What happens when the idealised image of motherhood meets the lived reality? In this episode, we sit down with Director of Theos, Chine McDonald to explore the complexities of motherhood and faith. Chine shares her personal journey, from growing up in evangelical churches with rigid gender roles to navigating the expectations and challenges of motherhood. We delve into the ways theology has often sidelined maternal experiences, how cultural depictions of Mary have shaped ideas of motherhood, and how embracing imperfection might be a form of grace.

Following the interview Joy Brooks and Tim Nash ponder their own experiences of parenthood and its intersection with their evolving faith. 

Interview starts at 13m 13s

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The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Helen Bond, Professor of Christian Origins and New Testament, as we explore the complex relationship between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. Helen unpacks the challenges of reconstructing Jesus’ life from the Gospels, revealing how early Christian communities shaped his story. We discuss the historical context of Jesus’ teachings, the differing portrayals across the Gospels, and what scholars can confidently say about his life and mission. Finally, we ask: is it possible to build a meaningful spirituality around the historical Jesus, separate from traditional Christian doctrine?

Following the interview Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson ponder what all this means for the evolution of their faith and role the historical Jesus might play in it. 

Interview starts at 11m 36s

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The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this episode, we speak with Justin Lee about navigating difference and division in a polarised world. Justin shares his journey reconciling his identity as a gay man with his evangelical Christian upbringing, a path that led to his work fostering dialogue across divides. He explores the challenges of echo chambers, the instinct to fight or avoid disagreement, and the power of listening, storytelling, and empathy in building bridges. It's a conversation about the courage to hold space for complexity—and for hope.

After the interview, Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on their own bumpy road of navigating difference.

Interview starts at 14m 23s 

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The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this episode, we sit down with biblical scholar Dr. Jennifer Bird to explore the Bible’s complex portrayals of marriage and sexuality. Jennifer shares her journey from conservative evangelicalism to a more nuanced, humanistic perspective, and helps us unpack, among other things, Jesus and Paul’s lack of enthusiasm for marriage, the Bible’s limitations as a guide for healthy relationships, and the risks of putting Jesus on a pedestal.

After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson reflect on their own experiences with ‘biblical’ teachings around sex and marriage, and consider whether Jesus really offers an antidote to the Bible’s more problematic stances.

Interview starts at 16m 19s 

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Check out Tim’s new podcast Homegrown Faith, where he and his 10 year-old son Elliot explore a range of spiritual practices. 

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this episode, we speak with Munther Isaac about the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and what led to the current crisis in Gaza. Munther, a Palestinian pastor and theologian, reflects on the intersection of theology and politics, and what faith, hope and love might mean in the face of such terrible suffering.

Following the interview Nomad hosts Joy Brooks and Tim Nash reflect on the emotional response they’ve felt in the face of this crisis, the role Christian Zionism played in the faith they inherited and whether the bible could still have a place in their evolving spirituality when it’s been so horribly misused.   

Interview starts at 17m 50s

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The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this episode, we’re joined by theologian and minister, Sally Douglas. Sally helps us explore the idea of Jesus as Sophia, the embodiment of the female divine. Together, we unpack themes like righteous anger, justice, and the sacredness of all creation. Sally shares how reclaiming Sophia’s presence in the Gospels challenges patriarchal structures, inspires a deeper connection to the divine, and invites us to live with compassion and courage. From contemplative practices to radical hospitality, this conversation opens up new ways of thinking about faith, power, and community. 

After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on how being Jesus as the embodiment of the divine feminine might shape their evolving faith. 

Interview starts at 17m 57s

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Check out Tim’s new podcast Homegrown Faith on Apple, Spotify, and where ever you get your podcasts. 

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this special devotional episode, anabaptist, anarchist and animist Noel Moules explores the profound mystery of incarnation from his unique perspective as a Christian animist. He considers the interconnectedness of all things—seeing the sacredness in both creation and spirit, and how personhood extends beyond humanity to the entire cosmos. Noel reflects on how Jesus' life exemplifies this mystery, offering a vision of restoration and hope. Noel invites us to reconsider the divine presence in every aspect of reality and challenges us to deepen our relationship with the world around us.

Following Noel’s reflection, Anna Robinson creates a contemplative space for us to reflect on and experience this incarnational understanding of spirituality.

All this is beautifully woven together with the music of Jon Bilbrough, known musically as Wilderthorn.

Books, quotes, links →

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

In this special seasonal episode, your Nomad hosts come together for a Q&A session filled with festive cheer and thoughtful reflections.

As a heartfelt thank-you to our amazing supporters—whose generosity has made this year’s Nomadic journey possible—we’re diving into their most pressing (and quirky) questions. While our answers may not always be the most accurate or helpful, they’ll hopefully spark some meaningful conversations and perhaps a few laughs along the way.

So join us as we wrestle with profound and playful questions alike, such as:

•    “Has the loss of a loved one after your deconstruction brought back old fears about the afterlife?”

•    “What’s the one thing you struggle most to let go of from your ‘earnest evangelical days’?”

•    “If you could go back to when you were 20, what advice would you give yourself?”

•    “You’ve been made Archbishop of Canterbury for a day. You can make all churches in the UK do three things—what are they?”

Pour yourself a festive drink, get comfortable, and join us for an episode brimming with honesty, humour, and gratitude for the community that makes this journey so special.

Books, quotes, links →

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

Back in 2019, Tim Nash and David Blower sat down with Brian Zahnd to explore the toxic entanglement between Church and Empire, and the resulting religion Zahnd calls "Americanism." From rethinking how we read Scripture to the deeply political implications of the cross, Zahnd offers a vision of living as citizens of God’s kindom amidst worldly empires. With Donald Trump, whom Zahnd identified as emblematic of "Americanism," once again elected President, we felt this conversation deserved to be revisited.

Following the interview, a 2024 Tim Nash and Nick Thorley share their thoughts and feelings about the re-election of Trump, and where they are seeing signs of hope. 

Interview starts at 10m 15s

Books, quotes, links →

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.

No stranger to loss and trauma, feminist theologian, Karen O'Donnell helps us to reconsider some commonly held perspectives around spiritual practice. Sharing from research and lived experience, she offers insight into how we might benefit from reimagining our approach to rebuilding and remaking ourselves in the aftermath of difficult, or damaging, life experiences. 

Following the interview, hosts Anna Robinson and Joy Brooks consider how their spiritual practices have changed alongside their shifting faith and experiences of harm.

Interview starts at 13m 17s

Books, quotes, links →

The creation of Nomad's thoughtful, wonderfully ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful, wonderful listeners. Supporting us gives access to Nomad's online communities through the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge and Nomad Book Club - as well as bonus content like Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections and Nomad Revisited.

If you'd like to join our lovely supporters head to our Patreon Page to donate and you may even be rewarded with a pen or Beloved Listener mug!

If you're hoping to connect with others who are more local, you can also take a look at our Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook page.

Additionally, we share listener's stories on our blog, all with the hope of facilitating understanding, connection and supportive relationships.