Sunday

Although the West is alarmed by President Putin's military intervention in Syria, he has widespread support at home. We report on why the Russian Orthodox church has called it a "holy war" and the country's Inter-religious council has also backed the action.It's one hundred years since a Norfolk nurse was executed by the Germans for helping prisoners of war escape from Occupied Belgium. Kate Adie reflects on the world-wide impact of the death of Edith Cavell.More than half of the 27,000 people infected with the Ebola virus in West Africa come from Sierra Leone, and while the medical crisis is easing, the long term effects on the communities affected are only now beginning to emerge. Kati Whitaker presents the first of two special reports for the programme this week. Photo Credit Layton Thompson / TearfundThe art of a good homebrew owes a lot to medieval monasteries. The recipe still used by the monks at Ampleforth Abbey dates back to the 17th century. Andrew Fletcher reports on what they might have to teach t

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, this week summoned the 37 heads of the worldwide Anglican Communion to a summit meeting to be held in January. Edward Stourton speaks to canon Dr Chris Sugden and rev Colin Coward about what the move could mean for the Communion and the Church of England..As pope Francis arrives in Cuba, Bob Walker reports on the turbulent history of Communism and the Catholic Church in the country. Pope biographer Paul Vallely and fr James Keenan, director of the Jesuit Institute, Boston College, look ahead to the Pontiff's upcoming visit to the US.Hazel Southam reports from the African Biblical Leadership Initiative in Malawi, which has been discussing responses to the migrant crisis and corruption.As the Dalai Lama gives a rare address to thousands of people in London this weekend on the subject of compassion, Alexander Norman, director of the new Dalai Lama Centre for Compassion in Oxford, explores how the centre will seek "to change the way we think about ethics".Young people f

Edward speaks to the archbishop of Vienna, cardinal Christoph Schonborn about the migrant crisis in Europe.In the second part of the series exploring the work of individuals who have devoted themselves to working for others of different faiths in their communities, there is a profile of Bradford Pentecostal pastor Benjamin Ayesu.Pope Francis announced this week that all priests can grant forgiveness for the 'sin of abortion' during the Holy Year of Mercy. Professor Anthea Butler has been looking at the reaction in the US to Pope Francis's statement.Rt Rev James Newcombe, Bishop of Carlisle, talks about the Church of England's opposition to the proposed change to the law on assisted dying. This is not, he says, an attempt to 'push' a religious viewpoint. He is worried that a change would have serious detrimental effects on individuals and society.As the Queen becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history, the dean of Westminster, rev Dr John Hall, and Church historian, Diarmaid MacCulloch, reflect on

Services are being held this weekend to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of VJ Day. William Crawley speaks to Alan Wills whose father, George, was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and endured three years of brutal treatment as a prisoner of war.Jeremy Timm, a Reader in the Church of England, will have his preaching licence revoked by the Archbishop of York after choosing to marry his same-sex partner next month. Kevin Bocquet spoke to him about his decision, and Bishop Robert Paterson, Chair of the Central Readers' Council, addresses the Church's management of the issue.Scottish Catholic Journalist Ian Dunn explains the significance of the McLellan Commission which will publish its report into the child protection policies of the Catholic Church in Scotland next week.The only victim of child sex abuse among the Chabad movement of ultra-orthodox Jews to give evidence, as part of Australia's Royal Commission, is now trying to set up an international inquiry into the extent of the problem in his faith, as Matt W

In the week in which David Cameron set out his 5 year plan to combat Islamist extremism, Edward Stourton asks what do Muslims in Britain think about the PM's proposals? In a special programme from the East London Mosque, Salman Farsi takes Edward from the main prayer hall to the bee hives, to give him an insight into running a 21st century Mosque. On the way he visits it's archives, an historic collection which documents the history of one of the UK's oldest mosques.Inter-faith dialogue used to be about theological debates between the 'religious elite.' Trevor Barnes reports on the Near Neighbours Programme which tries to build trust between communities in East London. Ed Kessler from the Woolf Institute and Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari from the East London Mosque discuss the effectiveness of the efforts made so far to break down barriers and build greater understanding between faiths. We are out and about with community hero - Sister Christine Frost - a catholic nun who has spent the last 45 years living and worki

This week's edition of Sunday comes from Moscow as Caroline Wyatt explores some of the stories and issues that affect faith groups in Russia. As President Putin announces he will meet Pope Francis, Kevin Bocquet reports on the complex historical relationship between the Vatican, the Russian State and the Orthodox Church. This is Putin's first visit to the Vatican since the crisis in Ukraine. Anna Nemtsova, Moscow correspondent for Newsweek, assesses the significance of the meeting. It's said that the history of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour reflects the story of Russia. Caroline takes a tour and discovers its extraordinary story. Pinchas Goldschmidt is the Chief Rabbi of Moscow and President of the Conference of European Rabbis. He talks to Caroline about the place of the Jewish community in Russia today. In the Orthodox church, prayers are still sung in the same language used when Christianity arrived in Russia hundreds of years ago. Oleg Boldyrev hears some of the choirs keeping their religious herita