The RE Podcast

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One thing we love is the messiness of RE!  In the current worldviews approach we embrace this messiness and strive to accurately the diversity within worldviews.  In this episode I speak to Dr Lois Lee, senior lecturer at the University of Kent.  We look at the diversity of belief within the Nones - an area which called fall prey to simplifications if we are not careful.  Lois and I discuss how to authentically represent atheism and all it's beautiful and messy diversity!
My take away is the suggestion of a category of a social worldview which sits inbetween and sometimes straddles personal and organised worldviews!
For more on the explaining atheism research, here is the website;

https://www.explainingatheism.org/

And the work with RE today is below;
https://www.retoday.org.uk/news/latest-news/re-today-working-with-explaining-atheism/

https://www.retoday.org.uk/school-support/publications/samples/primary-curriculum-book-exploring-non-religious-worldviews/

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https://iifl.org.uk/

Faith's transformative power takes center stage as we welcome Dr. Jake Scott, Director of the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how faith is not only surviving but thriving amid growing secularism and religious diversity in the UK. Discover how historical influences and modern movements are shaping a society that values faith as a cornerstone for moral enrichment and societal good, particularly among younger generations who are championing a more active role for faith in public life.

Unravel the complexities of religious plurality and tolerance as we explore the bridges built by education and personal interactions across diverse faith communities. From Christianity's historical impact on British society to the unique challenges and opportunities presented by Islam's growth, we dive into the vital role of faith literacy in reducing prejudice and promoting understanding. Our discussion examines the dynamic interplay between faith and societal acceptance, noting how exposure to different beliefs fosters an inclusive community and how people perceive faith as a force for good.

Explore the multifaceted ways faith influences mental health, work environments, and even environmental stewardship. We spotlight faith's dual role in providing resilience while presenting challenges and how it shapes positive work ethics and community contributions. Our conversation delves into the environmental responsibilities embraced by various religious groups, highlighting the generational divide in climate anxiety and the power of faith as a coping mechanism. Tune in for a thought-provoking analysis of how religious education broadens our understanding of humanity, promising insights that could contribute to a more harmonious and inclusive world.

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What happens at the intersection of faith and mental health.  Can a personal faith support you through this or create an extra layer to navigate as you try to reconcile your experience with a loving God. In this honest, authentic and hopeful conversation, I ask Claire Gough about her lived experience of being a Christian with depression, anxiety and disordered eating.  
We consider how is depression and anxiety specifically difficult as a Christian, nisconceptions that Christians have about mental health, how she feels about seeing this as a spiritual battle, or a result of sin, the stigma of mental health in the Church, the use of medication in a Christian context, how it impacted her faith and relationship with God, how her faith,and the Bible, has helped her.

Content advisory: We do make reference to suicide in this episode.

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One of the things I love doing this podcast is it introduces me to things I didn't know were a thing but love learning about.  This chat with Rev Pippa White is so significant for many reasons.  For Christians, this is a real challenge to them for whether they are inhabiting the spaces of the younger generation. Jesus used the common communication tool of the time to communicate his message.
For teachers, this is about The Great Commission in the 21st Century - go out into 'all' the world.  This now includes the digital world.
But this is also about the nature of Theology and doctrine. Where is the authority  and accountability for the Theology that is being created and shared on Social Media?  Can you be a Christian in a disembodied state and what the advantages and disadvangtes of that?
Plus, regardless of spending my teenage years in an Anglican Church and 23 years as an RE teacher, I learnt that I had no idea what the Anglican Church was! 
But overall, it was just so lovely to talk to Pippa. She is a warm and delightful human being so please follow her on Social Media:

TikTok - notapriestess

Pippa also mentioned some other accounts to follow including;
Black liturgies https://www.instagram.com/blackliturgies/?hl=en
Rev Chris Lee https://www.instagram.com/revchris7/?hl=en

The book she mentioned was
Karen O'Donnell - The Dark Womb
https://scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9780334060932/the-dark-womb

To read more about Social Media Theology on Google Scholar;
https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Social+media+theology&btnG=

Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

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This is one of my favurite episodes because of how powerful, emotional and authentic it was. I chat with former Islamist - Sohail Ahmed. His story is true, honest and relatable as he tells us what led him to become an extremist and what eventually led him to leave that life behind.  It's linked to identity, sexuality, atonement, purpose and belonging! It reveals the misconceptions regarding extremists, what to teach our children and what to look out for.  Sohail's grace and humanity is so evident in this interview and I know this will change the life of anyone who listens to it.  
@SohailSNAhmed
https://t.co/c8QkL17PaJ

Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

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In rememberance of LGBTQIA History Month, we remember this GLORIOUS chat with Rev. Andy Fitchet, we look at the damage that traditional and literal interpretations of Genesis have had on women and LGBTQIA Christians. Andy talks openly about his own difficult journey and the dangerous practices of the Church to heal people of 'gayness'.  We discuss homosexuality, gender, sexism, hypocrisy. grinder and Jesus as a trans male.  Andy is so theologically knowledgeable and also has the most wonderful sense of joy in his faith (the bit about finding Adam a 'helper' is my personal favourite, or how there is a special section in hell for polyester wearers if the Bible is to be taken at face value!) If God is not binary and we were made in his image, then we are not binary!

Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

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To continue with the 4th Anniversary celebrations of the RE Podcast, I want to reincarnate some of my favourite episodes.
To start here are the chats with the Reverend Steve Chalke from season 2, and the one on restorative justice from season 7.
Not only is Steve one of my childgood heroes, I love what he says about love and salvation and homosexuality and crime and punishment

Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

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In this episode I look back over the first 4 years of The RE Podcast using questions from you lot. And it's an occupational habit that RE teachers ask great questions!
 
Giles Gough - What for you, is the best and worst part of podcasting?
Karen Steele - What’s been your favourite RE podcast? Also, what inspired you to start; where did you find the courage?
MissM - What's been a conversation you've had for your podcast that has altered something you teach?
Dawn Cox - Does God exist?
Catriona card - What memories do you have of RE lessons at school? Did they inspire you to become an RE teacher?
Shammi Rahman - What’s special about the RE teaching community? What three fundamental? principles do you think that brings us together and unites us?
Katie Gooch - What's it like being an RE 'celebrity' to both teachers and students?

I also explain how and why I came to fall in love with RE!

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This is my very special summary of season 12 which started with a timely episode about how to revise, a deep dive into sources of authority in Islam, humanist funerals, a chat with Mary myatt, one about the REC and the handbook, sentientism, fostering curiosity, fallacies in arguments, veganism, re resources, miracles, and gay marriage. 
My thanks to all my season 12 guests; Waqar Ahmedi and Zameer Hussain, Ed Finch, Mary Myatt, Ed Pawson and Sarah Lane Cawte, Jamie Woodhouse, Michelle St John, Heather Marshall, Karenza Passmore and the Rev John Squares.

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This is my very special summary of season 11 of The RE Podcast which started with a mini series on the sermon on the mount, then a deep dive into the REQM, an episode about the Veda’s, one about Quakerism, a lovely chat with Lat Blaylock, another with the people at NATRE, a look at the national content standard, one about social Catholic teachings, a chat with the people from CTVC who bought us TrueTube and the Pilgrimage series and the season ended with my most popular episode to date - a chat with some year 11 students about their experience of Ramadan.
My thanks to all my season 11 guests, Indy Nottage, Linda Ridge and Jake Womack, Molly Acharya, Matthew Guest,  Lat Blaylock, Fiona Moss and Katie Freeman, Kathryn wright and Deborah Weston, Oli Aston, Alison Green, Bob Ayers and Dorcas Woods, Areez, Alisha and Nila.

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