Where was God at Aberfan? John Humphrys in conversation with Libby Purves

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John Humphrys was the first reporter on the scene of the Aberfan disaster. Wednesday (21 October) marks the 60th anniversary of the disaster, in which 116 children and 28 adults died when slurry from a hillside coal-heap slid on to the Welsh village, burying classrooms at Pantglas Junior School. On the podcast, this week, Mr Humphrys speaks to Libby Purves about his memories of Aberfan and how witnessing such suffering made him unable to believe in a merciful God. This leads to a wider discussion about whether belief is possible in the face of suffering. John Humphrys was a presenter of Today on Radio 4 from 1987 to 2019 and presented the BBC’s flagship Nine O’Clock News from 1981 to 1987.…