Talking Theology

Cranmer Hall, Durham

Talking Theology is the podcast of Cranmer Hall Durham, where we explore the best of academic theology, and think creatively about how theological insights can shape Christian life, ministry, and mission in today’s world.

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20 episodes
Updated June 22

Episodes20

Newest first

June 22 · 47 min
Mike Snape - Christianity and the British Army
How has the relationship between the British Army and Christianity changed over the past 70 years? What role has the Christian "just war" tradition played in shaping how the British Army approached and conducted recent armed conflicts? And is the partial resistance of the army to the secularisation of wider society simply because 'there are no atheists in foxholes'? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Professor Mike Snape, Michael Ramsey Professor of Anglican Studies at Durham University about his new book Embattled Belief: Religion and the British Army from Korea to Afghanistan, published in May 2026.
June 8 · 35 min
Deborah Davies - Mission and Ministry in a post-truth era
What does it mean to say we live in a post-truth era, and why is the Oxford English Dictionary definition not very helpful? What are the pitfalls and opportunities for the church when it comes to mission in this context? And what might we have learn from Pentecostalism in particular when it comes to thinking about the truth of Christianity in a post-truth world? In this episode Revd Dr Josh Cockayne, Academic Dean at Cranmer Hall, speaks to Revd Dr Deborah Davies, Tutor in Mission at Ridley Hall, Cambridge about her research and experience in mission and ministry in a post-truth era.
May 25 · 41 min
Barnabas Aspray - How should we think about immigration policy?
What is the significance of the fact that Jesus was a refugee? How should we think about the relationship between immigration, Christian "values" and the idea of a "Christian nation"? And what role should Christians and churches play in seeking to shape the immigration policies of the nations of which they are a part? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Dr Barnabas Aspray, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at St Mary's Seminary and University, about his co-authored book On the Significance of Religion in Immigration Policy, published in late 2025.
May 11 · 29 min
Lauren Randall - The story of the world's oldest Bible
What is so remarkable about the Codex Amiatinus, a complete copy of the Bible made by the monks from Wearmouth and Jarrow in the 8th Century? How did it end up hundreds of miles away in northern Italy? And how should the story of the Codex Amiatinus encourage the church today? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Lauren Randall, PhD student in Theology and Religion at Durham University about her work on the Codex Amiatinus.
April 27 · 48 min
Neil Martin - What does Galatians have to say to us today?
What is really going on Paul's letter to the Galatians? How can we make sense of the idea that pagan converts were in danger of "returning" to something by adopting Jewish practices such as circumcision? And what light does the answer to that question shed on the relevance of the letter for Christian ministry today? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Dr Neil Martin, member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at Oxford University and Associate Pastor at Oxford Presbyterian Church about his book Galatians Reconsidered: Jews, Gentiles, and Justification in the First and the Twenty-First Centuries, which was released in 2022.
March 30 · 59 min
Scott MacDougall - What is the shape of Anglican theology?
What is does it look like to theologise Anglican-ly? Why should we burn Richard Hooker's supposed three-legged stool of Scripture, reason and tradition? And how might reflection on the ethos of Anglican theology help us to respond to the disagreements and fractures which characterise the global Anglican communion with wisdom and humility? In this episode Revd Dr Josh Cockayne, Academic Dean at Cranmer Hall, speaks to Dr Scott MacDougall, Director for Theological Resources for the Episcopal Church, about his book The Shape of Anglican Theology, which was released in 2022.
March 17 · 36 min
Sarah Strand - How can we grow faith at home?
How should we approach helping children and young people grow in their faith? What does the Bible have to say to that question? And how can parents, church leaders and children and youth workers best work together? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Revd Sarah Strand, Dean of Anglican Formation at Cranmer Hall, about her new book, co-authored with Rev Dr Emma Parker, Growing Together in Faith: Thinking Theologically about Ministry with Children and Teenagers, which was released in 2025.
March 4 · 50 min
Andrew Campbell - Engaging with nonviolent atonement theology
What is nonviolent atonement theology? What can the church learn from this kind of approach to understanding the significance of the life and death of Christ? And how should this shape our ministry and our preaching? In this episode Dr Cynthia Bennett-Brown, Director of the MA Programme and Lecturer in Doctrine and Theological Reflection at Cranmer Hall, speaks to Revd Dr Andrew Campbell, Rector of St Swithin's Magherafelt, about his new book One for the Other: Engaging with nonviolent atonement theology, which was released in 2025.
February 18 · 49 min
Graham Tomlin - What can we learn from Blaise Pascal?
What can we learn from the life and work of the 17th Century French polymath Blaise Pascal? In what sense did he "make the modern world"? And what does he have to teach us about how to relate science and religion, faith and reason in the 21st Century. In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, the former Bishop of Kensington and Editor of Seen and Unseen, about his new book Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World, which was released in 2025.
February 3 · 45 min
Josh Cockayne and Gideon Salter - Why we gather to worship
What happens when we gather together for worship? How can theology and psychology work together to yield new insights into that question? And what are the implications for churches and church leaders in an increasingly online world? In this episode Revd Dr Nick Moore, Warden of Cranmer Hall, speaks to Revd Dr Josh Cockayne, Academic Dean at Cranmer Hall, and Dr Gideon Salter, Lecturer in Developmental Psychology at Liverpool Hope University, about their new book Why We Gather: Psychology, Theology, and Liturgical Practice, which was released in 2025.
Jul 2, 2023 · 30 min
Philip Plyming - Why Did Paul Tell Stories of His Own Hardship and What Does That Mean for Us Today?
What's striking about the Apostle Paul and the stories he shared? What was first-century Corinth really like, and what was the real problem with the Corinthian church? How was the cross the content of Paul's preaching but also the pattern of his living? And how might Paul's cross-shaped narrative about himself affect the way we tell our stories today? In today's episode we will be talking to Rev Canon Dr Philip Plyming. Philip is warden of Cranmer Hall, as well as the host of Talking Theology. His new book, Being Real: The Apostle Paul's Hardship Narratives and the Stories We Tell Today is being released later this year.
Jun 18, 2023 · 32 min
Paula Gooder - How does imagination help us encounter the teaching of Paul today?
What did it feel like to be a Christian in the earliest churches? How does telling stories help us understand the role of women in Paul's ministry? How does imagination help us see Paul and his good news in a different light? How might close attention to people's backstories help us to forgive them and indeed ourselves? In this episode, we talk to Canon Dr. Paula Gooder. Paula is a New Testament scholar and Canon Chancellor at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Among her many published works are two books based on New Testament characters, Phoebe and Lydia.
Jun 4, 2023 · 28 min
Tom Holland - How is the Story of the West Forged by Christian Faith and Values?
What has been the impact of Christianity on western civilisation? How did the shock of the cross change the relationship between the weak and the strong? Where might we see Christian theological dialogue in unexpected places? And why might it be important to reconnect Christian values with Christian stories? In today's show we will be talking to Tom Holland. Tom is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster, and he co-hosts the popular podcast The Rest is History. His latest work is called Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind.
May 21, 2023 · 31 min
Chloe Lynch - What's Wrong with Servant Leadership and is There a Better Way?
What values drive contemporary leadership, and how have they influenced the Church? Where did the idea of servant leadership first come from, and why is the answer more surprising that we might think? What are the problems with servant leadership when it comes to power and how we use it? And how is friendship a better model, and what does it mean to lead in love? In today's show we will be talking to Dr Chloe Lynch. Chloe is a lecturer in practical theology at the London School of Theology, and is also a spiritual director, with a ministry of preaching, teaching, and mentoring church leaders. She published her book, Ecclesial Leadership as Friendship, in 2019.
May 7, 2023 · 30 min
Mathew Guest - What is neoliberalism and how is it impacting the church?
What is neoliberalism and what are the assumptions behind it? How does language of individualism, competition and commodities find its way into the church? What signs might we see of a church swimming with the neoliberal tide? What are the ethical questions raised by a church adopting free market values? In this episode we are talking to Professor Mathew Guest. Mathew is Professor in the Sociology of Religion and Head of the Department of Theology and Religion here in Durham University. His recently published book is titled: "Neoliberal Religion: Faith and Power in the Twenty-first Century".
Apr 23, 2023 · 31 min
David Ford - Why Should we Continually Reread the Gospel of John?
How is John's gospel both accessible and profound? What does it mean to read John's gospel as the culmination of the New Testament testimony to Jesus? How does John's gospel invite us to improvise in response to the love of God? And how does this gospel allow us to read our way into the presence of Jesus? In today's show we will be talking to Professor David Ford. David is Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at the University of Cambridge. He's also chair of trustees of Lyn's House, Cambridge, a Christian community of friendship between people with and without learning disabilities. He's recently published The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary.
Mar 26, 2023 · 29 min
Giles Waller - What's the relationship between theology and tragedy?
What is tragedy and how do we see it not only in the arts but also in the Bible? How does tragedy help us see what it is to live as sinners in a fallen world? What is the difference between optimism and hope? How is a tragic view of life actually part of the Good News? In this episode we are talking to Dr Giles Waller. Giles is a research associate at the University of Cambridge and a member of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme. His forthcoming book is entitled, 'Tragic Theology: Drama, the Cross and the Literary Luther'.
Mar 13, 2023 · 31 min
Selina Stone - How can a rich understanding of the Holy Spirit help us as we attend to a wounded world?
Where did Pentecostalism start and what can we learn from its history? What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit, personal piety and power and justice? What was the role of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection of Jesus and how does this affect how we see wounds around us today? How can we resist limiting the spheres in which we long to see the Holy Spirit at work? In this episode, we talk to Dr Selina Stone. Selina is a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University and her research on Pentecostalism and social justice was entitled "Holy Spirit: Holy Bodies."
Feb 27, 2023 · 31 min
Israel Oluwole Olofinjana - What Are the Voices We Need to Hear to do Theology Well Today?
What does the ancient book of Philemon have to say to our modern world? What does it mean to pursue our discipleship from a place of discomfort? What are the different, authentic voices that need to be unmuted for us to hear from God? And what is reverse mission, and how is God speaking to the Church from unexpected places? In today’s show we will be talking Revd Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana. Israel is a Baptist minister and Director of the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance. Among his books is the recently published Discipleship, Suffering and Racial Justice: Mission in a Pandemic World.
Feb 13, 2023 · 29 min
Ben Quash - How does theology unfold in the drama of life?
How is theology changed by people, place and time? How is the Holy Spirit leading the Church in the unfolding truth of Christ? How is it the Spirit's distinctive work to maximise gladness? And how can we be opened up by the past to imagine a new future? In today’s show we will be talking Professor Ben Quash. Ben is Professor of Christianity and the Arts at King’s College London. He explores the theological significance of literature, drama, the visual arts and music, and in particular how they might stimulate our engagement with the Bible.