Sunday

As the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues, the World Health Organisation has classified the regional risk as “very high”, while maintaining that the global risk remains low. Aid agencies say faith leaders are playing an important role in helping communities respond to the virus and challenge misinformation. William Crawley speaks to Poppy Anguandia, Country Director in the DRC for Tearfund, about the work being carried out with churches and mosques in affected areas.
Two thousand ancient Jain manuscripts have been transferred to new custodians in the UK, in a move welcomed by members of the Jain community and scholars alike. The collection is expected to support preservation efforts and improve public and academic access to important religious texts.
And a £48 million funding boost for heritage projects across the UK prompts fresh debate about how the nation preserves its religious and cultural history for future generations.
Presenter: William Crawley
Producers: Bara'atu Ibrahim & James Leesley
Editor: Rajeev Gupta

The build up to the by-election in Makerfield is likely to be the only political story in town in the coming weeks. Reform UK is pledging to throw everything at the race to stop Andy Burnham's ambitions to be Prime Minister. Another potential contender in any contest, Wes Streeting, has spoken openly about his Anglican Christian faith. Angela Rayner has described herself as not being religious. We explore how faith can play a role in politics.
An evangelical church in Essex has launched an appeal against an order preventing “intimidating behaviour” by its members preaching on the street. The Bread of Life Community Church in Colchester, allegedly told passers-by they were going to hell. Colchester City Council has applied to police to issue a community protection notice. The Church maintains it's preaching a message of God's love. The case raises a lot of questions - not least about the lines preachers may or may not cross legally.
What is public opinion on street preachers and has that changed?
Who helped and who didn’t echoes still as one of history's most searing questions in the wake of the Holocaust. As well as the countries who fought against Nazis in the war - the light has often been shone on heroic individuals who risked their own lives to save persecuted Jewish people. Are there lessons to be learned in understanding which local communities, and specifically religious groups, refused to look the other way and which ones did? This is the subject of the annual Alfred Wiener Holocaust Memorial Lecture tomorrow by Professor Mary Fulbrook, who was brought up as a Quaker.
Presenter: Julie Etchingham
Producers: Katy Booth and Alexa Good
Studio managers: Becky Marcus and Catherine Everatt
Editor: Tim Pemberton

As Sir David Attenborough turns 100, we ask what his lifelong work revealing the natural world has meant not just scientifically, but spiritually. Emily Buchanan speaks to the Bishop of Norwich, Rt Revd Graham Usher, an ecologist and Church of England lead bishop on the environment.
Also on the programme, we explore religious and spiritual connections in 125 years of Black music-making in Britain. The first paid exhibition at the new V&A East museum is on until the 3rd of January 2027. The Sunday programme hears from lead curator, Jacqueline Springer.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said "every part of society" has a responsibility to tackle antisemitism in the UK, and announced an extra £1.5 million of funding to strengthen community cohesion, as a new YouGov survey claims 63% of Britons see antisemitism as a major problem. The survey also claims that 57% of the public say there is a problem with Islamophobia in British society. Emily Buchanan hears from two members of the Jewish and Muslim community working on interfaith dialogue and initiatives. Laura Janner-Klausner, Rabbi of Bromley Reform Synagogue, and Julie Siddiqi- Co-chair of the British Muslim Network.
Presenter: Emily Buchanan
Producers: Bara'atu Ibrahim & Rebecca Kelly
Studio Managers: Kelly Young & Ethan Connolly-Forster
Editor: Chloe Walker

A special edition of Sunday marking a year since the election of Pope Leo XIV

Dame Sarah Mullally has chosen Rome as the destination for her first overseas visit as Archbishop of Canterbury. The 4-day visit to the Vatican includes prayers at the tomb of St Peter in St Peter's Basilica, and a private audience with Pope Leo. It is a trip that is being seen as significant for relations between the two churches. William Crawley speaks to Dr. Robert Innes, the Church of England's Bishop in Europe and the Catholic journalist and author Catherine Pepinster.
This week, Donald Trump took part in a marathon Bible reading event organised by Christian conservatives in Washington. It was part of a week-long effort to read aloud the entire Bible, to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. And though many in the US assert the country's history of separating church and state, leading figures from the Trump White House have been emphasising America's historic Christian roots. But was America founded as a "Christian Nation"? Richard Carwardine, Emeritus Rhodes Professor of American History at Oxford, explores that question.
The Reverend Anthea Mitchell was cutting hair for 30 years before her calling to the priesthood. But she didn’t give up her work in the salon. She is one of around 2,000 self-supporting ministers in the Church of England who combine church life with everyday jobs. The church has launched a new series of films exploring the parallel worlds, where ministry meets the workplace.
Presenter: William Crawley
Producers: Dan Tierney and Rebecca Kelly
Studio Managers: Isabelle Whitehead and George Willis
Editor: Tim Pemberton