Sunday Folgen

In 1992 Pope John Paul II beatified just 17 individuals out of nearly 460 whose names were put forward as dying for the faith during the religious and political upheavals of 16th and 17th century Ireland. So what made these individuals stand out from the rest during this period? Former President of Ireland, Dr Mary McAleese chats to Edward Stourton about the stories she uncovered in her new book ‘The 17 Irish Martyrs’. 50 years ago, Idi Amin, then President of Uganda, ordered the expulsion of his country’s Asian minority. Around 60,000 individuals were given just 90 days to leave. Many went to Canada, India, Kenya or Pakistan. Around 28,000 came to the UK. The majority settled in Leicester where a new exhibition ‘Rebuilding Lives’ has just opened at the Museum and Art Gallery. Edward speaks to Nisha Popat, the exhibition's project leader and Mina Patel who has a personal family connection to one of the exhibits on display. Krishna Das, formerly known as Jeffery Kagel, is a Grammy-nominated vocalist who performs Indian devotional singing known as Kirtan. He took time out during the UK leg of his European tour to tell us how his spiritual journey began.As the Conservative Leadership contest enters the final stages, the majority of talk has been around tax and the cost of living. But what about religion, could that also play a role in deciding who our next Prime Minister will be? Edward discusses the contenders with Tim Montgomerie, Co-founder of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and Creator of Conservativehome.com and Dr. Ekaterina Kolpinskaya, from the University of Exeter who is researching religion and the voting habits of Conservatives. Photo Credit: Perry JulienProducers: Jill Collins and Rosie Dawson Editor: Tim Pemberton

A look at the ethical and religious issues of the week

'Racism is a gaping wound in the body of Christ' - so said the former Labour cabinet minister Paul Boateng. He is chairing the Archbishops' Commission for Racial Justice, and this week he produced the first of several papers on what needs to be done to heal that wound. We hear from him and the Reverend Arun Arora about how the work is going.Next week sees the start of the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in London. 600 delegates from 60 countries will take part. The Tory MP Fiona Bruce will be in the chair - she's the Prime Minister's special envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief. It's the fourth such conference and we ask her what's been achieved so far.The Church of England diocese of Blackburn wants parishes to drop wedding fees because they are 'economically unjust'. It's passed its own motion on the matter and will be proposing the plan when the General Synod gathers next weekend. The fee for a C of E wedding is usually between 512 and 560 pounds. We hear what that's meant to some parishioners and why the diocese is taking the action.And Hajj begins next week, but this year's pilgrimage has been marked by widespread complaints about a new booking system for traveling to Mecca. The Saudi authorities have launched their own booking portal this year. But the Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on Hajj and Umrah, tells us that for many would-be pilgrims it has proved chaotic. Presented By Edward Stourton. Produced by Julia Paul and Rebecca Maxted.