St Paul's Cathedral

Today’s podcast episode is all about the Great Model hiding up in our Triforium. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren to demonstrate his plans for the new Cathedral to King Charles II, the Great Model is a fascinating insight into what St Paul’s might have looked like. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

[This talk makes reference to a handout which you can find at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2025-10/Ludlow%20Nicaea%20handout.pdf] 2025 marks 1,700 years since the formation of the Creed of Nicaea, and around the world many Christian churches from many different denominations are marking the anniversary. But what is so important about it and why do we still say it so many years on? Morwenna Ludlow gives a very brief history of how the Creed of Nicaea came to be, what it sought to address, and how it relates to other creeds and early statements of faith. Morwenna Ludlow is Professor of Christian History and Theology at the University of Exeter, and holds an honorary position as Canon Theologian at Exeter Cathedral. Her particular interest is on the early church and the reception of early theology by modern thinkers, alongside implications for the world today.

Like Churchill himself, St Paul’s Cathedral defied the Blitz and stood as a beacon of hope in the darkest days of the Second World War. Allen Packwood revisits some of the key moments when their paths crossed and considers how they influenced one another. A sermon by Ray Pentland CB from the Service of Evensong prior to this event is referenced several times in the talk. To read the sermon please visit https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2025-09/Evensong%20sermon%20Anniversary%20of%20the%20Battle%20of%20Britain%20Ray%20Pentland%20CB.pdf

Some of the psalms were written as much as 3,000 years ago in a world very different to our own. So how do we read them? And what does a psalm read like when we read it today? Martin Wroe reflects on what makes a psalm a psalm. Is there a distinction between psalms and prayer, or psalms and poetry? One of the challenges of reading the Psalms is that they are populated so densely with shepherds and royalty, characters that most of us do not encounter in our everyday lives. So what are the characters that walk through the psalms of our lives? And how is the divine presence disclosed to us today? Martin Wroe makes his living as a writer and volunteers as associate vicar of St Luke’s, Holloway, in north London. He contributes to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, is a former chair of the Greenbelt Arts Festival and his most recent book of poems is 'This Heart: Poems from the universe inside'.

There are crypts, and then there are crypts. The largest crypt in Europe is none other than our very own here at St Paul's. But what is a crypt for, and why is ours so unique? Find out in the first episode of the new series of Stories from St Paul's. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson

What has Jesus to do with trauma? Many people who experience trauma find solidarity in Jesus' experiences. Some would even claim that Jesus is a trauma survivor himself. Others may find the horror of Jesus' crucifixion to be re-traumatising. What do these perspectives mean for how we think about and relate to Christ? Karen O'Donnell explores these questions to enrich our understanding of Christ and humanity. Dr Karen O'Donnell is Academic Dean and Lecturer in Liturgy and Theology at Westcott House, Cambridge, and an Associate Lecturer at Cambridge University. Her latest books include Survival: Radical Spiritual Practices for Trauma Survivors and Pregnancy and Birth: Critical Theological Conceptions (with Dr Claire Williams).

Over the course of Western history, how have religion and medicine worked together to tell women how their bodies work, and what they should do with them? How have Eve and Mary been used to convey these messages, and how has their role been challenged? Helen King explores the potential of both Christianity and medicine to work towards a healthier approach to the body. Helen King is Professor Emerita at The Open University, where she researched and taught the history of the body. She is an elected lay member of the Church of England's General Synod and a trustee of WATCH (Women and the Church). Her latest book is 'Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies'.

80 years after Dietrich Bonhoeffer's execution in Flossenbürg concentration camp in 1945, Rowan Williams reflects upon how his legacy could help the church remain truthful in a post-truth world. In a time of uncertainty, what does it mean to live with courage, integrity, and radical hospitality? Dr Rowan Williams is a poet and theologian, and was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Are men facing a "crisis," and what does that mean for us all? Will Rose-Moore explores what it really means to be a man today, how "masculinity" isn't one thing, but many, how the Bible portrays men, and new ways of thinking about masculinity, moving away from power and violence, and embracing diversity. The Rev’d Will Rose-Moore is Assistant Curate at St John the Baptist, Loughton in Chelmsford Diocese. He is studying for a PhD in Theology with Westcott House in the Cambridge Theological Federation and Anglia Ruskin University, and is also a Research Associate for the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, Bristol. His first book is 'Boys Will Be Boys, and Other Myths: Unravelling Biblical Masculinities'.

‘Hope shows up when we are fighting for justice. Hope shows up when we show up making clear that the way things are is not the way they are destined to be, that the way things are is not God's promise for us.’ Join Kelly Brown-Douglas and Paula Gooder, as they reflect together on vocation and preaching, on racial justice and, most importantly, on hope. Kelly Brown-Douglas is an African-American priest in the Episcopal Church in the USA. She is a leading voice in womanist theology and racial justice, and is a brilliant preacher and communicator. Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral.