Sunday

In his first UK media interview, Ed Stourton talks to John Calvin, grandson of the co-founder of Hamas, whose conversion to Christianity meant he had to flee the Middle East. In 1964 Cassius Clay announced he had given up his name for Muhammad Ali and joined the Nation of Islam. Dr Dawn-Marie Gibson talks about how his faith influenced his life. Ed Stourton talks to the BBC's Bangkok correspondent...

With less than a month before the referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, there's a debate growing about the role religious leaders should take when they engage with political issues. Jasvir Singh from the London Faiths Forum and journalist Quentin Letts discuss the role of religion in politics. Professor Mona Siddiqi tells Edward about the review of Sharia law in the UK that the Government...

Pope Francis has said that he is open to the possibility of ordaining women as deacons. Are the ranks of the Catholic Church's all-male clergy really going to open up to female members? Next week, two ministers battle it out in the annual Sermon of the Year Competition. They talk to Edward Stourton about their ministry and go head to head in Sunday's very own battle of the sermons. Hazel Southam r...

"The more we understand religion, the better able we are as a result to engage religious actors, the more effective our diplomacy will be in advancing the interests and values of our people". US Secretary of State John Kerry said this in a speech last month. Shaun Cassey is his Special Representative on religion in global affairs, he talks to Edward Stourton about his goal to achieve this. The BBC...

As two Labour politicians are suspended for making anti-Semitic remarks, William Crawley asks if we have a clear understanding of what anti-Semitism is. David Feldman - Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism and Claire Fox from the Institute of Ideas debate. If Leicester City win at Manchester United on Sunday they will have won the Premier League against all the odds. Bob Walker hears how...

For 1000 years, Ashkenazi Jews have been forbidden to eat foods classed as 'Kitniyot' (e.g. rice, corn, beans, legumes) during Passover. But now authorities in the US have lifted this ban which means that Ashkenazi Jews can eat a variety of foodstuffs from Sushi to Popcorn. Charles Carroll reports. This week, the Foreign Office issued advice for LGBT people travelling to the US because of new 'rel...

Presenter William Crawley hears reaction to Pope Francis' visit to Lesbos, and explores the significance of the joint approach to the migrant crisis by the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Ahead of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death, Trevor Barnes reports on the religion of Shakespeare's England, and the influence of the Bible on his language. This week's Channel 4 documentary "Wh...

As the Panama Papers continue to shine a light on the off shore world, Edward Stourton talks to Robert Paterson, Bishop of Soder and Man, about whether tax avoidance is ever morally acceptable. Geoff Bird reports on the little known story of Francis Asbury, the English-born former blacksmith's apprentice who is credited with putting American Methodism on the denominational map. Pope Francis' much...

Revelations that senior members of two mosques in Scotland have held office in a proscribed organisation have raised fears of a 'power crisis' in some British mosques. Edward chairs a panel to discuss and debate these concerns. Deans from Anglican cathedrals gather in Liverpool for their annual conference next week. On the agenda, how to use the cathedral space to maximise revenue. Kevin Bocquet h...

Religious and ethical news.

The clearance of the migrant camp in Calais has raised concerns about the welfare of unaccompanied minors there. Kevin Bocquet reports on the efforts being made to offer young migrants a home in the UK. Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, has been awarded the 2016 Templeton Prize. He tells Edward how he plans to use the award. A Chine...

As the EU Referendum campaigns get underway, Edward Stourton speaks to two Christians on opposite sides of the argument who are both taking to social media to garner support for their views. Adrian Hilton runs the influential Cranmer blog; Michael Sadgrove is the emeretus dean of Durham. A cross-party group of peers has written to the Prime Minister urging him to put pressure on the UN Security co...

The Sunday programme investigates allegations that the Jehovah's Witness ordered the destruction of documents that could be used during the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. Was this in contravention of Section 21 of the Inquiries Act 2005 which is punishable by imprisonment? Katy Watson reports from Mexico City as Pope Francis begins his historic trip there. As the BBC launches a serie...

The Israeli government has announced plans to build a mixed gender prayer section at the Western wall. Campaigners are celebrating a groundbreaking decision, but Palestinians, the ultra Orthodox and archaeologists are not happy. We hear from Anat Hoffman from "Women of the Western Wall". Journalist Judy Maltz gives us the background. Next Tuesday Hampton court chapel will host what is believed to...

Edward Stourton asks: is it human nature to believe in God? He is joined by Dominic Johnson and Conor Cunningham to discuss. Bob Walker reports on a BBC English Regions poll that reveals that almost three-quarters of England's Anglican cathedrals say they're 'worried' or 'very worried' that they're not going to be able to fund cathedral costs in two years' time. The suicide of Rohith Chakravarti V...

For the next three years the US Episcopal Church will not be able to participate fully in the Anglican Communion. That's the decision of the Primates' Meeting held this week in Canterbury. It's a consequence of the Episcopal Church's decision to recognise same sex marriage and homosexuality. The church has also had a number of privileges withdrawn. The Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, Bishop of the Episcop...

There's much speculation ahead of the gathering of Anglican leaders at Canterbury next week. Will they all show up? How soon will someone walk out? It is unlikely they will reach a common agreement about the issue of homosexuality which has divided the Communion for more than ten years but might they at least disagree well? Two leading British evangelicals discuss the art of good disagreement. The...

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 stor...

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 ar...

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...

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...

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...

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 fo...

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 attendi...

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 influ...