

Sunday
BBC Radio 4
A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 24, 2019 • 44min
Isis bride, sex education backlash
Tania Joya is a former ISIS bride and now lives in the US and works in de-radicalisation. She talks to Edward Stourton about the Shamima Begum case. Sunday's Harry Farley reports on how some Orthodox Jews state they will leave the country if new Government plans on Relationship education are implemented. Martin Bashir reports from Rome on the final day of a major summit on clergy sexual abuse, as the Pope calls for "concrete measures" and not only "simple and obvious condemnations".US comic writer Mark Russell talks to Edward Stourton about his comic about Jesus called ‘Second Coming’ and controversy around it.Producers: Catherine Earlam and Helen Lee
Editor: Amanda Hancox

Feb 17, 2019 • 44min
Medieval Nun, Burial Space.
Buried within medieval archives is the story of Joan of Leeds – a nun who faked her own death in order to run away and live a wanton life. Professor Sarah Rees Jones of York University tells Edward the story. And why not everyone wants to be cremated even though we’re running out of space for burials - Professor Douglas Davies, director of Durham University’s Centre of Death and Life Studies and Mohamed Omer, board member of ‘Gardens of Peace’ the largest dedicated Muslim cemetery in the country discuss the theological reasons for burial. Following our special programme from Lagos last weekend we hear the latest results and predictions from Mayeni Jones in Nigeria.Producers:
Carmel Lonergan
Harry FarleyEditor:
Amanda HancoxPhoto credit: Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York.

Feb 10, 2019 • 44min
Nigeria’s elections: A Sunday programme special
Nigeria’s presidential elections on February 16 will decide who leads Africa’s most populous nation for the next four years.
In a Sunday special from Lagos, Edward Stourton explores the effect religion plays in Nigerian life and its importance in the upcoming ballot.
Religiously linked violence in Nigeria’s northern states and middle belt colours the backdrop of these elections. We speak to those affected and examine the impact the clashes will have on how people vote.
Femi Kuti who, like his father Fela Kuti, combines music with social activism, speaks to Edward Stourton about the choices facing Nigeria. And as two leading candidates are both in their 70s, we speak to some of Nigeria’s under 25s, who make up more than half the population, about how they view the elections.Producer:
Harry Farley
Helen Lee

Feb 3, 2019 • 44min
Jeremy Hunt, Bishop of Liverpool
The Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, talks to Emily Buchanan at the launch of his review into the persecution of Christians around the world. The Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes is one of the most vocal advocates of LGBTI inclusion in the House of Bishops. He tells Emily Buchanan about his new book The Table and why he believes the Church needs to be open to all those on the margins. And - its the largest gathering of humanity on the planet but Rahul Tandon tells Emily how the Hindu pilgrimage, Kumbh Mela, is being used as a political platform ahead of upcoming Indian elections.Producers: Catherine Earlam; Louise Clarke-Rowbotham
Editor: Amanda Hancox

Jan 27, 2019 • 44min
Holocaust Remembrance, Jazz Church Music, Venezuela
On this Holocaust Memorial Day, Edward talks to Hannah Lewis who survived a Nazi labour camp.Olivia Marks-Woldman joins Hannah to discuss new figures on British attitudes to the Holocaust.Composer Will Todd talks about his new CD of jazz/gospel 'Passion Music'.Further allegations against the late Bishop of Chichester - George Bell are "unfounded" according to a new CofE report. The current Bishop of Chichester - Martin Warner - explains why.Professor Raphael Luciani describes the unrest in Venezuela.'Hate preachers' - we discuss whether or not their speeches at British universities are being properly monitored.Producers:
Helen Lee
Harley FarleyEditor: Amanda Hancox

Jan 20, 2019 • 44min
Turbans and Tales, Clergy Safety, The Unknown Six
Amit and Naroop have photographed world famous musicians including 50 Cent and Tinie Tempah but this week launch a book of striking images of Turban wearing Sikhs. They talk to William Crawley about the project. The remains of six unidentified victims of the Holocaust, sent to the Imperial War Museum 20 years ago, will be given a Jewish burial on Sunday. William Crawley speaks to the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who is officiating at the service. In the week that up to fifteen Catholic churches received bomb and stabbing threats, we speak to Nick Tolson from National Churchwatch and the Reverend David MacGeoch, about whether enough is being done to protect clergy.

Jan 13, 2019 • 44min
Methodism's oldest chapel, Knife crime
The New Room in Bristol is Methodism's oldest chapel, built by John Wesley in 1739. Bob Walker reports after an 18-month, multi-million pound renovation that includes a new stained glass window telling the story of Wesley's life. The Church of England has faced criticism for its investments in Amazon and Google but it is also using its financial weight to pressure oil companies such as ExxonMobil to disclose greenhouse gas reduction targets. Loretta Minghella is First Church Estates Commissioner, in charge of the Church’s £8.3bn investment fund. She speaks to Edward Stourton. More than 130 people were killed through violent crime in London last year. This week Jaden Moodie, 14, was murdered after being knocked off a moped in Waltham Forest. He is believed to be the youngest victim to die on the capital’s streets in the past year. Tobi Adegboyega is lead pastor of Spac Nation Ministries, a church in south London that uses former gang members to show others caught in crime a different way of life.PRODUCERS:
Harry Farley
Rajeev GuptaEDITOR:
Amanda HancoxImage credit:
Andrew Taylor

Jan 6, 2019 • 44min
St Bride's Church, The Sacred Art of Joking, Jair Bolsonaro
For more than three centuries, St. Bride's Church in Fleet Street has had a close connection with the newspaper industry. The saddest services are funerals of journalists killed in the line of duty. Between 1st January and 14th December 2018, at least 53 journalists were killed around the world. Standing in front of the journalists’ altar, Edward meets two veteran journalists - the BBC’s Lyce Doucet and the photojournalist Sebastian Rich to discuss the changing nature of war zone reporting.Later today, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will officially gain its independence from the Russian Orthodox Church. Jonathan Luxmoore explains the importance of the split.As new figures reveal an influx of lone child refugees amongst the boatloads of people crossing the Channel, the Bishop of Dover talks about the need to show greater compassion for those risking their lives to get to the UK.James Cary is a sit-com writer who also sits on the Church of England’s General Synod. He says that Christians have lost the ability to see the humour in the Bible. He talks to Edward about his new book ‘The Sacred Art of Joking’.Indian women have been demonstrating in Kerala against their exclusion from the Sabarimala Temple. The BBC’s India correspondent Yogita Limaye explains why.
Rosie Dawson reports on the American Red Letter Christians who are planning to launch the movement in this country.Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as president of Brazil on New Year’s Day. What impact is his faith going to have on his country now that he holds the reins of power? The BBC’s South America correspondent Katy Watson reports.Producers: Helen Lee and Catherine Earlam
Editor: Amanda Hancox

Jan 4, 2019 • 40min
Where was Jesus born?
Emily Buchanan talks to Libby Purves about her collection of Nativity scenes. After which, Bishop David Walker and the Revd Dr Ian Paul will discuss if Jesus was actually born in a stable and whether or not it really matters.Fergal Keane remembers a happy Christmas time in Soweto in the early 1990s and Yolande Knell has been celebrating the Feast of St Nicholas with Palestinian Christians. The Bishop of Manchester comments on recent figures from the Office of National Statistics which show that the number of homeless people dying in England and Wales has risen by 25% over the past five years. The Dean of Blackburn talks about the gin he has created with a local distillery to raise money for the cathedral and Samantha Calvert, from the Vegan Society, describes a vegan Christmas and discusses why veganism should become a protected belief.And there is a taster from a documentary going out on Radio 4 on Christmas Day about the Once in Royal David City solo which is always sung at the beginning of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge.Producers:
Helen Lee
Peter EverettEditor:
Amanda Hancox

Dec 30, 2018 • 44min
Immigration and Religion: A Sunday Programme Special
William Crawley presents a special edition of the Sunday programme looking at immigration and how different religious groups in the United Kingdom engage with this issue. As we look ahead to 2019 and the UK’s exit from the European Union, immigration is an issue which will continue to dominate politics. In this special edition of the programme William Crawley is joined by Dr Anna Rowlands from Durham University and the author Shelina Janmohamed to explore how different religious groups have engaged with refugees and migrants and the challenges they have faced.Eric Kaufmann, Professor of Politics at Birkbeck College, explains the difference religious belief can have on someone’s views of immigration.Kevin Hyland, the UK’s former Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, discusses why he resigned, the role of religious groups in tackling human trafficking, and the rise of anti-migrant sentiment across Europe.


