Culham Institute: Programme Listings

This week's

Saturday 28th August
6.20pm		4thought.tv Marking the conclusion of this year's Edinburgh Festival, comedian and practising Christian Andy Kind discusses why he believes stand-up acts have a responsibility to be sensitive to the personal beliefs of their audiences.
Sunday 29th August
6.05am		Something Understood Apocalypse Now? Why has every age and every culture created myths of catastrophe and destruction? What function do these myths perform? Mark Tully reflects on the current raft of films with apocalyptic themes. [Repeated at 11.30pm]
7.10am		Sunday Edward Stourton presents a round-up of the week's religious and ethical headlines, featuring moral arguments and alternative perspectives on the key stories.
10.00am		Sunday Morning Live Topical debate covering religious, moral and ethical issues, presented by Susanna Reid.
11.30am		Heart and Soul Christianity in China Part 1. Christopher Landau tells the story of the rapid growth of state-sanctioned Christianity in China, and its impact on society.
7.55pm		4thought.tv Humanist comedienne Christina Martin discusses telling jokes about Jesus, the Pope and the Bible in her stand-up routines.
Monday 30th August
2.20am		Between Life and Death Documentary filmed by Bafta Award-winning director Nick Holt, following the stories of three comatose people whose families were forced to struggle with the decision to withdraw life-support. The patients highlighted are a 43-year-old man who was able to communicate by moving his eyes, a mother-of-three whose husband remained devoted to her care, and a teenager whose father thought it would be better for her to die than remain in her current state.
4.30pm		Beyond Belief The Origins of the Universe. 8/13 What does an understanding of the Big Bang theory prove about the existence or not of God? How is the search for the so-called 'God particle' or Higgs Boson progressing at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, Switzerland, and what are the implications for its discovery? Joining Ernie to discuss this are Professor Jeff Forshaw from Manchester University, Reverend Dr David Wilkinson from St John's College, Durham and Dr Usama Hasan from Middlesex University. Providing some jokes is the comedian and atheist, Robin Ince.
7.25pm		4thought.tv The increasingly controversial issue of faith schools is explored as people are asked whether they should be banned. Writer and atheist Francis Beckett has personal experience of education at a strict Catholic faith school, and explains why she believes they ultimately breed bigotry.
Tuesday 31st August
7.55pm		4thought.tv Very short film asking whether controversial faith schools should be banned in the UK. The programme examines how thoughts on the subject divides opinions, with some arguing the academies represent educational excellence, and others claiming they reinforce segregation and indoctrination.
Wednesday 1st September
12.30pm		Heart and Soul Christianity in China Part 2. Christopher Landau tells the story of the rapid growth of state-sanctioned Christianity in China, and its impact on society.
7.55pm		4thought.tv This 90 second programme asks seven people their opinion about faith schools, controversial institutions that for some represent educational excellence, but for others segregation and indoctrination.
8.30pm		Churches: How to Read Them Dark Beginnings 1/6. Author Richard Taylor unveils the historical and architectural secrets of churches, beginning with a tour of the early sacred buildings of the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans, learning the origin of the imagery often used to decorate their holy places.
Thursday 2nd September
11.00am		Crossing Continents The Church in China. Christopher Landau explores the growth of Christianity in China, as millions flock to the official Protestant and Catholic churches. The Communist state is formally atheist, but some believe that a religious work ethic will aid its economy, while certain branches of government hope the church's social services will help care for an ageing population.
7.55pm		4thought.tv ‘Another person’ is asked whether they think such faith schools should be banned.
Friday 3rd September
11.00am		God's Ambassador Part one of two. Ruth McDonald follows Francis Campbell, the Ambassador to the Holy See, and his small team at the British Embassy in Rome as they begin preparations for the Pope's four-day UK visit. Travelling between London, Italy and Birmingham, she uncovers what the event means to Catholics, and how Francis's faith has helped him through recent troubles.
7.25pm		4thought.tv Yet another view about faith schools.
9.00pm		A History of the World in 100 Objects In an omnibus edition, Director of the British Museum Neil MacGregor examines statues in India, Mexico and Easter Island, and uncovers the importance of icon painting in the Orthodox Church. He begins by looking at a Christian reliquary from medieval Europe designed to house a piece of the crown of thorns.

If you can't catch the 'live' broadcast, most Radio 4 programmes can be heard by visiting the station's web site at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ and clicking the 'Listen Again' button. Sunday can be heard by clicking on the programme's own homepage, at www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/sunday/

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