The Bible: literal word of God, fact, or myth?

Available for 29 days

This week is Book Week in Northern Ireland, and we begin the programme by looking at the bestselling and most distributed book the world has ever seen. According to the Guinness Book of Records the Bible has sold between 5 and 7 billion copies and has been translated into thousands of languages. But how do we read the Bible today. As the literal word of God, as fiction or as a myth where the story may not always be true it points to bigger truths about God and humanity. Audrey is joined by writer and teacher Andrew Cunning, theologian Tina Beattie and Anglican Priest Cameron Mack. We also speak to Ronnie Convery from the Archdiocese of Glasgow about plans to halve the number of parishes and close dozens of churches due to declining attendance and falling numbers of clergy. What is a Christian Nationalist? The thinktank Theos tried to answer that question by surveying the UK population and their report came out last week. Audrey talks to Andrew Flanagan the Director of Christians in Politics about how the church is engaging with Christian Nationalism. And finally as part of Book Week, we talk to historians Elaine Farrell and Louise McCormack about their book Bad Bridgets which is now being turned into a movie about Irish Women in America who ended up on the wrong side of the law.