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Pope Francis, Legal Aid, Faith and Fashion

Religious news and current affairs. Edward Stourton presents a programme exploring Pope Francis, legal aid cuts, and faith and fashion.

This week marks the second anniversary of Pope Francis' election to the papacy. What impact has he really had on the Catholic Church? Edward Stourton speaks to two of his biographers.

Sikh and Hindu organisations have signed an open letter claiming that sex-grooming gangs "predominantly originate from a Pakistani Muslim community, while their victims are almost always of a white, Hindu or Sikh background". The comments have attracted criticism from Muslim leaders. We explore the issues with Lord Indarjit Singh and Bradford Imam and councillor, Alyas Karmani.

A report out this week by the Christian think tank Theos argues that cuts to legal aid in England and Wales are "threatening" the rule of law. We hear from the report's co-author and Law Society president, Andrew Caplen.

Matt Wells reports from the US city of Ferguson, the scene of civil rights protests last summer, where tensions between young secular activists and older, more religious civil rights leaders are surfacing.

In the 70th anniversary year of Christian Aid, Kevin Bocquet looks back the history of the charity.

And as a series of public talks called "Faith and Fashion" resume at the London College of Fashion, we ask: what should you wear when you work for God?

Producers:
Dan Tierney
Beatrice Pickup

Series producer:
Amanda Hancox

Contributors:
Paul Vallely
Austen Ivereigh
Lord Indarjit Singh
Alyas Karmani
Andrew Caplen
Reina Lewis
Rev Sally Hitchiner.

Available now

45 minutes

Broadcast

  • Sun 8 Mar 2015 07:10

All the colours of the rainbow

All the colours of the rainbow

The Covid-19 rainbows painted by children today are part of a rich and ancient symbolism.

Podcast