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BBC Radio 2 Faith in World Week examines faith & money


Aled Jones

Aled Jones

Each year Radio 2's Faith In The World Week examines the impact of religion on culture and society through a particular theme. This year the theme is Money and Faith and features a special programme presented by Dragons' Den millionaire Duncan Bannatyne asking Can Money Make You Happy? Further programming includes Aled Jones' Good Morning Sunday and Sunday Half Hour with Brian D'Arcy along with contributions to Pause for Thought.

Faith In The World: Can Money Make You Happy? (Tuesday 26 October, 10pm - 11pm). In a special documentary, one of the UK's most well known entrepreneurs, Duncan Bannatyne, explored the different attitudes towards money from various religious traditions. Meeting people from all walks of life he encounters traditional and contemporary perspectives from those who have experienced great wealth or poverty. The programme explores alternative systems of dealing with money, such as Islamic banking and a Christian approach to debt, and hears from business leaders, celebrities and religious figures who have particular and distinctive views on money.

With a timely reflection on the effect of the current financial crisis, Duncan looks at whether we are now challenging our beliefs, theories and principles over money. He meets young city philanthropists, a church organisation helping people crippled by debt, psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, media guru Max Clifford, and TV vicar Peter Owen Jones who tried to live for a year without money. Duncan asks the crucial questions: Does money hold the secret to having a happy life? Should money be a means to an end or the goal itself? Have we learnt anything from the current situation?

Talking about money and whether it brings happiness, Duncan says: "It's hard for me to know how happy or unhappy I would be if I hadn't been successful in business. I get more happiness and joy out of knowing that I've built the business and have achieved that, than the money - which in some ways is a by-product of it.

He continues: "What's happened is we have developed a country where we need money... but in some ways we focus on it too much instead of focusing on the things that are important. I think what we need to learn is that people are more important than money, people around you, relationships. Happiness doesn't have to come with money, and money doesn't always come with happiness. What we've learned from this is what you can do with the money that's important, not having it."

Aled Jones with Good Morning Sunday (Sunday 24 and Sunday 31 October, 6am - 9am)

Aled Jones says Good Morning Sunday to The Times correspondent and sports journalist, Matthew Syed, who joins Aled to mark the 50 year anniversary of Muhammed Ali's first professional fight and to discuss how his iconic status and wealth has enabled him to promote good works and philanthropic endeavours. Aled's faith guest is the Revd Peter Owen Jones, presenter of BBC Two's How To Live A Simple, who explains what can be gained by living a simple life while living within limited means.

And on Sunday 31 October, to mark the end of Faith In The World Week, Aled Jones talks to Father Christopher Jamison, who has recently acted as an adviser to the Future of Banking Commission.

Sunday Half Hour (Sunday 24 October, 8.30pm - 9pm)

Presenter Brian D'Arcy explores one of the most frequently discussed topics in the New Testament - money and the love of money. With hymns, listener dedications and reflection, this edition's music includes Count Your Blessings, Blest Are The Pure In Heart and Be Still My Soul.

Pause for Thought

During the week Pause for Thought on Chris Evans' Breakfast Show and Alex Lester's Early Morning Show will reflect the money theme, with contributions from Father Brian D'Arcy, Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger (on Chris Evans' show) and John Kirkby from Christians Against Poverty (on Alex Lester's show).

Radio 2 is the UK's most listened-to radio station, with a weekly reach of 13.73m listeners. The network covers a diverse and rich mix from social action campaigns to religious programming, live concerts to the arts. The station broadcasts an unrivalled range of music covering over 20 genres, from soul to organ music, show tunes to rhythm and blues.

Committed to music, The Radio 2 Young Choristers Of The Year is one of the years' highlights, alongside the Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist competition and the British Folk Awards.

Radio 2 continues to feature religious programming as one of the core components of its schedule. The weekday Pause For Thought slots within Alex Lester's show (2-5am), the early Breakfast Show (5-6am from Monday11 October 2010) and The Chris Evans Breakfast Show (6.30-9.30am) are heard by over 10m listeners every week, and Good Morning Sunday and Sunday Half Hour welcomes listeners with a mix of hymns and
reflection.

To hear the programmes again go to: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/categories/religion_and_ethics


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