St Paul's Cathedral

Bishop Arun Arora and Canon Paula Gooder share their passion for Advent, explore why Advent is the season for a ‘spiritual MOT’, and also reflect on some of the inspiring stories of faith, from Stormzy to Santa, in his new Advent book 'Stick With Love'. They talk about the difficult questions to be faced about unanswered prayer, finding hope instead of despair in a deeply troubled world, and why stories are essential in the life of faith. The Rt Revd Arun Arora is the Bishop of Kirkstall in the Diocese of Leeds, having previously served as Vicar of St Nics, Durham, and before that as Director of Communications of the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. His new book 'Stick with Love; Rejoicing in Every Tongue, Every Tribe, Every Nation' is The Archbishop of York's Advent for Book 2023. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books including her Advent books 'The Meaning is in the Waiting' and 'Journey to the Manger'.

Bob Gilbert talks about the wonders of inner-city nature, the pleasure and inspiration to be drawn from observing and connecting with the everyday, and explores whether it's possible to feel as close to God in the ordinary streets of a city as in the natural world. Bob Gilbert is an urban naturalist, broadcaster, author and a long-standing campaigner for inner-city conservation. His book 'Ghost Trees: Nature and People in a London Parish' was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. His latest book is 'The Missing Musk: A Casebook of Mysteries from the Natural World'.

‘One sometimes finds what one is not looking for…’ Undoubtedly one of the greatest in a pantheon of great Scots is Sir Alexander Fleming, whose discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionised medicine, and has saved millions of lives. Today, a memorial plaque in the Crypt of St Paul’s marks the place where his ashes were laid to rest. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Artificial intelligence is in the news. Eve Poole and Paula Gooder talk about what AI really is and whether we should be frightened by it, hopeful, excited or all three. They explore the role that philosophers and theologians need to have in developing AI, and why it draws us into the big questions about existence: What does it means to be human? What is a soul? What really matters about human life? Dr Eve Poole is an expert in leadership, and was Third Church Estates Commissioner from 2018-2021. Awarded an OBE in 2023 for services to education and gender equality, her latest book is 'Robots Souls: Programming in Humanity'. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books.

What does it mean when – from our internal assumptions to our shared cultural understandings – God is presented as white? Chine McDonald reflects on what happens when we face hard and painful truths about race, identity and the imago Dei - the idea that every human, no matter what their colour, has a special quality that resembles the divine beauty of God. Chine McDonald is the Director of Theos Think Tank.

In September 1666, five days would change the history and future of London - and St Paul's Cathedral - forever: The Great Fire of London. The medieval Cathedral of Old St Paul's was at first considered safe, however it would not remain so. This episode explores what happened during this catastrophic fire - and just what came next. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

[The text of the pieces of music in this audio file can be accessed at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/Texts%20and%20Tranlations.pdf] Rowan Williams explores Mary’s life in the Gospels, from the Annunciation to the Cross and Pentecost: a story where heaven and earth come close together. He says that her story frames the life of Jesus, inviting us to ponder, as she does, the scale and scope of what happens in the transforming, revolutionary life of her son. Andrew Carwood conducts St Paul’s Consort singing 'A Hymn to the Virgin', Benjamin Britten; 'Stabat Mater Dolorosa', Giovanni Pierluigi di Palestrina; 'Alma Redemptoris Mater', Tomás Luis de Victoria.

What does it mean to bring our imaginations to reading the Bible? Professor Judy Fentress-Williams says the Bible is there to guide us, challenge us, confuse us, inspire us, and that bringing our honest questions to the text can lead us into deeper truths and a deeper relationship with God. Biblical scholars Judy Fentress-Williams and Paula Gooder talk about the beautiful, inspiring and difficult parts of the Bible, why we should read it like poetry, and what Biblical authority really means. Dr Judy Fentress-Williams is Professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary. Her latest book is 'Holy Imagination: A Literary and Theological Introduction to the Whole Bible'. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books.

Julian of Norwich was a 14th century mystic, theologian and writer. Her revelatory visions of God’s love for all creation went against the prevailing and sometimes harsh doctrine of the times, and have inspired many since. Claire Gilbert explores how Julian’s spirituality can help awaken and transform our ecological consciousness, showing us how to live in such a way that we cease to do harm to creation and each other. Dr Claire Gilbert is the Director of Westminster Abbey Institute and was formerly policy advisor to the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England in environmental issues. Her latest book is 'I, Julian', a fictional autobiography of Julian of Norwich.

For all of his undisputed genius, even Sir Christopher Wren was fortunate enough to be blessed with some architectural good fortune; the greatest would become one of the best-known spaces inside St Paul’s Cathedral: the Whispering Gallery. Explore the science and story behind the Gallery, 257 steps up inside the Dome of the Cathedral. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.