Mary – Slow Down
The tranquillity of the park where I sat in my favourite coffee shop with my two-year-old, did not reflect how I was feeling. As I gathered our things together, after a failed attempt for a moment of peace over my coffee, I heard it clearly. “Slow down.” The words came from deep inside. They stopped […]
Jennifer Bird – Deconstructing Biblical Sex and Marriage (N338)
In this episode, we sit down with biblical scholar Dr. Jennifer Bird to explore the Bible’s complex portrayals of marriage and sexuality. Jennifer shares her journey from conservative evangelicalism to a more nuanced, humanistic perspective, and helps us unpack, among other things, Jesus and Paul’s lack of enthusiasm for marriage, the Bible’s limitations as a […]
Munther Isaac – Gaza, God and Genocide (N337)
In this episode, we speak with Munther Isaac about the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and what led to the current crisis in Gaza. Munther, a Palestinian pastor and theologian, reflects on the intersection of theology and politics, and what faith, hope and love might mean in the face of such terrible suffering. Following the […]
Sally Douglas – Jesus Sophia (N336)
In this episode, we’re joined by theologian and minister, Sally Douglas. Sally helps us explore the idea of Jesus as Sophia, the embodiment of the female divine. Together, we unpack themes like righteous anger, justice, and the sacredness of all creation. Sally shares how reclaiming Sophia’s presence in the Gospels challenges patriarchal structures, inspires a […]
Noel Moules – Creation as Incarnation: A Christian Animist Perspective (N335)
In this special devotional episode, anabaptist, anarchist and animist Noel Moules explores the profound mystery of incarnation from his unique perspective as a Christian animist. He considers the interconnectedness of all things—seeing the sacredness in both creation and spirit, and how personhood extends beyond humanity to the entire cosmos. Noel reflects on how Jesus’ life […]
Christmas Q&A (N334)
In this special seasonal episode, your Nomad hosts come together for a Q&A session filled with festive cheer and thoughtful reflections. As a heartfelt thank-you to our amazing supporters—whose generosity has made this year’s Nomadic journey possible—we’re diving into their most pressing (and quirky) questions. While our answers may not always be the most accurate […]
Brian Zahnd – Christians in the Age of Trump [Revisited] (N333)
Back in 2019, Tim Nash and David Blower sat down with Brian Zahnd to explore the toxic entanglement between Church and Empire, and the resulting religion Zahnd calls “Americanism.” From rethinking how we read Scripture to the deeply political implications of the cross, Zahnd offers a vision of living as citizens of God’s kindom amidst […]
Karen O’Donnell – Radical Practices for Remaking the Self (N332)
No stranger to loss and trauma, feminist theologian, Karen O’Donnell helps us to reconsider some commonly held perspectives around spiritual practice. Sharing from research and lived experience, she offers insight into how we might benefit from reimagining our approach to rebuilding and remaking ourselves in the aftermath of difficult, or damaging, life experiences. Following the […]
Dave Tomlinson – The Bad Christian’s Guide to Prayer (N331)
Dave Tomlinson joins us to reflect on his faith journey and how his evolving understanding of God has profoundly reshaped his approach to prayer. He explores the idea that prayer is for everyone, regardless of belief, advocating for the “democratisation” of prayer and sacraments. For Dave, these spiritual practices aren’t confined to religious rituals but […]
Joanna Leidenhag – The Consciousness of All Things (N330)
In this episode, Joanna Leidenhag explores the fascinating nature of consciousness and its implications for how we understand ourselves and the world around us. She challenges traditional views that separate mind and body, and instead advocates for panpsychism, an understanding that she believes better fosters environmental awareness, deeper respect for diverse cultures. And a view […]
Brian McLaren – Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart (N329)
Author and activist Brian McLaren joins us again, this time to explore how we navigate the many current crises humanity is facing. He reflects on the role of art, spirituality, and indigenous teaching in fostering the wisdom and resilience we’ll need as we try to imagine a new world. It’s a profound reflection on how […]
Thomas Oord – Reimagining the Divine After Omnipotence (N328)
Theologian Thomas Oord joins us again to explore a vision of God as radically loving but not omnipotent. We look at the implications of challenging this traditional notion of divine control and how it has reshaped Tom’s understanding of creation, evolution, suffering, liberation, the nature of God’s power and the potential for hope without guarantees. […]
Matthijs Vlaardingerbroek – The Parable of the Sea, the Beach and All That Wretched Sand
What started as a fun outing soon became a weekly tradition. Every Sunday morning, my parents and I would go to the beach. We never missed a week. There, we sang children’s songs about the Sea and listened to exciting stories about people who had experienced adventures at Sea. If there was time left, we […]
Jon Bilbrough (aka Wilderthorn) – Soundscapes and Sacred Spaces (N327)
In this episode artist and musician Jon Bilbrough reflects on his spiritual and creative heritage and how it shaped his unique musical journey. From early memories of communal singing to the experimental sounds of the 90s, Jon shares his deep connection with music, nature, and place. He discusses the contemplative approach of his recent work, […]
Elizabeth Oldfield – Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times (N326)
On this episode Elizabeth Oldfield joins us to talk about what it means to tend to our souls during turbulent times. Elizabeth shares the practices that are helping her become a depolarising presence in a culture of outrage, tribalism, and division, and forming intentional community in an age of disconnection and isolation. She also reflects […]
Keith Giles – The Secret Sayings of Jesus (N325)
In the canonical gospels, we’re told that Jesus met privately with his disciples to “explain everything”. Ever wondered what those teachings were? Teacher and author Keith Giles believes that the Gospel of Thomas could unveil these private teachings of Jesus. According to Keith, this gospel centres on non-duality and divine oneness, and might hold the […]
Sophie Grace Chappell – Trans Figured (N324)
In this episode we welcome professor Sophie Grace Chappell, who shares her profound journey of faith, gender identity, and self-acceptance. Identified male at birth, Sophie Grace reflects on her early sense of being female, her experience of the evangelical church, and the reconciliation of her faith with her transgender identity. With compassion and insight, she […]
Therapist Q&A (N323)
Host Joy Brooks has gathered a group of psychotherapists from the Nomad therapy network to see how they answer questions from members of the Beloved Listener Lounge. Considering questions such as “what makes therapy transformational?”, “what would you say to someone who was told to trust the bible not feelings?”, “how can I function while […]
John Butler – Finding Stillness in a Chaotic World (N322)
Drawing on his life as an organic farmer and over six decades of meditation, contemplative John Butler gently guides us on a journey towards inner stillness. Born in the 1930’s, John reflects on the slow emergence of a spirituality shaped by years of deep connection to the natural world, mantra meditation, and an unexpected mystical […]
Olivia Jackson – Deconstruction Myths and Accusations (N321)
When our faith is shifting we’re often met with a variety of challenging responses from others. Drawing from her research, Olivia Jackson helps us to consider whether or not these responses reflect the lived experiences of those who are deconstructing. Afterwards Nick and Joy reflect on their own paths as they consider the impact of […]
Carolyn – How a Plant Medicine Experience Has Supported My Faith Journey
It may be that some little root of the sacred tree still lives. Nourish it then, that it may leaf and bloom and fill with singing birds. Black Elk Sometimes opportunities come along that on the one hand seem totally outlandish but also offer a chance to grow and reframe old ways of thinking. My […]
David Hayward – Til Doubt Do Us Part (N320)
In this episode we chat with pastor turned artist David Hayward, aka Naked Pastor. David shares his journey from church leadership, through faith deconstruction, to a more expansive spirituality. The conversation focusses on David’s marriage, and how he and his wife navigated the complex dynamics of reimagining their relationship amid profound spiritual change. It’s a […]
Anthony Reddie & Al Barrett – Deconstructing Whiteness
This is a conversation between Anthony Reddie and Al Barrett about whiteness. Weaving personal experiences with theological insights, they reflect on privilege, power, empire, race and identity, and wrestle with the need for both critical deconstruction and hopeful reimagining. It’s a nuanced and inspiring conversation between two scholar activists about the pursuit of a more […]
Anthony Reddie & Al Barrett – Deconstructing Whiteness (N319)
Professor Anthony Reddie and Revd. Dr. Al Barrett join us for a conversation about whiteness. Weaving personal experiences with theological insights, they reflect on privilege, power, empire, race and identity, and wrestle with the need for both critical deconstruction and hopeful reimagining. It’s a nuanced and inspiring conversation between two scholar activists about the pursuit […]
Timothy Beal – Finding Hope at the End of the World (N318)
Faced with multiple existential threats in the coming decades, professor of religion Timothy Beal reflects on the possibility of human extinction and what hope might look like within that context. Timothy challenges the notion of perpetual optimism, advocating instead for a deeper, more grounded form of hope. Through insights from indigenous spirituality and palliative care […]
Vanessa Chamberlin – A Spirituality of the Land (N317)
In this Easter devotional podcast, Vanessa Chamberlin reflects on biblical narratives and personal mystical experiences as she navigates the intersection of theology, art, and ecological consciousness. Following Vanessa’s reflection, Anna Robinson creates a contemplative space for us to more deeply reflect on and experience this spirituality of the land. All this is beautifully woven together […]
Alissa Rose – You Do Not Have to be Good
You do not have to be good.You do not have to walk on your kneesfor a hundred miles through the desert repenting.You only have to let the soft animal of your bodylove what it loves. – Mary Oliver In the dusky twilight of Alaska, my faith grew in the arms of my father’s faith. I […]
Selina Stone – Womanist Ways (N316)
Theologian Selina Stone joins us to share her experience of growing up in a black Pentecostal church, the questions and doubts she wrestled with, and the answers she found in womanist theology. Among other things, Selina reflects on the limitations of traditional theology, the role of spirituality in fostering well-being, her evolving relationship with the […]
Roger Nuttall – Still Coming Home
When I left the UK in 1987, as a 21-year-old atheist, to hitch-hike around America for the second time, I was in search of ‘truth’: on the one hand envisaging finding it by meditating on a mountaintop, on the other hand not really believing ‘truth’ existed. I’d previously run away twice, including ‘eloping’ with a […]
Mark Karris – Healing From Hell (N315)
Therapist and author Mark Karris joins us to discuss religious trauma and the path to healing. Drawing on his own personal experiences and professional insights as a therapist, Mark reflects on oppressive religious beliefs, in particular the doctrine of Hell, original sin, and the image of a wrathful God, and the harm this can cause […]
Cole Arthur Riley – Black Liturgies (N314)
Poet and author Cole Arthur Riley joins us to talk about her desire for a spirituality that was more human and a more liberating expression of faith. This journey led to the emergence of Black Liturgies. From prayers and poetry to breath practices and ancestral writings, this digital project explores spirituality that embraces embodiment, lament, […]
Bethany Sollereder – Animal Suffering and the Love of God (N313)
In this podcast theologian and author Bethany Sollereder explores the complex intersection of animal suffering, the evolutionary process and divine love. She reflects on God’s role in the face of suffering, the possibility of redemption for non-human animals, and creation’s journey towards love and maturity. It’s a fascinating conversation about theology, evolution, and the ultimate […]
Andy Read – Five Days in France
Church was always going to be my thing. My mother raised her hand at Billy Graham’s London crusade in ’54, and her life was never the same again. Too soon after, she was making another big choice; delaying chemotherapy until after I was born. Her last words six months later were filled with prayers of […]
Rachel Held Evans – Losing My Evangelical Religion [Revisited] (N312)
To kick off 2024 we thought we’d share a Nomad Revisited episode with you. Each month on Revisited Tim and Nick raid the Nomad archives, dust off an old interview, and ponder where their faith was then, where it is now, and what influences shaped that transition. Nomad Revisited is usually tucked away behind a […]
Christena Cleveland – A Spirituality of the Womb (N311)
In this Christmas devotional podcast, Dr Christena Cleveland explores the symbolism of the Black Madonna. In times of dysregulation and uncertainty, the Black Madonna has provided Christena a powerful symbol of love, nurture and connection, allowing her to move from a spirituality of fear to one of trust. Following Christena’s refection, Anna Robinson creates a […]
Tim Annan – It Started with a Cup of Tea…
As I sit down to write this, I’ve become very much aware of the fact that I’m in the twilight days of my 20’s…and I’ve spent 17 years of my life doing *something* in the church. That’s more than half my life. *Insert exacerbated expletive here* This is, to those that knew me growing up, […]
Christmas Q&A (N310)
In this special seasonal episode, all the Nomad hosts come together for a Q&A to infuse your holidays with festive cheer.As a thank you to our beloved listeners whose financial support made this year’s 24 Nomad episodes possible, we’ve gathered around the virtual fireplace to wrestle with 24 of their burning questions. Everything from our […]
Jay Hulme – A Queer Journey of Saints and Sanctuaries (N309)
Author and poet Jay Hulme joins us to talk about his literal and metaphorical search to connect with a variety of ancient and eccentric saintly figures. Weaving together themes of wilderness, faith, sexuality and decay, Jay speaks of the connections he discovered and the inspiration we might find when examining these lives from long ago. […]
Tim F. – How Stepping Out of Church Brought Me True Salvation
In 2018 I found myself at a point in life where I was terrified upon realising that my faith as it had been for my entire life didn’t seem to be working anymore. After already suffering a few years of general anxiety (often subconsciously and not knowing any obvious cause), there seemed to be a […]
Dana Hicks – Reimagining Marriage (N308)
In this episode former pastor Dana Hicks guides us through the evolving landscape of marriage and relationships. Dana explores how our cultural perceptions of marriage are shifting and challenging established norms, and ponders the relevance of biblical images of marriage for our modern context. With a focus on reimagining relationships, Dana helps us explore ideas […]
Ilia Delio – The Primacy of Love (N307)
In this episode we’re joined by Franciscan sister and theologian Ilia Delio. Ilia guides us through the intersection of science, spirituality, and love. We explore the concept of God’s love as a fundamental force in the cosmos, existing at the heart of everything, connecting us to God, each other and the physical structures of the […]
Lindsay Munroe – Sexuality After Purity Culture (N306)
As part of her personal spiritual journey and theological master’s research, Lindsay Monroe invited a group of women to explore the impact of purity culture on their sexuality. We invite her to discuss what she discovered, about the harm inflicted by this ideology and how we might be open to finding healthier and more authentic […]
ChatGPT – In AI We Trust? (N305)
In this episode we speak with a non-human guest: the AI chatbot, ChatGPT. We quiz ChatGPT on the ethical complexities and moral implications of weaving AI into our lives and spiritual journeys. We discuss what safeguards need to be in place to ensure AI acts as a catalyst for human flourishing, what AI can teach […]
Nicola Slee – Abba Amma: Improvisations on the Lord’s Prayer (N304)
Reflecting on the Lord’s Prayer, theologian, writer, and poet Nicola Slee delves into some of it’s problematic language, and through a process of improvisation reimagines the prayer as one that brings a universal message of hope in a world marred by injustice. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson reflect on their […]
David Blower – Farewell and Godspeed (N303)
Well, this is it. After over six years of hosting, interviewing, music and creativity, David Blower is bowing out.In his final episode Tim and David reflect on David’s nomad journey, answer listener questions, and listen to some music. And, of course, talk about the Nah Box and signs of hope.So raise a glass, wipe the […]
Michael Frost – Deconstructing the Christian Narrative of Power (N302)
Host of the In the Shift podcast Michael Frost is a researcher, writer and theologian. In this episode he shares from his own experience of faith and church, as he unpicks the language that has so often been co-opted in Christian spaces to enforce power and perpetuate unhealthy systems of control. Afterwards Nick Thorley and […]
Sam Ewell – A Convivial Faith (N301)
Theologian and community gardener Sam Ewell reflects on his years as a missionary and a neighbour, and how a radical priest called Ivan Illich led him back to the soil. After the interview, Nomad hosts David Blower and Anna Robinson ponder how the life and teaching of Illich might help shape their evolving faith. Interview […]
Claire Gilbert – Revelations of Divine Love (N300)
During two and a half years of cancer treatment, Claire Gilbert found a spiritual companion in Julian of Norwich. We speak to Claire about her experience of writing Julian’s fictional autobiography. She considers the tensions between Julian’s visions and Holy church, whilst reflecting on the possibilities that open up when we are transformed by both […]
Doug King – Spiral Dynamics, Deconstruction and the Future of Faith (N299)
We speak with Doug King about the evolution of his faith, progressing from Christian fundamentalism to a post-Christian identity. At the heart of Doug’s understanding of this journey is the historical framework of Spiral Dynamics, a model that illuminates the evolution of worldviews across cultures worldwide. This model reveals that the journey many of us […]
John Griffiths: Why Am I Still in Church? – A Story of Deconstruction From the Inside
Hearing the stories of so many others who have left I have wondered why I have not – this is a kind of explanation. I found four reasons. First I was raised in a missionary family so left home aged 6 to go to the mission school and left the far east aged 9 to […]
Sally Mann – Encountering the Neighbourhood (N298)
Sally Mann has lived on the same road in East Ham that her family have lived on since the 1800s. She and Dave have worked and played with their neighbours to form all kinds of shared spaces for common life: community halls, gardens, sports fields and more. This is a story about faith shaped more […]
Rachel and Simon Jay – Complex Families
This is a conversation between Rachel and Simon Jay. Together they reflect on their experiences of fostering and adoption as well as raising their own biological children. They discuss what they’ve learnt, and explore the expectations, challenges and delights of being family. We have made this conversation public domain, so you are free to turn […]
Rachel and Simon Jay – Complex Families (N297)
Over the last 20 years Rachel and Simon Jay have been parents to many children through fostering and adoption as well as raising their own biological children. In this conversational episode, we listen in as they reflect on their experiences, discuss what they’ve learnt, and explore the expectations, challenges and delights of being family. QUOTES […]
Brad Jersak – The Great Deconstruction (N296)
We speak with author and teacher, Brad Jersak about his book Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction, and how his dark night of the soul led him to a 12 Step program, the Eastern Orthodox Church and to a new kind of faith. Brad also reflects on the roots of what he […]
Olivia Jackson – Stories of Deconstructing Faith (N295)
Frustrated at the lack of literature on faith deconstruction, Olivia Jackson carried out her own research as she sought to provide hope and solidarity to others on a similar journey. Here she talks about her own story, alongside the impact of receiving hundreds of questionnaires and listening to 140 individual experiences in order to draw […]
Ched Myers – Easter and Empire (N294)
In this Easter special we interviewed the theologian Ched Myers about the politics of the passion narratives, exploring what the cross and its religious atonement ideas have to do with colonialism, capitalism and the power structures we live in today. WEBSITE Ched Myers BOOKS Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of […]
Pete Enns – Curveballs, the Bible and Finding a Bigger God (N293)
We speak with Bible scholar and author, Pete Enns about his new book Curveball, and how he allowed his crisis of faith and deconstruction to open him up to new ways of engaging with the Bible, and to a God who was bigger and more mysterious than he could have previously imagined. After the interview […]
Carmen Acevedo Butcher – Practice of the Presence (N292)
In this episode we speak with award-winning translator Carmen Acevedo Butcher. Carmen’s latest work is a new, inclusive translation of Brother Lawrence’s classic Practice of the Presence.Brother Lawrence was a poor, uneducated, disabled monk who worked in a monastery kitchen, who found the divine in the depths of his soul, and learnt to experience the […]
Jo Dolby & Azariah France-Williams – When Leaders Deconstruct
This is a conversation between Jo Dolby, Hub leader of Oasis Church Bath, and Anglican Priest Azariah France-Williams. Together they reflect on their faith shifting experiences alongside navigating church leadership roles. With honesty and humour they communicate the challenges and rewards of growing towards a wider understanding of faith, whilst carrying responsibilities within a Christian […]
Gareth Higgins – The Stories We Tell Ourselves (N291)
Growing up during the northern Ireland Troubles, author Gareth Higgins experienced some of the devastation stories can effect on individuals and communities. He joins us to talk about his subsequent development and growth, reflecting on the role of story telling and inviting us to consider its role in our own beliefs, relationships and communities. Following […]
Ann van Wijgerden – An English Dutch Filipino Journey
“Suppose you have one guilder. Which poor person would you give it to – the one who’s a Christian, or the one who isn’t?” It was around 1990 and my husband and I were facing The Dreaded Grilling by his home church elders. We worked with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in the Philippines, were […]
Katelyn Beaty – Celebrities for Jesus (N290)
In this episode we chat with journalist and editor Katelyn Beaty about Christian celebrity. After distinguishing between celebrity and fame, Katelyn explores the ways celebrity has shaped the church and Christian faith in unhealthy ways, how it has led to the abuse of power, the pursuit of growth at all costs, and the fall from […]
Mark Vernon – Spiritual Intelligence (N289)
Psychotherapist and philosopher Mark Vernon chats with us about his evolving faith journey, and his conviction that nurturing our spiritual intelligence is crucial if we are to survive and thrive in these troubled times. Known by many names, spiritual intelligence, Mark contends, is the foundation of who we are and the foundation of peace, purpose […]
Jo Dolby & Azariah France-Williams – When Leaders Deconstruct (N288)
In this episode we listen in on a conversation between Jo Dolby, Hub leader of Oasis Church Bath, and Anglican Priest Azariah France-Williams. Together they reflect on their faith shifting experiences alongside navigating church leadership roles. With honesty and humour they communicate the challenges and rewards of growing towards a wider understanding of faith, whilst […]
The Christmas Episode (N287)
Since the world has all been a bit much lately, here are your loving Nomad hosts talking about Christmas songs and films, weird dreams, family gatherings, the smell of tinsel and other varying shades of Christmas nostalgia, with songs and jingle bells included. Merry Christmas one and all.
Kyle Roberts – Born of a Virgin? (N286)
Christmas is just round the corner, so we’ve invited Professor Kyle Roberts to help us ponder the idea of Jesus’s virgin conception. Kyle helps us wrestle with questions like, where did Jesus get his Y chromosome from? What’s so great about virginity? And can Jesus stand in solidarity with humanity if he came into the […]
Kathy Escobar – Shifting Faith in a Weary World (N285)
Passionate about creating safe spaces for people on the margins of faith and life, Kathy Escobar talks to us about the values and practices that help us to connect with ourselves and others at difficult times. Through shifting faith and traumatic loss, she shares principles that have guided her towards a more congruent and healthy […]
Hillary McBride – The Man Box (N284)
Therapist, researcher and writer Hillary McBride is back on the show, this time to talk about toxic masculinity. Hillary takes us through some of the various characteristics and manifestations of toxic masculinity, reflects on why it has become so pervasive in Western society, why it often show up in our images of God and in […]
Joy, Nick and Tim Read The Bible (N283)
Having read the Gospel of John, Nomad hosts Joy Brooks, Nick Thorley and Tim Nash get together for a chat about the Bible. They reflect on the view of the Bible they inherited, the role it played in their deconstruction, how it felt reading the Bible again after a number of years, and what role […]
Heather King – The Little Way (N282)
We chat with author Heather King about how the faith she inherited was profoundly reshaped both by recovery from addiction to alcohol and the discovery of the 19th Century French saint Thérèse of Lisieux. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash, Anna Robinson and Nick Thorley, reflect on their own experiences of brokenness and addiction […]
Lisa Miller – The Spiritually Awakened Brain (N281)
We chat with professor, researcher and clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Miller about her fascinating research into the benefits of spirituality.Dr. Miller’s groundbreaking research has revealed that humans are universally equipped with a capacity for spirituality, and that our brains become more resilient and robust as we engage with healthy spiritual beliefs and practices. After the […]
Robyn Henderson-Espinoza – Body Becoming (N280)
We chat with activist and scholar Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza about their journey towards reconnecting with their body, and the role bodies play in dismantling oppression. Robyn inhabits a non-binary, autistic, trans, Latinx body, and we ask if they were able to find a safe space within church for their embodiment journey, whether the Christianity they inherited […]
Catherine Keller & Mark Maslin – The Anthropocene (N279)
The last two decades have seen a growing consensus that we have entered a new geological epoch, triggered solely by human behaviour. The anthropocene is an idea with huge implications for how we see ourselves as part of the living planet. Mark Maslin is Professor of Earth Science at UCL and co-author of The Human […]
Emma Ellenn – Boundaries
After four decades I’m starting to learn about boundaries. My partner came into my life and introduced them to me. The hippy party scene where he’d spent some years taught him about self-respect in a way that Christianity hadn’t for me in a half life time. Quite the opposite in fact – I grew up […]
Brian McLaren – Do I Stay Christian? (N277)
We welcome back to Nomad author, activist, and public theologian Brian McLaren. This time we talk with Brian about his new book Do I Stay Christian?, in which he helps us reflect on the pros and cons of holding onto a Christian identity and, more importantly, what kind of human beings we want to be.
John Bell – Finding Celtic Faith (N276)
We talk to the hymn-writer John Bell, who is a member of the Iona community, about the roots and traditions of Celtic Christianity, which took shape in the British Isles and modelled a very different way to the Roman church that followed shortly after. After the interview, Nomad hosts David Blower and Anna Robinson talk […]
Karen O’Donnell – The Dark Womb (N275)
Feminist and trauma theologian Karen O’Donnell shares her experiences of repeated reproductive loss. Describing the physical, emotional and spiritual impact, she explores the complexity of faith from the perspective of the miscarrying person. Karen brings thoughtful sensitivity to a reality that has often been ignored and offers her responses to some of the many questions […]
Gerrianne Pennings – Traveling to Remote Places With a Backpack Full of Questions
Hello beloved listener! So let me introduce myself first. My name is Gerrianne (you’ve probably got no clue how to pronounce that– that’s okay, however sounds right to you). I’m turning 30 this year. The Netherlands is my passport country, but I live and work in the humanitarian sector in Yemen. So quite literally have […]
Philip Carr-Gomm – The Druid Way (N274)
Philip Carr-Gomm is a Druid, psychologist and writer, who has a particular interest in combining psychological understanding with spiritual perspectives to help people lead richer, more fulfilled lives. Although his spiritual practice is rooted in Druidry, he believes we have entered an era in which we can move beyond attachments to labels, drawing instead upon […]
Faith Van Horne – Healing Pentecostalism (N273)
Faith Van Horne left the fundamentalist Pentecostal tradition that she’d grown up in as a young person. Years later, after exploring various spiritualities, she was surprised to find herself drawn back to her Pentecostal roots, allbeit on very different terms. In this podcast we talk to Faith about her academic studies in atonement theories, embodied […]
Karen Rooms and Jay Hulme – The Gayest Church in the City
This is a conversation between the priest Karen Rooms and transgender poet, author and educator Jay Hulme about what it’s like for them to be part of an ancient and LGBTQ+ affirming church. As they recall the story of their developing friendship, their conversation guides us through the pandemic, Jay’s early faith experiences and Karen’s […]
Karen Rooms and Jay Hulme – The Gayest Church in the City (N272)
Priest Karen Rooms and transgender poet, author and educator Jay Hulme describe what it’s like for them to be part of an ancient and LGBTQ+ affirming church. As they recall the story of their developing friendship, their conversation guides us through the pandemic, Jay’s early faith experiences and Karen’s reflections on being a cisgender heterosexual […]
Lisa Andradez – Finally Fearlessly Pursuing Freedom
I grew up in a brethren church in the 70’s and whilst I knew that God loved me unconditionally, I also felt that God was someone who needed to be kept on-side and pleasing him was paramount. When my parents divorced, and my dad subsequently left the church, I realised for the first time in […]
Erin Burnett – Religious Not Spiritual: An Autistic Perspective on Faith (N271)
We chat with author of With All Your Mind: Autism and the Church, Erin Burnett about her personal experience and research into autism and the unique ways Christians with autism understand and experience God.We ask her why she was initially attracted to more fundamentalist expressions of Christianity, what triggered her deconstruction, and why she’s now […]
Stephen Lingwood – Searching for Radical Faith, and Deeper Belonging
I think a lot of my life has been about searching for a sense of belonging. In most communities I think to myself, “I kind of fit here, but not quite”. I feel this about the Nomad community too. I feel I have a lot in common with the people I’ve encountered, virtually and in […]
Richard Beck – Hope in a World on Fire (N270)
In this Devotional podcast, psychologist and theologian Richard Beck explores what it means to take sides without becoming hardened, and how he remains hopeful in a world on fire. Nomad produces devotional podcasts like this one every month. To access them simply make a small monthly donation through Nomad’s membership platform or Patreon. We also […]
Anonymous – Travelling the Road through Fear to Freedom
I was brought up in the Anglican church tradition and as a child, I understood God to be a loving, ever-present father figure. God wasn’t particularly threatening to me as a child and God was just always ‘there’ and wanted me to be good or ‘live well’. Christian faith continued to be important to me […]
Anna Robinson and Joy Brooks – Hosting Deconstruction Spaces (N269)
Nomad hosts Anna Robinson and Joy Brooks have a conversation about the challenges of joys of experiencing a shifting faith, their ambivalence to the word deconstruction, the deconstruction groups they’ve been hosting and what they’ve learnt from them. If you’d like to be part of one of these group, contact Anna through her website. WEBSITES Anna […]
Tim Prevett – “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” – An Autistic Epiphany
We can get quite far through a story thinking one thing, to then find out something significant which reinterprets and makes sense of everything that has gone before. I came to an evangelical expression of faith in 1986 aged 13. Full of zeal, I’d avidly read scripture daily, pray, and be prepared to use Scripture […]
Christena Cleveland – God Is a Black Woman (N268)
In this episode we speak with social psychologist, theologian, activist and author of God Is a Black Woman, Dr Christena Cleveland. Christena speaks with us about her journey of unmasking the white male image of God and the hurt, hopelessness, and racial and gender oppression it has caused.
Terry Wildman – Walking the Good Road (N267)
In this episode we chat with native American, author, songwriter and storyteller, Terry Wildman. Terry was also the lead translator and general editor of the First Nations Bible, a fascinating project that produced a translation of the New Testament that reflects the language, symbolism and rituals of native peoples.So we ask Terry to unpack indigenous […]
Sophfronia Scott – Merton, Monks and Mystics (N266)
In this episode we speak with author and director of creative writing at Alma College, Sophfronia Scott. We speak with Sophfronia about how her faith has been shaped by the author, monk and mystic, Thomas Merton.Having struggled to connect with Merton through his autobiography, Sophfronia immersed herself in his journals, and there she found a […]
Geoff Hall – Only Half the Story…
I grew up in the North-Eastern Industrial town of Hartlepool, I was a child of the 50s, just about at the end of food rationing after the War. The early years were tumultuous, suffering three near-death experiences by the time I was Eight years of age. I think because of this I was very reclusive. […]
Brian Peck – Church Trauma (N265)
In this episode we chat with clinical social worker and a trauma-informed coach, Brian Peck. Brian grew up in a fundamentalist Christian church and upon leaving he began to realise the trauma this had caused, which triggered his faith deconstrcution. He now specialises in helping people work through their experiences of religious trauma.So we talk […]
KC – Practicing Recovering in Community
I was raised a nominal Catholic in Texas, the ultra conservative Bible Belt of the U.S. I thought all I got from Catholicism was guilt and the legalism that I learned from things like needing to go to confession after sinning to avoid hell. Dipping a finger in the holy water and doing the sign of […]
Keith Giles – Ending the End Times (N264)
In this episode we speak with former church pastor, author and teacher Keith Giles. Like many evangelicals, Keith inherited a dispensational understanding of the End Times. If you’re not sure what that is, think anti-Christ, mark of the Beast, the rapture, Jesus’s return, and the New Jerusalem.Keith slowly became aware that this was a relatively […]
Azariah France-Williams – A Displaced Christmas (N263)
Merry Christmas to One and All from Nomad Podcast. In this devotional episode, Fr Azariah France Williams recalls the story of Viraj Mendis, who sought sanctuary in the UK from Sri Lanka. He lived for several years in a room in the Church of the Ascension, in Hulme, Manchester, being protected by the community. In 1989, […]
Rowan Williams – Becoming Natural (N262)
The former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams carries a lifelong love for the theology and practice of the Eastern Church. His recent book, Looking East in Winter gives a window into the beautiful contemplative practices of the Eastern tradition. In this conversation we explore the life of contemplation, political solidarity, simplicity, and “the natural […]
Hannah Malcolm – Words for a Dying World (N261)
When Hannah Malcolm was approached to write a book on climate grief, she chose, instead, to edit a book compiling voices from across the global church. The resulting picture is an extraordinary collage of very different experiences, all of which begin to suggest the many different ways in which everything is connected. In this conversation […]
Claire Gilbert – Letters on Dying and Living (N260)
Claire Gilbert is a theologian, writer, and founding director of Westminster Abbey Institute. When she discovered that she had Myeloma – terminal cancer in the blood – she began her way by writing letters to a circle of trusted friends. The journey drew her home to nature, to her body, and to her long love […]
Rachel Mander – Pilgrims to Cop26 (N259)
Cop26 is a gathering of world leaders, meeting this November in Glasgow to review agreements to reduce carbon emissions. While the meeting was being confirmed, the Young Christian Climate Network planned a relay pilgrimage from Cornwall to Glasgow. In this podcast Rachel Mander talks to us about what’s at stake in this historic gathering, about […]
Alex Clare-Young & Sarah Hobbs – Trans. Christian. Human.
This is a conversation between Alex Clare-Young and Sarah Hobbs about their trans experience.Alex is a transmasculine non-binary minister with the United Reformed Church, currently completing doctoral research into trans theology. Sarah is a trans woman, who leads a consultancy business, and is a speaker and trainer. Together they co-chair the Open Table Network, a partnership […]
Alex Clare-Young & Sarah Hobbs – Trans. Christian. Human. (N258)
In this episode we listen in on a conversation between Alex Clare-Young and Sarah Hobbs about their trans experience.Alex is a transmasculine non-binary minister with the United Reformed Church, currently completing doctoral research into trans theology. Sarah is a trans woman, who leads a consultancy business, and is a speaker and trainer. Together they co-chair the […]
Diana Butler Bass – Freeing Jesus (N257)
In this episode we’re joined by religion and contemporary spirituality commentator, Diana Butler Bass. Diana talks about her latest book Freeing Jesus, in which she tracks the evolution of her understanding and experience of Jesus. From liberal Methodist beginnings, through fundamentalist evangelicalism, to a more progressive Christianity, Diana has never lost her interest in Jesus, […]
Robin Parry – A Hope in Hell? [Revisited] (N256)
Every month we produce a podcast for our supporters called Nomad Revisited. In each episode Tim Nash and Nick Thorley enter the Nomad archive and chose an episode from the last 12 years, and spend an hour or so reflecting on how their faith has evolved since then. It’s an exercise in self forgiveness and […]
Nathan Brooks – In Search of Community Without Shame
One of my biggest regrets took place when I was 16, sitting in an all-boys tent at a Christian youth summer camp. It was one of those late-night deep chats with the camp leaders, where they coax out your angsty teenage struggles so that they can smooth them over with a healthy dose of conservative […]
Emma Moreton & Lyn Baylis – When Christians and Pagans Make Friends
This is a conversation between a Christian and a pagan. Emma Moreton is a former pastor, art therapist and activist, whose faith led her towards pagan spirituality and community. Lyn Baylis has practiced her pagan spirituality all of her life. She’s been a priestess for 40 years, is a Multi-faith minister, and is the UK […]
Emma Moreton & Lyn Baylis – When Christians and Pagans Make Friends (N255)
This episode is a conversation between good friends Emma Morton and Lyn Baylis. Emma is a former pastor, art therapist and activist, whose faith led her towards pagan spirituality and community. Lyn has practiced her pagan spirituality all of her life. She’s been a priestess for 40 years, is a Multi-faith minister, and is the […]
Natalia-Nana – Decolonising Faith (N254)
Natalia-Nana is a teacher, trainer, and coach in Equity, Diversity, and Liberation. In this episode we talk about what it means to decolonise our faith, why it is important and how we can go about it. Jemimah and Natalia-Nana explore the relationship between deconstruction and the work of decolonising and dismantling. They discuss the impact […]
Liz Pattison & Jim Robinson – Surviving Death
This is a conversation about the experience of death. Jim Robinson lost both his parents at quite a young age, and Liz Pattison recently lost her partner. They share their experiences of grief and loss, how friends, family and church responded, and how their faith has evolved through these experiences.It’s an honest, real, insightful, moving […]
Liz Pattison & Jim Robinson – Surviving Death (N253)
On this episode we’ve invited Liz Pattison and Jim Robinson to have a conversation around their experiences of death. Jim lost both his parents at quite a young age, and Liz recently lost her partner. They share their experiences of grief and loss, how friends, family and church responded, and how their faith has evolved […]
Miles Irving – Foraging and the Kindness of Creation (N252)
Miles Irving has been foraging since childhood. Having journeyed through Pentecostalism, he returned to his first passion for wild foods, and began to discover that our relationship to what we eat bears deeply on our relationship to everything. In this episode, Miles and David Blower spend a day eating nothing but foraged food and talking […]
Gillian Crossley – Throwing off the Ill-Fitting Mould to Embrace Discomfort
Although I would date the beginning of my deconstruction from around 5 years ago, in reality it probably began over a decade before. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home as such but had a Christian Granny who was definitely an influence. My teenage years were far from happy ones but involvement in Christian […]
Bruce Greyson – Life After [Near] Death (N251)
Many of us inherited a faith that had a lot to say about life after death. But as our faith shifted and evolved we were left increasingly unsure whether these beliefs had any basis in reality, or were just fairly tales. Well, it turns out science has an increasing amount to say on the subject. […]
Jemimah McAlpine – The Power of Embodiment (N250)
In this episode Jemimah McAlpine talks about her transformative experience of dance and her thinking about the theological significance of dancing. She and David Blower discuss dualism and embodiment and how reconnecting with our bodies can lead to an experience of wholeness and connection with the earth and everyone around us. Jemimah shares how embodiment […]
Traynor Hansen – Learning Not to Know
In 2006, when I was in my middle-20s, I wrote a short article for RELEVANT magazine titled “Why I am not an Emergent Christian.” In retrospect, I don’t think I understood much about the Emergent Church movement that was rushing through my Evangelical communities. What I did know was that most of my friends in […]
Brian McLaren – Faith After Doubt (N249)
It’s always a pleasure to have author, activist, and public theologian Brian McLaren on Nomad. This time we talk with Brian about the vital role that doubt plays in our faith development. Brian breaks down the faith journey into four stages – simplicity, complexity, perplexity and harmony. He talks about the struggles and joys of […]
Nikki Vesey – No-One Has a Monopoly on Compassion
“So, Nikki – tell us something of the faith you inherited”. I can hear the Nomad question. Well, values, not faith. That’s what I inherited. My parents were fairly politically orientated. Our family of four would have mealtimes where everyone talked at once and we put the world to rights. I knew my parents loved […]
Samantha Lindo & David Blower – The Friendship of Music (N248)
In this podcast, David Benjamin Blower converses with musician, podcaster and activist Samantha Lindo on the subject of music: music as a wisened friend, music as a gatherer of people and radical energies, and music as a kind of prayer that can halt the Powers that Be, even just for a moment. Interview starts at […]
Damon Garcia – The God Who Liberates (N247)
In this episode we speak with Damon Garcia. Damon talks to us about how he found meaning in the God of liberation theology after questioning his beliefs and leaving the faith he inherited. We explore the importance of embodiment and community in faithful practice and how our context shapes our ideas about God. We talk […]
Susan Carleton – God is Love
I grew up in a working-class household on an estate in Essex and spirituality and faith were just not part of my general thoughts or experience. This was mostly because my childhood was traumatic and at times emotionally abusive and neglectful and this led to me having a severe eating disorder from the age of […]
Ched Myers – Roll Like a River (N246)
Ched Myers is a theologian, and author of the explosive Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus. We asked Ched to reflect on the theology and ecology of rivers for this extended devotional podcast. He takes us on a journey down the Ventura river, where he lives in California, and […]
Amanda Oster – “What Are You For?”
It was a beautiful fall day, and I was riding passenger seat in my new friend’s car. We had been spending the day getting to know each other and it seemed extra special, for making new friends as an adult doesn’t seem to happen that often, at least not in my life. A couple of […]
Gail Bradbrook – The Spirituality of Protest (N245)
Before the October Rebellion of 2019, we interviewed Dr Gail Bradbrook, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, for the Everybody Now podcast. However, the whole conversation was so utterly fascinating that we wanted to upload it in its entirety, especially at a time when the freedom to protest is under threat.We talked to Gail about climate emergency and civil disobedience, […]
Richard Rohr – The Cosmic Christ (N244)
In this episode we talk about Jesus with the Franciscan friar and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Richard Rohr.Fr. Richard believes Jesus is the personification of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. Consequently, he sees faith as being less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognise the […]
Kari Lane – Things I have Learned from Hospice
I call myself a transitions nurse. I have been a nurse for many years, I worked labor and delivery for about 15 years, and worked hospice for four. So I do “comings” and “goings”. There are some very real similarities in the journeys that intrigue me. Certainly my outlook on life is affected by these […]
Christiana Peterson – Awakened by Death (N243)
We live in a death and grief averse culture. Aided by modern medicine and the funeral industry, we’ve created an ever-increasing distance between us and our mortality. So we ask author of Awakened by Death Christiana Peterson what psychological and spiritual impact this is having on us, and how reclaiming a healthy relationship with our […]
Melanie Lambert – Being Enough
I always hoped I wouldn’t be asked to ‘share my testimony’ at university Christian Union in the 90s, because I didn’t have an exceptional conversion story. And likewise, I don’t have an exceptional deconstruction story either. But in nearly half a century on this planet, the truth is there are ten thousand stories I could […]
Joy Brooks & Justin Marsh – Surviving Spiritual Abuse
This is a conversation about the experience of the experience of spiritual abuse. Reflecting on their personal experiences, therapists Justin and Joy explore the impact of spiritual abuse, describing how they learnt to recognise it and what it was like to walk away from congregations they cared about deeply. They also share some of the […]
Jemimah McAlpine & Joy Brooks – Jemimah, Joy and Jezebel
This is a conversation about the experience of the experience of women in church. Jemimah and Joy reflect on their experiences as women who grew up immersed in evangelical Christianity. Unpicking some of the messages they absorbed over the years, they examine what it means for them to move away from repression and reconnect with […]
Zoe Heming & Nick Thorley – Disability, Doubt and the Search for Wholeness
This is a conversation about the experience of disability. Zoe is a priest in the Church of England and for many years has suffered with chronic pain, which often means she has to use a wheelchair. Nick works for the Christian charity Cord and hosts Nomad Podcast. He has been visually impaired since he was […]
Everybody Now – Climate Emergency and Sacred Duty
Download This is a podcast about what it means to be human on the threshold of a global climate emergency, in a time of systemic injustice and runaway pandemics. Scientists, activists, farmers, poets, and theologians talk bravely and frankly about how our biosphere is changing, about grief and hope in an age of social collapse […]
Jennifer Kavanagh – The Quaker Way (N242)
Having left behind the Anglican roots of her childhood, Jennifer Kavanagh discovered the Society of Friends – better known as Quakerism – as an adult. We spoke to her about how to be a practical mystic, how to subvert hierarchies by being silent, how to be part of a Christian religion without being a Christian, […]
Chine McDonald & Azariah France Williams – In Our Own Skin, In Our Own Words
Chine McDonald and Azariah France Wiliams discuss their understanding and experience of blackness and how that has shaped their identity, their place in society and the way they relate to God and Church.
Anna Robinson – Julian of Norwich (N241)
Following on from our conversation with Matthew Fox, in this episode Anna Robinson leads us in a meditation that explores the spirituality of the remarkable 14th Century mystic Julian of Norwich. Anna gives us a short introduction to Julian and how she lived through a deadly global pandemic, suffered loss and yet still wholeheartedly pursued […]
Matthew Fox: Julian of Norwich – Prophets, Pandemics & Patriarchy (N240)
Matthew Fox is an American priest and spiritual theologian and an activist for gender and eco-justice. His work on creation spirituality and mysticism has given him the reputation of being one of the most challenging religious-spiritual teachers in America. It’s also got him into trouble with the Catholic Church, most notably for rubbing two popes up […]
Jojo Scoble – On My Own, Never Alone
Never been married, never had children. The youngest of three, the bottom rank is where the novelty has worn off but the ‘fun’ never ends. I was ‘an excitable child’ so my namesake Roman Catholic Grandmother put it. Born in the latter part of the 70s there was still the unmistakable whiff of sexism not […]
Adele Jarrett-Kerr – Revillaging (N239)
Adele Jarrett-Kerr is a writer and podcaster on compassionate living. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, she now lives in Cornwall where her family is unschooling and working on a small regenerative farm. We talk to her about her journey towards counter-cultural living, decolonisation, evolving faith and spirituality, and the values behind the decisions she has […]
Eve Pitts – A Messy Christmas (N238)
Merry Christmas, beloved listeners!In this episode we hear from Revd Canon Eve Pitts. Having missed Christmas in their church last year, due to repairs, the residents of Birchfield were looking forward carols and candles in their building. But 2020 being what it is, Eve wondered if Christmas might as well be cancelled all together. However, […]
Kit Johnson – A Friend Lost, A Friend Found
Church on a Sunday morning meant singing, clapping, dancing, and watching the power men on stage fire bolts of spirit at people, knocking them to the floor. The service generally concluded with screaming, writhing exorcisms. It was always a sound that disturbed me, but at least it signaled it would soon be time for refreshments. […]
Lisa Gungor – Opening Your Eyes to Wonder (N237)
Singer-songwriter and author Lisa Gungor’s life was all coming together. She’d married her college sweetheart and was establishing herself as a successful musician. But cracks began to form when her husband told her he no longer believed in God and they were asked to leave the Church she helped start, a close friend died, their […]
Joy Brooks & Justin Marsh – Surviving Spiritual Abuse (N236)
Therapists Justin and Joy get together for a conversation about spiritual abuse and how it can present in a church environment. Reflecting on their personal experiences, they explore the impact of spiritual abuse, describing how they learnt to recognise it and what it was like to walk away from congregations they cared about deeply. They […]
Jessica Sabo – The Path That is My Own
It took me a long time to get into a frame of mind to write this. Like many of you, there have been few people in my life who I could tell my faith story to with any expectation that they’d understand. Some would understand the being a Christian part, but not the deconstruction part. […]
Azariah France-Williams & Natalia Nana – Black Aliens and White Allies (N235)
In this episode David speaks with priest and author Azariah France-Williams about his new book Ghost Ship: Institutional Racism and the Church of England. Azariah reflects on his experience of racism within the church, and how sticking plasters won’t suffice, but instead a wholesale change in structure and mindset is required.Jemimah is then joined by […]
Delyth Johnson – Love the Questions Themselves
If I can pinpoint a time when I started to have deep questions around faith, I think it would be when I worked in student ministry in Italy seventeen years or so ago. Coming from a deeply evangelical tradition and being part of an evangelical protestant mission organisation, I become increasingly uncomfortable with the idea […]
Everybody Now – Climate Emergency and Sacred Duty
We’ve caused a turning point in the Earth’s natural history. Everybody Now is a podcast about what it means to be human on the threshold of a global climate emergency, in a time of systemic injustice and runaway pandemics. Scientists, activists, farmers, poets, and theologians talk bravely and frankly about how our biosphere is changing, […]
Elizabeth Oldfield – Making Friends Across Boundaries (N233)
In this episode we speak with the director of Theos Think Tank and host of The Sacred podcast, Elizabeth Oldfield.
Elizabeth is passionate about exploring how we can build healthy friendships and societies in an age characterised by seemingly ever deepening differences, and what role faith can play in this.
Liam Dacre-Davis – Escaping Tiny Boxes
My older sisters ended up getting us all kicked out of Sunday school. I’m not sure why, and I was definitely too young to remember it happening, but my parents tell me this was one of the reasons they didn’t bother with church anymore. We didn’t seem all that interested. I wouldn’t return to church […]
Rob Bell – Everything is Spiritual (N232)
In this episode we welcome Rob Bell back to the podcast. Rob’s written a new book – Everything is Spiritual – within which he explores how ideas about creation, love and connection have profoundly shaped his faith journey.We chat with Rob about what it means to embrace who we are and where we’ve come from, […]
Jenn Johnson – Weaving a Place of Belonging
I’ve been struggling with how to tell this story. My attempts to craft a chronological timeline of events feel like they leave too much out, too many words feel like they’re not the right words to transition one moment into the next. And then I realized, this is not a story. This is a tapestry. […]
Peter Rollins – Radical Theology (N231)
In this episode we discuss radical theology with author, philosopher and storyteller Peter Rollins. Peter explores the freedom that comes when we accept and embrace the lack within us and the struggle within life. He believes that letting go of the frenetic pursuit of that which will make us whole and complete opens the way […]
Andrew Killick – A Gathering Sense of Home
I was a child of the Charismatic Movement, in quite a literal way. Two years after my Anglican-Presbyterian mother got born again and Spirit filled, God told her to have another child. She stopped taking the pill, and I was born about a year later. I grew up Charismatic Presbyterian in 1980s New Zealand and […]
Stephen Whitehead – Toxic Masculinity (N230)
Toxic masculinity is a term that seems to be cropping up more and more in academic and media discussions, as we become more aware of the harmful effects – on men, women and society in general – of men conforming to traditional masculine ideals, like dominance, self-reliance, and competition.So we dialled up Stephen Whitehead, who […]
Jenna Gillies – Unravelling
My earliest memory of faith is lying in my bottom bunk each night, repeating the Lord’s Prayer over and over, in the hope that, if I died in my sleep, God would let me into heaven*. I became a “born again” Christian when I was 13, after my family started attending a local evangelical/brethren church. […]
Emily Garcés – Hitchhiking with Drunken Nuns (N229)
In this episode we speak with artist, poet and author Emily Garcés. It’s a heart-warming, heart-breaking, inspiring and challenging conversation, as Emily shares with us her journey through life and faith, with all of its joys and struggles, as she wrestles with what it means to be fully alive. After the interview, Nomad hosts Jemimah […]
Mark Karris – The Perils of Petitionary Prayer (N228)
In this episode we speak with therapist, theologian and author, Mark Karris. For anyone going through a faith deconstruction, prayer is often near the top of the list of things we struggle to make sense of. And Mark is certainly no exception to this. He had the kind of traumatic childhood you’d only expect to […]
Hillary McBride – Embody (N227)
Dr. Hillary McBride is a clinical counselor in Vancouver. When she’s not doing clinical work she is researching, speaking, writing and podcasting (as a host on The Liturgists podcast), about the intersection of spirituality and mental health, trauma, embodiment, eating disorders, body image, and sex and sexuality. But we wanted to focus in on embodiment, so […]
Kerin Beauchamp – At Home in the Wild
“Getting to where we need to go often means finding a new language for where we’ve been.” Belden C. Lane, Backpacking with the Saints I woke up to the sounds of the rocky river, crawled out of my sleeping bag, across the tent, quietly unzipped the door flap so as not to wake my brothers. […]
Anthony Reddie & Ravelle-Sadé Fairman – White Supremacy and Black Suffering (N226)
In this episode, black liberation theologian Prof Anthony Reddie and the poet Ravelle-Sadé Fairman reflect on black experience. These searching thoughts begin with the recent murder of George Floyd at the hands of US police officers, and from there reach into a knotted web of power and oppression: the disproportionate suffering of black people from […]
Kirsten Bühler – The Journey Not the Arrival Matters
When I was a nurse at a hospital, we had a patient who eventually died of his cancer in our ward. Later his husband wrote a death notice in the papers saying: “The journey not the arrival matters”. I have kept the notice ever since – maybe because my journey was long, and I hoped […]
Mark Oakley – Poetry and the Journey of the Soul (N225)
In this episode Mark Oakley shares with us his lifelong relationship with poetry. He believes poetry is the language of the soul, and should therefore be the person of faith’s native language. For Mark poetry has put to words his deepest longing, has sustained him through troubled times, and has transformed the way he’s come […]
Matt Jones – Mattamorphosis: Shedding a Superhero for a Shepherd
Tall. Chiseled features. Blue eyes. Flowing brown hair. Kenny Logins 80s-style facial hair (is that a trans-Atlantic reference or just USA? Well, Google it, I guess). Robes. Lamb draped over him like a towel over a beach-goer’s neck on his way to the sea. Growing up, that was my Jesus. Or at least that was […]
Nicola Slee – Faith in Feminism? (N224)
Theologian, poet and author Nicola Slee joins Jemimah to talk about when she first encountered feminist theology and its potential to challenge, inform and enrich our Christian faith and practice. Nicola Slee is Director of Research at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theology and Professor of Feminist Practical Theology in the Faculty of Religion at […]
April Hunter – Unrecognisable
My story is one of becoming Unrecognisable. I was a home schooled child of the 80’s who went to church three times a week and was the star of Sunday School. I was a teenager of the 90’s who went on an international mission trip every single summer and lived for church and youth group. I was […]
Sam Wells – Improvising Faith (N223)
In this episode vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church at Trafalgar Square, London and professor of Christian ethics at King’s College, Sam Wells shares his belief that to live well is to improvise well. He defines improvisation in the theatre as “a practice through which actors seek to develop trust in themselves and one another in […]
Rhys Parry – Signs of Hope
In thinking about contributing something of my story here, I’ll admit to flinching a little when ruminating on the final three words of the Nomad catchphrase, “Stumbling through the post-Christendom wilderness, looking for signs of hope.” Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, a few years of faith deconstruction and a glass half-empty modus operandi, I wondered if I’d have anything hopeful […]
Kim Eames – From Here To Uncertainty
During a lockdown tidy up, my husband came across some DVDs of old photos. Looking through them was like entering a portal back to the early 2000s: babies, bootcut jeans and, for my husband, a full head of hair. And there on the TV screen were people I hadn’t seen in years – mostly friends […]
Q&A Lockdown Special (N222)
We felt these unprecedented times deserved an unprecedented episode of nomad. So for the first time we recorded a remote episode, with Jemimah beaming in from Cardiff, David from Birmingham, and Tim and Nick from Nottingham. To help stimulate the conversation, we thought we’d ask the Listener Lounge for questions. So tune in if you […]
Meditations for Isolation – The Power of a Greeting (N221)
In this final meditation of the series, Anna reflects on the power of the greeting that Jesus gave his disciples when he met them in the upper room on Easter day. She considers what Pádraig Ó Tuama shares about this greeting in his book In The Shelter: Finding a home in the World. She then leads […]
Meditations for Isolation – Freedom from the Tyranny of Fear (N220)
In this meditation Anna Robinson reflects on our struggles with fear, anxiety and distress. She looks at how Jesus himself felt great fear, particularly at this time of Easter. Then, drawing on the wisdom of James Finley, Anna leads us through a stilling exercise and meditation where we can bring our deepest fears and distress to […]
Alsa Bei – My Life – Shaped by Death
I feel like my story is very boring. I went to a kid’s club outreach by a local Baptist Church. I grew with them and decided to take my faith seriously when I was a teenager. I left school and spent about 3 years working with a missions organisation overseas and in the UK. I […]
Meditations for Isolation – Loving Kindness (N219)
In this contemplation, Anna Robinson considers the significance of acknowledging how we are feeling in these uncertain and unsettling times. She considers the importance of kindness and compassion to others and ourselves, recognising our shared human experiences. Anna then leads us into a stilling exercise to help us become fully present, after which she guides […]
Meditations for Isolation – Peace and Presence (N218)
Rather than an interview based episode, we felt these strange times required something a little more meditative. Each month for the last year Anna Robinson has been producing some wonderful meditations for our patrons. So we asked her to produce a short series for our main podcast feed, called Meditations for Isolation. In this meditation, […]
Sonia Mainstone-Cotton – Christian Feminism, Church and Creativity
I grew up in a Christian family. My childhood and early teens experience of the church was of a Pentecostal church until I was 12 and then a small brethren chapel ran by my uncle. Both of these churches were evangelical, they were led by men and believed that women’s role was to be caregivers […]
Sally Mann – Hope in Lockdown (N217)
For just a few weeks we’ve all been living in a very different world. Sociologist and Baptist Minister Sally Mann reflects on how her community in London’s East End are adapting to the coronavirus pandemic, and where she sees glimmers of hope amidst the grief and isolation. WEBSITE Bonny Downs Community Association BOOKS Looking for […]
Mike McHargue – You’re a Miracle (and a Pain in the Ass) (N216)
Mike McHargue is the host of the podcast Ask Science Mike, co-founded of the The Liturgists Podcast and author of Finding God in the Waves. He’s a public educator who weaves together insights from science and faith to help people figure out what it means to live well. We ask Mike the question that scientists, […]
Olivia Jackson – Schrödinger’s Faith
I threw my Bible away recently. Actually, I threw away six, in three different languages. That’s what a good missionary I used to be. The only ones I kept were the beautiful gold-edged King James version I was given for my christening and the Russian one given to me by a woman whose house I […]
Jemimah McAlpine & Joy Brooks – Jemimah, Joy and Jezebel (N215)
In another break from our usual interview format, we listen in on a conversation between Jemimah and Joy as they reflect on their experiences as women who grew up immersed in evangelical Christianity. Unpicking some of the messages they absorbed over the years, they examine what it means for them to move away from repression […]
David Roberts – A Long-Time Love Story
I don’t see myself as particularly special. I have not been involved in any conspicuously important or miraculous events. My faith journey has been a gradual one, without significant drama. Yet in many ways I know I am not your average early-50s white Anglo-Saxon ‘Protestant’ (more or less) cisgender heterosexual bloke who works with computers. For starters, I […]
Noel Moules – Christian Animism and the Re-Enchantment of the World (N214)
In this episode we speak with anabaptist, anarchist and Christian animist, Noel Moules. Christian and animism are perhaps two words you haven’t heard together before, in fact you may well think that animism sounds somewhat dodgy! Noel shows us though how Jesus himself held to this ancient indigenous worldview, where rather than matter and spirit […]
Christine Dixon – A Bazaar Epiphany
The garbled prayer call was barely recognizable in the din of the midweek market crowd. Four years earlier, I would have stopped and marveled at the droning of the “Allahu Akbar,” but now it was just background noise. I pushed an umbrella stroller in front of me, my son lulled to sleep by the motion […]
Ann Morisy – Enacting Hope in Troubled Times (N213)
Ann Morisy is a community theologian, community worker and author who has researched and written on everything from the spirituality of public transport, through to the spirituality of ageing. Her works draws on a wide range of research and influences, including sociology, political science, economics and theology. We ask Ann whether in these increasingly troubled […]
Charmaine Clark – Songs of Fire
As a child growing up in a very conservative evangelical church, we sang with gusto “It only takes a spark”. We were the sparks, and we were to spread God’s love by passing it on to everyone we met. It was a happy kind of love. The fire it started would be warm and glowing […]
Steve Chalke – The Lost Message of Paul (N212)
There’s a handful of guests that have appeared on Nomad a number of times, and Steve Chalke is one. Why? Because he keeps speaking and writing about really interesting things. He was one of the first high profile evangelicals to critique the penal substitutionary understanding of the cross, and to bless a same sex marriage. […]
Em Kolltveit – No Room at the Inn (N211)
It’s Christmas! And so we thought we’d share a festive Devotional episode with you all. Pub landlady, touring musician and anglican priest Em Kolltveit talks about community building and hospitality when there’s no room at the Inn. We produce Devotionals like this every month. If you’re interested, you can access them by making a small monthly […]
Adele Jarrett-Kerr – Expansive Faith and Shifting Communities
The church I grew up in set the bar high for what I feel able to long for in community. It was a tiny evangelical church in Trinidad and Tobago and one of a group of churches Canadian missionaries founded across the Caribbean region. My sense of God was grounded by expressions of togetherness that […]
Zoe Heming & Nick Thorley – Disability, Doubt and the Search for Wholeness (N210)
Rather than our usual interview format, in this episode we host a conversation between Zoe Heming and Nick Thorley. Zoe is a priest in the Church of England and for many years has suffered with chronic pain, which often means she has to use a wheelchair. Nick works for Christian Aid and (as you may […]
Richard Beck – The Gospel According to Johnny Cash (N209)
Richard Beck is Professor of Psychology at Abilene University, author, blogger and leader of a weekly bible study for inmates at the maximum security French-Robertson unit. He’s also a big fan of the country musician Johnny Cash (who also knew a thing or two about prison). David Blower (another Cash fan) asks Richard what we […]
Jenny Simpson – Through the Labyrinth
Two years ago, I went on a short trip to Venice with a friend to celebrate a big birthday. As well as seeing some famous landmarks, I also hoped we could use our famously bad sense of direction to enjoy getting lost in this city known for its labyrinth of narrow streets. I was right […]
Vicky Walker – Sex, Relationships and Religion (N208)
In this episode we speak with writer, speaker and researcher, Vicky Walker. Vicky conducted a survey with nearly 1500 people about their experiences of the changing nature of relationships and how, if at all, their faith and churches have helped them make sense of this. It turns out (spoiler alert!) the Church hasn’t always been […]
Erica Bailey – Faith that Sustains
One of my earliest memories is of sitting by the fire on my grandmother’s lap, hearing about inviting Jesus into my heart. As I grew up, I always had a sense of God being with me. My grandmother had come from a non-churchgoing family but chose to become a Christian in her teens. She attended […]
Pádraig Ó Tuama – In the Shelter (N207)
In this episode Jemimah speaks with Irish poet, storyteller and theologian, Pádraig Ó Tuama. It’s a profoundly wise and insightful interview, touching on themes of language, story, gospel, power, community, sexuality and religion. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Jemimah McAlpine reflect on Pádraig faith journey and ponder how the lessons he’s learnt might […]
Becky – Honestly Free
Raised in a Christian family, I was an earnest and passionate teenager, listening to Newsboys and ready to be God’s hands and feet. I threw myself into exotic and sacrificial adventures for the Lord. In my early twenties I was offered a job co-ordinating short term missions trips for young people – it would have […]
Jennie Hogan – This is My Body (N206)
When Jennie Hogan was 11 years old she had a brain haemorrhage. Then at the age of 14 she had another one. This devastating experience left her with a brain injury that would transform her life. So we met up with Jennie at Goodenough College where she is a chaplain, to talk with her about […]
Brian McLaren – How to Pass on Your Faith When Your Faith is Evolving (N205)
Author, speaker and activist Brian McLaren knows a thing or two about navigating an evolving faith. He was raised in the fundamentalist Plymouth Brethren tradition, but is now a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He also knows a […]
Brian Ralph – Lost in Space?
Soon after graduation from the academy, my family and a group of ten, took off from Cape Canaveral. We were part of ‘the new mission’; 25 vessels in all. We were all full of excitement. The overall mission coordinates were set by the academy; they determined the what; our ships determined the where and how. […]
Greg Boyle – Homies, Homicides and the Power of Radical Kinship (N204)
Fr. Greg Boyle is a Jesuit priest, who in 1986 was appointed pastor of a church in one of the most deprived areas of Los Angeles, in a church that sat between two large public housing projects, which had the highest concentration of gangs in the country. Amidst shocking levels of violence and murder (Greg […]
John Dempster – Just One Journey
There is but one journey towards both the authentic God, and the authentic self. I was born in Central Scotland in 1952, and raised in fairly conservative Christian churches – Brethren (the ‘Open’ variety) and Baptist. As a child and teenager I felt strongly the pressure to be and to become the person my parents […]
Simon Jay – Prayer and the Urban Walker (N203)
Instead of our regular show we’re treating you to a Nomad Devotional. Community development worker, Simon Jay reflects on life in his neighbourhood and his discovery of urban walking as a form of prayer and community building. David Blower responds with music and ambient sounds. You can enjoy devotionals like this every month, along with […]
Rachel Huskisson – Trauma and Transformation
“All healthy religion shows you what to do with your pain…If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.” – Richard Rohr My spiritual journey has certainly been shaped by pain. The point from which we as a family tend to measure all time is 8am on November 16th 2003, when we […]
Alexander John Shaia – The Four-Fold Path of Transformation (N202)
How do we face change? How do we move through suffering? How do we receive joy? And how do we mature in service? According to psychologist, spiritual director, liturgist and author Alexander Shaia, these four questions are the central questions of our lives. They are universal, sequential, and cyclical, and are recognised by every major religious […]
Kandace Burnhams – Searching for Signposts
“I have no idea where I am going,I do not see the road ahead of me,I cannot know for certain where it will end.”– Thomas Merton We were a group of malcontent teenagers. Think the churchy version of those hooded youths loitering outside of Sainsbury’s late on a Saturday night. Dissatisfied with the status quo, […]
Barbara Brown Taylor – Finding God in the Faith of Others (N201)
Episcopal priest, professor, theologian and author Barbara Brown Taylor, joins us on Nomad. In the early 2000s Barbara left the ministry, an experience she described in Leaving Church, the first of a trilogy of books about redefining her faith. But it’s what Barbara got up to after church leadership that we want to talk about. […]
Sally Mann and Shane Claiborne – People, Places and Post-Evangelicals (N200)
In this episode we bring together London based sociologist, pastor and community theologian Sally Mann and Philadelphia based social activist and author Shane Claiborne. Shane had crossed the pond to join Sally and others in launching Red Letter Christians UK. So we took the opportunity to quiz them about the state of evangelicalism in both […]
Miche Spring – Whispering into Cracks
When I think of the word “Nomad” I think of how it can include the idea of being a misfit and I relate strongly, and fondly, with that idea. I experienced events early in my life that mean I shall forever feel like a misfit. As a child, my internal life was crushed, pulled part, and […]
Cynthia Bourgeault – Centering Prayer (N199)
Cynthia Bourgeault is a mystic, priest, and author, who is committed to teaching and spreading the recovery of Christian contemplative practices. So she’s the perfect guide for nomad’s ongoing exploration of contemplative practices. She’s been a long-time advocate of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer, and so that’s what we quizzed her on. After […]
Liza Cucco – How to Survive in a Desert Place
How do you feel about almonds? Personally, I love them in every single form, from the marzipan that covered the wedding cake my husband shockingly made us to the milk in my cereal this morning. The thing about almonds is that they come from very thirsty trees. The thirsty nature of these delicious, life-giving nuts […]
Christopher Collingwood – Zen Wisdom for Christians (N198)
Christopher Collingwood is an Anglican priest – Canon Chancellor of York Minster, no less. And…he’s a Zen teacher. So clearly he knows a thing or two about navigating an evolving faith, and the pushback that can come with it. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley ponder how, if at all, Zen […]
David Blower – We Really Existed and We Really Did This (N197)
Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Jemimah McAlpine sit down with fellow host David Benjamin Blower to talk through his new album – We Really Existed and We Really Did This. It’s a conversation in which David wrestles with faith and theology, and searches for signs of hope in the increasingly chaotic times we live in. As […]
Natalie Collins – Power, Privilege and Patriarchy (N196)
Natalie Collins is a gender justice specialist, who speaks, writes and trains on issues of violence against women and wider gender injustice. In trying to make sense of her own experience of domestic abuse – and the fact that over the course of a lifetime over a quarter of women experience domestic abuse – Natalie […]
Catherine Gale – The Box
In the beginning, I had a box. It started out small, in black and white with hard edges. As I grew and experienced new things, my box grew too. I decorated it with colour, and as I pressed against the walls, they moved outward. There was room to breathe, to expand. I grew to be […]
Ruth Wilde & John Philip Newell – Getting in the Way (N195)
Rather than based around an interview, this episode is in the style of our Nomad Devotionals, which our patrons enjoy each month. Ruth Wilde of Christian Peacemaker Teams reflects on the practice of “getting in the way”, and John-Philip Newell reflects on a spirituality deeply rooted in the material creation. And we ask what does […]
Martin Newell – When Not to Obey the Rulers and Authorities (N194)
Martin Newell is a catholic priest who has been arrested over twenty times. His crimes range from criminal damage, trespass, and burglary, for which he has been to prison several times. All of this has been the result of Martin’s non-violent protests against the arms trade and more recently the government’s inaction on the climate crisis. […]
Chris Peters – A Place Worth Staying In
I’ve always lived more inside my head. Things just felt safer and looked more hopeful in my imagination. I grew up in the Christian tradition, with those stories of hope, yet it became harder and harder to reconcile them with the world I knew. Spirituality became an escape from the world rather than a way […]
Timothy Gorringe – The End of the World as We Know It? (N193)
On this episode we speak with theology professor and climate change activist Timothy Gorringe about the climate crisis. Towards the end of last year the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change released a pretty bleak report. In summary, the report said that the situation is much worse than we previously thought, and unless we reduce global […]
Alice Huntley – Beyond Words
I like words. I rarely find myself stuck for them. Words have been my friends all my life. I like to talk, to say what I think, to express how I feel through them. I lose myself in books, I love learning languages, to wield new vocabulary like a weapon, testing the heft and the hew […]
Chine McDonald & Azariah France Williams – In Our Own Skin, In Our Own Words (N192)
Rather than our usual interview format, in this episode we’re hosting a conversation. We’ll be listening in on Chine McDonald and Azariah France Wiliiams as they discuss their understanding and experience of blackness and how that has shaped their identity, their place in society and the way they relate to God and Church. It’s an […]
Janet Williams – Seeking the God Beyond (N191)
Janet Williams joins us to discuss apophatic theology and spirituality. I know, it doesn’t sound like the most riveting topic. But trust me, it’s essential listening for anyone who’s been through some kind of deconstruction, faith evolution or dark night of the soul, anyone who’s interested in mysticism, or who’s gown tired and disillusioned with […]
Joscelyn Cole – Navigating the Space Between
I have a confession: I find it infinitely easier to find God in fiction than I do in church. It may sound obvious, but a book doesn’t have to be by a Christian author to be able to strike at heart of what Love is. One of the most compelling stories of relationship I’ve read […]
10th Anniversary Q&A Marathon (N190)
It was 10 years ago that Nomad first uploaded an episode. 10 years!! So to celebrate we’d like to give you a gift as a thank you for all your support and encouragement. But what to give the beloved listener to mark such a special occasion? How about a 3 hour 40 minute Q&A marathon […]
Ashleigh Dueck – My Body
My body has been through some difficult times already. There came a point where people began remarking: “Of course, this happened to you. If it’s extreme/random/unlikely, it’s going to happen to Ashleigh.” Now, this looks harsh written out. At first it didn’t feel harsh; it felt true. And the people who say this do not […]
Edwina Gateley – Missionaries, Mystics and Mother God (N189)
Edwina Gateley is a mystic, and a social activist. Her life has been a rhythm of extended periods of prayer and solitude (including 9 months of silence in a caravan in a forest!) and activism (including establishing a mission agency that has sent hundreds of people into missions work around the world, and working with […]
Azariah France-Williams – Love Your Excluded Neighbour
It was the mid 1990s. A new teen, Jonathan, had joined the church youth group. He was cool; he had a black leather jacket. Jonathan was clean cut, held passionate opinions and was sensitive. We became friends. He was different to my other friends. Even though I was only 17 I was one of the […]
Brian Zahnd – Christians in the Age of Trump (N188)
Brian Zahnd is back on the show. This time we’re chatting with him about the themes raised in his book Postcards From Babylon. In it he takes aim at the toxic relationship between Church and Empire, and the religion that has emerged from it, which he calls Americanism. This religion has its own liturgies, gods […]
Joy Brooks – Freedom from Unhealthy Religious Systems
Glancing up at the screen I register the song lyrics – ‘You’ve never failed me yet’ – and experience a familiar surge of frustration and pain. I’m sat at the edge of the room with a notebook, so I start journaling: There’s a part of me that would like to shout ‘bollocks’ to that…And yet […]
Danielle Wilson & Brad Jersak – Nativity at the Edges (N187)
It’s that time of the year again! So we thought we’d offer up a Christmas themed Devotional for you all. Brad Jersak talks a bit about how the Nativity is understood in the Eastern Church, we reflect on the feminine in the salvation story, and Danielle Wilson shares reflections on her time spent in a refugee camp […]
Brad Jersak – On Charismatics and Contemplation (N186)
For many of us, the charismatic movement has been a mixed bag of bonkers and blessing. The danger is, of course, that we throw the blessed baby out with the bonkers bathwater! Especially for those of us who have been through some kind of deconstruction, we can easily end up rationalising away anything mystical. So […]
Maggie Jones – A Weak, Vulnerable and Dependent Saviour?
I love singing, and have over the years developed a compendious knowledge of Hymns Ancient & Modern, through to a range of current (ish) worship songs. However, I find myself struggling with a lot of the implicit or explicit theology, particularly as expressed in some of the accompanying graphics on YouTube where Jesus is wafting […]
Liz West – The Enneagram: 9 Pathways for Spiritual Growth (N185)
Enneagram trainer Liz West joins us on the show to talk about this ancient tool for transformation. You may have seen the rather “dodgy” looking enneagram symbol, but don’t be put off. This is an ancient treasure that goes right back to the fourth century desert mothers and fathers who began to discern the things […]
Mike Powell – Starting Over
The archetypal narrative of a Christian often begins with that remembered moment when they first welcomed Jesus into their life as a young person. However, what has instead become the most defining aspect of my life’s journey to date took place in September 2007 – when I was 27 years old and I discovered that […]
James Alison – Scapegoat: How Civilisation Harms and How the Cross Heals (N184)
Catholic theologian and priest, James Alison joins us on the show to discuss scapegoating. It’s a word we’re all familiar with, but as James explains, it’s through the violence of the scapegoating mechanism that civilisations are built. And, it is through the scapegoating mechanism that the cross heals. It’s a fascinating way of understanding the atonement, […]
Heather Payne Reynolds – Grace, Truth and Surrender
I’ve always felt that if I had to describe my life in terms of the tortoise and the hare fable, I’m the tortoise. My spiritual evolution has been slow and steady. I grew up in the seventies in a denomination where the only way to be saved was by immersion at some ambiguous “age of […]
Elaine Heath – Pioneers, Lightning Rods and Anxious Churches (N183)
Elaine Heath is the perfect person to speak to about the emergence of new expressions of Church. She’s one of those rare people who understands and can navigate the institution (she’s former Dean of Duke Divinity School and an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church), while at the same time has years of experience […]
Marcus Rempel – Whereto, Nomads?
The podcast I was listening to cut out halfway to my Aunt Hilda’s funeral. Like a switch being flicked, I suddenly saw my surroundings. I saw the greyness of the sky, the blankness of the white fields, the flatness of the landscape. Driving through the prairies in wintertime is like wandering the corridors of an […]
Tom Wright – The Reconstruction of Paul (N181)
Professor Tom Wright has got another book out! If you found the 1800 page tome that was Paul and the Faithfulness of God a little intimidating, then perhaps try his mere 500 page Paul: A Biography. Or failing that, how about a 50 minute Nomad interview to bring you up to speed with Tom’s new insights […]
Paula Gooder – Phoebe, Patriarchy and Faithful Improvisation (N180)
From just two verses at the end of Romans, Paula Gooder has gleaned some fascinating insights about Phoebe. She was likely a freed slave, who became wealthy and influential. And she was a deacon who carried Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome, and most likely explained it to them. From these intriguing details, Paula has written a novel, […]
Steve Aisthorpe – The Invisible Church (N179)
You’re no doubt aware that the Church has been in steady decline in the West for a number of decades now. In the UK for example, Church attendance has roughly halved in the last thirty five years. But what do we know about all the people who left? Why did they leave? And what are […]
Elaine Heath – Spiritual Practices (N178)
It’s summer and we’re feeling generous, so with thought we’d share this month’s Nomad Devotional with everyone. If you’re a patron of nomad you’ll be very familiar with our Devotionals. Each month we ask a guest to offer us a reflection. And then we unpack it with music, song and readings.This month we asked the former Dean […]
David Benjamin Blower – Hymns for Nomads (N177)
For those of you who support us on Patreon, you’ll already be familiar with David Benjamin Blower’s music. Each month he responds to a guest’s reflection with music and song. And out of these Devotionals has emerged the album Hymns for Nomads, a compilation of spirituals, murder ballads and campfire songs. It’s a record that […]
John Philip Newell – The Spirit, the Earth and the Soul (N176)
Christianity in the West is collapsing. Poet, peacemaker and scholar John Philip Newell believes we can either deny it’s happening, try to shore up the foundations of the old thing, or we can radically reorientate our vision and ask what new thing is trying to be born. So we ask John Philip what this new […]
Vicky Beeching – From Shame to Pride (N175)
Vicky Beeching was the darling of the Christian worship scene. For a decade she wrote hit albums and toured American mega-churches, leading worship for thousands of people every week. Her songs become some of the most sung around the world. But from the age of 13 Vicky had kept a secret. She was gay. When […]
Sarah Corbett – The Art of Gentle Protest (N174)
“If we want our world to be more beautiful, kind and fair, then shouldn’t our activism be beautiful, kind and fair?” It’s obvious when you hear someone say it. So why is so much activism loud and aggressive? Sarah Corbett burnt out on just this kind of activism, partly because she’s an introvert, and partly […]
Kallistos Ware – The Jesus Prayer (N173)
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware is considered by many to be the leading theologian today in the Orthodox Church. He is perhaps best known as the author of the book The Orthodox Church, and more recently the companion volume, The Orthodox Way. Metropolitan Kallistos is also known as one of the great advocates of the Jesus Prayer, […]
Rachel Held Evans – Loving the Bible Again (N172)
Rachel Held Evans has had quite a journey. Brought up in the ‘buckle of the Bible Belt’ she inherited a conservative evangelical faith and was a self-professing ‘Bible Nerd’. But shaken by the realities of our broken world, cracks began to form, and questions turned to doubts, doubts to cynicism and cynicism to despair. But […]
Stephen Backhouse – For God and Country? (N171)
Political theologian Stephen Backhouse believes that the earliest Christians tended to see patriotism as a vice – a temptation to guard against. Now it seems most Christians assume it is a virtue. Many of us, for example, don’t think twice about asking God to Save the Queen or Bless America. So we ask Stephen whether the gospel […]
Danielle Shroyer – Original Blessing (N170)
Danielle Shroyer believes that more than any other idea, the doctrine of original sin has “slowly eroded our understanding of our relationship with God”. Not only that, she believes it is unbiblical, and was rejected by Judaism and many Christian traditions, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church. So we ask Danielle how she understands sin, separation, […]
Malcolm Guite – Poems on the Passion (169)
Poet and priest Malcolm Guite helps us mark the death and resurrection of Jesus with poems from his series on the stations of the cross, and with his reflections on the Messianic Event. Nomad’s David Blower responds to Malcolm’s poetry and thought in sound and song, and Kate Blower brings the Easter readings. We produce […]
Thomas Oord – The Uncontrolling Love of God (N168)
Professor Thomas Oord has spent years wrestling with the problem of evil. Why, if God is all powerful and all loving, is there so much evil in the world? This question has brought Thomas to the edge of his faith. In recent years, though, he has begun to consider a radical solution. Perhaps God can’t […]
Georgia May – Can Radical Hospitality be Too Radical? (N167)
Georgia May’s parents had an open-door policy. Literally. Most of the time the front door of their home was left open, so that people would feel welcome at any time. Consequently, Georgia grew up with a house full of people who’s didn’t feel they had a family of their own. This radical approach to hospitality led […]
Jayme Reaves – Safeguarding the Stranger (N166)
Jayme Reaves grew up in a home and a church that weren’t safe environments. This later led to a passion to study and experience true hospitality. Through her studies and her experiences in the former Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland, she discovered that the hospitality we’re called to goes way beyond simply welcoming the stranger. Instead we’re called to protect the stranger. Tune […]
Brad Jersak – The Orthodox Way (N165)
Nomad favourite Brad Jersak was in town recently, so we seized on the opportunity to hang out, and quiz him about his faith journey. And it’s a very interesting faith journey, taking in charismatic evangelicalism, anabaptism, church planting among the poor and marginalised, and landing in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Despite many Western Christians being only […]
John Swinton – Becoming Friends of Time (N164)
John Swinton is a Scottish theologian and founder of the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. After years of work as a mental health nurse, John became an academic in order to process all that he’d learnt. And my word has he learnt a lot! His book Dementia: Living in the Memories of God, and Becoming Friends of […]
Elaine Storkey & Rowan Williams – At the Margins (N163)
Here’s the final part of our four-part Advent Devotional series. This time philosopher and theologian Elaine Storkey reflects on Advent in the context of those on the margins. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams finishes the Advent readings, and David Benjamin Blower closes things out with his unique style of music and songs. Images provided by SPCK and Magdalene […]
Elaine Storkey & Rowan Williams – Good News to the Poor (N162)
It’s week three of our four-part Advent Devotional series. This time philosopher and theologian Elaine Storkey considers how Advent might be Good News to the Poor. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams continues to work his way through the Advent readings, with the help of Kate Blower. And David Benjamin Blower continues to bring the music and songs. So […]
Elaine Storkey & Rowan Williams – Peace Across Borders (N161)
Here’s the second part of our four-part Advent Devotional series. This time philosopher and theologian Elaine Storkey bases her reflection around the idea of Peace Across Borders. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams again brings the readings along with Kate Blower, and David Benjamin Blower brings the music and songs. Images provided by SPCK and Magdalene College. Used with […]
Elaine Storkey & Rowan Williams – Liberation (N160)
If you’re one of our Patreon or PayPal supporters, then you’ll already be familiar with our Nomad Devotionals. Every month we ask a guest to reflect on a topic, and then we unpack it with music, song, readings, and prayers. For Advent we thought we produce a four-part Devotional and make it available to everyone. So for […]
Dave Randall – Songs that Change Society (N159)
Dave Randall has played guitar for some huge acts, including Faithless, Dido and Sinead O’Connor. As he’s reflected on his career and the industry he’s been a part of, he has begun to see the huge potential of music to change society. This prompted him to write the excellent book Sound System: The Political Power of Music. So if you’re interested in pondering […]
Muhanad Al Qaisy – Palestinians and Ploughshares (N158)
Muhanad Al Qaisy’s grandfather, grandmother and seven children fled their home in Palestine and ended up in a refugee camp in 1948. Nearly 70 years later, the family is still struggling to make a life in the same camp. So we ask Muhanad what he sees as signs of hope. Interview starts at 11m 10s […]
Nick Spencer – Doing Good: The Future of the Church? (N157)
Well, this is it, Dave Ward’s final episode. After six years of podcasting, he’s decided to go on to other things (probably something to do with horses…). In his final episode, we’re chatting with Nick Spencer, the Director of Research at Theos Think Tank, and author of The Evolution of the West: How Christianity Has […]
Ruth Dearnley, Julia Pugh and Hannah Flint – Stop the Traffik (N156)
A recent report into human trafficking revealed that the problem is significantly worse than previously thought. In fact, it is believed that in the UK alone, every large town and city will have trafficked people in it who are effectively enslaved, and many of us are unwittingly coming into contact with trafficked people every day. […]
Elizabeth Edman – Queer Virtue (N155)
Elizabeth Edman believes she has learnt more from the LGBTQ community about what it means to be a Christian, than she has from the Church. Why? Well, she believes the church has forgotten what it means to be scandalous, to struggle for identity and to expand its boundaries to include the marginalised. And so the Church needs to learn from the gay […]
Malcolm Guite – Finding God with the Poetic Imagination (N154)
Malcolm Guite is a poet, priest and theologian. Years of inhabiting these roles has led him to the belief that we’re relying far too much on reason and thought in the formation of our faith, and are overlooking the significance of the ‘poetic imagination’. He believes that we can find deep truth in the imagination and that poetry can bring our […]
Walter Brueggemann – Kingdom vs. Cash? (N153)
I know, we only just interviewed Walter Brueggemann! But he’s just brought a book out entitled Money and Possessions and we’ve still got unresolved questions after our chat with Justin Welby on that subject. So why not spend another hour in the digital presence of one of the great biblical scholars of our time?! And as you’d expect, it was an hour chock-full of wisdom and […]
Walter Brueggemann – Sabbath as Resistance (N152)
Walter Brueggemann is widely considered to be one of the most influential theologians of our time. So who better to help us get a handle on the idea of the Sabbath. Especially as he wrote the fascinating and insightful Sabbath as Resistance. That’s right, Sabbath is so much more than simply taking a day off, […]
Shane Claiborne – A Faith Not Worth Fighting For (N151)
For the last 20 years Shane Claiborne has been trying to follow Jesus in a deprived area of Philadelphia. This journey has led him to a commitment to non-violence, ‘from womb to tomb’, which has been tested on many occasions. So tune in for a challenging and counter-cultural conversation. Interview starts at 11m 15s. Image […]
Richard Beck – Why We Don’t Love Like Jesus (N150)
It’s pretty clear what Jesus was about. Love you neighbour (and if that’s not challenging enough, love your enemies) was at the top of his manifesto. So why do we find it so hard to follow his example? Professor of Psychology at Abilene University, Richard Beck, doesn’t think the issue is a lack of understanding. We know what we’re meant to […]
Brian Zahnd – How to Deconstruct Without Quitting Church (N149)
In many ways Brian Zahnd is like many of Nomad’s guests in that he deconstructed (although he doesn’t like that term) what he came to see as a very narrow faith, and reconstructed something much deeper and broader. The difference with Brian, though, is that he went through this process while pastoring a mega-church. So we […]
Justin Brierley – Is Reason Relevant? (N148)
Every now and then we like to interview a fellow podcaster who, like us, is creating a space for an open and honest exploration of the Christian faith. And Justin Brierley is one such person. For over a decade he’s been producing Unbelievable?, on which he moderates conversations between Christians and people from other faiths […]
David Blower – Spirit, Soil and Sojourner (N147)
In many ways, Nomad has been quite an intellectual journey. And as much as we love some good old fashioned theological cut-and-thrust, we’ve increasingly aware that if this journey is going to be sustainable, it’s got to be an holistic one. So each month we’ll be producing Nomad Devotionals, through which we’ll be experimenting with readings, prayers, liturgies and songs. […]
Rowan Williams – The Problem of Prayer (N146)
What actually is prayer? What happens when we do it? What difference can it make, if any, to the events and circumstances we find ourselves in? Should we expect to sense God in prayer, or perhaps even hear him communicate to us? And if so, why do so few of us ever seem to have […]
Greg Boyd – The Crucifixion of the Warrior God (N145)
Greg Boyd is back on the show! This time he’s tackling the thorny issue of violence in the Old Testament. How is it, for example, that the God revealed in Jesus loves his enemies and lays down his life for them, when the God we see in the Old Testament seems to routinely kill his enemies? What […]
Mark Vernon – Living on the Edge of the Circle (NS35)
At our recent offline Gathering, Mark Vernon – former Anglican Priest, turned atheist, turned Christian agnostic – led us in a Buddhist inspired meditation. To get the full benefit from this, you might want to sit near some other people (e.g. in a cafe, the library, or park, etc.) as it’s all about how we perceive ourselves […]
Mark Vernon – The Art of Uncertainty (N144)
This podcast comes to you from Nomad’s first offline Gathering. We had a great weekend of food, drink, conversation, music and meditation. We also interviewed Mark Vernon. Mark was an Anglican priest but developed deep doubts about the faith. His subsequent journey took him through atheism, to agnosticism, through ancient Greek philosophy, to a Christian […]
Nomad Gathering – The Nomad Story (N143)
We recently invited the beloved listener to Nottingham for Nomad’s first offline get-together. It was a splendid weekend of conversation, interviews, music, food and drink. And we recorded some of it for you. First up is a Q&A we did on the Friday night, where David Benjamin Blower asked us about the Nomad story and […]
Is Christianity Good News for Animals? (N142)
We recently attended the Creature Conference, put on by Sarx. We spent the day pondering the question ‘Is Christianity Good News for Animals?’ Animal welfare used to be seen as an important expression of the gospel for leaders such as Spurgeon, Wesley, C. S. Lewis and many others. But more recently it seems to have dropped […]
Tom Wright – The Day the Revolution Began (N141)
We thought it was about time we had a fresh look at the central symbol of our faith, the cross. So we headed off to Tom Wright’s house to asked him how the cross launched Jesus’s revolution, and why after 2000 year does it often look like the revolution is struggling to transform the world. […]
Alastair McIntosh – The Ancient Art of Soulful Travel (N140)
For those of us who have been through some kind of faith deconstruction, spiritual practices often take on a new significance, as we seek to connect with God without what often feels like restrictive doctrinal and organisational frameworks. Scottish theologian and activist Alastair McIntosh recently wrote Poacher’s Pilgrimage about a soulful journey he took across the Islands of the […]
Brian Draper – Lent and the Transforming Power of Stillness (NS34)
Lent is upon us once again. A wonderful counter-cultural season where we reflect on those things we might need to give up. So we asked Brian Draper to send us something that would help guide us through this time. And he came up trumps with a reflection on the transforming power of stillness. So tune […]
Justin Welby – Dethroning Mammon (N139)
We’ve been wanting to do an episode on money for a while now, so when the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby put pen to paper and wrote his first book – Dethroning Mammon– all about the dangers of money, we seized upon the opportunity and headed off for Lambeth Palace. We asked the Archbishop what his life experience has taught him […]
Barbara Glasson – Baking and Weaving a Community (N138)
In both Liverpool and Bradford, Barbara Glasson has drawn together communities that have provided safe, honest, authentic spaces for the poor, marginalised, disillusioned, and people from other faiths and none. As well as being a spiritual home for these people, she believes they have an important message for the mainstream church. So we ask Barbara how she […]
Rachel Mann – A Trans-Woman Meets a Queer God (N137)
Priest, poet and feminist theologian, Rachel Mann is a trans-woman. From an early age she had a profound sense that her body didn’t reflect her gender. After a long, frustrating and painful journey she emerged into the woman she is today. We ask Rachel to look back over this transition and reflect on what it means to […]
Richard Beck – The Devil for Doubters and the Disenchanted (N136)
What are 21st Century educated, questioning Christians supposed to make of the Devil and evil spirits? Are they literal spiritual beings who spend their time trying to lure us into sinful acts? Or should we see them as metaphors for social injustices that we need to confront? We ask professor of psychology, author and blogger Richard Beck. Interview begins at 6m […]
Nicola Slee – Come as a Girl (NS33)
It’s that time of the year again! We thought we’d have a week off interviewing, and so we’ve arranged a little Christmas reflection for you. Nicola Slee is a feminist practice theologian and poet who is currently director of research at The Queen’s Foundation of Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. In this podcast, Nicola reflects the implications of Jesus being […]
Sally Smith – A Holy Welcome (N135)
Sally Smith joins us for the third part of our series on the migrant crisis. In this episode we hear about the fascinating and inspiring story that emerged when Sally opened the doors of her dying church to asylum seekers and refugees. She’s seen large numbers come to faith, she’s reunited mothers with their children, […]
Dave Smith – Clothing the Naked Jesus (N134)
Our regular listeners will remember our Welcome the Stranger refugee special where we looked at the crisis through the eyes of a Syrian refugee and a refugee charity worker. The aim was to raise awareness and money through the sale of David Benjamin Blower‘s album Welcome the Stranger. On this week’s podcast, we’re looking at the crisis through the eyes of […]
Michael and Lisa Gungor – Music for Doubters and the Disenchanted (N133)
Gungor – a multi-grammy nominated Christian band – were the toast of the evangelical worship scene. That is until it became clear that Michael was having significant doubts about his faith. This did not go down well among evangelicals, to say the least. So we talk with Michael and his wife Lisa about the impact this […]
Brian McLaren – The Great Spiritual Migration (N132)
Brian McLaren has a knack for articulating what many of us are feeling. For a decade he has been the voice of those Christians who are concerned about, for example, the Church’s overemphasis on doctrinal belief, its lack of inclusivity, and its lack of concern for the many global issues we are facing. In his latest book – The […]
Mark Yaconelli – The Transforming Power of Stories (N131)
Mark Yaconelli is – among many other things – a storyteller. Such is his belief in the power of stories that he founded The Hearth, a gathering of local people who simply share their own stories. Mark has seen this simple gathering profoundly impact his local community. So we ask Mark why it is that stories can […]
Kester Brewin – The Church and Other Means of Escape (N130)
Kester Brewin was founder of one the UK’s most creative and innovative alternative worship communities, Vaux. He went onto write The Complex Christ, a critically acclaimed book calling for an emerging Church. But over the following years he began to realise that Christianity was just another means of trying to escape his childhood pain. Tune into the […]
Paula Gooder – A Spirituality for the Whole Person (N129)
Christianity can be quite a disembodied faith. Muslim’s have prayer positions, Hindu’s have yoga, Buddhists have Tai-Chi, whereas Christians tend to pray with little more than a bowed head. We ask theologian Paula Gooder why Christians have separated the spiritual from the physical, and what damage this has done for the faith. And we ask how our […]
Brian Draper – Mindfulness: The Doorway to the Soul? (N128)
Mindfulness has exploded in popularity over recent years, with seemingly every other community centre, school, health service and therapist offering it. But what benefit, if any, does it offer the follower of Jesus? Author, speaker and retreat leader, Brian Draper, believes it has a vital role in Christian spirituality, but only as a doorway to something […]
Roger Mitchell – Jesus and the Politics of Love (N127)
With the dust just beginning to settle after Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, we thought we’d take the opportunity to look at our relationship with politics. Was Jesus political? Should Christians engage in party politics, or should they be a prophetic voice from the margins? We bring these, and many other questions to political […]
Pete Enns – The Sin of Certainty (N126)
Is faith based purely on belief, and a strong faith holding to those beliefs with certainty? If so, what happens when our beliefs evolve and shift? Prof. Peter Enns believes that we’ve misunderstood the nature of faith, and it is actually trust rather than certainty that lays at it’s heart. And it is this trust that can […]
Diana Butler Bass – A Horizontal Church for a Horizontal Spirituality (N125)
The question ‘who is God?’ used to be the starting point for religious reflection, but increasingly spiritual seekers are concerning themselves with the question ‘where is God?’. We ask historian, religious commentator and author Diana Butler Bass about her faith journey and how her shift from a vertical to a horizontal theology dramatically reshaped her faith […]
Anthony Reddie – Is God Colour-Blind? (N124)
Why in our multicultural society is the Church still predominantly led by, and our theology predominantly written by, white men? We head to Birmingham to meet up with one of the UK’s leading black theologians, Anthony Reddie. We ask him if the Church is racist and if so what we can do about it? And, what difference […]
Welcome the Stranger – A Refugee Special (N123)
We have a humanitarian disaster unfolding on our doorstep. Many of us feel frustrated at our government’s half-hearted response, yet we feel overwhelmed and powerless to do anything ourselves. In this episode we hear the story of Adel Hamad, a Syrian refugee who made the trip to the UK. We then hear from Naomi Jemmett, […]
Christena Cleveland – Disunity in Christ (N122)
Why is the Church divided into over 40,000 denominations? Why do Churches in the same town often have very little to do with each other? Why are Christians always fighting on social media? It doesn’t seem much like the one new humanity Jesus came to establish! To find some answers we quiz social psychologist, Christena Cleveland. Interview […]
Gary Burge – Whose Land? Whose Promise? (N121)
Professor Gary Burge joins us on the podcast to help us get our heads round the complexities of Israel/Palestine. Gary was a student at the university of Beirut, he now lecturers in the US on the New Testament and the Theology of the Promised Land. He regularly visits the Middle East and has close connections to Christian leaders […]
Jon Underwood – Tea and Mortality at the Death Cafe (N120)
Apparently the vast majority of us feel uncomfortable talking about death, and haven’t spoken to anyone about our end of life wishes. Buddhist, Jon Underwood thinks this is having a profoundly negative effect on our society. So he pioneered the Death Cafe movement where people gather together, drink tea, eat cake and talk openly and honestly about death. Interview begins […]
Wayne Jacobsen – What Sort of Church is Jesus Building? (N119)
Wayne Jacobsen was a successful pastor. But as his disillusionment with the institutional nature of church grew, he decided to walk away and begin a search for the church Jesus was building. 20 years later he says this was one of the best decisions he ever made. So tune in if you’re curious about the sort of Church Jesus […]
Pentecost for Progressives – Richard Beck (NS32)
With Pentecost almost upon us, we offer you our 7th and final refection. So who has the privilege of closing out this series? Well it’s Associate Professor of Psychology, Richard Beck of course! Image provided by Richard Beck. Used with permission.
Pentecost for Progressives – Roger Mitchell (NS31)
In our sixth instalment of our Pentecost for Progressives series, we bring you Roger Mitchell. Roger is an Honorary Research Fellow at Lancaster University and has pioneered a movement around the idea of Kenarchy, by which he means ‘self emptying power’. And it is this theme he skilfully weaves into a Pentecost refection. Image provided by Roger Mitchell. Used with permission.
Pentecost for Progressives – Rachel Mann (NS30)
Rachel Mann brings us our fifth Pentecost for Progressives reflection. Rachel is a Church of England priest, and is poet in Residence at Manchester Cathedral. She’s also transgender, and brings something of her experience of wrestling with identity and faith to this fascinating reflection. Image provided by Rachel Mann. Used with permission.
Pentecost for Progressives – Sharon Putt (NS29)
Our Pentecost for Progressives series continues with a jazz inspired reflection from Sharon Putt. Sharon is a theologian, and author of Razing Hell and Executing God. Image provided by Sharon Putt. Used with permission. If you want more from Sharon, then check out the interview we did with her.
Pentecost for Progressives – Ann Morisy (NS28)
Our journey towards Pentecost continues. This week’s refection comes from freelance community theologian and author, Ann Morisy. Ann has researched and written on everything from the spirituality of public transport, through to the spirituality of ageing. But for us, she turns her attention to Pentecost. Image provided by Ann Morisy. Used with permission.
Pentecost for Progressives – Alastair McIntosh (NS27)
Here’s our second Pentecost reflection for you. This time Alastair McIntosh reflects on how his understanding of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit has changed and evolved, from one of judgement to one of spiritual activism. Image provided by Alastair McIntosh. Used with permission.
Pentecost for Progressives – Barbara Glasson (NS26)
We’ve got a new Nomad Spirituality series for you, Pentecost for Progressives. Each week between Easter and Pentecost we’ll be giving you a reflection from someone who’s been through a faith shift/deconstruction, or who just views the faith with a critical eye. We asked them the question, what does Pentecost/Holy Spirit mean to you now? First up is Barbara […]
James Martin – Jesus Understands You (NS25)
As well as our usual interview shows we like to give you some food for thought focussed around the Church Calendar. This Easter we’ve asked the Jesuit Priest, Father James Martin to reflect on how he relates to the suffering and resurrected Jesus. Image provided by James Martin. Used with permission. If you want more […]
Alan Mann – Atonement for a Sinless Society (N118)
Easter is upon us again, so we thought it was a fine time to look at the atonement again. So we popped over to Bristol to chat with Alan Mann. Alan asks the question, what could the atonement mean for a society that doesn’t consider itself sinful in any traditional sense. Rather than ‘sin’ Alan believes the issue we […]
Robin Parry – How to Live in the Biblical Cosmos (N117)
Robin Parry is a theologian best known for advocating universalism. But more recently he’s turned his attention to writing about The Biblical Cosmos. In this book he systematically lays out all the weirdness of the biblical universe, with its flat earth, the dead residing underneath it and God residing above a solid sky dome. Oh, and there’s sea monsters and angel-stars […]
Grace Davie – Cathedrals, Charismatics, and the Future of Church (N116)
On Nomad we often talk about the changing nature of culture and how the church has changed (or not) in response. But rather than continuing to rely on our own anecdotal and wildly speculative evidence, we thought it was about time we spoke to someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. Grace Davie is a professor in the sociology […]
Jamie Arpin-Ricci – A Vulnerable Faith (N115)
Jamie Arpin-Ricci joins us on the latest leg of our Nomadic pilgrimage of hope. Jamie felt called to leave his comfortable middle class life and move to a high poverty and crime inner-city area. Obviously this presented many challenges, but none more so than being confronted by his own vulnerability. So we ask Jamie to reflect on what it means to make […]
Elaine Storkey: Faith, Feminism and Gender-Based Violence (N114)
The UN said recently that ‘Gender-based violence is perhaps the most widespread and socially tolerated of human rights violations.’ We spoke to philosopher, sociologist and theologian Elaine Storkey about the reasons behind this, and how the church should respond. This led on to a fascinating discussion about what it really means to be a man. Tune in for an eye-opening, challenging and hope-filled conversation. Interview begins […]
Terry Waite – In Captivity with Christ (N113)
Terry Waite travelled to some of the most dangerous places in the world, negotiating with the likes of Idi Amin and Colonel Gaddafi for the release of hostages. Then while working in Lebanon he was taken hostage by Islamic Jihadists. He was held for nearly 5 years, most of it in solitary confinement, was tortured and underwent a mock execution. Tune […]
John Hayes – Christmas Contradictions? (NS24)
Last year we gave you our ’12 Days of Christmas’ reflections. We’re adding to that series with a reflection by the director of the missional community InnerChange, John Hayes. John reflects on the contradictions inherent in our modern celebration of Christmas. Image provided by Baker Publishing. Used with permission. Want more? Then have a read of John’s excellent book Sub-merge: […]
Tim and Dave’s Q&A Marathon (N112)
On this edition of Nomad we thought we’d answer a few of your questions. Everything from ‘Who are you two?’, through to ‘Is there a north-south divide in heaven?’. It’s a marathon 2 hour something ride of beer fuelled banter and ‘profound’ insights! Images by Dave Fry. Used with permission. QUOTES “Hold onto the hope […]
Rob Bell – Millones Cajones (N111)
As if building a church of 10,000+, producing an international bestselling DVD series, writing critically acclaimed bestselling books, producing a hugely popular podcast, and having his own TV show wasn’t enough, Rob Bell has decided to write a novel. And much to the frustration of all us lesser talented mortals, it’s really rather good! But what does Millones Cajones reveal about Rob’s own struggle to find himself amidst all this success? Image by Dixon. […]
Jonny Baker – Church and the Gift of Not Fitting In (N110)
Ever felt awkward and uncomfortable in Church, like you just don’t fit in? Well, according to Jonny Baker that feeling could be the gift of pioneering. Jonny was pioneering before pioneering was a thing. Most notably he founded the alternative worship community Grace, and more recently he’s pioneered a training course for pioneers. So if you’re dreaming that things could be different, then check out the […]
Brad Jersak – A More Christlike God (N109)
At the core of author and teacher Brad Jersak’s faith is the belief that God looks like Jesus. Simple enough, right? But what about the violent ‘God of the Old Testament’? What about the parable’s of Jesus that liken God to an angry king? And what about all the suffering in the world that God seems to simply […]
Dave Andrews – The Jihad of Jesus (N108)
Dave Andrews has lived and worked in intentional communities with marginalised groups of people in Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. Through these experiences he developed a passion for seeing Christians and Muslims learning together what it means to follow Jesus. To this end, he proposes that we all observe the Jihad of Jesus. We caught […]
Dave Smith – Facing Up to the Refugee Crisis (N107)
The recent image of a drowned child washed up on a Turkish beach brought the refugee crisis into sharp focus. So to help us better understand the complexities of the situation and how best to respond, we’ve asked Dave Smith to send us a reflection. Dave is the founder of the Boaz Trust, a charity that houses, […]
Bruce Stanley – Harvest Thanksgiving? (NS23)
Every now and then we treat you to Nomad Spirituality, a guest meditation based around the Church calendar. So we thought a reflection based around Harvest might be in order. Bruce Stanley seemed like the man as he’s a forager, owns a small holding, pioneered the Forest Church movement. But rather than giving thanks, what harvest prompts Bruce to do […]
Joanna Jepson – Searching for Beauty (N106)
The idea of beauty has shaped Joanna Jepson‘s life and ministry. Born with a jaw defect she was mercilessly bullied through her childhood and into adulthood. But after successful surgery she then had to figure out how her internal self related to her new external self. She then went on to issue a legal challenge against the […]
Marina Cantacuzino – The Forgiveness Project (N105)
10 years ago Marina Cantacuzino began to interview people who had suffered all sorts of trauma, abuse and wrongdoing, but who instead of choosing vengeance chose forgiveness. It’s easy as Christians to think that we’ve cornered the market on forgiveness, but listening to these stories from people from a range of faith traditions and none is […]
Robert Song – Sex AD vs. Sex BC? (N104)
Robert Song is a professor in the department of Theology and Religion at Durham Uni. He recently wrote ‘Covenant and Calling’, in which he challenges traditional ideas of marriage, having children and celibacy and proposes a whole new category of relationship, called ‘covenant partnerships’. And he reaches these conclusions not by looking to Genesis, or pulling out […]
Kelly Bean – How to Be a Christian Without Going to Church (N103)
Nomad started out with a group of people wanting to explore new forms of church, so after six years we thought it was about time to explore this idea again. Kelly Bean grew up in traditional church and never questioned its practices or structure. But over time she began to realise that the house group she led felt […]
Robert Cohen – Back to Our Roots? Lessons from Judaism (N102)
Jewish blogger, Robert Cohen is back on the show, sharing with us lessons from his faith journey. So if you’re interested in knowing more about the connection between faith, ancestry and land, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, interfaith marriage, what a Jew makes of church, and what a true prophet looks like, then this is the episode for […]
Eve Tushnet – Gay, Catholic and Celibate (N101)
Eve Tushnet is a freelance writer and blogger. And she’s gay, Catholic and celibate. So we asked Eve to tell us the story of how she went from atheist lesbian, to Catholic and celibate. And what she learnt about love, friendship and what it means to commit to the Church. Image provided by Eve Tushnet. Used […]
Carl Medearis – Is Islam Inherently Violent? (N100)
With yet another terrorist atrocity in the news – this time leading to the deaths of at least 38 people in Tunisia – people are again asking, ‘Is Islam inherently violent?’ We ask Carl Medearis, an international expert is Muslim-Christian relations who has lived, worked, and traveled in the Middle East for the last 30 years, […]
Tom Wright – The Man Behind the Theology (N99)
Tom Wright is unquestionably one of the most influential NT scholars of our generation. It’s hard to overestimate the influence he has had on the Church’s understanding of Jesus and Paul. But what makes this great man tick? We asked you what you’d like to know about the man behind the theology. As a result, we ended up […]
Alastair McIntosh – Soil, Soul and Spiritual Activism (N98)
It’s quite popular these days to refer to yourself as an activist. But Alastair McIntosh is the real thing. Not only is he a respected academic and writer, but he’s taken on major corporations, and won! Why? Because he believes that much of the modern world is threatening our sense of place, which is so vital for human […]
Rachel Held Evans – Losing My [Evangelical] Religion (N97)
In this episode we talk to Rachel Held Evans about her journey from a conservative evangelical faith, through a period of wrestling with questions, doubt, cynicism and despair, to the emergence of a new kind of faith. And we discuss the trials and tribulations of embarking on this journey under the gaze of social media. Image provided by HarperCollins. […]
Mike McHargue – Faith Lost and Found (N96)
[Science] Mike McHargue describes himself as a Christian turned atheist turned follower of Jesus. That’s right, Mike was a fully-fledged conservative evangelical Christian, but then he read the whole Bible and his faith crumbled away. He then found himself in the rather awkward position of being in Church leadership while no longer believing in God! […]
Derek Flood – Disarming Scripture (N95)
What on earth are we meant to do with those passages in the Bible where God commands genocide, the stoning to death of rebellious children or poems about dashing the heads of babies on rocks?! Well, according to theologian, author and artist, Derek Flood, the answer is pretty straight forward, we just read the Bible like […]
Paul Bickley – Why Vote? (N94)
Another General Election is upon us. Levels of apathy and disillusionment are at an all time high, and popular figures like Russell Brand are urging us to have no part in what he sees as a corrupt system. So the question we’re wrestling with is: Why Bother Voting? To help answer this we’ve turned to […]
Lewis Dartnell – How to Survive if You’re Left Behind (N93)
The Rapture is a curious doctrine, as it’s not in the Bible, anywhere! But let’s pretend it’s real, and you missed it! How would you survive the collapse of civilisation? Lewis Dartnell‘s day job is to search for life on Mars, but for fun he wrote The Knowledge: How to Rebuild our World from Scratch. It may […]
Rick Love – Love Your [Isis] Neighbour? (N92)
Jesus told us to love our enemies. But surely not the monstrous soldiers of Isis? With an almost constant stream of stories of burnings, beheadings, and mass slaughter, what could love possible look like in this context, and what good would it do?! Rick Love is President of Peace Catalyst International, and Associate Director of the […]
Mike Stygal – Dancing with the Devil? (N91)
Mike Stygal is a shaman (i.e. he whips himself up into an altered state of consciousness in order to hang out in the spirit world). He also happens to be the president of the Pagan Federation. Oh, and he’s married to a Christian. So he seems like the right guy to talk to about what Christians […]
Denis Alexander – Three-Parent Babies? (N90)
Apparently, Britain is set to become the first country to have three parent babies! It’s all to do with genetically modifying an embryo to prevent certain inherited diseases. But as with many scientific advances folks like us are left worrying about the scientific and ethical implications. Professor Denis Alexander is the Emeritus Director of the Faraday […]
Interfaith Easter: James Ford – A Buddhist Easter (NS22)
For the final show in our ‘Interfaith Easter’ series we’ve asked James Ford to reflect on Easter from a Buddhist perspective. Not only is James a Zen Buddhist Priest, but he’s also a minister in the Unitarian Church. A rather interesting mix, I think you’ll agree. So sit back, turn up the volume and glean from James’s […]
Interfaith Easter: Jason Mankey and Mike Stygal – A Pagan Easter (NS21)
Our latest Easter reflection comes from Jason Mankey and Mike Stygal. Jason was a Christian, but became increasingly disillusioned with right wing politics and intolerant attitudes, and so began to explore paganism. But despite this, he maintained his love of Easter. You’ll remember Mike from our recent interview. He’s the President of the Pagan Federation. […]
Interfaith Easter: Paul Beaumont – An Atheist Easter (NS20)
For our sixth Easter reflection we’ve asked Paul Beaumont to mull over what Easter means for someone who has lost their faith. Paul was a committed evangelical Christian for 25 years, but when he began to be honest about his lack of spiritual experiences and his concerns about aspects of the character of God as […]
Interfaith Easter: Jay Lakhani – A Hindu Easter (NS19)
Our latest Interfaith Easter reflection comes from Jay Lakhani. Jay is head of the Hindu Academy in London and Education Director for the UK Hindu Council. Oh, and he’s a theoretical physicist! So sit back and enjoy a reflection on the death and resurrection of Jesus from a Hindu perspective. Image provided by Hindu Academy. Used with […]
Interfaith Easter: Robert Cohen – A Jewish Easter (NS18)
Our interfaith Easter series continues with Robert Cohen. Robert is a Jew, but one who is married to an Anglican Minister. This combined with the fact he lives in one of the least Jewish counties of England puts him very much on the margins. Needless to say, Robert has had a very interesting and unique experience […]
Interfaith Easter: Michael Merrifield – An Astronomer’s Easter (NS17)
We took a bit of a chance with this one. We asked a secular scientist if they could find a link between their scientific discipline and the themes of Easter. Prof. Michael Merrifield had a crack at it, and found some sweet connections between his field of astronomy and death and resurrection (and also talked […]
Interfaith Easter: Omid Safi – An Islamic Easter (NS16)
Second up in our Interfaith Easter series is Omid Safi. Omid is the Director of the Islamic Studies Centre, at Duke University. Image provided by Omid Safi. Used with permission. So if you’re interested in what a Muslim makes of Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus, you’ve come to the right place, as […]
Interfaith Easter: Mark Vernon – An Agnostic Easter (NS15)
This year we’re bringing you an Easter reflection, with a twist. Rather than asking Christians to reflect on their own festival, we thought it’d be more interesting to ask people from other faiths and none to reflect on the symbolism of Easter. A great way to learn about other religions, we thought. Image provided by […]
Dave Tomlinson – How to Be a Bad Christian (N89)
Dave Tomlinson is effortlessly interesting and seems to effortlessly attract interesting people. He mentors the leaders of the now global atheist church, he took the funerals of two of the countries most notorious criminals, and his church is so cool even Bono turns up from time to time. But what we find even more interesting […]
Wendy VanderWal Gritter – Same-Sex Relationships (and How to Lovingly Disagree) (N88)
Wendy is passionate about creating ‘generous spaces’ in churches, where people with different understanding of sexuality can meet together without judgment, listen to each others stories and to seek Jesus together. Sounds great! But is it realistic? Have a listen and find out! Image provided by Wendy VanderWal Gritter. Used with permission. BOOKS Generous Spaciousness: […]
Ian Adams – Finding Stillness (NS14)
2015 sees the resurrection of Nomad Spirituality! Nomad can be a bit cerebral, so we occasionally want to balance this with something a bit more experiential. Writer, poet and priest, Ian Adams, has stepped up and given us a meditation on stillness. So find a quiet spot, turn down the lights, and lose yourself in […]
Paul Kerensa – Christmas Special (N87)
Just in case you’re suffering withdrawal symptoms from our 12 Days of Christmas series, and are slumped listlessly in front of your now empty mp3 player, we’ve got one final Christmas treat for you. We asked standup comedian and BBC comedy scriptwriter, Paul Kerensa, to record a wee Christmas Day message for you… Image provided […]
13 Days of Christmas: Krista Tippett – Why I Don’t Do Christmas (NS13)
And you thought we’d finished (so did we, actually!). This one, however, really is the grande finale, and it’s a corker. Krista Tippett has an award winning radio show, On Being, and was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Obama for “thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.” And today she’s on Nomad […]
12 Days of Christmas: Mark Powley – Less Stuff, More Christmas (NS12)
To close out our 12 Days of Christmas we’ve enlisted the services of the author of Consumer Detox (read it, its really rather good, unless you don’t like being massively challenged, then don’t read it!) and founder of the Breathe Network (“Less Stuff, More Life”), Mark Powley. Apparently the issue isn’t so much the way […]
12 Days of Christmas: Elaine Storkey – Joseph’s Story (NS11)
Philosopher, sociologist and Christian feminist, Elaine Storkey has achieved a lot in her life. She’s lectured around the world, written numerous books, she succeeded John Stott as Executive Director of the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity, and she served as the President of TEAR Fund. And now, she’s on Nomad Podcast, bringing you her Christmas […]
12 Days of Christmas: Shane Claiborne – A Crappy Christmas (NS10)
Shane Claiborne – author of the must read book The Irresistible Revolution, and founding member of the New Monastic community The Simple Way – would like to share some thoughts on Christmas. Anyone interested?! Image by Ms. Tsar Fedorsky. Used with permission. If you want more, dig deep into our archives and discover our interview […]
12 Days of Christmas: Nadia Bolz Weber – My First Advent (NS09)
Nadia Bolz Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, and a leading voice in the emerging church movement, known for her honest and provocative style. And today she’s bringing a Christmas reflection just for you! Image provided by Nadia Bolz Weber. Used with permission.
12 days of Christmas: Greg Boyd – A Subversive Christmas (NS08)
Greg Boyd is one of Nomad’s favourite theologians and authors. He’s a leading figure in the reformation of evangelicalism, passionately advocating everything from the importance of doubt, care for creation, a non-violent view of God, and much more. Read his blog at ReKnew and listen to his sermons at Woodland Hills Church. Oh, and read all […]
12 Days of Christmas: Phyllis Tickle – The Church of Christmastide (NS07)
The late Author and lecturer, Phyllis Tickle, was one of the most influential voices in emerging church circles, and one of our favourite guests of 2014. We asked Phyllis to reflect on Christmas from the perspective of the emerging church and emergence Christianity. Need more Phyllis? Easy, just check out our interview with her, where […]
12 Days of Christmas: Jenny Baker – A More Equal Christmas (NS06)
Jenny Baker was one of the founders of the Sophia Network, an organisation that champions the equality of women and men in church. She’s also author of the book Equals: Enjoying Gender Equality in All Areas of Life. Image provided by Jonny Baker. Used with permission. So we asked Jenny to reflect on the Christmas […]
12 Days of Christmas: David Benjamin Blower – Christmas vs. Empire (NS05)
Today’s Christmas reflection comes from Nomad’s favourite musician and activist, David Benjamin Blower. David sets up a showdown between Christmas and Empire and throws in a couple of your favourite Christmas carols for no extra charge. So brace yourself for a good measure of hope-filled challenge, served up with a sprinkling of musical creativity. Enjoy! […]
12 Days of Christmas: Wendy VanderWal-Gritter – An Hospitable Christmas (NS04)
Wendy VanderWal-Gritter is the executive director of New Direction Ministries in Canada, an organisation that exists to provide “safe and spacious places for those outside the heterosexual mainstream to explore and grow in faith in Jesus Christ.” We asked Wendy to reflect on Christmas from the perspective of her experience in ministering to gay and […]
12 Days of Christmas: Robin Parry – A Universalist Christmas (NS03)
Robin Parry is an evangelical, but unlike most evangelicals he doesn’t believe that Hell and death is the end of the story for most of humanity. Instead, he believes the Bible teaches that we will all ultimately be reconciled to God and enjoy eternity with him. So we set Robin a challenge. Can he find […]
12 Days of Christmas: Dave Andrews – Wisdom of the Wise Men (NS02)
Dave Andrews has committed his life to serving the poorest and most marginalised people in Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal for more than forty years. His wisdom and humility made him one of our most popular interviewees of 2014. In his Christmas reflection, Dave draws out some fascinating and surprising insights from the example […]
12 Days of Christmas: Carl Medearis – A Fearless Christmas (NS01)
Carl Medearis – one of our favourite interviewees of 2013 – kicks off Nomad’s 12 Days of Christmas. Carl was a missionary in Beirut, Lebanon for 12 years and now works as an international expert in the field of Christian-Muslim relations. So, sit back and marvel as Carl seamlessly weaves shepherds, ISIS, Bono, Jesus and […]
Jenni Williams – Why Not Women? (N86)
Nomad made a commitment a while back to have a lot more women on the show. So we thought it was about time we looked at the theology behind that decision. Jenni Williams lectures in Old Testament Studies in Oxford, is an Associate Minister in the Anglican Church, and wrote God Remembered Rachel: Women’s Stories […]
Alister McGrath – Apologising for the Faith? (N85)
Alister McGrath is the master of apologetics. With three doctorates under his belt and ranked among the ’20 most brilliant Christian professors’, he’s publically locked horns with the likes of Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. But is there still a place in our culture for what many now see as an ‘old school’ overly rational […]
Richard Rohr – Catholic Spirituality for an Emerging Church (N84)
Richard Rohr is a Catholic priest and a Franciscan Friar. He is well connected and respected across Christian traditions (including the emerging church), so he seemed like the perfect person to speak to about what Protestants can gain from Catholic spirituality. Image provided by the Centre for Action and Contemplation. Used with permission. BOOKS The […]
Phyllis Tickle – Why a New Church is Emerging (N83)
The late Phyllis Tickle had her finger on the pulse of the emerging church like no one else. So if you’re interested in why the emergence of a new kind of church is both inevitable and necessary, and the vital role of the Holy Spirit in this, then tune in. And stay tuned after the closing […]
Sara Miles – Whose Table? (N82)
Sara Miles was an atheist. Then one day, out of idle curiosity, she wandered into a church, had a bite of bread and a sip of wine and God came crashing into her life. Her response was to take the principles of communion and set up a food distribution centre around the altar of her […]
Dave Andrews – How Not to be a Great Man of God (N81)
Dave Andrews has committed his life to serving the poorest and most marginalised people through small, local Christian communities. He’s clearly a man who knows Jesus intimately, and has gained tremendous experience and wisdom. So why doesn’t he consider himself, or even strive to be, a ‘great man of God’? Image provided by Dave Andrews. […]
Bex Lewis – How to Live Well in a Digital World (N80)
Dr. Bex Lewis is a research fellow in social media at Durham University and author of the popular book Raising Children in the Digital Age. So we thought we’d have a chat with her about what it means to live well in a digital world. Image by Mark Dodgeon. Used with permission. BOOKS Raising Children […]
Robin Parry – A Hope in Hell? (N79)
Robin Parry is an evangelical, but unlike many evangelicals he doesn’t believe that Hell and death is the end of the story for the majority of humanity. Instead he believes the Bible teaches that we will all ultimately be reconciled to God and enjoy eternity with him. Tune in for a fascinating conversation. Image provided […]
Krista Tippett – The Lost Art of Listening (N78)
Krista Tippett has built a career on listening. Through her award-winning public radio show and podcast, On Being, she listens to people from all religious and spiritual traditions, learning about what it means to be human and how to live life. So she seemed like the perfect person to speak to about the lost art […]
David Benjamin Blower – Songs of Prayer and Resistance (N77)
David Benjamin Blower is a prophet in the Old Testament tradition. Using music and the written word, he creatively and insightfully points the finger at himself and the world around him railing at the injustices he sees. So brace yourself for some hope-filled challenge! Image provided by David Blower. Used with permission. BOOKS Kingdom vs. […]
Gail Dines – Make Love Not Porn (N76)
Gail Dines is a professor of sociology and women’s studies. She has been studying porn and its effects on society for over 20 years, and has become one of the world’s leading anti-porn activists. Why has she dedicated so much of her life to this one issue? Because she believes the effects of porn is […]
Richard Wilkinson – Is Inequality the Root of all Evil? (N75)
Richard Wilkinson is professor of social epidemiology (that’s the distriThe Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone has caused quite a stir, because he believes he’s answered a very long-standing question. Why are we increasingly blighted by so many social problems when we’re materially better off than we’ve ever been? Tune in to find […]
Nadia Bolz Weber – How Not to Be a Boring Christian (N74)
Nadia Bolz Weber is anything but boring, Raised in a fundamentalist church, she rebelled, immersed herself in a hedonistic lifestyle, found faith again, and now leads House for all Sinners and Saints. Tune in for a fascinating interview, full of insight, wisdom, and gritty honesty. Image provided by Nadia Bolz Weber. Used with permission. BOOKS Cranky, […]
Bob Ekblad – Social Action or Spirit Anointing? (N73)
Bob Ekblad serves immigrants, inmates, homeless people and people struggling with addiction in the US. What’s even more interesting about Bob though is how he seamlessly combines social justice with a miraculous healing ministry! Image provided by The Seattle School. Used with permission. BOOKS A New Christian Manifesto: Pledging Allegiance to the Kingdom of God […]
Elaine Heath – How to be a Christian Mystic (N72)
Author and lecturer in evangelism, theology and Chrisitan spirituality Elaine Heath joins us on the show. We chat with Elaine about contemplative prayer, and the healing and outreach that naturally flows from it. So tune in if you want to know how to experience God and change the world. Image provided by Elaine Heath. Used with […]
Greg Boyd – Is Meat Murder? (N71)
Theologian, church leader, and author Greg Boyd is back on the show. Greg believes a call to non-violence is at the heart of the gospel. He also believes this call impacts how we relate to animals. That’s right, Greg’s a vegetarian. Check out the interview to find out why. Image provided by ReKnew. Used with […]
Sharon Baker – For the Love of God, Can We Believe in Hell? (N70)
Sharon Baker is a theologian and author who is best known for taking issue with the traditional understanding of hell. Instead she holds to a ‘Christian Universalism’ where all people are refined by God’s purifying fire after their death. Tune in and join the debate… Image provided by Sharon Baker. Used with permission. BOOKS Razing Hell: […]
Pete Rollins – In God We Doubt (N69)
Pete Rollins is a philosopher, writer and founder of the Ikon community. Pete believes that unless we die to certainty and embrace doubt then God becomes just another consumer product. God, in effect, becomes an idol. Sounds interesting! Image by Burt Dirkse. Used with permission. BOOKS The Idolatry of God: Breaking the Addiction to Certainty […]
Paul Kerensa – What Would Jesus Laugh at? (N68)
Paul Kerensa is a stand-up comedian and BBC scriptwriter for shows like Miranda and Not Going Out. So he seemed like just the chap to talk to about the relationship between humour and religion, and to ask ‘What would Jesus laugh at?’ Image provided by Paul Kerensa. Used with permission. BOOKS So A Comedian Walks […]
Michael Hardin – Was the Cross Cosmic Child Abuse? (N67)
Michael Hardin is a theologian who’s got a rather colourful background and doesn’t mince his words, which always makes for an interesting interview. So we asked him whether God is really as violent as the Old Testament makes out, and whether he really had to kill his own son in order to forgive us. Image […]
Tom Wright – Paul and the Faithfulness of God (N66)
We’ve somehow managed to persuade Tom Wright, one of the world’s leading New Testament theologians, to come on the show for a third time! We ask Tom to summarise his 1680 page Paul and the Faithfulness of God, and ponder whether if he met him whether he’d actually like Paul? Image provided by University of […]
Pippa Evans – Worshipping at the Atheist Church (N65)
We at Nomad recently had a revelation, perhaps we can learn from non-Christians as well as Christians (I know!). So we headed down to London and visited the Sunday Assembly, or The Atheist Church as it’s become known. After ‘worshipping’ with 300 atheists, we had a chat with Pippa Evans one of the founders of […]
Steve Chalke – Gay Marriage: Abomination or Blessing? (N64)
Steve Chalke is one of the UK’s most influential evangelicals and he recently blessed a same-sex civil partnership. Needless to say, this caused a bit of a stir! So we caught up with him and asked him what led him to take this controversial step. Image provided by Oasis UK. Used with permission. BOOKS A […]
Mark Wakeling – Shopping with a Conscience (N63)
Mark Wakeling is a man with a conscience and a man that’s got the energy and creativity to follow it. He’s a social entrepreneur who has founded Global SeeSaw, which sells ethical and Fair Trade products made by women in India exploited by human trafficking. So we asked Mark to begin to unpack the issues […]
Scot McKnight – What Exactly is the Good News? (N62)
Scot McKnight is professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, Illinois, a prolific author and founder of the hugely popular Jesus Creed blog. Scot recently wrote a book called King Jesus Gospel, so he seemed like the man to help us understand the meaning of the good news. Image provided by Penguin Random House. Used […]
Bruce Stanley – Finding God in the Forest (N61)
As well as life coaching, creative project management, tea making, and helping run the popular ReJesus website, Bruce Stanley has also helped pioneer the Forest Church movement. So we thought he was the man to ask how to connect with God through nature. Image provided by Mystic Christ website. Used with permission. BOOKS Forest Church: […]
Stuart Murray – Anabaptist Spirituality for a Post-Christendom World (N60)
Stuart Murray is chair of the Anabaptist Network in the UK. So we thought he’d be the person to ask what’s so special about the Anabaptists tradition, and what it has to say to us about how to live in our post-Christendom world. Image provided by Stuart Murray. Used with permission. BOOKS The Naked Anabaptist […]
Brian McLaren – Finding God in the Religion of Others (N59)
Brian McLaren is an internationally recognised and sort after author, speaker and activist. In this episode we’re chatting with Brian about his latest challenging and provocative book that explores the vital topic of Christianity’s relationship with other religions. Image by Hannah Davis. Used with permission. BOOKS The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World’s Largest Religion […]
Carl Medearis – Jesus vs. Christianity? (N58)
Carl Medearis worked as a missionary for many years in Beirut, Lebanon and as a result is recognised as an international expert in Muslim-Christian relations. Carl has some fascinating insights into cross-cultural mission from his years of working with Muslims, and he believes these principles are just as relevant in our Western context. I’ll give […]
Alastair Gordon – Finding God in the Arts (N57)
Alastair Gordon is a professional and accomplished artist who exhibits around the world. He’s also a follower of Jesus. Apparently following Jesus and being a professional artist is a rather tricky thing these days, so we spoke to Ally about this tension and what mission in the world of art might look like. Image provided […]
John Polkinghorne – Science vs. Religion? (N56)
John Polkinghorne has spent more years than we’ve been alive inhabiting the world of science and faith. He’s a theoretical physicist, theologian and Anglican priest. He’s been Knighted by the Queen and has received the coveted Templeton Prize for his exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension. So who better to ask a few questions […]
Matt Russell – Church for the Spiritually Homeless (N55)
Matt Russell planted Mercy Street about 15 years ago in the US. Starting from scratch it quickly grew to around a 1000, many of whom were recovering addicts. The church developed a culture of gritty authenticity and honesty. Needless to say, he’s got a very interesting story to tell and much wisodm to share! Image […]
Andrew Marin – Love is an Orientation (N54)
Andrew Marin grew up in a conservative church, and much to his surprise developed a calling and passion to build bridges between the Church and the LGBTQ community. So he moved into a gay part of town, and spent all his time getting to know people in gay bars. So as you can imagine, there’s […]
John Hayes – Moving into the [Poorest] Neighbourhood (N53)
John Hayes is founder and director of the mission order InnerChange. InnerChange supports missional communities who are living incarnationally in the poorest areas of cities around the world. So brace yourself for a challenging and inspiring interview! Image provided by Baker Publishing. Used with permission. BOOKS Sub-Merge: Service, Justice and Contemplation Among the World’s Poor […]
Chris Rose – The Street Child World Cup (N52)
Inspired by a glorious summer of sport, Nomad thought we’d bring you a story that seamlessly links mission and sport. So we met up with the Amos Trust‘s Chris Rose. Chris has got an amazing story to tell of gathering together street child from around the world for a football World Cup! Hard to believe […]
Mike Sares – Loving the Scum of the Earth (N51)
Mike Sares is a fairly normal, middle-aged, middle class type of guy. But he somehow managed to connect with a group of young artists and skater punks and planted and pastors the Denver based church Scum of the Earth. It’s an inspiring story of cross-cultural mission, community and new forms of church. Image provided by […]
Ian Adams – How to Start a Missional Community (N50)
Ian Adams co-founded mayBe, a fresh expression of church in Oxford. He also works for the Church Mission Society as a Missional Community Developer. So we thought he’d be the right chap to talk about how to start new forms of church. Image provided by Canterbury Press. Used with permission. BOOKS Cave, Refectory, Road: Monastic […]
Liz Babbs – Celtic Rhythms of Life (N49)
Liz Babbs is an author, speaker and evangelist and one who has been deeply influenced by celtic spirituality. So we thought we’d have a chat with Liz about Celtic spirituality and its potential as a tool for mission. Image provided by CWR. Used with permission. BOOKS Celtic Treasure: Unearthing the Riches of Celtic Spirituality QUOTES […]
Chris Wright – The Mission of God (N48)
Chris Wright is an Old Testament scholar who reckons the biblical narrative only makes sense if mission is seen as its overarching theme. So we test this theory with him and ask him to explain some of the trickier Old Testament stories! Image provided by Chris Wright. Used with permission. BOOKS The Mission of God: […]
Andrea Campanale – Finding God in the New Spiritualities (N47)
Andrea Campanale is a Church Mission Society ‘Mission Partner’. Andrea does some really interesting work among people involved in the new spiritualties. This has caused her to reflect deeply on mission and what it means to be church, and has come to some challenging conclusions! Image provided by Andrea Campanale. Used with permission. WEBSITE Sacred […]
Tony and Felicity Dale – Small is the New Big (N46)
A couple of decades ago Tony and Felicity Dale felt called to move from the UK to the US to plant a church. As you can imagine, it’s been quite a journey (in all senses of the word) and they’ve learnt stacks about what it means to be church. One of the big lessons they’ve […]
Nicky Gumbel – Alpha and the Future of Evangelism (N45)
It’s hard to measure the impact Nicky Gumbel has had on the worldwide church. He pioneered the Alpha Course as an evangelistic introduction to the Christian life. It is estimated that over 15 million people have now attended a course. So we thought it was high time we had a chat with Mr Alpha, and […]
Phil Togwell – Prayer Spaces in Schools (N44)
Phil Togwell is part of the 24/7 Prayer movement, an internatinal, interdenominational movement of prayer, mission and justice. Over the last few years Phil’s been involved in setting up spaces in schools for children to honestly and naturally begin to connect with God. It’s an inspiring story! Image provided by Phil Togwell. Used with permission. […]
Pete Ward – Liquid Church (N43)
Pete Ward is senior lecturer in youth ministry and theological education at King’s College, London. About 10 years ago now Pete wrote Liquid Church, and it turned out to be rather influential. Pete’s theories have stuck around and shaped the views of many people interested in new forms of church. So Nomad thought they’d better […]
Simon Hall – The Story of ‘Revive’ (N42)
Tim and Dave were in Leeds recently and so thought they’d catch up with Simon Hall of the Revive community. So tune in to hear the story of Simon’s journey into new forms of mission and Christian community (it’s a rich tapestry!), and the various manifestations of Revive. Image provided by Simon Hall. Used with […]
Ruth Holgate – The Spirituality of Silence (N41)
Tim’s leaving Dave at home for this episode and heading north with Hannah to Loyola Hall for a 5-day silent retreat. We know what you’re thinking, a 5-day silent retreat might not make the most engaging podcast! But Tim will be recording a daily reflection on his experiences and then at the end of the […]
Chris Sunderland – Soil, Soul and Society (N40)
Chris Sunderland is involved in all manner of Jesus-inspired community stuff, but we’re particularly interested in his Earth Abbey project. Earth Abbey is a movement of people helping each other live more in tune with the earth. So dust off you wellies and prepare to get muddy, Jesus style! Image provided by John Hunt Publishing. […]
Mark Powley – Consumer Detox (N39)
Mark Powley founded Breathe, a Christian network that encourages and resources simpler living. Mark is all about simple living and resisting the lure of our consumer culture (or as Breathe puts it, ‘less stuff, more life’), so we talk to Mark about how we can go about a Consumer Detox. Prepare to be challenged! Image provided […]
Tom Wright – Heaven is Not the End of the World (N38)
New Testament scholar extraordinaire, Tom Wright (how does he write so many books?!) is back on the show. This time Tom’s helping us get our heads round the connection between academics and the local church and what exactly our Christian hope is (we might go to heaven when we die, but we’re certainly not going […]
Dave Ward – Nomad 2.0 (N37)
Nomad is back (I know, you didn’t even notice we’d gone)! The old team has stood down, but new boy Dave Ward (along with founding Nomad Podcaster, Tim Nash) has bravely stepped into the fray! This episode is an introduction to Dave and his journey from youth worker to farrier and from traditional church to […]
Nomad’s Final Reflections… (N36)
After two-and-a-half years and 36 shows, the stresses and strains of massive global success (if only!) have taken their toll, and the original Nomad team have decided to call it a day. So tune in for some final reflections on their online and offline journey. Images used with permission. But fear not, rumour has it […]
Pete Greig – 24/7 Prayer, Mission and New Forms of Church (N35)
Pete Greig is one of the founders of the hugely influential 24/7 Prayer movement, an international, interdenominational movement of prayer, mission and justice. He’s also Directer of Prayer for Holy Trinity, Brompton (you know, the church where Alpha came from). We talk to Pete about the phenomenal success of this innovative prayer movement, and how […]
Mike Pilavachi – The Story of Soul Survivor (N34)
Mike Pilavachi is the co-founder and leader of the hugely influential evangelical Soul Survivor charity based in Watford, London, he’s also the pastor of the Soul Survivor Watford church, and leader of the even more hugely influential Soul Survivor festival. We chat with Mike about mission, community and the future of the church in relation […]
Steve Hollinghurst – Mission-Shaped Evangelism (N33)
Steve Hollinghurst works for the Church Army’s Research Unit as their ‘Researcher in Evangelism to Post-Christian Culture’ and has extensive experience in working with people involved in the new spiritualities. Steve chats to us about some of the issues he raises in his new book Mission-Shaped Evangelism: The Gospel in Contemporary Culture. Image provided by […]
Cathy Ross – The Invisibility of Women (N32)
Cathy Ross is lecturer in contextual theology and pioneer leadership and is the General Secretary for the International Association for Mission Studies. So Cathy seemed like a pretty good person to talk to about how women have been overlooked in mission, both overseas and at home. She explores how this came about and what can […]
Neil Cole – How to Grow Organic Churches (N31)
Neil Cole is the founder and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates, which has helped start many hundreds of churches in thirty-five states of America and in over thirty other nations. We talk to Neil about why we need to multiply churches and how we go about this. We then review his book Organic Church: […]
Scott Boren – Mission-Shaped Small Groups (N30)
Scott Boren, among other things, has spent the last 20 years working as a small group consultant. Scott works with churches to help them develop effective community through small groups that are on a mission. We like mission, and we like small churches, so we thought we’d better have a chat with Scott. Image provided […]
Ruth Valerio – A Greener and Simpler Life (N29)
Ruth Valerio manages A Rocha’s Living Lightly project, which encourages us to live greener and simpler lives. Ruth talks to us about the importance of environmental concern in Christian living and mission, and offers some resources to help us get to grips with these issues. Image provided by Ruth Valerio. Used with permission. For more, […]
Kester Brewin – Pirates and the Death of the Emerging Church (N28)
Kester Brewin is one of the pioneers of the alternative worship scene in the UK and one of the founding members of the Vaux community. His book The Complex Christ was hailed as one of the most important texts on the emerging church movement. We talk to Kester about what the emerging church can learn […]
Ian Mobsby – How to Be Church in a Post-Secular Culture (N27)
Ian Mobsby is an Anglican priest who is a leading voice in the UK emerging church and New Monasticism scene. He’s also one of the founding members of the Moot community in London. We chat with Ian about what church and mission might look like in a post-secular culture. Image by Jonny Baker. Used with […]
Nigel Pimlott – Youth Work in an Emerging Church (N26)
Nigel Pimlott is author of Youth Work After Christendom, and is deputy CEO for Frontier Youth Trust. We chat to Nigel about youth work and how it relates to mission and the emerging church. After this, we’ll discuss as a group how it applies to us, and review Nigel’s book. Image provided by Nigel Pimlott. […]
Sean Stillman – The Story of Zach’s Place (N25)
Sean Stillman has been working among biker communities and other ‘fringe’ groups, and is founder of the alternative church community Zach’s Place in Swansea, South Wales. Sean chats about the emergence of this community, his experiences to date and the lessons he’s learnt along the way. Image provided by Sean Stillman. Used with permission.
Stuart Murray – How to Be Church in a Post-Christendom Culture (N24)
Stuart Murray is chair of the Anabaptist Network, and is a trainer and consultant in mission and church planting. So we chat to him about what we can learn from the Anabaptists about how to go about church and mission in our post-Christendom culture. Image provided by Stuart Murray. Used with permission. Definitely give Stuart’s […]
Brian McLaren – A Journey Towards an Emerging Church (N23)
Brian McLaren is pastor, author, speaker, activist and one of the leading figures in the emerging church movement. Brian tells us about some of the questions he’s been wrestling with as he’s journeyed towards new forms of Christian faith and church. Image by Hannah Davis. Used with permission. For more, read all Brian’s books, all […]
Martin Smith – Missional Worship and Life After Delirious? (N22)
You’ll know Martin Smith from one of the Christian music scene’s most successful bands delirious? We talk to Martin about life after delirious? and whether there is a connection between worship and mission. Image provided by Matt Ellis. Used with permission. What more? Check out CompassionArt.
Jonny Baker – Why We Need Alternative Worship (N21)
Jonny Baker is one of the UK’s leading figures in the alternative worship and emerging church scene. We talk to Jonny about mission and new forms of worship, and then ponder how this might apply to us. We also recommend some resources to help you enter the world of alternative worship. Image provided by Jonny […]
Matt Rees – The Story of ‘Home’ (N20)
We’re carrying on our exploration of fresh expressions of church by having a chat with Matt Rees. Matt is an ordained priest in the Anglican church and leads a fresh expression of church in Oxford called Home. Image provided by Matt Rees. Used with permission.
Rowan Williams – A Mixed Economy of Church (N19)
We thought it was about time we headed down to Lambeth Palace to have a chat with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Rowan said that if nothing else he wants his time as Archbishop to be remembered for his commitment to developing Fresh Expressions of church. So we thought we’d ask him why this […]
Laura Stewart – Life Inside ‘The Crowded House’ (N18)
Join us as we chat to Laura Stewart, a member of one of ‘The Crowded House’ Gospel Communities. Following our chat with one of the network’s leaders, Steve Timis, it’s a chance to hear what being part of this network is really like.
Steve Timmis – Gospel-Communities (N17)
Steve Timmis is co-founder of The Crowded House network of churches, and co-director of the Porterbrook Network, an initiative that trains church planters. We chat with Steve about the theology and practice of their Gospel Communities. Image provided by SBTS. Used with permission. Check out Steve’s book Total Church, it’s really rather good.
Nomad Christmas Party (N16)
Join us as we enjoy a Christmas meal together and chat about the Nomad journey so far. It’s a somewhat different podcast this time that features, as a one off, the music of an up and coming ‘singer songwriter’ (!).
Steve Chalke – A Cross-Shaped Mission (N15)
Steve Chalke is one of the UK’s most influential and controversial Christians. There’s not enough space here to list everything he gets up to, but it’s surely enough to say that the Queen awarded him the title of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his ‘services to social inclusion’! He chats with us […]
Graham and Tracey Guthrie – Finding God on the Margins (N14)
Graham and Tracey are a couple from Nottingham who followed God’s call to move to an inner city area and share the love of Jesus. They chat to us about their experiences of loving their neighbours without an agenda. Images provided by Graham Guthrie. Used with permission.
Alan Hirsch – How to Re-Jesus the Church (N13)
Alan Hirsch is an influential missiologist, author and leader in the Missional Church movement. We chat with him about the need for mission and church to be shaped by the person of Jesus. There’s also the usual chat from us and some suggested resources for those wanting to take things a bit further. Image provided […]
David Mitchell – Growing Community in Church (N12)
David Mitchell, from Woodlands Church in Bristol, joins us to explain how he combines pastoring a large city centre church with life in a community house. Image provided by Woodlands Church. Used with permission.
Rob Bell – Why is Community So Important? (N11)
Do we need to introduce Rob Bell? Former Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, presenter of the Nooma DVD series, author of many an influential book. We chat with Rob about mission, community and new forms of church. Image by Dixon. Used with permission. Want more? Read all Rob’s books, all of them!
Mark Cutliffe – Life in an Organic Church (N10)
We continue our exploration of new forms of church by chatting with Mark Cutliffe who is involved in an organic church near Swansea. Image provided by Mark Cutliffe. Used with permission.
Frank Viola – What is Organic Church? (N09)
Frank Viola is one of the leading figures in the Organic Church movement. Frank is an advocate for a return to New Testament models of church, which he believes means keeping it small, informal, highly participatory and Spirit led. Image provided by Frank Viola. Used with permission. For more, check out Frank’s blog and his […]
Peter Farmer – Living a Missional Lifestyle (N08)
Peter Farmer chats with us about his radical missional lifestyle in a deprived area of Nottingham. He shares with us the practices he has committed to and the theology that underpins all he does. Image provided by Peter Farmer. Used with permission.
Mark Stibbe – Beyond the Church Walls (N07)
Mark Stibbe, former Vicar of St Andrew’s, Chorleywood, joins us to talk about his time at this large charismatic Anglican Church near London. He explains the journey he led the Church on towards a radical restructuring of the church to produce a more mission-shaped structure and practise. Image provided by Malcolm Down Publishing. Used with […]
Who is Michael Bullett? (NE04)
Just in case you’re wondering who these podcasters are, we introduce you to Michael. Michael chats with us about his Christian journey to date (after he’s finished telling us about his numerous nicknames, that is). Image used with permission. Michael, Nick and Lora then reflect on their second local community event – a street barbeque […]
Shane Claiborne – Joining the Irresistible Revolution (N06)
Shane Claiborne is a leading figure in the New Monasticism movement and a founding member of The Simple Way community. Oh, and he wrote the influential book, The Irresistible Revolution. Shane tells us how Jesus inspired him to move to a deprived area of Philadelphia and share his life with the poor and marginalised. Image […]
Who are Hannah Nash and Lora Thorley? (NE03)
Allow us to introduce two more of the podcaster’s, Lora and Hannah. We hear how they came to faith and why they’re part of this new community. We also reflect on our first mission venture as a group.
Tony Campolo – Evangelism or Social Action? (N05)
Tony Campolo is a sociologist, pastor, author, speaker and former spiritual advisor to US president Bill Clinton. Tony is helping us explore the relationship between evangelism and social action. Together with your emails and the usual discussion and reflections it’s another packed Nomad Podcast. Image provided by Tony Campolo. Used with permission. If you want […]
Who is Nick Thorley? (NE02)
On this show we introduce to you one of the hosts, Nick. We talk about how he came to be on this podcasting journey and why he’s exploring new forms of church. Image used with permission.
Mike Frost – What is Missional Church? (N04)
Mike Frost is an internationally recognised missiologist, and one of the leading voices in the Missional Church movemement. He’s written a number of influential books and co-founded the Forge International Mission Training Network. So he seemed like the perfect person to talk to about the place mission should have in the life of the church. […]
Who is Tim Nash? (NE01)
Nomad Extra is a shorter, complimentary programme that delves into the latest news from our journey. On the first of our Nomad Extra podcasts we get to learn a bit about who one of the podcast’s hosts, Tim, is and how he came to be exploring Community and Mission in this way. We also bring […]
Andy Hawthorne – What is Incarnational Mission? (N03)
This month we are joined by Andy Hawthorne founder of The Message Trust, an influential Christian mission organisation based in Manchester. Andy helps is explore what it means to be a missional community in an urban context. Want more? Andy’s written books about such things. Image by Hannah Owens. Used with permission. We also chat […]
Greg Boyd – What’s So Important About Community? (N02)
Teaching Pastor at Woodland Hills Community Church and influential author, Greg Boyd, joins us on the show to share his insights and experience of Christian community. Want more of Greg? Check out his blog at ReKnew, his sermons at Woodland Hills Church, and his many books (you won’t regret it!). Image provided by ReKnew. Used […]
Tom Wright – A New Creation-Shaped Church (N01)
The inaugural Nomad podcast kicks things off with a chat with arguably the most influential New Testament scholar of our generation, Tom Wright (I know, we don’t know how we got him either!). Tom’s tells us everything we need to know about the Bible and community. If you need more from Tom Wright, and you’ve […]