All Things Considered

Jonathan Thomas’s guest is the author of “Where the saints came from” published earlier this year. She's Anne Hayward, a retired teacher and former lay reader in the Church in Wales. Anne is also a very keen walker; so much so that each Easter she goes on solo pilgrimage from her home in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park to a holy place either in Wales or beyond. As we’ll hear this year’s pilgrimage was her second journey to Brittany, a place of strong Celtic ties with Wales and Cornwall.

So far Anne has written three books about her thousands of miles on foot, travelling with a lightweight rucksack and tent, paper maps and a walking stick. During the programme recorded near the ruins of Llanthony Priory we hear extracts from the diaries she kept on her latest journey and she'll also retell some of her experiences en route.

Anne’s book titles:

website: www.pilgrimstreet.uk

Today, more people than ever before are using food banks in the UK, while rates of homelessness are also on the increase. These figures are predicted to grow as we enter the cold winter months. The last two decades have seen a huge increase in faith-based initiatives to support those in crisis, from churches running food banks to street pastors to charities offering support to the homeless. But to what extent do these initiatives work, and could it be the case that by offering sticking-plaster solutions like warm spaces we are actually perpetuating the underlying problem?

Rosa Hunt speaks to Bonnie Williams, former director of Housing Justice Cymru and now CEO of Housing Justice UK. Jessica Foster, Head of Church Engagement at Trussell, the largest food bank charity in the UK and Jon Kuhrt, CEO of Hope into Action, a charity that enables churches to house the homeless. We hear from people who have been supported by charities in a time of crisis and we'll examine why, as one of the world’s largest economies, people in the UK are in the position where they might be hungry or homeless.

The report, ‘Casting Long Shadows: The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on babies, their families and the services that support them.’ published in 2022 revealed worrying statistics about babies born during the COVID pandemic, highlighting how many had delayed social skills. But two years on, as those children now start school, how are they doing? We speak to Dr Alison Prowle, a senior lecturer at the department for Children and Families, University of Worcester; Hannah Tuck, a children's worker with a national UK charity and a kids team leader at New Life Elim Church in Barry; from Hengoed Primary School we meet teachers Natalie McPherson, Claire Jones, and Janet Watkins; and we also speak to Dr. Matthew Williamson-Dicken, and Mrs ELin Johnson, from Panteg Primary School. Finally, we visit the Little Lounge community project based in Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd, to see what place faith has had in helping the pandemic babies.

Azim Ahmed and guests shine a light on a collection of ‘Lost Hymns’; long forgotten Welsh-language folk hymns recorded by oral historians at St. Fagan’s National Museum of History in the 1960s.

When musician and composer Lleuwen Steffan came across these recordings she immediately realised that they were no longer featured in contemporary hymn books. She embarked on a decade long project to track down the descendants of those recorded, and to compose music inspired by these songs. Today she brings these recordings to modern audiences, joining the recorded voices with her own compositions on piano, guitars and synthesizers.

Many of the hymns were composed as a response to the Welsh Revival of 1904, a period of intense religious fervour that swept across Wales, filling chapels, and bringing life-changing religious experiences to those part of the revivals. The songs are frank, down to earth and sometimes dark. They reflect the fragility of human experience.

Emeritus Professor Wyn James, a Welsh hymnology expert from the School of Welsh at Cardiff University sets out the historical context of these hymns. Catrin Roberts, the granddaughter of hymn collector William Morris (one of the voices in the collection) shares memories of her grandfather, and his passion for the heritage of Wales.

Lleuwen’s work is made in partnership with Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru and supported by the British Council Wales.

Roy Jenkins reflects further on his broadcast career, and recounts some memorable moments in such diverse places as Russia, South America, South Africa, Hong Kong and Israel.

The first of two special editions of All Things Considered to mark Roy Jenkins' 50 years in religious broadcasting. Across his career, Roy has been involved in a vast number and variety of programmes. Today, he looks back on just a few which have made some kind of mark on him. We hear archive footage from across Roy's career, as well as the stories behind some of these memorable programme-making experiences.

Join us again next week, when Roy will reflect on some of the fascinating encounters had had making radio in other countries.

This programme was first broadcast in June 2024.

Jonathan Thomas joins the audience in the Swansea Arena to watch the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on its 50th anniversary tour. He speaks to three expert guests; Swansea born singer and song writer Steve Balsamo whose award winning performance of Jesus in the 1990s launched his career. Cameron Smith who writes a blog 'Middle Brow Musicals' and also for Premier Christianity Magazine. Lastly Revered Emma Ackland, Bishop’s Chaplain in the Diocese of Llandaff.

The show first launched in the UK at the Palace Theatre in London in 1972, one of the most popular shows of all time, the rock opera depicts the last few days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Some Christians have called it blasphemous, others see it as an evocative retelling of Jesus’ final days. With church congregations declining, Jonathan Thomas explores these issues and what still draws audiences today to a story about Jesus’ life and death.

This programme was first broadcast in April 2024.

In the final part of our series exploring aspects of Offa's Dyke, and Offa's Dyke Path, Rosa Hunt walks a part of the way in the company of five people with a passion for the outdoors, and asks the theological conundrum of whether God is a walker? There are many suggestions in both the Old Testament and the New that God does indeed walk, and it's possible - some argue - that we come nearest to Him not when we rush around but when we walk at a moderate pace. Even for people without a formal faith, the meditative action of walking can lead to a deep spiritual experience, regardless of whether or not they believe in a creator God.

For Steven Carter, a retired Baptist minister, walking Offa's Dyke has a particular significance - despite his cancer prognosis, he is determined to walk as much of its 177 miles as possible in easy stages. In this programme Rosa joins him for a section of the Dyke at Hergest Ridge. For Llinos Metcalf easy stages are probably not what she is seeking, since over the last ten years she's signed up for and completed numerous arduous treks in places such as Patagonia, the Sahara and the Arctic, sustained by her faith and a mission to raise money for Velindre cancer hospital. Rosa takes a detour to Newchurch, near Gladestry, to speak to Ann Dean about the diaries of Francis Kilvert, the one-time curate of Clyro who was an avid walker in the district. Near Hay Bluff Rosa encounters Susan Langford-Johnson, a former Catholic chaplain who despite no longer believing in God, believes she has had a deeply spiritual experience whilst walking a pilgrimage. Finally, on a gentle stretch of Offa's Dyke path at Hay Rosa meets Rev'd Dr Mark Clavier, who has written about his own 'pilgrimage' whilst never having been on a 'proper' one to a religious shrine. Is God a walker? "Yes", he agrees, "God must certainly be a walker...or else a sadist!"

Azim Ahmed walks a section of Offa's Dyke, to explore what it has to tell us about our place in the world, and in the universe. This ancient archaeological wonder constructed by the Mercian King Offa has in some ways been the making of Welsh identity. But it also speaks of fascinating connections with Europe, and possibly the Islamic world. A visit to Knighton's Spaceguard centre, however, suggests that our planet, let alone Wales, may be but a mere speck in a vast and dangerous universe.

Throughout July, All Things Considered will be coming from the ancient boundary between Wales and England – Offa’s Dyke. Each week, we explore a different section of the border as we travel from Chepstow to Prestatyn, joined by voices from the borders sharing their stories of faith, encounter and identity.

This week Jonathan Thomas explores the idea of ‘borders’ and identity, starting at St. Mary's Capel y Ffin. Here Jonathan meets Father David Wyatt at the tiny 'chapel on the border,' a focus of pilgrimage for centuries and the source of inspiration for William and Dorothy Wordsworth. Jonathan walks a stretch of the Offa's Dyke route with vicar and pilgrimage leader Simon Lockett. Starting at the Gospel Pass they head past Hay Bluff towards Llantony to discuss identity in the border lands. Jonathan speaks to pupils at Clyro Church in Wales School to hear their perspective on living on the borders. The children explain that they see borders as a point of connection, a place to forge new friendships and to hear different languages.

Canon Dr Manon James of the St Padarn's Institute shares insights into her research into Welsh identity and border lands. At the end of the Offa's Dyke path Jonathan meets Baptist minister Rob Beamish to discuss journey's endings.