Why are Bible sales and Church attendance on the rise? Why are far-right nationalists invoking Christian beliefs and symbols? Is there a way forward for Britain that unifies its citizens and respects difference?
To learn more about these questions, I spoke to James Walters, both a priest and a professor. James is founding director of the LSE Faith Centre and LSE Religion and Global Society. He is a Professor in Practice, affiliated to the Department for International Relations and an associate of the LSE Department of International Development.
James studied theology at Cambridge University and writes on the interface of theology, philosophy, and political science. He has published five books, his most recent being Loving Your Neighbour in an Age of Religious Conflict (Jessica Kingsley 2019), and his next one coming later this year.
He is a priest in the Church of England, an honorary canon of Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex, a member of the Academic Board of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Examination in Theology, and a member of the governing council of Westcott House Theological College.
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(0:00) Overarching worldview
(2:40) Upbringing & background
(7:35) Jesus & the Trinity
(12:55) Mystery of divine self-disclosure
(18:25) Approaches to religious pluralism
(27:32) The Church & multiculturalism
(33:40) Is Britain still a Christian country?
(37:02) Religious resurgence & Church revival
(42:42) The problem of Christian nationalism
(50:50) Does the Church have an online strategy?
(55:08) Crises facing the Church
(57:42) Advice for the new Archbishop
(1:04:49) Mediating Gaza debates on campus
(1:13:33) The tech threat to humanity
(1:23:39) Upcoming projects
(1:26:01) A brief sermon
