Flags, faith and identity: Christianity in a Changing Britain
In September the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, drew many thousands of people to London. Advertised as the UK’s biggest ‘Free Speech Festival’, speakers made calls to reaffirm Britain’s Christian foundations. Many held wooden crosses and flags with Christian slogans, and the crowds were led in reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
In response to the march, a group of Church of England bishops and senior clergy joined leaders from across denominations to write a letter condemning the “co-opting or corrupting” of the Christian faith and symbols to exclude others. The letter said that ‘communities felt anxious, unsettled and even threatened by aspects of the march.’Meanwhile operation ‘Raise the Colours’, a campaign to cover Britain in flags, has seen St. George’s flags appear on lamp posts across England. Some see flying the flag as patriotism, while others are concerned and say the movement is underpinned by far-right nationalists.Today we’ll explore the issues. Why is it different to fly a Welsh Flag or a St. George’s Cross? What is the difference between patriotism and nationalism? In what way was the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march unsettling and exclusionary to others? Delyth Liddell is joined by Reverend Rhys Llwyd, leader of a Welsh speaking Baptist Church in Caernarfon, North Wales. The Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn who has recently written an article arguing that the flying of flags is a cry from long neglected communities. Suzanne Philpott lives near Swansea. She attended the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in September and is a Christian. Ross Hendry is from Llanelli and is the CEO of Christian Action Research and Education. He was a joint signatory of the letter “Do not ‘co-opt’ the cross to divide."
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The Quantum Universe
This is Unesco's International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, marking a century and more since this fascinating branch of physics came to transform our understanding of the world. Not only that, for people of faith quantum science has arguably transformed our understanding of the nature of God and the nature of humanity. Rosa Hunt investigates the strange, and sometimes downright weird world of quantum uncertainty, dead-and-alive cats, and the possibility of multiverses.Her guests include Professor David Wilkinson, Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst, Dr Nick Spencer and Father Lee Taylor.
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Cherry Vann: Beyond the Headlines
On November 8th, Cherry Vann will be enthroned as the 15th Archbishop of Wales. Her appointment has been covered in an abundance of headlines, as it has come in the midst of a turbulent time for the Church in Wales. The former archbishop stood down amidst problems in Bangor Cathedral. But, her appointment is also hailed by many as a new era for the Church.
A few weeks before her enthronement, Jonathan Thomas sat down with the new Archbishop of Wales at the Bishops office in Newport, to find out who she is beyond the headlines.
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Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling: Women in Faith Leadership
In light of the recent appointment of the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Azim Ahmed and guests examine whether women have shattered the glass ceiling of faith leadership.To discuss the issues Azim is joined by a panel of female faith leaders; the Very Reverend Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St. David’s Cathedral. Chine McDonald who is the Director of the Theos think tank. Zara Muhammed made history as the first woman to lead the Muslim Council of Britain, serving as Secretary General between 2021 and 2025, Rabbi Charley Baginsky is the Co-Lead of Progressive Judaism in the UK and Ireland. Together they examine the challenges of leadership in faith traditions shaped by patriarchal societies, the qualities women bring to leadership and the hope they have for the future of religious leadership and inter-faith relations.
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Faith and Menopause
October is World Menopause Awareness Month; Menopause tends to begin between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five but for some it can start much earlier in life. It’s a process that can be tiring, confusing, annoying, frightening and even alienating. But what part can faith play in this rite of passage that half the world’s population go through? Can faith be helpful for people navigating the menopause or is it a form of suppression, with the changes to our bodies rarely being talked about in our churches, temples and mosques?Delyth Liddell is joined by -Sarah Allen, author of 'Pause – How to enjoy God, find hope and bear fruit through midlife and the menopause'.
Neera Vyas, a semi-retired religious studies teacher from Ruabon who’s from a Hindu background.
Dr Camilla Mork, historian and founding member of the UK Menstruation Research Network.
GP Dr Felicia Wong, who works for The Christian Medical Fellowship.
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