ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

This special edition of Beyond Belief was recorded in Bradford, the 2025 City of Culture, at the Contains Strong Language festival - the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½â€™s annual celebration of poetry, performance and spoken word.

In this episode the panel will explore have religions forgotten the working class - with creative responses from spoken word artists Saju Ahmed and Sharena Lee Satti.

Is religion fundamentally a middle-class activity? Does the church have a class problem? And, how can religious organisations play their role in making a society for all?

To examine these questions, Giles is joined by:

Father Alex Frost, Anglican Priest and author of ‘From Argos to Altar’.

Alina Khan, Vice Principal for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at Bradford College, and winner of the British Muslim Woman of the Year 2024 at the British Muslim Awards.

Dermot Bolton, Vice Chair of Bradford Standing Advisory Council on Religion Education and Humanist Advisor to Bradford University Chaplaincy.

Dr Sufyan Abid Dogra - Anthropologist of Religion. He is involved in campaigns against inequalities and advocates for the upward mobility of disadvantaged minority populations. He is a board member for Active Bradford and Bradford Art Centre. He is a member of Muslims in Britain Research Network.

Presenter: Giles Fraser
Producer: Alexa Good
Assistant Producers: Naomi Wellings and Linda Walker
Editor: Tim Pemberton