The Sacred

Paul is an award winning novelist and essaying, currently best known for his Substack - The Abbey of Misrule. He spoke about his deep environmental commitments, his conversion to the Orthodox Church and his concerns about authoritarianism brought about through technological expansion. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/09/21/paul-kingsnorth-on-environmentalism-converting-to-christianity-and-his-concerns-about-authoritarianism

The United Kingdom, Commonwealth and indeed the entire world were sent into shock after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died on Thursday 8 September at the age 96, and after 70 years on the throne. Elizabeth Oldfield reflects on Her Majesty’s role in the area of reconciliation throughout the many years she reigned, and how we might show compassion to those who have responded differently to her death.

Jenny Odell is an American multi-disciplinary artist, former art teacher at Stanford University and author of the New York Times best selling book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. She spoke about attention, where we put it, how it shapes and forms us, and how it could be the key to understanding our increasingly polarised societies. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/06/08/jenny-odell-on-attention-where-we-put-it-and-how-it-forms-us

Kate Maltby is a columnist for The i Paper, theatre critic and senior research associate at Jesus College Cambridge. She spoke about her Jewish heritage, the power and (almost) sacredness of live theatre and of dealing with identity issues. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/06/01/kate-maltby-on-her-jewish-heritage-identity-issues-and-the-power-of-live-theatre

Francesca is Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter, and a patron of Humanists UK. Her latest book is called God: An Anatomy. She spoke about her vegetarianism, her experience of growing up in a single parent household with not a lot of money and studying theology as an atheist at the University of Oxford.

Christie is an award-winning novelist, memoirist and professor of medical and health humanities at UEA. She was a registered pediatric nurse for 20 years spending most of her career in pediatric intensive care and as a resuscitation officer. She speaks about humour as an antidote to darkness, why nurses’ stories are so rarely told, how she found meaning in the practice of care, and why compassion is what we should be judged on.

Danny Kruger MP is a Conservative Member of Parliament for the Devizes constituency in Wiltshire. He and his wife founded and ran Only Connect, a charity that works with men and women in prison or recently released, with the aim of helping them live crime-free lives. Prior to this he worked as a speechwriter for the Conservative party, for a think tank, and as a journalist. He speaks about his conservatism, his conversion to Christianity in his 20’s, and why he thinks running a charity is harder than being an MP. We recorded this while Danny was driving, so you may hear a faint ticking noise from his indicator. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/05/11/danny-kruger-mp-conservatism-christianity-and-why-running-a-charity-is-hard-work

Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a screenwriter and novelist. He is best known for his screenplays for 24 Hour Party People, Welcome to Sarajevo and others, his award–winning children’s books, including Millions, and for being the writer of the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, one of many collaborations with his friend, Danny Boyle. He speaks about his sacramental faith, the place of forgiveness in society, and what he sees as the writer's calling. We had a few sound issues with this recording but we hope you agree it is still well worth listening to. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/05/04/frank-cottrellboyce-on-wonder-forgiveness-and-the-writers-calling

James is co–chair and co–founder of COOK, the very fancy and very delicious frozen food company. He is also co–founder and board member of the B Corp, co–chairman of B Lab UK and a founding partner of Snowball, which is a multi–asset impact investment manager. He has also been deputy chairman of the social Stock Exchange. Wherever people have been thinking about how business and capital can be used for positive social purpose, you will find James. He speaks about his three sacred values of original goodness, interdependence and autonomy, feeling politically homeless, and why he thinks it’s possible for business to do good in the world.

Jenn is an award-winning novelist, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Professor of writing at Lancaster University. In this episode she speaks about her childhood Mormonism, class, the turbulence around identity and free speech on university campuses, and how society is thinking more about trauma and what that might mean. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/04/20/jenn-ashworth-on-mormonism-class-and-the-universal-experience-of-suffering