Talking Theology

What is reconciliation really about, and why is it central to our understanding of the gospel? What's the link between prayer and reconciliation? What are the habits of a reconciling life? And how does embodying reconciliation witness to God's good news for the world today? The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, and before that h...

How do we connect scripture with living faithfully in the world? What are the habits that help the Church listen to the voice of God together? What happens when we read the Bible with those who are different to us? And what does it mean to grow in expectation that we will hear God today? Reverend Dr Helen Collins is currently Tutor in Practical Theology and Director of Formation at Trinity College...

Is the Book of Acts just the story of what happened then or what could also happen today?  What does the book of Acts tell us about the gospel that really changed the world? What was so distinct in those early Christian communities? And why is it important for the book of Acts to challenge us today? Dr Mark Bonnington is the Senior Leader at King’s Church Durham and teaches on the book of Acts wit...

What is climate grief, and what has God got to do with it? How does Jesus grieving over the particular help us understand how we might focus our climate grief? How does being attentive to what's in front of us help us to both grieve and hope? And how does all this help us follow Jesus day by day? Hannah Malcolm is currently training for ordained ministry and writing a PhD on theology, climate...

Do our bodies really belong to us? How did Jesus eat and how does it speak to how we eat today? How do the sacraments speak to our bodily identity? What does it mean to break bread together? Where’s the good news for those of us who struggle with how we see food? Note: This podcast includes discussion of disordered eating Reverend Dr Liz Kent is the Director of the Wesley Study Centre at St John’s...

Is reading the Bible about more than simply looking for the right answer? What happens when you let children read a book of the Bible for themselves? What role should imagination play in enabling the scriptures to speak? And how can we all get to know the world of scripture? Dr Melody Briggs is Director of Studies at Lindisfarne College of Theology. She has taught theology in a range of churches,...

What sort of evidence do we have about the historical Jesus? What sources do the earliest accounts of Jesus draw on? What's at stake when people are named or unnamed in the four Gospels? Does eyewitness testimony help us resolve the tension between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith? How can the Gospels feed our faith today? Richard Bauckham is Professor Emeritus at St Andrews Unive...

Is there a God spot in our brain? What does 2+2 have in common with belief in god? How is our brain designed to help up experience god? Why might religious experience not be all it’s cracked up to be? How does the plasticity of our brain give us hope? Alasdair Coles is professor of neuroimmunology at the University of Cambridge, an honorary consultant neurologist to Addenbrooke’s and Hinchingbrook...

What is health really all about? Why should we avoid obvious and quick answers to mental health challenges? Why do names matter more than diagnosis? Can the faithful taking of medication be a spiritual practice? How might a perceived absence of God be part of faithful living? Professor John Swinton is Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen, and founded the university...

Is the Bible body positive? Were Paul and Plato singing from the same hymn sheet, or were their views of the body very different? How might seeing our bodies as precious change the way we take care of ourselves? What does real beauty look like? And what are our bodies telling us at the moment? Paula Gooder is a writer and lecturer in the New Testament and Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in Londo...

How have multiculturalism and evangelism been entwined since the first days of the Church’s mission? How is multiculturalism part of the Christian faith’s DNA? Why is the Church of today more tribal than it was 2000 years ago? How should an awareness of each others gifts change how we do Church and leadership? How is the medium the message? Harvey Kwiyani lectures in African Christianity and Theol...

What's going on when the Bible talks about reconciliation? How does reconciliation with others really start with us? What do forgiveness, lament, and apology have to do with authentic reconciliation? What might it look like to be reconciled to the earth? And how do stories of reconciliation help us see God at work today? Sarah Hills is Vicar of the parish of St Mary's, Holy Island, in th...

How does asking tough questions about what we believe support and service our faith? When might we need to be surprised by new discoveries and new voices about who God is? How should major events in our world impact how we think about God? And how does it all come down to love? Mike Higton is Professor of Theology and Ministry in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University. He is...

What does it feel like to exercise power as a Christian? What's the Bible got to say about government and power? What's the vocation of speaking truth to power? How does our identity as a child of God shape our engagement with politics? What difference does it make to pray for political opponents?  The Reverend Baroness Maeve Sherlock OBE is a Labour Party life peer and shadow minister f...

Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and why is he still important? How can we think and make decisions ethically, and what was Bonhoeffer's unique contribution to this? Why does our character matter as much as our obedience? How can we do the right thing when we don't have a template? How does trust in God's mercy free us from the paralysing fear of making the wrong decision? Revd Dr Jenni...

What does it mean to hope for the kingdom of God? Is hope for the present, or for the future, or can it be both? What in the Bible helps us to have hope for the future without losing concern for the present? And in our challenging world, how does hope help us both lament and praise? Dr Samuel Tranter is is a visiting fellow at Cranmer Hall, John’s College and will be taking up the role of Director...

Is ambition something Christians can have? What was Jesus ambitious for? What's the relationship between ambition and humility? Does our excellence always mean being better than others? How does prayer shape our ambition? The Right Reverend Dr Emma Ineson is the Bishop of Penrith in the Diocese of Carlisle, and was previously principal of Trinity College, Bristol. You can follow Emma on Twitt...

What questions does living through a pandemic invite us to ask as people of faith? What difference does it make that all are made in the image of God? How does faith expand the landscape in which we can live? Why is it more important to be forgiven than to succeed? What new things of faith are stirring in the Body of Christ at this time? The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Lord Williams of Oys...

What’s going on in the depiction of science in the present corona virus pandemic, and how does theology play into this? How does our language, political, scientific and theological, shape how we understand the world? Are there examples of science and faith coming together to provide hope for our creation? What does listening to the science and walking by faith look like in this season? David Wilki...

How did death become so important in the Christian tradition? How did the death of Jesus speak to the early Christians, and how does it speak to us today? How do the ways we think about death help us engage with life? How does our care for creation challenge our approach to death? Professor Douglas Davies is an anthropologist and a theologian, a fellow of both the Academy of Social Sciences and th...

What does the Bible story say about racial diversity as a God-given gift? Does who we worship with say something about the Gospel we believe? How does a clear sense of identity in Christ help us encounter people different to ourselves? How can those with power use it faithfully? Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani is the Bishop of Loughborough, in the Diocese of Leicester. You can follow Bishop Guli on Twitt...

Why is liturgy good for us? How can we make sure that our worship practices point to Jesus, not to the person in the pulpit or at the table? How does pouring ourselves out give us a framework for the life of faith? What does it mean to start and end the day open to God? The Rev'd Dr Glenn Packiam is associate senior pastor at New Life church in Colorado Springs, USA. For more on Glenn, see  h...

What does the Bible have to say to those who work outside the church? What is a theological perspective on resilience in leadership? How is the church's commitment to education part of building the kingdom of God? Is Theology just about answers to be found, or also questions to be asked? Andy Wolfe is is the Deputy Chief Education Officer in the Church of England. For more about Andy, see her...

Is there more to charismatic worship than lively singing and hands in the air? What do Rowan Williams, John Calvin, and Karl Barth have to do with contemporary worship? How does the idea of being united with Christ help us understand what worship is all about? What's the Spirit doing in the singing, in the preaching, and at the table? Nick Drake is associate pastor at Gas Street Church, Birmi...

What are we to make of a God who calls? Is vocation something for Vicars, or all who follow Jesus? How can a vocation change over time? How can we be part of recognising vocation in ourselves and others? Can children be part of the journey too? Charlie Allen is Canon Chancellor  at Durham Cathedral, and was previously Salisbury's Diocesan Director of Ordinands.