Mid-faith Crisis

We're back! And we have an episode of top-notch feedback on peoples' sacred spaces. We think about sacred memories, gardening with God, and encountering the divine in the intensive care unit. All this, plus chiffchaffs, blackcaps, Saint Trillo and Saint Treacle, and a great quote from the Archbishop of Pith.

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We talk about how we experience God in nature. If your 'church' is the mountains or the countryside what does that mean? Is there anything you can do to enhance the experience? Also we talk about images of God, more on the incarnation and, of course, it's a happy new financial year to Joe. You see? Interesting and fun.

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Wassail! It's the height of Summer which as everyone knows is the traditional time for the Midfaith Crisis Christmas Special! As usual we dive into the mystery of the incarnation. Was it a miracle or a reset? What does it tell us about the world and our humanity? And do our Christmas services relate it to the wrong bit of Genesis?

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Joe is back from holiday and Nick is recovering from some cricket. Meanwhile we tackle some of the difficult questions. What empowers us to be more Christlike? Does it matter if the resurrection is historical truth or mystical metaphor? And can you have too many multiverses?

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We discuss our responses to the interview with Chris Scott in the last episode. Is it possible that the gospels could be both historical truth and life-informing myth? What is the relationship between beliefs and actions? And is the chiffchaff really a sign of hope and grace?

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Joe interviews Chris Scott, psychologist, psychotherapist and priest about his book The Jesus Myth. It's a thought-provoking exploration of how myth can carry deep truth, and whether we need to jettison what Chris calls 'bronze-age' images of God.

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We discuss speaking in tongues. Is there a place for it in public worship? Or should it only be exercised in the privacy of your own home? Also we have more on retreats, a lot of love for the Song of the Chiffchaff, and we ask why there aren't any global conferences for people who put the chairs out.

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Joe and Nick have both been on retreat, so this week we talk about our different approaches, what works for us, and why we find it vital to go to a place where 'there is less of you to get in the way'. Also, brilliantly, the Song of the Chiffchaff is now an official, actual song.

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We reflect on the Coronation service. Was it weird or wonderful? Amazing or anachronistic? Holy or hypocritical? Or was it just like every other church service only with more bling and a woman with a sword? Also what happens when you ask ChatGPT to write a worship song featuring the Chiffchaff?

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We discuss different ideas of heaven and the afterlife. Will we have bodies? Do we go to heaven? Will it be largely standing around on bits of gemstone singing? And, most importantly, will there be a buffet? Meanwhile, Nick is thinking of blogging and Joe looks in fridges.

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