Mid-faith Crisis

In our final (probably) podcast for 2025, we each look back on the three things we've learned this year. Which doesn't, apparently, include (a) watching the Ashes and (b) not eating mince pies while recording. Happy Christmas everyone and a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast this year. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Wake Up Dead Man A Christmas Carol - Wikipedia Gerald Dickens - Website

Joe is back from Mexico and Nick has recovered from man flu. We talk about who we really are as individuals, and how that affects our relationship with others. Also, we think about what it is that we really need to prepare for Christmas, and the difference between entertaining people and hospitality. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Palestine 36 Winter solstice - Wikipedia When is the winter solstice in 2025?

Joe talks to Professor Ros Gleadow, Emerita Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University, Australia. They discuss the scale and impact of the climate crisis and, crucially, what we can do to make a difference. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Ros Gleadow - Wikipedia

We have an interview with Dave Tomlinson. Dave and Joe discuss some of the difficult questions people have about God and faith and talk about how we, as Christians, can be part of the repair of the world. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Dave Tomlinson - YouTube Charles Hartshorne - Wikipedia

Jesus gives us a crucial challenge: 'Who do you say that I am?' We discuss our answers to that question. Meanwhile, Joe launches MFC verify to examine some claims about Christmas and Nick talks about Bible translation and why there are unicorns in the King James Version. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: The VelociPastor - Wikipedia Wintering | Katherine May How to Winter | Kari Leibowitz Hygge Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus | Dave Ripper Beyond Justification: Liberating Paul’s gospel | Douglas A Campbell and John DuPue

This week, we spend a lot of time discussing the spiritual lessons to be learned from Traitors. Also, we talk about heavily paraphrased Bible verses and Joe has had a near-death experience in the toilet. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog The Mid-faith Crisis Church Weekend Away 2026 - one place left! Mentioned in this episode: Daniel Swift | The Dream Factory Patrick Grant | Less “Are We the Baddies?” — That Mitchell and Webb Look BBC One - Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles BBC One - The Celebrity Traitors

Joe is not very well this week. So here's just a little something to keep you going: an edited excerpt from an episode done many years ago on Nick's book The Badly Behaved Bible. As Nick says, it's not so much a 'greatest hit' as one of our least worst efforts. We talk about the inspiration of scripture and how many of our problems with the Bible are not with the book itself, so much as the things people say about it. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: The Badly Behaved Bible | Nick Page If you want to listen again to the series, it continues with Episode 79: Exile Stories

This week we mainly talk about the Bible. we touch on how it was put together and we share with listeners the Bible verses and stories which mean the most to us. Along the way, Nick does a quick history lesson and Joe reckons that Jesus spoke like a market trader. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Negroni - Wikipedia Perfect Martini Harry Craddock Munther Isaac - Wikipedia Promised Land or Lands of Promise?: Understanding Israel Today in the Light of Christ From Land to Lands, from Eden to the Renewed Earth: A Christ-Centred Biblical Theology of the Promised Land Nick Page | The Badly Behaved Bible First Nations Version New Testament

It's our ninth anniversary! So, for a nice, relaxed, party-like topic we talk about Israel. Why is it that so many Christians support modern Israel so strongly? How can we respond when there is so much violence and hatred on all sides? Where is the Kingdom of God in all this? Also Nick has discovered some scriptural golf balls and Joe has been rewriting the Bible. Again. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Level 42 BBC One - Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles The Divine Comedy

In a packed feedback episode, we consider time, baptism, re-writing scripture, the omniscience of God and the problem of evil. Among other things. Also Nick has his nerd buttons pressed, and Joe has a new heretical disorder. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Minster in Sheppey Traitors BBC Marcion Thomas Jefferson bible The Long Walk Thomas Kelly - A Testament of Devotion Wild at Heart Episode 51: The Mystery of the Cross Episode 50: The Scandal of The Cross Episode 154: An interview with Brian McLaren – Part 1 Episode 155: An Interview with Brian McLaren – Part 2 John Smith - an excerpt from Nick's book A Nearly Infallible History of the Reformation

Joe interviews Thomas Jay Oord. Theologian, philosopher and, it seems, Joe's new BFF, Tom directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He share his faith journey with us and discusses the idea of an uncontrolling God, the limits of both science and religion, and how the idea of love shapes everything around us. Thomas Jay Oord Thomas Jay Oord - Books God after deconstruction God Can't Open and Relational Theology Thomas Jay Oord on substack Centre for Open and Relational Theology

In a follow up to last week's episode we think more about how to process anger. Joe interviews psychotherapist Becky Francis and we talk about the need for reflective practice, and digging into the anger produced by grief and loss. And in a shock move, Joe ends with a Bible passage. The Wombles Rolf Dobelli | Stop Reading the News Norway's NRK broadcasts 12-hour wood burning programme Thomas Erickson | Surrounded by Idiots Becky Francis Therapy Gottman | The Four Horsemen: Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling Vanstone | The Stature of Waiting

In what has been a brutal week, we think again about what it means to be a peaceful presence in our world. What practices will help us? What actions should we take? How do we stand up for what is right, without demonising our opponents? Book Now! The Mid-faith Crisis Church Weekend 2026 - Rydal Hall Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing - BBC iPlayer The Great British Sewing Bee - BBC iPlayer The Great British Bake Off - Official Website Pendon Museum This Present Darkness - Wikipedia John's Poem: One Consequence of Salvation (I hope) Dave Gregory | Divine Windows: Seeing God through the lens of science God Saw That It Was Good - Videos Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, UN commission of inquiry says - BBC News Contact your MP - UK Parliament Cartoon - Duty Calls

Yes, we're back. And this week Joe interviews a surprise special guest on the podcast who tells us all about an article wot he wrote. Also we have BIG NEWS about the Mid-faith Crisis Church Away Weekend 2026! Join us in the Lake District for a weekend of conversation, relaxation and reflection. The Mid-faith Crisis Church Weekend Away 2026 - Book Now! Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Inception Point — AI spam podcasts with no listeners – Pivot to AI The Mid-faith Crisis Church Weekend Away 2026 Bryn Haworth We've learned all we can from US megachurches. Let's be inspired by the Global Majority Church | Nick Page

Nick is (momentarily) back from holiday, Joe has (surprisingly) been in a prayer meeting and we talk (randomly) about the importance of small moments of joy and kindness, and the necessity of creating everyday rituals to enrich our lives. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Great Dixter Shostakovich Fifth Symphony | Aurora Orchestra The Dark Night of the Shed | Nick Page The Ritual Effect | Michael Norton

Lots of feedback this week. We talk about prayer and ritual, about what labels we use to describe ourselves and about finding joy in giving. Most of all, we touch on the hard work of transformation and the need to celebrate the small successes of our spiritual and emotional lives. Also, Joe has an Egret hat-trick and Nick has some new cocktail glasses. Cheers! Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: The Naked Gun Police Squad Little Egret Great White Egret Cattle Egret Nick & Nora (glass) - Wikipedia The Thin Man (film) - Wikipedia England vs India: Series has been best since 2005 Ashes, says Jonathan Agnew - BBC Sport Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes | William Bridges The Changing Mind | Daniel Levitin The 100-Year Life

We revisit Joe's theses and in particular discuss nonviolence – in many ways the forgotten element of Jesus' teaching. We discuss the early church's adoption of nonviolence, how we can so easily 'other' people and treat them as subhuman, and what we can do to be a non-violent presence in the world. Also, Nick takes credit for the Euros victory, and Joe has been to visit a rare tree. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Rare tree to flower for sixth time in 100 years at Borde Hill - BBC News, The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) - IMDb What is restorative justice? | Restorative Justice Council Mau Mau rebellion - Wikipedia

This week we talk about the Reformation, and whether we are overdue for another go at it. Joe nails his theses to our podcast door. And Nick questions whether a second reformation starts much closer to home. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: Official Website | Leon Russell The Union - Elton John Tawny Owl facts - The Barn Owl Trust The Drinker | UK moths Ninety-five Theses - Wikipedia Indulgence - Wikipedia Cistercians - Wikipedia Rievaulx Abbey | English Heritage Assisi and the basilica of St. Francis

We finally get around to talking about the sacraments. Where did they come from? How many are there ? Is there really a premier league? And what sacramental practices can you build into your life? Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in this episode: White Admiral Visual Commentary on Scripture | In My End Is My Beginning Comma Butterfly Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons Vincent Donovan | Christianity Rediscovered Hugo of St Victor

We talk cynics, sceptics and assorted doubters. What is it that pushes us towards cynicism? How can we remain open to the possibilities of prayer? Does anyone still play the prophetic bongos? And most importantly, what's happening with Nick's apricots? Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog