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Sunday: Pope in Manila, Parisian Jews, Church and Politics

18/01/2015

Pope in Manila, Parisian Jews, Church and Politics

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday, Pope in Manila, Parisian Jews, Church and Politics

The Pope's mass in Manila, Parisian Jews, Church and politics.

A crowd of 6 million is expected when Pope Francis says mass in Manila. French Jews contemplate their future as Paris mourns. Should the Church of England be involved in politics?

Could it be the biggest Papal crowd ever when Pope Francis says Mass for millions of Catholics in Manila on Sunday at the end of his trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines? Our Religious Affairs Correspondent Caroline Wyatt is there.

Last week's attacks in Paris have stoked fears amongst the Jewish community and the number of inquiries of people making "Aliyah" (returning to Israel) has risen from hundreds to 2,000 since the attacks. John Laurenson reports from Paris.

An All Parliamentary Report recommends mindfulness training in several key areas of public life as a means of improving health and wellbeing. Madeline Bunting, co-founder of the Mindfulness Initiative and Dr Miles Neale, Buddhist psychotherapist debate the report's claims.

Last week Raif Badawi was whipped 50 times for offences ranging from cybercrime to insulting Islam. Fawaz Gerges explains why Saudi authorities appear reluctant to listen to international pressure to stop the punishment.

As the Church of England release five key papers ahead of Synod on 'Reform and Renewal' John Spence, Finance Chair of the Archbishop's Council, explains the pressing issues that the C of E faces.

With the General Election less than four weeks away a book edited by the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, has been criticised as 'straying too far into the political arena'.

Trevor Barnes reports on the tensions that have always existed between Bishops and elected officials while The Bishop of Manchester David Walker and the Spectator's Assistant Editor Isabel Hardman debate.


Contributors:
John Spence
Madeline Bunting
Dr Miles Neale
Fawaz Gerges
Rt Rev David Walker, Bishop of Manchester
Isabel Hardman

Producers:David Cook
Zaffar Iqbal

Editor:Amanda Hancox.

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