'Religion is very much part of life as it's lived now for lots and lots of people and, around the world, most people... Religion is not boring; I think that's what Sunday keeps reminding us.' David Winter, Producer of BBC Radio 4 Sunday
Listeners all over the UK are likely familiar with Edward Stourton for his role on BBC Radio 4's iconic programme: the country's main religious and ethical news programme 'Sunday'. Now, avid Radio 4 listeners and curious newcomers alike have the chance to delve deeper into these broadcasts, as Stourton chronicles over fifty years of current affairs in his latest book, Sunday, in collaboration with BBC Producer Amanda Hancox.
In Sunday, Stourton transmits half a century of Radio 4's iconic programme to paper. Featuring interviews with well-known figures such as Desmond Tutu, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Enoch Powell, the book traces the evolution of debate on a variety of key issues including sexuality, bioethics, nuclear weapons and many more.
From the Church's answer to the cost-of-living crisis to the debate around female bishops, the abuse within the Catholic Church to the new wave of anti-Semitism - Sunday's interviewers cross-examine speakers with rigour and acuity. With expert insight, Edward Stourton provides critical reflection on how religion has impacted some of the world's most epoch-making moments.
Covering a wide breadth of stories at the intersection of ethics, politics, and religion, Sunday features hundreds of stimulating discussions. It is a testament to how religion remains a powerful force in the lives of most people on our planet, whether people of faith or non-believers.
"Not much can get a humanist out of bed early on a Sunday morning but Radio 4's Sunday programme does the job. In this book some of the most revealing and compelling of its ever-insightful reports remind us of how lucky we are to have it still on air."
Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
"Essential reading for anyone attempting to grasp fully the historical and social complexities of the last few decades in which, despite the advance of secularism, faith still plays such a vital role."
Ruth Gledhill, Assistant Editor, The Tablet and former religion editor for The Times
"Full of fascinating interviews and perceptive reportage, it's nothing short of a social history of modern Britain, seen through the lens of religion, ethics and belief."
Dilwar Hussain, Chair, New Horizons in British Islam
