Exploring Existence

In this episode we are joined by Dr Ed Kessler who is the founder and former Director of the Woolf Institute in Cambridge. Dr Kessler set up the institute to act as a vehicle for Christian-Jewish dialogue but has since expanded it to include all the abrahamic faiths and to be a centre of interreligious dialogue more broadly.    In this conversation, our five main questions were presented: From a jewish perspective, who or what is God, what are the sources of the religion, what is the goal of the religion, how are we meant to reach that goal, and what does Judaism have to say about the problem of evil.   But as you will hear Dr Kessler presents Jewish ideas of compassion, community, and faith all amidst several wonderful anecdotes and stories. 

Who is God? How do we come to know God? What is our purpose? How do we achieve that purpose? How do we account for evil in the world?   In this episode, esteemed Catholic commentator and educator sits down and helps us go through these questions in a continuation of our series: Foundations of Faith. These question provide a backdrop for our conversation and we also go into:  The nature of God, the importance of the Trinity, the incarnation, human nature and goodness, human flourishing, we go into the history of the early church fathers and the reformation, a quick detour to consider Nietszche, the mystery of evil and the encompassing theological virtues. If you've enjoyed the show, please like and follow. Also feel free to get in contact: jack@religionreconsidered.com Thank you for joining us and I hope you enjoy the podcast.  

In this episode we are joined by Shaunaka Rishi Das, one of the foremost experts on Hinduism in the UK, to ask him some foundational questions:  Who are what is God? What are the sources of Hinduism? What is the goal of Hinduism? How are we to reach that goal? What does Hinduism have to say about the problem of evil. 

The debate over whether religion is a natural phenomenon has raged for centuries.  John Calvin was the first person to talk of a sensus divinitatis but it is an idea that has stretched back to the Greeks and Romans. The idea is that religion is a natural phenomenon in human society and we as humans have a capacity to engage with the divine. The ubiquity of religion throughout the globe and across history as well as our divine sense, it is said, results in a rather resounding proof of God's existence.  However with the rise of enlightenment ideals and especially evolutionary science, this view has been questioned. People like David Hume argued that religion arose out of fear of the natural world and it became a way to understand it while Durkheim has argued that religion plays a critical role for peaceful human societies. Religion, it is argued, is either a social or cognitive construct that our brains and societies have developed as a way to understand and manage our existence. And so, while it may be natural in this respect, it is proof that an objective idea of God is pure fancy. In this episode we talk with distinguished academic, Professor David Fergusson, where he lays out the debate and his argument of how in the face of arguments against God's existence, religion will see a refraction of belief and more types of worship rather than a religious retreat.  As always, feel free to get in touch: jack@religionreconsidered.com

A question that I've always thought about: if each religion claims that what it teaches is true and that the way to salvation is through its teaching, then aren't ideas of conversion and even forced conversion morally justified?  Is it possible to religiously justify a group such as ISIS who may say they are trying to convert people to their religion for their salvation. I appreciate there are many other issues at play with the ISIS thing and there are groups of people that do their utmost to convert people to their religious worldview but at a general level why is there not more attempts at conversion that goes on. Fr Michael is a Jesuit, a former professor of interreligious relations at Heythrop College in London, was the director of the De Nobili dialogue centre which focused on interfaith communication, and served as a consultant to the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue in Rome and to the ecumenical Churches Commission on Inter-faith Relations. His expertise is on the eastern faiths of Hinduism and Buddhism and it's safe to say he is a preeminent voice in the area of interreligious dialogue. I posed to Fr Michael the question:  if each religion claims that what it teaches is true and that the way to salvation is through its teaching, then aren't ideas of conversion and even forced conversion morally justified?  In the ensuing conversation we don't just talk about the importance of space and respect when it comes to interreligious dialogue but also how we can come to a deeper understanding of our own faith through when we listen and consider the point of view of the other. Ultimately he puts forward a very strong case that ideas of forced conversion are fundamentally antithetical to a loving religious practice. Fr Michael has also written several books whose titles include: theology and the dialogue of religions, waiting on grace, interreligious learning, and Ignatian spirituality and interreligious dialogue.

In 250AD a young man named Paul walked out into the Egyptian desert in fear of his own life and was never to return. He did not find safety or comfort but rather communion with God. 100 years later, Anthony the Great, a man who had taken Paul's way of life and turned it into a burgeoning communal approach to spiritual living, met the elderly hermit on the day of his death.  These two great men were the example for the thousands of monks and hermits that came to live in Egypt, Syria and Palestine that would go down in history as The Desert Mothers and Father.  In this episode, we take a look at The Desert Mothers and Father: who they were, where they came from and what they got up to. At a time of great upheaval throughout the Mediterranean world, they would come to set a foundation of not only monasticism but all Christianity. This episode forms part of a series on the Desert Mothers and Father and in the next episode we will be heading to Egypt to see the lives of the people who continue to live out this tradition.  Thanks to Lebot for our new theme music, more of which can be found by clicking this link. 

He has been called the hot priest, the ‘UK's favourite priest', is a youtube sensation, and an instagram influencer. Rev Chris Lee has amassed a following on social media of over 170,000 people with his account RevChris7 and has become famous for his 60 second sermons where he distils Christian teachings into instagram friendly messages. Beyond this Chris has published a book titled The OMG Effect with two more books set to be published this year. In this podcast Chris talks about how he came to love God, what it's like dealing with his newfound fame, how he tries to direct people to God and sharing the message the God love us.  For more content, check us out on Instagram @religion_reconsidered

Yesterday, the Catholic Church published a declaration titled Fiducia Supplicans that looks at The Pastoral Meanings of Blessings. The Declaration has caused a stir in the world with it being called a 'landmark moment for the church's acceptance of L.G.B.T.Q. faithful.'  So what does the Declaration say and does it change the Church's position on same-sex relationships? In this brief explainer we consider this question. As a massive disclaimer, I am not a Church Scholar and while I had tried to give an accurate depiction of the Declaration, please forgive any errors.  If you have any feedback, as always feel free to reach out at jack@religionreconsidered.com.

As context for this conversation I recommend the following: Video on martial arts; Geoff's Ted Talk. Geoff Thompson is famous in the world of self defence. After becoming a highly ranked martial artist in numerous disciplines, Geoff became a nightclub bouncer in Coventry in the UK at a time when it was known as the most violent city in Europe. From this experience he went on to develop a form of martial arts based on real world situations that centred on the idea of efficacy, or to put it another way - hitting first. From this he became one of the world's leading self defence experts and got to a point where he was teaching Chuck Norris's students in the US. In this rather esoteric conversation Geoff discusses how he used methods from his martial arts training to develop himself spiritually and overcome the darkness within him. While beginning with spiritual martial arts teachers such as Gichin Funakosi and Morihei Ueshiba, Geoff's spiritual knowledge has come from places as diverse as George Gurdjieff, the Armenian born mystic, the Srimad Bhagavatam, one of the great Hindu Puranas, Roman Catholicism and Rumi. As you'll come to hear in our conversation, Geoff considers his time as a nightclub bouncer as being a true metaphysical experience. A list of Geoff's published works can be found on his Wikipedia page and his instagram is https://www.instagram.com/geoff_thompson_official/?hl=en If you want to get in touch, my email is jack@religionreconsidered.com Thank you for joining us and I hope you enjoy the podcast.

In this episode we talk with Amandeep Singh of the Singh Sabha Sikh temple in Goodmayes, East London.  In the conversation, Amandeep runs through some of the basics of the Sikh faith: the Nishan Sahib, the layout of a Gurdwara and the importance of the Langar hall. We also talk about the foundations of Sikhism and how it developed as a religion that stood against persecution of all forms. We finish considering the fundamentals of the faith as expressed in the Ik Onkar. The overriding theme throughout the interview that Amandeep emphasises is the power of connection that is built through the strength of the Sikh community, it's rich history and its enduring power as a force for justice in the world.  If you want to check out more of what Amandeep has to offer, his instagram page is @amandeep_singh_east_london and you can learn more about sikhism @basicsofsikhi If you've enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe and if you want to get in touch, my email is jack@blindwine.co.uk

Professor Ann Taves has spent her career studying religious experiences trying to understand what it means when someone says that they have spoken with God or they have seen an angel or had non-ordinary experiences. In this episode we talk about her work on visions and trances as well as her deep study on the similarities and differences between Mormonism, Alcoholics Anonymous and A Course In Miracles. We also look at Ann's recent study into people in both America and India and how they view their own ‘non ordinary' experiences. It is a fascinating look at one of the fundamental aspects of religious belief and how we can better understand it in the modern world.

This episode looks at the religious history and context of the ongoing conflict in Israel/Palestine.  With the recent attacks by Hamas on 7 October, we take a look at why this small piece of land on the Eastern Mediterranean is so religiously significant and why it continues to be so hotly contested.  We look at the origins of the Abrahamic faiths and their associations with the land of Israel/Palestine and how the Zionist movement was imbued with religious significance from the very beginning. Please feel free to leave a comment or if you would like to get in touch, please email jack@religionreconsidered.com  

Dr Claire Gilbert joins the Religion Reconsidered podcast to discuss the work of the Westminster Abbey Institute and I, Julian. The episode looks at how The Institute aims to bring a level of moral discernment to the UK public sector, and how Claire brought years of work in medical and environmental ethics to the role. Claire then provides a recount of her religious journey and how Julian of Norwich went from being a subject of study to Claire's closest spiritual confidant that led her to write the fictional autobiography, I, Julian. Throughout Claire discusses her ideas of porosity and how we can learn from Julian to engage with the world and each other with a greater level of compassion. 

In 1373, a lay woman in the town of Norwich received a number of revelations from Christ Jesus that would change her world. 650 years later, we are still pondering and celebrating the words that Julian of Norwich wrote down on reflection of her revelations. In this podcast we talk with Veronica Mary Rolf who is a world renown expert on Julian of Norwich having written two bestsellers that consider Julian's life and revelations: Julian's Gospel: Illuminating the Life and Revelations of Julian of Norwich (IVP Academic, 2013) and An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich (Orbis Books, 2018). She has also published her own podcast Life, Love & Light which includes a deep dive into Julian's revelations.  Veronica tells us how she came to know and love Julian, we discuss her life and times, and then we consider the revelations and what they mean for us in the present day. For more information on Veronica Mary Rolf you can visit her website: https://www.veronicamaryrolf.com/ Veronica's books can be ordered through the following links or through Amazon: https://orbisbooks.com/products/julians-gospel-paperback?_pos=1&_sid=a37aead76&_ss=r https://www.ivpress.com/an-explorer-s-guide-to-julian-of-norwich

To celebrate 650 of Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love, we are running a three part series on her life and revelations. In this first episode, we journey to Norwich to see where Julian spent the last years of her life as an anchoress and where she spent time in deep meditation on her shewings from Christ. Check out our instagram page for photos and videos of our time in Norwich. 

John Butler has been meditating for over 60 years. In this conversation he talks about his story, how he came to find meditation, and how his practice developed. John also discusses his trips around the world, in particular Russia. We finish with a brief guided meditation.

Introducing the new iteration of the podcast: Religion Reconsidered.   Having had a hiatus following the ripple that was Covid-19, the podcast is now getting back into action and Exploring Existence is now becoming Religion Reconsidered.   In the new podcast we will continue to talk to religious practitioners about their beliefs and their spiritual journeys but we will also be branching out to consider religion in a broader perspective. We will look at historical figures, events, practices, and religious sites to come to a more fuller understanding of what religion is, what is has been, and how it continues to shape our society and daily life.   Thank you for joining us and I hope you enjoy the podcast. 

In this episode, we look at the theology and history of iconography and iconoclasm in the Abrahamic faiths. With recent events in France, this podcast provides a background of the issue that often results in destruction, violence and death. You can find a transcript of the episode at www.exploringexistence.org.Thanks for listening.

Ely Cathedral is located in England's East Anglia and began as an abbey in the 7th Century before the Cathedral was built in the 11th Century. Throughout its history, Ely Cathedral has seen turmoil and destruction but has always remained a site of spiritual devotion and today is home to a welcoming and vibrant community.My guide for the podcast was Rebecca Mundy and in the episode we spoke about the story of Etheldreda, the founder and first abbess of Ely, the magnificent structure of the Cathedral including its famous Lantern, the destruction that occurred in the Cathedral during the English Reformation, and how the modern-day community operates with its commitment to worship and public outreach.

Fr Michael Kelly is a member of the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits. He has spent his career as a journalist, bringing to the interested reader a deeper understanding of the position of the Catholic Church in the world and its message after the Second Vatican Council. We spoke about the Jesuits, their experiential yet intellectual spirituality, and what Fr Kelly sees as living a good Catholic life.

Father Dave Smith is an Anglican Priest who has used boxing as means of pursuing peace and justice in both his parish and around the world.

Zachary Isrow has spent his life asking himself the big questions. This has led him to explore Buddhism, Daoism, and numerous philosophical thinkers such as Martin Heidegger. Through this search he has developed his own worldview, Spectral Ontology. In this episode we discussed Zach's spiritual and philosophical search and also how he now helps other as a meditation and mindfulness coach.

Fr Michael Tate has lived a life guided by the Holy Spirit, which has led him into academia, politics, foreign affairs, and ultimately to the Church.

We are excited to be launching our new website exploringexistence.org where we have also posted a new article exploring the centrality of fire to the human experience.

Richard Lang is headless, and so are you! Richard is a follower of the headless way, a practice developed by Douglas Harding that asks people to look at who they really are. More information on the headless way can be found on their website at: https://www.headless.org/

Elena started her life in the Anglican Church but through an ongoing journey of faith found solace in the Catholic Church. She has authored an article on her journey that can be accessed here: https://omniainchristo.wixsite.com/website/post/cominghome.

Ann Harrison is a Breathwork practitioner, a spiritual transformative practice that recognises the divine nature inherent in us all.More information on Ann can be found at her website: annharrison.com.au

Nick Farr-Jones is the former captain of the Australian Rugby Union team and has, since finding God, continually strived to live a Christian life.

Fr Vincent is a member of the Apostles of Jesus, a Catholic African order of missionary priests. In this episode, we explore his journey into the priesthood, his missionary work, and the challenges facing the Church today.

Dr Helen Russ has used teachings from the Western Esoteric Tradition to study the spirit of organisations and places.You can find more information by Dr Helen Russ at her website: http://www.helenruss.com/

Jolyon is an Anthroposophist, an esoteric worldview developed by Rudolf Steiner that seeks to make the spiritual accessible.

Nicholas is a professional musician that grew up in the Traditionalist Church and uses music to search for the Divine

Christopher Magarey is a devoted follower of Siddha Yoga, a Hindu tradition that emphasises personal divine awakening

Fr Gerard Kelly is a Catholic priest who works in the Australian ecumenical movement to achieve Christian harmony.

Caroline is a student of the Brahma Kumaris, a movement of Indian origins with worldwide vision.