The Church Times Podcast

This week, Madeleine Davies and Ed Thornton talk about the latest Statics for Mission which show the average C of E church has just three children attending. And they ask whether social media can help stem the decline in church attendance. Plus, Ed Thornton speaks to Mike McGargue, aka "Science Mike" about his new book, Finding God in the Waves, which tells the story of his dramatic loss of faith, and how he found it again through studying science.

This week, we devote the entire podcast to a recording of a lively event at St Mellitus College, in London, that took place this week, on The Parish: Has it had its day? It was hosted by the Church Times and SCM Press, and recorded by Captive North.

This week Madeleine Davies reports back from the Primates' Meeting in Canterbury, and we discuss how religious leaders have responded to the mass shooting in Las Vegas. Plus, Church Times columnist Paul Vallely take us through the highs and lows of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester

This week we discuss whether the upcoming Primates' Meeting will decide to sanction the Scottish Episcopal Church after they endorsed gay marriage, how a Church school in the shadow of Grenfell Tower has stepped up for its community, and what the Anglican priest in Tripoli, Libya, says to the thousands of refugees who come through his church planning to make the desperate journey into Europe. Also, we interview Greg Garrett, an American writer and cultural theologian, on what our fascination with zombie stories says about society and faith.

This month saw 500 people attend the first-ever Festival of Preaching in Oxford, organised by Canterbury Press and the Church Times. As a podcast extra episode, we've uploaded the theologian Paula Gooder's talk at the Festival, on "Nasty surprises in the lectionary".

This week we look at a bold new plan to address the dire state of Religious Education in the UK, and discuss a new book on the African economy endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Plus, Adrian Harris talks to us about the Church of England and digital evangelism.

This week we discuss what the independent review into the Philip North/Bishop of Sheffield fiasco has discovered, and what it means for traditionalists in the Church of England. We also take a look at new research which suggests clergy are on the whole financially and emotionally doing OK, contrary to the headlines. Finally, we interview Sir Hector Sants, who is leading Justin Welby's drive to make the British economy and financial system fairer.

This week's episode comes live (ish) from the final of the Church Times Cricket Cup - can the diocese of London make it five wins in five years, or will the diocese of Lichfield finally end their golden run? We hear from the players, bishops, spectators, reporters, and others about this iconic C of E end-of-summer day out, run by the Church Times since 1950.

This week we go behind the lurid headlines about the Tower Hamlets case of a Christian girl allegedly placed into a conservative Muslim foster family. We also unpack what's going on in the row over St Sepulchre's, a HTB church plant which has angered church musicians, and we look at some of the response to American Evangelicals' Nashville Statement on sexuality. Then, we speak to Eve Poole about "digital obesity" and how Christians should handle children's access to the internet and their phones.

All change this week, as we head off to the Greenbelt festival in Northamptonshire. Hear from festival regulars, first-timers, speakers, and organisers about what makes this celebration of faith, arts, and justice special to them. Normal podcast service resumes on Friday