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Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle

Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle: Episode 7: The Agony and the Ecstasy

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Episode 7

Episode 7: The Agony and the Ecstasy

The Agony and the Ecstasy

BBC Radio 4 - Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle, The Agony and the Ecstasy

Richard focuses on three writers who wrote about their personal spiritual struggles.

Richard Holloway focuses on three writers who wrote about their personal spiritual struggles - John Donne, John Bunyan and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

In a series of personal essays, Richard Holloway considers the tensions between faith and doubt over the last 3000 years. Author and former Bishop of Edinburgh, Richard Holloway focuses on the Judeo-Christian tradition as he takes the listener from the birth of religious thinking, through the Old and New Testaments, to the developments in subsequent centuries and their influence on thinkers and writers, up to the present day. 

In today's programme Richard Holloway focuses on three writers, each of whom wrote about their personal spiritual struggles. He begins with the 17th century poet and preacher John Donne, best known for his early love poems, but it's in his religious work that he grappled with the themes of faith, doubt and temptation. Richard Holloway talks to the former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion about Donne's internal doubts. 

A generation later, John Bunyan, known universally for his religious allegory The Pilgrim's Progress, wrote about his profound feelings of guilt, doubt and melancholy. 

Richard Holloway's third writer is the 19th century poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Holloway talks to AN Wilson about Hopkins' belief that religion could make society more effective and compassionate, yet inside, he thought of himself as a failure as a priest, a teacher and a poet.



Producer: Olivia Landsberg
A Ladbroke Production for BBC Radio 4.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Richard Holloway presents a series on the relationship between faith and doubt

Richard Holloway, writer and former Bishop of Edinburgh, presents a series of personal essays on the relationship between faith and doubt over the last 3,000 years

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Honest Doubt: The History of an Epic Struggle

Episode 7: The Agony and the Ecstasy

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