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All Things Considered

Discussion & Talk

Religion & Ethics

Religious affairs programme, tackling thorny issues in a thought-provoking manner

Religious affairs programme, tackling the thornier issues of the day in a thought-provoking manner

All Things Considered: The Face

The Face

BBC Radio Wales - All Things Considered, The Face

Jonathan Thomas explores the spirituality of the face at a time when we have to wear masks

At a time when we have been asked to wear a mask for the safety of those around us, Jonathan Thomas explores the significance of the human face to different faith groups.

We currently live in a world of masks. Be it a shop, office or even a wedding, we all need to wear a face covering. Jonathan Thomas asks whether there are unintended implications from wearing a mask in a religious setting, and we hear from Muslim Azim Ahmed about how wearing a mask has presented theological challenges to worship. He discusses why some Muslim women choose to veil their faces, and the opposition to this in some secular countries. We ask whether new light might be shed on this discussion now we are all covering our faces in some way.  Radhika Kadaba explains the importance of the face to Hindu worship, and how applying KumKuma to the forehead opens up a connection to the divine. 
 
We explore how different religions approach the face of God, and whether this has any meaning or message for us today. Father James Siemens explains the importance of icons to the Eastern Orthodox faith, and the wonders of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Art historian Professor John Harvey from Aberystwyth University discusses how artists over the centuries have grappled with whether they can depict God at all. For Muslims Allah and the Prophet Muhammad are beyond human comprehension so are not depicted visually, but instead artists and architects have used design and geometric patterns to express the heights of their faith.

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