Politics

In this GodPod, recorded on the eve of the UK General Election 2019, Graham and Jane debate Brexit and how Christian theology might help us find reconciliation after this bruising and polarising debate.

In this GodPod, Graham is joined by Nick Spencer from the Christian think tank Theos to discuss his book 'The Political Samaritan' looking at the way in which the parable has been used by politicians in recent years.  

In this episode, Graham is joined by James Orr and James Mumford, to discuss how we transcend the culture wars and polarisation of modern political discussion, how we make moral choices and what we understand by natural law and order. 

How should the contemporary church engage with postmodernism? And what constitutes a successful church? Is there any encouragement for churches with small congregations and limited resources? Jane, Mike and Stephen discuss the church and mission, and also ask if there can ever be forgiveness without repentance.

The resident theologians are joined by Luke Bretherton, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Politics, and Convenor of the Faith and Public Policy Forum at Kings College, London. Luke explores what contemporary urban spirituality might look like, and the team discuss the relationship between church and state in US politics, in the light of Barack Obama’s victory in the American presidential elections.

Paul Woolley, Director of Christian think tank Theos, joins Graham and Mike to discuss the place of religion in secular society and matters of environmental and medical ethics. They consider the growth of the global church, as well as the privatisation of faith in the context of secular humanism and world religions. How should Christians be involved in the political sphere and the criminal justice system? And how does what we believe about life after death influence what we think about cremation or burial practices, the donation of organs to medical science, and our stewardship of the environment?

Tom Wright returns to talk about Israel as the historical people of God and as the modern political state. What is the place of the Jewish people and the land of Israel in the promises of God, from creation to new creation? Tom, Mike and Jane also discuss the ‘Rapture’, and the impact of how we think about ‘the end times’ on the ways we live, how we treat the world, and how we engage with political concerns.