What are children for? In conversation with Anastasia Berg

Western societies have fallen out of love with (having) children, and all too often this is treated as a policy problem. But in reality, it's a much deeper personal and philosophical one. What has changed in our attitudes to having children? How do we understand the role and standing and "purpose" of children in society? What, in effect, do we think children are for? This week Nick Spencer talks with Anastasia Berg about her book co-authored with Rachel Wiseman, ‘What are children for? On Ambivalence and Choice’ Purchase a copy of their book here:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Are-Children-Ambivalence-Choice/dp/0861549481

Choice is so important to who we are in the West is no longer feels like something we do, so much as something we are. Deny someone choice, and it feels like you are challenging their very humanity. Where does this obsession with choice come from, historically and philosophically? What are its foundations and justifications? And has it gone too far? Can you have too much of this particular good thing? This week Nick Spencer talks with Sophia Rosenfeld about her book ‘The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life’ Purchase a copy of her book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Age-Choice-History-Freedom-Modern/dp/0691164711  

Strange things are happening to Christianity in the West. Some people are talking about revival whereas others are talking about extinction. Whoever is right, the ramifications for our culture will be immense.What is happening? If we are entering a period of eclipse for Christianity, would it matter? Would it simply be strike us through the loss of beautiful buildings and moving music? Or is there something more substantial in all this? This week Nick Spencer talks with Rupert Shortt about his book ‘The Eclipse of Christianity and why it matters’ Purchase a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eclipse-Christianity-why-matters/dp/1399802747  

The idea that society should grow - and continue to grow, economically, without ending, without limits - is a relatively new and fiercely defended idea. It emerged first in Western countries but has captured much of the world today. How realistic is it? How "sustainable"? What should we think about “limits to growth”? Is it a narrative of declinism, best ignored? Or a warning we dismiss at huge peril? This week Nick Spencer talks with Richard McNeill Douglas about his book ‘The Meaning of Growth: The Rhetoric of Environmental Scepticism and the Defence of Modernity’ Richard’s book will be published in Autumn, find out more here. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003607632/meaning-growth-richard-mcneill-douglas   

The Russian Orthodox Church has been conspicuous in its support of Putin's war against Ukraine. The reasons seem as obvious as they are depressing. But behind the politics, there are centuries of history and theology. How did we get here? How is history of the church in Russia shaping the nation's present? How might it shape the future? This week Nick Spencer talks with Lucy Ash about her book ‘The Baton and the Cross: Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin’. Purchase a copy of Lucy's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baton-Cross-Russias-Church-Pagans/dp/1837731837

The UK has one of highest levels of dissatisfaction with democracy in the world, though other Western countries aren't far behind. Hopes that the rest of the world would naturally follow the West and democratise have all but evaporated. How serious is this decline in democratic sympathy? What lies behind it? What are the deep foundations on which democracy rests? And what, if anything, can be done about it? This week, Nick Spencer talks with Jonathan Sumption about his book ‘The Challenges of Democracy: And The Rule of Law’. Purchase his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Challenges-Democracy-Rule-Law/dp/1805222503  

One of the major changes in Western society in the last half century is the so-called sexual revolution, and one way of understanding that is to see it as the long, withdrawing roar of a Christian sexual ethic. But that makes two presuppositions: first, that we have indeed left Christian sexual ethics behind and second that there is such a thing as a single identifiable Christian sexual ethic.This week Nick Spencer talks with Diarmaid MacCulloch about his book ‘Lower than the angels: A history of Sex and Christianity' recorded live at the Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature.Purchase Diarmaid’s book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lower-than-Angels-History-Christianity/dp/0241400937

The idea of the West – its foundations, its values, its future – has become much debated over recent months. What does the political rise of China mean for us? What about the economic rise of the BRICS nations? Or the demographic rise of the global south? Where will power and influence tilt, and to what effect? Is it all over for “the West”? This week Nick Spencer talks with Samir Puri, Director of the Global Governance and Security Centre for Chatham House, about his book ‘Westlessness: the great global rebalancing’ Purchase Samir’s book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Westlessness-Global-Rebalancing-Samir-Puri/dp/1399722638  

Reading Our Times is back for its 10th series but this time, with a twist... Nick Spencer explores themes surrounding the West – its roots, its contours, and its future. Series 10 looks at the future of democracy with Jonathan Sumption, at the future of growth with Richard Douglas, and the future of Christianity with Rupert Shortt. Lucy Ash unpacks the threat from Putin and the ever-supportive Orthodox Church.  The series asks the big questions about children, about choice and its deification, and about sex and religion with Diarmaid Macculloch. Next week, episode 1 gives an overview of the future of the West – or rather of the prospect of Westlessness – with Samir Puri. Tune in weekly from 27 May. Find Reading Our Times on all podcasting platforms. 🎙️ Follow Dr Nick Spencer @theosnick 💡 Produced by ‪@theosthinktank https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/  

Announcing a new four-part documentary podcast, Motherhood vs The Machine, where hosts Chine McDonald and Dr Madeleine Pennington look at what motherhood teaches us about what it means to be human.The work of motherhood has always been changed by technological advancement: from the nipple shield to the feeding bottle and breast pump. But as technological advancement accelerates and a future of artificial wombs and ‘bio bags’ does not seem as far-fetched as it once did, what of the humanity of motherhood might be lost if it is outsourced to machines? What might we miss when the maternal doorway is closed to profound and rarely expressed spiritual ideas - such as sacrifice, love, care, value, dignity, and hope?Out weekly from 13 March. Find it on all podcasting platforms.🎙️ Follow Chine McDonald: @ChineMcDonald🎙️ Follow Dr Madeleine Pennington: @mlmpennington💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/