Sunday Morning

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Two hours of music and stimulating conversation from a faith and ethical perspective.

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Sunday Morning: with Cathy Macdonald

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with Cathy Macdonald

BBC Radio Scotland - Sunday Morning, with Cathy Macdonald

Faith leaders and the Good Friday Agreement, surrogacy law reforms and the Dalai Lama.

The role of faith leaders in the Good Friday Agreement, plus surrogacy law reforms and ethics, and a new documentary about the life of the Dalai Lama.

Why is there suffering in the world? This has been a question that has plagued the human mind throughout time. Many see it as a test from God, while others question God’s existence with so much suffering in the world. Muslim Chaplain and relationship counsellor Hassan Rabbani, and Dr Halle O’Neal, Co-Director of Edinburgh Buddhist Studies at the University of Edinburgh join Cathy Macdonald to explore how we make sense of suffering.

Gaming has long been a male-dominated industry, but recent years have seen a shift in the number of female gamers. But is the online gaming space still predominantly created by and for male players? Cathy speaks to Dr. Anesa Hosein, Head of Educational Development and Research at the University of Surrey, and Nicole McGuire, a YouTuber and gamer. 

The Dalai Lama recounts his journey from Tibet to India in a new documentary, Never Forget Tibet: The Dalai Lama's Untold Story. Honorary Buddhist Chaplain Dr Sam Pehrson from the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at St Andrew’s University, and Dr Martin A. Mills from the University of Aberdeen and Director of the Scottish Centre for Himalayan Research give their thoughts.

As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement which largely ended the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Cathy finds out what role faith leaders played in bringing peace, and how they have contributed since, with author and peace builder Tony MacAulay, Bishop David Chillingworth of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and Ed Peterson, Coordinator of Clonard Peace Ministry. 

Reforms in the surrogacy laws in the UK are currently being looked at as more people opt to have children in this way. Claire Kelly, who has been a surrogate three times, shares her experience. Plus Professor of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, Rachel Muers, looks at some of the ethical dilemmas this practice throws up and examines what reform would mean. 

One of Scotland’s most loved plays, The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, was first performed 50 years ago this month, by radical theatre company 7:84. From its very birth, theatre was never afraid to engage socially and politically, but is this still the aspiration of Scottish theatre makers today? Cathy discusses this with Theatre critic Gareth K Vile and Jess Thorpe, the Associate Director of the Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre.

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