The Church Times Podcast

Mysticism has too often been “pushed aside or swept under the carpet” in academic study, despite its presence within all religions and traditions throughout history. So says Professor Ali Qadir, a professor of sociology at Tampere University. Senior writer Madeleine Davies speaks to him about how mysticism is perceived and understood. Professor Qadir speaks about a €7.2-million Templeton Religion Trust–backed programme, which he describes as the largest comparative investment in mysticism. The Trust also supports 18 research teams and will organise six international conferences. Their conversation covers: •Misconceptions that mysticism belongs mainly to Eastern religions. •Tensions between mystics and institutions. •The shift from “experience” to “mystical consciousness”. •Current post-material cultural trends, including concerns about politicised religiosity and distrust of science. mysticopenings.substack.com Read this week’s featured headlines here: • Archbishop of York ‘appalled’ by Russell Brand’s crimes: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/13-november/news/uk/archbishop-of-york-appalled-by-russell-brand-s-crimes • Adult baptisms up in Church of England: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/13-november/news/uk/adult-baptisms-up-in-c-of-e • US Evangelical turnout falls at mid-term elections: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/13-november/news/world/us-evangelical-turnout-falls-at-mid-term-elections Picture credit: Tampere University Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader Music for the podcast is by Twisterium

The Revd Peter Organ, a priest in south-east London, has created a Church of England sticker album, Episcopini, On the podcast this week, Ed Thornton talks to Fr Organ about why he created the album, how it works, and the wider appeal of collecting things. Fr Organ is the Team Rector in the Catford, Southend, and Downham Team Ministry, in Southwark diocese. Episcopini is available free of charge as a pdf document, which comes with an attached sticker file (email: [email protected] to request it). Read this week’s featured headlines here: • Democratic faithful win in US mid-term polls: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/6-november/news/world/we-defeated-goliath-says-talarico-democrat-victor-in-us-mid-terms • We are still relatively wealthy, General Synod members told: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/6-november/news/uk/we-are-still-a-relatively-wealthy-church-general-synod-members-are-told • Remembrance Day must recognise victims of today’s wars, campaigners say: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/6-november/news/uk/remembrance-day-must-recognise-victims-of-today-s-wars-campaigners-say Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader Music for the podcast is by Twisterium

The podcast is on a break this week, so we are bringing you something from our archives: a conversation between the novelists Catherine Fox and Francis Spufford on the theme “Real faith in imaginary places”. It was recorded at the 2023 Festival of Faith and Literature in Winchester. Francis Spufford will be speaking at the 2027 Festival of Faith and Literature in Winchester on Sunday 28 February, on the subject “Writing the Blitz with angels: What fantasy adds to historical fiction”. For more information on the 2027 Festival of Faith and Literature and to book tickets, visit: https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk Francis Spufford’s books include: • Nonesuch: A novel (Faber & Faber, 2026). Read our review here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/20-march/books-arts/book-reviews/book-review-nonesuch-by-francis-spufford • Cahokia Jazz (Faber & Faber, 2023). Read our review here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/24-november/books-arts/book-reviews/book-review-cahokia-jazz-by-francis-spufford • Golden Hill (Faber & Faber, 2016). Read our Reading Groups essay here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/3-march/books-arts/reading-groups/exuberant-tale-that-conceals-searching-questions Catherine Fox’s books include the five-book Lindchester Chronicles • Read our review of The Company of Heaven: Lindchester Chronicles 5 (SPCK, 2023) here: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/30-june/books-arts/book-reviews/the-company-of-heaven-lindchester-chronicles-5-by-catherine-fox Picture credit: KT Bruce Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader Music for the podcast is by Twisterium

The Very Revd Dr Mark Oakley is the Dean of Southwark, whose book The Splash of Words: Believing in poetry won the 2019 Michael Ramsey Prize. On the podcast this week, we bring you his Plenary Lecture from the Festival of Preaching in Cambridge last month: “Unarmed and Disarming: Preaching love in pitiless times.” Dr Oakley will be one of the speakers at the Festival of Faith and Literature in Winchester from Friday 26 February to Sunday 28 February. For more information and to book tickets, visit: https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk This week’s podcast is brought to you by Magnet: https://ourmagnet.hymnsam.co.uk Read this week’s featured headlines here:  • C of E heading for ‘financial disaster’ warn two academics: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/23-october/news/uk/c-of-e-heading-for-financial-disaster-warn-two-academics • Debt-relief is ‘in the British interest’ says Ed Miliband: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/23-october/news/uk/debt-relief-is-in-the-british-interest-says-ed-miliband • Selection of books for Advent: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/23-october/books-arts/book-reviews/advent-books-round-up-2026-blossoming-into-holy-living-in-advent Picture credit: Emma Chonofsky/Church Times Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader Music for the podcast is by Twisterium

John Humphrys was the first reporter on the scene of the Aberfan disaster. Wednesday (21 October) marks the 60th anniversary of the disaster, in which 116 children and 28 adults died when slurry from a hillside coal-heap slid on to the Welsh village, burying classrooms at Pantglas Junior School. On the podcast, this week, Mr Humphrys speaks to Libby Purves about his memories of Aberfan and how witnessing such suffering made him unable to believe in a merciful God. This leads to a wider discussion about whether belief is possible in the face of suffering. John Humphrys was a presenter of Today on Radio 4 from 1987 to 2019 and presented the BBC’s flagship Nine O’Clock News from 1981 to 1987. His books include In God We Doubt: Confessions of a failed atheist (Hodder & Stoughton, 2007). Libby Purves is a journalist and author, who has written for The Times since 1982. She was a broadcaster on Radio 4 for 40 years. She is the author of 12 fiction and non-fiction books, including That Was Midweek That Was: The story of a radio programme 1979-2017 (Songsend Books, 2017). This episode is produced by Alexis Condon. Read this week’s featured headlines here: • Attitudes to Christianity and Britishness reflect deep anxiety, Theos report says: www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/16-october/news/uk/attitudes-to-christianity-and-britishness-reflect-deep-anxiety-theos-report-says • Churches appeal to Ukrainians to stand firm: www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/16-october/news/world/ukrainian-church-leaders-urge-faith-and-resilience-amid-russian-attacks • And the Church Times is now on TikTok! Follow our official account for news updates, behind the scenes content, and more. Find us at: www.tiktok.com/@thechurchtimes Picture credit: Alamy Music for the podcast is by Twisterium. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to www.churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader