Podcast appearances and mentions of Damian Thompson

On the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dr Yuri Stoyanov – of SOAS university in London – joins Damian Thompson to reflect on the religious dimensions of the war once again. The theological gulf between Russia and Ukraine is perhaps comparable to the political one and, for now, seems insurmountable, with the war increasingly being framed in some spheres as a 'Holy War'. You have to stretch back to the First World War to find a war within Christendom framed in these terms, but what effect is this having on the family of Orthodox churches across Europe and the Middle East? And how can we better understand this strand of Russian 'jihadism'? Plus, what has the impact of the Papal succession been? And, how have other religious groups – such an estimated 2 million Buddhists – reacted in Russia?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Dr Yuri Stoyanov – of SOAS university in London – joins Damian Thompson to reflect on the religious dimensions of the war once again. The theological gulf between Russia and Ukraine is perhaps comparable to the political one and, for now, seems insurmountable, with the war increasingly being framed in some spheres as a 'Holy War'. You have to stretch back to the First World War to find a war within Christendom framed in these terms, but what effect is this having on the family of Orthodox churches across Europe and the Middle East? And how can we better understand this strand of Russian 'jihadism'?Plus, what has the impact of the Papal succession been? And, how have other religious groups – such an estimated 2 million Buddhists – reacted in Russia?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The greatest sermon ever preached was recorded in Matthew 5-7 when Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Join us as we digest the words of Jesus that are just as true today as when He spoke them 2000 years ago. To live into God's upside down kingdom, we have to be Jesus to the people around us.

There has been a lot of speculation about a 'quiet revival' of Christianity happening amongst the younger generations – including on this podcast. Much of this traces back to a survey conducted by the Bible Society last year. Respected demographer Conrad Hackett of the Pew Research Center joins Damian Thompson to explain the truth behind the statistics, and why we have to be wary of the methodology used by different polls. Some interesting facts: Christians remain the largest religious group in the world, following by Muslims and then the religiously non-affiliated; while Europe was home to the largest number of Christians as recently as 2010, sub-saharan Africa now has the highest number – a region in which the Muslim population is also growing; and, the biggest religious change happening in the world is the number of people raised Christian who are choosing to no longer identify as Christian – of which the UK is the leading country in Europe in terms of this population.For more from Conrad, you can check out his research here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There has been a lot of speculation about a 'quiet revival' of Christianity happening amongst the younger generations – including on this podcast. Much of this traces back to a survey conducted by the Bible Society last year. Respected demographer Conrad Hackett of the Pew Research Center joins Damian Thompson to explain the truth behind the statistics, and why we have to be wary of the methodology used by different polls. Some interesting facts: Christians remain the largest religious group in the world, following by Muslims and then the religiously non-affiliated; while Europe was home to the largest number of Christians as recently as 2010, sub-saharan Africa now has the highest number – a region in which the Muslim population is also growing; and, the biggest religious change happening in the world is the number of people raised Christian who are choosing to no longer identify as Christian – of which the UK is the leading country in Europe in terms of this population.For more from Conrad, you can check out his research here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What did you most recently use Artificial Intelligence for? For most people, the answer would be as a glorified search function, using services like Chat GPT to ask questions, draft text and even produce images – like the Chat GPT generated thumbnail image for this episode. The capability of AI far exceeds this most though. Sean Thomas joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke to talk about 'Moltbook', a social network built exclusively for AI agents – and which has now created its own AI 'religion'. What does this mean for humankind? Is AI just replicating a belief impulse, to the extent that one exists within humans? And will we one day end up worshipping AI?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What did you most recently use Artificial Intelligence for? For most people, the answer would be as a glorified search function, using services like Chat GPT to ask questions, draft text and even produce images – like the Chat GPT generated thumbnail image for this episode. The capability of AI far exceeds this most though. Sean Thomas joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke to talk about 'Moltbook', a social network built exclusively for AI agents – and which has now created its own AI 'religion'. What does this mean for humankind? Is AI just replicating a belief impulse, to the extent that one exists within humans? And will we one day end up worshipping AI?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The gospel to Jews and Gentiles alike, fulfilling his mission to take the gospel to the "ends of the earth." The passage highlights Paul's unwavering commitment to proclaiming Jesus, despite his circumstances, and shows how the message of the Kingdom cannot be hindered

The next Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth, will be installed in his cathedral on February 14. Bishop Moth, formerly of Arundel and Brighton, is seen as a ‘safe pair of hands'. But why didn't the job go to a more charismatic figure, such as Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark? What does this low-key appointment tell us about Pope Leo's vision for the Church? Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith, a moral theologian and priest of Arundel and Brighton – and friend of Holy Smoke, joins Damian Thompson for a frank and wide-ranging discussion about the problems facing the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was the last time you visited your local parish church? Historian and social media influencer Daniel Wilson joins Damian Thompson to encourage more people to visit their local churches – not just as a centre of worship but as a historical treasure trove. Daniel takes us through some of his favourite examples of medieval architecture, as he emphasises the importance of being a 'tourist in your own neighbourhood'.For more from Daniel, you can find him on Instagram and TikTok: @greatbritisharchitectureProduced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was the last time you visited your local parish church? Historian and social media influencer Daniel Wilson joins Damian Thompson to encourage more people to visit their local churches – not just as a centre of worship but as a historical treasure trove. Daniel takes us through some of his favourite examples of medieval architecture, as he emphasises the importance of being a 'tourist in your own neighbourhood'.For more from Daniel, you can find him on Instagram and TikTok: @greatbritisharchitectureProduced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 21st century, the theocratic nature of the Iranian regime – ruled by senior Shia clerics – appears to be a rarity. The constitutional role of religion is perhaps matched only by the Vatican City and Afghanistan, though these vary in terms of autocracy – as evidenced by the brutal suppression of protests across Iran in the past few weeks. The regime, installed following the 1979 revolution and led first by Ayatollah Khomeini and now Ayatollah Khameini, has proven remarkably resilient; how has it survived so long?Peter Frankopan – professor of global history at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson to discuss the tensions associated with state control of public life, how to define theocracies and how those of us in the global west might not be as immune to their features as we would like to think.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 21st century, the theocratic nature of the Iranian regime – ruled by senior Shia clerics – appears to be a rarity. The constitutional role of religion is perhaps matched only by the Vatican City and Afghanistan, though these vary in terms of autocracy – as evidenced by the brutal suppression of protests across Iran in the past few weeks. The regime, installed following the 1979 revolution and led first by Ayatollah Khomeini and now Ayatollah Khameini, has proven remarkably resilient; how has it survived so long?Peter Frankopan – professor of global history at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson to discuss the tensions associated with state control of public life, how to define theocracies and how those of us in the global west might not be as immune to their features as we would like to think.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anglican author The Rev'd Fergus Butler-Gallie, Catholic priest Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith and Evangelical commentator Fleur Meston join Damian Thompson to reflect on 2025. They discuss Pope Leo XIV's leadership so far, the choice of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury and why Christianity has been coopted by the far right. Plus, was the 'quiet revival' of Church-going the start of a trend – or just a blip?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anglican author The Rev'd Fergus Butler-Gallie, Catholic priest Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith and Evangelical commentator Fleur Meston join Damian Thompson to reflect on 2025. They discuss Pope Leo XIV's leadership so far, the choice of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury and why Christianity has been coopted by the far right. Plus, was the 'quiet revival' of Church-going the start of a trend – or just a blip?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Advertising guru – and the Spectator's Wiki Man columnist – Rory Sutherland joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. In a wide ranging discussion, from Sigmund Freud and Max Weber to Quakers and Mormons, they discuss how some religious communities seem to be predisposed to success by virtue of their beliefs. How do spiritual choices affect consumer choices? Between Android and Apple, which is more Protestant and which is more Catholic? And what can modern Churches learn from Capitalism?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Advertising guru – and the Spectator's Wiki Man columnist – Rory Sutherland joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. In a wide ranging discussion, from Sigmund Freud and Max Weber to Quakers and Mormons, they discuss how some religious communities seem to be predisposed to success by virtue of their beliefs. How do spiritual choices affect consumer choices? Between Android and Apple, which is more Protestant and which is more Catholic? And what can modern Churches learn from Capitalism?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spectator's bumper Christmas issue is a feast for all, with offerings from Nigel Farage, Matthew McConaughey and Andrew Strauss to Dominic Sandbrook, David Deutsch and Bonnie Blue – and even from Her Majesty The Queen.To take us through the Christmas Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by deputy political editor James Heale, associate editor Damian Thompson and writer of the Spectator's new morning newsletter, Morning Press, Angus Colwell. They discuss: the state of British politics as we leave 2025 behind, and who will have a worse year ahead between Kemi and Keir; what physicist David Deutsch's enthusiasm for humanity can teach us all in the age of AI; why the Sherlock Holmes stories have maintained such enduring appeal; whether England cricket fans will be celebrating good news from Down Under; as well as the best places to visit in London at Christmastime.Plus: who does Damian think is the ‘most repugnant, left-wing extremist leader' in British politics, and who described Bonnie Blue as the ‘Emma Hamilton of the 21st century'?Happy Christmas from The Spectator. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spectator's bumper Christmas issue is a feast for all, with offerings from Nigel Farage, Matthew McConaughey and Andrew Strauss to Dominic Sandbrook, David Deutsch and Bonnie Blue – and even from Her Majesty The Queen.To take us through the Christmas Edition, host Lara Prendergast is joined by deputy political editor James Heale, associate editor Damian Thompson and writer of the Spectator's new morning newsletter, Morning Press, Angus Colwell. They discuss: the state of British politics as we leave 2025 behind, and who will have a worse year ahead between Kemi and Keir; what physicist David Deutsch's enthusiasm for humanity can teach us all in the age of AI; why the Sherlock Holmes stories have maintained such enduring appeal; whether England cricket fans will be celebrating good news from Down Under; as well as the best places to visit in London at Christmastime.Plus: who does Damian think is the ‘most repugnant, left-wing extremist leader' in British politics, and who described Bonnie Blue as the ‘Emma Hamilton of the 21st century'?Happy Christmas from The Spectator. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian and writer Charles Coulombe joins Damian Thompson to talk about how Christmas has changed over the past two centuries, the differences between Catholic and Anglican Christmas – and how a modern, commercial Christmas developed over time. Plus, he takes us through the origins of Christmas traditions from Christmas trees to Advent and whether we should say 'Happy' or 'Merry' Christmas. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's Spectator Out Loud, we include a compilation of submissions by our writers for their greatest artwork of the 21st century so far. Following our arts editor Igor Toronyi-Lalic, you can hear from: Graeme Thomson, Lloyd Evans, Slavoj Zizek, Damian Thompson, Richard Bratby, Liz Anderson, Deborah Ross, Calvin Po, Tanjil Rashid, James Walton, Rupert Christiansen and Christopher Howse.Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this week's Spectator Out Loud, we include a compilation of submissions by our writers for their greatest artwork of the 21st century so far. Following our arts editor Igor Toronyi-Lalic, you can hear from: Graeme Thomson, Lloyd Evans, Slavoj Zizek, Damian Thompson, Richard Bratby, Liz Anderson, Deborah Ross, Calvin Po, Tanjil Rashid, James Walton, Rupert Christiansen and Christopher Howse.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fr Benedict Kiely, founder of nasarean.org, and Freddy Gray join Damian Thompson to discuss the persecution of Christians which has reached new and terrifying levels. Since this podcast was recorded last Friday, we have had the further news that over 300 children and staff were abducted from a Christian school – while around 50 of the children have since managed to escape, the rest remain missing and a local Bishop has criticised the Nigeria government for its failure to act.Over 185,000 Christians are estimated to have been killed in Nigeria in the past 15 years – so why has it taken the efforts of President Trump to push this horrific topic up the agenda?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fr Benedict Kiely, founder of nasarean.org, and Freddy Gray join Damian Thompson to discuss the persecution of Christians which has reached new and terrifying levels. Since this podcast was recorded last Friday, we have had the further news that over 300 children and staff were abducted from a Christian school – while around 50 of the children have since managed to escape, the rest remain missing and a local Bishop has criticised the Nigeria government for its failure to act. Over 185,000 Christians are estimated to have been killed in Nigeria in the past 15 years – so why has it taken the efforts of President Trump to push this horrific topic up the agenda?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the space of a month, the Church of England acquired its first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a majority of the world's Anglicans have left the Anglican Communion in protest at the mother Church's willingness to bless same-sex relationships – and the House of Bishops has suddenly backed away from introducing stand-alone gay blessings. The situation is chaotic. Theologian Andrew Graystone talks to Damian Thompson about the almost insoluble problems that will face Archbishop Mullally after she is enthroned in January. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year, Denmark's Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, stood before a group of university students and made a striking statement: ‘We will need a form of rearmament that is just as important [as the military one]. That is the spiritual one.' This was all the more remarkable from the leader of the Social Democrats, and in a country which is amongst the most secular in the world. Danish journalist Iben Thranholm – who joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke – says that in some ways the welfare state had replaced the belief in god in Denmark.So to what extent is Frederiksen's call to action a political project, and how reactionary is it? And is this part of the Christian revival, shoots of which are being seen across the global West? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are Silicon Valley billionaires obsessing over Heaven & Hell, and what does it tell us about American society today? Spectator World's Arts Editor Luke Lyman joins Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke to talk about how a fascination with the Book of Revelation, the Antichrist and a techno-utopia – or techno-apocalypse – has gripped the 'tech bros'.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are Silicon Valley billionaires obsessing over Heaven & Hell, and what does it tell us about American society today? Spectator World's Arts Editor Luke Lyman joins Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke to talk about how a fascination with the Book of Revelation, the Antichrist and a techno-utopia – or techno-apocalypse – has gripped the 'tech bros'.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big Tech is under the spell of the occult, according to Damian Thompson. Artificial intelligence is now so incredible that even educated westerners are falling back on the occult, and Silicon Valley billionaires are becoming obsessed with heaven and hell. An embrace of the occult is not just happening in California but across the world – with ‘WitchTok', a new trend of middle-class women embracing witchcraft. Is this spooky or just sad? And to what extent are they just following in the tradition of the Victorian charlatan?Host Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's associate editor – and host of the Holy Smoke podcast – Damian Thompson, alongside writers and Spectator regulators Arabella Byrne and Mark Mason.As well as the cover, they discuss: the fascinating world of the London tube network – despite the misery of the northern line; the problems facing Kemi Badenoch, the allure of Reform UK and why Trump seems to recover from every scandal; whether languages should be saved; and they celebrate cartoonist Michael Heath, who is turning 90 – meaning he has drawn for the Spectator for 75 years.Plus: what does Mark think Cliff Richard and Jeffrey Archer have in common with Donald Trump?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.The Spectator is trialling new formats for this podcast, and we would very much welcome feedback via this email address: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

October marks the month of Edwardtide – a series of celebrations commemorating St Edward the Confessor, the King that ruled England in the 11th century for over two decades. Nowadays, he is remembered for three reasons: as one of the last Anglo-Saxon monarchs, for commissioning Westminster Abbey and for being the only English King canonised by a Pope. But does the historical record justify the cult of St Edward? Professor Tom Licence from the University of East Anglia joins Damian Thompson to discuss.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big Tech is under the spell of the occult, according to Damian Thompson. Artificial intelligence is now so incredible that even educated westerners are falling back on the occult, and Silicon Valley billionaires are becoming obsessed with heaven and hell. An embrace of the occult is not just happening in California but across the world – with ‘WitchTok', a new trend of middle-class women embracing witchcraft. Is this spooky or just sad? And to what extent are they just following in the tradition of the Victorian charlatan?Host Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's associate editor – and host of the Holy Smoke podcast – Damian Thompson, alongside writers and Spectator regulators Arabella Byrne and Mark Mason.As well as the cover, they discuss: the fascinating world of the London tube network – despite the misery of the northern line; the problems facing Kemi Badenoch, the allure of Reform UK and why Trump seems to recover from every scandal; whether languages should be saved; and they celebrate cartoonist Michael Heath, who is turning 90 – meaning he has drawn for the Spectator for 75 years.Plus: what does Mark think Cliff Richard and Jeffrey Archer have in common with Donald Trump?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.The Spectator is trialling new formats for this podcast, and we would very much welcome feedback via this email address: podcast@spectator.co.ukBecome a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did faith shape Margaret Thatcher's politics? To mark the centenary month of Margaret Thatcher's birth, Damian Thompson introduces a conversation between the Spectator's Natasha Feroze, Thatcher's biographer Lord Moore and Bishop Chartres who delivered the eulogy at her funeral.They discuss her relationship with faith, how both her family background and her training as a scientist influenced her beliefs and her understanding of the relationship between wealth and society based on Jesus's parables. Plus – what would Thatcher have made of the much talked about ‘Christian revival' in the West?Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the space of a month, the Church of England has acquired its first female Archbishop of Canterbury, a majority of the world's Anglicans have left the Anglican Communion in protest at the mother Church's willingness to bless same-sex relationships – and the House of Bishops has suddenly backed away from introducing stand-alone gay blessings. The situation is chaotic. In this week's Holy Smoke, theologian Andrew Graystone talks to Damian Thompson about the almost insoluble problems that will face Archbishop Mullally after she is enthroned in January. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did faith shape Margaret Thatcher's politics? To mark the centenary month of Margaret Thatcher's birth, Damian Thompson introduces a conversation between the Spectator's Natasha Feroze, Thatcher's biographer Lord Moore and Bishop Chartres who delivered the eulogy at her funeral.They discuss her relationship with faith, how both her family background and her training as a scientist influenced her beliefs and her understanding of the relationship between wealth and society based on Jesus's parables. Plus – what would Thatcher have made of the much talked about ‘Christian revival' in the West?Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The announcement by Erika Kirk – the widow of assassinated political activist Charlie Kirk – that she forgave her husband's killer, has led many to question the nature of Christian forgiveness. Granting forgiveness can seem hard for the smallest of crimes, let alone the murder of a close family member, so how can other people follow Erika's example? One person who sadly knows better than most is Professor Everett Worthington. Prof. Worthington is Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University and a clinical psychologist who has studied forgiveness throughout his career. However, it isn't just through academia that he understands forgiveness; when his mother was murdered, he also made the decision to forgive his mother's killer.Prof. Worthington joins Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke to discuss the 'injustice gap' between forgiveness and remorse, the theoretical distinction he makes between behaviourial intentions and emotional forgiveness, and the events of his mother's murder – and how he came to forgive such an horrific crime.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The announcement by Erika Kirk – the widow of assassinated political activist Charlie Kirk – that she forgave her husband's killer, has led many to question the nature of Christian forgiveness. Granting forgiveness can seem hard for the smallest of crimes, let alone the murder of a close family member, so how can other people follow Erika's example? One person who sadly knows better than most is Professor Everett Worthington. Prof. Worthington is Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University and a clinical psychologist who has studied forgiveness throughout his career. However, it isn't just through academia that he understands forgiveness; when his mother was murdered, he also made the decision to forgive his mother's killer. Prof. Worthington joins Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke to discuss the 'injustice gap' between forgiveness and remorse, the theoretical distinction he makes between behaviourial intentions and emotional forgiveness, and the events of his mother's murder – and how he came to forgive such an horrific crime.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spectator's cover story this week looks at ‘the fear' gripping Jewish people amidst rising antisemitism. Reflecting on last week's attack in Manchester, Douglas Murray says that ‘no-one in the Jewish community was surprised' – a damning inditement on Britain today. How do we tackle religious intolerance? And is there room for nuance in the debate about Israel and Palestine? Host Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's US editor Freddy Gray, associate editor – and host of our religious affairs podcast Holy Smoke – Damian Thompson and commissioning editor Mary Wakefield. As well as the cover, they discuss: how biological innovations are threatening motherhood; the views of the new – and first female – Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally; and how New York has ended up with (almost certainly) an incoming socialist mayor in Zohran Mamdani. Plus: the panel mourn the novelist Jilly Cooper, and Damian reveals how he ended up with a driving conviction – despite having never passed his driving test.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.The Spectator is trialling new formats for this podcast, and we would very much welcome feedback via this email address: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Spectator's cover story this week looks at ‘the fear' gripping Jewish people amidst rising antisemitism. Reflecting on last week's attack in Manchester, Douglas Murray says that ‘no-one in the Jewish community was surprised' – a damning inditement on Britain today. How do we tackle religious intolerance? And is there room for nuance in the debate about Israel and Palestine? Host Lara Prendergast is joined by the Spectator's US editor Freddy Gray, associate editor – and host of our religious affairs podcast Holy Smoke – Damian Thompson and commissioning editor Mary Wakefield. As well as the cover, they discuss: how biological innovations are threatening motherhood; the views of the new – and first female – Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally; and how New York has ended up with (almost certainly) an incoming socialist mayor in Zohran Mamdani.Plus: the panel mourn the novelist Jilly Cooper, and Damian reveals how he ended up with a driving conviction – despite having never passed his driving test.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.The Spectator is trialling new formats for this podcast, and we would very much welcome feedback via this email address: podcast@spectator.co.ukBecome a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Sarah Mullally has been announced as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Previously the Bishop of London, she becomes the first woman to lead the Church in its almost 500 year history. She also had a 40 year career as a professional nurse, rising to be the most senior nurse in England and Wales. The Rev'd Marcus Walker, rector at St Bartholemew the Great in the City of London, joins Damian Thompson to react to the news – what can we expect from her leadership?Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Sarah Mullally has been announced as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Previously the Bishop of London, she becomes the first woman to lead the Church in its almost 500 year history. She also had a 40 year career as a professional nurse, rising to be the most senior nurse in England and Wales. The Rev'd Marcus Walker, rector at St Bartholemew the Great in the City of London, joins Damian Thompson to react to the news – what can we expect from her leadership?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The past few years have seen growing calls for countries in the global west to pay reparations to former colonies for their role in the transatlantic slave trade. The debate over reparations was already part of the so-called ‘culture wars', but became louder following the Black Lives Matter movement, as many groups sought to re-examine their histories. Calls for reparations have been embraced by the Church of England which set up a £100 million fund, with the aim of raising £1 billion, to pay reparations for the role the Church played in the slave trade. But do the arguments in favour of reparations really stand up? Conservative peer Nigel Biggar, emeritus regius professor of moral theology at the University of Oxford – and an Anglican priest – demolishes the arguments for reparations in his new book. In Reparations: Slavery and the Tyranny of Guilt he argues that calls for reparations are part of a ‘lust for self-condemnation' and rooted in political opportunism. And, as Conservative MP Katie Lam questions, is it even legal for the Church to do this? And why – with crumbling parish churches across the country – is the Church focused on this now?  Nigel and Katie join host Damian Thompson to talk through their arguments and warn about the worrying precedent it could set.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First: who has the Home Secretary got in her sights?Political editor Tim Shipman profiles Shabana Mahmood in the Spectator's cover article this week. Given Keir Starmer's dismal approval ratings, politicos are consumed by gossip about who could be his heir-apparent – even more so, following Angela Rayner's defenestration a few weeks ago. Mahmood may not be the most high-profile of the Starmer movement, but she is now talked about alongside Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham as a potential successor to Starmer.But – it all depends on what she can achieve at the Home Office. So, who does she have in her sights? Tim joined the podcastNext: why the philosopher king of Silicon Valley is reinventing the ‘Antichrist' theory What do Mohammed, Martin Luther, King George III, Adolf Hitler, Henry Kissinger and Bill Gates have in common? They have all been identified as the Antichrist. And now the theory is back, preoccupying the mind of billionaire Peter Thiel, who believes that ‘a globe-trotting liberal elite… are using their billions to manufacture a new world order'.  So why is Thiel, the co-founder of Paypal and Palantir, so obsessed with the Antichrist? Damian Thompson joins the podcast to discuss.And finally: the cost-of-giving crisisRupert Hawksley, the Spectator's new opinion editor, examines the crisis facing charity shops. Over 50 stores have shut this year with the big four – the British Heart Foundation, Barnado's, Oxfam and Cancer Research UK – struggling to maintain healthy sales. This isn't just a crisis for the charities, he argues, but also for the consumers who rely on the shops.Rupert joined the podcast alongside another charity shop enthusiast, the Spectator's editor Michael Gove. What's the most prized charity shop find?Plus: Henry Jeffreys discusses the horror of wine lists and Angus Colwell reviews a new BBC Sounds podcast on David Bowie, ahead of the ten year anniversary of his death next year.Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The past few years have seen growing calls for countries in the global west to pay reparations to former colonies for their role in the transatlantic slave trade. The debate over reparations was already part of the so-called ‘culture wars', but became louder following the Black Lives Matter movement, as many groups sought to re-examine their histories. Calls for reparations have been embraced by the Church of England which set up a £100 million fund, with the aim of raising £1 billion, to pay reparations for the role the Church played in the slave trade. But do the arguments in favour of reparations really stand up? Conservative peer Nigel Biggar, emeritus regius professor of moral theology at the University of Oxford – and an Anglican priest – demolishes the arguments for reparations in his new book. In Reparations: Slavery and the Tyranny of Guilt he argues that calls for reparations are part of a ‘lust for self-condemnation' and rooted in political opportunism. And, as Conservative MP Katie Lam questions, is it even legal for the Church to do this? And why – with crumbling parish churches across the country – is the Church focused on this now?  Nigel and Katie join host Damian Thompson to talk through their arguments and warn about the worrying precedent it could set.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year marks 800 years since the birth of the theologian St Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas, best known for his theory of natural law and his magnum opus the Summa Theologia, argued for the existence of God through faith-based reason. The influence of the 13th Century theologian on the philosophy of religion is unquestionable, but what is curious is his resurgent popularity amongst Generation Z – particularly in America. Is this part of the recovery of the sacred seen across the global west?Fr Gregory Pine OP, professor of dogmatic and moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies, joins Damian Thompson to talk about Aquinas's legacy, unpack some of the philosopher's more complicated arguments and describe his own personal journey within the Order of Preachers.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year marks 800 years since the birth of the theologian St Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas, best known for his theory of natural law and his magnum opus the Summa Theologia, argued for the existence of God through faith-based reason. The influence of the 13th Century theologian on the philosophy of religion is unquestionable, but what is curious is his resurgent popularity amongst Generation Z – particularly in America. Is this part of the recovery of the sacred seen across the global west?Fr Gregory Pine OP, professor of dogmatic and moral theology at the Dominican House of Studies, joins Damian Thompson to talk about Aquinas's legacy, unpack some of the philosopher's more complicated arguments and describe his own personal journey within the Order of Preachers.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is 10 months since the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Now, finally, the Crown Nominations Commission is believed to have drawn up a shortlist of candidates, and a successor to Welby could be approved by October.Theologian and author Andrew Graystone joins Damian Thompson to talk through what he calls ‘a weak list' of potential candidates – weak because there are no obvious frontrunners and the Commission is choosing between ‘half a dozen equals'. These range from the more talked-about Michael Beasley (Bath and Wells), Guli France-Dehqani (Chelmsford) and Rose Hudson-Wilson (Dover) [all pictured in the thumbnail] to the ‘others': Stephen Lake (Salisbury), Martyn Snow (Leicester), Joanne Grenfell (St Edmundsbury and Ipswich), Sarah Mullallay (London), Rachel Treweek (Gloucester) and Ruth Worsely (interim bishop of Liverpool).As Andrew tells Damian, factors dividing the candidates include their age, their views on LGBT inclusion and, crucially, their records on safeguarding issues. Also, note the presence of six women on this list. Could the Church be about to appoint the first female Primate of All England? And could this lead to disastrous controversy within the Anglican Communion – or is that body already so fractured that the Church of England will ignore its objections? Anyone wondering why the process has taken so long – especially compared to the 17 days it took the Catholic Church to elect a new Pope this year – should check out our previous episode with Andrew here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is 10 months since the resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury. Now, finally, the Crown Nominations Commission is believed to have drawn up a shortlist of candidates, and a successor to Welby could be approved by October.Theologian and author Andrew Graystone joins Damian Thompson to talk through what he calls ‘a weak list' of potential candidates – weak because there are no obvious frontrunners and the Commission is choosing between ‘half a dozen equals'. These range from the more talked-about Michael Beasley (Bath and Wells), Guli France-Dehqani (Chelmsford) and Rose Hudson-Wilson (Dover) [all pictured in the thumbnail] to the ‘others': Stephen Lake (Salisbury), Martyn Snow (Leicester), Joanne Grenfell (St Edmundsbury and Ipswich), Sarah Mullallay (London), Rachel Treweek (Gloucester) and Ruth Worsely (interim bishop of Liverpool).As Andrew tells Damian, factors dividing the candidates include their age, their views on LGBT inclusion and, crucially, their records on safeguarding issues. Also, note the presence of six women on this list. Could the Church be about to appoint the first female Primate of All England? And could this lead to disastrous controversy within the Anglican Communion – or is that body already so fractured that the Church of England will ignore its objections? Anyone wondering why the process has taken so long – especially compared to the 17 days it took the Catholic Church to elect a new Pope this year – should check out our previous episode with Andrew here.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Catholic Church will acquire its first millennial saint today, when Pope Leo XIV canonises someone who, if he were alive today, would be young enough to be his son. Carlo Acutis, a ‘computer geek' from a prosperous Italian family, died aged just 15 in 2006. In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to Mgr Anthony Figueiredo and the Italian-based journalist Nicholas Farrell about the extraordinary phenomenon of St Carlo, the miracles associated with him – and the scepticism they arouse – and a mean-spirited attack on him by one of the late Pope Francis's closest advisers. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Sunday the Catholic Church will acquire its first millennial saint, when Pope Leo XIV canonises someone who, if he were alive today, would be young enough to be his son. Carlo Acutis, a ‘computer geek' from a prosperous Italian family, died aged just 15 in 2006. In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to Mgr Anthony Figueiredo and the Italian-based journalist Nicholas Farrell about the extraordinary phenomenon of St Carlo, the miracles associated with him – and the scepticism they arouse – and a mean-spirited attack on him by one of the late Pope Francis's closest advisers. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What links the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and St Peter's in Rome with the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and Canaanland in Ota, Nigeria? These are just some of the churches that Anglican priest and writer the Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie highlights in his new book Twelve Churches: An Unlikely History of the Buildings that made Christianity. The Anglican priest and writer joins Damian Thompson on Holy Smoke to explain how each Church not only tells a story but also raises a surprising dilemma for modern believers.Fergus aims to tell the history of the Churches 'warts and all' and argues that, from Turkey to Britain, today's Christians must be prepared to defend their religious spaces. Also, why is the Church of England one of the worst offenders when it comes to preserving its heritage? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.