This week the Southbank Centre began its ‘Belief and Beyond Belief’ festival — a series of concerts and talks claiming to explore the influence of religious inspiration on music. Last summer, after reading its miserably right-on publicity material, I wrote in this column that ‘Beyond Parody’ might be a better title. Jude Kelly, the Southbank’s artistic director, accused me of jumping to conclusions before the programme had been finalised.
Well, now it has. In addition to concerts with no discernible connection to their composers’ faith, we’ll be treated to ‘How to be a Shaman’, ‘Mindfulness’, ‘What If God Was A Woman?’ and ‘Right to Die?’. Plus speeches from Mona Siddiqui, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, and ex-bishop Richard Holloway — all veteran purveyors of lefty platitudes on the BBC’s Thought for the Day.
The Beeb is covering the festival. I know that because someone from Radio 3 rang me and asked if I’d like to discuss the ‘wider issues’ it raised.
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