St Paul's Cathedral

Over the course of Western history, how have religion and medicine worked together to tell women how their bodies work, and what they should do with them? How have Eve and Mary been used to convey these messages, and how has their role been challenged? Helen King explores the potential of both Christianity and medicine to work towards a healthier approach to the body. Helen King is Professor Emerita at The Open University, where she researched and taught the history of the body. She is an elected lay member of the Church of England's General Synod and a trustee of WATCH (Women and the Church). Her latest book is 'Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies'.

80 years after Dietrich Bonhoeffer's execution in Flossenbürg concentration camp in 1945, Rowan Williams reflects upon how his legacy could help the church remain truthful in a post-truth world. In a time of uncertainty, what does it mean to live with courage, integrity, and radical hospitality? Dr Rowan Williams is a poet and theologian, and was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Are men facing a "crisis," and what does that mean for us all? Will Rose-Moore explores what it really means to be a man today, how "masculinity" isn't one thing, but many, how the Bible portrays men, and new ways of thinking about masculinity, moving away from power and violence, and embracing diversity. The Rev'd Will Rose-Moore is Assistant Curate at St John the Baptist, Loughton in Chelmsford Diocese. He is studying for a PhD in Theology with Westcott House in the Cambridge Theological Federation and Anglia Ruskin University, and is also a Research Associate for the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, Bristol. His first book is 'Boys Will Be Boys, and Other Myths: Unravelling Biblical Masculinities'.

‘Hope shows up when we are fighting for justice. Hope shows up when we show up making clear that the way things are is not the way they are destined to be, that the way things are is not God's promise for us.' Join Kelly Brown-Douglas and Paula Gooder, as they reflect together on vocation and preaching, on racial justice and, most importantly, on hope. Kelly Brown-Douglas is an African-American priest in the Episcopal Church in the USA. She is a leading voice in womanist theology and racial justice, and is a brilliant preacher and communicator. Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral.

On 9th April 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was killed in Flossenbürg concentration camp. A German Lutheran pastor and theologian, he was imprisoned for his opposition to the Nazis during the 1930s and 40s. 80 years on, Bonhoeffer's writings, especially his reflections on the Sermon on the Mount and what this means for discipleship, remain as inspirational as ever. Join Andreas Loewe and Paula Gooder as they discuss Bonhoeffer's enduring legacy and impact. The Very Revd Dr Andreas Loewe is Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne. His book, written with Dr Katherine Firth, 'Journey with Bonhoeffer: Six Steps on the Path of Discipleship' is available in the UK at https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780647532928 Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Rose Hudson-Wilkin is the Church of England's first black woman bishop. Overcoming challenging beginnings in Jamaica and discrimination in the UK, she became one of the first women to be ordained priest in the Church of England, going on to be the first black female priest to be Chaplain both to the Queen and the Speaker of the House of Commons. She will reflect on ‘a wonderful life and a wonderful God'. Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin is the Bishop of Dover. Appointed MBE for services to young people and the church in 2020, her autobiography 'The Girl from Montego Bay' is published in 2025.

Who was Grinling Gibbons? Not just a man with a fantastic name, but also the master carver behind the incredible carvings around the Cathedral, including those in the Quire stalls and the floral garlands on the North exterior of the building. Find out more about his life and his contributions to St Paul's, as well as how they've evolved over time through numerous restoration projects, in today's podcast episode. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Edith Cavell was a nurse who became a symbol of courage around the world. In 1915, she was executed for helping Allied soldiers escape - an act that shook many around the world. In the wake of her death, hundreds of nurses and mourners gathered at St Paul's to honour her, and her legacy continues to inspire today. Hear her extraordinary story in our latest Stories from St Paul's podcast episode. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Jane Williams says that the sacraments are a glorious expression of God's love for the world in all its beauty and brokenness. They invite us into the mystery that the world has meaning and purpose, and that all things come together in Jesus. Though they can seem confusing and sometimes divisive, she says that by entering into them we can find ourselves not only refreshed but re-enchanted. Dr Jane Williams is the McDonald Professor in Christian Theology at St Mellitus College, London, and a visiting Lecturer at King's College London. Her latest books are The Merciful Humility of God and the new York Course, The Sacraments: Responding to God's Loving Invitation.

The question of suffering has always been something with which people have wrestled. In his 2025 Lent book, Healing Wounds, Erik Varden attempts to offer new reflections on this most challenging of themes. Reflecting on the cross, on Jesus' own suffering as well as on our own sufferings, he draws out the ways in which Jesus' suffering on the cross can turn into sources of healing for ourselves and for others. In this online conversation, Erik Varden and Paula Gooder draw on these and other themes. Erik Varden is Bishop of Trondheim in Norway and a Cistercian monk.

For two thousand years, the Virgin Mary has been depicted throughout art, literature and culture as symbolising the perfect mother: chaste, beautiful, meek, mild and white. These supposed virtues and symbols have penetrated not just Christianity but wider popular culture, and contributed to harmful views about motherhood and what it is to be a woman. Chine McDonald deconstructs the myth of perfect motherhood and reflect on its theological, social and personal impact, proposing a more authentic, grace-filled way forward. Chine McDonald is the Director of Theos, the religion and society think tank. Previously she headed community fundraising and public engagement at Christian Aid. The author of the best-selling 'God is Not a White Man (and other revelations)', her latest book is 'Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood'.

Janet Williams introduces the tradition of apophatic spirituality and explores its relevance to 21st century Christian life. The Revd Dr Janet Williams is the Vice-Principal of St Hild's College, Mirfield in Yorkshire, an Anglican centre for ordination training and theological study. Her latest book is Seeking the God Beyond: A Beginner's Guide to Christian Apophatic Spirituality.

Did you know that world famous poet and writer, Walter de la Mare was a one-time Chorister of St Paul's? Born in Charlton, South London, in 1873, de la Mare attended the Cathedral School from the age of 10 to 16. Find out more about his life, and how St Paul's may have shaped his literary work. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

When is a cathedral not a cathedral? Answer: When it might also be the venue for a grand scientific experiment! Explore Sir Christopher Wren's vision - and whether is came to pass - in this, the strange tale of the telescope in the tower. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Martin Luther King Jr's memory is revered, but in his time he was a radical, controversial figure, sharply critical of militarism, inequality and poverty, and racism in the US and elsewhere. Marking 60 years since Dr King spoke at St Paul's Cathedral, Richard Reddie will explore his profound and subtle theology, philosophy and politics, and the challenge he leaves us to work for justice in our own time. Richard Reddie is the Director of Justice and Inclusion at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. He is the author of 'Martin Luther King Jr: History Maker' and 'Abolition!: The Struggle to Abolish Slavery in the British Colonies', and editor of Race for Justice.

Found in the Cathedral every festive season is the St Paul's nativity scene. Discover its very special story which begins in 1989, when former Master Carver Tony Webb and assistant Hannah Hartwell got to work on a new crib – one that has been seen and enjoyed ever since. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Few matters produce more public interest or division than sex and religion. Revolutions in attitudes in the last generations have brought liberation to some, fear and fury to others. Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford, will seek to calm fears and encourage understanding by telling a 3,000-year-long tale of Christians encountering sex, gender and family, from the Bible to the present day. Diarmaid MacCulloch is Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University and one of the UK's leading historians. His books include the magisterial A History of Christianity and the definitive biography of Thomas Cromwell, which won the Whitbread Biography Prize. His latest book is Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity.

Grief and grieving are universals, and on All Souls' Day we hold before God those we hold dear in death as in life. Requiem settings for the Eucharist, named after the Latin text which begins 'Eternal rest grant them O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them', are some of the most powerful music ever written. Using music by Victoria, Mozart, Charpentier, Verdi, Fauré and Duruflé, Andrew Carwood explores how music and religion come together to deal with fear and loss, and provide comfort and hope. For copyright reasons, the tracks played at the event have been edited out of this film. To find them to listen to here is a list of the tracks (details also appear on screen): 1. Hushabye Mountain – Aled Jones 2. Missa pro defunctis Introit: Requiem aeternam – Gregorian chant – Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz 3. Missa pro defunctis Introit: Requiem aeternam – Tomas Luis de Victoria – The Tallis Scholars / Peter Philips 4. Requiem Mass Sequence : Dies irae – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus / Colin Davis 5. Messe des Morts: Sequence: Dies irae – Marc-Antoine Charpentier – Orfeo Orchestra & Purcell Choir / Gyorgy Vashegyi 6. Requiem Mass Sequence : Lachrymosa – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Bach Collegium Japan / Masaaki Suzuki 7. Requiem Mass Sequence : Dies irae – Giuseppe Verdi – Orchestra & Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano / Ricardo Muti 8. Messe de Requiem: Libera me – Gabriel Fauré – Benjamin Luxon, Choir of St John's College, Cambridge, ASMF / George Guest 9. Antiphon: In paradisum – Gregorian chant – Cantori Gregoriani / Fulvio Rampi 10. Messe de Requiem: In paradisum – Maurice Duruflé – Corydon Singers & ECO / Matthew Best Andrew Carwood MBE is the Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral, having had an illustrious solo career as a singer before focusing attention on conducting and choral direction. He is also the founder-director of the Gramophone award-winning early music ensemble The Cardinall's Musick which continues to perform throughout the UK and Europe.

‘Remember, remember, the 5th of November: Gunpowder, treason and plot.' The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 is synonymous with the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, but the fates of some of the conspirators are inextricably linked to St Paul's. Find out how in this podcast episode. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Themed around ‘Money, race and climate', this film is of an event organised by the Just Money Movement and hosted by St Paul's Cathedral during Good Money Week 2024. The Just Money Movement is an education and campaigning organisation that aims to equip Christians and churches to connect faith and finance.

A panel discussion to launch a new partnership between St Paul's Cathedral and the educational charity Cumberland Lodge, which examines the values driving young people (18 to 25 years old) and their work practices, to further understand how this impacts on the corporate, social and creative sectors of the City of London.

Steve Chalke talks about his work in communities and education that changes young people's lives.

Marilynne Robinson's new book 'Reading Genesis' is a profound meditation on the first book of the Bible. In it she explores both its greatness as literature and its rich articulation of themes that resonate through the whole of scripture and human history – the problem of evil, God's relationship to humanity, the nature of creation. In this conversation with Paula Gooder, they explore why she turned to writing about Genesis, what it tells us about the nature and the love of God and the freedom of humanity, why it matters so much as a foundational text, and what she is working on next.

On 6th December 1964, Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached to a packed St Paul's Cathedral. On a flying visit on his way to Norway to collect his Nobel Peace Prize, he addressed a congregation of 4,000 people on The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life, providing the British public with a rare opportunity to hear him in person. Afterwards he gave a press conference in the Cathedral's Chapter House about race relations in the UK. Marking the 60th anniversary of this historic visit, Senator Revd Raphael Warnock reflects on what Martin Luther King has to say to us today. The Revd Dr Raphael Warnock is a Democratic Senator and the Senior Pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta where Martin Luther King also served as Pastor. In 2021 he was elected to the United States Senate, the first African American to represent Georgia and the first Black Democrat to be elected to the Senate from a Southern State.

The Venerable Bede (c. 673 – 735) was the foremost scholar of the Middle Ages. A saint, historian, scientist, social reformer and translator of the Bible into English, he never left Northumbria but his impact was felt all over the Christian world. Fascinated by human nature, his writing reveals a man of vibrant curiosity with deep empathy for humanity and love of nature. Michelle Brown will explore his life and impact, and why he matters to us today. Michelle Brown is Professor Emerita of Medieval Manuscript Studies at the School of Advanced Study in the University of London, and was previously Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts at the British Library. The author of numerous books including on the Lindisfarne Gospels and the Lion Companion to Christian Art, her most recent book is 'Bede and The Theory of Everything'. She is currently advising on early society and Christianity for Archbishop Stephen's 'Faith in the North' revival in the northern province.

Autumn 2024 will see one of the most significant pieces of art in our collection back on display inside St Paul's following a period of conservation work: William Holman Hunt's The Light of the World. Discover the story behind this beloved and well-travelled painting in this podcast episode.

The Revd Paula Hollingsworth examines Jane Austen's spirituality, faith and values through her novel 'Pride and Prejudice'. Paula Hollingsworth is Chaplain at St Paul's Cathedral, and the author of 'The Spirituality of Jane Austen' https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/christian-living/christianity-and-the-arts/the-spirituality-of-jane-austen/

The Revd Paula Hollingsworth explores Jane Austen's life and faith, looking at her major novels and the spiritual themes that run through them. Paula Hollingsworth is Chaplain at St Paul's Cathedral, and the author of 'The Spirituality of Jane Austen' www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/c…y-of-jane-austen/

The bells of St Paul's are a sound familiar to many who find themselves in the City of London, and the stories behind them reflect our rich history. Great Paul, Great Tom, the clock bells, the 12 change ringing bells, and the service bell – find out about them all in this podcast episode. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

We live in times that challenge hope. Climate change, pandemic, racism, war and injustice: in the face of these, where we find hope is an urgent question. Susanna Snyder says hope is not just optimism that things will turn out alright, if not in this world then in the next, but is something much more present, supple and resilient. She will explore what hope is and isn't, its surprising relationship with anger, courage, imagination and action, and how we can cultivate and sustain it in our own lives. The Revd Dr Susanna Synder is Programme Leader for Short Courses, Director of Research, and Lecturer in Theology and Ethics at Sarum College in Salisbury.

A talk by renowned biblical scholar and womanist theologian, the Reverend Professor Wilda C. Gafney on the story of Hannah and Peninnah in the Hebrew Bible. Professor Gafney is the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is also the author of 'A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church' and translator of its biblical selections, and 'Womanist Midrash: A Reintroduction to Women of the Torah and of the Throne'. She has completed the second volume of 'Womanist Midrash' focusing on women in the Former Prophets, which is expected later in 2024.

How do we build a movement of the people of God? If we turn to the earliest days of Christianity, we can find wisdom for how we can mobilise as Christians working for social justice today. Drawing as well from the great Liberation Theologians including Gutierrez, Cone and Black feminist theologians, Anupama Ranawana examines the connections between climate, poverty, race and colonisation, and on the redemptive and restorative work of the Cross as good news for the planet as well as for all people. Dr Anupama Ranawana is a theologian and political economist with research posts at St Andrew's University and Christian Aid. Her latest book is A Liberation for the Earth: Climate, Race and Cross.

Kate Bottley talks about her own life and faith; about hope, being human, having doubts, getting through life's hard bits, celebrating the great bits, and finding meaning and connection in it all.

Canon of St Paul's Cathedral for 33 years, John Collins was a remarkable priest and social reformer who was one of the world's leading proponents in the causes of justice, freedom and peace. Discover more about Collins' life, work and activism in this podcast episode. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

When St Paul's was constructed under the stewardship of Sir Christopher Wren, it was by a male dominated workforce – almost exclusively male – except for one woman: Jane Brewer, who cast and polished the golden pineapple found on the Cathedral's south west tower. Find out more about Jane, and the curious pineapple architectural details to be found all over London! Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Why do some places feel full of spiritual meaning and some feel desolate? There is a rich understanding of place in the Bible, which is full of stories of the surprising places where God is encountered, often interwoven with hospitality and welcoming the stranger. Andrew Rumsey will explore what place means in our spiritual lives, in the search for meaning and identity, in the Bible, as well as in our own local neighbourhoods, parishes, city and nation. The Right Revd Dr Andrew Rumsey is the Bishop of Ramsbury and was formerly the vicar of Gipsy Hill in the Diocese of Southwark. He is also a musician and poet, who in 2023 released an album, Evensongs. His latest books are 'Parish: An Anglican Theology of Place' and 'English Grounds: A Pastoral Journal'.

Selina Stone and Paula Gooder explore the practice of tarrying - waiting on God – which is at the heart of Selina Stone's Lent book Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith, the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent book for 2024. They talk about favourite Bible stories about tarrying including Gethsemane, Jacob and the Angel, and Hagar in the desert, as well as the importance of bodies in our spiritual lives, being honest about disappointment, and about how to keep a good Lent.

On the 7th May 1913, the Suffragettes brought the fight for women's votes to St Paul's, when a plot to blow up the Bishop's throne was narrowly foiled – after a Virger found the ticking bomb at the Cathedral's east end. This podcast episode explores this fascinating story, and how it was reported at the time. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

James Baldwin is best known as a novelist and essayist, but he grew up in the church, steeped in scripture, and was a celebrated preacher when he was young. Though he later criticized the church, it gave him his vision of the world. Jarel Robinson-Brown introduces his life and work, and explores how he can help us as Christians to broaden our horizons, to be more honest, more imaginative and challenge us to ask ourselves what kind of world we hope for. A handout referred to in this talk can be found at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/James%20Baldwin%20timeline%20handout.pdf

Anderson Jeremiah and Paula Gooder talk about Jesus in the Bible, in history, and in our lives. They explore his suffering, death and resurrection, how much stories and images of him matter, and how we can live as disciples of Jesus today.

John Donne is one of England's greatest poets and preachers, famed for lines such as, ‘No man is an island…' and ‘Never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.' He is also a former Dean of St Paul's, and certainly one who lived many lives in one lifetime. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Christmas at St Paul's in 1940 was as normal as it could be, considering it was wartime. This, however, would all change on the night of the 29th December during a bombing raid of the city. This was the time when one of the most famous photographs of the Second World War was taken – one of St Paul's appearing through the smoke of the surrounding fires. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

The Bible is full of angels, from the cherubim in Ezekiel's visions, to the strangers appearing to Abraham, to the messengers that bring the good news of Jesus's birth to Mary and the shepherds in the Christmas stories. Paula Gooder explores what angels are and what they do in the Old and New Testaments. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral and a distinguished Biblical Scholar, writer and speaker. The author of many books, in 'Heaven' she explored what the Bible says about angels.

Bishop Arun Arora and Canon Paula Gooder share their passion for Advent, explore why Advent is the season for a ‘spiritual MOT', and also reflect on some of the inspiring stories of faith, from Stormzy to Santa, in his new Advent book 'Stick With Love'. They talk about the difficult questions to be faced about unanswered prayer, finding hope instead of despair in a deeply troubled world, and why stories are essential in the life of faith. The Rt Revd Arun Arora is the Bishop of Kirkstall in the Diocese of Leeds, having previously served as Vicar of St Nics, Durham, and before that as Director of Communications of the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. His new book 'Stick with Love; Rejoicing in Every Tongue, Every Tribe, Every Nation' is The Archbishop of York's Advent for Book 2023. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books including her Advent books 'The Meaning is in the Waiting' and 'Journey to the Manger'.

Bob Gilbert talks about the wonders of inner-city nature, the pleasure and inspiration to be drawn from observing and connecting with the everyday, and explores whether it's possible to feel as close to God in the ordinary streets of a city as in the natural world. Bob Gilbert is an urban naturalist, broadcaster, author and a long-standing campaigner for inner-city conservation. His book 'Ghost Trees: Nature and People in a London Parish' was longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing. His latest book is 'The Missing Musk: A Casebook of Mysteries from the Natural World'.

‘One sometimes finds what one is not looking for…' Undoubtedly one of the greatest in a pantheon of great Scots is Sir Alexander Fleming, whose discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionised medicine, and has saved millions of lives. Today, a memorial plaque in the Crypt of St Paul's marks the place where his ashes were laid to rest. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

Artificial intelligence is in the news. Eve Poole and Paula Gooder talk about what AI really is and whether we should be frightened by it, hopeful, excited or all three. They explore the role that philosophers and theologians need to have in developing AI, and why it draws us into the big questions about existence: What does it means to be human? What is a soul? What really matters about human life? Dr Eve Poole is an expert in leadership, and was Third Church Estates Commissioner from 2018-2021. Awarded an OBE in 2023 for services to education and gender equality, her latest book is 'Robots Souls: Programming in Humanity'. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books.

What does it mean when – from our internal assumptions to our shared cultural understandings – God is presented as white? Chine McDonald reflects on what happens when we face hard and painful truths about race, identity and the imago Dei - the idea that every human, no matter what their colour, has a special quality that resembles the divine beauty of God. Chine McDonald is the Director of Theos Think Tank.

In September 1666, five days would change the history and future of London - and St Paul's Cathedral - forever: The Great Fire of London. The medieval Cathedral of Old St Paul's was at first considered safe, however it would not remain so. This episode explores what happened during this catastrophic fire - and just what came next. Produced and presented by Douglas Anderson.

[The text of the pieces of music in this audio file can be accessed at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/Texts%20and%20Tranlations.pdf] Mary the mother of Jesus is a polarising figure. Is she Queen of Heaven, the New Eve, an ordinary person called to do extraordinary things, the ultimate good girl, a feminist foremother, or is her story altogether more complex? She is also the subject of countless paintings, poems and works of music, sometimes overlaying our sense of her presence in the Bible. Rowan Williams considers contrasting aspects of Mary's story in the Gospels and the church, her place in our faith, and why she still matters so much. Dr Rowan Williams is a poet and theologian, and was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

What does it mean to bring our imaginations to reading the Bible? Professor Judy Fentress-Williams says the Bible is there to guide us, challenge us, confuse us, inspire us, and that bringing our honest questions to the text can lead us into deeper truths and a deeper relationship with God. Biblical scholars Judy Fentress-Williams and Paula Gooder talk about the beautiful, inspiring and difficult parts of the Bible, why we should read it like poetry, and what Biblical authority really means. Dr Judy Fentress-Williams is Professor of Old Testament at Virginia Theological Seminary. Her latest book is 'Holy Imagination: A Literary and Theological Introduction to the Whole Bible'. Dr Paula Gooder is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, a distinguished New Testament scholar and the author of numerous popular and academic books.