Songs of Praise

In the first of two programmes, Howard Goodall traces the life of popular hymnwriter Charles Wesley who was born 300 years ago and introduces some of his finest hymns from Wesley's Chapel in London, including Rejoice, the Lord is King. He discovers what inspired Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist Church, to write more than 6,000 hymns, how he discovered his faith after returning from a traumatic visit to America and why he wanted to be buried as a member of the Church of England.