Sunday

Each year thousands of pilgrims walk The Camino de Santiago and new routes are opening across the UK. As Trevor Barnes reports, the popularity of pilgrimage brings a raft of environmental challenges. Pope Francis meets President Trump on Wednesday morning at the Apostolic Palace. Previously, the Pope has criticised the President's views on climate change and illegal immigration. Thomas Reese from...

Does the consecration of an Anglican Bishop in England by a breakaway South African Church make an eventual schism over the issue of homosexuality inevitable? Edward Stourton explores the arguments with Gavin Ashenden, an Anglican priest who left the Church of England earlier in the year, and Anglican theologian Ian Paul. A new report provides the most detailed analysis yet about the make-up of ne...

A new study suggest medieval Benedictine Monks aided the evolution of the modern chicken because of their dietary rules discouraging the consumption of four-legged animals. Edward talks to the author, Anders Erikson and Dr Andrew Jotiscky, from the University of London The Archbishop of Canterbury is half way through a twelve day trip to the Middle East. During a visit to a refugee camp in Jordan...

In a special report for Sunday a senior barrister calls for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse to urgently investigate the Jehovah's Witnesses, as we hear allegations that the organisation has an extensive database of suspected paedophiles. Edward Stourton hears reaction to Pope Francis' visit to Egypt, as he shows solidarity with persecuted Coptic Christians, and reaches out to the I...

French voters take part in the first round of the Presidential elections on Sunday. Dr Charles Devellennes from the University of Kent tells Edward Stourton why religion, once a taboo in French politics, has grown in importance in political discourse. Pope Francis arrives in Cairo on Friday. He will meet the Coptic Pope and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar mosque. Fawaz Gerges, Professor of Internationa...

Emily Buchanan presents a special Easter Sunday programme exploring the place of religion in rural communities. Emily visits a cattle auction in Yorkshire to examine the changing face of church ministry in the countryside. Rev Sarah Lunn, who is responsible for thirteen churches in Cumbria, explains how she's also helping with a shortage of GPs in the area. Bob Walker reports from the largely rura...

After the Jorvick Viking Centre was damaged by floods in December 2015 the attraction used the rebuilding opportunity to tell visitors more about the city's Viking history. As Kevin Bocquet discovers, the exhibition now demonstrates how Christianity and traditional Norse pagan beliefs overlapped in Viking-age York. Exactly two weeks after the terror attack in Westminster, four British Imam's trave...

The Church of England’s first black bishop in more than 20 years says he came to Britain from Nigeria as a missionary to help a “spiritually deficient” country. William Crawley speaks to the Right Rev Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu, the 13th Bishop of Woolwich. The Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico has condemned as "traitors" any local businesses that help build President Donald Trump's proposed border wall....

Yollande Knell reports on the completed renovations at the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Baroness Pitkeathly, Chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Charities, talks about her new report on the future of British charities and how Brexit is going to affect their funding. Last week, Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, publicly accused the Bishops of the Ch...

The remains of hundreds of babies and toddlers found at a former Bon Secours mother and baby home at Tuam, Co. Galway have led to calls for further investigation. Joe Little from RTE talks to Martin. The first publication of a historical encyclopaedic text on Jainism has been launched by SOAS University of London. It was written by Dr Johannes Emil Otto Klatt who dedicated his life primarily to th...

Following Bishop Philip North's decision to turn down a promotion after clergy in his new diocese objected to his stance against ordaining women priests, William Crawley speaks to the Very Rev Martyn Percy and Bishop of Wakefield Tony Robinson about what this means for the Church of England's aim to "disagree well". The General Pharmaceutical Council is proposing new guidance aimed at ensuring per...

"Between Myth and Reality" the sculptures of Chaim Stephenson, is at the Crypt of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square till the 10th May 2017. Chaim passed away last year aged 89, Edward met with his wife Lynne Reid Banks at the exhibition she told him about his work and their life together. The worst excesses of the Indian wedding industry may soon be curbed if a new bill is approved. The pr...

There's a risk Guildford Cathedral could close after a council planning committee rejected a proposal to build 134 houses on cathedral land. The Dean of Guildford Cathedral says money raised by the sale of the land would have provided long-term funding for the maintenance of the building. Trevor Barnes reports. Church leaders from South Sudan have called on the international community to assist mi...

In 2015 the Bishop of Manchester told this programme of his concerns about homelessness in Manchester. After the broadcast the city council contacted the Bishop to discuss what needed to be done better. Bob Walker reports on how this lead to a radical change of approach. The Catholic Church has paid out more than $276 million in compensation to thousands of victims of child sexual abuse in Austral...

In an unprecedented move, 14 retired Church of England Bishops have released a letter expressing concern about the House of Bishops' report on marriage and same sex relationships. The former Bishop of Worcester Peter Selby, who wrote the letter, speaks to William Crawley. A man who claims he was beaten when he was a boy by John Smyth, the former head of a Christian charity, says his abuser claimed...

The head of the Order of Malta, Matthew Festing has resigned because of the Pope's intervention. But what does this episode mean for the Knights of Malta and other orders? Christopher Lamb, Rome Correspondent for the Tablet, talks to Edward. The charity Marriage Care has spent the last 70 years embracing and upholding the Catholic vision of marriage as a response to high divorce rates post World W...

On Friday the House of Bishops released a report saying the Church of England shouldn't change its teaching on marriage but recommending that it reviews other aspects of how it treats LGBTI+ clergy and laity. The Rev Rachel Mann is critical of elements of the report and gives Martin Bashir her reaction to it. The Rev Peter Sanlon had threatened to create a 'partnership synod' if the Church 'watere...

The former Chairman of the Co-op Bank, Paul Flowers, has been removed from the Methodist Church's list of ministers. In an exclusive broadcast interview Mr Flowers talks to Edward about the action taken by the Methodist Church and how he reconciles his actions with his faith. The Church of England's Bishop with responsibility for homelessness James Langstaff explains why some Christian organisatio...

The majority of government money to improve security at places of worship went to Christian applicants. Edward Stourton asks Nick Tolson who sits on the Places of Worship Security Panel if this indicates that hate crime against Christians in the UK is under reported. A year-long arts festival is about to begin at London's Southbank Centre, called 'Belief and Beyond Belief'. It aims to explore "wha...

Plans by the Church of England to shut a flagship care home for retired clergy could split up elderly couples when part of it closes in the spring. The church's Pensions Board blames a difficulty in recruiting and retaining trained nursing staff. Trevor Barnes meets the residents who are campaigning to stop Manormead Nursing Home closing. William Crawley discusses the ethics and effectiveness of f...

Caroline Wyatt presents a special New Year edition of Sunday, looking ahead to some of the issues likely to affect faith communities in 2017. Former Bishop of Liverpool James Jones reflects on his work with the families of the Hillsborough victims. And Bob Walker reports from Hull, where religious groups are preparing for the city's year of culture. Producer: Dan Tierney Series Producer: Amanda Ha...

In a special edition of the programme from Hampton Court Palace, Edward Stourton goes back to Christmas 1516 to explore the religious, political and social climate of the time. Tracy Borman, joint Chief-Curator with Historic Royal Palaces tells Edward that 1516 was a good year for Henry VIII. His first child, Mary, had been born and the Christmas celebrations he hosted were described as the most e...

Composer Bob Chilcott remembers his starring role in the Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College Cambridge in the 1960s. For three years running, he was the chorister chosen to open the service with a solo rendition of the first verse of Once in Royal David's City. A report from religious think tank Theos argues that it is wrong to measure this country's religious commitment by the numbers who...

After a 2 year search the Canadian sculptor, Tim Schmalz, has finally found a UK home for his life size sculpture of Jesus sleeping on a park bench. The Rt Rev David Walker, Bishop of Manchester tells Edward why he has backed the placing of the statue outside St Ann's Church in the city centre. Singing Carols are good for your health say the British Lung Foundation. Matthew Hamilton, the Choral Di...

Edward Stourton asks Bethany Bell why the rising popularity of right-wing nationalism in Europe is so important in the Austrian presidential election. To mark the 80th anniversary of the abdication of Edward VIII, Radio 4 broadcasts 'The King's Matter', a drama on the deliberations of Cosmo Lang who was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time. The author of the play - Christopher Lee - talks about Co...