
Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs
Are you wondering how a Christian should respond to current events? What are we to think about a world that appears to be going absolutely mad? How are we to discern the signs of the times? In this podcast, featuring The Reverend Thomas Pelham, The Reverend Daniel French, The Reverend Doctor J.A. Franklin and the occasional guest, we attempt to give some answers. Email us at irreverendpod@gmail.com, follow us on Twitter @irreverendpod or on Telegram at https://t.me/irreverendpod. We also have a youtube channel which can be found by searching Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs! If you would like to support the show, which can be done from £1.50 plus VAT per month, you can join our Patreon community. Please go to www.patreon.com/irreverend
Latest episodes

4 snips
Aug 22, 2023 • 1h
Regime Change with Prof. Patrick Deneen
Patrick Deneen, a political science professor at Notre Dame and author of 'Why Liberalism Failed', discusses the shortcomings of liberalism and its implications for society. He critiques both classical and progressive liberalism, arguing they diminish humanity's potential. The conversation explores the idea of post-liberalism and its vision rooted in community and moral order. Deneen also highlights the need for spiritual engagement in politics and advocates for a return to traditional values, emphasizing the role of prayer in societal transformation.

Aug 18, 2023 • 1h 10min
Stained Glass Covid
Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham and Jamie Franklin sit down to talk about the big stories of the week and many other things.This time: Outraged by the undemocratic ULEZ tax, so called ULEZ "blade-runners" take to the streets to vandalise cameras with tree loppers. We ask if such actions can be justified from a Christian perspective. And a Church in Cambridgeshire has become the first in the UK to depict scenes from the Covid-19 crisis in stained glass. Is this a celebration of the government and church's response to what happened or is there a more nuanced element to it?In addition, we deal with a Question the Rev on just war provoked by the experience of inter-railing around Europe, discover some new reviews and finally (perhaps) decide upon what our sign-off will be. All that and much much more as ever!Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:ULEZ Blade Runners: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12404209/Moment-anti-ULEZ-Blade-Runner-brazenly-sabotages-camera-using-tree-lopper-underground-activists-wage-campaign-bring-Sadiq-Khans-low-emission-monitors.html“Pandemic” stained glass: Cambridgeshire church stained glass depicts Covid-19 scenes - BBC NewsNotices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Aug 11, 2023 • 1h 10min
Hancock on the Barbie Bandwagon
The latest episode from CofE revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Daniel French. It's the Summer and what can that mean but that celebrities and politicians are virtue-signalling about what films they are watching at the cinema? This time it's non other than...Matt Hancock lip-syncing to a song from the new feminist smash-hit Barbie. In other news, Gary Lineker receives "standing ovation" in Marks & Spencer for his brave political activism and we review an interesting article from the Church Times on the question of "The Church's Core" business.We also get to a couple of emails: one helping us to understand the true meaning of the "trans" prefix and the other on a case for responsible Christian stewardship of the environment in distinction to the catastrophist climate change hyperbole.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Barbie-Virtue Signalling: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/07/matt-hancock-barbie-bandwagon-virtue-signalling-ken/Gary Lineker Standing Ovation in M&S: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/08/04/gary-lineker-interview-bbc-suspension-match-of-the-day/Church should “sell” salvation, Rev’d Dr Nicholas Buxton: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/4-august/comment/opinion/opinion-what-is-the-church-s-core-business Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Aug 8, 2023 • 1h 36min
Laura Dodsworth: How to Free Your Mind and Resist Manipulation
Church of England rev with a difference Jamie Franklin sat down with author Laura Dodsworth to discuss themes arising from her new book Free Your Mind: The New World of Manipulation and How To Resist It.In a wide-ranging conversation, we spoke about brainwashing by the government and in education, the infantilisation of the UK population during COVID, how fear is used as a tool of control, how to help people wake up, what self-individuation is and how to do it, behavioural psychology and MINDSPACE, the weaponisation of climate change as a means of population management, whether or not brainwashing is a left or a right phenomenon, going to church and whether or not all vicars are agents of manipulation (including me!).If you enjoyed this special episode, please consider supporting the podcast in the following ways:Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.com. And please rate, review us and share on social media!Support the show

Aug 4, 2023 • 1h 40min
"Your comments will not stand!" with debanked vicar Richard Fothergill
Special guest the Rev'd Richard Fothergill joined revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Daniel French for the second half of this episode to discuss his recent experience of being debanked by the Yorkshire Building Society for his shockingly prejudicial comments about transgenderism. But our conversation was more wide-ranging, taking in Richard's experience in starting the international movement which goes by the name of The Filling Station (https://thefillingstation.org/) in response to the weakness of many local churches and the general spiritual darkness of the surrounding culture.In the first half of the episode, Daniel and Jamie discussed Psalm 2 and the nations raging against Christ, the Costa Coffee transgenderism debacle and the spiritual implications of the outrageous level of inheritance tax that we are forced to pay in this country. We also covered a Question the Rev on the legitimacy or not of the NRSV translation of Scripture.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Costa "trans man" cartoon - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/31/costa-boycott-cartoon-trans-man/Inheritance tax in the UK - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/31/taxing-inheritance-leaves-everyone-poorer/Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Jul 28, 2023 • 1h 18min
Guns, Porn and Stem Cells: The CofE's Ethical Investment Policy
Revs with a difference Tom Pelham and Jamie Franklin are back bringing up all the big stories. Today, talking about "faith leaders", including Rowan Williams, backing Sadiq Khan's ULEZ tax raid on car owners, the Church of England's questionable ethical policy around financial investment, particularly concerning the areas of pornography, guns and stem-cell research, and a reverend is debanked: could we be next?That and much much more as ever in this week's Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs!Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Rowan Williams Back ULEZLabour lose "ULEZ" by-electionCofE’s ethical investment fundDebanked ReverendNotices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Jul 21, 2023 • 1h 44min
Is Pride a Sin?
Rev with a difference Jamie Franklin sits down to review the most pressing issues in church and society. This week:- Net Zero mania in the CofE as affirmation of environmental activism is added to confirmation ritual.- CofE spokesman defends teaching of critical race theory in CofE school classrooms. - Tory councillor King Lawal is cancelled for saying on Twitter that pride is a sin.- Pro-life activists say they were banned from worshipping at York Minster. - Controversy as friends of Mike Pilavachi tweet in his support.That and a couple of Question the Revs with questions about Holy Communion and baptism. Our Scripture this week is Romans 8:9-22.Join the March for Life Irreverend meet-up (it's the 2nd of September not the 1st!)): https://www.marchforlife.co.uk/2023-annual-event-page/Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Net Zero mania of CofE: https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/confirmed-the-c-of-es-net-zero-mania/CofE defends teaching of critical race theory in classrooms: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/16/church-of-england-defend-teaching-controversial-race-theory/Christian councillor suspended for saying pride is a sin: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/16/christian-councillor-king-lawal-pride-sin-conservative/ Pro-Life activists banned from York Minster: https://www.gbnews.com/news/york-minster-ban-pro-life-activists-prayer Backlash over support for Pilavachi: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/17/backlash-church-leaders-praise-soul-survivor-mike-pilavachi/ Notices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Jul 14, 2023 • 1h 27min
Is God the "Father" Sexist?
Join CofE revs with a difference Jamie, Tom and Daniel for a discussion of all the recent news in Church and society. This week:- Was the Archbishop of York right to describe language about God being a father as "problematic" and "patriarchal"?- The Archbishop of Canterbury says that universities should have their funding cut if "trans" people are insulted.- Westminster Abbey holds a service of worship in praise of the NHS on its 75th anniversary.- And the Creed is rewritten by an American Church so that it sounds somewhat more progressive. Hear the revs reaction to "The Sparkle Creed".In broader news, the revs respond to recent developments around the Covid enquiry and Matt Hancock's claim that there should have been harder and better lockdowns and to the recent unorthodox winner of Miss Netherlands. Question the Rev is about the Devil's motivation in tempting Jesus. An email of the week concerns a listener's disciplinary process at work for posting ostensibly discriminatory things on social media. And there is much much more as always!Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Hancock: harder lockdowns neededArchbishop of York Patriarchy CommentsDaniel ResponseArchbishop of Canterbury University CommentsThe Sparkle CreedNHS SermonNotices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Jun 30, 2023 • 1h 23min
Discrimination in Cricket (A Very Serious Problem) - Irreverend Episode 129
Church of England revs with a difference Jamie Franklin and Thomas Pelham sit down to catch up on the week's main talking points: - St Paul's Cathedral brands Winston Churchill a white supremacist.- English cricket is condemned as bastion of racism and discrimination.- An apparent coup in Russia fizzles out before it has begun.- The Titan submarine implodes in its bid to explore the remains of the Titanic.- Robert F Kennedy speaks to Joe Rogan and appears to be winning the political argument in the US.- An encouraging email of the week and a surprising attempt on the part of Tom to defend the Archbishop of Canterbury from a listener's criticism.All that and much much more as always.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Discrimination in cricketChurchill the white supremacistUnpleasant response to Titanic disasterWagner coup in RussiaNotices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Jun 23, 2023 • 1h 42min
Pronouns: Cat/Catself
Church of England revs with a difference Daniel French, Jamie Franklin and Thomas Pelham sit down for a bumper episode catching up on a number of important stories from the past couple of weeks: - Greta Thunberg's failed apocalyptic prophecy quietly deleted on Twitter- The somewhat diabolical looking XR climate choir in Bristol Cathedral - Children castigated at a CofE school for saying their classmate couldn't identify as a cat.- Ongoing mass murder of Christians in Nigeria - And a mother who was sent to prison for aborting her 32 week-old childAll that and much much more as always.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comFor your merchandise needs: https://irreverendmerch.bss.designLinks:Greta failed predictionClimate choir in Bristol CathedralCofE School teacher castigates child for question “cat identity” of schoolmatehttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/18/pupil-teacher-despicable-identifying-cat-transgender/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/19/school-children-identifying-as-animals-furries/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/20/rye-college-children-neo-pronouns-cats-moons-rishi-sunak/ Christians seen as aggressive by judiciaryPersecution of Christians in NigeriaWoman jailed for 32 week abortionNotices:Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show