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A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

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Sunday: Catholicism after Benedict. Faith in Prison, Shamanism

15/01/2023

Catholicism after Benedict. Faith in Prison, Shamanism

BBC Radio 4 - Sunday, Catholicism after Benedict. Faith in Prison, Shamanism

Emily Buchanan takes a look at the ethical and religious issues of the week.

How might the death of former Pope Benedict affect the direction of the Catholic Church? The role of faith in supporting prisoners when they're released. What is Shamanism?

How might the death of the former Pope Benedict affect the future direction of the Catholic Church? When Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 citing old age, he became the first Pope in 600 years to step down from the role. For almost a decade there were in effect two popes living at close quarters in the Vatican. Some have regarded Benedict as more conservative than his successor, Pope Francis. We examine how the death of the former Pope could affect the pontificate of Francis and ask if it could lead to change.

Government figures show that more than half of adults released from prison in England and Wales go on to reoffend. In the second of our series on religion in prison, we hear about a faith group which is helping offenders to get back on their feet when they’re first released. Staff and clients at the Yellow Ribbon Community Chaplaincy in the English Midlands say drug and alcohol addictions often aren’t tackled in prison, and there's little support for people when they’re freed. The Justice ministry told us that it's improving rehabilitation in prison, and increasing the number of specialised wings to treat drug addiction and keep prisoners substance-free.

The data from the last Census released recently revealed a changing religious landscape in England and Wales, with a decline in the number of people identifying as Christian. But there were other interesting changes, including a rise in Shamanism. In 2011, just 650 people described themselves as Shaman, but a decade later, that had risen sharply to 8,000. We explore the appeal of Shamanism and ask why its popularity is increasing.

Producer:   Jonathan Hallewell
Presenter:    Emily Buchanan

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