What draws people from other faiths – including Hindus, Buddhists, Jews and Muslims – to sing in Christian choirs, even at Christmas? In this festive podcast, Zubeida Malik meets some of them during carol rehearsals to find out.

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The Love Song Which They Bring

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of mending broken bowls with lacquer and gold, which often makes the restored object more beautiful than the original. As a result, kintsugi has become a symbol of how human brokenness can lead to a new sense of inner wholeness and beauty.

The Spirit of Kintsugi

The Prophet Muhammad was 40 when he began to receive the revelation of the Quran. In this podcast, journalist Remona Aly is joined by three guests in their 40s to discuss the deeper meaning of maturity in Islam, and how the ‘age of revelation’ is best lived -  through innovative approaches, the love of walking, life-lessons and personal legacies.

The Age of Revelation

For most people in the UK, Easter means extra days off work, family time and chocolate eggs. So how can its message be heard afresh through nature and astronomy, stories and art? With Fr Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, writer and Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation; and Bonnie Lander Johnson, a writer and Cambridge academic with a love of stories, history and nature.

A Fresh Look at Easter

Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams discusses his favourite Bible passages.  Speaking to Alison Hilliard, he explains the verses which for him “light up the landscape”. Bible readings by David Suchet.  

The Word: Rowan Williams

Nelufar Hedayat explores with four Sikh guests what led so many Sikhs from British India to the trenches and battlegrounds of World War I, to fight a war which was essentially not their own. She hears stories of individual soldiers and families and finds out what young Sikhs today make of this part of their martial legacy. 

Sikh Soldiers of The Great War

Liz Adekunle, former Archdeacon of Hackney and Chaplain to His Majesty the King, sets out to discover what people in the public eye have learnt about their faith during challenging times. In this episode, Amos Ogunkoya, one of the stars of the reality TV show, The Traitors, and Luton Town FC first team doctor, joins Liz for a deep dive into experiences that have moulded his Christian faith.

FaithTime: Amos Ogunkoya

Liz Adekunle, Chaplain to His Majesty the King, continues to meet celebrities who have been sustained by their faith during difficult times. Her guests in this episode of FaithTime are Carrie and David Grant, who are well-known for their work as vocal coaches, broadcasters and campaigners. From being struck down with illness to their experience of child-on-parent violence, the couple open up about their lives together and as a family and reflect on what their Christian faith has meant along an often difficult path.

FaithTime: Carrie and David Grant

In the film One Life, Anthony Hopkins plays Nicholas Winton, who rescued over 600 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Prague by sending them on what became known as the Kindertransport. For this podcast, Rosie Dawson welcomes two people who knew Nicholas Winton personally: Rabbi Jonathan Romain from Maidenhead synagogue in Berkshire, and Lord Alf Dubs, who was himself a Kindertransport child and campaigns for the rights of unaccompanied child refugees. Together with Sue Butler from Welcome Churches, a network committed to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers, they discuss what lessons the story of Nicholas Winton holds for us today.

Deeper into One Life

The image of the Madonna and child appears on nearly every Christmas card and is at the centre of every nativity scene. But in most of these images, Mary looks European, a white woman with fair hair. Yet there are also Black Madonnas – and they’re often seen as particularly powerful. Liz Adekunle finds out about the rich history of the Black Madonna and her relevance to Christians today as they celebrate the birth of Christ.

Face to face with the Black Madonna

Belief in angels is widespread, far beyond the Christian churches. Lorna Byrne – dubbed “a modern-day Irish mystic” – has attracted a huge following through her books on them. But what is behind their enormous appeal? Alison Hilliard speaks to Lorna Byrne and discusses with three guests.

Angels

At first glance, the teachings of Jesus seem a world away from the ancient Chinese religion of Daoism. Yet if you look more closely, there are striking parallels and historical connections going back to the 7th century. In conversation with Alison Hilliard, religious historian Martin Palmer explains how Daoism has helped him see Jesus in a new light and ultimately brought him back to his Christian faith. 

The Dao of Jesus

The retaliation by Israel in Gaza following the Hamas attack in October, has caused deep-seated anger among Muslim communities, including in the UK.

As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan approaches, with its focus on compassion, charity, and prayer, how are Muslims preparing, given the strong emotions triggered by the Israel-Gaza situation?

Gaza will not be far from people’s minds as they get together to break the fast in the evenings, and much of the community’s charitable giving this year will go to help the Palestinians.

In this Ramadan edition of Things Unseen, broadcaster Amir Suleman meets Muslims of different ages to ask how they can find compassion, even for people they might regard as enemies.

Joining the conversation are social psychologist Anita Nayyar, community worker Faisal Mahmood and university student Abdul-Roqueeb Salman.

Ramadan: In the shadow of Gaza

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who sent Jesus to be crucified, is often seen as the villain of the story. But was he downright evil, or merely weak? In this Good Friday and Easter edition of Things Unseen, the Ven Liz Adekunle hears from a priest, a Christian author and a former homicide detective turned evangelist about how we might see our own actions reflected in Pilate’s story.

Pontius Pilate: A man like us

Passover is one of the most important Jewish festivals, marking the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the start of their journey to the Promised Land – Israel. This year, the celebrations have an extra significance because of the Hamas attack on Israel in October and the subsequent violence unleashed on Gaza by Israel. In this Passover edition of Things Unseen, Amir Suleman, a Muslim, and Orthodox Rabbi Dov Cowan discuss the significance the festival holds this year, with Israel and Gaza at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Passover: When your enemy falls

In this FaithTime episode, Liz Adekunle meets Swarzy Macaly, BBC Radio 1Xtra weekend presenter, voice of BBC Sounds and campaigner for causes ranging from sustainability to the fight against racism. Swarzy opens up about how she found Jesus in the middle of a shoplifting incident, her search for belonging, and how her Christian faith helped her find a path out of hopelessness and insecurity.

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Faithtime: Swarzy

In April 1945, Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl emerged from the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau – the only member of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust. From this traumatic experience sprang his seminal book, Man’s Search for Meaning, in which he argues that even in the most painful situations, life has potential meaning – and it is up to the individual to find it.

Viktor Frankl: Man’s Search For Meaning

When her father Justin Welby became the spiritual leader of 80 million Anglicans, Katharine Welby-Roberts shot to social media fame as the ABCD, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s daughter. In conversation with Alison Hilliard, she reflects on her long battle with anxiety and depression and how her favourite Bible verses show God as a God who draws close to those suffering from mental illness.

The Word: Katherine Welby-Roberts

Jim al-Khalili is the son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother. He is also a public atheist - the outgoing President of the British Humanist Association - a science writer and broadcaster and Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Surrey. Here he talks to Abdul-Azim Ahmed about how his mixed-faith background has shaped his outlook on religion and atheism, and why he has no wish to convert everyone to the Humanist world view. 

The Faith-Friendly Atheist:  Jim Al-Khalili

We are setting our listeners a creative challenge - to write haiku, three line poems, about Good Friday and Easter. Here are full details of how to get involved, along with some taster haiku.

Good Friday and Easter Haiku Launch

At the beginning of Lent we asked our listeners to look forward to the events to come in the Christian calendar – Good Friday and Easter.  We set them a challenge to write haiku in response, three-line Japanese-inspired poems following a strict 5-7-5 syllable format.  

We’ve now recorded some of them, adding music and sound-effects. The poet Stewart Henderson joined Alison Hilliard in the Things Unseen studio to share his own haiku, and respond to those which were sent in.

Good Friday and Easter Haiku

Having begun his career with positive songs that affirmed his Christian faith, the Welsh singer’s music has become more nuanced. The self-proclaimed ‘liberal backslider’ talks to Alison Hilliard about his journey from answers to questions through his favourite Bible readings, read by David Suchet. He explains how a trip to Thailand and some preaching on John the Baptist turned his world ‘from black and white to full colour’, and his feelings about criticism, and even a death threat, from some Christians.

The Word: Martyn Joseph

Babar Ahmad spent 8 years in UK prisons fighting extradition to the US. Having allowed his website to host articles supporting the Taliban he was eventually transferred to solitary confinement in the US, before pleading guilty to ‘providing material support to terrorism’. He was released shortly afterwards and returned to the UK. In conversation with Mark Dowd, Babar Ahmad talks about how he came to set up the website in question, and how he managed to mark Ramadan in the most difficult circumstances.

Ramadan: In Conversation With Babar Ahmad

They choose, target, groom, and harm children. So punish them as criminals. Don’t label them weak and sick men who cannot help themselves.

Image courtesy of Nick Atkins Photography via flickr.com ©© 

ARCHIVE: JULIE BINDEL ON CHILD ABUSERS

Politicians hope for a boost to the economy. Athletes look to a generation inspired to take up sport. Others see a resurgence of patriotism, and a greater confidence in who they are and in what they value.

Nonsense, says Peter Hitchens, of the Mail on Sunday.  The only legacy is ‘increased debt’.  We have been ‘surprised by joy’, says Catherine Pepinster, of The Tablet, and ‘the feeling lingers’.  They debate the London Olympics’ legacy - real or imagined?  – with Emma Barnett.

Image courtesy of somewhereto_ via flickr.com ©©


ARCHIVE: OLYMPICS OVER, CAN THERE BE A LASTING LEGACY?

No, says Peter Hitchens. It’s a ‘sentimental belief’ that’s come back to haunt us...

Image courtesy of  Photodeus via flickr.com ©© 

ARCHIVE: PETER HITCHENS ARE ALL MEN CREATED EQUAL?

‘We admire the Paralympians because they chose not to sulk or retreat into self-pity, or to use their problem as an excuse.’

Image courtesy of nickmilleruk via flickr.com ©©

ARCHIVE: PETER HITCHENS ON THE EXCUSES WE MAKE...

Politicians, journalists to blame - and Paralympics ‘won’t make any long-term difference’.  Dougal Patmore reports.

Image courtesy of dominikgolenia via flickr.com ©©

ARCHIVE: DISABILITY HATE CRIMES ON RISE

“Mindfulness” seems to be everywhere these days. It’s often promoted as a way dealing with some mental health issues and reducing burnout. But with origins in Buddhism, how well does it sit with other faiths? And what caused Tim Stead to leave his calling as a Church of England priest to pursue a career in mindfulness teaching? To find out, Mike Wooldridge visits Tim’s “meditation barn” at the back of his house in Oxford.

Mindfulness and Faith – do they mix?

Nearly one in five women in the UK are now childless at 40, many involuntarily. Among them was the writer and teacher Blanche Girouard, and she desperately wanted a baby. In this audio diary, she charts her journey from the decision to have a child from an anonymous donor, via IVF treatment in December 2019 and her pregnancy during the Covid-19 lockdown, to holding her miracle baby in her arms for Christmas this year.

Wonder Of Wonders

Things Unseen grapples with a spiritual climate that no longer conforms to orderly patterns – with fewer of us attracted to formal religion, but many still believing that there’s more out there than meets the eye. Thought-provoking speech radio for people of faith – and those who just feel intrigued by the spiritual dimension to life.

Things Unseen Podcast

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