In this new series, I explore with guests the philosophy, theology and mythology of geek world - superheroes, Star Wars, and more. 

This episode, I talk to Mario-Francisco Robles of 'Superman on Film', about the mythology and philosophy around Superman and the early Superman movies. We each share our own experiences of this character and what he's meant to each of us.

We also talk about Superman's journey, his experiences - including those of grief and loss - as well his identity and values. We explore how these have shaped each of us, and why they're more important than ever in our wider cultural context.

This was such a fun and meaningful episode to do, one of my most personal too.

Today, historian and author Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins me to talk about her bestselling book "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation".

We talk about the forces in US evangelical culture which led to the rise and election of Donald Trump as President, dating back to the 70s and 80s and the Presidency of Ronald Reagan. We touch on the truths President Jimmy Carter confronted the US with...which they chose to ignore in favour of certainty. 

We discuss the patriarchal and systemically racist system of evangelicalism and capitalism, how this has impacted wider US culture, and where we see this in the UK, where colonialism and patriarchal system had its genesis.

In the process, we discover how the election of Donald Trump was almost an inevitable, and how this system counterintuitively sees white evangelical men percieve moral failings and law breaking almost as a badge of honour. We also explore how all of this has led to many people beginning to deconstruct their faith and from this system, and where this could all go.

Kristen ends by sharing how the response to her book has given her hope that things can change...and shares this hope with us. 

In today's episode, recorded early on in the pandemic, I'm joined by Daliana May, who lives in South East Asia doing anti-trafficking work and advocacy for social justice. 

Daliana tells us her story of being a missionary, and then how she moved into deconstructing her faith.

She talks of the challenges she faced in her deconstructing her faith, leaving patriarchy behind and decolonising as a white woman with experience in missions, and how she discovered new meaning and purpose in anti-trafficking work and social justice activism.

Writer, speaker and podcaster Kate Boyd is my guest today. Together we explore and discuss how spiritual community has evolved and changed as more people deconstruct their faith, and how the pandemic will impact spiritual communities. 

Kate shares what she's learned through her own story and work, and the challenges she's faced and that spiritual communities need to confront as we move forward post-pandemic. 

We also talk about how churches can become safe spaces for those deconstructing, who've been hurt by the church. Finally we talk about the tough questions which leaders of spiritual communities - and the communities themselves - need to ask going forward. 

Today my beloved friend Maria French joins me for a discussion on the post-pandemic world and it it will impact culture, our day to day lives and the church. 

We dive deep into the concept of the 'new normal', and discuss the myth that our lives will ever 'go back to normal' and how people and even institutions may try, unsuccessfully, to act like the pandemic never happened. We also talk about how people may try to find a new form of certainty, to try and avoid dealing with the collective trauma we've experienced.

Finally, we discuss  what the post-pandemic world will look like for the church, and how it will need to adapt and change, to stay both accessible and relevant as the world moves forward.

Today I'm joined on the podcast by J Elizabeth Hanson. She shares with us the story of losing her son to suicide several years ago and how this impacted both her and her family.

J Elizabeth talks about how her experience of processing and carrying grief, and how this led her to do work alongside others grieving.

She talks about the work she does in giving people processing loss practices and rituals which allow them to process grief in a healthier way, alongside the vital work of professional therapy, and how often creativity can play a part in the healing process. 

Today, podcaster and author Lisa Delay joins me to talk about navigating 'The Wild Land Within' - doing the internal work of healing and spiritual transformation. 

She shares with us the power of spiritual & liturgical practice to navigate our inner world, and, alongside therapy, to help us explore and process what we're carrying inside. Lisa gives examples of healthy spiritual practices which, alongside support from mental health professionals, can allow us to confront, manage or process our grief and pain, which can lead us to deeper encounters with the divine and aid our spiritual formation. 

Lisa also reminds us of the importance of naming and confronting our internal terrain, our grief and trauma, and doing the work of healing and transformation. 

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Lisa's book 'The Wild Land Within', where she explores these issues more, is available now at all online booksellers. 

Today, author Sarah Robinson joins me to talk about depression, mental illness and faith, as she discusses in her new book "I Love Jesus and I Want To Die".

Sarah tells her own powerful story of growing up with depression in the context of traditional evangelical Christianity, and the challenges she faced in naming and getting support as she faced these challenges. 

Sarah talks about bad experiences with 'Christian counselling', and the importance of finding a good therapist and building a healthy support network. She also discusses practices those of us struggling with any kind of mental illness can use to help us as we live with our condition. 

And finally, Sarah and I explore how we can have healthy expressions of faith whilst also living with mental illness, and how and why the church needs to become a safe space for mental illness. 

Today Abby Norman returns to the podcast to talk about the importance and transformative, healing power of lament - as she discusses in her new book "You Can Talk to God Like That". 

We talk about the importance of naming our pain, feeling our pain, and giving voice to the grief and trauma we carry. We explore how naming our pain and lamenting it, actually robs it of its power, and opens up the pathway to healing. 

We also talk about how lament and naming our pain, allows us to find deeper connection to ourselves, to each other, and to the divine. 

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'You Can Talk To God Like That' releases May 18th in all formats in the US & on Kindle / Audiobook in the UK, and in paperback in the UK on July 20th.

In the second in our short 'Taylor Swift' themed podcast series, my friend Jenna DeWitt joins me to discuss Taylor Swift's story and music in the context of identity and the Enneagram. 

We go through Taylor's career and see how her music reflected her own personal journey into discovering and owning her own power and voice, and what we notice about her personality type - Enneagram 3 w 4 - through this journey. 

Jenna shares her own personal experience growing up with Taylor's music, being a similar age and personality type, and how it connected to her own growth and empowerment. I also share how Taylor's music has connected with me on my journey, as a 4w5. 

This episode again touches on how music can connect with us so personally at different stages of our journeys, and how we find our own stories through the art and stories given to us by master storytellers like Taylor.