Sunday Folgen

Emily Buchanan talks to Libby Purves about her collection of Nativity scenes. After which, Bishop David Walker and the Revd Dr Ian Paul will discuss if Jesus was actually born in a stable and whether or not it really matters.Fergal Keane remembers a happy Christmas time in Soweto in the early 1990s and Yolande Knell has been celebrating the Feast of St Nicholas with Palestinian Christians. The Bishop of Manchester comments on recent figures from the Office of National Statistics which show that the number of homeless people dying in England and Wales has risen by 25% over the past five years. The Dean of Blackburn talks about the gin he has created with a local distillery to raise money for the cathedral and Samantha Calvert, from the Vegan Society, describes a vegan Christmas and discusses why veganism should become a protected belief.And there is a taster from a documentary going out on Radio 4 on Christmas Day about the Once in Royal David City solo which is always sung at the beginning of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge.Producers: Helen Lee Peter EverettEditor: Amanda Hancox

William Crawley presents a special edition of the Sunday programme looking at immigration and how different religious groups in the United Kingdom engage with this issue. As we look ahead to 2019 and the UK’s exit from the European Union, immigration is an issue which will continue to dominate politics. In this special edition of the programme William Crawley is joined by Dr Anna Rowlands from Durham University and the author Shelina Janmohamed to explore how different religious groups have engaged with refugees and migrants and the challenges they have faced.Eric Kaufmann, Professor of Politics at Birkbeck College, explains the difference religious belief can have on someone’s views of immigration.Kevin Hyland, the UK’s former Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, discusses why he resigned, the role of religious groups in tackling human trafficking, and the rise of anti-migrant sentiment across Europe.

To keep Christ at the heart of the Christmas story, churches in North London have pulled out the pews and replaced them with Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and Herod to name a few, as over 900 primary school children have come together to recreate the first ever Christmas through an immersive story telling journey. Rosie Wright reports. NHS specialist organ donation nurse, Angela Ditchfield, tells Edward about a new option on the NHS Organ Donor Register which gives reassurance about how organ donation can be reconciled with a person’s faith or beliefs. With so much focus on the Prime Minister, Edward discusses the qualities needed for a good leader with two faith leaders – Bishop Nick Baines and Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner. Producers Carmel Lonergan Catherine Earlam Editor Amanda Hancox