Most radio listening takes place in the car or while doing other things that allow freedom for the ear, but not the eyes and hands. Podcasts permit a shift of listening time from a set appointment to virtually any convenient occasion. I do it while “power walking” (most) every other day (when it’s not cold and wet or I haven’t succumbed to laziness). The “art” of putting one foot in front of the other can be pretty monotonous and by “podding along” while plodding along the mind also gets something useful to do.
Some of the best radio comes from the public networks of the UK, Australia, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S. Apart from the originating program’s web site, most programs are made available through any number of other amalgamation sources such as iTunes and TuneIn. Admittedly, these are thoroughly subjective recommendations, but my interests and tolerance for incompatible views are pretty wide-ranging. Here’s another in a continuing series of small samplings: —— “Martin Luther and the Reformation” BEYOND BELIEF - BBC Radio 4 This year sees the 500th anniversary of the moment when Martin Luther sparked the Reformation by - tradition has it - nailing his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg. Ernie Rea and guests discuss what ledLuther to take this step, how his thought and personality affected the course of the Reformation and whether - were he to walk into the 21st century - he might actually find himself to be a good Catholic. (30”) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04ks9qk “Virgin Birth” BEYOND BELIEF - BBC Radio 4 Thirty years ago a Bishop could still hit the headlines by saying that he didn't believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. While this doctrine is still strongly held in some parts of the church it is rarely discussed outside of theological circles. Some want to point to the "truth" behind the idea while others regard it as irrational, quaint or damaging to our understanding of God, women and paternity. Ernie Rea and guests discuss the genesis of the idea of the Virgin Birth and explores its contemporary validity and value. (30”) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08578tm ********* CAPSULE REVIEW: BEYOND BELIEF/BBC Radio 4 This is a program that has appeal for both believers and non-believers. It examines the role of religion in culture and society with a respectful but critical eye. There is no preaching here, just expert conversation and scholarship that seeks to objectively analyze how religion, culture and society interact and affect one another. Faith does not go unquestioned or unexamined and that’s what makes this program so insightful. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s6p6 for info, podcasts and broadcast times. ********* “Cryonics and Immortality” BEYOND BELIEF - BBC Radio 4 The recent case of a terminally ill 14 year old who won the right to have her body cryonically frozen after death in the hope that science would eventually find a way of restoring her to healthy life raises all kinds of ethical questions about the sustainability of prolonging life indefinitely.But it also highlights age-old philosophical and religious preoccupations with what comes after death and the human desire to live forever. Ernie Rea discusses the quest for Immortality with Natalie Haynes, a Classicist writer and broadcaster; Douglas Davies, Professor in the Study of Religion at the University of Durham, and David Voas, Professor of Social Science at University College, London. (30”) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b084wzjq __ __ A monthly compendium of these newsletters, plus on occasion additional pertinent material, is now published in The CIDX Messenger, the monthly e-newsletter of the Canadian International DX Club (CIDX). For further information, go to www.cidx.ca Good listening! John Figliozzi Editor, "The Worldwide Listening Guide" 7th edition available from Universal Radio, Amazon, W5YI.com and Ham Radio Outlet _______________________________________________ Swprograms mailing list Swprograms@hard-core-dx.com http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to swprograms-requ...@hard-core-dx.com?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.