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Religion & Ethics

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

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Sunday: Faith and Tory Leadership Contest; Krishna Das and his Spiritual Journey;  Stories marking 50 years of Uganda Asians in the UK

Faith and Tory Leadership Contest; Krishna Das and his Spiritual Journey;  Stories marking 50 years of Uganda Asians in the UK

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday, Faith and Tory Leadership Contest; Krishna Das and his Spiritual Journey;  Stories marking 50 years of Uganda Asians in the UK

A look at the religious and ethical issues of the week with Edward Stourton.

In 1992 Pope John Paul II beatified just 17 individuals out of nearly 460 whose names were put forward as dying for the faith during the religious and political upheavals of 16th and 17th century Ireland.  So what made these individuals stand out from the rest during this period?  Former President of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese chats to Edward Stourton about the stories she uncovered in her new book ‘The 17 Irish Martyrs’. 

50 years ago,  Idi Amin, then President of Uganda, ordered the expulsion of his country’s Asian minority.  Around 60,000 individuals were given just 90 days to leave.  Many went to Canada, India, Kenya or Pakistan.  Around 28,000 came to the UK.  The majority settled in Leicester where a new exhibition ‘Rebuilding Lives’ has just opened at the Museum and Art Gallery.  Edward speaks to Nisha Popat, the exhibition's project leader and Mina Patel who has a personal family connection to one of the exhibits on display. 

Krishna Das, formerly known as Jeffery Kagel, is a Grammy-nominated vocalist who performs Indian devotional singing known as Kirtan.  He took time out during the UK leg of his European tour to tell us how his spiritual journey began.

As the Conservative Leadership contest enters the final stages, the majority of talk has been around tax and the cost of living.  But what about religion, could that also play a role in deciding who our next Prime Minister will be?  Edward discusses the contenders with Tim Montgomerie, Co-founder of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and Creator of Conservativehome.com and Dr. Ekaterina Kolpinskaya, from the University of Exeter who is researching religion and the voting habits of Conservatives. 
Photo Credit: Perry Julien

Producers:  Jill Collins and Rosie Dawson
Editor:  Tim Pemberton

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Faith and Tory Leadership Contest; Krishna Das and his Spiritual Journey; Stories marking 50 years of Uganda Asians in the UK

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