Researchers at the University of Birmingham have conducted a wide-ranging survey on perceptions of religion and science, which suggests that half the UK population believes that religion does more harm than good. 50% of respondents said religion 'has more negative societal consequences than positive', 30% said it 'has more positive societal consequences' and 20% didn’t know. We discuss the findings and weigh up the religious ‘balance sheet’ with Professor Alice Roberts, anatomist, broadcaster and Vice President of Humanists UK; and Dr Musharraf Hussain, Imam, scientist and charity worker in Nottingham.
Also in the programme:
This week saw the UK cinema release of ‘One Life’ – a film about the British man Nicholas Winton who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued 669 mostly Jewish Czechoslovakian children from the Nazis. One of those children, Milena Grenfell-Baines, tells her story.
The Church of Scotland is on a five-year mission to close places of worship made unviable by a lack of ministers, falling income and dwindling congregations. Reporter Moira Hickey visits Birnie Kirk, near Elgin in Moray, which recently held its last service after nearly 900 uninterrupted years of Christian worship.
Producers: Dan Tierney and Catherine Murray Production co-ordinator: David Baguley Editor: Helen Grady
11/07/2021
Manchester Jewish Museum; Fire Monks; Gardening
Fatima the Film; Tik Tok Anti-Semitism and Methodist Gay Marriage Vote
Smuggling bibles to China; Wedding backlog; President Biden and the Catholic Bishops
Climate Change Boat Relay; Faith and Football; Cult Survivor
06/06/2021
Cathedral Cycle Route; Gordon Browns Global Vaccine Plea and The Pagan Ceremony of 'Handfasting'
The Church's Role Post Covid; Gaza Ceasefire; G7 Choir
Songs of Grief and Hope; Contested Monuments; Mayflower Legacy
Arranged Marriages, Gavin Peacock, ‘Body and Soul’ workout with Mr Motivator
Pilgrimage; Segregated Education in Northern Ireland; An Emperor in Bath
100 Voices; Church of England's anti-racism strategy; Pilgrimage
'Music of the soul'; Faith and Forgiveness; Racism in the Church of England
The Duke of Edinburgh's Faith, Northern Ireland Violence, The Musical Human
Harry Connick Junior; Fiona Bruce, Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief and Sir David Suchet
Handel's Messiah; RE and the Cartoon Row; Sikh Domestic Abuse
"Witch" songs; The Ethics of Protest; LGBT+ Catholics
Strange Fruit; Prison during the Pandemic; Religion and the Census
A special programme to celebrate International Women's Day
Black Church Vaccine Push; Pope's Historic Visit to Iraq; Decorating Graves
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