Sunday - 16/05/2010

Edward Stourton with the religious and ethical news of the week. Moral arguments and perspectives on stories, familiar and unfamiliar. On this week's Programme Edward Stourton talks to the Archbishop of York John Senatamu - and asks what values he thinks should under pin the new coalition government. As the BBC's A History of the World series resumes on BBC Radio 4 tomorrow Andrew Motion talks to Edward Stourton about a wooden carving he acquired in New Delhi which helps him to be creative. And Charles Carroll visits a house in Northampton to see an ancient pot which was put in the house to stop witches and evil spirits entering. As three muslim MPs enter Westminster for the first time Trevor Barnes reports on what difference will this make for the Muslim community and for women in particular? Will they feel more empowered and better represented in British politics? A new book on Cardinal John Henry Newman, who is to be beatified by the Pope in Coventry this September is creating a bit of a stir but why is it proving to be controversal? Edward Stourton discusses it with the author John Cornwell and Jack Valero - Press officer for the Beatification of Cardinal Newman. This week the Pope admitted for the first time that the Roman Catholic Church must accept responsibilty for the child sex abuse scandal that has engulfed it, earlier in the week the Archbishop of Vienna accused the vatican of blocking investigations into sex abuse. Eamon Duffy talks to Edward. E-mail: [email protected] Series producer: Amanda Hancox.