Nomad Podcast

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 a community with destitute asylum seekers.  So we ponder the questions, when is it right to say no to the rulers and authorities? Would we go to prison for our convictions? And how would we go about modelling a community that points to the world to come? Interview begins at 11m 1s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which man

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 to respond? How can we as individuals radically reduce our carbon footprint? And how can we put pressures on government to move towards creating a carbon neutral society? And we ponder the theology of the potential collapse of human civilisation. So it’s not the cheeriest of episodes, but there are some signs of hope!  Interview begins at 22m 50s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay

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  If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information.

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. It’s a conversation I’m going to be pondering for a long time. Interview starts at 11m 32s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information.  

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? A 3 hour 40 minute Q&A marathon episode, that’s what!  If you'd like to give a gift back to us, why not leave us a nice review on iTunes, Apple Podcasts - or whichever podcast app you use - and on our Facebook page. If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information.  

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 challenged and reshaped.    This is a must listen for anyone wrestling with questions around what Church and mission are, and how we describe and relate to God.  If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find

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 Jesus meant to respond? What does it mean to be Church? What spiritual practices can help us stay awake to what feels like an ever more toxic political and religious environment? What does it mean to be a Christian in the age of Trump? Interview begins at 16m 26s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as N

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. If you'd like to contribute to Danielle's work with Global Aid Network, you can do so through the give.net website.  If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information. If you're not fussed about t

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 charismatic and contemplative traditions can learn from each other, and whether contemplation can help take some of the crazy out of the charismatic.  Interview begins at 17m 32s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devo

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’ve developed that have become blockages to your transformation. Interview begins at 17m 9s If you’re still not convinced having listened to the interview, then head over to patreon where you can listen in on Tim getting enneagram-ed! If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved

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. So tune in for a truly mind bending and inspiring conversation. Interview begins at 18m 43s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information. If y

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 church a little more safely. So we took the opportunity to pick Elaine's brain about the joys and heartbreaks of being a pioneer. Interview begins at 10m 10s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find y

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? No, we didn't either. So tune in for this, and so much more... Interview begins at 9m 13s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to the Nomad community, which manifests in such ways as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations and Nomad Devotionals. And you may find yourself the proud owner of a Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information. If you're n

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 you'd expect from Paula is was a conversation brimming with enthusiasm, wisdom and insight. Interview begins at 12m 47s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations, Nomad Devotionals, and of course, the Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon pa

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!   Interview begins at 8m 7s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations, Nomad Devotionals, and of course, the Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information. If you're not fussed about the bonus content, you can make a one-off or regular donation throug

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 deep impact in her own life. David Blower then responds with music and a couple of new songs. If you want more resources like these, and opportunities to connect with the nomad community, then check out our Patreon page. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations, and of course, the Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more

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 I met up with David to talk about why we sing together, why some of us have become suspicious of singing together, and some of the themes of his record; creation, the Holy Spirit, judgement, creatureliness and messianic hope. If you’d like a copy of the record, head over to Nomad’s store, or Minor Artists. And if you’d like to follow David’s monthly Devotionals, you can find them on our Patreon page.  If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors ga

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. Interview begins at 6m 3s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations, Nomad Devotionals, and of course, the Beloved Listener mug! Head over to our Patreon page for more information. If you're not fussed about the bonus content, you can make a one-off or regular donation through PayPal, the links to which you can find on our support

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 online abuse. We chat with Vicky about the importance of wholeness, vulnerability, authenticity and the radical and inclusive love of Jesus.   Interview begins at 8m 2s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. Our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lounge, Nomad Contemplations, Nomad Devotionals, and of course, the

"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 themselves and encourage others be the positive change they wish to see in the world." Sarah's is a fascinating story. And the collective she founded is a truly inspiring and challenging movement! Interview begins at 12m 36s If you want more from Nomad, check out our website, and follow us on Facebook and twitter. Nomad can only keep going because a small group of faithful listeners help us pay the bills. As a thank you, our donors gain access to a wide range of bonus content, such as Nomad Book Club, The Beloved Listener Lo