Elizabeth Oldfield speaks with author and Catholic priest Fr James Martin

Father James Martin and our host, Elizabeth Oldfield discuss his journey to becoming a Catholic priest and the Jesuit motto of finding God in everything. We spoke about the difficulty of living a life of chastity, becoming a vocal advocate for LGBTQ inclusion within the Catholic Church and navigating backlash as a public figure.

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💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

📕 Purchase Fr James Martin's new book 'Come Forth' here: https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/bible-study/academic-bible-study/come-forth/

CHAPTERS

00:00 What is Sacred to you? Father James Martin replies
00:54 Understanding the Sacred
02:50 The Role of Discernment in Life
05:46 Childhood Influences and Early Life
09:08 Transitioning from Business to Jesuit Life
11:56 Exploring Religious Orders
14:51 Community Living and Its Challenges
18:10 Chastity is difficult
20:05 Having a public voice
23:00 Advocacy for the LGBTQ Community
27:16 Spiritual Rejection and backlash
32:06 Understanding Radicalisation and Disagreement
34:32 The Role of Politics in Division
38:58 Finding the Balance in Discourse
40:24 Exploring the Themes of 'Come Forth'
44:44 Jesuit Wisdom on Understanding Others
49:06 The Importance of Connection in Disagreement

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Keywords

Compassion, Catholic, Jesuit, Priest, Humanity, Monastic, Despair, Hope, Jesus, Catholic, Religion, Theology, Spirituality, Ministry, Pastoral, Devotion, Morality, Ethics, Belief, Tradition, Contemplation, Mysticism, Interfaith, Ecumenical, Jesuit priest, Catholic spirituality, Finding God in all things, Discernment of spirits, LGBTQ advocacy in the Catholic Church, Navigating controversy and criticism, Chastity and religious life, Compassion and empathy in faith, Bridging divides and understanding differences, Vocation and calling, Spirituality and everyday life, Theological perspectives on Jesus's humanity, Intentional community and monastic living, division, politics, listening, relationship, Overcoming despair and cultivating hope, Balancing public ministry and personal faith, Lessons in listening and giving the benefit of the doubt, Exploring sacred and secular in modern life, Insights from a Jesuit priest and author, Navigating faith, difference, and social justice, Transformative spiritual journeys