Beer Christianity

The gang talk Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, and whether artists - even really, really bland ones - should "get political".     Laura, Malky and Jonty also reflect on the wonderful Greenbelt Festival 2026, their favourite moments and what the festival means to so many. Check out the episode on beerchristianity.co.uk for the videos for Animal by Katseye and Prick, if you're a deep dier. And check out the...

A discussion about art, resistance, justice and beauty with artist Makoto Fujimura and human rights advocate Haejin Fujimura.   Resistance as an artistic and cultural concept, kintsugi as a Korean-Japanese practice, and the value of beholding and focusing on what is generative: awide-ranging discussion of concepts of creativity and resisting injustice as central to Christian life.  You can find ou...

Leigh Finke was the first openly trans woman to be elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.  She authored and championed Minnesota's Trans Refuge Bill and has worked tirelessly to expand LGBTQ+ protections in her state. She is also a Christian and author of Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens . She spoke to Jonty, for Beer Christianity and an article in Is...

Bread and Rosaries is the *other* UK Christian leftist podcast, and we are delighted to have Adam and Ben on this episode, talking about their show, Keir Starmer and The King of the North.  Along the way, Jonty, Laura, Malky, Adam and Ben define what a "sick freak" is, lament Bible college and tertiary education in general, and ask the all-important question: how does your favourite politician sta...

Siskin Green is a Folk trio from Scotland, making music that bridges the spaces between tradition and radicalism, faith and feminism, anger and grace.     Their sound blends the gentle and the playful, integrating lyrics that span centuries with concerns that have never been more urgent. They're also, it turns out, pretty funny. And they have a new album out in August 2026.  On Episode 119 of Beer...

David Hayward is a cartoonist, artist, author and chronicler of Christian deconstruction from conservative evangelicalism and the right-leaning politics in which evangelicals are so often raised. Episode 118 of Beer Christianity features an interview with David, covering his art, his view of Jesus, Donald Trump, the value of the satirical image, and how Nazis don't like or understand art. The inte...

James Schneider co-founded Momentum, the grassroots left-wing organisation that helped Jeremy Corbyn become leader of the Labour Party, and he's our guest this episode.    James currently heads up Communications for Progressive International, a group that unites and mobilises trade unions, leftist parties, peasant movements and groups like Code Pink, the Democratic Socialists of America and South...

We had a LOT of fun with this one. Jeremy Steele is an author, podcaster and progressive pastor who leads Not Church on Discord and whose book How To Not Suck As a Christian offers an alternative vision of inclusion, anti-racism and spirituality without bigotry. He's also a fun guy, as you'll hear during this episode.  Jonty, Laura and Malky talk to Jeremy about coming out of harmful belief system...

Gianmarco Soresi is Jewish, Italian and, more importantly, a theatre kid. He's also one of our favourite comedians right now, whose crowd work and online presence blend wit, whimsy observations that are sometimes barbed, usually brilliant. He's a very funny guy, and he walks the line of being politically sound without being a "Political Comedian".  On this episode, Jonty picks Gianmarco's brain on...

We bloody love Greenbelt. We have for years. The UK's best Christian festival is also its best arts festival and justice festival, a place where belief, creativity and working for a better world coalesce in a series of talks, spiritual happenings and cool music, theatre, comedy and craft. And at the 2025 festival, we made our on-stage debut! In this episode, Laura, Malky and Jonty their Greenbelt...

Sim Kern is an author and social media creator who sprang to prominence at the beginning of Israel's latest war on the people of Gaza. As they have spoken out, from a Jewish perspective, against zionist justifications for Israel's violence, they have articulated what many within and outside Jewish communities feel about Israel and Zionism. As a result of their TikToks, they were invited by America...

What if God wasn't all-powerful? What if you already held a theology that the mainstream Church saw as heretical? What are Process Theology and Open and Relational Theology?  Simon Cross and Thomas Oord join us for this episode to talk about a theology that, in a sense, rejects the images of God that don't make sense in the light of God's goodness. One part of that is seeing God as emotional, and...

Dan McClellan is a different kind of biblical scholar. He has a cult following on TikTok, regularly engages with conspiracy and misinformation content to debunk it, and isn't afraid to speak about politics. Many of us have come to welcome Dan's "alright, let's see it" on stitches of lurid and ridiculous pseudo-religion online, and along the way, we've learned a lot about what the Bible is and isn'...

What can good church look like? What is 'success' if you're a progressive Christian? Do Christians who aren't conservative have to give up on things like evangelism and outreach? After a little break, we are delighted to welcome Naomi Nixon, CEO of the Student Christian Movement, which seeks to offer an affirming, progressive space that encourages Christians to put their faith into action. We talk...

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Is there such a thing? What is the Luigi Mangione situation all about? Do we buy the billionaire and media narrative that he (or whoever The Adjuster is) should not be lionized? And more importantly than any of that: why did we create S(h)ibboleth magazine, and what can readers expect from it? A lot of bloody questions being asked by your chaotic friends at B...

Tony Campolo, the Baptist preacher, sociologist, Red Letter Christian and ceaseless campaigner for a Christian vision of social justice, has died. In this episode, we pay tribute to Tony in the best way we know how: by letting him speak for himself. Eventually. First, we talk about our own memories of him, and his influence on our theology. But once we've done making it about us, we share an inter...

The Far Right is on the rise. And, increasingly, fascists and proto-fascists are using Christian language and imagery to justify their position.  What should a Christian response be? Can we really say that our faith is being 'hijacked' by racists and bigots, or is there deeper acknowledgement and repentance to be done in the service of justice? And if fascists are the enemy, what do wee do with th...

Brian McLaren is one of the most important and influential voices in the Christian deconstruction movement. He's also one hell of a nice guy. Brian's influence on the post-evangelical Church is hard to overstate, and yet he remains humble and approachable as ever. We caught up with him at Greenbelt festival in August 2024 and talked to him about deconstruction, US election harm reduction and that...

One year on from the attacks of October 7th 2023, and from the disproportionate Israeli campaign of violence that followed, it is more important than ever for Christians and all people who care about human rights and political justice to stand up and speak out against genocide, occupation and collective punishment. That's why people like Christians for Palestine are such an essential witness. We c...

David Benjamin Blower is a musician, poet, podcaster and theologian who you may have encountered on the Nomad podcast, his Messianic Folklore podcast or the Common Era podcast (described as 'conversations between a Catholic Priest and a post-evangelical poet'). With all that in mind, it was very kind of him to join us on Beer Christianity and we liked him very much. On this episode, David talks to...

Did we make a joke about the reunion tour? Definitely maybe. Steve Chalke is founder of Oasis, a hugely significant charity most famous for its youthwork initiatives and other social impact subbrands. He's also been a controversial figure in the UK Church, ever since, as a Baptist minister, he came out against Penal Substitution as an image of Christ's atonement, and came out in favour of equal ma...

Flamy Grant is the first drag artist ever to top the iTunes Christian charts, with her soulful songs about growing up queer in the Bible Belt of the US and navigating faith, Scripture, gender and sexuality with honesty. [there would ordinarily be an image here but Libsyn is a bit ropey today] We caught up with Flamy at Greenbelt festival and talked about God, the Bible, personal authenticity and w...

The greatest festival in the world did not disappoint in 2024. Greenbelt: Dream On was lovely, and we're here to tell you why. If you were not there (or if you've never been to Greenbelt) we're here to tell you why we loved it again this year. If you were there, let's compare notes! We loved:  Bob Vylan Dutty Moonshine Big Band Flamy Grant Brian McLaren DAM Richard Rohr Seeing our children Drinkin...

Warning: This podcast just got that big dawg in it!     On Beer Christianity's 100th episode, we are joined by Paul Northup, Creative Director of Greenbelt Festival, to talk about the challenges facing festivals in 2024, some of his memories of festivals past and what he's looking forward to at Greenbelt 2024. We also talk to him about the community that ebbs and flows around Greenbelt, advice for...

It's election time in the UK and USA, that magical season when people of conscience and intelligence are told to hold their noses, ignore the stink of corruption and compromise, and vote for one of two parties that are both pro-capitalist, tough on those fleeing danger, and, this year, apparently okay with genocide.  Meeerrrry shitmas! To 'celebrate' the season, we decided to talk politics, partie...