Episcopal priest, professor, theologian and author Barbara Brown Taylor, joins us on Nomad. In the early 2000s Barbara left the ministry, an experience she described in Leaving Church, the first of a trilogy of books about redefining her faith. But it’s what Barbara got up to after church leadership that we want to talk about. Barbara spent 20 years teaching world religions, and forming relationships with local leaders from a variety of other faiths, a journey which she describe in her latest bo...
Jul 24, 2019•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 201
In this episode we bring together London based sociologist, pastor and community theologian Sally Mann and Philadelphia based social activist and author Shane Claiborne. Shane had crossed the pond to join Sally and others in launching Red Letter Christians UK. So we took the opportunity to quiz them about the state of evangelicalism in both the UK and US, what lies at the heart of their faith, their concerns about post-evangelicalism, and why they see signs of hope in the Red Letter Christians m...
Jul 03, 2019•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 200
Cynthia Bourgeault is a mystic, priest, and author, who is committed to teaching and spreading the recovery of Christian contemplative practices. So she’s the perfect guide for nomad’s ongoing exploration of contemplative practices. She’s been a long-time advocate of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer, and so that’s what we quizzed her on. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on their own relationship with prayer - pre and post-deconstruction - and ponder w...
Jun 20, 2019•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 199
Christopher Collingwood is an Anglican priest - Canon Chancellor of York Minster, no less. And… he’s a Zen Buddhist teacher. So clearly he knows a thing or two about navigating an evolving faith, and the pushback that can come with it. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley ponder how, if at all, Zen can help them on their our journey of faith deconstruction and reconstruction. Interview begins at 16m 30s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free cont...
Jun 10, 2019•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 198
Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Jemimah McAlpine sit down with fellow host David Benjamin Blower to talk through his new album - We Really Existed and We Really Did This . It's a conversation in which David wrestles with faith and theology, and searches for signs of hope in the increasingly chaotic times we live in. As you'd expect from David, it's a classic, full of deeply reflective, insightful and challenging observations. Interview starts at 4m 25s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s tho...
May 21, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 197
Natalie Collins is a gender justice specialist, who speaks, writes and trains on issues of violence against women and wider gender injustice. In trying to make sense of her own experience of domestic abuse - and the fact that over the course of a lifetime over a quarter of women experience domestic abuse - Natalie began to ask questions about the patriarchal nature of our society (and Church) and how this shapes the way men view women and themselves. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and...
May 08, 2019•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 196
Rather than based around an interview, this episode is in the style of our Nomad Devotionals, which our patrons enjoy each month. Ruth Wilde of Christian Peacemaker Teams reflects on the practice of "getting in the way", and John-Philip Newell reflects on a spirituality deeply rooted in the material creation. And we ask what does it look like to become peace makers between humanity and creation? David weaves these reflections together with readings, music and songs. Books, quotes, links → The cr...
Apr 19, 2019•30 min•Ep. 195
Martin Newell is a catholic priest who has been arrested over twenty times. His crimes range from criminal damage, trespass, and burglary, for which he has been to prison several times. All of this has been the result of Martin’s non-violent protests against the arms trade and more recently the government's inaction on the climate crisis. He believes that now more than ever we need to resist the rules and authorities, as the future of the planet is at stake. Not only this, but Martin has formed ...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 194
On this episode we speak with theology professor and climate change activist Timothy Gorringe about the climate crisis. Towards the end of last year the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change released a pretty bleak report. In summary, the report said that the situation is much worse than we previously thought, and unless we reduce global carbon emissions to zero by 2050, then by the end of this century the earth will be a very hostile place to live. So we ask Prof. Gorringe how we are meant...
Mar 26, 2019•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 193
Rather than our usual interview format, in this episode we’re hosting a conversation. We’ll be listening in on Chine McDonald and Azariah France Wiliiams as they discuss their understanding and experience of blackness and how that has shaped their identity, their place in society and the way they relate to God and Church. It’s an authentic, moving, and inspiring conversation, and it was a real privilege to be able to listen in. Interview begins at 10m Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad...
Mar 07, 2019•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 192
Janet Williams joins us to discuss apophatic theology and spirituality. I know, it doesn’t sound like the most riveting topic. But trust me, it’s essential listening for anyone who’s been through some kind of deconstruction, faith evolution or dark night of the soul, anyone who’s interested in mysticism, or who’s gown tired and disillusioned with the Church’s obsession with trying to tightly define God. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Jemimah McAlpine reflect on Janet's experiences...
Feb 22, 2019•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 191
It was 10 years ago that Nomad first uploaded an episode. 10 years!! So to celebrate we’d like to give you a gift as a thank you for all your support and encouragement. But what to give the beloved listener to mark such a special occasion? How about a 3 hour 40 minute Q&A marathon episode with the whole gang, Jemimah McAlpine, David Blower, Tim Nash, Nick Thorley, and Dave Ward. If you'd like to give a gift back to us, why not leave us a nice review on whichever podcast app you use. Books, q...
Feb 08, 2019•3 hr 40 min•Ep. 190
Edwina Gateley is a mystic, and a social activist. Her life has been a rhythm of extended periods of prayer and solitude (including 9 months of silence in a caravan in a forest!) and activism (including establishing a mission agency that has sent hundreds of people into missions work around the world, and working with prostitutes on the streets of Chicago). Through both her radical activism and deep contemplation Edwina’s understanding and experience of God and Church has been radically challeng...
Jan 21, 2019•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 189
Brian Zahnd is back on the show. This time we’re chatting with him about the themes raised in his soon to be released book Postcards From Babylon . In it he takes aim at the toxic relationship between Church and Empire, and the religion that has emerged from it, which he calls Americanism. This religion has its own liturgies, gods and sacrificial systems, nearly all of which stands in direct opposition to how the early church understood what it meant to follow Jesus. So how are followers of Jesu...
Jan 04, 2019•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 188
It's that time of the year again! So we thought we'd offer up a Christmas themed Devotional for you all. Brad Jersak talks a bit about how the Nativity is understood in the Eastern Church, we reflect on the feminine in the salvation story, and Danielle Wilson shares reflections on her time spent in a refugee camp in Greece. And of course, all this is woven together with music and song by David Blower. Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded b...
Dec 19, 2018•32 min•Ep. 187
For many of us, the charismatic movement has been a mixed bag of bonkers and blessing. The danger is, of course, that we throw the blessed baby out with the bonkers bathwater! Especially for those of us who have been through some kind of deconstruction, we can easily end up rationalising away anything mystical. So we asked Brad Jersak to help us think all this through. Brad is a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church and is deeply contemplative. But he’s also a charismatic. So we ask him what the...
Dec 05, 2018•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 186
Enneagram trainer Liz West joins us on the show to talk about this ancient tool for transformation. You may have seen the rather "dodgy" looking enneagram symbol, but don’t be put off. This is an ancient treasure that goes right back to the fourth century desert mothers and fathers who began to discern the things that blocked our relationships with ourselves, with others and with God. And that’s what make the enneagram unique. It doesn’t so much reveal who you are, as the coping mechanisms you’v...
Nov 23, 2018•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 185
Catholic theologian and priest, James Alison joins us on the show to discuss scapegoating. It's a word we're all familiar with, but as James explains, it's through the violence of the scapegoating mechanism that civilisations are built. And, it is through the scapegoating mechanism that the cross heals. It's a fascinating way of understanding the atonement, especially for those of us disillusioned with models of atonement that require a violent God. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash, Dav...
Nov 08, 2018•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 184
Elaine Heath is the perfect person to speak to about the emergence of new expressions of Church. She's one of those rare people who understands and can navigate the institution (she's former Dean of Duke Divinity School and an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church), while at the same time has years of experience in small, experimental, missional communities. She's a pioneer who through her writing, speaking and retreats, has opened up a space for many others to explore new forms of churc...
Oct 23, 2018•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 183
Professor Tom Wright has got another book out! If you found the 1800 page tome that was Paul and the Faithfulness of God a little intimidating, then perhaps try his mere 500 page Paul: A Biography . Or failing that, how about a 50 minute Nomad interview to bring you up to speed with Tom's new insights on the apostle Paul. And fascinating insights they are too. Did you know, for example, that Paul struggled with doubts and with his mental health? After the interview Nomad hosts Tim Nash and David...
Sep 19, 2018•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 181
From just two verses at the end of Romans, Paula Gooder has gleaned some fascinating insights about Phoebe. She was likely a freed slave, who became wealthy and influential. And she was a deacon who carried Paul's letter to the Church in Rome, and most likely explained it to them. From these intriguing details, Paula has written a novel, exploring the life of this woman (and others) in the early church. So we met up with Paula to chat about women in the early church and the church today. And as ...
Sep 07, 2018•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 180
You're no doubt aware that the Church has been in steady decline in the West for a number of decades now. In the UK for example, Church attendance has roughly halved in the last thirty five years. But what do we know about all the people who left? Why did they leave? And what are they doing now? Researcher Steve Aisthorpe contacted 5000 church leavers to find out more. And what it discovered revealed a much more hopeful, but no less challenging picture of the Church! After the interview Nomad ho...
Aug 20, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 179
It's summer and we're feeling generous, so with thought we'd share this month's Nomad Devotional with everyone. If you're a patron of nomad you'll be very familiar with our Devotionals. Each month we ask a guest to offer us a reflection. And then we unpack it with music, song and readings. This month we asked the former Dean of Duke Divinity School Elaine Heath to reflect on the spiritual practices she sees as vital for Christians today, and the spiritual practice that has had a particularly dee...
Aug 03, 2018•39 min•Ep. 178
For those of you who support us on Patreon , you’ll already be familiar with David Benjamin Blower’s music. Each month he responds to a guest’s reflection with music and song. And out of these Devotionals has emerged the album Hymns for Nomads , a compilation of spirituals, murder ballads and campfire songs. It’s a record that invites us to pick up an instrument, to play, sing, join hands and have some hard-won hope. So Tim Nash met up with David to talk about why we sing together, why some of u...
Jul 21, 2018•40 min•Ep. 177
Christianity in the West is collapsing. Poet, peacemaker and scholar John Philip Newell believes we can either deny it’s happening, try to shore up the foundations of the old thing, or we can radically reorientate our vision and ask what new thing is trying to be born. So we ask John Philip what this new thing is that is trying to emerge from deep within us and from deep within the collective soul of Christianity. After the interview Nomad hosts Tim Nash and David Blower reflect on what all this...
Jun 26, 2018•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 176
Vicky Beeching was the darling of the Christian worship scene. For a decade she wrote hit albums and toured American mega-churches, leading worship for thousands of people every week. Her songs become some of the most sung around the world. But from the age of 13 Vicky had kept a secret. She was gay. When finally at the age of 35 she came out, the evangelical Church she loved turned on her. Boycotting her music, they ended her career over night. This was backed up with an unrelenting flood of on...
Jun 22, 2018•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 175
"If we want our world to be more beautiful, kind and fair, then should'nt our activism be beautiful, kind and fair?" It's obvious when you hear someone say it. So why is so much activism loud and aggressive? Sarah Corbett burnt out on just this kind of activism, partly because she's an introvert, and partly because she increasingly doubted its effectiveness. So she formed the Craftivist Collective "an inclusive group of people committed to using thoughtful, beautiful crafted works to help themse...
May 24, 2018•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 174
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware is considered by many to be the leading theologian today in the Orthodox Church. He is perhaps best known as the author of the book The Orthodox Church , and more recently the companion volume, The Orthodox Way . Metropolitan Kallistos is also known as one of the great advocates of the Jesus Prayer, a prayer that countless Christians through the centuries have considered to be central to their spiritual growth. It was a prayer Rowan Williams referred to in our 2017 in...
May 21, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 173
Rachel Held Evans was brought up in the 'buckle of the Bible Belt' and inherited a conservative evangelical faith. But shaken by the realities of our broken world, cracks began to form, and questions turned to doubts, doubts to cynicism and cynicism to despair. But through this journey she continued to wrestle with the Bible, sometimes exasperated by its apparent complicity with the bloody, ugly, mess of this world, and other times challenged and inspired by it. So how does she understand this b...
May 03, 2018•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 172
Political theologian Stephen Backhouse believes that the earliest Christians tended to see patriotism as a vice – a temptation to guard against. Now it seems most Christians assume it is a virtue. Many of us, for example, don't think twice about asking God to Save the Queen or Bless America. So we ask Stephen whether the gospel is good news for our nations, what it means for a follower of Jesus to be a good citizen, whether we should be a blessing to our nation, or an unsettling presence, and ho...
Apr 23, 2018•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 171
