In this series, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has deep conversations with people who have made a significant contribution to public life about what they believe. How have the navigated their inner life alongside their public profile? What has been their moral ‘touchstone’ through the good times and the bad? How do they engage with faith and spirituality?

This week's guest is the recently retired head of the British Armed Forces General Sir Nick Carter. He joined the army as an 18 year old, serving in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. He later commanded in Kosovo, Iraq and twice in Afghanistan. He has seen conflict at its most intense, complex and intractable. He knows what it is like to make decisions that save and cost lives.

Producer: Dan Tierney for BBC Audio North. Show less