The Church Times Podcast

On this week’s podcast, Adam Becket talk about how Bishops in the Lords have been flexing their muscles on Brexit. We hear from Hattie Williams about the inspiring story of a former heroin addict in Bolton who is now part of a church-plant that is helping others to overcome addiction. And our editor Paul Handley talks about 21 for 21, an exciting new initiative to recognise young interfaith ambass...

In her column last week, Canon Angela Tilby suggested that there is an Evangelical takeover of the Church of England. The article has been shared far and wide and provoked many letters and tweets – some supportive but many voicing strong disagreement. Ed Thornton spoke to Angela more about her article, and also brought into the conversation Fr Craig Huxley, a priest in Kent who wrote a blog in res...

The Revd Guy Hewitt is the High Commissioner for Barbados to the United Kingdom and an Anglican priest. He has been leading the campaign for thousands of members of the “Windrush generation” to be recognised as British citizens. Ed Thornton spoke to Guy Hewitt about the extraordinary progress the campaign has made in the past two weeks, with the Government performing a u-turn in at unprecedented s...

On this week's podcast, we talk about the Churches' different responses to the Syria air strikes; the "massive under-employment people" in the C of E; and the Archbishop of Canterbury talks about plans for a brand new library at Lambeth Palace

On this week’s podcast, we talk about the moving and powerful diaries of RAF Chaplain, the Revd Guy Mayfield, who ministered to Battle of Britain Fighter Pilots. Plus, Madeleine Davies unpacks Pope Francis’s latest Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (“Rejoice and be Glad”) which combines a celebration of ordinary acts of service with calls to radical action. And we give a flavour of what...

This week, we discuss new signs of life in the rural Church that are turning around the stereotypes of shrinking congregations in crumbling buildings. Plus, 50 years after his assassination, we hear about how Martin Luther King Jr was remembered this week, and the social activism that he has inspired.

What do Nick Cave, Delia Smith, Michael Gove, and Caron Armstrong have in common? They have all been interviewed by Peter Stanford, the Roman Catholic journalist and biographer. On the podcast this week, Ed Thornton interviews Peter Stanford on his new book, What We Talk About When We Talk About Faith published by Hodder. It features a collection of 44 interviews with high-profile figures, who tal...

Loretta Minghella became the First Church Estates Commissioner in November 2017, succeeding Sir Andreas Whittam Smith. Before arriving at Church House, she was chief executive of Christian Aid for seven and a half years, and before that, she headed up the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, a job she says got “very rocky indeed” when the 2008 financial crisis hit. Our Editor Paul Handley spoke...

On this week’s podcast, Canon Andrew Davison, the Starbridge Lecturer in Theology and Natural Sciences, talks about Professor Stephen Hawking’s scientific achievements and the challenges he posed to theology. We also hear from Church Times columnist and papal biographer Paul Vallely about Pope Francis’s seismic first five years. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 - visit www.churchtimes.co....

On this week's episode of the Church Times Podcast, Ed Thornton talks to the Rt Revd Professor N.T. (Tom) Wright about his new book, Paul: a biography, published by SPCK. The book traces Paul's journey from his early childhood through to his zealous persecution of the early church, to his experience at Damascus, and his tireless missionary journeys, ministry and writings, before his likely death a...

This week we discuss the warnings made by the Archbishop of Canterbury in his forthcoming book, Reimagining Britain, in which he argues that the UK is at a political and moral tipping-point. We also look at reactions to the Ecumenical Marriage Bill which was debated in the House of Lords last week, and reports on growing numbers of converts to Christianity.

This week, we discuss the life and influence of Billy Graham, the American Evangelist who died on Wednesday at the age of 99. We also look at the latest ministry statistics which show that although the Church of England had 14 per cent more theological students overall in 2017, more than eight per cent fewer were in residential training. Plus, we highlight a feature by Mark Vernon on recognising a...

This week, we post an edited recording editor Paul Handley’s interview with Justin Welby about his first five years as Archbishop of Canterbury. In conversation at Lambeth Palace last week, the Archbishop spoke, among other things, about the limits of his power, the state of the Anglican Communion, the C of E’s struggles over sexuality, and his forthcoming book on the state of Britain. The intervi...

In a special edition of the podcast this week, we discuss the key debates, motions, and speakers from the General Synod of the Church of England, which met in London from Thursday to Saturday, last week. This included a debate on valuing people with Down's syndrome, a motion on Methodist communion, a presentation on safeguarding, and a review of the workings of the Crown Nominations Commission (CN...

Listen to a taste of our exclusive interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury, this week, in which he spoke on the challenges of safeguarding facing the Church, and the related issues the Archbishop himself has had to address, since taking office, five years ago. The full interview will be published in our paper and online, next week, and will be also made available as a Podcast. A full special e...

This week, we discuss the warnings issued by the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, during a Brexit debate in the House of Lords; and an ongoing campaign from the Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, on the negative impact of primetime gambling adverts on children. Plus, his Bill to name mothers on marriage registers

Malcolm Guite will be known to Church Times readers as the author of the weekly Poet’s Corner column. He is the chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge, and a poet, teacher and musician. His latest book, published by Canterbury Press, is called Love Remember: 40 poems of loss, lament and hope. It is, Malcolm writes, “written to give voice both to love and to lamentation, to find expression for grief...

This week we discuss the conclusions of a report from the Cathedrals Working Group on the sustainability, governance, and financial management of cathedrals in the UK. We also explore the second week in our series on young people and the Church: why people left church in their teens, gifts young adults can bring, and what the Church should know about young people.

As part of our new series on youth and the Church, starting this week, we look at the crisis facing the Church over its ability to attract – and nurture – a generation of young people, who are dwindling from congregations. Plus, the editor of the Church Times, Paul Handley, talks to Ed Thornton about the redesign of the paper which was revealed this week

This week, Ed Thornton interviews the Bishop of Kensington, Dr Graham Tomlin, about his new book, Bound to be Free: the paradox of freedom. In it, Dr Tomlin discusses the fraught concept of freedom in contemporary culture, finds a fatal flaw at the heart of the secular vision of freedom, and argues that the Christian vision of freedom brings together both personal fulfilment and the health of comm...

On this week’s podcast, Hattie Williams sits down to speak to Bishop Sarah Mullally, the next Bishop of London, about a range of topics, including her experience working in senior roles in the NHS; how she will work with people who don’t accept her ministry; clergy well-being; and working with survivors of abuse. If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for a friend or family member, why not take...

The next Bishop of London will be the Bishop of Crediton, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, Downing Street has announced. At a press conference at St Paul's Cathedral this morning, Bishop Mullally spoke and took questions. Our senior reporter Hattie Williams was there and recorded it for the podcast.

On this week's podcast, Ed Thornton talks to Paul Kerensa, the stand-up comic and comedy writer, about his new book, Hark! The biography of Christmas. They also talk about comedy gigs in churches, comedy and evangelism, and whether preachers should tell jokes in sermons.

On this week’s podcast, Madeleine Davies talks to Tim Thorlby of the Centre for Community and Theology about a new report on Anglo-Catholic churches that are growing. Madeleine also talks about her visit to one of the most affluent parishes in the country, and how it compared to her visit to the most deprived. Plus, editor Paul Handley remembers Bernard Palmer, former editor and proprietor of the...

On this week's podcast, Madeleine Davies reports back on her visit to the C of E's most deprived parish, in Blackpool, and how the Church is bringing hope. Madeleine and Ed talk about what else is in this week's paper, including the royal engagement. Plus, Canon Angus Ritchie, our new Sunday's Readings columnist, talks to editor Paul Handley about preaching and whether the sermon has a future.