National Secular Society Podcast
95 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingChallenging religious privilege, for freedom, fairness and secularism
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Episodes
Bonus Ep 5: Academies report
October 22, 2020 07:00 - 10 minutes - 12.5 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks with the National Secular Society's head of education, Alastair Lichten, about their new report, which reveals how academisation has enabled faith groups to increase their influence over all schools, including those with no religious character. Full show notes and subscriber information: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/10/36a/
Ep 36: Faith-shaped holes in the Equality Act
October 15, 2020 07:00 - 37 minutes - 43.1 MBBaroness Lynne Featherstone joins the podcast to discuss the tenth anniversary of the Equality Act 2010, the Act's significance and the problems caused by continuing religious privilege, as covered in a recent NSS report. Full show notes and subscriber information: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/10/ep36
Rerelease: Circumcision and No Outsiders (Ep 12)
October 08, 2020 07:00 - 26 minutes - 30.1 MBRerelease of Ep 12. Next new episode (Ep 36) scheduled next Thursday, 15 October. Check out the full shownotes, video and transcript for this episode: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/08/ep-12-circumcision-no-outsiders
Ep 35: Dignity in Dying
October 01, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutes - 61.9 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks to Lloyd Riley, policy and research manager at Dignity in Dying about campaigns for the legalisation of assisted dying in the UK. Full show notes and subscriber information: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/10/ep35
Bonus Ep 4: Stephen Evans – religious oaths
September 24, 2020 06:59 - 15 minutes - 17.6 MBWhy make a spectacle out of religion in the courtroom? In this bonus episode Stephen Evans, CEO of the NSS, makes the case for replacing religious oaths and affirmations should be replaced by a universal secular declaration of the solemn duty to tell the truth. Stephen and Emma Park discuss the importance of this issue in the history of the National Secular Society. Shownotes and subscriber information: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast.html
Ep 34: Freedom and fairness in marriage law
September 17, 2020 07:00 - 23 minutes - 27.3 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks to Stephen Evans and Megan Manson from the NSS team about marriage law reform in England and Wales. Show notes, transcript and supporter/subscriber information here: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/ep34
Rerelease: Rudolf Eliott Lockhart (Ep 06: Exploring religious freedom)
September 10, 2020 07:00 - 41 minutes - 47.4 MBRerelease of Ep 06. Next new episode (Ep 34) scheduled next Thursday, 17 September Check out the full shownotes, video and transcript for this episode: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/03/rudolf-eliott-lockhart-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-06
Ep 33: Kaja Bryx, Catholic Nationalism in Poland
September 03, 2020 07:00 - 43 minutes - 49.6 MBIn this episode Emma Park speaks to Kaja Bryx, president of the Polish Rationalist Association, about the influence of the Catholic Church and the religious right in Poland. how notes, transcript and supporter/subscriber information here: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/09/ep-33-kaja-bryx-catholic-nationalism-in-poland
Rerelease: Rachel Laser (Ep 02: Exploring religious freedom)
August 27, 2020 07:00 - 31 minutes - 36.5 MBRerelease of Ep 02. Next new episode (Ep 33) scheduled next Thursday, 3 September. Check out the full shownotes, video and transcript for this episode: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/01/rachel-laser-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-02
Ep 32: Nick Duffy on ‘conversion therapy’
August 20, 2020 07:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks to Nick Duffy, current affairs editor at Pink News, about so-called 'conversion therapy', the type of psychological practices that it can involve, and the harm it can cause to those who undergo it. Show notes, transcript and supporter/subscriber information here: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/08/ep-32-nick-duff-on-conversion-therapy
Rerelease: Secularism 2019 conference review (Ep 10)
August 06, 2020 07:00 - 19 minutes - 22.1 MBRerelease of Ep 10. Next new episode (Ep 32) coming next Thursday, 13 August. Check out the full shownotes, video and transcript for this episode: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/06/episode-10-secularism-2019-conference-review
Ep 31: Graham Smith (not that type of republican)
July 30, 2020 07:00 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MBShow notes, transcript and supporter/subscriber information here: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2020/07/ep-31-graham-smith-not-that-type-of-republican
Rerelease: Stephen Evans (Ep 01: Exploring religious freedom)
July 23, 2020 07:00 - 18 minutes - 20.8 MBRerelease of Ep 01. Next new episode (Ep 31) coming next Thursday, 30 July. Check out the full shownotes, video and transcript for this episode: https://www.secularism.org.uk/podcast/2019/01/stephen-evans-exploring-religious-freedom-episode-01
Ep 30: Religious Freedom in China
July 16, 2020 06:00 - 34 minutes - 39 MBOn paper, the Chinese constitution permits ‘normal religious activities’. In reality, if you try to practise your religion in China independently of the state, you risk prison and worse. In this episode, Dr Sophie Richardson, China Director of Human Rights Watch, speaks to Emma Park about freedom of religion and belief in China – or the lack of it. They discuss the Chinese authorities’ persecution of the Uighurs, the Turkic Muslim minority in the north-west, and the deliberate strategies that...
Ep 29: Scotland’s new blasphemy law?
July 02, 2020 06:00 - 40 minutes - 46.3 MBWhere do you draw the line between safeguarding people’s protected characteristics, and guarding their right to freedom of speech? The new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill, introduced in April purports to protect groups defined by reference to protected characteristics, including ‘religion’ or ‘perceived religious affiliation’. But some have argued that the proposed legislation will chill free speech about religion. In this episode, Emma Park is joined by Neil Barber, communicatio...
Ep 28: RE in Wales: a chance for fundamental change
June 18, 2020 05:59 - 29 minutes - 34.2 MBHow much progress will the Welsh government make with its proposed reforms to RE? In this episode, Emma Park speaks to Stephen Evans, CEO of the NSS, and Alastair Lichten, head of education, for an update. Encouragingly the subject’s name is to be changed to ‘Religion, Values and Ethics’, to reflect a more pluralistic and critical approach. But the proposed abolition of parents’ right to withdraw their children is more concerning. Faith schools will still be able to teach RVE ‘in line with t...
Ep 27: Unregistered (illegal) schools
June 04, 2020 05:59 - 37 minutes - 43.4 MBIn this episode, Emma Park discusses unregistered faith schools, particularly in the Hasidic community with Eve Sacks, a member of the Jewish anti-extremist organisation Nahamu. Eve has spent years engaging with members of the ultra-orthodox community in London. They discuss issues in registered independent schools and the prevalence of unregistered schools where boys aged 13 to 18 are sent to receive religious instruction with little or no secular education. There is also evidence that boys...
Ep 26: Hindutva with Gita Sahgal
May 21, 2020 06:58 - 29 minutes - 34 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks to Gita Sahgal, a human rights activist and Honorary Associate of the NSS, about secularism in India, and the threats it is facing from the Hindutva (Hindu nationalist) movement endorsed by Modi’s government. Modern India has been a secularist state since its foundation in 1947. But since the first election of Modi’s government in 2014, as Gita explains, Indian supporters of secularism, pluralism, and the rule of law have been targeted, silenced, and in some ...
Bonus Ep 2: Leo Igwe #FreeMubarakBala
May 09, 2020 11:38 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBThis podcast gives an emergency update on the plight of Mubarak Bala, President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN). Bala was arrested in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, by the police on the 28th April, effectively for blasphemy against Islam. Although he has not yet been formally charged, he remains in custody, probably in Kano state, which is under Sharia law. He appears to be without access to a lawyer or contact with friends or family. Leo Igwe, founder of the HAN, speaks to Emma Park ...
Ep 25: American religious exceptionalism and Covid-19
May 07, 2020 06:00 - 42 minutes - 48.7 MBThis episode is about secularism in the USA, its basis in the American constitution, and its opposition by the religious right. The NSS’s Alastair Lichten interviews Andrew Seidel, an attorney at the Freedom From Religion Foundation. They discuss the narratives of religious exceptionalism and persecution propagated by some on the Christian right – and other tactics which they have used over many years to build up their political influence. Andrew argues that the Christian right use a misinter...
Ep 24: The history of the NSS – Interview with Bob Forder
April 30, 2020 05:58 - 28 minutes - 33 MBHow did the secularist movement begin in Britain? And why should modern supporters of secularism care about its history? In this week’s episode, Emma Park speaks to Bob Forder, a member of the NSS council and former history teacher, about the origins of secularism in Britain. Bob explains how the secularist movement was, from its early years, bound up with the story of the National Secular Society. From its origins in local working-class associations, secularism has always been a socially pr...
Ep 23: The NSS at the UN: interview with Josephine Macintosh
April 16, 2020 05:59 - 31 minutes - 42.7 MBIn this week’s episode, Emma Park speaks to Josephine Macintosh, a solicitor and vice president of the National Secular Society, about her work representing the NSS at the United Nations. Earlier this year, Josephine attended the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva. She made submissions on behalf of the NSS on its objections to male circumcision, proposed reforms to Italian law to counter child abuse in the Catholic Church, and the need for the UK to legislate explicitly ag...
Ep 22: Bishops in the House of Lords – Dick Taverne interview
January 27, 2020 06:55 - 18 minutes - 24.7 MBIs it time to remove Church of England bishops' automatic right to sit in the House of Lords? Liberal Democrat peer Dick Taverne is introducing a private members’ bill – drafted with the NSS’s assistance – to do just that. Emma Park travels to Westminster to interview Dick about why it’s time to abolish the bishops’ bench and reform the Lords, why constitutional reforms can take such a long time, and why the UK is still not a secular country. Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark Watch this ...
Ep 21: Integrated education in Northern Ireland – interview with the Integrated Education Fund
January 13, 2020 06:58 - 34 minutes - 39.4 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks with Maddy Bridgman and Sam Fitzsimmons of the Integrated Education Fund, a charity that supports inclusive, integrated education (not segregated into de facto Protestant and Catholic schools) in Northern Ireland. Maddy and Sam discuss the IEF’s campaign to support an integrated school system, and outline some of the difficulties the IEF has faced, both political, administrative and structural. They also discuss positive signs that school students who atten...
Ep 20: Lee and Lizanne Harris – compulsory worship
December 16, 2019 07:00 - 43 minutes - 50.3 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks with Lee and Lizanne Harris about their experience of the collective worship requirement in schools. The Harrises recently initiated judicial review proceedings against the primary school attended by their children. They challenged its decision to provide no alternative to a proselytising Christian assembly once a week conducted by representatives of the local C of E church. Lee and Lizanne discuss their children’s experiences of these assemblies, what happ...
Ep 19: General election special
November 25, 2019 06:55 - 21 minutes - 24.5 MBThis week, Emma Park is joined by Stephen Evans and Chris Sloggett for a general election special. During the campaign the NSS is calling on parties to adopt 11 secularist pledges on subjects such as education and free speech. But which of these are on the parties’ agendas? Will any of them make it onto the statute book any time soon? And is religion stifling political debate? Join Stephen, Chris and Emma for comment and analysis. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7mwTBwyy6Xo ...
Ep 18: Remembrance Day | Clerical Abuse
November 11, 2019 06:55 - 31 minutes - 36.2 MBIn this week’s episode, Emma Park is joined by the NSS’s Megan Manson and Chris Sloggett to discuss the Church of England’s privileged role in Remembrance Sunday. Is it right that the church should lead the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph? Does the C of E represent modern Britain? Will Britain continue to remember if the ritual of remembrance is tied up with religion? Emma then speaks to Keith Porteous Wood, president of the NSS, about the society’s campaign to expose institutional ab...
Ep 17: Thought for the Day | RE in Wales
October 28, 2019 06:58 - 32 minutes - 36.8 MBIn this week’s episode, Emma Park is joined by Chris Sloggett and Helen Nicholls to discuss whether BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day should still be exclusively for “speakers from the world’s major faiths”. John Humphrys, former presenter of the Today programme in which Thought for the Day is featured, recently criticised it as ‘discriminatory’. Emma also speaks to Stephen Evans and Alastair Lichten about a consultation on the reform of sex and religious education launched by the Welsh gove...
Ep 16: Operation Christmas Child | Faith schools
October 14, 2019 05:55 - 36 minutes - 42.2 MBIn this week’s episode, Emma Park speaks to Megan Manson about Operation Christmas Child, a programme that encourages schoolchildren and youth groups around the UK to send Christmas shoeboxes to children in developing countries. Those sending the shoeboxes may not be aware that they are being used as part of a conversion drive by an evangelical Christian charity, Samaritan’s Purse. The case raises the question of whether ‘the advancement of religion’ should still be a charitable purpose. Emm...
Ep 15: ‘Islamophobia’ definition | Criticising infant circumcision
September 30, 2019 05:59 - 25 minutes - 29.7 MBEmma Park speaks to Stephen Evans, CEO of the NSS and Chris Sloggett, communications officer, about the NSS's opposition to a definition of 'Islamophobia' which was proposed by a parliamentary group in November 2018. Chris and NSS campaigns officer Megan Manson also join Emma to discuss two recent rows relating to infant circumcision. Megan highlights a court case in which a Nigerian Christian woman, Martina Obi-Uzom, was given a suspended sentence for having an infant boy circumcised without...
Ep 14: End compulsory worship | Education update
September 16, 2019 05:55 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBIn this episode, Emma Park speaks to the NSS’s Head of Education, Alastair Lichten, about the Society’s ongoing campaign against collective worship in schools. This is followed by a brief update on the NSS’s other campaigns in education, and its new resource for schools, Exploring Secularism. It is, surprisingly, still a legal requirement in England and Wales that state schools practise some form of collective religious worship every day. Emma and Alastair discuss what the law is, how it is ...
Ep 13: Religious appointees | Campaigning roundup
September 02, 2019 05:50 - 23 minutes - 27 MBChris Sloggett spoke to NSS head of education Alastair Lichten about our new report Religious Reps: Unrepresentative, Unnecessary and Unjustified. The report makes the case for ending the requirement on all Scottish local authorities to include religious appointees on their education committees. They discussed the report's findings and recommendations and next steps for the campaign. Campaigns officer Megan Manson also joined to discuss work the NSS has been doing on vaccinations, blasphemy l...
Ep 12: Circumcision | No Outsiders
August 11, 2019 07:00 - 26 minutes - 30.1 MBChris Sloggett spoke to NSS chief executive Stephen Evans and campaigns officer Megan Manson about the recent BBC documentary ‘A cut too far?’ and the ethics of ritual infant male circumcision. Did the documentary go far enough and is the tide turning against this abusive practice? Also in this episode our head of education Alastair Lichten spoke with Andrew Moffat, creator of the inclusive education resource ‘No Outsiders’ and speaker at our upcoming Bradlaugh Lecture. Watch this episode on...
Ep 10a: Bonus content | Behind the scenes at Secularism 2019
July 28, 2019 08:57 - 45 minutes - 52.5 MBHere's a little bonus content from Secularism which was originally going to be in our post conference review. In this episode, Emma Park, a freelance writer and NSS volunteer, interviewed five of the Conference speakers to explore some of the issues raised by their talks in further detail. Some of these were a bit more wide ranging than the topic. Everyone's views are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the NSS. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...
Ep11: Religious charities | Inclusive relationship and sex education
July 25, 2019 11:10 - 29 minutes - 33.7 MBIn episode 11, Chris Sloggett spoke to Megan Manson about charities which exist only to promote religion and whether these or religious charities which do harm are in the public benefit. Chris also spoke to and Alastair Lichten about protests by religious reactionaries against LGBT inclusive education and what the NSS is doing. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVmWU1jwrXE&feature=youtu.be Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts Links Make a sta...
Ep 10: Secularism 2019 | Conference review
June 05, 2019 07:25 - 19 minutes - 22.1 MBIn episode 10, Helen Nicholls, Megan Manson and Alastair Lichten joined Chris Sloggett for a review of our recent conference (Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom). They discuss some of the speakers, key takeaways and how these will continue to influence our work going forward. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tlyczsqLx9I Transcripts: https://www.secularism.org.uk/transcripts Links Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the cal...
Ep 09: Simon Barrow | Exploring religious freedom
May 08, 2019 06:39 - 42 minutes - 48.8 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Simon Barrow. Simon is the director of Ekklesia - a Christian think tank focusing on politics, social justice and belief. Simon is a commentator, journalist, publisher, NGO consultant, adult educator/trainer and theologian. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom: https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019 Watch this ep...
Ep 08: Izzy Posen | Exploring religious freedom
April 17, 2019 07:37 - 31 minutes - 36.1 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Izzy Posen. Izzy grew up in the Chasidic community and attended an illegal, unregistered school where corporal punishment was routinely used, particularly to silence children who asked questions. He is now president of Bristol University's Free Speech Society This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom: https://www.s...
Ep 07: Geoffrey Robertson QC | Exploring religious freedom
April 09, 2019 10:31 - 34 minutes - 39.1 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Geoffrey Robertson QC – the internationally renowned human rights barrister, academic, author and broadcaster and founder of Doughty Street Chambers. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom: https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOuTCTdEP3k&feature=yout...
Ep 06: Rudolf Eliott Lockhart | Exploring religious freedom
March 19, 2019 09:42 - 41 minutes - 47.4 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Rudolf Eliott Lockhart (Rudi) CEO of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom secularism.org.uk/secularism-2019 Watch this episode on YouTube: youtu.be/cVE8vsffUOk Transcript: secularism.org.uk/uploads/rudolf-eliott-lockhart---exploring-religious-freedom-epis...
Ep 05: Dr Antony Lempert | Exploring religious freedom
March 12, 2019 12:47 - 32 minutes - 36.9 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Dr Antony Lempert. Dr Lempert is chair of the Secular Medical forum, a regular speaker and expert on freedom of and from religion in healthcare. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdPBHCZICPc&feature=youtu.be Transcript: https://www.secularism....
Ep 04: Annie Laurie Gaylor | Exploring religious freedom
February 26, 2019 16:33 - 26 minutes - 30.2 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with secularist activist Annie Laurie Gaylor. Annie Laurie is a co-founder of – and, current co-president of – the Freedom From Religion Foundation. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom. www.secularism.org.uk/2019 Watch this episode on YouTube. | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cspncemMA9A&feature=youtu.be Links...
Ep 03: Maryam Namazie | Exploring religious freedom
February 11, 2019 16:25 - 32 minutes - 37 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with secularist activist Maryam Namazie. Maryam is the spokesperson for Iran Solidarity, One Law for All, and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and is a patron of London Black Atheists. This is part of a series of interviews leading up to our major conference in May, Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom. https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019 Transcript: https://www.secularism.org.uk/uploads/ma...
Ep 02: Rachel Laser | Exploring religious freedom
January 29, 2019 14:32 - 31 minutes - 36.5 MBContinuing our series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Rachel Laser – head of Americans United for separation of church and state, and the keynote speaker at our upcoming conference Secularism 2019: Reclaiming Religious Freedom. https://www.secularism.org.uk/2019 Discuss this episode on Facebook Watch this episode on YouTube Links to Rachel’s recommended reads: God and Government: Twenty-Five Years of Fighting for Equality, Secularism, and Freedom ...
Ep 01: Stephen Evans | Exploring religious freedom
January 16, 2019 10:18 - 18 minutes - 20.8 MBIn the first of a series of discussions exploring religious freedom, Alastair Lichten spoke with Stephen Evans - chief executive of the National Secular Society. Stephen argues that religious freedom and secularism that allows people of different religions and beliefs can live together. In the interview Stephen explains the basis of religious freedom in human rights law and its limits. Discuss this episode on Facebook. Watch this episode on YouTube Links to the books/films that Stephen men...