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Who or what is Satan?

In the popular imagination, Satan is often a figure of evil with horns, hooves, frightening face and wings. But in scripture he does not conform to this stereotype. In Islam (in the form of Iblis) and in Christianity, he is a fallen angel - different to β€˜the Satan’ of the Hebrew Bible – but all in sacred writings he is a Tempter and/or Adversary. How has our view of him changed over the centuries and what part does he play in today’s world?

Ernie Rea is joined by three people who have given much thought to Satan. Darren Oldridge is Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Worcester and the author of β€œThe Devil: A Very Short Introduction.” Roni Tabick is the Rabbi of the New Stoke Newington Shul in Hackney. He has studied ancient Hebrew culture and Rabbinic texts. And Dr Sharihan Al-Akhras is a Digital Journalist at the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service. Her PhD looked at the links between Milton’s Satan in β€œParadise Lost” and the Muslim story of Iblis.

Producer: Helen Lee
Editor: Helen Grady

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28 minutes

Last on

Mon 27 Dec 2021 16:30

Broadcast

  • Mon 27 Dec 2021 16:30

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Here are six things we learned from Beyond Belief’s exploration of the power of chanting.

Podcast