Grief, Armageddon, Silence

Available for 28 days

Later tonight Irish actress Jessie Buckley will find out if she has won the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in the adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. It's a film about family, love, grief, and the aftermath of losing a child. Audrey talks to psychotherapist Julia Samuel about how the film forces you sit with the rawness of grief. Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain whose son Benedict was tragically drowned while on honeymoon tells us what has helped him in the aftermath of such incredible loss. “Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle”- the US government quoting scripture to explain the sacrifice of war in Iran. Theologian Professor Laurence Kirkpatrick tells us what the Book of Revelations says and how it has been interpreted by the Church over the centuries to make claims about the end of the World and the Battle of Armageddon. Silence- it's been used for hundreds of years, in books, plays, poetry...the irony of that is profound. Audrey talks to Oxford Professor Kate Mcloughlin about her new book which traces 12 centuries of literature uncovering the power and possibilities of silence. And this week 300 delegates will be meeting in the Archdiocese of Armagh to ask how do we pass on the faith to the next generation? Audrey speaks to Michael Router, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Armagh; and Janet Forbes the diocesan Youth Coordinator.