Lent Talks
Encyclopedia
Lent Talks is a series of talks, normally broadcast on BBC Radio 4
at 8:45 p.m. on a Wednesday in the United Kingdom
, to mark the Christian season of Lent
. They typically are brief talks, lasting about fifteen minutes, and have featured various speakers from different backgrounds. Each week,the speaker gives a talk on a different subject, and reflects on how this relates to the life of Christ
. Speakers in 2008 have included the Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe
, and in 2007 featured Armando Ianucci, who discussed why the period between Ash Wednesday
and Easter Sunday is longer than forty days. The final Lent Talk in 2008 was delivered on 19 March, by the Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright. His talk drew upon the Bible
book Lamentations of Jeremiah, emphasising the negative moments in life and times when we need to sit and reflect. The theme of his talk, delivered during Holy Week
, was to reflect on the period between the crucifixion
and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
In 2009, the series of Lent Talks began on 4 March, with the first programme being broadcast by Martin Bell
, talking about his experience in the war zones. The second edition was presented by Richard Holloway
on 11 March, in which Holloway discussed the power of language and referred to the transcendence
of God. His talk referred to both music and verbal language. He also referred to the problem of infinite regress
as applied to the question of "Who made God"? providing an answer by stating that this question overlooks the transcendence of God. The third edition was entitled "Does God makes mistakes" and was presented by Sister Frances Domenica. The fourth edition was presented on 25 March by George Pattison
, and was about "The Absence of God", dealing with the theme of how we cannot see God. Early in this edition, Pattison referred to the an Anglican liturgy, in which it is said that God knows our hearts, and watches our inner movement. He later referred to the French atheist existentialist, Jean-Paul Sartre
, describing Sartre's early loss of faith, and stating that Sartre remained, for the rest of his life, a resolute atheist. However, he later referred to the postmodernist philosopher Emmanuel Levinas
, who said that although we cannot see God, God can see us, and discussed how this is important to Levinas' philosophy.
On 1/4 April, Frank Field
presented Lent Talks. He described Lent as a time not merely of sackcloth and ashes, but as a time to divide the periods in our lives. The final edition of the Lent Talks in 2009 was broadcast on 8 April, and presented by the Jewish philosopher and theologian Melissa Raphael. Raphael's talk, "In God's Absence", reflected on the meaning of God for Jews during the Holocaust. Raphael mentioned how she, as a feminist Jew, had studied Christianity while at university but had remained a Jew.
The Lent Talks for 2010 began on February 24 with Will Self
giving a talk on religion and the arts, and the spiritual sense that one can feel in church buildings. Maajid Naawaz, the director of the Quilliam Foundation, gave the Lent Talks on March 10 2010. Alastair McGrath presented the Lent Talks on March 24 2010, on the relationship between religion and science - he mentioned Karl Popper
, Peter Medawar
and Sir Isaac Newton. The Lent Talks in 2011 began on March 16 2011. Ian Blair
was the speaker and talked about religion in public life.
April 1/ April 4. Frank Field.
March 25. George Pattison
March 18/March 21 Sister Frances Domenica, on "Does God Make Mistakes"?
March 11. Richard Holloway
March 4. Martin Bell
20 February 2008: Professor Terry Eagleton
27 February 2008: Mary Loudon
5 March 2008: Clive Stafford Smith
12 March 2008: Ann Widdecombe
19 March 2008: Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham as from 2003
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
at 8:45 p.m. on a Wednesday in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, to mark the Christian season of Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
. They typically are brief talks, lasting about fifteen minutes, and have featured various speakers from different backgrounds. Each week,the speaker gives a talk on a different subject, and reflects on how this relates to the life of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Speakers in 2008 have included the Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe
Ann Noreen Widdecombe is a former British Conservative Party politician and has been a novelist since 2000. She is a Privy Councillor and was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 to 1997 and for Maidstone and The Weald from 1997 to 2010. She was a social conservative and a member of...
, and in 2007 featured Armando Ianucci, who discussed why the period between Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
and Easter Sunday is longer than forty days. The final Lent Talk in 2008 was delivered on 19 March, by the Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright. His talk drew upon the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
book Lamentations of Jeremiah, emphasising the negative moments in life and times when we need to sit and reflect. The theme of his talk, delivered during Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
, was to reflect on the period between the crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
and resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
of Jesus Christ.
In 2009, the series of Lent Talks began on 4 March, with the first programme being broadcast by Martin Bell
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, OBE, is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician...
, talking about his experience in the war zones. The second edition was presented by Richard Holloway
Richard Holloway
Richard F. Holloway is a Scottish writer and broadcaster and was formerly Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church....
on 11 March, in which Holloway discussed the power of language and referred to the transcendence
Transcendence (religion)
In religion transcendence refers to the aspect of God's nature which is wholly independent of the physical universe. This is contrasted with immanence where God is fully present in the physical world and thus accessible to creatures in various ways...
of God. His talk referred to both music and verbal language. He also referred to the problem of infinite regress
Infinite regress
An infinite regress in a series of propositions arises if the truth of proposition P1 requires the support of proposition P2, the truth of proposition P2 requires the support of proposition P3, .....
as applied to the question of "Who made God"? providing an answer by stating that this question overlooks the transcendence of God. The third edition was entitled "Does God makes mistakes" and was presented by Sister Frances Domenica. The fourth edition was presented on 25 March by George Pattison
George Pattison
George Pattison is a leading British systematic theologian and Anglican priest.Pattison is currently the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and a canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford....
, and was about "The Absence of God", dealing with the theme of how we cannot see God. Early in this edition, Pattison referred to the an Anglican liturgy, in which it is said that God knows our hearts, and watches our inner movement. He later referred to the French atheist existentialist, Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
, describing Sartre's early loss of faith, and stating that Sartre remained, for the rest of his life, a resolute atheist. However, he later referred to the postmodernist philosopher Emmanuel Levinas
Emmanuel Lévinas
Emmanuel Levinas was a Lithuanian-born French Jewish philosopher and Talmudic commentator.-Life:Emanuelis Levinas received a traditional Jewish education in Lithuania...
, who said that although we cannot see God, God can see us, and discussed how this is important to Levinas' philosophy.
On 1/4 April, Frank Field
Frank Field
Francis or Frank Field may refer to:*Frank Field *Frank Field *Frank Field - English cricketer who took over 1,000 first-class wickets...
presented Lent Talks. He described Lent as a time not merely of sackcloth and ashes, but as a time to divide the periods in our lives. The final edition of the Lent Talks in 2009 was broadcast on 8 April, and presented by the Jewish philosopher and theologian Melissa Raphael. Raphael's talk, "In God's Absence", reflected on the meaning of God for Jews during the Holocaust. Raphael mentioned how she, as a feminist Jew, had studied Christianity while at university but had remained a Jew.
The Lent Talks for 2010 began on February 24 with Will Self
Will Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
giving a talk on religion and the arts, and the spiritual sense that one can feel in church buildings. Maajid Naawaz, the director of the Quilliam Foundation, gave the Lent Talks on March 10 2010. Alastair McGrath presented the Lent Talks on March 24 2010, on the relationship between religion and science - he mentioned Karl Popper
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH FRS FBA was an Austro-British philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics...
, Peter Medawar
Peter Medawar
Sir Peter Brian Medawar OM CBE FRS was a British biologist, whose work on graft rejection and the discovery of acquired immune tolerance was fundamental to the practice of tissue and organ transplants...
and Sir Isaac Newton. The Lent Talks in 2011 began on March 16 2011. Ian Blair
Ian Blair
Ian Warwick Blair, Baron Blair of Boughton, QPM is a retired British Police officer who held the position of commissioner of police of the metropolis from 2005 to 2008 and was the highest ranking officer within the Metropolitan Police Service.On 2 October 2008 Blair announced that he would...
was the speaker and talked about religion in public life.
Speakers in 2009
April 8. Melissa Raphael, talking about "In God's Absence".April 1/ April 4. Frank Field.
March 25. George Pattison
March 18/March 21 Sister Frances Domenica, on "Does God Make Mistakes"?
March 11. Richard Holloway
March 4. Martin Bell
Speakers in 2008
13 February 2008: Jude KellyJude Kelly
Judith Pamela Kelly OBE is a theatre director and producer from Liverpool, England.Kelly founded Solent People's Theatre, a touring company in 1976, and was artistic director of the Battersea Arts Centre from 1980 to 1985. In 1986, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company...
20 February 2008: Professor Terry Eagleton
27 February 2008: Mary Loudon
5 March 2008: Clive Stafford Smith
12 March 2008: Ann Widdecombe
Ann Widdecombe
Ann Noreen Widdecombe is a former British Conservative Party politician and has been a novelist since 2000. She is a Privy Councillor and was the Member of Parliament for Maidstone from 1987 to 1997 and for Maidstone and The Weald from 1997 to 2010. She was a social conservative and a member of...
19 March 2008: Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham as from 2003