Religion Media Centre Podcast

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RMC Briefing: The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the restitution of lost music

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 18:02:12 +0000

The 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp, will be commemorated across the world on 27 January. 1.1 million people were killed there, mostly Jews, but also Polish people, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, gays, and criminals. Auschwitz is a symbol of the Holocaust and 27 January is remembered as the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The images and stories of survivors are well documented, but less well known is that Auschwitz was home to at least six orchestras, formed of prisoners and commissioned by the SS. Musicians incarcerated there composed and arranged scores - many of their manuscripts are incomplete while others are damaged beyond recognition.

A young British musician, Leo Geyer, who has painstakingly restored and completed their work, joined the briefing to explain his discovery. Young musicians have been brought together to recreate the compositions, which they perform as the story is told in a documentary on Sky Arts on the evening of Monday 20 January.

Other guests are Holocaust survivor, Joan Salter, and Laura Marks, Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. The host is Richard Allen Greene, formerly CNN's Jerusalem Bureau Chief, now training to be a Rabbi.

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RMC Briefing: The stories likely to bring religion into the headlines in 2025

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 13:28:09 +0000

What stories about religion can journalists expect to make the headlines in 2025? That was the question for our first briefing of the year, when a panel of journalists and commentators gingerly made predictions for the year ahead.

At home, the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the volatile state of the Church of England will be centre stage. The new UK Labour government, which faced riots only weeks after taking office, faces high hopes from people wanting to see more engagement with diverse communities, to promote peace on the streets. There's a demand for improved good relations within faith groups and between people from different traditions.

Alongside this, war in the Middle East and Ukraine, the new presidency of Donald Trump, rising disquiet at populism played out through social media and inaction over climate change, will all touch the UK and provide issues for comment and debate through the year. Rosie Dawson hosted this discussion with guests:

Madeleine Davies, Senior Writer at the Church Times
Richard Allen Greene, formerly CNN's Jerusalem Bureau Chief, now training to be a Rabbi
Burhan Wazir, Editor in chief, Hyphen Online
Sr Gemma Simmonds CJ, senior research fellow, Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, Cambridge
Peter Heneghan, communications consultant
Kaya Burgess, Religious Affairs Correspondent and Science Reporter at The Times

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RMC Briefing: Review of religion news 2024

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 20:16:29 +0000

2024 turned out to be quite a year for news about religion and in our last briefing of the year, we looked back at some of the headlines, the arguments, the characters, and the public events that brought religion to the fore.

Headlines include the historic resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury; the way religion met public policy with a vote to allow assisted dying in England and Wales; the global synod of Catholics in Rome with disappointment for women's campaigners; summer riots and attacks on British Muslims; how the Gaza war spilled over to inflame tensions here, with a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia; the abrupt closure of the Interfaith Network after 40 years; warm words about religious organisations in the UK election and a new Faith Minister; How evangelicals helped put Trump back in the White House; the 40th anniversary of the attack on Golden Temple, Amritsar and the opening of the $217 million Hindu temple Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, our interviewers were our RMC journalists Catherine Pepinster and Rosie Dawson; and our guests were Kaya Burgess, Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Times; Austen Ivereigh, Catholic journalist, author and commentator; Richard Allen Greene, formerly an editor with CNN now training to be a rabbi; RMC reporter on British Islam, Maira Butt; and RMC reporter on the Sikh tradition, Liz Harris.

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RMC Briefing: Where next for the Assisted Dying Bill?

Tue, 3 Dec 2024 17:27:40 +0000

The Assisted Dying bill was passed in the House of Commons by 55 votes and now moves on for further consideration. In this Religion Media Centre briefing, a panel of religious leaders, academics and hospice chaplains consider the repercussions of the bill after a hotly contested debate that was highly emotional.

Among their issues of concern were what happens to medical staff within the small teams dealing with terminally ill patients, who refuse to have anything to do with it, some on the grounds of their faith. How is palliative care to be improved amid so many other needs in the NHS? How are vulnerable people to be protected?

There were wider issues thrown up in the debate - we need as a society to talk about death and the fear associated with it. What is the place of religion in society now that Christian influence is waning, and will this decision be seen as an act of betrayal by the NHS, destroying trust in a public service which is always there to care and repair except in death. Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the panel included:

Dr Matthew Doré, honorary secretary of the Association of Palliative Care Medicine for Great Britain and Ireland
Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues
Dr Mansur Ali, Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies, Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, University of Cardiff
Rev Professor Douglas Davies, Dept of Theology and Religion, and Director of the Centre for Death and Life Studies
Rev Karen Murphy, hospice chaplain for 25 years, now at Weston Hospicecare in Weston Super Mare

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RMC Briefing: 'Seismic shock' as Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns over abuse scandal

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 12:04:34 +0000

The resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury has left the Church of England reeling. There is consensus that he had no option after the publication of the Makin report which exposed the horrific abuse of young men and boys by the barrister, John Smyth, and a decades-long cover-up by the Church of England.

Smyth led Christian summer camps run by the Iwerne Trust which Justin Welby attended as a young man. From the mid-1970s, Smyth groomed boys and then took them back to his garden shed where they were beaten until they bled. The abuse was known about in the church from the early 1980s but was covered up. Smyth left the country and died in 2018, having never been brought to justice.

In a statement, Justin Welby said he was taking personal and institutional responsibility for the failure to act on the John Smyth abuse between 2013 and 2024 and had a profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England. His resignation, which is without precedent, has been described as a seismic shock. Roger Bolton hosts this discussion with guests:

Andrew Graystone, author of Bleeding for Jesus, an account of John Smyth's abuse
Susie Leafe, Director of Anglican Futures
Mark Stibbe, survivor, author and former vicar
Frances Martin, reporter with the Church Times
Professor Linda Woodhead, King's College, London
Prof Helen King, member of the General Synod

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London summit considers how Christian organisations can ‘turbocharge’ their trillions ethically

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, Ruth Peacock) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:44:44 +0000

Ninety financial sector leaders and church leaders from sixteen countries, all of whom oversee significant investment portfolios, are taking part in a meeting in London this week to turbocharge the market for investments that fit Christian beliefs.

The Mensuram Bonam summit, on 11 and 12 November, is the second of its kind and seeks to engage the whole “eco-system” of Christian faith-aligned capital. It is organised by Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, President of the Vatican Bank, along with five international specialist asset managers, and takes its name from a document on faith-consistent investing, which advocates that assets should be invested for the common good, respecting justice and ethical standards.

Mr de Franssu, who talks of “turbo-charging the market”, estimates that Christian funding could be worth as much as $1.75 trillion – a figure that includes the financial investments of religious organisations, charities and individuals as well as dioceses. In advance of the meeting, Mr de Franssu took part in a press conference introduced by Ruth Peacock, and hosted by the Religion Media Centre, explaining to journalists the purpose of the meeting.

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RMC Briefing: The place of religion in the US presidential election

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:41:09 +0000

As the US presidential election campaign draws to a close, we use this opportunity to speak to faith leaders and election watchers to assess the importance of religion in the election campaign.

Traditionally, white evangelicals have supported Donald Trump and this briefing made clear that they appear to have largely remained loyal. The majority of Catholics also support the Republican party. But Kamala Harris is courting the Black Christian vote and makes no secret of her commitment to the Christian faith.

Moral issues are centre stage, whether personal on Trump's character, crimes or moral track record, or public morals such as respect for immigrants or a woman's right to choose. The Muslim vote has become increasingly important, said to be pivotal, in Georgia and other swing states. It swayed from Republican to Democrat after the Iraq war, but it may re-align again this time as Muslims are said to be "heartbroken" at the Biden administration's response to the war in Gaza and so their votes are more difficult to predict. Hosted by Rosie Dawson, our panel included:

Dr Robert P. Jones, president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute
Dr Shyam Sriram, Department of Political Science at Canisius University in Buffalo, New York
Dr Galen Carey, National Association of Evangelicals vice president of government relations
Robert McCaw, Government Affairs Department Director At the Council of America Islamic Relations
Nazia Khanzada, Communications Manager, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Georgia
Jennifer Ewing, Republicans Overseas UK
Kristin Wolfe, Democrats Abroad in the UK

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RMC Briefing: How faith groups including churches are providing health care in their communities

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 16:40:11 +0000

The National Churches Trust has produced a report pointing out that churches provide health care which would otherwise cost the NHS £8.4 billion to deliver. "The House of Good Health" lists services such as youth groups, food banks, support for drug and alcohol addiction, and a listening ear for mental health counselling.

But the report warns that this provision of care is in jeopardy because of the number of churches at risk of closure. It is published as many faith groups develop a wide variety of health care services based in their buildings, a trend sure to continue following Lord Darzi's report into the NHS, which recommends more emphasis on health care in the community rather than hospitals.

Rosie Dawson hosts this discussion on the existing supply of services, how churches and faith groups collaborate with multiple public sector organisations, why their offer is essential to reach especially minority communities - and a warning to the NHS not to dump the most difficult and vulnerable cases onto faith groups, unless they have the necessary resources to cope. Our speakers include:

Sir Philip Rutnam, chair National Churches Trust
Merron Simpson, chief executive of The Health Creation Alliance, improving health across all sectors
Steve Fouch, chair of Parish Nursing Ministries UK
Esther Platt, from the Good Faith Partnership. on social prescribing
Rev Katy Hacker Hughes, priest pastor at St Marylebone Church, London, which has a GP on the premises.
Rev Laurent Vernet, Britain’s first minister for drug addiction
Amrick Singh Ubhi from the Nishkam Centre, Birmingham
Shahida Rahman, from Cambridge Central Mosque, on its Health Hub

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RMC Briefing: The place of religion in the assisted dying debate

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:55:12 +0000

A bill to allow assisted dying in England and Wales will be put before the Commons on 16 October, the first time in nine years that MPs will have had the chance to vote on the issue. The Lords have debated it many times, but in all cases, the measures have been defeated. This time, with a new intake of Labour MPs, and support from the Prime Minister for a free vote, there is hope among supporters that it will progress.

But this Religion Media Centre briefing shows there remains entrenched opposition, including from bishops, amid concern that disabled and vulnerable people will feel under pressure and safeguards will slip over time.

In Islam, assisted suicide is absolutely prohibited, which will pose problems for the 10 per cent of medical professionals who are Muslim.

The briefing addressed the theological argument that life is sacred, with a view that this is not just about deities or the afterlife, but extends to things held sacred in society such as a commitment to one another and once the red line has been crossed, it's gone. The discussion also made clear that people of faith take different positions on the issue but share a key concern to help people who die in pain.

Those in favour spoke of the importance of giving people options and a choice. There was a reminder of the current reality that people are already killing themselves or dying agonising deaths and doctors are already making decisions which end life, such as switching off life support machines. Hosted by Ruth Peacock, speakers include:

Kit Malthouse, Conservative MP for North West Hampshire
Bishop Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells
Prof Julian Hughes, Bristol Medical School, retired consultant in old age psychiatry and editor of 'The Reality of Assisted Dying: Understanding the Issues'
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, chair of the Religious Alliance for Dignity in Dying
Nathan Stilwell, Campaigns and Communications Manager Humanists UK
Canon Dr Malcolm Brown, The Director of Faith and Public Life
Dr Nick Spencer, senior fellow Theos Think Tank
Dr Azim Ahmed, Secretary General Muslim Council of Wales

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RMC Briefing: Impact of 7 October attack and aftermath on British Muslims and Jews

Wed, 2 Oct 2024 10:46:24 +0000

One year on from Hamas' attack on Israel, we brought together British Muslim and Jewish community leaders to find out how the war had impacted life in this country.

Their discussion illustrates how each group "mirrored each other". Both communities have faced spikes in hate crime, leading to feelings across the board that Britain is not a safe place anymore. Social media was "absolutely bitter" and physical violence culminated in riots targeting mosques across England. In particular, speakers gave examples of the way children have been caught up in the hatred, with swastikas painted on school desks, or Muslim children name-called and ostracised.

But both communities have found some hope, in quiet acts of kindness from one faith group to another, stronger relationships of support, and lighter moments of friendship.

Leo Devine hosted this discussion with:

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain, convenor of the Reform Beit Din, the Jewish law court for Reform Judaism in Britain
Dr Jonathan Boyd, Executive Director of Jewish Policy Research, on mits report suggesting a culture of ‘ambient antisemitism’ since 7 October
Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust, which provides security advice and training for Jewish organisations
Ibrahim Syed, a co-ordinator at the Liverpool Region Mosque Network and founder of Wirral Deen Centre
Sheila el Dieb Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership group, engaged in community relations work with the City Council and police liaison
Mohammed Ali Amla, from Solutions Not Sides

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RMC Briefing: Rebuilding communities after the riots

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:11:16 +0000

Community and faith leaders from towns and cities across England have spoken of the importance of free and open discussion on the causes of the riots this summer. In a Religion Media Centre briefing, bringing together participants from our 11 Creating Connections events, they spoke of their local efforts to provide opportunities for dialogue between faith groups and their need for help in finding methods that work well.

There was agreement that superficial large meetings were not enough. Instead, deep conversations are needed to understand the anger, disenfranchisement and frustration which caused the unrest. In particular, the sense of injustice among young people needs to be addressed.

While welcoming signals from government that it is committed to working alongside faith groups on its five missions, such as safe streets or healthcare, they warned against being co-opted and said greater responsibility required proper resourcing.

Hosted by Leo Devine, speakers included Rev Ian Rutherford, Methodist minister in Manchester; Manjit Kaur of SACRE Coventry; Simon Phillips, Leeds Jewish community; Rev Joanne Thorns, Communities Together Durham; Professor Jagbir Jhutti Johal, Birmingham; Steve Botham, Birmingham.

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RMC Briefing: Faith and community groups rallying at Grenfell Tower fire were "best in humanity"

Thu, 5 Sep 2024 14:47:45 +0000

The report into the fire at Grenfell Tower, which claimed 72 lives in 2017, says the disaster was a devastating critique of failure, incompetence, dishonesty and greed at all levels, in government and business. In a section on how religion was part of the story, the report said Muslims felt abandoned and neglected by the council. But there was one chink of hope. Faith and community organisations, which filled the vacuum left by the authorities and offered sanctuary and support, were described as "the best in humanity".

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders who were there on the front line offer their response to the report's findings and explain how collaboration between the faith groups emerged as people flocked to their buildings for help.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the speakers are: -Bishop Graham Tomlin, formerly Bishop of Kensington -Abdurahman Sayed, CEO Al-Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre -Rev Alan Everett, former vicar at St. Clement's Church, Notting Hill, and author of 'After the Fire' -Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of policy and public affairs, National Churches Trust -Nasima Khanom, psychotherapist working with survivors and relatives

Bishop Graham Tomlin, formerly Bishop of Kensington
Abdurahman Sayed, CEO Al-Manaar, Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
Rev Alan Everett, former vicar at St. Clement's Church, Notting Hill, and author of 'After the Fire'
Eddie Tulasiewicz, head of policy and public affairs, National Churches Trust
Nasima Khanom, psychotherapist working with survivors and relatives
Abdulsami Arjumand, Muslim Charities Forum

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RMC briefing: Kamala Harris and the faith vote

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 18:53:50 +0000

The US Vice President Kamala Harris will be formally nominated as the Democrat's presidential candidate at the party’s convention in Chicago this week. With a Hindu mother, Baptist father and Jewish husband, she embodies religious pluralism in a diverse country. But will this make her more or less appealing to constituencies of faith, or the non-religious?

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the speakers considered how the Democrats, a party with 30 per cent non-religious and 60 per cent Christian, are finding common ground around values, as people decide how to vote, irrespective of faith. The briefing heard the view that the conservative white evangelical support of Donald Trump, with its particular take on Christianity, has pushed the Democrats towards greater clarity that religion and the state are separate and this is what binds their party in a big tent, including people of all faiths and none. Hosted by Rosie Dawson, the speakers were:

Heidi Schlumpf, National Catholic Reporter senior correspondent, who is covering the Convention
Richa Karmarkar, reporter at Religion News Service, primarily covering Hinduism
Alan Cooperman, director of religion research at Pew Research Centre
Dr Melissa Deckman, Chief Executive Officer, Public Religion Research Institute
Hemant Mehta, American author, blogger, and atheist activist
Senator Kim Jackson, Georgia
Rev Canon Broderick Greer, Canon Precentor St John's Cathedral, Denver

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RMC Briefing: Building community after the riots

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:11:38 +0000

Fear and anxiety immediately followed the riots which spread across England last week, with Muslims in particular afraid to leave the house because of the hatred and violence on the streets. But in this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders described how within 24 hours, faith and community leaders sought and found solidarity and support from their neighbours, other faith groups, police, councils and what has been seen as the vast majority of the British public, appalled at what they were witnessing.

Speakers made clear that these were race riots. No group has felt safe and communities of all kinds felt "triggered" by the fact that angry racist outbursts emerged so quickly and were so widespread. The contrast between violence and the overnight reversal to peace has left concerns and questions, which faith leaders addressed in this discussion. Questions about British identity, the need to call out and stop Islamophobia, the need for a government strategy for social cohesion, the essential work of continuing conversations in local communities, and the challenge for teachers dealing with the aftermath when schools return in September.

Many of the participants on this call took part in the Religion Media Centre's Creating Connections events, bringing together faith representatives and the media in towns and cities across England. The host is Leo Devine and the speakers include RE advisers and teachers Ed Pawson, Dr Kate Christopher and Manju Kaur; Muslim leaders Julie Siddiqi and Imam Musharraf Hussein; Community leaders Amrick Singh Ubhi and Rev Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana; and journalists Gary Newby, Content Editor at ITV News Central, and Alex Strangwayes-Booth, formerly BBC and now with CTVC.

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RMC Briefing: The wave of riots and impact on British Muslims

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Zara Mohammed, Phil Champain, Ruth Peacock) — Tue, 6 Aug 2024 17:13:19 +0000

Violent thuggery in more than 20 towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland has targeted British Muslims, who are now in fear for their lives. Mosques have been attacked, hotels with asylum seekers have been surrounded by protesters, shops with Muslim owners have been ransacked or burned, and areas with high immigrant populations have been vandalised with cars overturned and torched, and bricks hurled through windows as families sat inside. Children as young as 14 have been arrested and many people have already been charged and imprisoned.

In this RMC briefing, more than 20 community leaders from all parts of England tell their stories of riots, fear and distress, appeal for support to re-create stability, and express their anger that people outside the towns had come in to organise the trouble. They are shocked at the scale and ferocity of the attacks and while clean-up operations prove there is goodwill, there is also uncertainty over how to restore confidence among Muslims who are too afraid to leave their homes.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, guests were Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain; and Phil Champain, Director of the Faith and Belief Forum. Community leaders joined from Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Bradford, Middlesborough and Plymouth.

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RMC Briefing: Olympics and Religion

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 16:26:09 +0000

For a secular country hosting the 33rd Olympic Games, France finds itself dealing with religion dominating the headlines. The controversial tableau in the rain-swept opening ceremony depicting the Last Supper (or was it the Festival of Dionysius) with drag queens and a woman comedian wearing a crown, widely seen as representing Jesus, caused anger among the French Catholic bishops and conservative Christians across the globe.

Then there was the silver for British swimmer Adam Peaty, who recovered his Olympics spirit with the help of a Christian spiritual adviser - the Olympics has more than 100 chaplains from five world religions. And there is continuing disquiet among French female athletes forbidden from wearing the hijab.

In this briefing, our panel discusses all these stories and what they say about the understanding of laïcité - the separation of church and state - in France.

Ruth Peacock hosted with a panel:

Dr Graham Daniels, General Director, Christians in Sport
Carolyn Skinner, Sports Chaplaincy UK
Elise Ann Allen, Senior Correspondent for Crux in Rome
Catherine Pepinster, journalist in the UK
Prof Jocelyne Cesari, French political scientist and Islamic studies scholar
Dr Jenny Uzzell, researcher on pagan studies
Rev Robert Thompson, on The Last Supper

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RMC Briefing: The swearing in ceremony for MPs united a richly diverse intake around a sacred oath

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 16:48:48 +0000

The three-day swearing in ceremony for MPs in the new parliament has proved a remarkably popular watch, with the oath of allegiance to the King spoken in English, Welsh, Scottish, Gaelic, Irish and Kernewek, on a wide variety of texts including the Bible, Quran, Bhagavad Gita, Sundar Gutka, Tanakh - and none.

The latest tally of MPs’ religious affiliations, outside Christianity, is 12 Sikh, 25 Muslim, 9 Hindu and 14 Jewish. Humanists UK says 40 per cent took an affirmation without swearing on a sacred text - that leaves almost 60 per cent taking the oath on some version of the Bible. But to add confusion, not all religiously affiliated MPs swore on their holy book and at least one known atheist and eight humanists swore on the Bible.

How is religion part of the sacred oath of allegiance, where MPs promise to "be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law"? And is the solemn oath, with whatever words, sufficient to secure basic honesty and trust among our MPs? Leo Devine watched practically every second of the ceremony and discussed the story with guests Paul Kerensa, retired Clerk at the Commons Frank Cranmer, and theologian Sister Gemma Simmonds.

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RMC Briefing: Where next for the Church of England?

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 11:57:48 +0000

The decision by the Church of England general synod in York, to move towards allowing services for same-sex blessings, has once more revealed deep divisions, hurt, anger and anxieties. Speakers in this Religion Media Centre briefing discussed what possible moves could come next to keep the church together, where both sides are certain they are right.

With the conservative evangelical wing planning to appoint "overseers", who will take over the role of bishops in pastoral oversight of people on their side of the divide, the panel discussed whether this was in fact legal. And there was an appeal for the whole church to take lessons from local parishes which stay together amicably despite differences on this issue.

Tim Wyatt hosted with the panel:

Peter Collier KC, retired judge and vicar general of the province of York
Dr Laura Oliver, GP from Preston
Rev Dr Ian Paul, Member of the Archbishops' Council
Rev Jody Stowell, Vicar of St Michael and All Angels, Harrow, and co-convenor of Inclusive Evangelicals
Fr Robert Thompson, St Mary's Kilburn and St James' West Hampstead, LGBTQIA campaigner

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RMC Election Briefing: relationship between faith groups and the government

Wed, 3 Jul 2024 08:21:20 +0000

How should the incoming government work with faith groups in modern, diverse Britain? In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discussed the current vacuum of communication, and heard that Muslims in particular feel alienated and ostracised. The government refuses to speak to the Muslim Council of Britain and there is no mechanism for faith groups to tap into central government.

Meanwhile, the Church of England and the Catholic church among others, have well-established structures allowing access to government ministers. Labour alone in this election has promised to ensure strong partnerships with faith communities including the appointment of a faith minister to lead on engagement with faith communities.

In this briefing, Sir Stephen Timms, the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group of Faith in Society, said the government’s ban on talking to the Muslim Council of Britain was “absolutely absurd” and he was confident that a new Labour government, if elected, would talk to them. He criticised the government’s withdrawal of support to the Interfaith Network, a decision he described as “extraordinarily foolish”.

Lord Jim Wallace spoke for the Liberal Democrats, but the Conservatives did not put forward a spokesperson. The former faith engagement adviser under Boris Johnson, Colin Bloom, outlined the faith and government conversations held during Covid and offered recommendations for future relations.

Other speakers included: Professor Adeela Shafi, Richard Chapman, Marie Southall, Phil Champain, Daniel Singleton, Amrick Singh Ubhi, and Jack Palmer-White.

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RMC Election Briefing: Signs of hope for the planet in manifesto pledges on climate change

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 07:14:10 +0000

Faith groups across the globe are passionately engaged in climate change campaigns, with a deep desire to save the planet. Representatives of faith organisations and campaign groups told this Religion Media Centre election briefing that they saw signs of hope in several of the parties' manifestos.

While each manifesto has different pledges on the date by which net zero may be achieved, and different approaches to fossil fuel excavation, they all have many ambitious commitments to make faster progress on renewable energy sources, with windfarms and solar energy providing the UK’s electricity supply within five years.

The briefing also heard a plea for the next government to prioritise an end to the dumping of raw sewage into rivers and the sea.

Chaired by Ruth Peacock, our panel was:

Steven Croft, The Bishop of Oxford
Dr Timothy Howles, Associate Director, Laudato Si' Research Institute
Amandeep Kaur Mann, founder and director of Eco Sikh UK
Jamie Williams, Senior Policy Advisor with Islamic Relief Worldwide
Oliver Pearce, Chief of Policy at Christian Aid
Mahmooda Qureshi, interfaith campaigner from the Midlands

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RMC Election Briefing: Poverty

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:37:00 +0000

The cost of living is a top election issue, yet the increasing wealth divide and extent of poverty have not really figured in election debates. In this Religion Media Centre briefing, Theos Think Tank pointed to data that indicated the majority of Christians are concerned about the growing wealth divide and want income inequality addressed. And 88 per cent of Christians are dismayed at the cost of living crisis.

Many speakers agreed that poverty has not been given the emphasis it deserves in this election campaign, a feeling particularly strong among Christian charities which described "deep poverty" as people cannot find enough support to even afford the essentials.

There were discussions about taxation, around how it has been portrayed in the campaign as an evil to be guarded against, rather than a passport for the common good. And there was some blue-sky thinking, as people said the current model of state support with charities picking up the pieces showed the system has failed and there was a need for a root-and-branch approach to social inequality in the future.

Chaired by Mick Ord, our speakers were:

Paul Morrison, Joint Public Issues Team, representing several free churches
Phil Callaghan, Trussell Trust Network Church Engagement Manager North West
Gareth McNab, Christians against Poverty director of external affairs
Hannah Fremont-Brown, anti-poverty movement
Mudaser Ali from the Muslim Charities Forum
Stephen Bediako, social entrepreneur
Bishop Mike Royal, Gen Sec of Churches Together in England, on tax as a blessing
Josh Nicholson, senior researcher at the Centre for Social Justice
Bartek Staniszewski, senior research fellow at Bright Blue think tank
George Lapshynov, researcher at Theos Think Tank

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RMC Election Briefing: Immigration

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 17:51:56 +0000

Immigration is among the top four concerns driving voters at the general election, and their religious identity impacts how they regard the issue, according to speakers at a Religion Media Centre briefing.

Polling analysed by the Theos think tank has found that the British public is not overly positive about asylum seekers, but non-practising Anglicans have the coldest approach to the issue, a response which was described as “deeply depressing” in the briefing. Speakers pointed out that asylum seekers form just five per cent of the total net migration, yet all the focus is on them.

The briefing discussed the Rwanda scheme and ways to tackle gangs bringing in migrants on boats across the Channel; the need to control the flow of migration to give public confidence and the faith imperative to treat people with dignity and love your neighbour.

The speakers included: Zara Mohammed, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain; Liam Allmark, Jesuit Refugee Service; Krish Kandiah, founder of the Sanctuary Foundation; Paul Bickley, head of political engagement at Theos Think Tank; and Sebastian Milbank, executive editor of The Critic.

This is one of a series of briefings organised by the Religion Media Centre on how religion is intertwined with the public debate on issues in the General Election 2024. For more information on Religion Media Centre briefings: info@religionmediacentre.org.uk

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RMC Election Briefing: Education

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 09:28:12 +0000

A range of experts from across the education and faith spectrum joined this Religion Media Centre election briefing, reviewing the various parties’ manifestos on education. It’s a topic not regarded as a key election priority issue by voters, who instead tend to focus on the economy, the NHS and immigration.

But religion is long associated with education in Britain, with a third of all schools having a faith foundation. Concerns were expressed on a shortage of teachers, contraction of arts subjects at universities which affects departments of Theology and Religious Studies, and the continuing campaign to remove a 50 per cent cap on faith school admissions, a move frozen in parliament because the election was called.

The proposed 20 per cent VAT hike on private school fees is causing real anxiety among independent schools, especially the smaller ones affiliated with minority British religions with lower fees, less affluent parents and determination to choose a faith school for their child. The briefing heard an appeal for any future Labour government to provide extra capacity in the state system before bringing in the tax change. Speakers included:

-Rev Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Trust
-Rudi Eliott Lockhart, Chief Executive Officer at the Independent Schools Association
-Raisel Freedman, assistant director of the Partnership for Jewish Schools
-Prof John Lydon and Dr Caroline Heely from the Catholic Union
-Ashfaque Chowdhury, chair Association of Muslim Schools
-Dr Lois Lee and Dr Tim Hutchings, on university funding and the study of religion
-Deborah Weston, from NATRE, on RE in schools
-Paul Bickley, head of political engagement at Theos Think Tank

Future briefings will look at how religion impacts the election issues of immigration, poverty and climate change. Details from info@religionmediacentre.org.uk

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RMC Briefing: Religion and the UK General Election 2024

Tue, 4 Jun 2024 17:07:48 +0000

How will people from the religious traditions in the UK affect the vote in the General Election on 4 July? The majority of the UK population is affiliated to a religion - 63 per cent in England and Wales, 49 per cent in Scotland and 83 per cent in Northern Ireland. And in this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith representatives explained the issues for each group which will sway the vote, in addition to the usual election battlegrounds of the economy, the NHS and immigration.

This time a foreign policy issue - response to the war in Gaza - supersedes others for many Muslims. Antisemitism is a key issue for Jewish voters. Immigration and wealth tax are issues for some Hindu voters. And for Christians, it’s around social issues such as asylum seekers, poverty and support for families.

The briefing heard from researchers at the think tank Theos which has analysed voting data to discover the influence of religion on engagement, ideology and voting trends. One of its findings is that if Nigel Farage wants to make a pitch for a religious vote for his right-wing organisation Reform, then he should pitch to non-practising nostalgic Anglicans.

Rosie Dawson hosted the briefing with guests:
-Paul Bickley, head of political engagement at Theos Think Tank
-George Lapshynov, political researcher at Theos Think Tank
-Sophie Cartwright, Jesuit Refugee service
-Catherine Pepinster, Catholic commentator
-Abubakr Nanabawa, national coordinator for the Muslim Vote campaign
-Prof Adeela Shafi, founder of the Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership Group
-Miqdaad Versi, director for media monitoring at the Muslim Council of Britain
-Jagdev Virdee, Editor British Sikh Report
-Daniel Sugarman, Director of Public Affairs for the Board of Deputies
-Dr Subir Sinha, director of the SOAS South Asia Institute

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RMC Briefing: "Religion Counts" - Theos report into religion and voting patterns in elections

Wed, 15 May 2024 17:00:06 +0000

The Theos Think Tank has analysed data from the British Election Survey on the correlation between religion and election voting. It indicates that religiously affiliated voters are more likely to vote on polling day than non-religious voters.

Anglicans are the group most likely to vote. Overall they tend to vote Conservative, but those who attend church regularly are more likely to vote Labour. Catholics are floating voters, with their traditional support for Labour swinging to the Tories in 2019-2020, a trend that is now reversing. There is no clear party preference among other Christian denominations.

Muslims tend to vote Labour - though this may have taken a knock because of the party’s stance on the Gaza conflict. And non-religious Britons vote more consistently for Labour. The reports are on the Theos' website:
https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/religion-counts-2024

Rosie Dawson hosted this briefing with report authors: Paul Bickley, Theos head of political engagement; George Lapshynov, Theos political researcher; and Dr Yinxuan Huang, Bible Society.

And commentators: Dr Siobhan McAndrew, Senior Lecturer, Politics, Philosophy and Economics, University of Sheffield; Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General Muslim Council of Britain; and Keith Kahn Harris, associate fellow of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and a lecturer at Leo Baeck College.

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RMC Briefing: United Methodist Church votes for same-sex equality but still divided

Fri, 10 May 2024 09:57:34 +0000

The decision by the United Methodist Church to row back on anti-gay legislation dating back 50 years came after overwhelming votes in favour at the general conference in Charlotte. But the picture that paints of a “super liberal, progressive” church with all traditionalists having left, is not accurate, according to researchers who have tested the opinions of clergy and congregations.

Drs Joseph Roso and David Eagle from Duke University were among the panellists at our Religion Media Centre briefing and explained their research, conducted in North Carolina in 2021. They found both clergy and congregations of those that remain are divided - but determined to stay. This leaves ministers who have to bridge the divide and keep everyone together, suffering high levels of stress with half more likely to report symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, and others experiencing burnout or a desire to leave.

Their most recent research indicates the situation has calmed down and clergy are finding ways to navigate the terrain. The briefing also discussed the decision to give each global region the power to make decisions according to their culture, a 40 per cent budget cut after disaffiliation and Covid, the vote in favour of moving to full communion with the Episcopalian church, and the view of a British delegate that the votes marked a moment of rebirth for the United Methodist Church.

Ruth Peacock hosted this briefing with guests:
-Heather Hahn, United Methodist News, assistant news editor
-Steven Adair, Director of Local Church Services, United Methodist Communications
-Rev Lindsey Baynham Freeman, lead of the Virginia delegation and chair of the Ordained Ministry Legislative
-Dr Joseph Roso, and Dr David Eagle, Duke University
-Rev Jennifer Smith, superintendent minister, Wesley's Chapel, London
-Bishop Mande Muyombo, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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RMC Briefing: Ban on prayer rituals in a London school raises questions on religion in multicultural Britain

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:16:10 +0000

The decision by the High Court to back the ban on prayer rituals at the Michaela School in North London has provoked a wide discussion on the place of religion in schools and what it means to live in a multicultural society.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, we hear from a lawyer who says the judgment is surprising and is concerned it may be viewed as the model of a secular way forward, when it is simply a judgment on one school at one time. An academic points out that the Muslim population in Britain is young and the case has politicised a local disagreement creating a moral panic with ramifications for Muslims.

The Michaela school ethos that community takes precedence over the individual with all religions making concessions in order to achieve inclusion is only one form of multiculturalism, which is not clearly defined in Britain as in France with its policy of Laïcité, according to another university teacher. He says in Britain, the pattern of multiculturalism is achieved through a gradual evolution of values, laws and measures emerging over time.

Questions were raised on guidance to schools about the place of religion, where faith schools are subject to inspection on belief, values and ethos, whereas state schools, some with a large majority of students from one religion, are not. But it was pointed out that Christianity is still the starting point in all schools reflecting British tradition, with compulsory daily collective worship, broadly Christian in character.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the panel is:
-Dr Azim Ahmed, deputy director of the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, based in Cardiff.
-Prof Russell Sandberg, professor of Law at Cardiff University and author of many books on law and religion.
-Ed Pawson, Educational consultant and RE adviser.
-Dr Joseph Downing, International Relations and Politics, Aston University and fellow of the LSE on minority rights, migration and Islam in France.

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RMC Briefing: How Covid-19 changed the rituals and practice of cremation in Britain

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:09:14 +0000

A report into the work of cremation and crematorium staff during Covid and how it changed the industry has described their common feeling that they were taken for granted or ignored. Not regarded as key workers, they nevertheless felt a responsibility to ensure the death care system didn't fall apart as the number of bodies for cremation increased by 23 per cent in 2020.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discussed lessons learned and changing rituals which have continued. Live transmission of funeral services is one, alongside invitation-only funerals and an acknowledgement of the role of cremation staff in bereavement processes.

But the biggest legacy is the drive towards direct cremation, where the body is cremated without a funeral service. These increased from 5 to 15 per cent of the total during Covid and are still as popular today. There is concern that people nearing death opt for this to save the family from expense and turmoil, whereas there is general agreement that the funeral arrangements are for the benefit of the bereaved not the deceased. It's feared that the absence of a ritual send-off leads to a failure to grieve properly, storing up mental health issues in the future.

Ruth Peacock hosted this discussion with report authors Rev Prof Douglas Davies, Director of the Centre for Death and Life Studies at the University of Durham; and Dr Georgina Robinson. They were joined by Alan Jose, who has spent his entire career in the industry and is now ambassador for the Westerleigh Group; and Julie Dunk, CEO of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management.

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RMC Briefing: Vatican report on grave threats to human dignity

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:40:16 +0000

The Vatican's declaration on human dignity, Dignitas Infinita, has created headlines on what it says about sex change operations. Its 12,000 words conclude there are many grave threats to human dignity on issues such as poverty, human trafficking and war, alongside sexual and reproductive ethics. But although the section on gender theory, surrogacy, abortion and sex change operations is only 1,000 words long, it is dominating the reports.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discussed why the document appeared to row back from more liberal moves on sexual ethics, with the Pope earlier giving the green light to gay blessings. Panellists suggested there had been a lack of consultation with trans and LGBTQ+ people, in contrast to moves towards great involvement of lay people in decision-making through synod discussions.

There was concern that the report would be used as a weapon against trans people, as those outside the church picked up comments from church leaders to attack groups they don't like. And in America, where Catholic health institutions care for around one in five people, there was concern that new church directives on issues including gender transition may reflect the Vatican report and persuade people to offer "a condemnatory, or even a ban" on gender change operations.

Hosted by Leo Devine, our panellists were: Christopher White, Vatican correspondent of the National Catholic Reporter; Robert Shine, Associate Director of New Ways Ministry, which campaigns for LGBTQ+ equity, inclusion, and justice; and Canon Sarah Jones, trans Anglican priest.

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RMC Briefing: Passion Plays and Antisemitism

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:36:06 +0000

There's a resurgence of interest across the world in Passion Plays, which depict the story of Jesus from Palm Sunday to the resurrection. The main one in Britain is at Trafalgar Square, produced by the Wintershall Trust, which attracts audiences of 20,000. There are at least twenty others taking place in towns and cities across Britain. But this year they are staged against a backdrop of heightened community tension and rising antisemitism after the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discusses how producers are paying closer attention to words, settings and costume this year in order to remove antisemitism, while Jewish communities report anxiety over the way Jews are portrayed in the dramas. A rabbi tells the briefing that the British Jewish community is small and most people who see a Passion Play will never knowingly meet a Jew here, so what is said about them is a huge responsibility. Hosted by Ruth Peacock, the panel is:

-Rev Dr Nathan Eddy, Do-Director, Council of Christians and Jews
-Dr Katie Turner, Consultant on visual depictions of the Bible
-Prof Jolyon Mitchell, Principal, St John's College Durham
-Charlotte de Klee, producer of the Wintershall Passion of Jesus
-Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue
-Alex Stewart-Clark, trustee of The Passion Trust

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RMC Briefing: Tackling religious hatred

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:00:20 +0000

The UK is experiencing a swirl of headlines and widespread concern at the extent of hatred targeting Muslim and Jewish communities. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, there has been a huge rise in incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism, and arguments over the policing of pro-Palestine marches where chanting and banners have caused offence.

News headlines have been dominated by rows over Islamophobic comments by politicians. The Prime Minister delivered a speech on the steps of Downing Street warning that extremist forces are trying to tear the country apart. The government's response is to redefine extremism but this has been met with alarm by both archbishops who say that in itself will divide the country and vilify the wrong people.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders discuss how religious hatred can be tackled. It became clear that neither the anti-Muslim hatred working group nor the cross-government working group on antisemitism have met since before the Covid pandemic. Community leaders said they felt let down and abandoned. Ruth Peacock hosted with guests:

-Akeela Ahmed, the chair of independent members on the government’s anti-Muslim hatred working group.
-Imam Qari Asim, who was sacked as the government's adviser on Islamophobia in 2022 after comments on the "Our Lady of Heaven" film.
-Daniel Sugarman, public affairs director at the Board of Deputies.
-Rabbi Debbie Long-Somers of Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue.
-Prof Adeela Ahmed Shafi, co-founder of the Bristol Muslim Strategic Leadership Group.

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RMC Briefing: Church of England after February 2024 General Synod

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 09:04:45 +0000

The Church of England has been boiling over in recent months, with divisions on same-sex blessings and frustration at the debacle over safeguarding, with talk of parishes withholding money and calls for an alternative set of bishops. But the February 2024 General Synod struck a different tone. There were some issues on which the whole synod agreed, such as more churches on housing estates. And the clergy felt appreciated, with open discussion on their pay and pensions and moves to deal with rebellious church councils.

But on same-sex blessings, the synod is stuck, unable to find two thirds in favour of any current proposal, so the lead bishop appealed for peace and reconciliation and agreed to provide clear proposals on how the church can stay together. The church’s bureaucratic failures on safeguarding were displayed in two highly critical reports, and the synod decided to move forward with a plan, despite a disagreement over the way this would be done.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, Rosie Dawson spoke to some of the leading voices from the synod to find out if a page had been turned and a split averted. Her guests included: Prof Helen King; Ven Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes; Rev Dr Andrew Goddard; Rev John Bavington, Great Horton, Bradford; Susie Leafe, Anglican Futures; Debbie Buggs, Church Pastoral Aid Society; and Paul Waddell, representing Southwark diocese.

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RMC Briefing: 35th anniversary of Inform, which researches new religious movements

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 19:12:27 +0000

The charity Inform (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements) has just celebrated its 35th anniversary and in this briefing, we look back at its work with founder, Professor Eileen Barker; honorary director, Dr Suzanne Newcombe; and senior research officer, Dr Sarah Harvey.

Inform's role has always been to research and communicate information about minority religions, sects and new religious movements. Over 35 years, the landscape has changed from clearly visible groups like the Moonies and the Children of God, to invisible networks on social media, where ideas bounce and re-emerge across them all, and increasingly new groups within mainstream traditions. The continuing growth of new religious movements across the board looks certain to secure Inform's future, with Dr Newcombe observing that "people's beliefs and practices are not going away, they're just changing contexts. And even if it appears that people aren't identifying with institutional religion, they're still doing similar things".

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RMC Briefing: The Alexis Jay report on safeguarding in the Church of England

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 19:45:54 +0000

A report by Prof Alexis Jay into safeguarding in the Church of England recommends two new charities should be set up to deliver and scrutinise safeguarding operations, and they should be entirely separate from the church. It says the current safeguarding system is “flawed and cannot be sufficiently improved whilst it remains within church oversight” and needs to fundamentally change to restore the confidence of victims, survivors and clergy.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, our panel discuss the report’s tough criticism of the current safeguarding system on seven key issues including inconsistent systems across all 42 dioceses, failure to collect data and lack of independent scrutiny. They consider how this major change can be implemented when confidence and trust are at an all-time low. And they voice complaints that this is another structural change which will be forced through like those which failed before, and that the same people involved in the collapse of the last system have been assembled to oversee the setting up of the new charities, with an absence of survivors at the heart.

Ruth Peacock hosts, with guests: Julie Conalty, the Bishop of Birkenhead; Rev Dr Ian Paul, member of the Archbishops’ Council; Andrew Graystone, advocate for survivors of church abuse; Jane Chevous, co-founder of Survivors Voices; and Justin Humphries, CEO of Thirtyone Eight, a Christian organisation dealing with safeguarding.

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RMC Briefing: The "devastating, outrageous" impending closure of the Inter Faith Network

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:42:14 +0000

The impending closure of the Inter Faith Network after 37 years has shocked and dismayed faith leaders across the UK. The government says it is withdrawing funding because a new IFN trustee is associated with the Muslim Council of Britain, an organisation which the government will not speak to due to a dispute in 2009.

The Inter Faith Network was set up to raise awareness and understanding of different faith communities and promote good interfaith relations. It has supported local initiatives and brought together national faith organisations to provide opportunities for safe dialogue, especially needed during the flashpoints of the Rushdie book burning, 9/11 and terrorist attacks in the UK.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, speakers said its role was more important than ever at the moment against the background of war in the Middle East. So the decision to withdraw funding was outrageous and devastating, leading to predictions that dialogue will wither. Rosie Dawson hosted this discussion with many speakers including Dr Harriet Crabtree, executive director Inter Faith Network; Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra; Dr Ed Kessler, founder director of the Woolf Institute; the Bishop of Bradford Toby Howarth; and Bishop Patrick McKinney, lead Catholic bishop for inter-religious dialogue; plus many local interfaith activists.

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RMC briefing: Church leaders, asylum seekers and conversions in Britain

Fri, 9 Feb 2024 16:35:40 +0000

Church leaders have hit back at allegations that they are naively backing fraudulent asylum claims by accepting the validity of fake conversions. In a Religion Media Centre briefing, The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani said wisdom and discernment needed to be applied to the conversion process and it should not be seen as a ticket to get someone magically through the asylum process. There was no “cast-iron set of criteria to be 100 per cent sure of what’s going on in people’s hearts and minds”.

The Tory MP Tim Loughton, who asked in the Commons whether the Archbishop of Canterbury was effectively “scamming the taxpayer” over fake asylum claims, told the briefing that the Church of England's guidance should encourage clergy to test the validity of conversions. And he believed the smaller Christian groups and churches needed to create their own guidelines for work with asylum seekers, in association with the Home Office.

Ruth Peacock hosted this discussion, which also included: Emily Shepherd, CEO of the Welcome Churches Network; Pastor Graham Nicholls, director of the Affinity network of evangelical churches; Krish Kandiah, founder and CEO of The Sanctuary Foundation, Gulwali Passarlay, former asylum seeker; and the Rev Jonathan Keyworth, formerly Heywood Baptist church, Manchester, which has a large Iranian congregation.

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RMC Briefing: National Churches Trust on saving church buildings

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:54:10 +0000

The National Churches Trust has published a manifesto calling for urgent action to save the UK’s church buildings. ‘Every Church Counts’ sets out a six-point plan to support volunteers, make more use of church buildings for the community, achieve annual government funding of £50 million for maintenance and repairs, work with tourism organisations to make more of their heritage, keep them open for the community outside worship times, and collect the information and data on church buildings and their role.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discusses the current situation where churches are forced to close. They explore the options for keeping them maintained, functioning and open as assets in their communities. Chaired by Rosie Dawson, our panel is:

Sir Philip Rutnam, chair of the National Churches Trust
Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust
Bishop Vivienne Faull, one of two lead bishops for church and cathedral buildings
Emily Gee, Director for Cathedral and Church Buildings for the Church of England
Rev Scott Rennie, the Vice-Chair of the General Trustees Church of Scotland
Alex Glanville, Head of Property Services Church in Wales
Sophie Andreae, Vice-chair of the Patrimony Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference

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RMC Briefing: How will the Media Bill affect religious broadcasting in the UK?

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 17:14:31 +0000

The Media Bill going through parliament will change the landscape for public service broadcasters — the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, STV and S4C. They are being given powers for more flexible programming and the requirement to include specific genres of programmes on religion, science and arts will be removed. Questions have been raised as to whether this endangers the provision of religious broadcasting, where there has already been a dramatic decline over the past ten years.

In this briefing, our panel discuss the bill and the campaign to ensure hours of religious programming continue to be catalogued and reviewed. Ruth Peacock hosted, with panellists: Bishop Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, and lead bishop on the media in the House of Lords; Roger Bolton, journalist and broadcaster; Professor Kim Knott, author of 'Media Portrayals of Religion and the Secular Sacred'; Gareth Barr, Director of Policy and Regulation, ITV; Mark Friend, author of BBC Religion and Ethics Review 2017; David Strachan, trustee of Sandford St Martin Trust.

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RMC Briefing: Look ahead to news stories about religion in 2024

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 13:17:47 +0000

Reporters on religion joined our panel to look ahead at the stories likely to make the headlines in 2024, within the UK and around the world. They unpacked headlines such as the way religion will be interwoven in the US and UK election campaigns, the response to war in Israel / Gaza and its impact among religious groups here, a split in the Church of England over same-sex blessings, Pope Francis and the Rome synod, alongside long-running stories on climate change, poverty and freedom of religion.

Our panel included our own reporters Tim Wyatt, Catherine Pepinster, Amardeep Bassey and Julia Bicknell, with guests Madeleine Davies, senior writer, Church Times; Bob Smietana, national reporter for the US Religion News Service; Peter Robertson, senior journalist at Christian Aid; and Paul Bickley, Director of Political Engagement at Theos.

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RMC Briefing: Church of England trial services for same-sex blessings

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 13:50:09 +0000

The Church of England has agreed to introduce standalone services for blessing same-sex couples, for a trial period, following a marathon 10-hour debate at the general synod. But the church is deeply divided, with just four votes in it as the final proposal passed.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel spoke of their concern at the tight votes, the lack of consensus, the possibility of schism and the prospect of “years and years more” of discussion over alternative structures for people who disagree. LGBT people welcomed the outcome as a gentle, positive move forward, but they found the debate with familiar arguments against same-sex relationships were “ intensely painful”. There was a reluctance to talk of schism, but bewilderment as to how the opposing sides could still be in the same church. And there was an acknowledgment that this was a watershed moment, a shift following decades of argument.

Rosie Dawson hosted with panelists: Bishop Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster; Canon Andrew Goddard; Professor Helen King; Rev Dr Charlie Bell; Susie Leafe; Rev Dr Patrick Richmond; Ven Mark Ireland; Canon Dr Mandy Ford.

RMC Briefing: 50 years of reporting religion on the BBC's Sunday programme

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 09:05:35 +0000

The Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4 has been going for more than 50 years, reporting and explaining stories about religion across the globe. To mark the 50-year milestone, SPCK has brought out a book simply called "Sunday", written by presenter Ed Stourton, and producer and editor Amanda Hancox. They identify 19 topics which the programme has reported and returned to over the decades, from internal Church of England rows to global political shifts.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, past reporters, presenters and producers remember the stand-out moments and the camaraderie that kept the programme lively and sharp. Ruth Peacock hosted, with guests Amanda Hancox, Mike Wooldridge, Emily Buchanan, Trevor Barnes, Alison Hilliard, Christopher Landau and Tim Maby.

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RMC Briefing: Budget cuts by Meta and BBC 'a hammer blow' to community journalism

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:50:56 +0000

Community reporting in England is under threat, as Meta (formerly Facebook) withdraws a multi-million-pound scheme providing community reporters, and the BBC cuts local radio broadcasting hours to become regional instead. Editors representing local publishing groups said the cut was like a hammer blow and they are trying to secure alternative funding, speaking to MPs for support.

In a Religion Media Centre briefing, they agreed that the future lies in collaboration between all engaged in local community journalism, including independent neighbourhood titles, community broadcasters and the BBC which is planning to hire local digital reporters for more online content. There was also a plea to emphasise that every reporter is a community reporter and all should have the skills and knowledge to enable them to reflect under-reported communities.

Leo Devine hosted this briefing with guests:

Amardeep Bassey, community reporter based in the West Midlands
Mary Dowson, Director and one of the founders of Bradford Community Broadcasting
Toby Granville, Editorial Director at Newsquest Media Group and board director of the National Council for the Training of Journalists
Robert Barman, Managing Editor, KM Media Group, Iliffe Media
Helen Dalby, Audience and Content Director, Reach PLC
Dr Liam McCarthy, Honorary Fellow, Department of History, Politics & International Relations, University of Leicester, and former Managing Editor of BBC Radios Leicester Sheffield and Nottingham, and Head of BBC Local Radio Training
Dr Rachel Matthews, Coventry University, former newspaper reporter and lecturer on regional newspapers and communities
Dr David Baines, Newcastle University, lecturer on journalism, localities and communities

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RMC Big Interview: Robert Jones - The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and why America needs to get to grips with them

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Robert Jones, Rosie Dawson) — Fri, 8 Sep 2023 16:29:08 +0000

In this Religion Media Centre Big Interview, Rosie Dawson speaks to Robert Jones about his latest book - "The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future".

Origin stories are really important – they determine how America sees itself, and they are one of the reasons why we’re fighting so much over our history, right now,” says Robert P Jones, founder and president of Public Policy Research Institute in Washington DC.

In his latest book - "The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future" - Robert Jones argues that the stories America tells itself about its beginnings need to reach back beyond the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to the year 1493 when a Papal bull enshrining the “doctrine of discovery” gave European settlers divine justification for the enslavement and genocide of Native American peoples. Jones believes that it is only by coming to terms with this history that America can build a shared future.

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Shortage of RE teachers in “dangerous cycle” within religious education

Wed, 6 Sep 2023 19:03:03 +0000

Headteachers, especially in urban areas with multiple nationalities, are enthusiastic about providing Religious Education, as children are surrounded in daily life by different religious dress, symbols and customs. And the future of all children, from rural or urban settings, is global, with many religions, many cultures, many languages and a competitive global market.

Religious Education has a unique place in the school curriculum, spanning different subject areas, but it is hard to provide, with fewer trained specialist teachers and a crowded curriculum. This year’s exam results showed GCSE is stable with RE remaining as the 7th most popular subject, A-level results showed a slight dip in entries, fewer students chose to study Theology or Religious Studies at university, and fewer have chosen to train to teach RE, forming a “dangerous cycle”.

In this Religion Media Centre briefing, teachers, academics and RE advisers discussed the state of RE and how to secure its future. This includes rebranding RE as Religion and Worldviews, or in Wales, Religion Values and Ethics, providing education on how people understand, interpret and respond to the world from religious and non-religious perspectives. It also includes a plea for a national plan to support high standards in RE provision and bursaries to encourage new teachers.

Hosted by Ruth Peacock, our panelists are: Deborah Weston, Chair of the RE Policy Unit for NATRE, the REC and RE Today; Dr Tim Hutchings, University of Nottingham TRS-UK; Heather Marshall, Senior Lecturer and Religious Education PGCE Course Leader at Edge Hill University; Claire Clinton, Director RE hubs project; Jennifer Harding-Richards, Wales RE hub lead; Manjit Kaur, chair of Coventry and Warwickshire SACRE; and Ed Pawson, Deputy Chair of the Religious Education Council.

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Religion Media Festival 2023: Onjali Rauf, children's author, on the legacy of Tintin

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Onjali Rauf, Hannah Scott-Joynt) — Fri, 1 Sep 2023 12:59:48 +0000

Children's book author Onjali Rauf told the Religion Media Festival 2023 that children should not be overly protected from the problems of the world today. When she speaks in schools, she finds that children ask tough and great questions, which she describes as the “Tintin moment”, after the boy reporter in Hergé's stories, who kept asking questions to solve baffling mysteries. That is why, when delivering any talk, she carries with her a toy dog like Snowy, Tintin's loyal companion.

Tintin’s legacy, she believes, “centres on the courage to ask your question, to move forward and try to find the answers”, a quest for the truth linked to journalism. She explained that the children ask her questions arising from the bold themes she confronts in her books, from her best-seller "The Boy at the Back of the Class", the story of a refugee who finds a kind friend when he arrives at a UK school, to domestic abuse, being in foster care, suddenly losing a parent and being homeless.

Addressing the festival, she spoke of her public role as a woman of visible faith and campaigner for the rights of women and refugees. Following Onjali's address, presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt teased out the story with her own set of questions.

The festival was held at the JW3 Centre in North London, with a programme organised by the Religion Media Centre.

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Religion Media Festival 2023: Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar on rebranding RE as religion and worldviews

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Opinderjit Kaur Takhar) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 09:13:47 +0000

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, president of Theology and Religious Studies UK, told the Religion Media Festival 2023 of her passion to ensure that the study of religion is given a degree of seriousness in schools and is part of the national curriculum. But it was time to rebrand religious education to reflect world views and lived experiences, so “world views” was a good way forward. She said it was about moving away from the textbook and focusing on lived experience - ethical issues, morality, religion, politics, history.

Dr Takhar, who is also director of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies at Wolverhampton University, said the media representation of Sikhs in Britain was important and she condemned the recent report, Does Government Do God, by the government faith adviser, Colin Bloom, as wrong and damaging to the reputation of the Sikh community. However, she did agree with the recommendation to improve religious literacy across the board.

The festival was held at the JW3 Centre in North London, with a programme organised by the Religion Media Centre.

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RMC Big Interview: Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan's Purse

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Franklin Graham, Roger Bolton) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 11:44:19 +0000

The American evangelist Franklin Graham, who believes Donald Trump defends the Christian faith, now confirms that Trump definitely lost the 2020 election. In an interview with Roger Bolton for the Religion Media Centre, he said there was no question the election was lost, though he acknowledged that millions of people do not believe that.

Aged 71, Franklin Graham attracts thousands at his rallies around the world, following in the footsteps of his father, Billy Graham. He is returning to Britain for a rally at the Excel Centre in London on Saturday 26 August entitled “God Loves You”.

In his interview, Mr Graham made clear his unchanging views on the infallibility of the Bible, the need for conversion, the certainty of hellfire for unbelievers and a prohibition on gay sex. This caused controversy in Britain, where all eight of his rallies in 2020 were cancelled after protests that his views were divisive.

But he took legal action and won, re-instating many of the events. Mr Graham believes that God has called him to preach, but he does not regard himself as special to other evangelists, although his events attract many thousands of people: “I’ve tried to use these opportunities in life that God has opened up and use them for his glory,” he said.

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RMC Big Interview: Sir David Lidington shocked at total breakdown of trust in the CofE

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (David Lidington, Roger Bolton) — Wed, 2 Aug 2023 08:37:39 +0000

Sir David Lidington, once the de facto deputy prime minister under Theresa May, and long-standing member of the Church of England, has spoken of his shock at discovering a total breakdown of trust within the church: "I was used to acrimony in politics, but I hadn’t expected to find it in the church”.

In this RMC "Big Interview", Sir David told Roger Bolton of the deep suspicion he found at all levels while writing "The National Church Governance Report", which proposes an overhaul of CofE structures. He said the mistrust “bedevilled” efforts to bring people together when confronting divisive issues such as same-sex marriage or the safeguarding process.

The new governance proposals could take two years to be enacted, and Sir David said he hoped restructuring would contribute to a rebuilding of trust. But a change of culture was also needed to move the CofE into a “more trustful direction where people do have greater confidence in each other”.

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Explainer: Coronation Service of King Charles III

Thu, 4 May 2023 10:49:06 +0000

The rich pageantry, sacred music and innovative liturgy will make the coronation service of King Charles III a profound statement of how the modern era meets a thousand-year-old tradition. Royal authors, the Rev Prof Ian Bradley and journalist Catherine Pepinster, were joined by Canon Prof Alison Milbank to analyse the order of service.

Their overriding impression is to note the centrality of the idea of service from beginning to end, and its very Protestant nature.

They discuss the historical involvement of non-Anglican clergy in prayers of blessing, including the contribution of Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the first time a Roman Catholic has been involved in a coronation since the Reformation.

They talk about the significance of the presence of faith leaders, carrying regalia or offering greetings to the King, which is a significant break with tradition, reflecting the King’s long-standing interest in all faiths.

They shed insight on the oaths where the King swears he is a faithful Protestant and pledges to maintain the Protestant Reformed religion, both of which remain intact. Their explanation is that the Church, the Government and the Palace ran out of time to introduce the necessary Act of Parliament to change the oath to something more inclusive.

The now infamous request for the public to pledge allegiance to the King provokes polar opposite views, from immense scepticism to gratitude that the public is included in some way.

They suggest that the ritual, music and words may make this coronation even longer than the late Queen’s, certainly not less than two hours.

As for the long-lasting impact of the service on the public, they said this would depend in some part on how broadcasters shape their commentary. If they keep their counsel at the moment when the King is anointed in secrecy behind a canopy, then this would be a very profound sacred moment.

This podcast should be used in tandem with Catherine Pepinster’s explainer: "Order of Service – the coronation of King Charles III"

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RMC Big Interview: Gavin Calver, CEO Evangelical Alliance

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Gavin Calver, Roger Bolton) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 10:20:12 +0000

The Evangelical Alliance has cautioned evangelicals within the Church of England that it is too early to leave in protest at same-sex blessings, because the pastoral guidance, including words for the prayers of blessing, has not been issued yet. CEO Gavin Calver, speaking to Roger Bolton for the Religion Media Centre Big Interview, said that a number of Anglican churches will probably join his organisation because they are seeking unity with other evangelicals while staying put in a challenging situation.

Large evangelical Anglican churches have announced they are withholding money from central church organisations and threatening to break away in protest. Evangelicals base their objection to same-sex relationships on interpretations of seven verses in the Bible, which they believe is “the inspired word of God”. Mr Calver confirmed that he believed every word of the Bible was true, though he conceded there was a development on ideas within the text, with teachings in the New Testament superseding some of the old.

While church attendance in England is in general decline, he said the Evangelical Alliance had seen the biggest growth in individual membership in 25 years, over the past twelve months. His ambition is to grow individual membership from 19,000 to 50,000. He also addressed the importance of speaking out on behalf of “the least and the lost”, his rejection of the idea that all faiths lead to heaven, and the danger of all-powerful leaders without accountability.

Mr Calver is the latest in a family dynasty to lead the Evangelical Alliance, having followed his father Clive and his grandfather Gilbert. He acknowledged that the job could be really hard and he coped by “running with Jesus” for an hour every morning when he said God spoke to him. He also spends two hours a week escaping from it all watching AFC Wimbledon: “One Jesus, one football team, one wife. If I can stay loyal to all three, I’ve done my bit.”

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Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury for 10 years, steering the CofE through a troubled decade

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 11:16:59 +0000

Justin Welby was virtually unknown outside Anglican circles when he became Archbishop of Canterbury in March 2013. Ten tumultuous years later, the mild-mannered Old Etonian has become a globally recognised figure, having helped the Church of England navigate troubled times, ranging from bitter theological disputes over women bishops and gay relationships to the Covid pandemic and the death of Queen Elizabeth.

His leadership style, achievements, and legacy were reflected upon during this Religion Media Centre briefing to mark 10 years since he took up the post.

The panel discussed the key flashpoints he has faced - deep divisions over sexuality, the consultation Living in Love and Faith leading to a vote to allow blessings for gay couples, the resulting row with evangelicals and traditionalists threatening to leave, damning reports on safeguarding issues over multiple cases of sex abuse, new initiatives to combat racism in the church, falling church membership, loss of income leading to church closures, evangelistic missions regarded as a threat to the parish system, more bureaucracy, and bishops.

Yet he has successes - he got through a measure allowing women to be bishops, he led a successful Lambeth conference of global Anglicans healing fractures for a while over sexuality, and he has spoken out on issues of morality, poverty, refugees, gambling, climate change, and peacemaking.

The panel discussed the personal toll of dealing with multiple crises, but he is regarded as a “gentle leader” whose self-deprecating humility meant he was not afraid to ask for help. He is 67, three years away from the mandatory retirement age for all CofE bishops and he has said he has no plans to stand down.

Our panel: Bishop Paul Bayes, the former Bishop of Liverpool; Rev Prof Alison Milbank, University of Nottingham, on the steering committee of Save the Parish; Prof Helen King, member of General Synod and the Living in Love and Faith project; Canon Dr. Anderson Jeremiah, University of Lancaster and former member of the Archbishop's Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns.

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Campaign launched to solve RE teacher shortage

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 10:01:29 +0000

A campaign to attract a new generation of RE teachers has been launched by a number of Religious Education teaching organisations after applications plummeted by a third this year.

The reasons given were workload, pay and retention, alongside outdated perceptions that RE teachers must have a theology degree and/or a religious belief.

In a Religion Media Centre briefing, our panel explained how RE has changed from Christian instruction to an exploration of world views, helping young people move into a world where they have to navigate complex, challenging, and difficult issues.

Young people and their parents are starting to value it more, but school systems haven’t caught up with the changes.

The “Beyond the Ordinary” campaign aims to attract graduates and others wanting a career change, and our briefing suggested university theology and religious studies departments have a key role in encouraging new recruits.

The shortage of qualified RE teachers means many lessons are delivered by teachers with no specialist training and this may be behind an increase in demand for local religious leaders to come into schools to explain their faith. The briefing heard of a project to consider rules of best practice, warning of the damage that can be done if the wrong kind of thing is said – all the more reason to ensure the provision of qualified RE teachers.

Our panel was: Dr Kathryn Wright, Chief executive, Culham St Gabriel's Trust; Dr Tim Hutchings, Assistant Professor in Religious Ethics at the University of Nottingham; Heather Williams, associate tutor in Religious Education at Edge Hill University, Liverpool; and Catherine Hughes, chair of SACRE at St Helens, Merseyside.

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Pope Francis marks ten years in office

Thu, 9 Mar 2023 09:39:44 +0000

Pope Francis’ election ten years ago was a huge surprise. His humble, simple style confused the faithful – he chose to live in a suite at the Casa Santa Marta guesthouse, instead of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He carried his own suitcase, took the bus, and used a small car. His first pastoral visit was to the island of Lampedusa off the coast of Sicily to pray for refugees and migrants lost at sea. Throughout his ten years, he has spoken for the marginalised and his marks of office are servant leadership.

Reflections on his ten years in office were offered by panellists in a Religion Media Centre Briefing, marking the anniversary of his election on 13 March 2013. They spoke of his determination to tackle issues of social justice and equality head-on, his bravery in starting a process of consultation “synodality” to animate the grassroots of the church, his appeals for peace in Ukraine and South Sudan, his constant attention to issues of global concern such as poverty, war and climate change, demanding action in response.

His understanding of the church as embracing all including the marginalised has led him to offer the “help of sacraments” to divorced Catholics and saying of LGBTQ+ people “who am I to judge?”. While held in high affection by the majority of Catholics, during the last ten years, he has attracted venomous opposition, especially in the United States, with a ferocity unprecedented in many ways. And despite his ill health and mobility issues, it has become clear that he intends to stay in office rather than retire early like his predecessor.

Our panel: Christopher Lamb, Vatican correspondent for The Tablet, journalist, and author of The Outsider: Pope Francis and His Battle to Reform the Church; Professor Anna Rowlands, St Hilda Associate Professor of Catholic Social Thought & Practice in the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Durham; The Bishop of Salford, John Arnold; Kerry Weber, Executive Editor, America magazine; and Fr Damian Howard, Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus.

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Is there a place for private conscience in modern politics?

Wed, 1 Mar 2023 14:05:23 +0000

There is much more to the Kate Forbes row over same-sex marriage than secularism versus out-of-date conservative Christianity, according to commentators in this week’s Religion Media Centre briefing. The key issue is the place of conscience which seems fixed, infallible, and impervious to change. And the intense media commentary illustrates that religious convictions are treated in a different league from political dissent.

Hosted by Rosie Dawson, our guests are: Simon Barrow, director of the religion and society think tank Ekklesia; Dr Jessica Scott, University of Nottingham; Ben Rich, Chief Executive of Big Tent and Radix, and Tim Farron's former chief of staff; Nick Spencer, senior fellow at think tank Theos; Yahya Birt, research director of the Ayaan Institute; and Frank Cranmer, honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Law & Religion UK.

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RMC Big Interview: Delia Smith ponders on the inner strength of the human spirit

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Delia Smith, Roger Bolton) — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:18:58 +0000

The doyenne of British cooking and the passionate owner of Norwich Football Club, Delia Smith, took a massive step outside her comfort zone last year. The bestselling author of countless cookery books, famed for teaching the nation to boil an egg, has made headlines with an altogether different kind of read. In “You Matter: The Human Solution”, she considers human nature, that we all matter, we are all unique, and all have our own responsibility in the universe. In the Big Interview with the RMC’s Roger Bolton, she says that she is utterly optimistic about the strength of the human spirit and would “probably die for it”. Baptised in the Church of England, Delia Smith converted to Catholicism aged 22 and says in this book that she hopes to encourage people to realise their inner strength in order to understand their unique role in the world.

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Churches ‘critical’ in supporting Ukraine’s people, living through one year of hell

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 10:25:10 +0000

As the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine approaches, the full extent of the devastation of war is being assessed. 7,200 civilians have been killed and almost 12,000 injured. 8 million people have fled as refugees and 5 million are displaced within the country. In this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders discuss the way churches have played a critical role in providing humanitarian aid with the need for food and shelter developing into provision of “psycho-social support” for the many dimensions of living in a country torn by war.

The fracturing of the Orthodox church was discussed, with churches, priests and congregations changing their allegiance from Moscow to Constantinople instead. And in the UK, where more than 150,000 refugees have settled, civil society and church groups have been mobilised to care for people who arrived with nothing. Catholic Ukrainian churches were on the front line, and now there is a brand new church in the UK, the Ukraine Orthodox church, still looking for a building to call home.

Leo Devine hosts this discussion with Peter Robertson, from Christian Aid, a senior journalist on humanitarian aid who has recently visited Ukraine to report on the front line; Rev. Fr. Myroslav Pushkaruk, who is establishing additional Ukrainian Orthodox parishes in the UK; Father Taras Khomych, Catholic Priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and senior lecturer in early Christian literature and Byzantine theology at Liverpool Hope Univechurchrsity; Sergei Chapnin, from the Orthodox Christian studies centre, Fordham University, New York; and Krish Kandiah, founder of Sanctuary UK who has mobilised places of refuge for Ukrainian people.

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The Asbury revival – understanding the charismatic non-stop spontaneous worship

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 19:13:21 +0000

For almost two weeks, a revival has taken place at Asbury College, Kentucky, where thousands of people have taken part in non-stop praise and worship. It began with students following a regular chapel service that snowballed through live feeds and social media to include thousands of people of all ages, some of whom travelled thousands of miles to be part of the experience.

It resembled revival meetings of old, with singing of familiar songs, free-flowing prayer, and kneeling in repentance. But this was a charismatic experience, which included soft speaking in tongues, movement and arms held high in praise.

In our briefing, historians observed that revivals are a fairly regular occurrence at Asbury college, which grew out of the Methodist revival movement.

Academics who have studied revivals explained they can be explained not just as a psychological phenomenon but as a response to change, often happening at a time when people feel they are losing something important to their identity. Now American religion is in decline, with fewer people, especially younger people, saying they are affiliated to Christianity, and it is a moment of cultural crisis.

Comparisons were noted with the insurrection on Capitol Hill, where protesters blew shofar horns, sang songs and prayed, and it is said there is an overlap between some of the people attending the revival and those who were Trump supporters. Politicians, it is said, have used the model of revival worship to whip up political support in campaigning tactics.

The Asbury revival has united people of different generations and political ideas. It is different to others in that it has no identifiable leaders - it sprang up spontaneously and is organic in nature. It is an amateur rather than a professional enterprise which has a paid group of preachers leading it.

Could it happen in the UK? A Methodist minister, Rev Ashley Cooper, explained that all Methodists pray for revival, but in the broadest sense of the transformation of the church and the nation, not for an effervescent moment, though it is in those warm experiences that awakening can occur.

Our guests in the briefing were Bob Smietana, reporter with the Religion News Service; Dr John Maiden, Head of Department of Religious Studies at the Open University; Dr Leah Payne, Associate Professor of American Religious History, George Fox University; Rev Ashley Cooper, principal of Cliff College, Derbyshire; and Kami Rice, former student president at Asbury College.

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Church buildings in deprived areas closing more quickly than in affluent communities

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:32:39 +0000

Churches in England are being forced to close due to crumbling buildings, declining congregations, and loss of income. But a report from Church Action on Poverty concludes that churches in deprived areas in Greater Manchester are closing at a faster rate than in more affluent neighbourhoods.

The report ‘Is the Church Losing Faith in Low-Income Communities in Greater Manchester?’ compared the number of churches in the city in 2010 with those that remain in 2020. Its findings were discussed in an RMC briefing hosted by Rosie Dawson with many guests working in churches in the margins. Niall Cooper, director of CAP, says there must be a reason why churches in deprived areas are closed more frequently and believes there are forces at play, where churches with fewer resources, less money, and potentially fewer human assets are the ones that close.

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RMC Big Interview: Michael Wegier, CEO Board of Deputies of British Jews

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk (Roger Bolton, Michael Wegier) — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:45:23 +0000

The chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Michael Wegier, has been speaking about his passionate moderation and optimism in a difficult job, with the desire of British Jews for a robust, secure community. Speaking to Roger Bolton for the Religion Media Centre’s Big Interview, he expressed his “absolute belief” in Sir Keir Starmer’s “root and branch” approach to stamping out antisemitism, saying the community experienced a very difficult period when Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader but that his successor was making amends. In a wide-ranging interview, he was asked about politics in Israel, the need for education about Judaism in the UK, the holocaust memorial, and relationships with the media.

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Tangled legacy of the Church of England’s debate on same-sex marriage

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 10:39:12 +0000

Exhausted, sad, confused, anxious, and angry - the legacy of the Church of England’s tortuous eight-hour debate on same-sex blessings. The general synod re-stated church doctrine on marriage but allowed same-sex blessings, with bishops promising to produce suggested prayers and pastoral guidance by July. In this Religion Media Centre Briefing, our bewildered panel said there was so much more information they need – on the nature of marriage, the response of the worldwide Anglican communion, what the guidance will say about clergy in same-sex marriages, how to be united in a deeply divided church, and the possibility of alternative parallel structures.

Rosie Dawson hosted this conversation with the Bishop of Lancaster Jill Duff; the Bishop of Reading Olivia Graham; Rev Dr Ian Paul; Rev Dr Charlie Bell; Ed Shaw, co-chair of the Church of England Evangelical Council; Professor Helen King, vice chair of the gender and sexuality group on general synod; Busola Sodeinde, a Church Commissioner; Rev Dr Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, church historian and theologian and acting archdeacon of Liverpool; and Nicola Denyer, lay minister from Newcastle.

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Historic peace pilgrimage of three church leaders to South Sudan

Wed, 1 Feb 2023 12:35:03 +0000

Journalist Ruth Peacock hosts a discussion about The Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and the moderator of the Church of Scotland the Rev Dr Iain Greenshields visiting South Sudan this weekend on a “pilgrimage of peace”.

South Sudan is going through an ongoing civil war, frequent floods have wiped out homes and livelihoods causing widespread food shortages and there are millions of displaced people. The country is 60 percent Christian and most are Catholic, but Dr Greenshields said this ecumenical trip is a historic occasion, the first time that the Pope and reformed leaders have done something together since the reformation.

They are meeting politicians and religious leaders, as well as people living on the edge dealing with multiple crises. There is also a massive prayer meeting planned with an expected congregation of 60,000 when the church leaders will encourage communities to find a way forward for peace.

Our Religion Media Centre briefing included guests the Rev Dr Iain Greenshields; Tom Delamare, CAFOD’s deputy country representative for South Sudan; and Lucy Gillingham, from Jesuit Missions, recently returned from South Sudan. Guests from the Episcopal Church of South Sudan were unfortunately unable to join due to internet failure.

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Church of England bishops’ proposals on same-sex marriage 'incoherent'

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 14:47:47 +0000

Journalist Rosie Dawson hosts a debate on the Church of England bishops saying they will not agree to marry same-sex couples in church. This comes after a five-year process, Living in Love and Faith, aimed at achieving a consensus among church members where the issue is bitterly divisive. We’ve assembled people from all sides of the debate to join in our discussion.

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Episode 22

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:52:48 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular co-hosts Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson who reflect on the big events of 2022. They are joined by two journalists with specific expertise to discuss perhaps the two biggest stories of the year. Times columnist and Lib Dem politician, Edward Lucas sheds light on the war in Ukraine. His 2008 publication 'The New Cold War: Putin's Russia and the Threat to the West' saw it all coming, but he takes no delight in being proved right. He confidently predicts that this will be Putin’s last winter before a messy clear-up begins.

Catherine Pepinster is also on board as a royal constitution and coronation expert who looks back at all the events and ceremonies surrounding the Queen’s death, and looks forward to the King’s coronation in 2023. And if all that seems a bit heavy, Leo reminds us of Pablo the singing goat – the unlikely musical star of 2022.

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Episode 21

Fri, 9 Dec 2022 13:42:05 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular co-host Leo Devine who reflects with her on the main religious news from the past week and looks forward to Christmas. They are joined by regular RMC journo Amardeep Bassey; visual artist, photographer, and Jameel scholar Shaista Chishty, and the Rev Kate Bottley, who help them understand the enduring appeal of Christmas not only to Christians but also to Sikhs, Muslims, and people of no particular faith who just like the odd carol and getting together to celebrate. What is it about the Christmas story that gives it such wide appeal? The different faiths represented discover a shared feeling around the importance of community, Christmas TV schedules, and celebrating the birth of this significant child.

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Episode 20

Fri, 2 Dec 2022 14:02:34 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular journos Rosie Dawson and Leo Devine who reflect on the main religious news from the past week which is all about the Census results. What does Christianity’s apparent demise mean for the UK in terms of its description as a Christian country, the potential disestablishment of the Church of England, religious education in schools and what spiritual representation, if any, makes sense in the House of Lords?

The team are joined by Chine McDonald, director of Theos Think Tank, and sociologist Dr Lois Lee who led the research programme “Understanding Unbelief” at the University of Kent. Leo galvanises some opinions from a church-based foodbank in Truro, and on a lighter note tells us about a tattooist in Jerusalem who loves nothing better than tattooing pilgrim grannies with the Jerusalem cross. “Go girl” as Hannah rightly puts it.

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Episode 19

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 15:04:55 +0000

With all eyes on the World Cup, has anyone noticed the growing tendency of football players to point to the sky, or cross themselves after scoring a goal, thanking God for their success? In one striking example, Ecuador players knelt in prayer together after the ball hit the back of the net in their 2-0 win against Qatar. Hannah Scott-Joynt and journos Rosie Dawson and Leo Devine try to find out what this all means, in conversation with Matt Baker, national director for England and pastoral support director in English football sports chaplaincy UK, and Rabbi Alex Goldberg, who chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network.

While Qatar’s record on human rights comes under the spotlight in the World Cup, Rabbi Alex talks about efforts in English football to be inclusive, stamping out racism and tackling antisemitism. He considers Channel 4’s recent programme “Jews Don’t Count” where David Baddiel argues that antisemitism is low down the list of priorities in identity politics, even in football.

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Episode 18

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:31:22 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular journos Rosie Dawson and Leo Devine who reflect on the religious news from the past week. Rosie is frustrated to discover that according to one scientific report, she could have sung in church throughout the pandemic after all, without danger of spreading infection, and Leo picks up on a report from the Methodist Church that the help offered to the poorest in society by the Chancellor this week just hasn’t gone far enough.

They are then joined by another regular, Amardeep Bassey, who has been running training programmes for journalists on how to report the World Cup from a strict Muslim country. He has encouraged his trainees not to ignore the ordinary Qataris and says that this shouldn’t just be a three-week focus, but the beginning of more exposure of the conservative Islamic culture of the area. Rev Richard Cole, a keen football fan and member of the LGBTQ+ community, joins the conversation and welcomes the way the World Cup opened up the debate in Russia and is hopeful it will do the same in Qatar.

But Richard was really there, with his half a million followers on Twitter, to discuss the Musk revolution of the Twittersphere. Despite the changes and some concerning developments, he still believes it is a force for good and remembers the support he received when he lost his partner David. Also regarding Elon Musk’s plans, he says that it’s not a good idea to pay too much attention to the person at the top – of any institution!

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Episode 17

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 15:02:55 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular journos Rosie Dawson and Leo Devine who reflect on the religious news from the past week. They look back on the US midterm elections and Ron DeSantis' messianic claims, Catholic Bishop Paul McAleenan’s plea to the Home Secretary to tone down her language on migrants, and the new Sikh prayer book designed for use in combat zones.

They are joined by Pella Thiel, a Swedish ecologist who is working to make large-scale environmental degradation an international crime called Ecocide, and Olivia Fuchs, the Eco Dharma Network Coordinator for the Network of Buddhist Organisations. They discuss their approaches to the climate crisis, the importance of faith leadership in this area, the goings on at COP27, and how they remain hopeful for change.

RMC regular, Tim Wyatt, joins the team at half-time to shed light on the new Anglican movement, the Anglican Network in Europe, which has now appointed bishops and ordained clergy, and is providing a home for Anglicans concerned with the direction of the mainstream CofE over the same-sex marriage debate. On a lighter note, we hear about the neurosurgeon who came out of a coma with a renewed faith in God having experienced what he believed to be a visit to heaven – find out what it’s like on this week's episode.

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Episode 16

Fri, 4 Nov 2022 14:44:19 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular journalist colleagues Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson to look at some of the key stories of the week, including the impact of BBC proposed cuts on local radio Sunday morning breakfast output, where 39 local programmes will be reduced to 10 regional shows. The Bishop of Warrington, Beverley Mason, and Pauline McAdam, formerly of BBC Radio Merseyside, explain the devastating consequences for communities, where local radio is a lifeline.

Other stories include the news that some Church of England bishops seem to be shifting to allow same-sex marriages, British Jewish leaders’ strong reaction to the new right-wing coalition in Israel, and a meeting of global faith leaders in advance of the G20 challenging each other to create a more peaceful world.

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Episode 15

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:05:46 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular journalist colleagues Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson to discuss the big stories of the week including the fact that we have a new Hindu PM and a rehired Buddhist Home Secretary. Hindu leader, Akhandadhi Das, and Suryagupta Dharmacharini, Chair of the London Buddhist Centre, join us to help explain how coming from these religious backgrounds might shape politicians’ decisions.

It’s also Halloween this weekend and Jenny Uzzell from the Centre for Death and Life Studies; an expert on druids, apples, and the Mari Lwyd; sets the darkest of the Christian seasons in a global context of festivals celebrating the dead.

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Episode 14

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:15:55 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joint is joined by regular journalist colleagues Rosie Dawson and Leo Devine to discuss the key stories of the week including the state of the nation and the cost of living crisis in light of the political turmoil, and the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The Bishop of Manchester Rt Revd Dr David Walker joins the conversation to help shed episcopal light on the issues. They also hear about the fact that using precious metal for dispensing alcoholic communion wine reduces the risk of infection.

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Episode 13

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:09:31 +0000

This week, Hannah is back in the chair and is joined by Leo Devine and Amardeep Bassey to discuss the week’s top religious stories. Following on from a discussion on the Koh-i-Noor diamond and its potential contentious role in the coronation, royal expert Catherine Pepinster helps to shed light on the potential inclusivity of the ceremony to be held in May next year.

Azim Ahmed who, as a Muslim representative, took part in the Welsh national service to mark the Queen’s death, speaks about his hopes for a service that properly reflects the nation’s religious diversity. Yahya Birt also joins the podcast to talk about his recent report for the Ayaan Institute on the plight of minority Muslims around the world.

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Episode 12

Fri, 7 Oct 2022 13:41:09 +0000

Leo Devine hosts this week’s podcast and is joined by regulars Rosie Dawson and Amardeep Bassey to reflect on some of the top stories including the newly published hate crime figures and the response to the new PM’s desire to move the British Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Two other journalists, veteran Nicholas Jones and Rome-based Filipe Domingues, join the team to reflect back on a previous conservative PM’s relationship with the church and the growing phenomenon of “faith voting” influencing elections in Brazil, the US, and Italy.

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Episode 11

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:22:08 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by journalists Rosie Dawson, Amardeep Bassey, and Leo Devine to chew over some of this week's religious news. Activist Negin Shiraghaei helps the team to understand the Iranian protests about the wearing of the hijab, and writer and journalist Lamorna Ash gives the backstory to her striking long read in the Guardian about two of her friends who have surprisingly turned from non-believing comedians to ordinands in the Church of England. With Hannah and Leo’s close links to local journalism, they also reflect on the talent in local radio following the recent grilling of Liz Truss.

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Episode 10

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 16:20:28 +0000

This week, Hannah Scott-Joynt looks back at the RMC Annual Lecture which was delivered by Professor Linda Woodhead from King's College London on Tuesday evening. In it she painted quite a pessimistic future for traditional religion in the UK – not a view shared by all attendees – so Hannah asks co-hosts Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson what they made of it. But the main focus of the conversation is the troubles between different factions in Leicester this week. To help understand what has been going on there, and also to give advice to journalists on how to report such a complex and inflammatory subject, they are joined by Amardeep Bassey, freelance journalist and trainer, and Asha Patel, a community reporter with Leicester Live.

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Episode 9

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 14:13:09 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular co-hosts Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson to reflect on the extraordinary response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. With thousands of people queueing for miles to process past her coffin, the team welcome Abby Day Professor of Race, Faith & Culture at Goldsmiths to try and understand what is happening from a sociological perspective, and whether religion has anything to do with it.

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Episode 8

Fri, 9 Sep 2022 11:54:11 +0000

Hannah Scott-Joynt is joined by regular co-hosts Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson to reflect on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Journalists Catherine Pepinster and Stephen Bates add stories and insights from their own years reporting on the Royal Family and tributes are paid by Rabbi Nicky Liss, former chair of the United Synagogue Rabbinic Council, and Imam Qari Azim MBE.

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Episode 7

Fri, 2 Sep 2022 14:59:09 +0000

In a new style weekly RMC podcast, presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt welcomes her regular co-hosts Leo Devine and Rosie Dawson to discuss key stories from the week including the death of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Pope’s appointment of new cardinals, and the controversial St Austell Earth Goddess statue.

00:00

Hannah Scott-Joynt welcomes her regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to comment on this week’s top stories.

04:36

Rosie Dawson welcomes fellow journalist Jonathan Luxmoore, an expert on Roman Catholicism in Poland and Russia, to discuss the religious dimension of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Pope’s latest cardinal appointments.

20:29

Leo Devine shares some lighter stories from around the country including the latest way of taking communion with a wafer (gluten-free) and a small quantity of wine from a mini UHT milk-style plastic cup, and he interviews the creator of the St Austell Earth Goddess statue which has been dividing Cornish opinion but attracting attention from around the world.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

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(+44) 0203 970 0709

Episode 6

Fri, 1 Jul 2022 05:53:32 +0000

Presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt and her regular house guests discuss a range of topics including the Roe v Wade judgement reversal by the US Supreme Court, the Golf Club opening its doors to Muslim women, and an exclusive interview with the imam recently sacked as the government adviser on Islamophobia.

Intro | 00:00

Hannah welcomes her regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to introduce their upcoming features.

Journo's Notebook | 02:26

Rosie Dawson is joined by the new BBC Religion Editor, Aleem Maqbool, and Amardeep Basset to discuss among other things the Lady of Heaven film and the Roe v Wade controversy.

Leo's Local | 09:47

Former BBC Regional expert, Leo Devine, tells Hannah about the Dignity Box Campaign providing essentials for refugee women as they arrive in the country, the golf club tempting Muslim women to pick up their putters, and a sneak preview of this year’s Greenbelt Festival with its Creative Director Paul Northup.

The Big Interview | 19:08

Roger Bolton talks to Imam Qari Asim who lost his job as a government adviser over his comments about the cinema release of the Lady of Heaven.

Azim's Academic | 33:55

Our resident correspondent from the world of academia meets the much sought-after, Abdul-Rehman Malik, the Head of Islamic Studies at Yale.

Life Laundry | 43:22

To mark the 10th anniversary of the 2012 Olympics, Paul Kerensa asks Rabbi Alex Goldberg what it was like to be a chaplain at the iconic event.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

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Episode 5

Wed, 25 May 2022 10:36:36 +0000

In this special episode of the Religion Media Centre Podcast, presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt gives a flavour of all that went on at the 2022 Religion Media Festival "Exploring Belief".

Intro | 00:00

Hannah introduces highlights of the 4th Religion Media Centre festival "Exploring Belief" held at JW3, London on Monday 16 May 2022.

Keynote Interview | 00:43

Roger Bolton interviews Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. They discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Church's role in bringing the conflict to some form of cessation, as well as reflecting on post-COVID religion and the current cost of living crisis.

Panel Discussion: Do Machines have Souls? | 13:48

Rosie Dawson chairs a distinguished panel on the subject: Dr Beth Singler, Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence, Homerton College, University of Cambridge; Professor Neil Lawrence, Deep Mind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge; Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner, Rabbi at Bromley Reform Synagogue and former Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism; and Dr Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos Think Tank.

Keynote: Reporting Religion | 25:04

Aleem Maqbool has been doing his new job as the Religion Editor for BBC News for just a month – Roger Bolton tests his understanding of the BBC’s Religion strategy and finds out what resources are made available to him to help him carry out this crucial role.

Panel Discussion: Invisible Faith Communities | 34:56

Last year, the Religion Media Centre was given money by Culham St Gabriel Trust to run the Creating Connections project - spending a day in Leeds, Plymouth, Nottingham, Birmingham and Manchester, bringing together local journalists, academics, teachers and representatives of faith groups in the area. The aim was to open lines of communication and build relationships, thus improving trust between faith groups and the media. Leo Devine, who helped host some of the original sessions, gather a panel of participants from around the country to reflect on the success of the project.

Panel Discussion: Women in Leadership - has anything changed? | 47:12

Hannah chairs a panel of experts on the subject: Professor Linda Woodhead, FD Maurice Chair in Moral and Social Theology, Kings College London; Dr Maryyum Mehmood, Teaching Fellow at the University of Birmingham and Associate Director, Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion and a Trustee for the Women’s Interfaith Network; Rt Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells, Bishop of Dorking, in the Church of England Diocese of Guildford; and Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, Rabbi at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue and Radio 2 Pause for Thought contributor.

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

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(+44) 0203 970 0709

Episode 4

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:15:56 +0000

Presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt and her regular house guests discuss a range of topics including the role of religion in politics, the results of the French election, and Bucky Day - a celebration of a controversial drink brewed by monks.

Intro | 00:00

Hannah welcomes her regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to introduce their upcoming features.

Journo's Notebook | 02:18

Rosie Dawson and Hannah welcome journalists Tim Wyatt and Paris-based Wafa Jawad Abbas to discuss the French election results and their implications, especially for the Muslim community - and we discover that in France, unlike the UK, religious leaders have no voice in the political sphere.

Leo's Local | 13:32

Former BBC regional expert, Leo Devine, tells Hannah about one church leader’s frustration at the lack of progress in bringing Ukrainian refugees to the UK, and excitement in the Jain community in Leicester as the animal sentience bill is about to achieve royal assent. Oh, and hold tight for Bucky Day!

The Big Interview | 21:59

Roger Bolton talks to Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, about the Archbishop of Canterbury’s intervention in the Government’s refugee policy and how much influence the Church should have in political matters.

Azim's Academic | 36:32

Our resident correspondent from the world of academia meets Dr Asma Khan from Cardiff University to discuss her project relating to mental health among Muslims in Britain

Life Laundry | 42:53

Hannah welcomes comedian, Paul Kerensa, and his special guest comic Imran Yusuf to discuss the thinking behind his new Radio 4 series on male identity.

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/religion-media-centre/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

Contact Information

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk
(+44) 0203 970 0709

Episode 3

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 17:20:13 +0000

Presenter Leo Devine welcomes our regular house guests to discuss a range of topics including the philosophy of joy, the bravery of journalists, the refugee crisis, the state of theology in higher education, and the need for adjustable organ benches.

Intro | 00:00

Leo welcomes regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to introduce their upcoming features.

Journo's Notebook | 01:56

Leo introduces Rosie Dawson for her Journo's Notebook featuring Catherine Pepinster and Cole Moreton who reflect on the dangerous work of journalists out in Ukraine and the fact that hot cross buns are secular in origin - who knew?

Leo's Local | 13:59

Leo Devine gathers in some news nuggets from around the regions including the campaign to have adjustable organ benches for female organists and the Sikh boxer campaigning to be allowed to keep his beard in the ring.

The Big Interview | 22:19

Roger Bolton welcomes Rabbi Jonathan Romain - much featured in the media recently - talking about the Ukraine refugee crisis and how we can all help. He also touches on Ukraine's less than healthy history in relation to antisemitism.

Azim's Academic | 33:39

Our resident academic, Dr Abdul-Azim Ahmed, interviews Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, Director of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies at the University of Wolverhampton and the first female president of TRS-UK, the body which oversees Theology and Religious Studies departments around the country - do they have a future? Azim asks.

Life Laundry | 42:59

Stand-up comic Milton Jones joins our regular funny man Paul Kerensa to discuss joy - is it our moral duty to share it and when is laughter not a joyous thing?

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/religion-media-centre/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

Contact Information

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk
(+44) 0203 970 0709

Episode 2

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 13:19:48 +0000

Presenter Hannah Scott Joynt and her regular house guests discuss a range of topics including the crisis in Ukraine, the emerging threat of flower arranging, and the meaning of “worldviews”.

Intro | 00:00

Hannah welcomes her regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to introduce their upcoming features.

Hot Topic | 02:46

Roger Bolton talks to Bishop Nick Baines about the crisis in Ukraine. The Bishop is a fluent Russian speaker and was formerly employed at GCHQ.

The Big Interview | 16:19

Hannah is joined by Hafsa Lodi, author of “Modesty: A Fashion Paradox”, to discuss the multibillion-dollar industry in modest fashion.

Leo's Local | 23:17

Former BBC Regional radio expert Leo Devine talks about stories from around the country - all to do with the environment - including Truro Cathedral lights being switched off and the oasis foam crisis which will affect flower arrangers up and down the country.

Journo's Notebook | 30:22

Rosie Dawson hosts journalists, Donna Birrell and Sunny Hundal, to discuss a variety of stories hitting the headlines.

The Academic View | 38:59

Our resident academic, Dr Azim Ahmed, is joined by Professor Douglas Davies to discuss the meaning of worldviews.

Life Laundry | 49:36

Hannah welcomes comedian, Paul Kerensa, and Orthodox Jewish comedian, Rachel Creeger, who shares her unique experience in the comedy circuit.

Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/religion-media-centre/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthZf6RVTqJki6oTQTB6qmw

Contact Information

info@religionmediacentre.org.uk
(+44) 0203 970 0709

Episode 1

Wed, 2 Feb 2022 16:27:54 +0000

Presenter Hannah Scott Joynt and her regular house guests discuss a range of topics including ethics in public life, the likely results of the 2021 census, the potential for pilgrimage post-pandemic, and the ongoing virus of antisemitism.

Intro | 00:00

Hannah welcomes her regular co-hosts to the podcast and asks them to introduce their upcoming features.

Hot Topic | 02:22

Hannah is joined by Chine McDonald, Director of Theos, and Prof Liz David Barrett, Director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption at the University of Sussex, to discuss the importance of ethics in public life.

Leo's Local | 08:27

Leo Devine joins Hannah to feature local religious stories that have made national headlines including: a David and Goliath battle as a local parish takes on the might of the CofE to save its vicarage, and the new cricket-loving Bishop of Loughborough.

The Big Interview | 17:35

In the light of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent comments on the rise of anti-Semitism, veteran broadcaster Roger Bolton interviews Michael Wegier, Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

The Academic View | 25:34

With the results of the 2021 Census due in a few months time likely to show a sharp rise in people declaring themselves “nones”, Dr. Azim Ahmed, Deputy, Director at the Centre for the Study of Islam, interviews leading expert, Professor Linda Woodhead, on the state of religion in the UK.

Journo's Notebook | 31:09

Rosie Dawson hosts journalists, Peter Stanford from the Telegraph, and Kaya Burgess from the Times, as they flick through their notes on recent religious news stories.

Life Laundry | 41:47

Hannah welcomes comedian, Paul Kerensa, and writer and broadcaster, Remona Aly, to wonder if travel will once again become a thing in 2022, especially in relation to pilgrimage.

Links