Uncommon Ground with Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley
Uncommon Ground is the show where conversations really matter.
Hosted by Justin Brierley, a veteran of debate and discussion moderation with 20 years experience, each episode brings together two big thinkers with profoundly different views on science, faith, atheism, philosophy, Christianity, culture, and God. All in the beautiful setting of historic Yarnton Manor, Oxford.
Instead of adding to the noise of the culture wars, Uncommon Ground creates space to disagree well—aiming to establish curiosity, clarity, and genuine understanding across the polarities that can divide us.
Featuring leading voices from atheism, psychology, science, literature, theology, and more, the show dives into life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe now to hear conversations that move beyond the echo chambers and into the deeper questions we all share—Uncommon Ground: conversations that matter.
Find out more: https://justinbrierley.com/uncommon-ground-podcast/
Get early access and more when you become a supporter: https://justinbrierley.com/support-me/
Keep up to date, and receive free chapters from Justin's books, by subscribing to the newsletter: https://justinbrierley.com/get-justins-newsletter/
A production of Think Faith.
Hosted by Justin Brierley, a veteran of debate and discussion moderation with 20 years experience, each episode brings together two big thinkers with profoundly different views on science, faith, atheism, philosophy, Christianity, culture, and God. All in the beautiful setting of historic Yarnton Manor, Oxford.
Instead of adding to the noise of the culture wars, Uncommon Ground creates space to disagree well—aiming to establish curiosity, clarity, and genuine understanding across the polarities that can divide us.
Featuring leading voices from atheism, psychology, science, literature, theology, and more, the show dives into life’s biggest questions.
Subscribe now to hear conversations that move beyond the echo chambers and into the deeper questions we all share—Uncommon Ground: conversations that matter.
Find out more: https://justinbrierley.com/uncommon-ground-podcast/
Get early access and more when you become a supporter: https://justinbrierley.com/support-me/
Keep up to date, and receive free chapters from Justin's books, by subscribing to the newsletter: https://justinbrierley.com/get-justins-newsletter/
A production of Think Faith.
Episodes
Mentioned books
14 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 2h 19min
#4. Iain McGilchrist & Anil Seth: Minds, brains, consciousness and the God question.
Anil Seth, a neuroscientist studying perception and consciousness as a controlled hallucination. Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist-philosopher exploring brain hemispheres, value and the God question. They debate brain vs. mind, hemispheric ways of knowing, panpsychism and emergence, meditation, prayer and nature’s role, and how science and spirituality can meet.
Mar 10, 2026 • 2h 7min
#3. Jonathan Pageau & Joe Folley: Does art, culture and human experience point to God?
Jonathan Pageau, an Orthodox thinker and icon carver who reads symbolism and tradition, and Joe Folley, an atheist philosopher and YouTuber versed in Cambridge philosophy, discuss whether art, culture and human experience point beyond nature. They debate patterns, emergence, top-down meaning, Genesis as symbolic description, and what kind of resurrection or evidence might change minds.
29 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 2h 41min
#2. Alex O'Connor & Glen Scrivener: Did Christianity give us our morality? Debating freedom, slavery, equality and the Bible.
Glen Scrivener, Christian thinker who argues Christianity shaped Western moral institutions. Alex O'Connor, atheist YouTuber and podcaster challenging religious claims with philosophy. They debate whether kindness, equality, freedom and consent stem from Christian ideas. Short, sharp exchanges cover hospitals, abolition, Genesis, gender equality and whether secular forces could have produced the same outcomes.
15 snips
Feb 10, 2026 • 1h 49min
#1. Richard Dawkins & Rowan Williams: God vs Science. What is behind the poetry of reality?
Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury and poet-theologian, meets Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and author. They spar over whether science or God better explains the poetry of reality. Short, probing exchanges cover poetry and music, consciousness, emergence and AI, suffering and theology, and whether theological simplicity or scientific explanation best frames meaning.
Jan 19, 2026 • 6min
Introducing 'Uncommon Ground'
Justin Brierley is back in the moderator's chair hosting conversations between Christians, atheists, skeptics and seekers in this new podcast and video show.
'Uncommon Ground' features leading figures from the world of atheism, psychology, science, culture, literature and theology. Recorded in the beautiful setting of Yarnton Manor, Oxford, they’ll be debating purpose in the universe, meaning in life, faith, atheism and the deepest questions of existence.
But this isn't just another debate-fest. 'Uncommon Ground' asks each guest to spell out the other's position. Connecting before correcting. Disagreeing well by understanding each other better.
Season 1 will feature:- Richard, Dawkins & Rowan Williams - on God & science.- Alex O Connor & Glen Scrivener - on whether Christianity gave us our morality.- Anil Seth & Iain McGilchrist - on consciousness and the brain.- Jonathan Pageau & Joe Folley - on whether art and beauty points to God. - Paul Davies & Emily Qureshi-Hurst - on whether the universe has a purpose. - Elizabeth Oldfield & James Marriott - on whether there’s purpose in life.- Stephen Meyer & Phil Halper - big bang cosmology and the fine tuning of the universe. - Philip Pullman and Francis Spufford - on literature, meaning, imagination and religion. ...and more to be announced.
Get access to every episode TWO WEEKS early when you support: https://justinbrierley.com/support-me/
Watch episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3rZ-nZe04d8G6kwNOMpuI8vQ4Qx3rVEQ
Stay up to date - and get free chapters from both my books - by subscribing to my newsletter: https://justinbrierley.com/get-justins-newsletter/
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