Monday 3 October 2022

The evolving role of faith in today's world

 That was the theme of today's Beyond Belief on Radio 4. In his last programme after 21 years of presentation, Ernie Rea gathered a former Anglican bishop, a Muslim imam, a Hindu teacher and a woman who spoke for those of us who do not subscribe to any particular religion. It was an insightful discussion, though conducted by people who it would be fair to describe as liberals within their respective faiths. It was striking that the only faith represented on the programme which did not necessarily have a personal god at its centre, Hinduism, was the one which was growing fastest in the UK. It currently ranks third behind Christianity and Islam. The concept of God "not as a person but as a principle which underpins the whole universe" called to mind the image of the golden thread in Gore Vidal's Creation.


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