The Hopeful Activists' Podcast

Pastor Dewey Williams is a man who has endured a lot of grief, but who has found great joy in Jesus, and through his encounters with men and women on death row in the American justice system. An incredibly joy filled man and a challenging interview. CW: We hear about the death of Deweys father, which happened in tragic circumstances as Dewey’s sister was experiencing paranoia and schizophrenia. We...

Mekdes Haddis is with Abi to speak about mission trips, charity and hospitality. Mekdes was born and lived in Ethiopia until she went to college in the US and her book called A Just Mission: Laying Down Power and Embracing Mutuality is a challenging read for anyone who has been involved with missions work, or been on the receiving end. Her book is called A Just Mission: Laying Down Power and Embra...

Three incredible young people from Bradford share the interviews they have created especially for us. Ryan, Faith and Julia are from an incredible local youth project called e:merge . Abi has loved working with them to gain the technical and interview skills they have needed and we are so impressed with the results. The Highs and Lows of Community Nursing Ryan chose to speak to his sisters communi...

Chris Ward is a speaker on the experience of homelessness and works at The Daytime Hub in Gravesend (see below) for people experiencing homelessness in Kent. He shares his story of addiction, homelessness, friendship, church and choosing life every day. Chris also talks about how to share hard truths with people and the incredible work of The Daytime Hub. Jon Kuhrt has worked with people affected...

A huge Happy Easter to you from Abi and all the Praxis team! A short Easter episode for you today, to celebrate the joy of Jesus’ resurrection. We are going to delve back into the archives to one of our earliest episodes, back in 2019 when Rich Gower interviewed Jack Wakefield from Tearfund .  Find out more and sign up for Praxis Labs 2 on our website. The Bible for Everyone :  Scripture...

Amar D. Peterman is an author and constructive theologian working around faith and public life, including his work at Interfaith America . Amar has a regular column in Sojourners , including this article on Good Friday as well as a newsletter This Common Life . How do we understand the cross today? Why does Jesus call us to take up our cross and follow Him? How should activists spend Good Friday?...

Is prayer a form of activism? Can we pray in hope when we are feeling weighed down or weary of injustice? What can other cultures teach us about how to pray? Abi spoke to Philip Powell from The Justice Conference and Lynne Paterson from Tearfund . They share their journeys of prayer and give us a practical and theological guide of how to pray, listen and remain hopeful in a world of injustice.&nbs...

Abi is joined by Elaine Storkey , philosopher, sociologist and theologian and author of “ Meeting God in Matthew ”. Also Helen Syrop , founder of Hope Housing and homelessness expert and Jen, an adoptive parent and currently researching faith group responses to hardship in the UK. We take a beautiful walk through Matthew and along the way talk about that John Lewis advert , the sentiment...

Can churches really change communities? Where is Jesus in the permacrisis? Where are the signs of hope? Abi had a special treat a few weeks ago...to visit the Jubilee+ Churches That Change Communities Conference. Abi interviewed several of the contributors to the conference and you can find the full interviews on the Jubilee Plus Podcast , but here at The Hopeful Activists we get to hear some high...

Questioning allegiance outside St Paul's Cathedral and worship that changes a government: powerful interviews today from Jon Swales and Andy Flannagan and we hear about Rich's work with waste pickers: Fair Circularity Initiative . Jon Swales shares his liturgy for the climate crisis and tells us about Lighthouse , a church for people "battered and bruised by the storms of life". We also hear why h...

Straight from COP27, the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt this week two climate campaigners help us to pray for good outcomes: Jessica Bwali , climate campaigner at Tearfund Laura Young , climate campaigner and Tearfund AmbassadorThey  have taken some time out to give us some things to pray about this week.

We'd love you to join us on our next Praxis Labs 1 . You can hear the experience of two people who have done Praxis Labs 1 in this episode and then sign up here ! Thanks to Lau Ciocan and Jen Horne ! Lau Ciocan is the Director of Mentoring Advocacy Network (MAN), a platform raising awareness on men's issues and mental health, shaping the conversation on masculinity.  For MAN, Lau hosted sever...

Hi everyone and welcome to the 101st episode of The Hopeful Activists’ Podcast! Thanks for being with us on our journey of learning, worship, prayer and action, it’s been an absolute privilege to hear your stories and to bring you the stories of others over the last 100 episodes.  We have decided to use this episode to do what we are constantly recommended to do by the amazing activists we ge...

Episode 100!!! Our planned worship centred episode will be with you shortly, but in the meantime Abi and Rich share what they have learnt from interviewing over 100 Christian Activists on healthy and sustainable activism. STOP: Natalie Collins , speaker, writer, campaigner, leader on issues of abuse, exploitation and gender. Natalie's interview is here . Rev Edwin Arrison Anti-apartheid campaigner...

We are hearing more about the Cost of Living Crisis every day, but what can churches do now and to prepare for the difficult winter ahead? How do we read the Bible in the context of poverty and how can the church act prophetically? Natalie Williams from Jubilee Plus is seeing the impact of the cost of living crisis now and gives amazing practical tips for churches to prepare now for the winter ahe...

What do the penguins of Robben Island have to do with peacebuilding? The full, deep and challenging interview with Rene August on peacebuilding and reading the Bible in locations that have painful histories. You can join the Hopeful Activists' community here .

If reconciliation is core to our faith, what does that mean for peacemakers? How do we deal with the tension between pursuing justice and truth as well as peace and mercy? And in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, how do we act for peace? Abi hosts with Billie Anderson from Tearfund and member of the Praxis team. With thanks to: Jonny Clark from Corrymeela and Guardians of the Flame . Ro...

With the UK government's "Homes for Ukraine" launching Rich and Abi explore how to best support refugees from all over the world. We hear from refugees about what they need now they are in the UK, and from an experienced host, and founder of Hope at Home, Helen Hodgson about her misgivings about the government scheme, racism, how to spot signs of trafficking and the simplicity and blessing of open...

Abi and Rachel take an epic journey through the ethics and practical challenges of giving and fundraising. What's wrong with giving money to orphanages? What about racism in fundraising? Why is our gut compassionate reaction not always right? How do we move from charity to justice? With grateful thanks to: Daniel Jones from Stewardship . Information on the Stewardship Giving Account here . The art...

Rev. Edwin Arrison, an anti-apartheid activist and close friend of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, tells us about the life of The Arch, and his own life of activism and hope. Edwin now works for the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and is Director of the Volmoed Youth Leadership Training Programme .

Beth and Abi look at the Arms Trade, and activists who are fighting for peace, including Mary Sprunger-Frose who has spilled her own blood at nuclear weapons facilities, and Mike Martin, who turns guns into garden tools with the help people impacted by gun violence. Grateful thanks to: Alan Storkey Alan Storkey Guardian Investigative Article Mariam Tadros International Alert Community Score Card i...

Amongst the mixed responses to COP26, how do we carry on with action for climate justice and keep hope alive? Abi Thomas and Rich Gower find out. If you would like to look at Emma Major's climate justice art during the programme click here . Thanks so much to all our contributors, in order of appearance: Promise Salawu Renew Our World Tearfund Rachel Mander A Rocha Faith for the Climate Young Chri...

What does justice for refugees look like? Isabel Pedro joins Abi Thomas as we speak to asylum seekers, refugees and other advocates for justice for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. With thanks to: Neelam Banaris from the Snowdrop Project Benafsha Yaqoobi and Mehdi Salami from Rahyab Sonia Hicks from the Methodist Conference and Together With Refugees Billie Anderson from Tearfund Women for Refu...

This week you get to meet the rest of the Praxis Team on our day away in Birmingham, and Abi also spoke to poet, beatboxer, MC and writer Testament about the power of words, the meaning of "woke" and he performs his rap Eclipse exclusively for us. Find out more from Testament here: https://www.testamenthomecut.com And buy his album here: https://homecut.bandcamp.com/album/no-freedom-without-sacrif...

Can poetry make a difference? Bruce Gulland and Laura Darrell have used their skill with words to share their perspectives and shift other people's. They share how the arts can be a great tool to communicate and bring healing. For more work from Bruce: https://brucegulland.com Twitter @brucegulland And for more of Laura Darrall's work: Insta and Facebook: @lauradarrallwriting Twitter: @lauradarral...