Sunday Folgen

A new statue has been created honouring a medieval Jewish businesswoman thought to have been a victim of 13th century hate crime. Licoricia of Winchester was a money lender whose wealth contributed to the building of Westminster Abbey and helped bankroll three English kings. She was murdered at a time of widespread anti-Semitism and campaigners hope a new statue in her hometown will serve as a powerful reminder of the history of prejudices that still exist today. Hundreds of churches in the UK are preparing to welcome Christians who are moving to this country from Hong Kong. The Home Office expects as many as 300,000 to make the journey in the next year. They're making the difficult decision to leave Hong Kong after the introduction of a controversial new National Security Law, which critics say is eroding freedoms. Danny Vincent reports from Hong Kong. Michael Gove has called for "Christian forgiveness" to be shown to anyone who shows contrition for attending Downing Street parties during lockdown. Forgiveness is central to the Christian faith, but what does it mean to forgive someone and how is our individual forgiveness affected by the nature, or indeed sincerity, of the apology? Does forgiveness require repentance? Edward Stourton explores the theology and mechanics of forgiveness with Rev George Pitcher, visiting fellow at LSE and Anglican vicar and Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers from Edgeware and Hendon Reform SynagoguePhoto Copyright - Ian Rank Broadley, Producers: Carmel Lonergan Jonathan HallewellEditor: Tim Pemberton

As tensions rise in Ukraine we explore the religious context and find out how far the split in the Orthodox church in Ukraine reflects the current political crisis. We hear about a plan to change how the Archbishop of Canterbury is selected and we take you to visit an exhibition of icon artists. How does an artist create a piece of work that's both an image and a prayer?The social media and tech companies have plans for us all to work and socialise in a virtual reality world and it's been given a name, the metaverse. So what is the metaverse and what practical applications does it have for religion?On the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday we bring together two bishops who have played an important role in peacemaking in the city. We reflect on how the event was pivotal for both communities and on the efforts to rebuilt trust. Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Producer: Jill Collins Editor: Helen GradyImage copyright Dr Irina Bradley

What is the purpose of religious images and why have some of them caused controversy over the centuries? These are two of the questions addressed by the classics scholar Professor Mary Beard in a two part BBC2 series called ‘Mary Beard on Forbidden Art’. Mary joins Dr Fozia Bora, Associate Professor of Islamic History at the University of Leeds, to discuss some of the themes and ideas in her new documentary.The former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has put his weight behind a campaign to get aid flowing to Afghanistan. Along with Save the Children and a group of faith leaders, he is launching an online petition to persuade the British government to convene an aid conference so that the country’s needs are met. He joins Edward Stourton to discuss the desperate situation in Afghanistan.In 1942, a Jewish woman in Vienna called Kamilla wrote a long letter to her children who had escaped Nazi-occupied Europe and were living in Britain. It was the last letter they got from her. Not long after she wrote it, she was deported and eventually murdered at Auschwitz. 80 years later the letter has become the inspiration for an musical way of marking Holocaust Memorial Day, which falls on Thursday this coming week. The album 'Letter to Kamilla' is the work of the composer Benjamin Till in collaboration with Michael Etherton, the Musical Director of a Jewish male vocal ensemble called Mosaic Voices and also Kamilla’s great grandson. Michael and Benjamin are in studio to talk about Kamilla and the music her letter has inspired.Producers: Helen Lee Carmel LonerganEditor: Tim Pemberton