Fkd Up By Faith

Rhian, who is a mental health social worker, spoke to me candidly about her childhood in a fundamentalist Welsh chapel, where not even (or maybe especially not) the Anglicans were going to heaven! Through travel and exposure to other cultures, as well as moving for education and exposure to a range of philosophical thought, Rhian found herself rejecting those ideas for something more integrated, a...

It was a real delight to interview Richard Turner for the podcast. RIchard is a cult recovery therapist and cult psychology consultant.  Alongside working in this field, he teaches counselling at his local college and works to raise awareness of cult abuse in the media, sometimes discussing the relationship between cults and autism. The website for Richard's counselling and consultancy practice is...

I was very lucky  and very excited, to interview Matthew Remski for this first Fkd Up By Faith of 2023! Many of you will know Matthew as one of the hosts of the fabulous Conspirituality podcast which is easily my favourite podcast, and the highlight of my listening week. He is a writer, journalist and cult researcher whom I first met in the yoga world, with which we have both become rather disillu...

This bonus episode is a special one for Samhain - or if you like - Halloween. There is a lot I don't like about Halloween, and about the various ways in which distorted versions of our history and lore are sold back to us.  Samhain - the Celtic festival that preceded it - has also fallen prey to those who would seek to market all things spiritual in the best way that only the colonial mindset...

I was very excited and deeply honoured to be joined by the wonderful Dave Tomlinson on the podcast. If I am honest, I got a little bit excited to speak to one of my 'favourite Christians'. He is an Anglican priest, broadcaster and writer whose books include The Post-Evangelical, How to Be a Bad Christian, and Black Sheep and Prodigals. You may well have come across Dave in his regular contribution...

This episode is an unusual solo run with me, Jude. It begins with an invitation to join me as a guest on the Podcast, and a little bit about why I am doing this, my ethical approach,  and my Master's in Public Theology.  I then talk a little about learning to trust the creative process. I then segue into a piece about preaching (and how on Earth I came to be a preacher!) and give an exam...

 FKD UP BY FAITH is back!  My first guest of this new season is the fabulous Rachel Blackman, who describes herself as a somanaut, acrobat of the heart, artist,  somatic educator, somatic coach, theatre maker, and  mentor This was such a great conversation that could have gone on for several hours (and probably will for a few more!)  Rachel shares about growing up with Christian science, and about...

Piet Ceanadach is a teacher of Paganism, especially the Wiccan and Druid-Craft paths. He is a third-degree Gardnerian High Priest and author of fiction based on Celtic Mythology. He lives in Glasgow. Piet has a great deal of knowledge of religion and spirituality and is a humble teacher and guide. In this episode, Piet shares specifically about his pre-pagan life as a Jehovah's Witness, including...

Mark Townsend  (he/him) is an Independent priest, a celebrant, magician, and author of several books including 'The Gospel of Falling Down'  I had a wonderful conversation with Mark about his life and experiences as a Church of England (and now independent) priest and celebrant and about the ministry of being f**k ups for Christ! We spoke about the privilege of being alongside people in...

Genevieve (they/them) is the founder of Queer Christians Brighton https://www.facebook.com/queerchristiansbtn Instagram: @queerchristiansbtn I had a wonderful, frank, moving conversation with Genevieve about issues relating to inclusion (or lack of it) in the church, and what it means to be affirmed and affirming. As part of their work with Queer Christians Brighton, (UK)  Genevieve is currently '...

I had a great conversation this week with Stuart Delony. We cover quite a bit of ground  from talking around what it means to 'walk out' the path of Jesus to the purpose of preaching, to the role of ministry, to worship being more than a good song!  Stuart describes himself as a storyteller, seeker, sojourner, question-asker, and provocateur. He’s a former pastor and the creator and host...

I had a delightful conversation in this episode with Marc-Henri Sandoz Paradella, who is a psycho-spiritual counsellor, meditation teacher and author of the book Toxic Jesus . Marc lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, and was an evangelical pastor before he began to ask questions...  An experience of cancer in 2018, which caused him to have his leg amputated, led to what he describes as a 'reverse...

We're back! The first episode of FUBF for 2022 with Mairtin McNamara.  I spent a wonderful, gentle and mindful hour speaking to Mairtin, who is an Irish martial artist and movement practitioner living and working (as an engineer) in Antwerp, Belgium.  Mairtin spoke about his early immersion in Catholicism, and about giving the 'perfect' confession. Our conversation moved into compassion, what it m...

In this bonus episode for Samhain, I talk to Vicki McFall, who is a Scottish Wiccan/Pagan. Like me, Vicki has some reservations about people (In Vicki's words, the 'dabblers') adopting or cherry-picking Celtic religious festivals (and other practices) who don't always have the accompanying spiritual practice to keep them grounded, safe, and respectful. She also has a go at online 'mediums', makers...

 Rachel Cotton is an Atheist Buddhist with Jewish roots,  an autistic parent of autistic kids, and chair of Autistic Pride Reading. http://www.autisticpridereading.co.uk In this fascinating conversation, Rachel very generously shares her faith history: her father's Judaism;  her own journey from Atheism to Tibetan Buddhism (indeed, both); her fear of death; and her love of archeology. 

Naomi Wood  (she/they)  is a Brighton-based writer, poet, performance artist, and workshop leader. We had a fantastic conversation about (you guessed it) being Fkd Up by the Evangelical Church, about expressions of faith, finding the sacred in nature, and -  of course -  about poetry! Naomi shares two spoken word pieces in the podcast. Naomi's website is http://www.naomiwoodmodel.com Instagram @na...

In this lively conversation, multi-media artist, Jet Black talks to me about her Jewish upbringing and the importance of being a culturally and ethnic (but not religious) Jew.   She shares candidly about the recent death of her mother, and the anxiety of choosing an appropriately Jewish headstone amidst a plethora of opinions. 

It was an incredible treat to speak to poet John McCullough. John is an award-winning writer, poet, and creative writing tutor, who won the Hawthornden prize for literature in 2020 for his third collection of poetry 'Reckless Paper Birds'.  In this episode, we talk about poetry (obvs!) as well as spirituality (and the connection between the two) about mental health, queer spirituality, more p...

Olivia talks about her neurodivergent experience of feeling separate and about addiction, trauma, and finding healing through the Twelve Steps of Al Anon.  She remains just Olivia to honour Twelve Step anonymity.   Content/Trigger warning for a brief discussion of sexual assault. 

Rachel Sparks is a dancer, dance teacher, and heart-centered embodiment educator. https://www.rachelsparksdance.co.uk In this gentle and intimate conversation with Rachel, she talks about love and loss, and about moving away from Evangelical Christianity towards a more holistic and embodied spirituality grounded in nature.

In this episode, I chat with Mary Louder, who is an Osteopathic Physician and Integrative Medicine Practitioner living in Michigan USA. Mary talks about her FOUR (4!) baptisms, and how involvement with one faith group at university nearly cost her her medical career. 

The Happy Heretic (she/her) is an ex-Evangelical Instagrammer.  In this uplifting conversation, we talk about her journey from Atheism to Evangelical Christianity, to leaving the church, her journey in navigating her 'deconstruction' and the hope and healing she has found away from the church.  Find her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thehappyheretic_/ The poem she shared was from 'Vulnerab...

I had a wonderful conversation with Oskar Marchock (he/they) whose gentle modesty had me just introduce them as 'Oskar'.  In this, our third FKD UP BY FAITH for #pride month, Oskar talks about growing up Catholic in a multiracial Caribbean family, about Christianity, Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, about being queer and trans, and about the pleasures and meaning of Trinidadian food.  J...

Kaj Jensen (they/them) is a genderqueer storyteller who calls the Pacific Northwest home.  When not collecting stories, they spend time camping with their cat and spying on birds. In this our longest episode so far, Kaj shares their fascinating story of growing up as an Evangelical Christian, on a farm in the 'middle of nowhere' in the American midwest, where they asked their parents and pastor 'd...

At the beginning of Pride month, I am delighted to talk to Chris Brown (she/her) who is a UK-based trainer and consultant specialising in suicide prevention, mental health, and equalities issues, especially LGBTQ+ inclusion.  Chris tells her story of childhood and adolescence in an Evangelical CofE church, and the pain, separation and trauma caused by the imposed ideas of sin/redemption. Ultimatel...