Mid-faith Crisis

We reflect on the three acts of Easter - death, waiting, rebirth - and how this most profound of Christian festivals gives us permission to grieve and to celebrate. Also, is it better to go to church or to plant a wildflower meadow? And we invent the liturgical sink. Happy Easter everybody. Support the Podcast Chiffchaff bird facts Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom Philip H. Pfatteicher, Jo...

This week we are joined by Dave Steell, Minister of One Church, Brighton, one of the most exciting and innovative churches in the UK. Dave talks about whether churches have a shadow side, why training baristas is good news and how ‘it’s not about heaven versus hell, it’s about scarcity versus abundance.’ Also Joe has more chair problems, and Nick wants to make it clear that Luther’s theses were ne...

This week we delve into the feedback about the names we use for God. Is using different names just making God conform to our own images? Are we speculating above our theological paygrade? And, if culture eats strategy for breakfast, what does it have for brunch? Also, we have an email from God. Apparently. Support the Podcast The Regent honeyeater Chiffchaff Song Cal Newport, A World Without Email...

Our 150th episode! And we pick up on the feedback about shopping, giving and whether tithing is a law, a burden or a cop out. Also, we talk about what it was that first gave you spiritual back ache, and Joe declares himself a one-man blessing machine. All this plus the latest appeal from the Stone the Heathen Tabernacle of Grace. Oh, and Joe is trying to talk to ants about property rights. No, rea...

We have an interview with Margaret Metcalfe, who talks about language and power. Do the words we use about God exclude others? What values do our metaphors and images express? And how do we find the words that help people flourish? Also we have to issue an INNUENDO WARNING as we discuss rude-sounding place names. Meanwhile, Joe has had a surprise cheese party and Nick has an important appeal to ma...

This week we talk about the spirituality of shopping. We discuss the rise of lockdown shopping and the idea of the messiah purchase - that one purchase which is going to solve all your problems. And which never does. Also, Joe is spectacularly grumpy and fidgety, we discuss hot issues like ‘is Worthing better than Hawai?’ and we have the latest, final episode of the Lee Abbey saga. Don’t worry, ne...

How do we make sense of Lent this year? To help us we have a great interview with our friend Lacy Finn Borgo. She talks about allowing hope to bloom, about naming our losses, why the Christian life is cruciform and why smashing a plate might help. Also we’ve hit a snag about Lee Abbey, Joe seems to have given up doing good introductions for Lent and Nick is talking a load of old collops. Support t...

Joe has hit clay bottom and is recharging about as effectively as an old Nokia phone. We talk about the difficulty of waiting and how holy ground doesn’t look like what we think it does. Also, the burning question - can you leave a review of heaven on TripAdvisor? Support the Podcast Lee Abbey: Midfaith Crisis Week Nick's Punditry on the BBC Lawyer appears as cat Pandas in the snow W.H. Vanstone,...

After a brief sick leave we’re back, and considering if it’s OK to still enjoy the kinds of Christian practices we have rejected. Is it hypocrisy? Or an admission of failure? Or is it that we’re approaching the same point from a different perspective? All this plus West Side Story and St George of Wham. Support the Podcast The Pilgrim Ways Greed Wandavision JoJo Rabbit ‘It’s not a good time to be...

Nick’s had a spiritually challenging experience at the chemist. So is it OK to complain? How would Jesus complain about bad service? Also we discuss denying ourselves, how our lives are a training programme for Christlikeness, and the importance of making your prayers absolutely clear to God. All this, plus possibly the worst opening of any podcast ever. Support the Podcast

When does the mid-faith crisis end? Or is it ever, really, finished? We look at the idea of not so much moving on, but more finding a new place of stability in mid-faith, and how to recognise the sings that you might be in a new, more positive place. Also Joe is doing a workout and Nick gets weirdly enthusiastic about some grapes. Brian MacLaren, Faith After Doubt The 3,000 Step Workout Vittoria G...

We’re back! We reflect on the treasure we found in 2020, and, more importantly, think about our guiding themes or words for 2021. Also, as Nick points out, there’s a lot of God around, so we talk about encountering the divine in everyday life and how that is going to inform the podcast going forward. Let us know your themes for 2021! Episode 98: Your new year’s theme Support the Podcast

It's our final episode of the year. Nick has been self-isolating, Joe is uncharacteristically unChristmassy. We pick up on some feedback, explore how we can connect with the core message of Christmas, and reflect on how we can bring a bit of comfort and joy to people this Christmas. And if you do nothing else, go to the end for a lovely blessing and a beautiful song. All this, plus a vital questio...

More on Nick’s book and we discuss why Christians assume that Christmas trees, holly, ivy and general greenery are somehow pagan. Would Christmas olive trees feel they were more spiritual? Are flower arrangers really engaging in an ancient Christian practice? Also, we explore compulsive certainty, whether you can have a Christianity that doesn’t believe in the supernatural, and the crucial questio...

We interrupt our series on Nick’s book because we’ve got an interview with Brian Draper about Advent. After a brief discussion of Jesus themed merchandise and a quick couple of Advent facts Brian talks about being open and present to this season and how this is our chance to have an advent like absolutely no other. Reflecting on his own experience of Covid, he suggests that we have a God who invit...

Nick has a new book out - Christmas: Tradition, Truth and Total Baubles. So we talk about that, mainly on the idea that we always want our traditions to be a lot older than they are. Also we explore underwhelming prophecies, whether you can be a leader of badgers, the spiritual gift of limericks, restorative justice, the economics of being a writer and why the entire country has emerged from lockd...

The Bible is very clear that those who oppress the vulnerable, abuse power and cause injustice will face the judgement of God. So what do we mean by justice? How should people face the consequences of their actions? What role do we play in unjust systems? We explore the distinction between justice and revenge, the need for restoration of both victim and perpetrator, and the shocking nature of forg...

Ruth Newton is parish priest of St John's Sharow, a Silver Eco-Church and is currently undertaking a doctorate in the intersection between environmental activism and church. In this fascinating interview she talks to Joe about the relationship of theology to ecology, about how Christianity has to answer the key questions that people are asking, and how justice - both ecological and social - is a c...

Welcome back to Lockdown everyone! And welcome back to our discussion of creation and where it all has come from. How do you square a loving God with an often brutal creation? What about nature red in tooth and claw? We look at how loving means allowing freedom to the beloved, explore the concept of tsimtsum and wonder ‘what are we to make of all this?’ It’s a bit of a quotefest, and more than a l...

It’s all gone a bit cosmic this week, as we discuss the creation of, well, everything. Did it all come out of nothing? Is creation divine or does it simply point to the Divine? Is Wednesday really the best day for major cosmic events? And does the Horsehead nebula know just how good it looks? Also, Joe has issues with (a) anger and (b) cake. Nick Page: Christmas, Tradition, Truth and total Baubles...

We talk about getting fresh ideas into the winter wellness plan, and building accountability. There’s a discussion about what the ‘essence’ of church really is, and how the call to be ‘the body of Christ’ is a lot more literal than we sometimes imagine. Meanwhile, Joe has a new family member and Nick has been wondering why he went to Düsseldorf. Knot numbers hit record level at RSPB Snettisha...

It’s our fourth birthday! We listen back to the first episode and reflect on where it all went wrong - sorry - I mean, all that we have learnt. How has our view of the Mid-faith Crisis changed? What is the core advice we would give for listeners who are just joining us? Also more on toadstools, wellness, the joy of making stuff, and whether Covid-19 will actually change the church at all. Thanks f...

This week we look a bit more at spiritual wellness plans. Joe shares a lot of ideas, while Nick is mainly focused on guttering. But we do talk about the idea of winter thinking – and of the benefits of actually anticipating dark times, instead of being surprised by them. Also mushrooms, spiritual foraging, the return of Ethel and who is Brian? Support the Podcast

We talk about the need for patience in a society that expects instant solutions. Why did the early church talk about patience much more than they talked about evangelism? Why did Paul list patience and kindness as the two leading qualities of love? How do we train ourselves to be more patient as individuals and as a society? Also we talk but the need for a spiritual wellness plan as winter approac...

We’re back! Yes, Luxembourg’s premier Christianity podcast returns and in a revolutionary new approach to podcasting, instead of discussing a topic, we are discussing what topics we might like to discuss in future. Basically, we’ve forgotten what the podcast is about so we’re pitching ideas at each other. Do join in and let us know what you’d like to hear about. Also Joe claims worthing is now the...