The faith of politicians, unprecedented sale of Scottish churches

The French Catholic Church has said it will open its files on Abbé Pierre, the priest regarded as something like a modern saint until allegations of sexual harrassment and assault were made against him. The Abbé, who died in 2007, was revered for his pioneering work in setting up Emmaus International which cared for homeless and poor people. Edward speaks to the Paris-based writer Andrew Hussey about reaction to the story in France, and Pat Jones, author of a recent report on the Catholic Church culture and clerical abuse.The Jewish campaign group Nahamu has produced a damning paper on the quality of education in some schools run by the ultra-orthodox Charedi community. Edward talks to its founder Yehudis Fletcher.The Quakers are celebrating 400 years since the birth of their co-founder George Fox. Edward visits his modest memorial in Bunhill Fields in East London and finds out about the other famous non-conformists buried in this part of the city.PRESENTER : Edward Stourton PRODUCERS: Dan Tierney and Catherine Murray STUDIO MANAGERS: Jack Morris and Kelly Young EDITOR: Chloe Walker

Pupils in England start the new term this week, but will schools ensure that tensions from the riots don't make it into the classroom? We hear from one pupil who was worried about leaving her house after violence erupted on her street in Liverpool and from a headteacher making his school a safe place to talk about anxiety, misinformation and racism. Hear from the Hijabi sex educators helping Muslim women have honest conversations about their bodies and intimacy.As fans scramble for tickets for the reunion, broadcaster Terry Christian talks about the Irish Catholic background that formed Oasis. China and the Vatican get ready to re-sign the controversial and secret agreement that attempts to bring together two versions of the Chinese Church: one underground loyal to Rome and the other state sanctioned and overseen by the Communist state. Is it a betrayal of Chinese Catholics as some critics have said? The Pulitzer prize winning author Marilynne Robinson tells William about the enduring literary and cultural value of the Book of Genesis and why she chose it as the subject for her latest work.

The word ‘church’ was not used to describe hundreds of new Church of England congregations, initiatives and community groups set up over the last decade. Research by the Centre for Church Planting Theology and Research, at Cranmer Hall, Durham, found that in the past ten years, around 900 so-called “new things” have been started in 11 dioceses. But none of the dioceses used the term “church” as its main description of those ‘things’. Rev Canon Professor Alison Milbank, theologian and author of The Once and Future Parish (2023), and Rev Canon Dave Male, the Church of England’s co-director for vision and strategy, discuss if this is simply about the choice of language or something deeper? In light of the government's emergency measures put in place in prisons, we’re joined by the lead bishop for prisons, the Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, and David Spencer, Head of Crime and Justice at Policy Exchange, to explore the sentencing of young people and whether custodial sentences are helpful in the long term.Following Kamala Harris’ acceptance of the Democratic nomination for president, we speak to theologian Brad Onishi, Professor of Religion at The University of San Francisco and co-host of the ‘Straight White American Jesus’ podcast, to get his view on how the two candidates appeal to the US religious electorate. Presenter: William Crawley Producers: Alexa Good, Bara’atu Ibrahim and Katy Davis Studio Managers: Simon Highfield and Jack Morris Editor: Tim Pemberton

President Zelensky takes the counterattack on Russia to another front with a bid to outlaw the Moscow-controlled Ukrainian Orthodox Church next week.We're asking how your place of worship is tryng to go green? Is it heatpumps or retrofitting? Were there battles on the way? It comes as Emily hears the story of St John's Church in Waterloo which went through court battles and massive bills in the quest to become energy efficient. There's concern from human rights groups about Iraq's plan to halve the age of marriage for girls to 9, We hear from Iraqi-born campaigner Payzee Mahmod and BBC Middle East Editor Sebastian Usher.The Right Reverend Timothy Dudley Smith died aged 97 this week, leaving a monumental legacy of more than 400 hymns. We talk to composer and conductor Noel Tredinnick about the talent of TDS.Astronaut Barry 'Butch' Wilmore is stranded on the International Space Station with his colleague Sunita Williams, until Nasa can work out how to bring them home. In the meantime we've been talking to his Pastor Tommy Dahn from Providence Baptist Church in Texas about Barry's faith, his role as a lay Elder and how Space missions have solidified his belief in God.And the new Faith Minister was announced this week. Lord Khan takes up the role. What do faith leaders need from him in the wake of the riots this month and division caused by the conflict in Gaza? We talk to Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg and Shayk Ibrahim Mogra.PRESENTER: EMILY BUCHANAN PRODUCERS: CATHERINE MURRAY & LINDA WALKER STUDIO MANAGERS: SHARON HUGHES AND JONATHAN ESP EDITOR: TIM PEMBERTON

The language around the attempted assassination of Donald Trump as divine intervention or miraculous and the consequence naming of him in Republican circles as 'God's anointed one' has brought into focus the key role of religion in US politics. How do Trump and his followers use religion and why did he pick a recent convert to Catholicism to be his VP? We speak to Lauren Kerby, Visiting Fellow in Religious Studies at Princeton.Nigeria’s Catholic bishops are objecting to a European Union aid agreement that comes with strings attached – it insists that the governments being helped should adopt progressive policies. Should aid to developing countries be conditional on progressive reforms? To discuss we’ll be joined by Gideon Rabinowitz, Policy Director of Bond, and Professor Sir Paul Collier.Details have emerged of the first archaeological evidence of the Christian community in Bahrain before it was overtaken by Islam in 600s. We speak to Professor Tim Insoll, from the University of Exeter and honorary archaeological advisor to the King of Bahrain, about what it tells us about the religious history of the country and wider Muslim-Christian dialogue.An enormous mural on the side of a Jewish community centre in Finchley Road, Hampstead, was unveiled on this week. Measuring 87 feet high and 47 feet wide it celebrates Jewish London history with a montage of famous people and events. The artist who has designed and painted it, Leon Fenster, meets Emily Buchanan on site to discuss his work.Presenter: Emily Buchanan Producers: Alexa Good and Rosie Dawson Production Coordinator: David Baguley Studio Managers: Mitch Goodall and Kelly Young Editor: Tim Pemberton

Edward Stourton takes a look at the religious and ethical issues of the week.

With less than two weeks to go until the UK heads to the polls in the general election, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has once again affirmed how his Hindu faith helps him stay strong, while Keir Starmer has pledged to work with faith communities if he is elected, despite not being a person of faith himself. So does it matter where a Prime Minister stands on faith? Joining us to discuss the issue are Alastair Campbell, who famously advised former PM Tony Blair when he stated "We don't do God" and Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative Attorney General who is an Anglican.The Archbishop of Canterbury has declared his concern about the civil war in Sudan. Justin Welby appealed to outside countries to stop supplying arms to the two sides. And at the UN in New York the Sudanese government has accused the United Arab Emirates of providing weapons to the so-called Rapid Support Forces who have been fighting the army, we’ll be looking at the latest situation in Sudan. The Church of Scotland have confirmed they’re selling off an unprecedented number of churches and manses, we’ll be looking at why. An agreement which ended violence around an Orange Order parade dispute in north Belfast has collapsed.Talks to maintain the 2016 deal broke down last week, with a march past Ardoyne shops now being sought on the evening of 12 July. A protest by a nationalist residents’ group is planned in response. We’ll be looking at the history of the event and consider the impact on the faith communities in the area

As politicians promise to make us richer, our panellists – Rt Rev David Walker, Quassim Cassam, Seeta Suchak and David Landrum - take a moral approach to the party manifestos. The campaigner against forced marriage, Jasvinder Sanghera, who has just been made a dame, tells her own astonishing story. And a medieval historian, Hannah Skoda, explains why women with beards were considered holy.Presenter - Emily Buchanan Producers - Peter Everett & Rob Cave Production Coordinator - David Baguley Editor - Tim Pemberton

The world’s first Sikh court opened recently in the UK. Campaigner Pragna Patel of Project Resist has called it ‘a threat to women’s rights’. The barristers behind the court argue that it’s a way of plugging a gap in the legal system that’s desperately needed. Pragna and Sharan Bachu, Lead Family Judge at the Sikh Court, debate the issues.The leading Protestant theologian, Jürgen Moltmann, died this week. We talk to Miroslav Volf, Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture, about the man who found God in a prisoner-of-war camp and his theology of hope.Is cricket based on drinking culture and does this unfairly affect the opportunities available to Muslim players? We’re joined by ex-England cricket player Azeem Rafiq and commentator Vic Marks who discuss the culture of the game. Is woke a religion? Professor Eric Kaufmann from the University of Buckingham and Professor Will Davies of Goldsmiths, University of London explore whether the movement is religious. Presenter: William Crawley Producers: Alexa Good, Rosie Dawson and Peter Everett Editor: Rajeev Gupta

As the Pope apologises for using a homophobic slur, we hear from an openly gay priest, Fr James Alison, who claims that in the Catholic Church a majority of the clergy is homosexual. We also hear the views of the Pope’s biographer, Austen Ivereigh.Ahead of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, the historian Sarah Meyrick tells us about the men who went ashore unarmed – the D-Day chaplains. Over 60% of Muslim women in the UK have not had their marriages legalised under UK law, leaving them vulnerable and unprotected in the event of a divorce. Solicitor and family law specialist, Aina Khan joins us to discuss a petition to reform the 1949 Marriage Act, that she says is not ‘Fit For Purpose’. Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra voices his thoughts on how much responsibility should lie with Imams like himself.‘Birthmarked’, a play currently on tour in the UK, tells of the complexities of "disfellowship" from the Jehovah's Witnesses. Playwright and actor Brook Tate explains how going against biblical teaching – by being actively gay - forced him out. He tells us how the play has helped him to reconcile his feelings towards the family, friends and religion he left behind.Presenter: Rima Ahmed Producers: Alexa Good and Bara’atu Ibrahim Editor: Jonathan Hallewell