The Sacred

Theos Think Tank

A podcast about our Sacred values and how we can talk to people who are different from ourselves.

Each episode features a conversation with someone who has a public voice, from academics to journalists, playwrights and politicians. We ask them where they have come from, what they are trying to do and what might help heal our very divided public conversations.

The Sacred is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield and produced in partnership with Comment Magazine, and with support from The Jerusalem Trust and Open Society Foundation

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245 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes245

Newest first

Oct 3, 2018 · 36 min
#23 Michael Wear
Michael Wear is the founder of Public Square Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps businesses, non-profits, foundations, and Christian organizations at the intersection of faith, politics, and culture. Wear directed faith outreach for President Obama's historic 2012 re-election campaign and was one of the youngest White House staffers in modern American history, leading evangelical outreach and helping manage the White House's engagement on religious and values issues, including adoption and anti-human trafficking efforts. He holds an honorary position at the University of Birmingham's Edward Cadbury Centre for the Public Understanding of Religion, and serves on the national board of Bethany Christian Services. In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Michael about growing up as a Catholic in the Mid West, converting to Evangelicalism, working in the White House under Barack Obama and how religion fits into identity politics - something that he argues will be fundamental in the run up to the 2020 Presidential election. "The Sacred" will be performing its first live recording at the Church and Media conference, on the 18th October 2018. To book your tickets, follow the Eventbrite link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/church-and-media-conference-2018-tickets-35571817263
Sep 19, 2018 · 36 min
#22 Teresa Bejan
Teresa Bejan is Associate Professor of Political Theory in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Oriel College. Her book, Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration (Harvard University Press) examines contemporary calls for civility in light of seventeenth-century debates about religious toleration in England and America. Many of the pressing questions facing liberal democracies today—such as what the proper scope of religious liberty should be, or how to handle partisanship and hate speech—closely recall early modern concerns about the limits of toleration and so-called “persecution of the tongue.” In this episode, Teresa talks to Elizabeth about her book, the importance of building resilience when being confronted with ideas different from our own, and why not having a thick skin when it comes to critique, might be a good thing.
Aug 29, 2018 · 41 min
#21 John Lloyd
John Lloyd is a television producer best known for his work on such comedy television programmes as Not the Nine O'Clock News, Spitting Image, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Blackadder and QI. He is also the presenter of the BBC radio 4 series "The Museum of Curiosity". In this episode, Lloyd talks about growing up in a secular household but not calling himself an atheist, the role of comedy in presenting new ideas and challenging dogma, and what he's learnt from studying other religions - including from Sufi poetry. This podcast is a project of Theos Think Tank (@theosthinktank) and is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield (@theoselizabeth).
Aug 15, 2018 · 56 min
#20 Timandra Harkness
Timandra Harkness is a journalist, comedian and statistician. She is a regular on BBC Radio 4, writing and presenting How To Disagree, a beginner’s guide to having better arguments and FutureProofing, a series looking at the social impact of new big ideas. She also presents documentaries such as Data, Data Everywhere and Personality Politics, and was resident reporter on social psychology series The Human Zoo. In this episode, she talks to Elizabeth about her childhood, why its important to hear ideas you don't like so that yours are better informed, and why she chose to study mathematics and statistics as a way of finding out answers to life's bigger questions. She also talks about Artificial Intelligence, and why it's no replacement for human enquiry and empathy. Follow Elizabeth at @theoselizabeth and Theos Think Tank at @theosthinktank to keep up to date with future episodes, events and research.
Aug 1, 2018 · 48 min
#19 Ian Dunt
Ian Dunt is editor of politics.co.uk. He specialises in issues around immigration, civil liberties, democracy, free speech and social justice. He also writes for other publications, including the Erotic Review, and regularly features in British newspapers and television programmes. In this episode Ian talks about the future of liberalism, what studying philosophy and taking drugs taught him about faith, and his short stint as a Christian. He also talks about the rise of political extremism, and the dangers of letting it grow by ignoring it. This episode also features a conversation with Theos researcher Simon Perfect, about the state of religious education in British schools, and why there are so few qualified RE teachers across the country. Follow Elizabeth Oldfield on Twitter at @theoselizabeth, and The Sacred at @Sacred_Podcast. You can also follow Theos on Twitter @Theosthinktank, or check out www.theosthinktank.co.uk.
Jul 18, 2018 · 54 min
#18 Krista Tippett
Krista Tippett is an American journalist, author, and entrepreneur. She created and hosts the public radio program and podcast On Being, a podcast about spirituality, politics, ethics and faith. In 2014, she was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama. In this episode, Krista talks about growing up in a faith community in Oklahoma, her time as a journalist working in East Germany, and the genesis of On Being as a public radio programme. She also talks about the ways in which civil dialogue could be improved, and the power of listening, even to those with whom you deeply disagree. This episode also features a conversation with Theos' director of research Nick Spencer, who talks about "The Inner Level" by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson. The follow up to "The Spirit Level", the book argues that societies that are more equal perform better at every level of life. Follow Theos at @theosthinktank, and follow Elizabeth Oldfield @theoselizabeth. To review the show, or make your thoughts heard, email sacredpodcast@gmail.com.
Jul 4, 2018 · 48 min
#17 Lois Lee
Dr Lois Lee is Research Fellow in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Kent. She is a sociologist whose work focuses on the empirical study of nonreligion and atheism and, more widely, on the theory and study of culturally diverse and differentiated societies. Lois is founding director of the Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network and co-edits the journal Secularism and Nonreligion. In this episode, Lois talks about what its like to study Nonreligion as an academic term, the differences it has from atheism, and how, despite being nonreligious, she has still learnt a great deal from religious communities. This episode also features an interview with Theos researcher Ben Ryan on migration and the role religious groups are playing in refugee aid and resettlement.
Jun 20, 2018 · 41 min
#16 Tom Shakespeare
Tom Shakespeare, is an English sociologist and broadcaster. He is Professor of Disability Research in the medical faculty at the University of East Anglia (UEA)and a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. He is also known for his work and activism around disability rights in the UK. In this episode, he talks about the role of religion in his upbringing, agnosticism and finding solace in Quakerism. He also talks about his work as an activist, and the challenges that people with disabilities face in the age of austerity. This episode also features a conversation with Theos' Natan Mladin about the idea of 'thinking about thinking'. Follow us on @sacred_podcast and on Twitter, follow Elizabeth at @Theoselizabeth. You can also follow Theos at @theosthinktank to keep up to date with news, events and the latest research.
Jun 6, 2018 · 48 min
#15 Ronan Harrington
Ronan is the founder of Alter Ego, a global network of progressive leaders exploring the connection between personal, cultural and political renewal. He is also the Head of Strategy at Perspectiva, a research institute building the intellectual foundations for a more conscious society. His background is in political strategy and organisational change. Before the age of 28, he was a consultant scenario planner to the British Foreign Office, and a Director of Futures, Strategy and Animation at RPC, an award winning City Law Firm. In this episode, Ronan talks about growing up in a small town in Ireland, moving to London and his relationship with faith and psychedelic drugs. He also talks about the need for better conversations - not only to advance our politics, but to better ourselves as human beings. This episode also features a conversation between Theos staff Simon Perfect and Anna Wheeler, who talk about how music has helped them navigate their own faith. For more information on Theos, follow @theosthinktank on Twitter. You can also follow Elizabeth Oldfield on Twitter at @theoselizabeth.
May 23, 2018 · 54 min
#14 Claire Fox
Claire Fox is a British writer, and the head of the Institute of Ideas think tank. She was formerly the editor of LM magazine, and is a panellist on the BBC's "Moral Maze'. In this episode, Claire talks about her childhood, growing up with parents on both sides of the political spectrum. She talks about her time as a Trotskyist in university, and how her passion for free expression led her to found the Institute of Ideas, which holds its festival each year in London. She also talks about the nature of offence in free speech debates and our wider political discourse. This episode also features a conversation with Ben Ryan, a researcher at Theos, on Amy Chua's latest book "Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations".
May 9, 2018 · 1 hr 5 min
#13 Tom Chivers
Tom Chivers is a writer, who specialises in the intersection of science, philosophy and politics. He was a former staff writer at BuzzFeed UK and an assistant comment editor at the Telegraph. He's currently writing a book about Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, he talks about atheism, the value of truth and verification. He also talks about attaining truth through scientific methods, taking principles from both classical philosophy and computer science to interrogate the hard questions. Finally, he talks about the UK's media environment, and how best to handle an altercation on Twitter. The episode also features Nick Spencer, who talks about his upcoming conversation with Stephen Pinker, and his review of the writer John Gray's "Seven Types of Atheism", which is now available on the Theos website. You can follow Theos at @theosthinktank and you can follow Elizabeth at @theoselizabeth on Twitter.
Apr 25, 2018 · 51 min
#12 Jonathan Derbyshire
Jonathan Derbyshire is Executive Comment Editor at the Financial Times. He was previously Managing Editor of Prospect, Britain’s leading monthly magazine of politics and ideas, and Culture Editor of the New Statesman. Jonathan has also written for a number of other publications, including the Guardian, the Observer and the Times Literary Supplement. In a previous life, he taught philosophy in several British universities. In this episode, He talks with Elizabeth about his youth, what it means to be a secular liberal, and the experiences that come with working at the UK's leading financial newspaper during the age of post-truth.
Apr 12, 2018 · 54 min
#11 Sally Phillips
Sally Phillips is an English actress, television presenter and comedian. She co-created and was one of the writers of sketch comedy show Smack the Pony. She is also known for her main role in Miranda as Tilly, Parents as Jenny Pope and Set the Thames on Fire as Colette in 2015. Phillips has also worked on films such as Burn Burn Burn as Ingrid alongside Laura Carmichael. Since 2004, she has played the title role in the BBC Radio 4 comedy show Clare in the Community. Since 2018, she has been curator of "The Museum of Curiosity" on the BBC Radio 4 comedy programme of that name. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks to Sally about her relationship with faith over the span of her career, why at times, you may have to give up the things you hold sacred to pursue wider goals, and her experience as an activist, campaigning on issues for parents looking after children with Downs' syndrome.
Mar 27, 2018 · 48 min
#10 Neil Griffiths
Neil Griffiths is a British novelist, and the founder of the Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses. He is the winner of the Authors' Club First Novel Award, and has been shortlisted for best novel in the Costa Book Awards. In this episode, Neil talks about love as a sacred value, how writing helped him explore religious ideas and conversations in absence of a religious household. He also talks about his inspirations for writing novels, and how literature can teach patience and compassion. Elizabeth also speaks to Theos' Natan Mladin about an upcoming project on debt, and how money can be reflective of religious and spiritual values. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter at @theoselizabeth and follow Theos Think Tank on @theosthinktank for the latest events, reviews, long reads and research on the role of faith in society.
Mar 14, 2018 · 44 min
#9 Dawn Foster
In this episode, Elizabeth is joined by Guardian columnist and writer, Dawn Foster. Dawn writes on politics and social affairs, and was one of the leading journalists covering the aftermath of the Grenfell tower fire. She talks about her childhood, growing up in poverty, her relationship with catholicism in confrontation with new atheism, and whether social media can facilitate better public conversations. Follow the Sacred on Twitter at @Sacred_Podcast, and follow Theos at @Theosthinktank on Twitter and Facebook.
Feb 28, 2018 · 46 min
#8 Andy Crouch
Andy Crouch is a writer, editor, author and musician based in the United States. He was the editor of Christian Today, one of America's largest faith based publications, and made headlines when he wrote an editorial criticising Evangelical support for Donald Trump. In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Andy about his life in publishing and why he values language so much. He talks about the state of US politics, and why the virtue of patience is more valuable than ever in times of crisis and strife. This episode also features a short interview with Nick Spencer about the American edition of 'Evolution of the West', and how religious terms get politicised by both the right and left.
Feb 14, 2018 · 58 min
#7 David Goodhart
David Goodhart is a writer, researcher, author and journalist, who currently serves as head of Integration Hub & Demography at Policy Exchange. He was one of the founding editors of Prospect magazine, and the centre-left think tank Demos. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks to David about his work between different areas of the political spectrum, and how his childhood experiences shaped the way he understood the communities around him. He also speaks about the consequences of his changing views on immigration, place and the future of Britain post-Brexit. This episode also features an interview with Theos' head of relationships Natan Mladin. 'The Sacred' is supported by Theos think tank (@theosthinktank) and hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield (@theoselizabeth). It is produced by Hussein Kesvani (@HKesvani) and No Country Media.
Jan 31, 2018 · 43 min
#6 Benjamin Ramm
Benjamin Ramm is a writer, broadcaster and journalist who has produced work for the BBC, The New York Times and OpenDemocracy. He also used to edit 'The Liberal' magazine. In this episode, Elizabeth talks to Benjamin about his identity as a 'non-religious, atheist Jew' who loves to go to Russian Orthodox mass, his religious and spiritual upbringing, and why he thinks poetry might provide a pathway for some who don't identify as religious, but believe in the value of faith. They also speak about the crisis and challenges of contemporary liberalism, and how his vision of a liberal future differs from that of previous guest of the show, Tim Farron. 'The Sacred' is supported by Theos Think Tank, the UK's leading religion and society think tank. It is hosted by Theos' director Elizabeth Oldfield, and produced by Hussein Kesvani and No Country Media. Follow us on Twitter @sacred_podcast, and subscribe to us on Itunes, Acast & other podcast content providers. Do rate us on Itunes, as it helps us promote our show to a wider audience. And, as always, feel free to tell us what you think by contacting our twitter account, or talking to @theoselizabeth directly.
Jan 17, 2018 · 33 min
#5 Giles Fraser
Giles Fraser is an Anglican priest, a columnist, author, and broadcaster. It's unlikely you haven't come across his work in one way or another. He wrote a frequent column in the Guardian called 'Loose Canon', dealing with issues around faith, spirituality and progressive politics. He's also a panellist on BBC Radio 4's 'Moral Maze' and has contributed to 'Thought for the Day'. In this episode, Elizabeth speaks to Giles about growing up with a Jewish identity, how bullying during his childhood shaped his view of the world, and how he thinks people with opposing views and perspectives could communicate with each other better. He also talks about his controversial decision to vote and defend Brexit - one of the few public left wing intellectuals to have done so. You can follow The Sacred on Twitter at @sacred_podcast. You can also follow Elizabeth Oldfield @theoselizabeth. You can follow Theos Think Tank on Facebook and Twitter @theosthinktank or at www.theosthinktank.co.uk.
Jan 2, 2018 · 41 min
#4 Francis Spufford (Remastered)
This is a remastered edition of our conversation with award winning author Francis Spufford. Francis is a professor at Goldsmiths University, and the author of a number of books including "Golden Hill" and "Unapologetic: Why, despite everything, Christianity can still make surprising emotional sense" Please follow us on Twitter @Sacred_Podcast, and our host, Elizabeth Oldfield (@theoselizabeth). This podcast is supported by Theos, the UK's leading religion and society think tank (@theosthinktank)