In this special episode of the Religion Media Centre podcast, presenter Hannah Scott-Joynt gives a flavour of all that went on at the 2022 Religion Media Festival “Exploring Belief”.
Intro | 00:00
Hannah Scott-Joynt introduces highlights of the 4th Religion Media Centre festival “Exploring Belief” held at JW3, London on Monday 16 May 2022.
Keynote Interview | 00:43
Roger Bolton interviews Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. They discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Church’s role in bringing the conflict to some form of cessation, as well as reflecting on post-COVID religion and the current cost of living crisis.
Panel Discussion: Do Machines have Souls? | 13:48
Rosie Dawson chairs a distinguished panel on the subject: Dr Beth Singler, Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence, Homerton College, University of Cambridge; Professor Neil Lawrence, Deep Mind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge; Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner, Rabbi at Bromley Reform Synagogue and former Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism; and Dr Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos Think Tank.
Keynote: Reporting Religion | 25:04
Aleem Maqbool has been doing his new job as the Religion Editor for BBC News for just a month – Roger Bolton tests his understanding of the BBC’s Religion strategy and finds out what resources are made available to him to help him carry out this crucial role.
Panel Discussion: Invisible Faith Communities | 34:56
Last year, the Religion Media Centre was funded by Culham St Gabriel Trust to run the Creating Connections project – spending a day in Leeds, Plymouth, Nottingham, Birmingham and Manchester, bringing together local journalists, academics, teachers and representatives of faith groups in the area. The aim was to open lines of communication and build relationships, thus improving trust between faith groups and the media. Leo Devine, who helped host some of the original sessions, gather a panel of participants from around the country to reflect on the success of the project.
Panel Discussion: Women in Leadership – has anything changed? | 47:12
Hannah Scott-Joynt chairs a panel of experts on the subject: Professor Linda Woodhead, FD Maurice Chair in Moral and Social Theology, Kings College London; Dr Maryyum Mehmood, Teaching Fellow at the University of Birmingham and Associate Director, Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion and a Trustee for the Women’s Interfaith Network; Rt Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells, Bishop of Dorking, in the Church of England Diocese of Guildford; and Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers, Rabbi at Edgware and Hendon Reform Synagogue and Radio 2 Pause for Thought contributor.
