Sunday : A History of Religious Affairs Through 50 Years of Conversations and Controversies

'Religion is very much part of life as it's lived now for lots and lots of people and, around the world, most people... Religion is not boring; I think that's what Sunday keeps reminding us.' David Winter, Producer of BBC Radio 4 Sunday

Listeners all over the UK are likely familiar with Edward Stourton for his role on BBC Radio 4's iconic programme: the country's main religious and ethical news programme 'Sunday'. Now, avid Radio 4 listeners and curious newcomers alike have the chance to delve deeper into these broadcasts, as Stourton chronicles over fifty years of current affairs in his latest book, Sunday, in collaboration with BBC Producer Amanda Hancox.

In Sunday, Stourton transmits half a century of Radio 4's iconic programme to paper. Featuring interviews with well-known figures such as Desmond Tutu, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and Enoch Powell, the book traces the evolution of debate on a variety of key issues including sexuality, bioethics, nuclear weapons and many more.

From the Church's answer to the cost-of-living crisis to the debate around female bishops, the abuse within the Catholic Church to the new wave of anti-Semitism - Sunday's interviewers cross-examine speakers with rigour and acuity. With expert insight, Edward Stourton provides critical reflection on how religion has impacted some of the world's most epoch-making moments.

Covering a wide breadth of stories at the intersection of ethics, politics, and religion, Sunday features hundreds of stimulating discussions. It is a testament to how religion remains a powerful force in the lives of most people on our planet, whether people of faith or non-believers.

Edward Stourton has been the main presenter of Sunday since 2010. He has worked in broadcasting for more than forty years, and has been a foreign correspondent for the BBC, ITN and Channel Four. He was a newscaster on BBC1 for seven years, and one of the main presenters of Radio 4’s Today programme for ten. He regularly presents The World at One, The World this Weekend and Analysis, and has written and presented numerous documentaries for BBC television and radio. He is the author of 12 books and is a regular commentator on religious affairs for a wide range of national and religious newspapers.

Amanda Hancox is an award-winning producer who joined the BBC in the 1980s. She has produced a wide range of factual programmes for Radios 2, 3 and 4, BBC1 and BBC4. In 1999 she became the Executive Producer for the Religious Department at BBC World Service. From 2001 to 2020 she was Series Producer of Factual and Music for the BBC’s Religion and Ethics Radio Department and had editorial responsibility for a wide range of documentaries and programmes such as Good Morning Sunday, Beyond Belief and Sunday.