Beyond Belief

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BBC Radio 4 LW

Religion & Ethics

Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world

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Beyond Belief: Autism and Faith

Autism and Faith

BBC Radio 4 - Beyond Belief, Autism and Faith

Series exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world, with Ernie Rea.

Ernie Rea explores how easy it is for autistic people to believe in God, speaking to autistic artists, academics and activists and star quizzer and committed Catholic Anne Hegarty.

How easy is it for autistic people to believe in God? 

The National Autistic Society describe autism as a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. They say 1 in 100 of us may be autistic and the diagnosis of autism has risen dramatically in recent decades.

How are religious organisations responding to the needs of a growing number of their congregations?

Ernie Rae is joined by a panel of three autistic guests to discuss their experiences: Professor Grant Macaskill, the co-director of the Centre for Autism and Theology at the University of Aberdeen; Samantha Stein, a YouTuber with over seven million views, who set up an atheist summer camp; and Iqra Babar, a digital artist with a strong Muslim faith. 

We also hear from TV quizzer Anne Hegarty, who is autistic and a Catholic, about her relationship with faith.

Producer: Rebecca Maxted
Assistant Producer: Josie Le Vay
Editor: Helen Grady

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