If you are a follower of one the main religions, it is more than likely that you will have undergone a bathing ritual. Cleansing with water is an integral part of Christian Baptism, Muslim Prayer and Jewish purification. Hindus aspire to bathe in the waters of the River Ganges. Why are rituals in water important to so many faiths? What do they mean? And how do they differ from religion to religion?

Joining Ernie to discuss ritual bathing are Dr Diana Lipton (teaching fellow in the department of biblical studies at Tel Aviv University), Sudipta Sen (professor of history at the University of California, Davis and author of 'Ganges: the Many Pasts of an Indian River') and the Very Reverend Peter Robinson (Dean of Derby, whose doctoral thesis was on Christian Initiation focusing on Baptism).

Producer: Helen Lee