Sunday Folgen

A pair of media-savvy nuns in Boston, USA, have attracted over 15 million views to the videos they’ve posted on social media. The Daughters of St Paul have more than 156,000 followers on TikTok. Their posts give an entertaining insight into life in a convent, depicting dance routines, pranks and funny takes on popular culture. They’re an unusual comedy duo, but the sisters tell our presenter Emily Buchanan, that their real objective is simply to bring Jesus into people’s lives.The number of people regularly attending Christian churches in the UK has fallen sharply in recent decades. We hear from one clergyman who arrived at church to find that nobody at all had arrived to hear his service. Why is it that fewer people choose to go to church these days, and what’s the secret behind those churches that are growing? Tens of thousands of German-speaking Jews were placed in camps during the war in Britain, because it was feared that they might be spies. In fact, many had fled Nazi Germany and sought refuge in the UK, only to find themselves behind bars. Emily hears the story of Bertha Bracey, a Quaker who worked tirelessly to improve conditions in the camps and helped some people to be freed.Producers: Jonathan Hallewell and Carmel Lonergan Editor: Helen Grady

On this weekend’s Sunday programme, our Presenter Edward Stourton explores President Putin’s ambitions towards Ukraine and whether religion plays a significant role, with Marat Shterin, Professor of Religion at King’s College London and Co-Editor of the Routledge Journal ‘Religion, State and Society’. Islanders from the British Overseas Territory of St Helena in the Southern Atlantic Ocean are making plans to give more than 300 liberated slaves a respectful reinterment, after their bodies were exhumed for construction work on the Island. The Rt. Revd Dale Bowers, Bishop of St. Helena and Helena Bennett, Chair of the Liberated African Advisory Committee told Edward about the details. Six months after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan for a second time, Edward asks what life is like now for the people of Afghanistan, with BBC Presenter and International Correspondent, Yalda Hakim and Dr Obaidullah Baheer, Lecturer at the American University of AfghanistanAnd on the eve of St. Valentine’s day, we look at the role of Matchmakers in religious tradition and explore whether they really can help people find true love, with Dassy Miller who runs a service for Orthodox Jews and Naseem Mohammed who runs a service for Muslims. Producers: Jill Collins and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Editor: Tim Pemberton

A new statue has been created honouring a medieval Jewish businesswoman thought to have been a victim of 13th century hate crime. Licoricia of Winchester was a money lender whose wealth contributed to the building of Westminster Abbey and helped bankroll three English kings. She was murdered at a time of widespread anti-Semitism and campaigners hope a new statue in her hometown will serve as a powerful reminder of the history of prejudices that still exist today. Hundreds of churches in the UK are preparing to welcome Christians who are moving to this country from Hong Kong. The Home Office expects as many as 300,000 to make the journey in the next year. They're making the difficult decision to leave Hong Kong after the introduction of a controversial new National Security Law, which critics say is eroding freedoms. Danny Vincent reports from Hong Kong. Michael Gove has called for "Christian forgiveness" to be shown to anyone who shows contrition for attending Downing Street parties during lockdown. Forgiveness is central to the Christian faith, but what does it mean to forgive someone and how is our individual forgiveness affected by the nature, or indeed sincerity, of the apology? Does forgiveness require repentance? Edward Stourton explores the theology and mechanics of forgiveness with Rev George Pitcher, visiting fellow at LSE and Anglican vicar and Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers from Edgeware and Hendon Reform SynagoguePhoto Copyright - Ian Rank Broadley, Producers: Carmel Lonergan Jonathan HallewellEditor: Tim Pemberton