The Sacred (Theos think tank)

We sit down with Dr. Kate Tomas, a philosopher and spiritual mentor, to discuss her experience as a psychic, and the rising discussion about younger generations and New Age/spiritual practices. Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Kate about her upbringing and what led her to psychic work, how 'intuitive wisdom' is used by many of the world's wealthiest people, why young people are drawn to astrology and tarot, and how the lack of accountability may leave room for harm. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

Vanessa worked in education and nonprofits before attending Harvard Divinity School to become a non–denominational atheist chaplain. Whilst at Harvard she and Casper Ter Kuile who was also a guest on the podcast, launched a class and then a very successful podcast based around the idea of reading Harry Potter as a sacred text. She is now CEO and founder of Not Sorry Productions, which produces the podcasts ‘Harry Potter and the Sacred Text’, ‘Twilight in Quarantine’, and ‘Hot and Bothered’, which is about treating romance novels as sacred. Her first book is called ‘Praying with Jane Eyre.’ In this episode she speaks about her childhood raised in an atheist but practising Jewish home as the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors, what she means by reading other texts as sacred and what we might all learn from it. You can read a full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/01/26/vanessa-zoltan-on-radical-hospitality-atheist-chaplaincy-and-treating-texts-as-sacred

Guvna B is a multi MOBO award-winning rapper, hip hop artist and author. He’s presented TV and radio documentaries for BBC, is a Sky Sports pundit and his most recent book is ‘Unspoken: Toxic Masculinity and How I Faced the Man Within the Man.’ In this episode he speaks about how his childhood as a first-generation immigrant on a council estate has shaped him, how he’s thought about his creativity and navigated different tribes with his music, how he needs space to process his emotions, the phrase ‘toxic masculinity’, and the conditions needed for young people to flourish.

Inaya Folarin Iman is a political commentator and former GB News presenter. Her written work has appeared in the The Telegraph, Politics Home, UnHerd, Spiked and The Daily Mail. She is also the director and founder of the Equiano Project, which is as "a debate, discussion and ideas forum" that "focuses on race, culture and politics". Inaya spoke about her childhood which involved moving many times, growing up with a single mother, the ingrained conservatism that many immigrants have and why free speech is vital to a flourishing society. Check out more from The Equiano Project here: https://www.theequianoproject.com/ Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/06/21/inaya-folarin-iman-on-race-immigrant-conservatism-and-the-importance-of-free-speech ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Caroline Lucas, British Politician and former leader of the Green Party is interviewed by host of The Sacred podcast, Elizabeth Oldfield. In this episode, Caroline talks about the formation of an MP, the challenges of the political system, the role of imagination and spirituality in tackling the climate crisis, and how we can reimagine a different story about England. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Caroline's work: carolinelucas.com/

Katharine Birbalsingh is the founder and headmistress of the Michaela Community School. She is known for promoting ’small-c’ conservative values in the her school, and has subsequently been dubbed Britain’s Strictest Headmistress, which later became the title of an ITV documentary exploring her and her methods. She spoke about the underlying philosophy of Michaela Community School, her journey from being a ‘lefty’ to now a ‘small-c’ conservative, and the lessons she learnt from her dad’s parenting. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/02/22/katharine-birbalsingh-on-smallc-conservatism-and-the-philosophy-of-michaela-community-school CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:35 What is sacred to you? Tanni Grey Thompson’s answer 08:31 Childhood, privilege and dealing with nosiness 15:23 The surgery and about getting on 19:27 Faith, sport and self-discipline 25:33 Un-selfing in sport 32:13 The medical model and disabled people’s autonomy 41:08 Assisted suicide and proper care 44:24 Woke culture, de-platforming and listening to difference 48:50 Reflection and outro ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

In this series we’ll be talking to Conservative MP Miriam Cates, journalist Sohrab Ahmari, ‘Science Mike’ Mike McHargue, writer Tim Stanley, theatre critic Arifa Akbar, loneliness expert Jillian Richardson and award-winning garden designer Sarah Eberle. Tune in and join us for the next series of The Sacred. Episodes out weekly from Wednesday 4th August.

Ryan North is a writer for television, video games, and especially comic books. Some of his most recent projects include 'How To Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveller', a graphic novel adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's 'Slaughterhouse-Five', and the 'Unbeatable Squirrel Girl', which he wrote for Marvel Comics for five years. He also writes, as he has done since his early 20s, Dinosaur Comics, which is a daily webcomic using the same images with different words every day. Ryan speaks about his childhood as a nerdy kid in rural Canada, his route to becoming a professional comic writer even though he can't draw, navigating gender in comics and graphic novels, and why human beings are so drawn to this idea of superheroes. You can read a full transcript of the conversation here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2021/12/01/ryan-north-on-kindness-comics-and-the-appeal-of-superheroes Follow us on Twitter @sacred_podcast

Tomiwa Owolade is a journalist and critic, and writer of the highly acclaimed book 'This is Not America: Why Black Lives in Britain Matter'. Tomiwa spoke about his upbringing and moving from Nigeria to Britain as a boy, why we should approach racism differently in the UK to America, and why he doesn't like being seen solely through the lens of race. You can get a copy of This is Not America here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Not-America-Britain-Matter/dp/1838956212 Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/10/11/tomiwa-owolade-on-why-black-lives-in-britain-matter CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:53 What is sacred to you? Tomiwa Owolade’s answer 00:05:29 Roots of Faith and Culture: Growing Up Christian in Nigeria 00:10:59 From Nigeria to London: Smooth Transitions and Cultural Surprises 00:15:51 Settling with ease in the UK, being Christian, and the irony of African Christian identity 00:21:58 Journey to University and Navigating Identity and Education 00:26:37 This is Not America: Why Black Lives in Britain Matter 00:32:42 Diversity of Black British population, and unhelpful generalisations 00:49:18 Academic fisticuffs and unhelpful racial pigeonholing 00:59:01 Outro: Many things can be true at the same time ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Sam is a novelist and author of ‘Idiopathy’, ‘Perfidious Albion’ and most recently ‘Come Join Our Disease’, which the Sunday Times has said confirms him as one of the most accomplished novelists of his generation. In this episode he speaks about his sense that novels should tackle big ideas, his discomfort with the idea of freedom and our society’s diminishing sense of compassion.

Minna is a social critic, feminist theorist and poet, and she’s founder of the blog, MsAfropolitan. She’s the author most recently of ‘Sensuous knowledge: a black feminist approach for everyone’. She speaks about her childhood in Nigeria and Finland, her experiences with racism, her deep feminist identity, and what a more holistic approach to knowledge might look like. You can read a full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/01/12/minna-salami-on-feminism-racism-and-sensuous-knowledge

This episode takes place live at the Greenbelt Festival, and in it Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to writer, Cole Arthur Riley. Cole Arthur Riley is a writer and the creator of the very successful social media account, Black Liturgies - "a space where Black words of dignity, lament, rage, and rest, are curated and integrated with a liberating spirituality". She is also the author of the NYT bestseller, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us. Cole spoke about her childhood and growing up being raised by a young dad, the power of sharing stories, and how she has learned to express rage through her writing. You can follow Black Liturgies on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/blackliturgies/ Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/09/20/cole-arthur-riley-on-storytelling-and-learning-to-express-anger ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

James Marriott is a columnist and book/podcast critic for The Times. His columns cross a variety of topics from culture to ideas and observations of our society. James spoke about his deep reverence for literature, the objectives of critics, and the role of nihilism in shaping who he is today. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/10/04/james-marriott-on-literature-and-the-art-of-review You can read more from James in his column, here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/profile/james-marriott?page=1 ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Dacher Keltner is interviewed by Elizabeth Oldfield about counter-cultural upbringings, individualism awe, and the benefits of connecting to something bigger than yourself. Dacher is a Professor of Psychology and a leading Emotion Scientist. He hosts a podcast and has written the book 'Awe', calling us to cultivate lives that are guided by the powerful force of awe. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Dacher's work: www.dacherkeltner.com/

Send us your questions and thoughts that you'd like Elizabeth (+ the wider team) to cover in an upcoming Q+A episode! 💌 Whether it’s a question relating to an episode or guest, questions for our production team or about the Sacred project, we'd love to hear your thoughts. We'd happily accept voice notes or videos too. 📩 How to Send Your Questions: - Drop them in the comments below - DM us on X or Instagram - Email us at thesacredpodcast@gmail.com 📢 Don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss your question being answered

Jillian is a loneliness expert, facilitator and events host. She is the author of ‘Un-Lonely Planet’. She speaks about the drivenness of her East Coast American childhood, how she balances vulnerability in her public profile, the shame and rawness of talking about loneliness, and how her adventures in finding belonging in secular congregations eventually led her to join a church. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Lakwena Maciver about processing emotions, navigating comparison and using her artwork to speak powerful messages to herself and wider culture. Lakwena is a London-based artist who combines colour and bold text to inspire joy and the gentle subversion of cultural messaging. Her work has been shown internationally with brands such as H&M, Fiorucci & Mini, and at institutions including the Tate Modern, Somerset House, and the Rotterdam Kunsthal. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Lakwena's work: https://www.lakwena.com/

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.

Zara Mohammed is Secretary General for the Muslim Council of Britain. When elected, she was the youngest and first woman to lead the organisation. She spoke about her childhood, her muslim faith and the significance of putting on the headscarf, and the challenges of being a young woman leader running an organisation. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/10/05/zara-mohammed-on-her-muslim-faith-and-the-challenges-of-being-a-young-woman-leader

Eli Pariser has had a long and distinguished career in tech entrepreneurship and is currently running the organisation New Public, which is trying to help thinkers, designers and technologists build the digital public spaces of the future. He helped set up MoveOn and Avaaz, which were pioneers in the digital organising space in the early days of the internet. He coined the term 'filter bubble', and wrote the New York Times best-selling book of the same name. In this episode Eli speaks about some of the trends that have led to our current situation in terms of division, his sacred value of curiosity, his love for democracy, and why we need to build shared public digital spaces in the same way that we have public parks. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2021/12/22/eli-pariser-on-curiosity-the-value-of-democracy-and-why-we-need-public-digital-spaces We are taking a break next week for Christmas but our next episode will be released on Wednesday 5th January.

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British Nigerian author, and writer of 'Yinka, Where is your Huzband?' a book which explores the experience of a young Nigerian woman living in London and wrestling societal/family expectations of faith, life and love. She spoke about her experience growing up in a Nigerian, Christian household, the way her faith shapes her writing, and why representation matters in the publishing industry. Buy a copy of Yinka, Where is your Huzband?' here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/yinka-where-is-your-huzband/lizzie-damilola-blackburn/2928377077259 Get tickets to our Sacred Live event with Oliver Burkeman using the promo code SACREDLIVE2023 here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sacred-live-feat-elizabeth-oldfield-and-oliver-burkeman-tickets-565116999157 CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 06:20 What is sacred to you? Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s answer 09:18 Childhood: God’s love and discovering the third sector 11:59 The need for diverse stories and the divine call to become an author 17:18 Handholding readers and reactions to a Christian celibate protagonist 23:33 Colourism and the bias of beauty standards 27:54 Representation in publishing and the public service of rom-coms 35:13 Elizabeth Oldfield’s reflection on her conversation with Lizzie Damilola Blackburn ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Clover Stroud is a journalist and best-selling author of three books, the most recent of which is The Red of my Blood. She spoke about spoke about her upbringing, grappling with death, and the intertwined relationship between grief, God, creativity and horses. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/01/25/clover-stroud-on-grief-god-creativity-and-horses Purchase The Red of My Blood, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Blood-Death-Life-Story/dp/0857527738/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:05 What is sacred to you? Clover Stroud’s response 07:14 Spirituality and horses 12:47 Grappling with grief 16:38 Growing up in the countryside 26:28 Faith is a lot like creativity 37:43 Nick Cave and the transcendent nature of grief 49:32 Sober intoxication of the Catholic Mass 43:49 Reflection and outro ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Our sabbatical has lasted a little longer than expected, but we are so excited to be back very soon with some brand new episodes for you. We will be celebrating our return with an event to premiere our first-ever Sacred short 'My Dream, My Taste', a 3-minute animated film featuring a clip from episode 50 with Miroslav Volf. The event on 29th March will feature a screening of the film followed by a conversation about what it means to live a good life with Miroslav himself, Julian Baggini and Sarah Stein Lubrano. You can find out more and register for your free ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/my-dream-my-taste-what-does-it-mean-to-live-a-good-life-tickets-142089895703

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

ABC Foreign News Correspondent James Longman speaks to Elizabeth Oldfield about the emotional toll he faces as a journalist reporting from war zones, the challenges of being a gay journalist in dangerous regions abroad, and the intergenerational impact of mental illness within his own family. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✍️ See James' new book 'The Inherited Mind': https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211026628-the-inherited-mind CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 00:54 What is Sacred to you? James Longman responds 07:03 Childhood Influences and Family Dynamics 14:07 The Impact of Mental Health in Family History 18:58 The Journey into Journalism and Conflict Reporting 24:11 Ethics and Responsibilities in News Reporting 29:51 Cultural and Spiritual Influences on Identity 31:48 Navigating Identity in Hostile Environments 38:02 The Interplay of Genetics and Environment 45:11 Understanding Mental Illness and Suicide 48:30 The Power of Compassionate Support 52:00 Elizabeth's reflection Keywords: kindness, journalism, family, mental health, ethics, conflict reporting, Ukraine, storytelling, hope, authenticity, Catholicism, LGBTQ+, mental health, genetics, suicide, community, love, support, healing, identity, journalist, ethics, war, trauma, resilience, empathy, responsibility, mental, illness, family, spirituality, identity, sexuality, reporting, hope, grief, healing, understanding, community, compassion, depression, suicide, schizophrenia, bipolar, epigenetics, environment, genetics, inherited, sacred, values, storytelling, bearing, witness, gay, international, danger, intergenerational, legacy, support, care, privilege, resources, authenticity, vulnerability, forgiveness, redemption, transformation

Jules is a writer, speaker and practical philosopher. He’s a research fellow at the Centre for the History of Emotions, Queen Mary University of London. He’s also the founder of the London Philosophy Club and co-founder of the first Stoicon, festival of Stoicism. He’s also the author of ‘Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations’, ‘The Art of Losing Control’, ‘Holiday from the Self’ and most recently ‘Breaking Open: finding a way through spiritual emergency.’ In this episode he talks about his boarding school hedonism, near-death experiences, foray into charismatic Christianity and why he thinks our society needs more space for ecstatic experiences.

Chris Packham is a naturalist, nature photographer and TV Presenter best known for his 40 years of work in television on programmes such as CBBC's The Really Wild Show and the BBC's Springwatch. Chris spoke about his childhood, and the challenges of growing up with undiagnosed autism, the influence punk had, and has, on him, and experiences of religious diversity in the home. Find out more about Chris' work by visiting his website here: https://www.chrispackham.co.uk/ Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/02/21/chris-packham-on-love-grief-and-autism ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Jared Yates Sexton is an American writer and political commentator. Having begun his career writing and teaching fiction, things changed as his investigative journaling in the run up to the 2016 Presidential election plunged him into the world of politics. He is also the host of the Muckrake Podcast. He spoke about his childhood in a fundamentalist Christian church, the need for 'good brokership' when engaging across the political divide, and why despite the joy they may bring, Marvel movies are still propaganda for the 'old order'. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/02/01/jared-yates-sexton-on-escaping-fundamentalism-and-the-mythology-of-marvel-movies You can buy his latest book, The Midnight Kingdom here:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673035/the-midnight-kingdom-by-jared-yates-sexton/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 01:20 What is sacred to you? Jared Yates Sexton’s answer 06:34 Religious childhood trauma and being curious 18:40 The original idea of God 23:38 From fiction writer to political commentator 29:02 Political storytelling and authoritarianism 36:12 The power of the people 46:41 Marvel movies and the mythology of the Old Order 51:40 Reflection and Outro ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

We sit down with Dr. Gwen Adshead, a renowned forensic psychologist and psychotherapist, to explore her remarkable approach to understanding and treating the most disturbing human behaviours and experiences. Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Gwen about finding the sacred and the transcendent even in the darkest corners of the human experience. Through her unique lens, she bridges the divide between victim and perpetrator, revealing the common vulnerability and potential for both good and evil that exists within us all. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ -- In a world that often seems divided between good and evil, Dr. Gwen Adshead's work as a forensic psychologist offers a radical and compassionate perspective. By delving into the darkest corners of the human experience, Adshead challenges us to reconsider our assumptions about morality, justice, and the nature of the human condition. Her insights into the shared vulnerability and potential for both cruelty and redemption that exists within us all provide a thought-provoking exploration of the complex interplay between the sacred and the profane. Whether you're fascinated by the psychology of criminal behaviour, the role of spirituality in mental health, or the deeper philosophical questions of our time, this episode of The Sacred podcast is a must-listen.

Jonathan Pageau is a French Canadian icon carver, public speaker and YouTuber exploring the symbolic patterns that underlie our experience of the world. He spoke about his journey to creating religious art, the different ways people on the political spectrum dehumanise each other, and his friendship with Jordan Peterson.

Daryl Davis shares a unique perspective on the motivations behind white supremacy and what it takes to see the gradual transformation of KKK members. Hosts Elizabeth Oldfield and Alex Evans, delve into the extraordinary story of Daryl Davis, a Blues musician who has spent decades befriending and dialoguing with members of the Ku Klux Klan. Driven by a deep curiosity to understand the roots of racism, Daryl has taken an unconventional approach, choosing empathy and open communication over confrontation. Discover the profound impact one person can have in bridging the divide and fostering greater understanding between communities. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 📕 See Daryl's work: https://www.daryldavis.com/

This video is of a live recording of The Sacred podcast on 19 April 2023 at the UnHerd Cafe. Elizabeth Oldfield was joined by Oliver Burkeman. Oliver is a British author and journalist, formerly writing the weekly column This Column Will Change Your Life for The Guardian newspaper, and is one of the leading voices on productivity, mortality and the power of limits. He has published multiple books on the topic of productivity and happiness, including the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (2021). He spoke about living a meaningful life, living in the present moment and the liberating nature of 'hitting the bottom'. He also participated in a Q&A with the audience at the end. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/04/26/sacred-live-oliver-burkeman-on-living-a-meaningful-life-in-the-present-moment Purchase a copy of his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Thousand-Weeks-Embrace-limits/dp/1784704008/ref=asc_df_1784704008/ ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Elizabeth Oldfield joins panel of leading thinkers from across the philosophical and religious spectrum come together to grapple with some of life's biggest questions on God, atheism, and the meaning of life. The panelists - including Elizabeth Oldfield, Rowan Williams, Alex O'Connor, and Philip Goff - engage in a lively debate exploring the origins of the universe, the problem of suffering, and the search for meaning and purpose. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred please do subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ Keywords: God, Atheism, Theism, Christianity, Philosophy of religion, Meaning of life, Purpose of existence, Suffering, Problem of evil, Fine-tuning of the universe, Intelligent design, Creationism, Naturalism, Gnosticism, Cosmology, Metaphysics, Epistemology, Theology, Spiritual, Religious, Debate, Panel discussion, Royal Institution, Elizabeth Oldfield, Rowan Williams, Alex O'Connor (aka Cosmic Skeptic), Philip Gough, Faith, Belief, Doubt, Uncertainty, Morality, Ethics, Consciousness, Cosmos, Transcendence, Immanence, Relationship with God, Mysticism, Heresy

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.

Martin Shaw is a mythologist and author of the award-winning, Branch from a Lightning Tree. Felix Marquardt has worn many hats over his career from author to entrepreneur to French rap producer. He is also the co-founder of Black Elephant - an experiential social network based on vulnerability. They spoke about their respective religious conversations to Orthodox Christianity and Islam, the power of myths and storytelling and the role of vulnerability in bridging divides. This recording took place in Patmos and is an audio only episode. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/07/05/martin-shaw-felix-marquardt-on-religious-conversion-being-vulnerable-and-the-power-of-myths Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:47 What is sacred to you? Martin Shaw and Felix Marquardt’s answers. 00:06:59 Martin’s childhood: Christianity, punk rock, and holding onto conscience 00:10:26 Martin – turning down a career in music, tent living, and rediscovering myths 00:21:11 Martin – A hundred and one nights on Dartmoor and a transformational experience 00:30:36 Felix’s childhood: toxic French secularism, fear of eternity, and escapism through drugs 00:36:58 Felix – Faith through recovery, the 12 Step movement, and showing reverence for synchronicity 00:49:50 Black Elephant: well-sealed vessels, breaking down barriers and trading growth for depth 00:57:23 The Black Elephant Question: common ground beyond the topical and the superficial 01:09:13 Reflection and Outro ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Join Elizabeth Oldfield and her housemates as they dive into their unconventional living arrangement, where two couples share a home in a close-knit, intentional community. In this episode, we explore the motivations behind choosing such a radically interconnected lifestyle and the profound impact it has on combating loneliness, pride and fostering connection. We discuss the challenges and rewards of prioritising communal needs over personal comfort, and how this journey has unlocked a deeper sense of what it means to be Fully Alive. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

Why do we so often surround ourselves with people just like us? In this thought-provoking conversation, Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to author and social innovator Jon Yates about how 'people like me' syndrome plays out in our personal lives, communities, and society at large. We have noticed this theme pop up numerous times in our latest series and so join us as we look back on series 11 and explore the dangers of living in echo chambers, our innate desire for acceptance and discuss practical ways we can overcome our natural inclination towards the familiar and embrace meaningful connections across difference. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 📕 See Jon Yates' Work: https://jonyates.org/ Keywords: Division, polarization, polarisation, homophily, bias, diversity, inclusion, empathy, understanding, connection, relationships, community, social dynamics, tribalism, echo chambers, prejudice, acceptance, belonging, difference, similarity, societal issues, conflict resolution, reconciliation, moral judgment, moral agency, parenting, authoritative, permissive, principles, values, discourse, perspective-taking, curiosity, vulnerability, insecurity, rejection, anxiety, comfort zone, interpersonal dynamics, social psychology, behavioural economics, behavioral economics, organisational behaviour, organizational behavior, civic engagement, social cohesion, collective identity, intergroup relations, bridging divides, shared experiences, common ground, nuance, emotional intelligence, community projects, youth charity, Youth Endowment Fund, division, people like me syndrome, social mobility, empathy and curiosity, moral agency, authoritative parenting, shared institutions, digital echo chambers, emotional challenge, moral value, societal division

John Vervaeke is professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at the University of Toronto. He is also the host of the popular YouTube channel ( @johnvervaeke ) where he explores what he has coined the #meaningcrisis. John spoke about his upbringing in a fundamentalist Christian home and what he has learned from that experience after time in therapy, relationships and the nature of reality, and the rehoming of spiritual practises outside of "legacy religions". Find out more about John's work here: https://johnvervaeke.com ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Sohrab is an Iranian–American columnist, journalist, editor and author. He’s written or edited for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post and First Things among others. He was born in Tehran and emigrated to the US in his early teens, converting in 2016 to Catholicism, which he recounts in his book ‘From fire by water.’ His most recent book is ‘The Unbroken Thread: discovering the wisdom of tradition in an age of chaos.’ He speaks about his experiences as what he calls a radically assimilated immigrant in the US, the lasting impact of that childhood under a conservative Islamic regime, his time as a committed Marxist, his conversion to Catholicism, and why he thinks liberalism is failing us. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

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

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

Sarah Ditum delves into her journey through the strands of feminism, the misogynistic "upskirt decade" - the invasive celebrity culture of the late 90s and 2000s that often exploited and shamed young women, and her views on the role of pornography and its impact on mainstream culture. Sarah is a critic and columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times, and author of the book "Toxic: Women and the Noughties." This wide-ranging conversation provides a nuanced look at the evolution of feminist thought, the power of media narratives, and the personal experiences that have informed Sarah Ditum's worldview. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 📕 See Sarah's book "Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s": https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61783796-toxic Referenced text: Choice Feminism and the Fear of Politics http://www.jstor.org/stable/25698532 CHAPTERS 00:00 What is Sacred to you? Sarah Ditum answers 02:54 Navigating Gender Identity and Journalism 06:14 The Importance of Disagreement in Politics 09:10 Childhood Influences and Upbringing 11:48 Feminism and Personal Identity 15:11 The Impact of Motherhood on Feminist Views 19:11 The Upskirt Decade: Media and Women 28:03 The Intersection of Privacy and Gender 34:03 The Reasonable Expectation of Privacy 35:56 Cultural Norms and the Sexualisation of Women 39:05 Cultural Poisoning and Media Influence 41:53 Nihilism and the Impact of 9/11 on Culture 44:10 Changing Narratives: Celebrity Women Today 47:59 The Evolution of Language Around Abuse 51:21 The Normalisation of Sexualisation and Pornography 57:50 The Exploitative Nature of the Porn Industry 01:01:35 Cultural Stories and Their Impact on Identity Keywords pornography, feminism, gender identity, motherhood, media, privacy, women's rights, sacred values, upskirt decade, journalism, privacy, cultural norms, sexualization, sexualisation, media influence, nihilism, celebrity culture, abuse language, pornography, exploitation, identity

In this episode, Gretchen speaks about her love of children's literature, why St Therese of Lisieux is her spiritual teacher, and why we might need a seminary for accidental gurus. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Gretchen's work: https://gretchenrubin.com/

In this episode, recorded at the 2024 Aspen Ideas Festival, Elizabeth Oldfield chats with Sam Kimbriel about how nature shapes his worldview, the growing loneliness epidemic, and the power of vulnerable friendships. Discover why philosophy is more than just an academic exercise—it’s a tool for thinking deeply and living fully. Sam Kimbriel is a political philosopher, author, and founding director of Aspen’s Philosophy & Society Initiative. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about @aspeninstitute here: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/

Iain McGilchrist is a globally acclaimed psychiatrist and writer author of groundbreaking books ‘The Master And His Emissary’ and ‘The Matter With Things’. Iain spoke with Elizabeth about the varying exposures he had to religion in his childhood, how he went from being an English academic to psychiatry, and the effect left-hemispheric dominant thinking has had on our society. Find out more about Iain's work here: https://channelmcgilchrist.com/ ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

David is an op ed columnist for the New York Times, a radio and television host, author of multiple bestselling books, and Chair of Weave the social fabric project at the Aspen Institute, among many other things. He speaks about the distancing effects of fame, his midlife crisis and subsequent conversion to Christianity, and the challenges of talking about morality in public life at the immense difficulty of dying to ourselves. You can find a full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2021/12/08/david-brooks-on-his-conversion-vulnerability-and-the-challenges-of-talking-about-morality

To everything there is a season and The Sacred needs a season change. The podcast is not ending but it is pausing so that we can reflect and refresh, and pop up again with new life and energy. We expect to be back in February 2021, please keep an eye on our social channels for updates (@sacred_podcast). Meanwhile, we would love to hear from you. We have created a questionnaire https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JFLSFLS that will take just a few minutes to fill in where you can give us feedback about the show and take part in our reflection process. We’d also love a smaller group of listeners to gather for a virtual focus group where we can really discuss how the podcast can be most fruitful in its second season. If you would be up for giving up an hour or so to sit down with the team, please indicate that on your questionnaire and we may well be in touch.

Miriam has been Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge since 2019. She was born and brought up in Sheffield, studied genetics at Cambridge and taught science before having children. In this episode she speaks about her Christian faith, becoming a Conservative as an adult almost by accident, her unusual path to being elected as an MP and why she thinks we should talk more about family and parenthood. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

Audrey Assad is an American-Syrian singer-songwriter who since the start of her career has released 6 studio albums and 4 EPs. She is also the author of the blog 'The Violet Fields' which explores topics such as consciousness and creativity. Audrey spoke about her childhood growing up in a fundamentalist Christian community and subsequent conversion to Catholicism, her career as a musician and the role music has played in her life, and her public deconstruction from the Christian faith. You can find her music and blog on her website here: https://www.audreyassad.com/ Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/06/07/audrey-assad-on-faith-deconstruction-and-music-as-an-outlet-for-spiritual-angst ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Patrick Deneen a professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame and author of multiple books including the upcoming 'Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future'. Patrick spoke about his childhood and the relationships built by a 'front porch' community culture, why liberalism has failed, and what a postliberal future looks like. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/06/14/patrick-deneen-on-the-failure-of-liberalism-and-the-importance-of-relational-living Purchase a copy of his book, Regime Change, here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regime-Change-Towards-Postliberal-Future/dp/1800753292 ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Abi Morgan is a screenwriter and playwright with a career spanning 25 years in TV, Film and Theatre. She is the creator of films such as 'The Iron Lady', TV shows such as 'The Hour', and is most recently the author of the very successful book, 'This is Not a Pity Memoir'. She spoke about her journey into writing, how stories give us a sense of self, and how she makes any kind of meaning out of the multiple tragic events that she has experienced. Buy a copy of her book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Pity-Memoir-heartbreaking-life-affirming/dp/152938835X/ref=asc_df_152938835X/ Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/05/24/abi-morgan-on-finding-meaning-in-tragedy ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Peter Hitchens, Conservative journalist and author, is interviewed by host of The Sacred podcast, Elizabeth Oldfield. In this episode, we spoke about Peter's finding and losing faith in socialism, the role of journalism in forming our opinions, and his unexpected encounter with God. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Peter's work: https://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/

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

In this episode, Elizabeth Oldfield interviewed Tim Dixon about the limitations of politics in creating change, the tragic death of friend Jo Cox, and the importance of addressing the issue of polarisation and division in politics. Tim Dixon is a social entrepreneur and the co-founder of More in Common, an organisation, in the US, UK, Germany and France, that is working to unite our increasing polarised and fragmented societies. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Tim's work: https://x.com/dixontim

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

Rowan Deacon is a documentary filmmaker. Her portfolio includes the multi award winning film How to Die: Simon's Choice, and most recently Jimmy Savile: A Very British Horror Story, which was in the top 10 globally on Netflix. She spoke about what drew her to documentaries, the power of storytelling and the ethical questions at play when producing a documentary. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/10/26/rowan-deacon-on-the-power-of-storytelling-and-the-ethics-of-making-a-documentary

Elizabeth Alker is a BBC Radio 3 presenter, and previously spent several years working at BBC Radio 6 Music. Elizabeth spoke about growing up with parents who fostered, the role of faith in her life, fairness as a sacred value and her reflections on being northern. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/03/13/elizabeth-alker-on-fairness-foster-care-and-accent-stigma ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Mike Mchargue, also known as ‘Science Mike’, is a podcaster of very long-standing. He was formerly co-host of 'The Liturgists' and host of ‘Ask Science Mike’ and he’s now host of 'The Cozy Robot Show'. He’s also the author of ‘Finding God in the Waves’ and more recently ‘You’re a Miracle and a Pain in the Ass’. He speaks about the process of losing his childhood faith and subsequently finding his way to contemplative Christianity via science and an ecstatic experience, his sacred value of equity, how we as humans tend to process trauma when we leave a tribe, and why he thinks it’s really important for him to publicly identify as disabled. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

Zing Tsjeng is the editor in chief of Vice UK. She is the author of the book series 'Forgotten Women' which profiles underrated historical women in various fields, and is the host of the BBC podcast United Zingdom. She spoke about her experience of growing up in Singapore and the way in which the government monitor the media, what she feels Vice UK's role and unique voice is, and the many problematic stereotypes around ESEA (East and Southeast Asian) identities. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/11/09/zing-tsjeng-on-vice-uks-unique-voice-and-unpacking-problematic-esea-stereotypes

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

Rupert is an associate professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia. He is author of over a dozen books on philosophy and the climate crisis, and he was previously a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion. As part of that movement, he took part in many mass protests, and he was arrested while protesting climate change denying think tanks. He speaks about his sacred value of nonviolence, which has inspired many of those actions, the role of philosophy in public conversations, and how he navigates the emotional fallout of thinking a lot about the climate emergency. You can read a full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/01/19/rupert-read-on-nonviolence-the-climate-crisis-and-the-power-of-emotions

Elizabeth Oldfield is joined by producer Daniel Turner to answer questions sent in by listeners of the show. Thank you to Hannah Clifton, John Ablett, John Ranford, Jess Reid, AJ Bremner, Paul Mitchell, Marc Czerwinski, Anne Weinhold, Rishi Vaidya and Emily Rajeh for sending in your questions. Special thanks Leanne Sedin for writing and producing the song Gather which you can listen to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GWbq2ZIl2E You can follow the rest of Leanne's work here: https://www.leannesedin.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro 00:06:48 Question 1 - Balancing communal acts with personal integrity 00:13:14 Question 2 - Is there anyone you'd like to invite back? 00:17:23 Question 3 - How do we do theology in the Anthropocene? 00:21:46 Question 4 - Finding community 00:30:06 Question 5 - How do you surrender? How do you believe? 00:44:22 Question 6 - Remaining positive about community after painful experiences 00:48:02 Question 7 - Church vs Nature 00:50:38 Question 8 - Sacred reflections 00:54:33 Question 9 - How can we counter a Christianity that is ideologically possessed? 00:59:00 Outro 01:01:30 Gather by Leanne Sedin ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Sathnam Sanghera is journalist for The Times, and best-selling memoirist. His most recent book, Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain, has been showered with awards and endorsements. He spoke about growing up in Wolverhampton, his Sikh faith, dealing with online abuse, and his exploration of the history of colonialism. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/09/28/sathnam-sanghera-on-his-sikh-faith-dealing-with-online-abuse-and-learning-about-colonialism

Charlie is a journalist and a critically acclaimed memoirist. His memoir, ‘Featherhood’ won all manner of awards. Charlie is the adopted son of David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Polly Samson, who’s also a writer. Charlie was famously arrested and imprisoned after being photographed swinging from the Cenotaph during the student protests in 2010. His memoir covers his time in prison, his attempts to reconnect with his biological father and his strange and beautiful relationship with an adopted magpie. In this episode, Charlie speaks about whether it is possible to have an ethical memoir, what we are doing when we consume true stories in society, and what that means for the ways we engage with each other across our differences. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/04/13/charlie-gilmour-on-fatherhood-and-the-cost-of-writing-a-memoir

*Content Note* This episode briefly touches on early chapters of Clementine's life where she was sexually abused as a minor. Listener caution, especially if listening with young children around, is advised. Clementine Morrigan is a writer and podcaster known for her active challenging of cancel culture from a leftist perspective. After her own cancellation in 2020 she began the Fucking Cancelled podcast with Jay Lesoleil, which looks to critique cancel culture, identitarianism, and 'social justice' orthodoxy. Clementine spoke about her upbringing, how abuse and bullying sent her down a path of alcoholism at a young age, her recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, what the 12 steps taught her about human dignity and forgiveness, and why that message left her at odds with 'cancel culture'. You can listen to Fucking Cancelled here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fucking-cancelled/id1549437914 You can read more from Clementine here: https://www.clementinemorrigan.com/ You can follow Clementine on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/clementinemorrigan/?hl=en Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/02/14/clementine-morrigan-on-trauma-alcohol-recovery-and-challenging-cancel-culture-from-the-left ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Sarah Langford is a criminal and family barrister gone farmer, and the author of the best-selling book ‘In Your Defence: True Stories of Life and Law’. Her most recent book, 'Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution’, is an account of her experience farming after moving to the countryside in 2017 and the stories of the farmers she’s met at a time of unprecedented change in agriculture. She spoke about the importance of meaningful work, how we should view those needing criminal defence with dignity, and why we should meet people where they are at when trying to change their mind. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/10/12/sarah-langford-on-the-importance-of-meaningful-work-and-how-not-to-change-someones-mind

Rachel is a doctor with a specialism in palliative care. Before going to medical school, she was a television journalist and documentary maker. She is the author of Sunday Times bestselling books ‘Your life in my hands’ and ‘Dear Life’, which is about her experiences working in a hospice. Her next book ‘Breathtaking’, about her experience on hospital COVID–19 wards, will be out next year. In this episode she speaks about unsuccessful attempts to become a Christian, her deep faith in humanity, feeling like a fraud as a journalist, and why we should all have more conversations about death.

Luke is a Music Journalist, Co-Founder of The Quietus and Writer of 'Out of the Woods', a memoir about sexuality, shame and the lure of the trees. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Find out more about Luke's work: https://twitter.com/LukeTurnerEsq

Arifa is the chief theatre critic at The Guardian. She is a former contributor to The Observer and previously worked as the arts editor at Tortoise Media. She is also a trustee of the Orwell Foundation, and has been a judge for the UK Theatre Awards and the Women's Prize for Fiction among others. She is also author of ‘Consumed’ about the life and early death of her sister from tuberculosis. Arifa speaks about why choice and freedom are sacred to her, her spiritual encounters with Islam, the delicacy of telling other people’s stories and the power of the arts. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

Yoram Hazony is a political analyst and writer from Israel. He is the President of the Herzl Institute, Chairman of the Edmund Burke, and author of a number of books, most recent of which is 'Conservatism: A Rediscovery'. He spoke about Orthodox Judaism and his path to reclaiming it, the fundamental differences between Conservatives and Marxists, and how Nationalism is frequently misunderstood. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/02/08/yoram-hazony-on-orthodox-judaism-conservatism-and-the-true-meaning-of-nationalism You can buy his latest book, Conservatism: A Rediscovery, here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/conservatism/yoram-hazony/9781800752337 CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 02:00 What is sacred to you? Yoram Hazony’s answer 06:06 Liberal childhood and the Jewish tradition 09:25 Conservative Labour and teenage loyalism 17:02 Spiritual Homecoming 22:55 Conservatism versus Liberalism 29:04 Woke neo-Marxism 37:49 Gratitude in a just conservative society 44:26 The Biblical argument for nationalism 50:10 Different lessons of the Holocaust 55:08 Reflection and outro ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

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.

Danté Stewart is a church leader and writer whose journalism has appeared in a variety of top newspapers across the America. His most recent book is Shoutin' in the Fire: An American Epistle. He spoke about his Southern Pentecostal childhood, his experience in a white majority church, parenting while black and much more. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/10/19/dant-stewart-on-family-church-and-race-in-america

This series of The Sacred Elizabeth spoke with nine fascinating individuals about their core values, and how the messages, philosophies and experiences from their childhood shaped them into the people they are today. She spoke with Abi Morgan, Dougald Hine, Audrey Assad, Patrick Deneen, Inaya Folarin Iman, Wes Streeting MP, Martin Shaw, Felix Marquardt and Satish Kumar. In this reflection episode, Elizabeth takes a look back at all these conversations and dwells on a couple key threads that were prominent throughout. Read the full transcription here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/07/19/series-reflection-how-stories-shape-our-lives ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Elizabeth Oldfield, writer and host of The Sacred podcast, alongside The Sacred producer Daniel Turner introduce a brand new series of The Sacred. Themed around her latest book ‘Fully Alive’, Elizabeth speaks about finding steadiness in our turbulent times, community and the desperate need for a rebranding of the word ‘sin’. She also discusses her hopes and fears for the release of her book. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: www.linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

Dame Prue Leith, DBE is a South African restaurateur, chef, television presenter/broadcaster, cookery writer, novelist and much more. Today she is widely known for being a judge on Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off. She is also the mother of Conservative MP, and former guest, Danny Kruger. She spoke about growing up in South Africa during apartheid, and the importance of tolerance when speaking to those different from ourselves. She also told wonderful stories about family, wrestling with questions of faith as an atheist, and how she got her moxie. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/11/16/dame-prue-leith-on-growing-up-during-apartheid-and-the-importance-of-tolerance

Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with renowned Islamic theologian Dr. Timothy Winter (Abdal Hakim Murad) to explore his journey to Islam and the depth and richness that he finds within the Islamic spiritual tradition. Dr. Winter shares the story of his own transformative journey, from attending a Christian school to a deep immersion in the world of Islam. Beyond his personal narrative, Dr. Winter delves into the surprising commonalities between Christianity and Islam, challenging common misconceptions and inviting listeners to consider the universal human yearning for the sacred. He also reflects on the resurgence of interest in traditional forms of religion and the need for a more prophetic, counter-cultural approach to faith. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHAPTERS 00:00 What is Sacred to you? Dr Timothy Winter answers 03:13 The Nature of Monotheism: Understanding Semitic Traditions 06:10 Childhood Influences: A Middle-Class English Upbringing 09:03 Family Legacy: Architecture, Modernism, and Religion 11:54 Education and Early Skepticism: The Role of Westminster School 14:45 The Search for Meaning: From Unitarianism to Islam 18:06 Sexuality and Spirituality 20:55 The Path to Conversion: A Gradual Awakening 23:46 Islam and Identity: Finding Roots in Faith 29:39 The Intersection of Islam and Christianity 33:07 Understanding Key Aspects of Islam 37:16 Interfaith Engagement 41:46 The Complexities of Jesus and Muhammad 42:16 Current Spiritual Landscape and Trends 48:15 Engaging with Differences and Common Humanity --- Keywords Islam, Christianity, monotheism, spirituality, sexuality, conversion, personal journey, theology, education, family legacy, Christianity, interfaith dialogue, spirituality, conversion, religious identity, cultural differences, common humanity, religious trends, Islamic theologian, lecturer in Islamic studies, Muslim devotional literature, Islamic theology, Interfaith dialogue, religious pluralism, Spirituality and modernity, Secularization, secularisation, Religious conversion, Sufism, Islamic philosophy, Islamic culture, Muslim identity, Muslim community, Religious revivalism, Postmodernism and religion, globalisation, Globalization and religion, Spiritual awakening, Transcendence, Meaning of life, Existential questions

Katherine May is the author of multiple books, both fiction and memoir, including the much celebrated Wintering and The Electricity of Every Living Thing. She most recently authored the book Enchantment: Reawakening Wonder in an Exhausted Age, and is the host of the very popular podcast How We Live Now. Katherine spoke about seasons of life, finding wonder in the everyday, class, autism, the weirdness of becoming a 'person of wisdom' to many and how to avoid becoming an internet guru. ** You can buy a copy of Katherine's book 'Enchantment' here: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571378357-enchantment/ ** ** And check out her podcast How We Live Now here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-we-live-now-with-katherine-may/id1516642192 ** Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/02/28/katherine-may-on-everyday-wonder-and-how-to-not-be-a-guru ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Dina is a novelist and also the author of the non-fiction book ‘The Ungrateful Refugee’. In this episode, she speaks about her childhood in war-torn Iran, refugee hostels in Rome and eventually in Oklahoma, why many refugees feel the need to show why they were a good investment, the nature of storytelling and more.

Sunder Katwala is the Director of the think tank, British Future. who have worked on issues such as immigration and identity. He was formerly General Secretary of the Fabian Society, and before that, he was a journalist and a leader writer for The Observer. Sunder spoke about growing up Irish Catholic, why he's broadly optimistic about the trajectory around race and identity in the UK, and why football is so central to who he is. You can buy Sunder's book How to be a Patriot here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Patriot-country-British-culture/dp/0008553866#:~:text=Book%20overview&text=How%20to%20be%20a%20Patriot%20offers%20a%20new%20way%20of,some%20questions%20to%20work%20through. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/03/20/sunder-katwala-on-race-identity-and-reimagining-patriotism ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

**Upcoming Sacred Live on April 19** Join Elizabeth Oldfield and Oliver Burkeman on April 19 for a live recording of The Sacred with a time for Q&A. Get your tickets today using the promo code SACREDLIVE2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sacred-live-feat-elizabeth-oldfield-and-oliver-burkeman-tickets-565116999157 Kate Bowler is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, and Associate Professor of American Religious History at Duke University. Kate is also the host of the Everything Happens podcast where she talks to people about what they’ve learned in difficult times. She spoke about tragicomedy, finding purpose during times of suffering and why the prosperity gospel and manifesting are so problematic. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/03/08/kate-bowler-on-tragicomedy-and-the-errors-of-manifesting-and-prosperity-gospel CHAPTERS (00:00) Introduction (03:11) What is sacred to you? Kate Bowler’s answer (08:27) Slick preachers, televangelists and women religious celebrities (11:49) Childhood, religion as a worldview, and the lovely nosiness of theology (17:26) Entering academia: dreams, sacrifices, and the horrible truth (21:19) Gendered misdiagnosis, colon cancer and incredible support (27:48) Desperate forms of Christianity and the prosperity gospel’s ubiquity (34:49) The reason for cancer and the life raft of Love (40:40) A book for letting go and a podcast for fighting loneliness (47:42) On how to be supportive to someone who is suffering (53:35) The distortions of social media and how to bowl down the middle (57:16) The ‘faux secular’ perfect world of #blessed, and genuine blessing (61:17) Elizabeth Oldfield’s reflection on her conversation with Kate Bowler ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

**Upcoming Sacred Live on April 19** Join Elizabeth Oldfield and Oliver Burkeman on April 19 for a live recording of The Sacred with a time for Q&A. Get your tickets today using the promo code SACREDLIVE2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sacred-live-feat-elizabeth-oldfield-and-oliver-burkeman-tickets-565116999157 Elizabeth Oldfield reflects on Series 6 of The Sacred. This series she spoke to Nick Cave, Sean O'Hagan, Clover Stroud, Jared Yates Sexton, Yoram Hazony, Tanni Grey Thompson, Katharine Birbalsingh, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn and Kate Bowler, and in these conversations explored topics such as grief, living life to the fullest, what we pass on to the next generation, Paul Bunyan, Marvel Movies and fundamentally what it means to be human. Visit our channel to find all of the Series 6 episodes and more! ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

This episode takes place live at The Realisation Festival, and in it Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to activist, Satish Kumar. Satish Kumar is a peace activist and formerly Jain monk who has spent his life promoting sustainability, spirituality and nonviolence to audiences and communities across the globe. He is also the Editor Emeritus of the Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine. Satish spoke about his upbringing and the experience of becoming a Jain monk aged 9, the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on his life and outlook and how he deals with those who approach his beliefs and practices with cynicism. Many thanks to the team at The Realisation Festival for organising and recording this event. You can find out more about them and their work here: https://realisationfestival.com/ Read the full transcription here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/07/10/satish-kumar-on-life-as-a-jain-monk-and-lessons-from-decades-of-peace-activism ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Sophia Smith Galer is currently working as the BBC World Services’ first ever visual journalist in faith and ethics. In this episode Sophia speaks about her experience as one of the first journalists in the UK to be experimenting with Tik Tok, why good religion reporting is so vital, and why journalism and opera singing have a surprising amount in common.

Wes Streeting is the the Labour MP for Ilford North, and was elected in 2015. Since being elected he has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He is also the author of the soon-to-be-released memoir 'One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up'. Wes spoke about his childhood growing up in a council flat and the figures that raised him, his journey with his faith and sexuality, and navigating political divides within the House of Commons. You can purchase Wes' new book, 'One Boy, Two Bills and a Fry Up', here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Boy-Two-Bills-Fry/dp/1399710109/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1687772807&refinements=p_27%3AWes+Streeting&s=books&sr=1-1 Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/06/28/wes-streeting-mp-on-growing-up-in-a-council-flat-and-why-politics-matters ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Anne McElvoy is a journalist and broadcaster, and host of the BBC Radio 4 series 'Across the Red Line'. Her career has seen her writing and presenting for numerous outlets including Politico, The Economist, The Spectator and The Evening Standard. Anne spoke about her childhood growing up going to a Catholic comprehensive school, her journey in the world of journalism, why she's increasingly concerned about the way we have public debates and what she's trying to do about that. Listen to Across The Red Line, here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09m2bj1 ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Tea Uglow is the former Creative Director for Google's Creative Labs in Sydney and one of Deloitte's #OUT50 LGBTI+ Leaders for 2018. They are also the author of the books 'A Curiosity of Doubts' and 'Loud and Proud: LGBTQ+ Speeches that Empower and Inspire'. Tea spoke about their childhood, prior to transitioning, and the difficulties of growing up during Margaret Thatcher's Section 28 legislation in the UK. They also spoke about the influence of technology in our lives, the power it has to shape our society and where we might have missed the boat on legislating Artificial Intelligence. ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

From two different spiritual perspectives, we explore what it means to remain connected, rooted and to live a meaning-filled life in these turbulent times. Drawing from their personal experiences and spiritual journeys, they delve into the nature of the sacred, the importance of relationships and community, and the practical steps we can take to resist being poorly formed in these times of uncertainty. If you enjoy episodes of The Sacred don't forget to hit subscribe to be notified whenever we release an episode! 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Learn more about Sarah Wilson https://sarahwilson.com/ -- Authors Elizabeth Oldfield and Sarah Wilson delve into the profound questions of what it means to be fully human and alive in these turbulent times. Exploring themes of the sacred, relationships, and spiritual core strength, they offer a holistic perspective on navigating the complexities of the modern world. Drawing from their personal experiences and diverse spiritual backgrounds, Elizabeth and Sarah share wisdom on overcoming acedia, cultivating resilience, and rediscovering a sense of purpose and connection. Whether you're grappling with grief, seeking to deepen your understanding of the human condition, or simply yearning for a more meaningful way of living, this dialogue offers invaluable insights. Listeners will be inspired to reclaim the sacred, embrace their shared humanity, and find practical steps to become more fully alive, even amidst the challenges of our current moment. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in personal growth, spirituality, and the future of humanity.

Suzanne is a journalist and columnist who for many years was at The Guardian, but has also written for the Mail on Sunday, Marxism Today and now writes for The Telegraph. In this episode she speaks about her rebellious youth, her atheism, how she understands the role of a journalist and briefly about her departure from The Guardian last year.

Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist, author and professor at New York University Stern School of Business. He is the author of a number of highly influential books including The Happiness Hypothesis (2006), The Righteous Mind (2012), The Coddling of the American Mind (2018), and The Anxious Generation (2024). Jonathan spoke about the importance of truth, his atheism, experiences of using psychedelics, and why he thinks we are over protecting children in the physical world and under protecting them and in digital and online spaces. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/03/27/jonathan-haidt-on-religion-psychedelics-and-the-anxious-generation Learn more about The Anxious Generation here: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/ Buy The Anxious Generation here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9780241647660?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=117976&awc=3787_1711364129_0b812600adff731b0dbd345a0ad86d49&utm_source=117976&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Penguin+Books Subscribe (for free) to his Substack After Babel here: https://www.afterbabel.com/ Follow Jonathan on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/JonHaidt ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

In the final episode of this series, Elizabeth speaks to Sarah Eberle, the most-decorated RHS garden designer. She has made RHS Chelsea Flower Show history by winning a Gold Medal in every category there is to enter. This year, Sarah turns her hand to the Psalm 23 Garden in the Urban Garden section for the Bible Society. In this episode she speaks about why nature is sacred to her, what gardening teaches us about compassion and humility, the legacy of her unconventional schooling and her free-range childhood, and why gardening can bring people together across divides. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @sacred_podcast

Omid is a stand up comedian, actor, producer and writer. He grew up in Kensington with his Iranian Bahai family. He has appeared in Mamma Mia 2, Snatch, His Dark Materials and The Infidel among many other films, and he currently hosts the quiz show The Winning Combination on ITV2. In this episode he speaks about the impact of the Iranian revolution on his teenage faith, seeing comedy as a vocation that brings joy, and his experiences of dealing with racism.

*EPISODE DISCLAIMER* This episode was recorded before brand allegations emerged. It feels very timely but also potentially a difficult time for us to be releasing it. In the end, we wanted to leave as is because Thordis and her story is about more than sexual violence, and because the topic of sexual violence itself is about more than one person and their story. But we're also very aware there are a lot of complex and conflicting thoughts following the allegations emerging. So as ever please do get in touch and let us know your thoughts. Thordis Elva is a writer and speaker best known for her powerful story of forgiving and reconciling with her rapist, Tom. Her Ted Talk, given alongside Tom, has been viewed over six million times. Thordis spoke about her story of sexual assault and journey to forgiveness, the challenge of recognising the human nature of those who hurt you, and the uniting force that is hope. Watch Thordis' Ted talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/thordis_elva_and_tom_stranger_our_story_of_rape_and_reconciliation Buy a copy of Thordis' book, South of Forgiveness, here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/south-of-forgiveness/thordis-elva/tom-stranger/9781911344056 ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Freddie Sayers is Editor-in-Chief of UnHerd and host of the podcast UnHerd with Freddie Sayers. He was the former Editor-in-Chief of YouGov and founder of Politics Home. Freddie spoke about his sacred value of beauty, his unconventional path into political journalism, why he began to question some of the underlying logic and culture of liberalism, his outspoken criticism of lockdown policy's during COVID-19, and how he navigates being unorthodox and questioning without descending into tribalism. Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2024/03/06/freddie-sayers-on-political-tribalism-and-questioning-the-status-quo ** Listen to Freddie's podcast UnHerd with Freddie Sayers here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/unherd-with-freddie-sayers/id1540134798 ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

In this special bonus episode of The Sacred, we are glad to share a conversation Elizabeth had with writer and podcaster Clementine Morrigan on her podcast 'Fucking Cancelled'. In this conversation they discussed Elizabeth's book Fully Alive, taking a deep dive into her thinking around Lust, Wrath and what Christian's mean by 'God' at all. Clementine is a former guest on The Sacred. Be sure to check out her episode discussing trauma, alcohol recovery, and challenging cancel culture from the left here: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/clementine-morrigan-on-trauma-alcohol-recovery-and/id1326888108?i=1000645258658 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 🎙️ Follow Fucking Cancelled: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fucking-cancelled/id1549437914 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson DBE DL is an 11 time gold-winning Paralympian, and cross-bench peer in the House of Lords. Her highly successful career has seen her become one of Great Britain's most accomplished athletes, to sitting on and chairing various boards, including @_ukactive, to politics, to her active role in politics. She spoke about the joy of sport and the role it plays in society, her dogged approach to politics, and what has and hasn't changed for disabled people in society. Read the full transcipt here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/02/15/tanni-grey-thompson-on-the-joy-of-sport-and-the-trials-disabled-people-face-in-society Here are some helpful guidelines to consider when when communicating with or about disabled people: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-communication/inclusive-language-words-to-use-and-avoid-when-writing-about-disability ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

This series of The Sacred Elizabeth spoke with nine fascinating individuals about their core values, and how the messages, philosophies and experiences from their childhood shaped them into the people they are today. She spoke with Cole Arthur Riley, Thordis Elva, James Marriott, Tomiwa Owolade, Anne McElvoy, Tea Uglow, Iain McGilchrist and John Vervaeke. In this reflection episode, Elizabeth takes a look back at all these conversations and dwells on a couple key threads that were prominent throughout. Read 'Can there ever be a larger us in the Middle East?', which Elizabeth contributed to, here: https://larger.us/ideas/larger-us-middle-east/ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro: Scheduling Beyond Demographic Boxes 00:03:00 Series Theme 1: Rigorous Particularity 00:03:59 Series Theme 2: Human Formation 00:07:52 Series Theme 3: Taking Time to Reflect 00:12:00 Series Theme 4: Anti–tribalism 00:15:29 Additional reflection: Israel and Gaza ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Grace is an American journalist. She has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the American Conservative among many others, and usually with a family or a farming focus. She has recently written a book called ‘Uprooted’ which explores the effects of the rural brain drain on farming communities, the huge ecological problems that global agri-business brings and questions in a very personal way whether our association of success with cosmopolitan mobility is problematic for our communities. In this episode she speaks about her personal wrestle with leaving her rural community, having a consistent pro-life ethic, and why she no longer feels at home in conservatism.

Chris is Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths University, a fellow at the British Psychological Society and a patron of Humanists UK. In this episode he speaks about what being a sceptic means to him, the difficulty of living out a fully materialist worldview, why even scientists have to take some things on faith and much more.

This series of The Sacred Elizabeth spoke with eight fascinating individuals about their core values, and how the messages, philosophies and experiences from their childhood shaped them into the people they are today. She spoke with Greg Wise, Clementine Morrigan, Chris Packham, Katherine May, Freddie Sayers, Elizabeth Alker, Sunder Katwala and Jonathan Haidt. In this reflection episode, Elizabeth takes a look back at all these conversations and dwells on a couple key threads that were prominent throughout. ***** The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events. CONNECT WITH THE SACRED Twitter: https://twitter.com/sacred_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacred_podcast/ CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH OLDFIELD Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESOldfield Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethsaraholdfield/ Substack: https://morefullyalive.substack.com/ Pre-order her book Fully Alive: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fully-Alive-searching-twenty-first-Turbulent/dp/1399810766/ref=asc_df_1399810766/ CONNECT WITH THEOS Theos monthly newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/E9E17CAB71AC7464 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Theosthinktank Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosthinktank LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theos---the-think-tank/ Website: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ CHECK OUT OUR PODCASTS The Sacred: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sacred/id1326888108 Reading Our Times: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/reading-our-times/id1530952185

Krithika is a columnist at the Wall Street Journal in New York and a former foreign correspondent based in Indonesia. She is a National Geographic Explorer and her first book ‘The Call: Inside the Global Saudi Religious Project’ was launched in April. In this episode she speaks about growing up in a Hindu home, being humble and doing your research on covering religion, and why it’s vital that journalists take faith seriously.