Lent Talks

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BBC Radio 4 LW

Religion & Ethics

Six people reflect on the story of Jesus' ministry and Passion from their own perspectives

Six people well known in their fields reflect on the story of Jesus' ministry and Passion from the perspective of their own personal and professional experience

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Lent Talks: The People's Prayer - The Power and the Glory

The People's Prayer - The Power and the Glory

BBC Radio 4 - Lent Talks, The People's Prayer - The Power and the Glory

Six people well known in their fields reflect on the story of Jesus' ministry and Passion.

Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, reflects on what power and glory mean amidst the pain, suffering and sacrifice of Jesus' Passion and what that says to the world today.

It may seem strange to speak about power and glory in Holy Week, in the week when the focus is a crucified man in so much pain and torment. When it looks like evil has won. When the words of the Lord’s Prayer, all seem so distant. Thy will be done? Is this God’s will? But this image, the dying man is an image of glory. In becoming the least of all, in becoming a sacrifice, this is how God shows his power. 

Archbishop Stephen Cottrell speaks from personal experience and draws on the story of the Passion and the words of Jesus from the Cross. What do they mean for people today? People suffering from illness? People living in poverty? People living with loneliness or struggling with their mental health. 
Power, glory, eternity, are not for them. But if we turn the idea on its head, we see a new message.
“The glory of the cross is Christ present with us in our suffering. God’s real and actual power was always the power of  love.”

In this series six people reflect on Jesus ministry, teaching and Passion from a deeply personal perspective focussing on words from The Lord's Prayer. Their life experience is echoed by the words of The Lord's Prayer. These are words shared across Christian denominations but they go further; they are part of our culture and tradition. They express universal themes that speak to the hopes and dreams of humanity, a cry to fulfil both our spiritual and physical needs.

It could really be thought of as The People’s Prayer.

Producer: Katharine Longworth

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