Sunday

The supply of emergency food to people in the UK has hit record levels. Kevin Bocquet looks at new initiatives faith based organisations have set up to help those in need.The Met's highly anticipated exhibition Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, opens in New York this week. Vatican vestments and accessories spanning 15 papacies alongside items from some of the biggest designers in the world will be on display. Professor of Art History, Anne Higonnet, talks to William Crawley about what to expect. Rev. Dr. James H. Cone, a central figure in the development of Black liberation theology will be buried in New York on Monday. Prof Robert Beckford of Canterbury Christchurch University talks to William about Cone's legacy. Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most well known religious figure is facing trials on historical sexual assault charges. He has strongly denied any wrong doing. Phil Mercer profiles this controversial Vatican priest.For the last two years the Church of England has thrown its weight behind Thy Kingdom Come , a global prayer movement, which invites Christians around the world to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus Christ. Canon Angela Tilby discusses with the Rev Barry Hill, an advisor to Thy Kingdom Come, how the Church should talk about the Christian faith.The US House of Representatives chaplain, Father Patrick Conroy, has rescinded his resignation after it's claimed the House Speaker Paul Ryan's asked him to step down. William talks to journalist, Sarah Posner about what's going on behind the scenes.And why are direct cremations at which no mourners are present becoming popular? PRODUCERS: Rajeev Gupta Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Series Producer: Amanda Hancox.

An exhibition which combines art and history to examine the legacy of war has just opened in Lichfield Cathedral. Entitled Consequence of War, it features works by Henry Moore and Graham Sutherland as well as more modern installations by the cathedral's artist in residence. Bob Walker went to Lichfield to meet those behind the project. Historian Francis Young talks about his new book: "Edmund - In Search of England's Lost King"Caroline Farrow talks to Edward about the support she has been giving to the parents of Alfie Evans. Whilst Professor Dominic Wilkinson and Professor Raanan Gillon discuss the moral dilemma of families and doctors face.A Turkish court has ruled to keep an American Christian pastor in custody, after his trial opened in a case that has raised tensions between Turkey and the United States. Dorian Jones tells us about the case and political fallout it's causing between the two countries. Christian Aid Week, the charity's biggest fundraiser focuses on Haiti this year. Prospery Raymond, Christian Aid's Haiti country manager is meeting supporters and speaking at churches. It's the first time he's been in the UK since the Oxfam charity workers scandal. He speaks to Edward about how this has affected their work on the ground in Haiti.Ramadan starts in a few weeks (15th May) and already preparations are underway for the 30 days of fasting and feasting. A new report out this week says the period of Ramadan is not just an important spiritual time for British Muslims but businesses too. Edward speaks to Shelina Janmohamed about the commercialisation of Ramadan.Producers: Amanda Hancox Louise Clarke-Rowbotham.

At a ceremony at Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury broke the ground for the construction of a new library. Callum May reports on the first building to be be built within the walls of the palace in a century.Orphanage trafficking has been described as a 'billion dollar racket' by the Australian politician Senator Linda Reynolds. She was in London this week to raise awareness of the trade in children to populate orphanages that she says 'scam' money from church groups and volunteers. Krish Kandiah from the charity Home For Good tells Emily how they are planning to raise awareness of this issue in the UK.Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence. The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu was an adviser to the inquiry that investigated how the police handled the case. He tells Emily Buchanan about that time, his own experience with the police and whether he is still concerned about institutional racism. Pakistan is scheduled to go to the polls in national elections in July. In rural areas, hereditary holy men can wield significant political power. Dr Adeel Malik from Oxford University tells Emily Buchanan about their influence.Are faith groups doing enough to protect the environment? Martin Palmer from the Alliance of Religions and Conservation debates with the Church of England's lead bishop on the environment, the Rt Rev Nick Holtam. Protests have erupted across India this week after reports of a series of child rape cases. In January an 8-year-old Muslim girl was brutally tortured and killed in Kashmir. Rahul Tandon reports on the claims by some that this shows Muslims and low caste Hindus are not safe in the country.Producers: David Cook Carmel LonerganSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

This weekend Sikhs are celebrating the festival of Vaisakhi. Sikhs celebrate it as the time when the 10th Guru Gobind Singh initiated the Khalsa, considered as the founding of the Sikh religion. However, the festival itself predates Sikhism being celebrated across the Indian sub-continent as the harvest festival. Edward talks to Jasvir Singh about why some Sikhs are now calling for the cultural and religious celebrations to be separated. Murray Macleod reports on the first mosque to be built in the Outer Hebrides and why sections of the Church are opposed to it. A Humanist is leading an NHS chaplaincy team for the first time. Lindsay van Dijk talks to Edward about her role of leading a team of Christian chaplains. Three years ago the BBC's correspondent Caroline Wyatt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She's a Catholic and whilst sometimes her faith has been a huge source of strength, it's also being tested. She's been on a journey talking to other people of faith who are also facing a lifetime of chronic illness, to find out if they too are wondering, 'Where is God in the midst of suffering?' Continuing our series exploring religion and the environment, this week Harry Farley reports on the Wesley Hotel, an award winning social enterprise initiative linked to the Methodist church, to find out whether a hotel can deliver Methodist values and environmental standards alongside bed and breakfast.And as the situation in Syria heightens a Syrian refugee and a Syrian priest in the UK give their thoughts on the air strikes by the US, France and Britain. Producers: Rajeev Gupta, Catherine Earlam Editor: Amanda Hancox: Picture courtesy of Bhangracise.co.uk.

There are more than 10,000 graveyards associated with the Church of England and more than half are managed solely because of their natural historical significance. Bob Walker met Professor Stefan Buczacki who explains why Churchyards are so important and why their Eco system needs preserving. The spotlight is on London this week as violent crime rises month by month. Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, is a senior pastor at SPAC Nation church in the capital. He talks to Edward Stourton about strategies his church is employing to help reduce violence on the streets.Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders have joined forces to call for a policy limiting benefits to families with more than two children to be scrapped. The Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell is one of the 60 Church of England Bishops who signed a letter to the Times this week. The author and journalist Peter Stanford has been interviewing politicians and people in the public eye about their faith and beliefs for over 35 years. He explores why conversations about faith tend to be uncomfortable, even confrontational, and thus instinctively avoided.Between Manchester's Victoria station and the Co-op's new glassy energy-efficient building lies a red brick building, 150 years old and a monument to Victorian philanthropy. The area is earmarked for a major redevelopment programme - Rosie Dawson looks at what this might mean for the building and the people it serves. This Sunday a documentary on Channel 4, "Jesus' Female Disciples: The new Evidence" looks at the role of women in the early church. Theologians, Helen Bond and Tina Beattie examine the role women played then and now. Producers: Carmel Lonergan Louise Clarke-RowbothamEditor: Christine MorganPhoto Credit: Felicity Price-Smith.

If you had to buy your weekly food without it being packaged and wrapped in plastic how would you manage? Tracey Logan reports on how she avoided using plastic for the 40 days of Lent.In a message released for Easter Sunday, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham argues the moral case for businesses to pay the real 'Living Wage''. Alex Chalk the Conservative MP for Cheltenham tells Edward he has written to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, asking them to conduct a separate investigation into the Jehovah's Witnesses after a growing number of people come forward with complaints about the organisation.A Service of Hope at Westminster Abbey will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King. So what of his legacy today? Was King's idea of how to achieve a society based on 'justice, equal opportunity, and love of one's fellow human beings', flawed? The theologian Robert Beckford and academic Kehinde Andrews debate.The University of Sheffield in collaboration with the Church of England and the BBC's Daily Service has developed the prototype for a priestly robot that can perform services for all occasions. Rosie Dawson meets the robot that's about to be rolled out across rural parishes.The Easter story presents some challenging themes for RE teachers and school assemblies. Sarah Major reports on how some schools approach the brutality of the Crucifixion and the complexity of the Resurrection in their lessons.On Easter Sunday, the RAF celebrates its centenary. Peter Devitt, from the RAF Museum tells Edward more about the history of the different faith groups who have served over the past 100 years. Producers: David Cook Rajeev GuptaSeries Producer: Amanda Hancox.

As diplomatic relations between the UK and Russia get worse, Reverend Malcolm Rogers the chaplain at St Andrew's Anglican Church in the centre of Moscow, which has long been a community hub for British ex-pats in the Russian capital, speaks to us about his hopes and fears for the future. The Rwandan government has ordered 1500 Churches to be shut for not complying with building regulations and causing noise pollution. The government has also closed some Mosques and banned loudspeakers during the Muslim calls to prayer. Michael Kaloki from the BBC's East Africa Bureau gives an update on what's been happening thereBBC School Reporters interview leading religious figures including the Bishop of Manchester, Rabbi Daniel Walker and Tahiri Shafi and Kay Baig from the organisation Greater Manchester Muslim CommunityAfter a ten year long investigation involving over three hundred doctors, the Roman Catholic Church has recognized the first miraculous cure since 2013 following a pilgrimage to Lourdes. In 2008, a French Franciscan nun called Sister Bernadette Moriau visited the shrine where the Virgin Mary appeared to a young shepherdess in the mid-19th Century. Moriau had Cauda Equina Syndrome and was partially paralysed. She visited Lourdes in a wheelchair but immediately after returning home, she underwent a sudden, full, lasting and medically-inexplicable recovery. In other words - a miracle. Our Paris correspondent John Laurenson has been to visit her at her nunnery in the northern town of Beauvais...Matthew Champion tells William Crawley what medieval graffiti tell us about life during the time of the Black death in Winchester.Trevor Barnes reports on the challenges that face faith schools ahead of legislation that makes it mandatory for all schools to teach Relationship and Sex Education. Professor Ted Cantle of the Community Cohesion Foundation and Miqdaad Versi of the Muslim Council of Britain discuss whether the focus and scope of the Government's Green Paper on integration, published this week, goes far enough in tackling what the report describes as "a worrying number of communities, divided along race, faith or socio-economic lines". PRODUCERS: RAJEEV GUPTA DAVID COOK.

William visits the robotics exhibition at the Manchester Museum of Science and Technology with AI expert, Dr Louise Dennis, from Liverpool University, to discuss whether it's possible to create an ethical framework for advances in robotic technology. Professor Tom Wright, former Bishop of Durham, on his book Paul: A Biography in which he details the life of St Paul in a new way.William discusss the Archbishop of Canterbury meeting with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince during his visit to the UK.The first female Episcopalian bishop in Scotland. Bishop Anne Dyer - who is pro same-sex marriage was consecrated last week, she gives her first broadcast interview about her hopes for the future.Five years ago in St Peter's Square in Rome a piece of church history was made when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected Pope - the first Jesuit to hold the office, the first from the Americas and the southern hemisphere and the first non European Pope for over 1,000 years. Trevor Barnes looks back over his eventful five years as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Whilst Paul Vallely, Religious writer and broadcaster, Phil Lawler, editor of Catholic World News and Cecilia Taylor Camera, of the Catholic Bishop Conference of England & Wales, discuss his achievements and the criticisms of his Papacy.Producers: Amanda Hancox Lissa CookPhoto credit courtesy of the Museum of Science and Industry.

This weekend Hindu's are celebrating Holi - the colour filled festival that celebrates the coming of spring and victory of good over evil. Rajeev Gupta reports.Film Critic Richard Fitzwilliams reviews the new Mary Magdalene film staring Rooney Mara as Mary and Joaquin Phoenix in the role of Jesus.Ahead of International Women's Day Yassmin Abdel-Magied named Queensland Young Australian of the Year in 2015 talks to Edward about empowering women. A high court judge has granted an application for a judicial review of a senior coroner's "cab rank" policy in dealing with unexpected deaths, saying it raises issues of importance to Jewish and Muslim communities. Joshua Rosenberg explains.This week the Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards are given to business leaders for their promotion of peace through interfaith knowledge and action. Edward speaks to Brian Grim, President of the Religious freedom & Business Foundation from Seoul.How to dispose of old or damaged copies of the Koran is a sensitive issue and people have been accused of blasphemy for disrespecting the holy book. Secunder Kermani has been to Quetta in Pakistan to look at a project devoted to solving the problem.This week the church of the Holy Sepulchre closed as a sign of protest and has since re-opened, journalist Jordana Miller explains why. Last month the Vatican withheld permission for three key female speakers to address the Voices of Faith conference. Edward discusses why with Father Luke Hansen SJ (who will be taking part in Voices of Faith) and by Catholic journalist Caroline Farrow who agrees with the Vatican's decision.Producers: Carmel Lonergan; Louise Clarke-RowbothamEditor: Amanda HancoxPhoto Credit: Holi Festival of Colours.

US evangelist Billy Graham, who counselled presidents and preached to millions across the world died this week aged 99. Matt Wells and Sarah Posner look back at his life and legacy.As the violence continues in Syria Sister Annie Demerjian describes life in Damascus and what it's like to live in the current situation. We also hear from Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics.On Wednesday Jews will be celebrating the festival of Purim. It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman's plot to kill all the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther. It's a time when Jews raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for causes important to them by performing dances and entertaining one another. Reporter Rajeev Gupta has been to meet a group preparing for the festival.Recent figures show that there is a severe shortfall in the number of people training to become RE teachers. Trevor Barnes has been finding out why.Church of England churches might have to host non-Anglican wedding ceremonies if a Private Member's Bill introduced by Lord Deben in the House of Lords becomes law. The Church of England is opposed to the Bill. Lord Griffiths and Rev Martin Kettle discuss the implications with Edward.Justin Trudeau, the Canadian PM, is bringing to end a turbulent week long visit to India this weekend. Some Indian ministers have accused the Canadian government of a lack of action on tackling campaigns for a Sikh separatist state based and funded in Canada. The BBC's Pratiksha Ghildial joins Edward from Delhi to explain what's been happening.Producer: Rajeev Gupta Editor: Amanda Hancox.