Photo: Iona Books
'It is not the place for biblical exposition or evangelical polemic.'

Author, minister and broadcaster John L Bell has published a collection of his Thoughts for the Day which were broadcast on Radio 4's Today programme.

Surefish is serialising a number of these over the coming months, and here, John explains why he agreed to do them in the first place.

The two-minutes-forty-seconds’ segment in BBC Radio 4’s Today programme entitled ‘Thought for the Day’ is essentially an exercise in thinking out loud.

It takes place over halfway through a three-hour flagship news and current affairs programme of national importance whose presenters are among the most intelligent, well- informed, skilful and deft of British broadcasters.

It is not the place for biblical exposition or evangelical polemic.

Contributors are expected to comment on a current news story from their own faith perspective to a listening audience whose primary concerns at 7.50 in the morning will probably have little to do with religion.

The topic will have been agreed the day before, but may be subject to amendment until the last minute.

Sometime in 2001, Christine Morgan, a producer in the Religion­ Department of BBC Manchester, asked if I would consider being a contributor.

Apprehension

I deferred the invitation, expecting thereby to be forgotten. But a year later she came back with the same request, and with some apprehension I agreed.

Although I have occasionally broadcast on radio and television for almost 30 years, I have never regarded it as an ambition or even a fascination. Communicating in person is more my passion, whether through seminars or preaching.

I have always regarded radio as a preferable medium to television in that it affords the listener a reciprocal kind of engagement. When only the ears are engaged, reflection and disagreement are much easier than when a screen offering sound and vision demands one’s fuller attention.

The Thoughts for the Day are, with little amendment, the words which were first read on the airwaves.

John L Bell is a hymn-writer, a Church of Scotland minister, a member of the Iona Community, a broadcaster, and former student activist. He is also a regular speaker at the Greenbelt festival

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