Sunday

We ask: what is the theological meaning behind New Year resolutions and do they make us Happy? William Crawley is joined by Rosie Harper, vicar of Great Missenden, Rabbi Dovid Lewis and life coach Susanna Halonen to discuss.Mark Vernon gives an insight into how ancient Greek philosopher's viewed the future as we embark on 2016.Religious journalist Ruth Gledhill looks ahead to what religious stories will be in the news in 2016.A vicar in Stoke claims foreign worshippers can "save the Church in England", Bob Walker looks at how and meets migrants and refugees using Anglican Churches as their new place of worship.The seventh of January marks the first anniversary of the deadly assault on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The shooting, was a wake-up call for one young French Muslim, Mohamed Chirani. He's now training to be a prison chaplain. Our reporter John Laurenson went along to meet him.William talks to Bill Law, a Middle East analyst, about the religious significance of the execution of the prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. He asks him what will the impact be on Iranian and Saudi relations?Producers: Carmel Lonergan David CookSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

A Sunday programme special on the relationship between Religion and Art. For centuries the visual medium was used extensively to tell stories from key religious texts. It was a powerful and effective way of communicating religion to the illiterate masses. Today the masses are literate but biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high. So in this special edition of Sunday we ask what does religious art mean in the 21st Century. How do modern artists interpret religion in their work? Is art used more to challenge religion than to express religious ideas? It's often said that art galleries are the new cathedrals, places where those who are outside the church explore Life's big questions; what challenge does that pose to the churches? How do religions of the Book engage with increasingly visual cultures, and when does one person's freedom of expression cross the line to become offensive or insulting to others?Producers: Rosie Dawson Zaffar IqbalSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

Should the Archbishop of Canterbury 'apologise for the Church's mistake in its response to homosexuality around the world'? That's the call by the Very Revd Prof Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford who has written an essay on the topic ahead of the next month's meeting of Primates. He debates with Canon Dr Chris Sugden from Anglican Mainstream.The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has said Burundi is on the cusp of a civil war. Dr Phil Clark from SOAS looks at the tensions in the country and Tearfund's Country Director Emmanuel Murangira explains how they are responding. This week police in Rome seized 3,500 fake "Apostolic Blessings." Catholic writer Michael Walsh explains what they are and why they are so coveted.Bob Walker reports from the National Civil War Centre where they are marking Yuletide by, 'sitting on the fence'. Christmas was a big point of division amongst the sides fighting the British Civil War in the 17th century; mince pies were banned and churches raided to ensure they were not holding services.On the day of the Spanish General Election we ask if there is a religious vote in this campaign? Alistair Dawber, The Independent's correspondent in Madrid talks to Edward. Jane Little reports from Charleston, South Carolina where she meets some of the families who publicly forgave the man who shot their loved ones as at a bible study class in June. Has enough been done in the city to tackle racism since the killings?What was it like to experience Christmas in 1945? 70 years after the end of the Second World War, Henry Muchamore tells us his story of spending Christmas Day with three German Prisoners of War when he was 7 years old.Producers: David Cook Carmel Lonergan Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.

In the last two weeks over three thousand people in Iceland have joined a spiritual organization that follows Zuism, the religion of the ancient Sumerian people. It's become so popular there are now more Zuists than Muslims in the country. So is a crisis of faith pushing people towards this ancient form or worship or are there other motives? Holger Páll Sæmundsson, a recent convert and one of the leading 'elders' talks to Edward.The number of Muslims attacked each week in London has more than tripled since the terrorist attacks on Paris attacks last month. Trevor Barnes has been talking to the Metropolitan police about the rise in incidents, and to Muslims who have experienced them.Pope Francis has launched the Year of Mercy by opening the Holy Door at St Peter's Basilica in Rome, the first time it has been opened since the turn of the century.Cardinal Vincent Nichols tells Sunday what the Year of Mercy might mean - for individual Catholics, the wider Church and the World.There's a new trend in Advent calendars this year - no chocolate and cardboard, but large art installations in public places. Sunday reports from Brighton and Hove where it has been doing this for years with the ritual opening every night of one of its beach huts.Producers: Rosie Dawson Zaffar IqbalSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

This week William Crawley presents a special programme on the future of Religious Education in the UK.We join primary school teacher Juliet Lanyon and her class as they learn about Buddhism. She talks about the challenges of being an RE teacher and how her school navigates through the 100s of syllabuses that are available.Alan Brine, former OFSTED inspector in charge of RE, tells William why he is 'annoyed' by the Department for Education as it fails to respond to calls for the subject to be overhauled.Bob Walker assesses the role of state funded faith schools - do they work or are they counterproductive for social cohesion.?Is there a place for 'collective worship' or 'religious observance' in UK schools? A report out this week urges governments to review the duty of collective worship in schools, Dr Alison Mawhinney from Bangor University explains and also tells us about RE in Wales.So what RE should be taught in schools? William discuss the future of religious education in the light of recommendations to be published tomorrow by a Commission on Religion and Public life which has been leaked to Sunday with Andrew Copson - Commissioner and Humanist, Ed Pawson Nat Assoc of Teachers of RE and The bishop of Manchester David Walker.Producer Carmel Lonergan David CookEditor Amanda Hancox.

It's become as much a ritual as putting out sherry and mince pies for Santa. Every year thousands of school pupils up and down the country fill shoe boxes with Christmas gifts for needy children overseas. But, as Trevor Barnes discovers, questions have been raised about the agenda and ethos of the organisation, Samaritans Purse, behind this philanthropic endeavour.The Rev Val Bexton set off on foot for Paris a fortnight ago with a group of Christian campaigners concerned about climate change. Within hours they learned of the terrorist attacks and the city they arrived in this weekend was a far more sober one than they had anticipated. She sends us her audio diary. Meanwhile Christoph Nuttall, director of the R20 Regions of Climate Action, set up by Arnold Schwarzenegger, tells Sunday what he thinks can and cannot be achieved at COP21.The Pope's trip to Africa draws to a close with a visit to a mosque in the troubled Central African Republic. The BBC's Religious Affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt is with him.Churchill historians have tended to paint a picture of the Wartime Leader as an agnostic, even atheist. A new book written by his great grandson and a former White House aide tells a different story.Producers: Rosie Dawson Zaffar IqbalSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

Following the worst terror attack in Europe for over a decade we hear from John Laurenson as he talks to people on the streets of Paris and hears from the faith communities about how they are trying to make sense of the horror on across the city on Friday night.As flowers are laid outside French Embassies across the world, Trevor Barnes hears from members of the French community in London attending a mass at the Catholic Notre Dame du France Church and Christians and Muslims holding a vigil in Trafalar Square.In accepting responsiblity for the Paris atrocities, the so-called Islamic State claimed the attacks were a reprisal for French air-strikes in Syria. William Crawley discusses to what extent religious belief and theology are a driving force behind this group with Dr Katherine Brown, an expert in political Islam at King's College London, Dr Sara Silvestri who teaches International Politics at St Edmund's College, Cambridge and Haras Rafiq, Managing Director of the Quilliam Foundation.Also in the programme: the inter-governmental summit on climate change is a fortnight away and campaigners from around the globe have begun their journeys to Paris. Trevor Barnes was in Trafalgar Square as around 40 "pilgrims" set off to the French capital - on foot.Catholic Bishops in England and Wales have said their secondary schools should teach Judaism rather than Islam as part of its GCSE curriculum. A former Ofsted R.E adviser, Alan Brine, and Philip Robinson, adviser to the Catholic Education Service discuss. Producers: Amanda Hancox Zaffar Iqbal.

A notice placed in the Jewish Chronicle by the London Beth Din has called for a man to be banned from Synagogues as he won't give his wife a religious divorce. Lawyer Joanna Greenaway explains why they decided to 'name and shame'.As Myanmar holds its first contested general election in 25 years there's concern that the Muslim population has been denied a vote and that Buddhist monks are too influential. We have the latest on polling day from our correspondent there.Thousands of British Asians are expected to pack Wembley to welcome the Indian PM Narendra Modi to the UK next week. We debate if inter-religious tensions in India have worsened since Modi came to power or if his policies are forging a new united India.Two new books have exposed what they claim is, 'corruption, mismanagement and waste' at the heart of the Holy See. Christopher Lamb, Rome correspondent for The Tablet, tells Edward Stourton about Vatican reaction to the revelations.Bob Walker reports on the blitz that destroyed Coventry Cathedral 75 years ago and how it still shapes Remembrance Sunday in the city.The last surviving nuns who inspired the BBC 1 drama, Call the Midwife, are selling up and downsizing. Rosie Dawson pays them a visit them as they pack up the prayer books.When hospital chaplain Jeremy Pemberton married his same sex partner the licences he required to work were refused by the Diocesan Bishop and he was unable to take up a new job. This week an employment tribunal ruled that decision was legal. Jeremy tells Edward what he plans to do next and Ruth Gledhill from Christian Today analyses what this decision means for the Church.Producers: David Cook Rosie DawsonEditor: Amanda HancoxPhoto courtesy Coventry Cathedral.

When TATA Steel announced the loss of 900 jobs at their plant in Scunthorpe, one of the first people on site was industrial chaplain Peter Vickers. Bob Walker spent the day with him to hear how he is galvanising support for those affected.Scandals in the NHS, Parliament and religious groups have undermined the public's trust in these institutions. On Monday, Lord Blair chairs a discussion with the Archbishop of Canterbury and Chief Rabbi about the challenges religious leaders face. Lord Blair tells William Crawley why he believes organisations have lost the confidence of the public and what they need to do.The battle took place in 1415 near modern-day Agincourt in northern France. King Henry V was victorious. Juliet Barker author of Agincourt: Henry V and the Battle That Made England, tells us about the faith driven kingA recent report claims the majority of British Jews will be from the ultra-orthodox community by the end of the century. Rosie Dawson visits one of the largest communities in Manchester to explore the changes this could bring.It's been 3 weeks of 'Cardinals clashing' and our reporter Helen Grady has been in Rome observing Church politics during the Synod on the Family. Father Alexander Lucie-Smith and commentator John Thavis debate the direction they think the Church will head after this Synod.A 400 year old Bible that encourages adultery will go on sale next month. The typo caused a scandal when the mistake was discover in 1631 and led to the downfall of the printers. Professor Gordon Campbell looks at this and other unholy printing errors.Producers: David Cook Rosie DawsonEditor: Amanda Hancox.

Although the West is alarmed by President Putin's military intervention in Syria, he has widespread support at home. We report on why the Russian Orthodox church has called it a "holy war" and the country's Inter-religious council has also backed the action.It's one hundred years since a Norfolk nurse was executed by the Germans for helping prisoners of war escape from Occupied Belgium. Kate Adie reflects on the world-wide impact of the death of Edith Cavell.More than half of the 27,000 people infected with the Ebola virus in West Africa come from Sierra Leone, and while the medical crisis is easing, the long term effects on the communities affected are only now beginning to emerge. Kati Whitaker presents the first of two special reports for the programme this week. Photo Credit Layton Thompson / TearfundThe art of a good homebrew owes a lot to medieval monasteries. The recipe still used by the monks at Ampleforth Abbey dates back to the 17th century. Andrew Fletcher reports on what they might have to teach the burgeoning microbreweries today.Nigerian Archbishop Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, says calls on the Catholic Synod on the Family to discuss gay marriage are a distraction imposed by the Western media. Meanwhile, Professor Joel Baden suggests that the Synod should take seriously Biblical texts which honour childlessness.When loved ones die, the last thing grieving relatives need are additional financial burdens. Church Action on poverty claims that the cost of a funeral has risen by nearly 80% in the last 10 years and are calling on clergy to help to reduce the impact of " funeral poverty."Presenter Edward StourtonProducer Rosie Dawson Peter EverettEditor Amanda Hancox.