The Sacred

Benjamin Ramm is a writer, broadcaster and journalist who has produced work for the BBC, The New York Times and OpenDemocracy. He also used to edit 'The Liberal' magazine. In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Benjamin about his identity as a 'non-religious, atheist Jew' who loves to go to Russian Orthodox mass, his religious and spiritual upbringing, and why he thinks poetry might provide a pathway for some who don't identify as religious, but believe in the value of faith. They also speak about the crisis and challenges of contemporary liberalism, and how his vision of a liberal future differs from that of previous guest of the show, Tim Farron. 'The Sacred' is supported by Theos Think Tank, the UK's leading religion and society think tank. It is hosted by Theos' director Elizabeth Oldfield, and produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country Media. Follow us on Twitter @sacred_podcast, and subscribe to us on Itunes, Acast & other podcast content providers. Do rate us on Itunes, as it helps us promote our show to a wider audience. And, as always, feel free to tell us what you think by contacting our twitter account, or talking to @theoselizabeth directly.

Giles Fraser is an Anglican priest, a columnist, author, and broadcaster. It's unlikely you haven't come across his work in one way or another. He wrote a frequent column in the Guardian called 'Loose Canon', dealing with issues around faith, spirituality and progressive politics. He's also a panellist on BBC Radio 4's 'Moral Maze' and has contributed to 'Thought for the Day'. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks to Giles about growing up with a Jewish identity, how bullying during his childhood shaped his view of the world, and how he thinks people with opposing views and perspectives could communicate with each other better. He also talks about his controversial decision to vote and defend Brexit - one of the few public left wing intellectuals to have done so. You can follow The Sacred on Twitter at @sacred_podcast. You can also follow Elizabeth Oldfield @theoselizabeth. You can follow Theos Think Tank on Facebook and Twitter @theosthinktank or at www.theosthinktank.co.uk.

This is a remastered edition of our conversation with award winning author Francis Spufford. Francis is a professor at Goldsmiths University, and the author of a number of books including "Golden Hill" and "Unapologetic: Why, despite everything, Christianity can still make surprising emotional sense" Please follow us on Twitter @Sacred_Podcast, and our host, Elizabeth Oldfield (@theoselizabeth). This podcast is supported by Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank (@theosthinktank)

In this episode, your host Elizabeth Oldfield (@theoselizabeth) talks to professor Francis Spufford. Francis teaches creative writing at Goldsmiths University in London, and has also written a number of acclaimed, award winning books. In 2016, he won the Costa debut novel prize for his fiction volume "Golden Hill", and he has received high praise for his defence of religion in "Unapologetc : Why, Despite Everything, Christianity Can Still Make Surprising Emotional Sense". In his office at Goldsmiths, Elizabeth talks to him about his journey into faith, his life in writing, as well as on contemporary issues around faith - including the rise, and demise of the "New Atheist" movement in the age of Trump. The Sacred is supported by Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank. It is produced by Hussein Kesvani (@HKesvani) and No Country Media.

Welcome to The Sacred, a new podcast about the things we cherish, hold dear, and how they bring us together. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks to former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who led the party until 2017, when he stepped down after claiming he could not be a committed political leader and a committed Christian. This came after a controversial interview in which he was grilled on his position on same-sex relations. 7 months on, Tim reflects back on that moment, as well as British politics as a whole. He talks about the crisis of liberalism, how 'identity politics' can prevent the free exchange of ideas in the public space, and how Christians wanting to enter politics should be willing to exert grace, and embrace humility, if they wish to make a real change. You can listen, watch and read Tim Farron's Theos annual lecture here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/events/2017/11/28/tim-farron-what-kind-of-liberal-society-do-we-want The Sacred is produced in association with Theos think tank, the leading religion and society think tank in the UK. The show is produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country Media.

In the second episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth talks to comedian, writer and founder of the Sunday Assembly, Pippa Evans. Pippa is a regular on BBC radio 4 and has written and presented series for other broadcasters and networks. She also helped found the Sunday Assembly, which had been dubbed the "atheist church" on its inception. The organisation has grown to become a global movement for people who value faith and spirituality, in spite of not identifying as 'religious'. This episode also features an interview with Theos researcher Simon Perfect, on his project about free speech and university campuses. The Sacred is a podcast about the things we cherish and hold dear to us. It is supported by Theos, the religion and society think tank, and is produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country media.

Jonathan Rowson is a Scottish Chess grandmaster, an author, and the director of Perspectiva, an organisation that aims to "research the relationship between complex global challenges and the inner lives of human beings and highlight why this matters in society". In the first episode of The Sacred, hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, Jonathan talks about his religious and spiritual past, how chess helped him make sense of himself, and how talking to people of faith made him reevaluate his own. We also catch up with Theos' head of research, Nick Spencer, on his new book "The Political Samaritan". He talks about how the parable has been hijacked by politicians from all spheres of the conversation, and how this tale has helped shape contemporary British politics. The Sacred is a podcast about the things we cherish and hold dear to us. It is supported by Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank. The Sacred is produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country Media.

Hello, and welcome to The Sacred. The Sacred is a new podcast hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, the director of Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank. This podcast is interested in the state of our public conversations, the way we might do them better and the role the things that we hold sacred but don’t always know how to talk about might play. Each episode will feature an in depth interview with writers, thinkers, activists, comedians, community leaders and others, in which we discuss the things we hold dear, and to examine the things that hold us together- not just as individuals, but as a society. You can follow Elizabeth at @TheosElizabeth and Theos at @Theosthinktank. 'The Sacred' is produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country Media. You can follow Hussein at @HKesvani