The Meaning Of Ritual

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

The End Of Ritual?

20211220

The writer Madeleine Bunting was eight years old when her godmother took her final vows as a nun. After sitting through the interminable church service, the little girl was baffled and very bored. She could not see the point of the long and tiresome ritual. However, this was to be the start of her own fascination with such tradition.

In this series, Madeleine asks why ritual has been such a pervasive feature of human societies and whether the 21st century may see much of it disappear. Or, she wonders, are we witnessing the creation of new forms of ritual which are both personal and meaningful?

This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance.

The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.

Madeleine Bunting explores whether public and private ritual has outlived its usefulness.

Shaping Time

20211221

One of the important functions of religious ritual used to be to create a cycle of special days and times of year. The Christian liturgical year marked times of work and rest, punctuated the changing of the seasons and placed the individual in a wider chronological context.

With the decline of religious practice, the writer Madeleine Bunting argues, that structure is gone. So where does that leave people like herself, who grew up a Catholic but turned away from the faith? Madeleine explores new rituals that have taken the place of Sunday worship: in her own case, pond swimming.

This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance.

The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.

Madeleine Bunting reflects on how ritual marks the passage of time.

Rituals Of State

20211222

Rituals such as the State Opening of Parliament and royal weddings and funerals have survived the decline of ritual in other areas of life relatively unscathed. We take pride in their military precision and the way they showcase the UK to the world.

But, as the writer Madeleine Bunting asks in this Essay, do certain rituals also have a sinister side? In particular, do the annual Remembrance Day commemorations serve as much to assuage guilt and promote forgetting as to honour the dead?

This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance.

The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.

Madeleine Bunting considers the benefits and pitfalls of state and military ritual.

Rituals And The Life Cycle

20211223

Rituals marking key life events, such as births and deaths, are probably among the oldest we know. Yet, says the writer Madeleine Bunting, during her own lifetime some of these rituals have changed enormously, becoming far more individualistic than they used to be. Others - in particular, those marking the transition to adulthood such as confirmation or bar mitzvah - are now only observed by a small minority and have not been widely replaced.

Taking in a West African perspective, Madeleine welcomes the demise of certain rituals - yet, she asks, does it mean that communities have also lost something precious?

This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance.

The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.

Madeline Bunting explores the decline of rituals marking key life events.

05 LAST

The Reinvention Of Ritual

20211224

In her final Essay, the writer Madeleine Bunting explores the work of the Korean-born philosopher Byung Chul-Han, who passionately argues that the decline of traditional ritual has potentially disastrous consequences. Ritual, he believes, creates a sense of belonging.

The rituals of Christmas make this very obvious: it is a time when even hardened sceptics feel able to enjoy traditions again, from the familiar pattern of Nine Lessons and Carols to family rituals around what you eat and when, or in what order you unwrap your presents. So, asks Madeleine, is it time we gave up on scornful attitudes towards ritual and started valuing it again?

This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, taking in public and private Christmas rituals and asking what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance.

The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC.

Madeleine Bunting asks whether it's time to value ritual afresh.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	The End Of Ritual?	20211220	The writer Madeleine Bunting was eight years old when her godmother took her final vows as a nun. After sitting through the interminable church service, the little girl was baffled and very bored. She could not see the point of the long and tiresome ritual. However, this was to be the start of her own fascination with such tradition. In this series, Madeleine asks why ritual has been such a pervasive feature of human societies and whether the 21st century may see much of it disappear. Or, she wonders, are we witnessing the creation of new forms of ritual which are both personal and meaningful? This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC. Madeleine Bunting explores whether public and private ritual has outlived its usefulness.
02	Shaping Time	20211221	One of the important functions of religious ritual used to be to create a cycle of special days and times of year. The Christian liturgical year marked times of work and rest, punctuated the changing of the seasons and placed the individual in a wider chronological context. With the decline of religious practice, the writer Madeleine Bunting argues, that structure is gone. So where does that leave people like herself, who grew up a Catholic but turned away from the faith? Madeleine explores new rituals that have taken the place of Sunday worship: in her own case, pond swimming. This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC. Madeleine Bunting reflects on how ritual marks the passage of time.
03	Rituals Of State	20211222	Rituals such as the State Opening of Parliament and royal weddings and funerals have survived the decline of ritual in other areas of life relatively unscathed. We take pride in their military precision and the way they showcase the UK to the world. But, as the writer Madeleine Bunting asks in this Essay, do certain rituals also have a sinister side? In particular, do the annual Remembrance Day commemorations serve as much to assuage guilt and promote forgetting as to honour the dead? This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC. Madeleine Bunting considers the benefits and pitfalls of state and military ritual.
04	Rituals And The Life Cycle	20211223	Rituals marking key life events, such as births and deaths, are probably among the oldest we know. Yet, says the writer Madeleine Bunting, during her own lifetime some of these rituals have changed enormously, becoming far more individualistic than they used to be. Others - in particular, those marking the transition to adulthood such as confirmation or bar mitzvah - are now only observed by a small minority and have not been widely replaced. Taking in a West African perspective, Madeleine welcomes the demise of certain rituals - yet, she asks, does it mean that communities have also lost something precious? This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, including public and private Christmas rituals, and asks what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC. Madeline Bunting explores the decline of rituals marking key life events.
05 LAST	The Reinvention Of Ritual	20211224	In her final Essay, the writer Madeleine Bunting explores the work of the Korean-born philosopher Byung Chul-Han, who passionately argues that the decline of traditional ritual has potentially disastrous consequences. Ritual, he believes, creates a sense of belonging. The rituals of Christmas make this very obvious: it is a time when even hardened sceptics feel able to enjoy traditions again, from the familiar pattern of Nine Lessons and Carols to family rituals around what you eat and when, or in what order you unwrap your presents. So, asks Madeleine, is it time we gave up on scornful attitudes towards ritual and started valuing it again? This BBC Radio 3 series explores aspects of ritual throughout this week, taking in public and private Christmas rituals and asking what the Covid pandemic has taught us about their significance. The series producer is Kristine Pommert for CTVC. Madeleine Bunting asks whether it's time to value ritual afresh.