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Religion & Ethics

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

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Sunday: Same-Sex Marriage and the Church of England; Meat-Free Fridays; Bellringing for the King

06/11/2022

Same-Sex Marriage and the Church of England; Meat-Free Fridays; Bellringing for the King

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday, Same-Sex Marriage and the Church of England; Meat-Free Fridays; Bellringing for the King

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

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

It's an issue which has divided the Church of England for decades, and now the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Reverend Dr. Steven Croft has become the most senior cleric in the Church to speak out in favour of same-sex marriage. But will the growing support for the bishop's stance make any difference to the future direction of the church? Ed Stourton explores the issue with Dr Andrew Goddard, he was on the Steering Group for the church's Living and Loving in Faith Project and is a member of the Church of England Evangelical Council, and Ben Bradshaw, a former Labour cabinet minister and practicing Anglican who sits on parliament's Ecclesiastical Committee.

Could the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Friday have an impact in tackling climate change? A new study suggests it could potentially reduce carbon emissions. Edward assesses the details with Professor Shaun Lacrom, from the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge, and Bishop John Arnold, the environmental lead for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.  

'Ring for the King' is the campaign to recruit and train thousands of new bellringers ahead of next year's Coronation of King Charles on 6 May. Reporter Mark Hutchings joined a team of bellringers to find out what it takes to become expert in pulling the ropes.   

And as Remembrance weekend draws near, Major Daljinder Singh Virdee from the Defence Sikh Network explains how he was inspired to develop a version of the Nitnem Gutka Sahib, or daily Prayer Book for Sikhs in the military, after seeing an image of a Sikh soldier in the trenches during the Great War.

Photo: Bellringers from St. Woolos Cathedral at St. Basil's Church, Newport. 

Producers:  Jill Collins and Fiona Leach
Editor: Tim Pemberton

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Same-Sex Marriage and the Church of England; Meat-Free Fridays; Bellringing for the King

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