Sunday

The Anglican Communion’s long-running divisions over same-sex relationships have sharpened again after a major gathering in Nigeria. At the Global Anglican Futures Conference, or Gafcon, bishops and archbishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere voiced strong opposition to what they see as the theological drift of parts of the Communion, including the Church of England. Emily Buchanan has been to Abuja and brings reaction from across the Anglican world.The programme also turns to the war in the Middle East and its religious dimensions. More than a week after the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, Emily Buchanan speaks to the Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and to aid workers supporting people displaced by bombing in southern Lebanon.Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: Amanda Hancox and Rosie Dawson Reporter: Bara'atu Ibrahim Studio managers: Nat Stokes, Paul Lewis and George Willis Editor: Rajeev Gupta

William Crawley speaks to Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani about US and Israel air strikes on the country she fled as a teenager, when the Islamic revolution was taking place.He also hears from Iranian academic Roxane Farmanfarmian and Anshel Pfeffer, Israel Correspondent for The Economist.A new film about a sacred Scottish tradition premieres at the Glasgow Film Festival. 'Psalms of the People' follows Rob MacNeacail on a personal journey as he explores the cultural heritage of Gaelic psalm singing. The Christian poet Harry Baker has written 100 poems for the first 100 days of his newborn son’s life, an ode to modern fatherhood in all its chaos, tenderness and bleary-eyed wonder. The book is called "Tender: 100 Poems for the First 100 Days of Life".PRESENTER: WILLIAM CRAWLEY PRODUCERS: CATHERINE MURRAY AND KATY DAVIS STUDIO MANAGERS: KELLY YOUNG AND BEN HOUGHTON PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR: DAVID BAGULEY EDITOR: CHLOE WALKER

US civil rights activist and religious leader, Jesse Jackson is remembered, following his death at the age of 84. He campaigned alongside Martin Luther King in the 1960s, and later ran for president twice - his political message was infused with the traditions, and the cadences, of the Black Baptist church. A musical film called The Testament of Ann Lee was released in the UK this week. It explores the story of a woman from Manchester who preached gender and social equality as the founder of the Shakers movement. Dancing, singing and a search for ecstatic experiences were a central part of worship, as well as vows of celibacy. Documents in the US ‘Epstein files’ reveal that Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon discussed plans with Jeffrey Epstein to "take down" Pope Francis, even exploring a film based on a controversial book about the Vatican. The messages, reported by CNN and Religion News Service, cast the Vatican as a geopolitical pressure point in wider culture wars. Presenter: William Crawley Pr

Archbishop of Westminster Richard Moth gives his first interview since being installed on St Valentine's Day. The 67-year-old becomes the leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, taking over from Cardinal Vincent Nichols who retired last year. Ramadan and Lent are due to get underway around the same time next week - a coincidence that hasn't been seen in decades. We hear from two friends - one Christian and one Muslim - about what they have learned from the other's season of preparation and abstinence. Have you picked up or deepened a spiritual practice by exposure to another faith?War surgeon David Nott talks to Emily about the faith that motivates him to operate in the most dangerous situations, and the maverick Christian organisation, the Free Burma Rangers that enables his work in Myanmar.

The Epstein files has raised big questions beyond politics, Sunday explores the moral dimension of the latest revelations. Documents reveal that in 2017 the financier and convicted paedophile was sent fragments of a cloth used to cover the Kaaba - also known as the House of God - in the Great Mosque of Mecca. Edward Stourton discusses the revelation with Leicester imam Sheik Ibrahim Mogra. A hammer price of 23 million dollars is quite a lot to pay for a small chalk drawing of a foot. Michelangelo sketch was part of a study for the magnificent Sistine Chapel fresco. Jarda Da-man, a specialist in Old Masters at Christies, describes it for the Sunday audience.The BAFTA awards are a fortnight away and the documentary 'Apocalypse in the Tropics' is in the running. It is a story of religion and right-wing politics set in Brazil, and focuses on the rule of Jair Bolsonaro, who was the country's president from 2019 until 2023, before he was replaced by President Lula da Silva. Petra Costa directed the film and detai

Churches across the country are bracing themselves for a significant new financial challenge. Until now, they’ve been able to reclaim VAT on essential repairs for everything from leaky roofs to dilapidated towers. But from April, that protection goes, and they'll have to pay a 20-per-cent tax to the government. William Crawley speaks to Sir Philip Rutnam, Chair of the National Churches Trust. At the start of the year, the Jamia Usmania mosque in Bradford posted a video on social media of its pilates class for older men, and it went viral. William hears from the mosque’s general secretary Mohammed Ilyas and pilates instructor Zafar Kayani and tries a few pilates moves in the studio. Over the past few weeks, we’ve devoted a series to faith and Gen Z: rising Bible sales, social media influencers, and the online “orthobro” phenomenon. We've also previously reported on the battle between statisticians about whether or not the data points to a "quiet revival". But this week, Humanists UK offered a new analysis of

People are facing increased financial strain as funeral costs rise, according to the Quaker Social Action charity. One of the unexpected bills that hits people at this vulnerable moment is the high burial charge some local authorities demand if the person who has died lives in another borough, even if they are geographically close by. As part of our series on young people and religious revivals, we are looking at the increase in new members of the Orthodox Church in the UK and ask whether online influencers or 'Orthobros' are one of the reasons behind the rise. As Brooklyn Peltz Beckham says he doesn’t want to reconcile with his family, we explore what faith leaders say about forgiveness, reconciliation and familial estrangement. His parents, Sir David and Lady Victoria Beckham, haven't officially responded. PRESENTER: EMILY BUCHANAN PRODUCERS: KATY BOOTH & BARA'ATU IBRAHIM STUDIO MANAGERS: BECKY MARCUS, GEORGE WILLIS, SAM BIDDLE & AMY BRENNAN EDITOR: CATHERINE MURRAY

The capture of the Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro, the attacks on alleged drug-running boats off the Venezuelan coast, the threats to strike the regime in Iran, the determination to take Greenland even though it is the territory of a fellow NATO member, the musings about invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act so that active-service troops can be deployed on the streets of Minneapolis - all of these things raise profound legal and moral questions. Edward Stourton speaks to the Catholic archbishop Timothy Broglio who leads the United States Archdiocese for the Military Services.Sales of the Bible have rocketed according to data from Britain's biggest Christian publisher, SPCK. For most of the 2010s they ran at a reasonably steady rate - between two and a half and three million a year - but they began to take off in 2021, and last year they hit over six million three hundred thousand. This comes amid claims of a religious revival being led by younger people. We begin a mini-series of reports devoted to Gen Z beli

As protests in Iran continue into their 16th day, Emily Buchanan asks Prof Ali Ansari whether the country is ready to end almost 50 years of clerical rule. Elegy from a Scottish church, as parishioners say goodbye to the Holy Family Parish in Inverclyde, one of more than 300 that have closed in Scotland since 2020.We hear about 'Born in Bethlehem' the BBC documentary that tracked the lives of Palestinian women giving birth in a Catholic-run hospital in the West Bank. Should the C of E foot the bill for lower income couples to encourage marriage? Church wedding costs are under scrutiny after a centre-right think tank, the Centre for Social Justice made the recommendation aimed at promoting marriage to improve outcomes for boys. The Universities of Leeds and Cambridge team up to train UK Muslims how to spot the moon themselves and end the so called 'moon wars' that often mark the end of Ramadan. Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: Catherine Murray & Bara'atu Ibrahim Studio Managers: Paul Everatt & He

The citizens of Caracas in Venezuela were woken in the early hours yesterday by airstrikes and later discovered that President Maduro and his wife had been captured and taken for trial to the US. Presbyterian minister, Rev Ricardo Corzo is in Caracas and has been speaking to the programme following a night of little sleep.Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy has announced a recruitment drive for more magistrates to help deal with the huge backlog in the courts, which follows his controversial proposal to abolish jury trials in all but the most serious cases. He and cabinet colleague Wes Streeting have made no secret of their Christian faith - a change from the Blair years when Labour famously 'didn't do God'. David Lammy is asked about his faith and its fundamental role in justice. Gospel musician Richard Smallwood, has died at the age of 77. He is known for hits such as Total Praise and The Centre of My Joy. His work has also been covered by artists including Whitney Houston and Stevie Wo

Of all living composers, perhaps none are more closely associated with the sound of Christmas than John Rutter and Bob Chilcott. Earlier this year, both marked milestone birthdays - Rutter turned 80 and Chilcott 70. A few days before Christmas, we caught up with them to talk about carols, choirs, and the enduring magic of the season.Jimmy Lai is one of Hong Kong’s most prominent critics of the Beijing government: a media tycoon, democracy campaigner, and a Roman Catholic. The 78-year-old British citizen has been in prison since December 2020 and is now, after last week's guilty verdicts, facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison. In her first interview with UK media, his daughter Claire Lai, tells the BBC's Danny Vincent she fears her father may become a martyr. 'Before The Millennium'- a Christmas production by Karim Khan. It's set in a Woolworths store in 1999, the year Ramadan and the Christmas season coincided. It explores the friendship between two migrant women during the festi

The Catholic Church in England and Wales has a new leader - Richard Moth has been named as the new Archbishop of Westminster, succeeding Cardinal Vincent Nichols who turned 80 last month. We hear from Ruth Gledhill, Assistant Editor at the Catholic weekly The Tablet. A new song from the singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg is called "Put Christ back into Christmas". The title is a reference to the current campaign by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Last weekend we reported on the Robinson-inspired carol service in London; Billy Bragg turned out for a rival carol service orgainsed by Stand up to Racism. He explains why. Today is the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year when, as the priest poet John Donne put it, the "whole world's sap is sunk". At three minutes past three this afternoon the earth tilts furthest from the sun, and from that moment the days begin to lengthen. It is a moment marked in pagan tradition, and we are joined by Erin Johansen, the first pagan chaplain a

Should the confirmation of Bishop Sarah Mullaly as Archbishop of Canterbury be postponed whilst a complaint against her for the alleged mishandling of a sex abuse case is investigated? We talk to Donna Birrell, who broke the story and to Rev Robert Thompson, a priest in the London diocese.The mystery of the star of Bethlehem - has it been finally solved? NASA Planetary scientist Mark Matney discusses his theory that it could have been a comet recorded by Chinese astronomers in 5BC.If it wasn’t for Jane Austen’s brother her novels would never have been published. So claims Christopher Herbert, former Bishop of St Alban’s, whose new book “Jane Austen’s Favourite Brother: Henry” tells the story of their close relationship.“Put the Christ back in Christmas” was the title of the carol concert organised by Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom in central London yesterday. We hear from one of the organisers, Pastor Rikki Doolan, and from Nick Spencer, senior fellow at the Christian think tank Theos, who is studying t

Amid the prospect of an imminent US strike on Venezuela, we look at how a once overwhelmingly Catholic country has seen its evangelical population surge from just 4% in the 1970s to nearly 30% today. This religious shift is unfolding as President Nicolás Maduro faces international rejection of his 2024 victory and mounting pressure from Donald Trump’s White House. William Crawley speaks to Dr Fernando Mora, an academic and former pastor who has spent years studying the rise of Evangelicalism in Venezuela.On the Second Sunday of Advent, we explore the season’s history. Advent calendars are just one of many traditions that have emerged – and evolved – over centuries in connection with this annual liturgical journey. To guide us through that story, the Sunday programme speaks to Dr Colin Donnelly, Associate Professor in Reformation and Early Modern Christianities at Oxford.Following the death of Sir Tom Stoppard at the age of 88, we look back at a writer celebrated for incisive wit, emotional depth, empathy and

The Pope has been marking a historic Christian anniversary during his visit to Turkey - and on Sunday is heading to Lebanon, just days after Israeli airstrikes on its capital, Beirut. A key moment of the trip has been in the Turkish town of Iznik, the site of the ancient city of Nicaea. Pope Leo and leaders of other Christian traditions gathered to mark the anniversary of an ancient council that took place there 1,700 years ago. In 325 AD, among other key decisions, more than 200 bishops at the council affirmed the belief that Jesus was the son of God, eventually leading to what is known as the Nicene Creed. We hear the latest from his trip to the region.Islamophobic incidents at football grounds have reached record highs in recent years, according to the anti-racism charity Kick it Out. Now more Premier League clubs are introducing dedicated prayer rooms, with some hosting Iftar celebrations on the pitch. In September, Djed Spence also became the first Muslim player to represent the England men’s national te

The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Northern Ireland's Christian-focused RE curriculum is unlawful. Since then, churches, politicians and schools there have been trying to make sense of the possible implications of that ruling, both for RE teaching and for the place of religion in schools more generally. Pope Leo has revealed his top four favourite films ahead of an event in the Vatican where he welcomed some Hollywood A-Listers: including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen and Monica Bellucci. Alissa Wilkinson, film critic at the New York Times, explores the Pope's passion for cinema. The UK's favourite school assembly hymn will be revealed today, as the winner of a public poll is announced on Songs of Praise, as part of The Big School Assembly Singalong. We speak to Becky Silver, songwriter of contemporary songs for schools and a former teacher, about the role of hymns in schools.Presenter: William Crawley. Producers: Katy Davies and Bara'atu Ibrahim.

Across China, unregistered house churches are facing growing pressure from the authorities as the Chinese Communist Party tightens control over religious life. The Chinese Communist Party says citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief in accordance with the law. We've a report from the BBC's Correspondent in Hong Kong, Danny Vincent. Spanish Dictator Francisco Franco died 50 years ago on the 20th of November. We explore the legacy of his system of National Catholicism and how a far right party is gaining popularity in the country today. A religious theme is finding its way into the music charts thanks to the latest album from Rosalia. The Spanish singer herself appears on the cover in the guise of a nun - part of a phenomenon which has now been defined as "nunmania". Sister Gemma Simmonds from the Congregation of Jesus gives her thoughts on the trend.PRESENTER: EDWARD STOURTON PRODUCERS: KATY BOOTH & KATY DAVIS STUDIO MANAGERS: AMY BRENNAN & BEN HOUGHTON EDITOR: CATHERINE MURRAY

It is Remembrance Sunday, and one of the First World War stories we often refer back to at this time of year is the Christmas truce between British and German soldiers. A story has now emerged of a World War Two truce during one of the bloodiest episodes of the conflict between the United States and Japan. Edward Stourton speaks to Professor Nick Megoran from Newcastle University who researched what happened.Metropolitan Hilarion was once one of the most powerful figures in the Russian Orthodox Church — effectively its foreign minister, as well as a theologian and composer. But in 2022 he was removed from office and sent to serve as the head of the Orthodox church in Hungary - there was widespread speculation he was being punished because he wouldn't endorse the invasion of Ukraine. Then last year he lost that job too, following allegations of spying, sexual misconduct, and financial abuse. He's now talked about all this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Budapest, Nick Thorpe. Despite a re

If you're one of the millions who've been gripped by The Celebrity Traitors, you'll be counting down the hours to the final on Thursday. The Sunday programme explores the ethical questions about taking part with Anglican Priest Reverend Lisa Coupland who appeared in the third 'civilian' series of the game. History could be made in New York City on Tuesday with the potential election of its first ever Muslim mayor. Zohran Mamdani's ascent to getting within touching distance of one of the most prominent positions in US politics has been astonishing. Not least in a city where a generation ago in the wake of 9/11, Islamophobia was an unwelcome fact of life. Mamdani has explicitly made his Muslim faith part of his political identity. We speak to former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf - who was the first Muslim to lead a Western democracy and Professor Najam Haider, from the Department of Religion at Columbia University. With the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury set for the new year, there'

King Charles and Pope Leo made history in the Sistine Chapel by praying side by side - a first for the leaders of the Church of England and Catholic Church. In this week's edition of our series on the study of religion, theologian Robert Beckford goes back to school to explore the teaching of RE at GCSE and A Level. Halloween may be on the minds of trick or treaters, however another festival is celebrated at this time of year - we explore Samhain that's observed by followers of Paganism.PRESENTER: EDWARD STOURTON PRODUCERS: KATY BOOTH & CATHERINE MURRAY STUDIO MANAGERS: JOE STICKLER & CHRIS WALKER EDITOR: CHLOE WALKER