Podcasts
Ep 22: Bishops in the Lords - Dick Taverne interview
Posted: Mon, 27th Jan 2020
Is it time to remove Church of England bishops' automatic right to sit in the House of Lords? Liberal Democrat peer Dick Taverne is introducing a private members' bill – drafted with the NSS's assistance – to do just that.
Emma Park travels to Westminster to interview Dick about why it's time to abolish the bishops' bench and reform the House of Lords, why constitutional reforms can take such a long time, and why the UK is still not a secular country.
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
Peer proposes bill to abolish bishops' bench in House of Lords
The NSS campaign to separate church and state
Public want religion kept out of politics – The Times
'House of Lords (Removal of Bishops) Bill' in the House of Lords ballot
Ep 21: Integrated education in Northern Ireland - interview
Posted: Mon, 13th Jan 2020
In this episode, Emma Park speaks with Maddy Bridgman and Sam Fitzsimmons of the Integrated Education Fund, a charity that supports inclusive, integrated education (not segregated into de facto Protestant and Catholic schools) in Northern Ireland.
Maddy and Sam discuss the IEF's campaign to support an integrated school system, and outline some of the difficulties the IEF has faced, both political, administrative and structural.
They also discuss positive signs that school students who attend integrated schools are benefiting from the tolerant and inclusive ethos that these schools promote.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 link | Transcripts
Ep 20: Lee and Lizanne Harris – compulsory worship
Posted: Mon, 16th Dec 2019
In this episode, Emma Park speaks with Lee and Lizanne Harris about their experience of the collective worship requirement in schools.
The Harrises recently initiated judicial review proceedings against the primary school attended by their children. They challenged its decision to provide no alternative to a proselytising Christian assembly once a week conducted by representatives of the local C of E church.
Lee and Lizanne discuss their children's experiences of these assemblies, what happened when they withdrew them, and the school's failure to provide a secular alternative until they were forced to by the threat of legal proceedings.
The Harrises' case has set a helpful precedent for other parents who may be torn between fearing that their children will be indoctrinated if they participate in religious assemblies, and that they will be excluded from school life if they do not.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
Lee Harris's 2018 blog for the NSS
C of E trust to introduce alternative to worship after legal challenge
More information and guidance from the NSS on collective worship
The requirement to hold collective worship in schools is crumbling and not worth saving
Ep 19: General election special
Posted: Mon, 25th Nov 2019
This week, Emma Park is joined by Stephen Evans and Chris Sloggett for a general election special. During the campaign the NSS is calling on parties to adopt 11 secularist pledges on subjects such as education and free speech. But which of these are on the parties' agendas? Will any of them make it onto the statute book any time soon? And is religion stifling political debate? Join Stephen, Chris and Emma for comment and analysis.
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
Election 2019: a secularist manifesto
Don't let religious sectarianism tear our democracy apart
The definition of 'Islamophobia' and its criticisms
Angela Rayner on Twitter: "I've never put our faith schools at risk and never will."
Ep 18: Remembrance Day | Clerical Abuse
Posted: Mon, 11th Nov 2019
In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by the NSS's Megan Manson and Chris Sloggett to discuss the Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. Is it right that the Church should lead the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph? Does the C of E represent modern Britain? Will Britain continue to remember if the ritual of remembrance is tied up with religion?
Emma then speaks to Keith Porteous Wood, president of the NSS, about the society's campaign to expose institutional abuse in the Catholic Church. Is the Vatican making a genuine effort to tackle clerical abuse? If not, why not? And how far is similar abuse a problem in the Church of England and other religious organisations?
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
The Church of England's privileged role in Remembrance Sunday and other ceremonies – NSS view
'Remembrance Sunday should not be dominated by religion' – Dan Snow
'By the Grace of God' shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse
The NSS's submission to the UN Human Rights Council, 18th September 2019
Ep 17: Thought for the Day | RE in Wales
Posted: Mon, 28th Oct 2019
In this week's episode, Emma Park is joined by Chris Sloggett and Helen Nicholls to discuss whether BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for "speakers from the world's major faiths". John Humphrys, former presenter of the Today programmein which Thought for the Day is featured, recently criticised it as 'discriminatory'.
Emma also speaks to Stephen Evans and Alastair Lichten about a consultation on the reform of sex and religious education launched by the Welsh government this month. Proposals include making both subjects compulsory for all children regardless of their parents' beliefs; and changing their names, with sex education being replaced by 'Relationships and Sexuality Education', and RE by 'Religions and Worldviews'.
Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark
Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts
Notes
Reform Thought for the Day: the NSS's position
Thought for the Day – BBC Radio 4
John Humphrys criticises Thought for the Day
Welsh government considers ending the right to withdraw from RE and RSE: the NSS's position
'Ensuring access to the full curriculum': the Welsh government's consultation
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