Songs of Praise is to remain Christian despite calls for it to be turned it into a multifaith programme, the BBC’s first Muslim head of religion has pledged. Aaqil Ahmed said that it was vital that religious programming promoted “diversity” but insisted that Songs of Praise would always remain Christian.
Bishop Calls For Criminals To Be Punished In Public Rather Than Jailed
17th January 2012
Nicola Methven | The Mirror
Punishing criminals in public could be more effective than sending them to jail, according to the Anglican bishop for prisons.
The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, said it was simply not enough to lock up criminals, adding that community payback schemes could act as a deterrent for others and help to reduce reoffending.
He told the Radio Times that it was time to question whether prisons should be “warehouses to store the incorrigible” or “greenhouses to restore the redeemable”.
Bishop Jones went behind bars at three jails - Liverpool, High Down in Surrey, and Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester - for new Radio 4 series The Bishop And The Prisoner, which starts next week.
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A multifaith Songs of Praise? Not on my watch says BBC religion chief
Songs of Praise is to remain Christian despite calls for it to be turned it into a multifaith programme, the BBC’s first Muslim head of religion has pledged. Aaqil Ahmed said that it was vital that religious programming promoted “diversity” but insisted that Songs of Praise would always remain Christian.
Media Monitoring
Bishop Calls For Criminals To Be Punished In Public Rather Than Jailed
17th January 2012
Nicola Methven | The Mirror
Punishing criminals in public could be more effective than sending them to jail, according to the Anglican bishop for prisons.
The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev James Jones, said it was simply not enough to lock up criminals, adding that community payback schemes could act as a deterrent for others and help to reduce reoffending.
He told the Radio Times that it was time to question whether prisons should be “warehouses to store the incorrigible” or “greenhouses to restore the redeemable”.
Bishop Jones went behind bars at three jails - Liverpool, High Down in Surrey, and Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester - for new Radio 4 series The Bishop And The Prisoner, which starts next week.
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