Main content

A person's hair is one of the few visible indicators we might have about their religion. Ernie Rea and guests discuss the connection between hair and religious belief.

A person's hair is one of the few visible indicators we might have about their religion. A long beard, for example, can be a powerful symbol of devotion for many Muslims, Jews and Christians. In Orthodox Jewish communities, married women wear a wig or hat rather than expose their hair in public. Sikhs consider hair to be so special that it can't ever be cut. Some of these practices are based on rules written in texts from long ago. So what is their relevance today? Why do some communities continue to hold on these rituals? Are they on the increase or in decline in British society?

Ernie Rea discusses the connection between hair and religious belief with Dr Christopher Oldstone-Moore, author of "Of Beards and Men: The Revealing History of Facial Hair"' Dr Jasjit Singh, an expert in religious and cultural identity from the University of Leeds; and Rabbi Dr Barbara Borts, a Reform Rabbi and expert on women and Judaism.

Producer: Dan Tierney
Series producer: Amanda Hancox.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Mon 29 Aug 2016 16:30

Broadcast

  • Mon 29 Aug 2016 16:30

Six things you might not know about chanting

Here are six things we learned from Beyond Belief’s exploration of the power of chanting.

Podcast