Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks will host a new BBC Radio 4 series exploring morality in the 21st century, it has been announced.
Sacks, who was Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013, will be joined by a raft of guest contributors over the course of five daily shows in early September.
The topics set to be discussed on the programme include the impact of social media on young people, Artificial Intelligence and the future of humanity and who young people see as their moral role models.
Among those joining Sacks to unpick these issues will be American philanthropist Melinda Gates – the wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates – and Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson.
In each 45-minute episode Sacks will also speak to groups of young people between 16 and 18 years old to get a sense of their generation’s social and political outlook.
Sacks said: “I want to thank BBC Radio 4 for giving me the opportunity to explore some of the most pressing moral issues of our time.
“It has been a privilege and honour to be joined on this journey by so many of the world’s leading thinkers, as well as impressive representatives of the next generation who are going to have to be at the forefront of addressing these challenges.”
Christine Morgan, head of radio, religion and ethics at the BBC, added: “Last year we said we’d broaden the impact and reach of our programming on religion and ethics and that’s exactly what this ambitious Radio 4 series does.
“With contributions from a range of deeply thoughtful people and the views of a brilliant group of youngsters, the series explores the huge topic of morality and its role in modern life.
“I can think of no better person than Rabbi Sacks to help to lead this investigation and give audiences a greater insight into the big issues of our time.”
The Morality In The 21st Century series will air on BBC Radio 4 from Monday September 3 to Friday September 7 from 9-945am.