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Every Sunday at 3:00amAbout the Show
Inspired
Inspired is the nation's leading public radio show about faith, ethics and spirituality. Each week we offer you analyses of the big headlines alongside lesser-told stories – those of Orthodox Jewish artists and African-American atheists, Muslim feminists and spiritual seekers. Through these stories, a rough sketch of our country’s religious landscape begins to emerge. It’s a marketplace of beliefs and ideas too complex for sound bites, and too important to ignore.
The Enduring Power of Handel’s “Messiah”
You know it’s Christmas when you hear Handel’s Messiah, an 18th century oratorio best known for the ‘Hallelujah’ chorus. What you might not know is that its words are taken from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer, covering the entire story arc of Jesus as the Christian savior – from the prophecy that he would be “be born of a virgin”, to his cruxification and ascension into heaven. Guest, Ellen Harris is a professor of music Emeritus at MIT and author of George Frideric Handel: A Life with Friends.
Nicholas of Myra, the Real Santa Claus
He’s known for employing magical elves, keeping tabs on who’s naughty and nice, and dropping presents down chimneys. And there’s actually some truth to all the folklore – well…not so much with the elves. The real Santa Claus was actually St. Nicholas of Myra, a humble man born around the third century. Theology professor Adam English told us his story in 2012. Adam English is the author of The Saint Who Would be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.
A Closet Christmas Junkie
Bing Crosby, Barry Manilow, Mariah Carey–if they’ve got a Christmas song, Rebecca Sheir is listening. She’s Jewish, so naturally she loves all things Christmas, from cats singing Jingle Bells to spoons made of candy canes. But she’s got some serious questions about all the mall hoppers buying their “favorite things.” Rebecca Sheir is the host of WBUR’s podcast for kids, Circle Round.
