 'Chesterton and Tolkien as Theologians'.Producer: Catherine Earlam.

What causes religions to change beliefs or traditions which have been in place for hundreds of years? For centuries the Jewish people offered animal sacrifices daily in the Temple in Jerusalem. The Catholic Church condemned Galileo for teaching that the sun, rather than the earth, is the centre of our universe. Soon we may have female Bishops in the Church of England and some churches in the UK may be prepared to marry gay couples. Is it inevitable that religions which emerged two or three millennia ago will adapt and shift with ever increasing social, cultural and scientific change? How do you distinguish between eternal truth and the culturally conditioned?Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the way in which religions change are Dr Linda Woodhead, Professor in the Sociology of Religion in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University; Dr Yaakov Wise, Research Fellow in the Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester; and Dr Gavin Flood, Professor of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion at the University of Oxford.

At times in history religion can appear to be a destructive force. Today the current conflict in the middle-east is increasingly defined along sectarian lines. From Iraq where a thousand people were killed in sectarian violence in July, the highest monthly death toll for five years according the UN; to Pakistan, where the minority Shia community has experienced repeated attacks by hard-line Sunni militant groups; to Syria where the ruling Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, is embroiled in an increasing bloody civil war with the largely Sunni rebel forces.A fault line has emerged throughout the middle-east dividing the region along Sunni and Shia lines. Where did this division within Islam occur and is it really the cause of these conflicts or merely being exploited for political gain?Ernie Rea is joined by Murtaza Hussain, a Sunni Muslim, writer and journalist specialising in foreign policy and the Middle East. Dr Ali Al-Hilli is an Iraqi activist, lecturer and a Shia Muslim and Dr Carool Kersten, Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam and the Muslim World, King's College London.Producer: Catherine Earlam.

Beyond Belief debates the place of religion and faith in today's complex world. Ernie Rea is joined by a panel to discuss how religious beliefs and traditions affect our values and perspectives. Near-Death Experiences often seem to include bright lights, the presence of benevolent spirits and a sense of peace - in other words a very positive experience. However, more unusually, there are others whose experience is very different, some cite overwhelming fear and visions of being chased by demons. Do these have a rational scientific explanation or are they indications of a life beyond this one? Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the nature of Near-Death Experiences are Dr Penny Sartori of the University of Swansea, whose book 'The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences' is due to be published in 2014; the Very Reverend Professor Gordon McPhate, the Dean of Chester Cathedral who is also a trained Pathologist and a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Chris French, Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths College, the University of London.Producer: Liz Leonard.

Beyond Belief debates the place of religion and faith in today's complex world. Ernie Rea is joined by a panel to discuss how religious beliefs and traditions affect our values and perspectives. The late Christopher Hitchins wrote that "The mockery of religion is one of the most essential things". Certainly if you go to any Comedy Club today, you can expect to find that religious belief is an open target. But are there any limits to what is acceptable? Are there any parallels between the role of the priest and his congregation & the comedian with his audience? Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the relationship between comedy and religion are the Muslim stand-up comedian, Imran Yusuf, the Jewish stand-up, Josh Howie and Patrick McKearney, a Doctoral Researcher in Theology & Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge.