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Heart and Soul: Reflections on Faith in a Global Crisis: Community

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29/05/2020 GMT

Community

Reflections on Faith in a Global Crisis

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Reflections on Faith in a Global Crisis, Community

John McCarthy brings together reflections from people around the world

In the fourth programme of this special series we hear that while people are keeping their distance, a sense of community is growing.

In this fourth programme of a special Heart and Soul series for the BBC World Service, amidst a global pandemic of Coronavirus, the journalist John McCarthy hears how the notion of community has changed as many people continue to be denied the chance to gather for religious practice.

Across the world the way people live their daily lives has radically altered. What new communities are emerging? Whether online, in our family or households, or simply a new relationship with neighbours, we hear reflections on how faith communities are changing and perhaps becoming deeper in their spiritual practice during this global crisis.

While people are keeping their distance, a sense of community is growing. People of faith and no faith are reaching out to support others. There seems to be an urge to share something more profound than just being together physically or clapping for nurses and doctors.

Hiba Siddiqi works for the Islamic Relief charity in Pakistan; Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani is an award winning writer who lives in Abuja, Nigeria, Reverend Julian DeShazier is in Chicago; Tarunjit Singh Buttalia is a science professor, originally from India but now living in Ohio, USA; Sister Rachel Denton has led a life of quiet prayer alone for decades and Sanderson Jones used to be a stand up comedian. He doesn’t believe in God, but he does believe in community. So much so, he set up an alternative Sunday Assembly.

Presented by John McCarthy
Produced by Olive Clancy

Heart and Soul: Reflections on Faith in a Global Crisis

John McCarthy shares the reflections of people of faith around the world during a pandemic

In the first programme of a special Heart and Soul series for the BBC World Service, amidst a global pandemic of Coronavirus, the journalist John McCarthy brings together reflections from people of faith around the world. In each programme specially chosen contributors reflect on the horrendous situation the whole world is dealing with.

Rituals are at the heart of many religions, they are vital to the practice of faith giving structure, comfort and focus.
The best-selling Indian writer Amish Tripathi sees daily yoga practice as central to his Hindu faith. He loves the calm and balance it brings. But with the virus bringing fear of respiratory problems he newly appreciates the breathing techniques which ease anxiety. Miriam Camerini is an Italian trainee Rabbi who is stranded in Canada, unable to travel home. She is heartbroken to hear of sick friends, but comforted by new online connections with Jerusalem. And a pastor used to non-stop cross-border travel to look after Mexican and US parishioners finds strength in bible passages he never had time to sit and study before.
With much of the world in lockdown the rituals and sacraments of conventional religion are impossible. John McCarthy hears how people are finding new ways to live out their faith in retreat.

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