Blowin’ In The Wind: Dylan’s Spiritual Journey

Emma Freud traces Nobel Prize-winner Bob Dylan’s journey from Judaism to Christianity and beyond.

This documentary starts with Dylan’s upbringing in Hibbing, Minnesota, with recollections from fellow resident Cantor Neil Schwartz, whose mother was the singer’s Sunday School teacher.

Seth Rogovoy, author of Prophet, Mystic, Poet, reflects on Dylan's early years. Clinton Helylin believes that the singer was not only inspired by negro spirituals but also the Old Testament. To make sense of some of the more complex theological messages, Nick Baines (The Bishop of Bradford at the time of the recording) gives his views as a life-long Dylan fan.

In an unpopular move for many of his devotees, Dylan converted to Christianity. Author of Down The Highway, Howard Sounes finds Dylan's three ‘Christian’ albums, including Slow Train Coming, a ‘difficult listen’, but Al Kasha, who helped the singer with his understanding of the scriptures, is convinced you can't doubt the depth of his religious conversion.

As is to be expected with Dylan, it’s hard to work out what is going on inside his mind but this programme goes some way to illuminating the singer’s thought processes and spiritual beliefs both through his songs and a set of revealing interviews.

Producer: John Sugar

A Sugar Production for BBC Radio 4

First heard on BBC Radio 4 in 2011

Publicity contact: RH