Talking Theology

How did the murder of George Floyd confront us with the reality of racism and its impact? How does theology tell stories that recognise the intrinsic value of each human story? What is the concept of Afrofuturism and how might it help us think theologically about God's future? And how can we walk within a hope which is characterised by Black flourishing and not struggle? In today’s show we ar...

How do we talk about contemporary worship in a way that describes what is actually going on in the Church today? How do we keep our worship faithful to our beliefs? How do we ensure worship includes both intimacy and awe? And why is worship about God coming to us rather than us working towards God?  In today’s show we are talking to Revd Professor Maggi Dawn, who is a professor in the Department o...

What's it like to live in the constant anticipation of the end of time? How do communities which see time as short live out their faith and interpret the world around them? How does the study of communities such as the Plymouth Brethren or Jehovah's Witnesses help us think about mainstream Christian theology? And how might personally entering another religious culture inform and challeng...

Why should Christians be involved in politics? How can theology ask real world questions? What can we learn from Dietrich Bonhoeffer about how theology and politics need to go together? What are the challenges of engaging in faith and politics in a social media context?   And how do prayer and worship help us to see the world around us differently?  In today’s show we are talking with the Rt Revd...

What do the stories and laws of the Old Testament teach us about a God of justice? How does the incarnation of Jesus shape the way we see issues of justice and mercy today? How does the cross hold mercy and justice together? How can facing up to our own broken humanity help us imagine a world beyond judgement? And what do we do when we are confronted by injustice in the world around us? In today&a...

What is loneliness and how does the Bible, and particularly the Old Testament, talk about it? How does the Old Testament's description connect with what we've learned about loneliness in the last 20 years? Why does God care about lonely humans and what does God do about it? How can Christians learn to live well with loneliness, and how can we be good friends in a world where people are l...

What are the different voices in Scripture across the Old and New Testaments on war and conflict? How can a war ever be just?  And why does the Just War tradition still matter today? How does the story of Anglicans living in a time of war provide a cautionary tale for the Church in todays world? How has the relative peace in Europe since World War II led to a functional pacifism in many churches? ...

What does it mean to be a theologian, and how does it relate to the everyday faith of the Church? What is a wise theological response to the problem of evil? How can we approach suffering without denying it on the one hand, or sacralising it on the other? How might Julian of Norwich help us hold together our unanswered questions with hope for God's unimaginable future? What's wrong with...

What does it mean to approach theology ‘feet-first’? Why should churches in the UK and the West more generally engage with global theologies, and what might they learn in the process? What are some ways in which the history of Christian mission is being complexified and re-storied? For instance, how have Dalit Christians been missionaries to the missionaries? And finally, how can learning about di...

How should we think about the place of experience in Christian discipleship, and in what ways can the doctrine of the Holy Spirit help us to approach it wisely? How might paying attention to the emotional and embodied dimension of Christian doctrine help us to retrieve the riches of theologians such as St Augustine and Martin Luther? What can academic theology and the wider church learn from Pente...

How do culture and belief affect the way different people see faith and science? How can faith and science work together for healing? How does the concept of a creative tension help us see faith and medicine as complementary? And how is scientific exploration discovering the footsteps of God? In today's show we are talking to the Right Reverend Dr Karowei Dorgu. Karowei is the Bishop of Woolw...

How might the study of astronomy shape the way we see the world and the way we see ourselves?  How might scientific endeavours be part of pursuing knowledge about God?  What role do questions pay in the work of science and faith?  What are the challenges and opportunities that scientists in churches encounter?  How does the perspective of space remind us of the beauty and fragility of our planet?...

Is Artificial Intelligence just about robots in the future or technology in the present? What are the tensions between human flourishing and human fallibility in the development of AI? How do different world views and value systems affect the way AI is being developed and implemented? How can Christian perspectives on being human shape our approach to new technology? How can the Beatitudes speak t...

How might medieval history help us rethink contemporary assumptions about science?  How does being made in the image of God affirm our vocation to creativity?  How do poetry and science belong together?  How do contemplation and imagination contribute to scientific endeavour?  How can churches recognise science as God's good gift and not just an obstacle to be overcome? Our guest for this epi...

Why is genomics one of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery today?  Where is God to be encountered in the study of the human genome?  What role do faith and doubt play in scientific exploration?  How do genomic discoveries invite us to worship a God who gives us room to change and grow? Our guest today is Praveen Sethupathy. Praveen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and D...

How do science and theology come together to transform the way we look at the world? How has the philosophy of science affected the way we think about miracles, in the Bible and today? How might studying history be a bridge between science and faith? And why do we need both science and theology to explore life's biggest questions? Mark Harris is Professor of Natural Science and Theology at th...

Does suffering belong to a good creation, or is it just a result of the fall?  How does evolution challenge traditional understandings of the presence of suffering in out world?  What does God's power and love look like in a world of pain?  In a world facing ecological catastrophe, where might hope be found?  How does the way we understand suffering affect the way we experience hard times, fo...

What does studying human behaviour have to offer the dialogue between science and faith? What might religious perspectives have to offer studies in human behaviour? How does the fear of death affect belief? And what can theology learn from the self-critical mode of psychological study? The Revd Dr Jonathan Jong is a Research Fellow at Coventry University where he is Deputy Director of the Brain, B...

What do people mean when they talk about science and religion, and why do those assumptions matter? Where does the science and religion conflict myth come from and how is it perpetuated today? How does exploring our humanity help us navigate the significance of science and faith? And why do the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus matter for our approach to science and faith? Dr Nick Spencer is Se...

What happens when we read scripture as the story of God’s migrant peoples? How has the Church both flourished and failed in embracing migrant communities? How does Catholic Social Teaching help us engage theologically with the lived experiences of migration? How should the stories of migrants shape the life and thought of the Church today? Dr Anna Rowlands is St Hilda Associate Professor of Cathol...

What do we mean by the 'pre-existence' of Jesus, and where do we find it in the Bible? Do the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke present Jesus as just a special prophet, or something more? How do the four Gospels present a coherent view of Christ? And how does recognising an eternal Jesus help us see the miracles of the gospel? Simon Gathercole is Professor of New Testament and Early Chr...

How did Jesus and the early Church engage with people of other faiths? What does the Christian idea of salvation look like in a multi-faith context? Why is being a better neighbour part of living out our Christian calling? How might the Christian mandate for justice challenge the Church’s in-action on discrimination and prejudice?    Dr Gerard Charles spent 10 years working in China connected to a...

What does psychology have to say about identity and belonging in the world and the church? How does Scripture challenge the idea that belonging to one another involves being homogenous? How do stories of people being excluded within the church undermine the gospel? Why does pursuing belonging require transformation rather than staying the same? How do we see the Holy Spirit in the Church taking us...

What is bioethics and why does it dominate our ethical discussions today? What stories about our bodies does our culture tell us, and what might a theological account look like? How does a Christian view of life on earth challenge ideas of autonomy and freedom as the goal of human flourishing? And what difference does the resurrection of Jesus' body make to our imagination and hope for a bodi...

What is it that's so special about the Gospel of John? How do the stories of people meeting Jesus get us to the heart of the Fourth Gospel? What does life as friends of Jesus really involve? And what hope does it offer us today? Ian Galloway is director of the Free Church Track at Cranmer Hall in St John's College, Durham University. He previously spent over 30 years planting and leading...