Tapestry from CBC Radio

On this week's show, the elusive exit ramp. One guest tries to escape a soul-crushing line of work - he is a minister who has lost his religious belief - and another guest leads gang members away from lives of violence.

Eve represents the first woman on earth in Christian and Judaic traditions. In Islam she's known as Hawwa. To many, she's the thoughtless vixen who tempted man away from God. A closer look at Eve shows a daring champion of human ingenuity and equality.

What if the classic sensual tome 'The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights' had been written by a scientist? A scientist with specialties in sexual health and public policy - and a wicked sense of humour?

Anthony Lawlor is an architect who has made it his job to find the sacred in the ordinary. He and Mary talk about how the divine is not limited to churches, mosques, synagogues and temples. Lawlor says you can find it everywhere, if you just look - even

Habemus Papam! - We have a pope! With those words, Pope Francis became the leader of the Catholic Church. On this episode, we explore what it was like to be in Rome, what we can expect from the pontiff, and the story behind St. Francis of Assisi.

The ruminations, the worry, the fretting, the unshakable conviction that the worst is about to happen. If this doesn't sound familiar to you, congratulations, you well-adjusted soul. If it's ringing a few bells - welcome to the club.

It's only human to assess one's life and ponder what might have been. Everyone from John Lennon to Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront has tried to express the mix of regret and foggy optimism that our hearts associate with the roads not taken. Author

We take a look at how doubt and skepticism can be essential ingredients to faith. Mary meets Rabbi Rami Shapiro - a rabbi who says he isn't religious, but rather a curious, holy rascal. She also talks to Michael Shermer, the founder of Skeptic Magazine.

As a journalist, Kevin Cox covered it all, including tragedies like the Westray mining disaster and the Swissair crash near Peggy's Cove. But he often felt that he was standing on the wrong side of the police tape. Instead of reporting the news, Cox wante

What can the old teach the young about living a good life? This week on Tapestry, we hear wisdom from the elders on everything from marrying the right person, to raising happy children, to staying connected with the people you love.

The anthropologist Tanya Luhrmann is fascinated by religious believers who experience god talking to them, either through visions, or a voice they can hear. She is the author of When God Talks Back: Understanding the American Evangelical Relationship wit

This week on Tapestry, Mary Hynes talks to Don Lattin about his new memoir, Distilled Spirits: Getting High, Then Sober, with a Famous Writer, a Forgotten Philosopher, and a Hopeless Drunk. Later in the show, Mary meets a Montreal professor who's taking t

For Hindus, Buddhists and other eastern faiths it's the single-syllabled Om. For Jews it's the six words of the Shema. The Jesus Prayer is beloved by many Christians. This week we look at prayers of few words - the small-but-mighty sayings that inspire

Sorry, subscribers! This week's show with the legendary Mavis Staples is loaded with songs, and copyright rules do not allow us to podcast the music. To hear the show, go to cbc.ca/tapestry.

Mary Jo Leddy is woman of letters and recipient of many honours. The founder of one of Canada's most respected refugee aid groups says anyone can live a life of importance and consequence. You only need to say yes to someone who needs your help.