The Church Times Podcast

“I am large, I contain multitudes”. So wrote Walt Whitman in his 1855 masterpice Song of Myself. The American poet’s 200th birthday is on Friday (31 May). In this week’s Church Times, Dr Michael Robertson, author of Worshipping Whalt: The Whitman disciples (Princeton Press), argues that while Whitman has been celebrated as a poet of democracy and of nature, among other things, his religious purpose is under-appreciated. On this week's podcast, Dr Robertson speaks to Madeleine Davies about Whitman’s life, his literary and religious influences, and reads for us some of his remarkable poetry. Picture credit: Alamy

This week, Madeleine Davies talks to Vicky Walker about her new book Relatable: Exploring God, Love and Connection in the Age of Choice. Picture credit: Dipesh Dhimar

The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered the William Temple Foundation’s annual lecture on Monday, at Lambeth Palace. It was entitled Reimagining Britain: Faith and the Common Good. The William Temple Foundation’s director of research, Professor Chris Baker, described it as “a realistic but hopeful assessment of the state of the nation, the place of the church and religion, and the prospects for a revitalised social and public sphere. It was a lecture brimming with intellectual and theological ideas, but also characterised by down-to-earth and personal anecdotes.”

The Church of England has been talking a lot about estates ministry of late. Madeleine Davies has visited the Byker Wall Estate in Newcastle, where a church is thinking imaginatively about mission. She tells us about it. And we hear from three of the 21 4 21 young interfaith ambassadors about peacemaking and bridge-building. Photo credit: North News and Pictures

This week, the editor Paul Handley reports from Hong Kong on what has been going on at the ACC-17 - the 17th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council. Photo: Conrad Yu

This week, Ed Thornton talk to our Ireland correspondent Gregg Ryan about the reaction of political and church leaders to the killing of the journalist Lyra McKee last week, and her funeral at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. And we hear from the editor Paul Handley before he sets off for Hong Kong, to attend the 17th meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, whose members are asking for more say in the running of the Anglican Communion.

“It really isn’t an exaggeration to say that the future of the human race is at stake”, said Rowan Williams in an Extinction Rebellion video last month. On Sunday, Lord Williams led a prayer vigil for the rebellion outside St Paul’s Cathedral, before the movement this week brought parts of central London to a standstill, as they demand the Government take more action to combat climate change. But who are Extinction Rebellion, what do they seek to achieve, and what are Christians contributing to the movement? Ed Thornton speaks to Joe Ware of Christian Aid, an expert on climate-change issues and activism, who has been talking to Christians involved in the movement. And, at the end of this episode, Malcolm Guite reads a villanelle for Easter Day. Photo credit: Vladimir Morozov

This week, Madeleine Davies interviews Pete Greig, the “bewildered instigator” of the 24-7 prayer movement. He is also closely involved with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative. Pete is a pastor and the author of books including God on Mute and Dirty Glory. His latest book is called How to Pray: a simple guide for normal people, which is published by Hodder. It’s available at the Church Times Bookshop for the special price of £12.60 – go to chbookshop.co.uk.

This week, Professor John Swinton speaks on why in a culture that prioritises speed, efficiency, and productivity, we should remember that love takes time. Professor Swinton is a former nurse, a minister in the Church of Scotland, and Professor Practical Theology and Pastoral Care at the University of Aberdeen. His books include Dementia: Living in the memories of God, which won the 2016 Michael Ramsey Prize, and Becoming Friends of Time (SCM Press). This talk was delivered at the Theology Slam competition last month, at which he was a judge. All the talks from the event can be viewed on our Facebook page and at churchtimes.co.uk/theology-slam.

This week, Madeleine Davies talks to Rupert Shortt about his new book, Does Religion do more harm than good?, published by SPCK. We publish an extract in this week’s paper and John Saxbee reviews it in our books pages. The book is available from the Church Times Bookshop for £9 – go to chbookshop.co.uk. Rupert Shortt is Religion Editor of The Times Literary Supplement and the author of critically acclaimed books including God is No Thing, Christianaphobia, and Rowan’s Rule: the biography of the Archbishop. You can also listen to the Church Times Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and most other podcast platforms.