Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs

Church of England rev with a difference Jamie Franklin pulls no punches as he analyses JD Vance's excoriating speech to a group of European leaders at a security summit in Munich. In a reversal of expectation, Vance claimed that the greatest threat to European security was not Russia but was the internal degradation of European society itself. He also took aim at the attack on free speech in...

Church of England revs with a difference Daniel French and Jamie French are joined by former Old Bailey judge and lay minister Charles Wide KC for a deep dive into the shady world of Project Spire: the Church Commissioners' project to give £100 million rising to £1 billion of Church of England money to communities and people ostensibly disadvantaged by the historic legacy of slavery.  But has...

Church of England revs with a difference Tom Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the biggest stories in church and state. This time: JD Vance in "ordo amoris" Twitter spat with Rory Stewart. The Bishop of Liverpool resigns over sexual abuse allegations whilst controversy around Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell persists.  £2.6 billion of Church Commissioner money earmarked...

Church of England vicars with a difference Jamie Franklin, Daniel French, and Thomas Pelham sit down to talk about the biggest weekly stories in church and state. This time we discuss calls for a renewed debate on the death penalty for the most serious crimes in the wake of the Axel Rudakubana sentencing. And we spoke about the freshest crisis in the Church of England in the form of allegations of...

Church of England revs with a difference Tom Pelham, Daniel French, and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the big stories in church and state. This time involving many stories of bishops and church leaders who are committed to the progressive socialist ideologies that characterise left-wing politics. Stories involve: Woke Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budd attacks Trump at inauguration service. &qu...

Church of England revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Daniel French sit down to talk about the biggest stories in church and state this week: Senior Labour figures call for U-turn on refusal to hold national enquiry into rape gangs.  The UK economy collapses while Rachel Reeves leaves for China. And Andrew Lawrence's ten step to fix the problem. Meta to end third-party fact-checking. Pa...

Church of England vicar Jamie Franklin sits down with Heritage Party founder and leader David Kurten who speaks about why he is so concerned about the Labour Government's Schools and Wellbeing Bill which will fundamentally change the nature of the relationship between children and the state. Also discussed: - The Climate and Nature Bill which would amount to a land grab of 30% of the countrys...

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the biggest storiesin church and state. This time: The UK rape gang scandal goes international as Elon Musk calls Keir Starmer an apologist for genocide and says that Jess Phillips should be in prison. The Children's Welfare and Schools Bill looks set to enforce a woke curriculum across all school...

Revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the biggest issues of the day in church and state. This time: The Marc Geuhi rainbow armband controversy! Our thoughts on Only Fans actress Lily Philips having relations with a hundred men in a single day. And Church of England dismay at Liverpool Cathedral hosts drug-fuelled football club rave, further calls for the re...

Revs with a difference Tom Pelham, Daniel French, and Jamie Franklin sit down to review four years of Irreverend. This special livestream episode includes reflections upon the past four years of the podcast; your questions on Genesis 6 and fallen angels, the theology of Jordan Peterson and more; the BOVAER cow flatulence controversy; the Archbishop bows out in characteristically awful style; and o...

Church of England revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Thomas Pelham sit down to respond to the biggest story of the week, the progression in Parliament of the Assisted Suicide Bill, leading the UK a significant step closer towards the legalisation of state-sponsored euthanasia. They are also joined by author and journalist Rod Dreher to talk about Rod's new book Living in Wonder: Findin...

In this special episode, the Rev'd Dr Jamie Franklin responds to a recent lecture by the novelist and writer Paul Kingsnorth on Christian Civilisation. Franklin says that, although there are some important and powerful points in Kingnorth's lecture, he nevertheless disagrees with him on a number of significant points. For Paul Kingsnorth's "Against Christian Civilization":...

Nearly 1,000 clergy from the Church of England have signed an open letter opposing the legalisation of assisted suicide in the UK. Jamie Franklin sits down with its author and principal signatory Fr Richard Bastable to talk about the moral objections to assisted suicide, concerns about its acceptance, and hopeful alternative paths that our society might take. Find Fr Richard on X - https://x.com/r...

Church of England revs with a difference Daniel French and Jamie Franklin sit down for a special livestream catch-up, featuring live coverage of the London farmer's protest, and further reaction to the Justin Welby resignation and the Trump election victory. Plus your comments, questions, and the email of the week. Enjoy! Please Support! Support us on Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/irrever...

Church of England revs with a difference Tom Pelham and Jamie Franklin sat down for a special livestream reaction episode to the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby over his personal catastrophic safeguarding failures. We review the events leading up to the resignation, assess Justin's legacy, and look forward to who might sit on the archepiscopal throne and what might be...

Church of England rev with a difference Jamie Franklin sat down for a special livestream reaction to Donald Trump's historic landslide election victory on the morning of Wednesday 6th November. He also gave his views on the recent UK budget and the election of Kemi Badenoch to leader of the Tory party and responded to viewer comments and questions. But there really is only one story this week...

In this special episode, Jamie Franklin responds to the recent conversation between Richard Dawkins and Jordan Peterson hosted by Alex O'Connor. Speaking from a theological viewpoint, Rev J says that both Dawkins and Peterson have imbalanced approaches when it comes to the interplay between facts and values. He argues that Christian Theology has to incorporate both to be properly understood a...

Revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Daniel French get together to talk about the most important issues in church and state. This time: Thoughts on the upcoming budget. Trump on the Joe Rogan podcast. The Lambeth Palace clarification piece on Archbishop Justin's comments on gay sex. The now widely-known truth about the Southport killer and associated media and government gaslighting.  As...

It's going to be known as the "gay sex" interview from now on. But what else was said on The Rest is Politics when the Archbishop took the hot seat? Find out the good and the bad in Rev Jamie Franklin's analysis of the show. For The Rest is Politics Justin Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/leading/id1665265193?i=1000673052066 Please Support! Support us on Patreon (...

Revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the biggest issues in church and state. This time we look at the new Democrat campaign aimed towards feckless men, Gavin Williamson's attempt to get bishops removed from the House of Lords, developments in the "assisted dying" debate, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying he will not vote for th...

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the biggest issues in church and state. This time: - Archbishop of Canterbury in car-crash "gay sex" interview with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. - More on assisted dying as Kim Leadbeater brings bill before Parliament. - Scottish Government says no talking about abortion in private hom...

Church of England revs with a difference Jamie Franklin, Thomas Pelham, and Daniel French sit down to talk about the biggest stories in church and state. This time: - Assisted Dying Revisited: the effect upon palliative care and the inevitable slippery slope towards a culture of death for the most vulnerable, plus the Church of England reaction and that of the wider world. - An informative update...

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the big stories in church and state. This time: Rosie Duffield's excoriating resignation letter crushing Starmer with brutal rhetoric. Our thoughts on the Tory leadership contest as Badenoch says not all cultures are equally valid. Russell Brand baptises in tight white underpants. And listener ema...

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham, Jamie Franklin, and Daniel French sit down to talk about the biggest stories in church and state. This time: Kier's Starmer's keynote speech at the Labour Conference and his notorious new gaffe. Breaking news at The Spectator as Michael Gove is appointed editor. Christian street preacher Hatun Tash wins appeal against Metropolitan P...

Church of England revs Jamie Franklin and Thomas Pelham sit down to talk about the biggest issues of church and state David Lammy tweaks the nose of Putin who is threatening the West with nuclear war. Huw Edwards convicted of sex crimes against children but not sent to prison.  A second Trump assassination attempt. Squeaky clean Starmer forgets to declare gifts given to his wife.  Pope Francis say...