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Religion & Ethics

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

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Sunday: 03/10/2010

03/10/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday, 03/10/2010

Edward Stourton with the religious and ethical news of the week.

Whilst the Church of England Synod has voted in favour of the ordination of Women Bishops, there are still those traditionalists within the Church who remain opposed to the idea. Amongst them a group of Bishops who've now formed a splinter group known as the Mission Society of St. Wilfrid and St. Hilda. Edward Stourton will be speaking to one of the founders, the Right Reverend John Goddard, Bishop of Burnley about the group and what it hopes to achieve. 

As the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament takes to the fairway this weekend, Kevin Bouquet looks into the background of the man responsible for setting it up, committed Christian, Samuel Ryder. Twenty five years before the famous tournament began, Ryder set up a separate annual golf competition to be played by Free Church Ministers which is played today. 

Christmas may be just around the corner, but the Church of England is already focusing its mind on Easter. Concerned that the real meaning of Easter has become overshadowed, the Church has launched 'The Real Easter Egg', described as the only Egg to mention Jesus on the box. The Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend, Nigel McCulloch explains why he thinks this will help people focus on Easter's Christian message. 

Adam Easton tells the extraordinary story of a Polish couple, Pawel and Ola Bramson, both former skin-heads who were raised as Catholics only to later discover that they had a common Jewish ancestry. Since then they've made the conversion to Orthodox Judaism. 

This week the new Labour Leader Ed Miliband revealed that he doesn't believe in God. Whilst across the water, in an attempt to fight off his doubters, US President Barack Obama declared that he's a 'Christian by choice'. But do these pronouncements really make any difference to how we view our political leaders ? The Daily Mail's Political Sketchwriter, Quentin Letts and American Political Commentator Charlie Woolf discuss whether religious background matters. 

The West African Federal Republic of Nigeria celebrates 50 years of independence this week. It's had a particularly turbulent political history which has also been played out in its religious differences mainly between Christians and Muslims. Trevor Barnes looks at the current state of religion in the country and how it might play a part in Nigeria's future. 

This weekend the Conservatives hold their annual Conference in Birmingham and one of the key talking points will on the Big Society, an idea of the Conservatives, now adopted by the Coalition Government. We hear the views of Guardian Columnist, Polly Toynbee and Andrew Selous MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ian Duncan Smith and a Trustee of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. 


E-mail: sunday@bbc.co.uk

Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

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