Beyond Belief

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Religion & Ethics

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

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Beyond Belief: What Makes a Ritual

What Makes a Ritual

BBC Radio 4 - Beyond Belief, What Makes a Ritual

Why are non-religious rituals becoming popular, and how do habits become sacred?

Ernie Rea explores the rituals becoming popular outside of religion, and is joined by a panel to discuss how habits, routines and practices can become spiritual and sacred.

Can our morning coffee routines, the Saturday parkrun, or a daily walk in nature be sacred?

Ernie Rea explores how ritual, repeated actions done the same way every time, long associated with religion, is being employed by those outside of faith practice. There are now apps that can help build mindful rituals into your day, workplaces are designing ceremonies to build community amongst colleagues. What attracts us to these kinds of practices and without a religious framework do they lose their power?

Ernie is joined by Casper Ter Kuile, formerly at the Harvard Divinity School he's the author of 'The Power of Ritual'. Kashori Jani is a Sanskrit teacher at a Hindu faith school and shares ancient Hindu wisdom and Kirtan (musical mantra meditation) with her large following online. Father David Elliot is Catholic Priest and the Head of Theology at the Oratory School in Oxford.

Plus Matt Brooke from Tough Mudder tells us how ritual helps competitors complete their endurance challenges.


Producer: Rebecca Maxted and Katharine Longworth
Assistant Producer: Josie Le Vey
Editor: Tim Pemberton

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