Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have no Bible? Nothing but public opinion to guide us - tell us what to do and what not to do. No higher authority than our own ideas, our own self-made religion. Some have said the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends. They think we're better off without it. Would we? Did you know France tried it once – for three and a half years?

At 1:30am, August 24, 1572, a bell began to ring in the Cathedral tower of St. Germain l'Auxerrois. The tolling bell sent a signal throughout the city – death to all Bible-believing Christians. It was one of the most horrifying massacres in European history. Thousands of Bible-believing Christians were slaughtered in the streets of Paris, and their bodies were thrown into the Seine. Up to 70,000 people were massacred. Their only crime? They read, believed and practised what the Bible says. It was during this dangerous time that Marie Durand was born in the small village of Bouschet de Pranles.

The Bible is, perhaps, the most controversial book ever written. Never has a book been so loved by so many. And never has a book been so hated. It has made enemies out of friends. It's divided homes. It's been argued, debated, challenged, and attacked. But millions have died for it! Suffered imprisonment for it, refused to betray it or live without it.

It was called the war to end all wars. World War I, also known as the Great War, started in 1914 after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. His murder fuelled the rising tensions between many nations of Europe and catapulted them into war.

The war began in August with great enthusiasm on all sides. Young men rushed to enlist, convinced they would be home by Christmas. But by December, the initial hopes for a quick victory had faded, replaced by the grim reality of trench warfare.

As the cold winter of 1914 settled over the Western Front and Christmas approached, the mood on both sides was sombre. Many soldiers were experiencing their first Christmas away from home, and the contrast between the season's message of peace and goodwill and the daily reality of war and death was stark.

But few could have imagined the scene that would unfold on Christmas Day 1914. Join me as we visit the trenches on the Western Front and investigate the day the guns fell silent.

Music touches the soul, and one of the most famous musicians of all time was George Frideric Handel. He was a prolific writer of operas and oratorios. Handel’s Zadok the Priest has been performed at every British coronation since 1727. His orchestral works Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks are also incredibly popular and are often performed at the BBC Proms. But he is probably most famous for his Messiah, an oratorio that is staged all around the world during the Christmas season. The stirring music causes people to leap to their feet, inspired by the magnificent words and harmonies. Join Gary Kent as we find out more about George Frideric Handel and his music, which has changed the world.