So, you may have noticed we've been away. Hope you didn't miss us too much. We thought it was time to explain why. Hopefully we'll be back to regular episodes soon! Soz xThe Holy Political Podcast

Hi ho. This week we've got Jonathan Williams, from CARE, on to talk about why the Government's new Relationships and Sex Education syllabus is causing concern, and also point out what good things it includes. Then Laurence Wilkinson, from ADF International, joins us to discuss the viral video of a street preacher being arrested outside a London tub…

Fine then! We'll talk about Brexit... We're joined by the brilliant Jonathan Tame, Director of the Jubilee Centre, who is talking about overcoming post-referendum divisions, off the back of his excellent recent article on the topic. We chat with Jonathan about what Biblical examples can help us overcome these divisions, and how we can be light in o…

We're back (a little late!) in 2019 to chat with Natan Mladin from Theos Think Tank about his new report ‘Forgive us Our Debts: Lending and borrowing as if relationships matter’. Enjoy!The Holy Political Podcast

Happy Christmas! This week we're joined by two experts, to talk about persecution of Christians around the world, including Asia Bibi, and what the UK Government is and should be doing to help them. Zoe Smith, Head of Advocacy at Open Doors UK, and Amro Hussain, Parliamentary Officer for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion or B…

This week we're delighted to play you the talk Prof James KA Smith gave to MPs and Peers at Christians in Parliament's event, looking at how Christians should engage in politics between Jesus' ascension and return. In recent years, James KA Smith has become perhaps the leading evangelical theologian and philosopher writing on how Christians should …

Ben Ryan, Head of Research at the think-tank Theos (which focuses on religion and the public square) joins us to talk about the Theos Annual Lecture, given last week by Michael Gove, and about 'Christianism' and how populist parties across Europe may be co-opting the language and symbols of Christianity. Plus, we chat about Brexit cos, you know, it…

Rachel Senior, who works with the Bishop of Gloucester, joins us to talk about Prisons week and why it would be better if many women prisoners on short sentences were given community orders and sent to women's centres instead. Plus, we chat about the Government's delay on new regulations to fixed-odds betting terminals (dubbed the 'crack cocaine of…

This week the wonderful Philippa Taylor, Head of Public Policy at the Christian Medical Fellowship, joins James to talk about the abortion - both the law, barriers to the support available for women, and the actions by the UK Government to increase the numbers of abortion in the developing world. Enjoy! (Apols from Johnny - I'll be back next week!)…

We’ve got LOADS of big things to talk about this week: ?? Ryan Day on the Catholic Church’s big and controversial agreement with the Chinese Government, with Ryan Day ? Simon Calvert on the Ashers Bakery ‘gay cake’ court case ? Lousie Gleich on prostitution and modern slavery ? And Gareth Wallace on the Conservative Party Conference Enjoy! —— Few r…

This week we're joined by a plethora of fantastic guests! Attieh Fard, the Founder and Director of Fard and Co Solicitors, talks about how new post-Brexit immigration laws could affect Christians going to and from Europe to do ministry. Hannah Rich, Vice-Chair of Christians on the Left, talks about the Labour Party Conference and what Christians on…

Hello again! We're back and with a bang! Thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, for sparking a big debate this week on Christianity and politics, after he co-wrote a report with the left-leaning think tank the IPPR, and then spoke to the Trades Union Congress. We got three great Christian political thinkers round the table to hammer …

We're back soon, but in the run up to the new term we're playing you three of our favourite interviews from the archives. This week, we're replaying the interview we did after Tim Farron resigned as leader of the Lib Dems, citing treatment of him as a Christian. We spoke to former Liberal MP and Chief Whip, and former Lib Dem Peer, Lord David Alton…

We're back in a few weeks, but in the run up to the new term we're playing you three of our favourite interviews from the archives. This week, we're replaying our interview with Michael Wear, the former White House adviser to Barack Obama, who particularly worked on issues related to faith communities. Michael came on the podcast to talk about his …

We're back in a few weeks, but in the run up to the new term we're playing you three of our favourite interviews from the archives. This week, we go back to January 2017 and our second podcast, when I went to chat to Andy Flannagan, who was then Director of Christians on the Left. Andy's since moved on to greater things, and Louise Davies, his bril…

Sam Hailes, Editor of Christianity Magazine, steps in this week for Johnny (who is off ill), and Sam and James look back at the year gone since the election - including the election, Brexit, and the role of Christianity in a changing Britain. Enjoy!The Holy Political Podcast

Johnny's away this week, so James is joined by a Brexiteer and a Remainer to talk about Theresa May's new position on Britain's exit from the EU. David Scullion (Deputy Editor at Brexit Central) steps up to co-host, and Ben Ryan, from Theos, chats to James about how the referendum itself left the Prime Minister's hands tied. Enjoy!…

This week we look back at the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast - Parliament's biggest annual Christian event - with the guy that made it happen: James Lee, from Christians in Parliament. And we listen to some of Tim Keller's talk at the Prayer Breakfast. Plus, James chats about why there was a Christian policy conference last week all about …

We're delighted to have the extraordinary Dawn McAvoy, Co-Founder of Both Lives Matter, on the podcast to unpack the recent debates on abortion law in Northern Ireland. Plus, our in-house 'expert' discusses the significance of Donald Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. And we chat about the key Brexit votes in Parliament this Monda…

This week the fantastic Njoki Mahiaini steps in for James and chats about Christians in the media and public square, from her experience working in the UK Parliament, the BBC, Brussels and the Jubilee Centre. It's fascinating and really helpful! Plus, we chat about anti-semtism in the Labour Party, islamophobia in the Conservative Party, and whethe…

Richard Chapman, Head of Parliamentary Affairs at the Church of England, joins us to talk about the work of the Bishops in the House of Lords - how do they fit in, what do they do, and what have they been campaigning on? Plus, we chat Brexit and the significant change to the regulations on fixed-odds betting terminals - something many Christians ca…

Dr Peter Saunders, Chief Executive of the Christian Medical Fellowship and formerly a general surgeon, speaks to us about the tragic and difficult case of Alfie Evans, which dominated world news last week, as well as a couple of other historic medical cases in the courts at the moment. Read Peter's blog on Alfie Evans here. Plus we look at the loca…

This week James is away, so Jenn McKelvin, Acting Executive Director of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship, co-hosts, and we chat to the fantastic Louise Davies, the new Director of Christians on the Left. Plus, we chat about the Windrush scandal, Syria, legal aid cuts, and the local elections. Enjoy!The Holy Political Podcast

With Parliament away on its Easter holidays, we chat to David Barclay, from the Good Faith Partnership, about their work to connect leaders from the worlds of politics, business, faith and charity to better solve social and political problems, and to give a voice to those often ignored in Westminster. And he tells us about the excellent Buxton Lead…

Johannes de Jong, from Sallux, is back with the second half of his interview on Brexit and the EU, and Christian attitudes towards both. Plus Ally Henderson is back to chat with us about it, and we also look at the fallout from the death of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in Salisbury. Enjoy!…

This week we chat about the Barnabas Fund's big new report on religious freedom in the UK, and chat about issues of religious discrimination, free speech, the UK's history of religious freedom, and religious literacy. We're joined again by the brilliant Ally Henderson - former Parliamentary candidate and a lawyer specialising human rights, employme…

This week we're joined by Johannes de Jong, Director of Sallux, a Christian political organisation working at a European level. He talks to us about the Turkish attacks on north west Syria, and the help that Christians there are asking for (click this link for Sallux's petition). He also chats about a Christian approach to Brexit and the European U…

We're back! (Sorry about the illness-related absence) Also back is Rev Dr Joe Boot, who expands on something he spoke about in his previous interview, the historically Christian idea of 'sphere sovereignty' - a framework for thinking about how Government, family, church, civil society and so on fit together - and his new book Gospel Witness. The in…

This week Johnny's ill - sorry!! So, instead of a normal episode, Premier Christian Radio have kindly given us the audio for their big interview Tim Farron. You may have seen it hit the news this week, so have a listen for yourself. It's a fascinating listen! See you again in two weeks, when Johnny (hopefully!) will be back.…

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!! In this week's (post-)Christmas special, we look at MPs' cringy Christmas cards, Prime Ministers' crass Christmas messages, and ask if the label 'evangelical' is now more about politics than theology, after Tim Keller's fascinating New Yorker article on it. Plus, we chat to our favourite Brexit journalist, David Scullion, for hi…

We're joined by guest co-host Imogen Atkinson to take a look at Christian responses to the budget, and take a deep dive into a very significant speech by Tim Farron on faith, politics and liberalism. And we comment on how boring Brexit still is - cos we recorded this before it all got VERY interesting on Monday! Thanks especially to FaithAction for…

This week, we chat to Ian Geary about a left-wing Christian vision for Government, and Sarah steps in for the temporarily-jet-setting James, and shares about her own experiences working with Tim Farron and Justin Welby. And, most importantly, we discuss Greggs sausage rolls. We may allow James back last week. But Sarah is very good.…

John Stevens, National Director of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches, joins us to make the case that Christians should be political liberals, following on from Joe Boot's alternative case last time out. And we discuss the sex scandals sweeping Westminster, and how they have been allowed to occur.…

Delighted to speak to Rev Dr Joe Boot, the founder of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity, this week. Joe is a prominent theologian, writing on Christian engagement in the public square, and chats to us about his debate with John Stevens, about political liberalism and Christian engagement in politics, which occurred following Tim Farr…

*cough* After Theresa May's luckless conference speech, we chat about whether her coughing fit matters, and discuss her future and the Government's. Then we have Danny Webster, from the Evangelical Alliance, on to talk about What Kind of Society? - their new document setting out an evangelical Christian vision for society, and ask him how it impact…

Finally back from the summer, we chat Brexit and Boris, with journalist David Scullion. And in our main interview, we look back at the Grenfell Tower fire disaster with local vicar Mark O'Donoghue, to find out how local churches have been helping the community through a truly horrifying tragedy. And if you've got 2 minutes, we'd be so grateful if y…

Click here to fill out our 2 min listener survey (please!) For our second summer special, we continue chatting to Dr Stephen Backhouse about whether patriotism is a Christian virtue, or whether Christians should steer well clear. In this second half, we look at how Christians should think about engagement in local communities and national politics,…

Click here to fill out our 2 min listener survey (please!) For our first summer special, we chat to Dr Stephen Backhouse about whether patriotism is a Christian virtue, or whether Christians should steer well clear. In this first half, we look at the attitude of Jesus and the early church, at whether patriotism is useful for moral decisions, at whe…

We look back at Tim Farron's dramatic resignation, with two brilliant political thinkers - former Liberal and Lib Dem MP, Lord David Alton, and Nick Spencer, Research Director at Theos and editor of the new book 'The Mighty and the Almighty', which looks at the public faith of political leaders over the past 40 years. We're very excited to have the…

We chat to experienced campaigner James Newhall, who ran David Burrowes' re-election campaign in Enfield Southgate, about what it's really like to run a campaign on the ground. And we look at the newly minted DUP, plus a small but significant change to abortion provision in the UK.The Holy Political Podcast

Tim Farron has resigned as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, saying that he felt it was 'impossible for me' to remain leader 'and to live as a committed Christian, to hold faithfully to the Bible's teaching' following intense scrutiny of his beliefs. We discuss his extraordinary resignation speech, and also chat to Sam Hailes, Deputy Editor of P…

It's election time!! And in this final election special, we chat to Philippa Taylor, of the Christian Medical Fellowship, about pro-life issues, and journalist David Scullion about Brexit. Plus we discuss the entirely unhelpful polls, and look back on the campaign.The Holy Political Podcast

We chat to former parliamentary candidate Alasdair Henderson about his experience of running for office, and to Gareth Davies, UK Director of the Christian political charity CARE, about how churches can be involved in the election. Sorry for the delay in this week's episode. Following we horrific events in Manchester, we delayed and rerecorded this…

Katie Harrison, from ComRes' Faith Research Centre, chats to us about how UK Christians vote, and Guy Brandon, from the Jubilee Centre, about how Christians should think about their vote. Plus we have a strong and stable discussion about political slogans and the local election results. It's the first of three Election Specials in the next few week…

This week we chat immigration with Krish Kandiah, of Home for Good, in the second half of our interview with him, and ELECTION KLAXON!! We chat about the snap election, and the treatment of Tim Farron in the press for his Christian views on sexuality. --- The Holy Political Podcast is a new fortnightly podcast about Christianity and politics. We di…

We chat to the amazing Krish Kandiah from Home for Good about the refugee crisis and what Christians can do. We also look at the changes to SRE (Sex and Relationships Education), which Christians have had very different takes on. We chat to Imogen Atkinson, the Senior Parliamentary Assistant to David Burrowes MP (the Christian MP who led the change…

We chat to Michael Wear, who directed faith outreach for Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign and worked as one of the youngest White House staffers in modern history in the Office of Faith-Based and Neighbourhood Partnerships. His new book, Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America, is a fas…

This week we chat to Lyndon Bowring, the Executive Director of CARE (Christian Action, Education and Research) which seeks to stand up for Christian principles and patterns, especially around 'human dignity', and help MPs and Peers to do the same. As you'll quickly tell, both of us are fans! --- The Holy Political Podcast is a new fortnightly podca…

This week we've got a great interview with Gareth Wallace, the Executive Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship. And we discuss Michael Gove's confessions, UKIP's Christian Soldiers, Theresa May intimidating the House of Lords, and our unusual listener feedback. --- The Holy Political Podcast is a new fortnightly podcast about Christiani…

This week we chat with Simon Calvert, of the Christian Institute, about freedom of speech and the Ashers Bakery case - one of the biggest freedom of conscience and religion cases of the past few years. And we big up Speak Up, the brilliant new publication about the legal dos and don'ts of sharing the Gospel in the UK. And we also talk a bit about c…