Main content

Celebrity Culture

Ernie Rea and guests discuss why we are fascinated by celebrity lifestyles and asks whether the values of such a lifestyle are at odds with religious values.

Ernie Rea chairs Radio 4's discussion programme in which guests from different faith and non-faith perspectives debate the challenges of today's world.

Each week a panel is assembled to represent a diversity of views and opinions, which often reveal hidden, complex and sometimes contradictory understandings of the world around us.

In this programme, Ernie asks his guests whether the values of celebrity culture are at odds with their own religious values. Why are we fascinated by the rich and famous and have we always been? Why do we care about the personal antics of footballers, pop stars, TV personalities and actors? Has celebrity replaced religion in society?

Joining Ernie to discuss celebrity culture is Dr Kristin Aune, senior lecturer in Sociology at the University of Derby and co-author of "Reclaiming the F World: The New Feminist Movement; Vicki Mackenzie, journalist and Buddhist and author of Cave in the Snow; and Miriam Berger, Rabbi from the Finchley Reform Synagogue.

Producer: Karen Maurice.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Mon 31 Jan 2011 16:30

Broadcast

  • Mon 31 Jan 2011 16:30

Six things you might not know about chanting

Here are six things we learned from Beyond Belief鈥檚 exploration of the power of chanting.

Podcast