A God We Could Believe In

Is the secret to reading this mysterious and ancient collection of texts really just down to finding the right cover design? If the Bible is the undisputed best-selling book of all time, then why are half of the copies ever sold sat on Simon’s bookcase? And why does it feel like adding a zip gives it so much more authority?Coming up:Our Q&A for this episode is coming up on Monday 23 November and we want to know all about your Bible histories. What bibles have you owned, and what’s the best and worst advice you’ve ever been given for how to read it?On Monday 7 December, we’ll be looking at the Bible and asking what makes it ‘authoritative’? Is all scripture ‘God-breathed’? And is there anything you can’t justify by firing off a few tenuously selected Bible quotes?About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com.Stay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Content warning: This conversation touches on the topics of rape, sexual assault and spiritual abuse, so please do look after yourselves.Alongside her teaching and ministry work, Beth supports victims and survivors of abuse within churches and is involved in the development of the Church of England Redress Scheme. Here she talks about her own experience of abuse and points to some of the things we can be doing to make our church communities safer.ResourcesThe Pieces Join: Navigating Faith, Trauma and Recovery (Canterbury Press)4.2. Spiritual Abuse - Church of England Safeguarding e-manualComing upWe’re thrilled to announce our next series launches on Monday 9 November. We’re putting our resident biblical scholar, Dr Charlotte Naylor Davis, through her paces as we dive in the Bible. What exactly is it? Why is it so hard to read? And if it’s so hard to read, why is ‘just read your Bible’ sold in churches as the answer to all of life’s great problems?Each month there’ll be a conversation and a Q&A so get your questions ready for this one.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com.Stay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Tom and Simon explore the vexed question of ‘What is left of God after deconstruction?’. He shares the story of his own deconstruction journey and why love is the central idea that has shaped his faith ever since.About TomThomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. He is a best-selling and award-winning author, having written or edited more than forty books. Academic Influence ranks him among the most influential theologians in the 21st century and he has recently published part one of three volume book series: A Systematic Theology of Love.Tom directs doctoral programs at Northwind Theological Seminary and directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He is known for his research and writing on love, open and relational theology, science and religion, evil and power, and the implications of freedom and relationships for transformation.Links:* Buy your copy of A Systematic Theology of Love: Volume 1* Watch SEER on YouTube* Follow Thomas Jay Oord on Substack* Check out Tom’s websiteComing Up:Recording for our next series is now underway! Expect to see that in your podcast feeds from this Autumn.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Back in March, we welcomed Revd Dr Helen Paynter to the Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds to question just how Jesus would ‘Unite The Kingdom’, a reference to the rallies held in London by Far Right figurehead Tommy Robinson, the second of which took place just this weekend.In this talk she explores the ways that groups are fusing Christianity with nationalism, ethnic identity, and anti-immigration rhetoric in ways that threaten liberal democracy and distort the message of Jesus. She then points to some ways that Christians can engage with these groups from across the political divide without resorting to the same hostility and power-driven politics.About Helen:Helen is the Director of the Centre for the Study of the Bible and Violence in Bristol, has written and edited several books on Christianity and extremism, and has recently edited a volume titled ‘The Church, the Far Right and the Claim to Christianity’.Coming upOur next live Café Theologique event is taking place on Thursday 4 June and features Professor Thomas Jay Oord on the topic of ‘What’s left of God after deconstruction?’. Space is limited and tickets are going fast so if you’d like to join us, book your place asap.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. In particular, this episode includes discussion of sexual assault, rape and drugging in the context of the recent ‘online rape academy’ story. That section lasts from 6.20 until 19.30. As always, please look after yourselves.We’re picking up your questions in response to our final episode, Towards a Different Sexual Ethic. How does asexuality fit into the picture? What about gay hookup culture? Will gender equality and lgbtq+ affirmation ever be mainstream, and what do we do until then?Coming upWe’re taking a break to plan and record our next series, but there’ll be ad hoc episodes popping every now and then.In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you. You can message us via our Substack, Facebook or Instagram and you can also email us at [email protected] A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.In our last full episode of the series. we’re taking stock of all our conversations from the last 8 months and exploring what a positive and inclusive Christian sexual ethic might look like today.Coming upNext up is our final Q&A which will land on Monday 27 April. If you’ve got a question in response to today’s episode, make sure you send it over by this Friday 17 April to feature. You can message us via our Substack, Facebook or Instagram and you can also email us at [email protected] that we’ll be taking a break to plan and record our next series, but there’ll be ad hoc episodes popping every now and then.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.How toxic is traditionalist teaching on gender, and is there a nuanced way to navigate the conversation around trans-inclusion in church spaces?Also, how did we end up recording an episode twice without realising?!Coming upOur final episode in the series will be released on Monday 13 April where we take stock and examine if we can reclaim a more positive, inclusive view of human sexuality.A Q&A will follow, and we know we’ve still only scratched the surface of this topic so there will be more ad hoc episodes to follow. Please get in touch if there’s anything we’ve not touched on that you’d like to hear about.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

We take a deeper dive into the Bible to look at how gender and sexuality is talked about in scripture and its interpretation.Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.The dominant viewpoint within many church traditions is that there are two genders, male and female, and that men should play the leading role. If this is the hierarchy God intended, why do so many people not fit the mould? Can church communities create space for people who don’t conform to traditional gender roles?A quick parish noticeWe are really aware that many listeners will want us to cover LGBTQ+ inclusion in church communities. We’re keen to talk about it too, but as a team we know we’re lacking the kind of lived experience needed to do the conversation justice. With that in mind, we will be returning to the topic soon, in conversation with people who can speak directly from their lives so please stay tuned.Coming upPart 2 will be released next Monday 23 March. We’ll be taking a deeper dive into the Bible to look at how gender and sexuality is talked about in scripture and its interpretation.Our Q&A will then follow on Monday 30 March. Please get your questions on gender and sexuality by this Friday 20th March to feature - you can message us via our Substack, Facebook or Instagram. You can also email us at [email protected] A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.The dominant viewpoint within many church traditions is that there are two genders, male and female, and that men should play the leading role. If this is the hierarchy God intended, why do so many people not fit the mould? Can church communities create space for people who don’t conform to traditional gender roles?A quick parish notice We are really aware that many listeners will want us to cover LGBTQ+ inclusion in church communities. We’re keen to talk about it too, but as a team we know we’re lacking the kind of lived experience needed to do the conversation justice. With that in mind, we will be returning to the topic soon, in conversation with people who can speak directly from their lives so please stay tuned.Coming upPart 2 will be released next Monday 23 March. We’ll be taking a deeper dive into the Bible to look at how gender and sexuality is talked about in scripture and its interpretation.Our Q&A will then follow on Monday 30 March. Please get your questions on gender and sexuality by this Friday 20th March to feature - you can message us via our Substack, Facebook or Instagram. You can also email us at [email protected] A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe

We're responding to your questions on our latest episode, 'Do christians just need a good wank?'Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.Can sex toys and pornography help people to become more confident, empowered and sexually aware? And should churches be encouraging congregations to use these in their own sexual fulfilment.Coming upEpisode 8 – Two genders and a spectrum walk into a bar – is released on Monday 16 March. Few issues within christendom are more divisive than that of sexuality. Many mainstream, global churches are facing existential collapse while they try to reconcile progressive and traditionalist voices.While the battle rages, we examine the cultural and biblical claims that make up the debate and explore whether the church can embrace an inclusive view of sexuality and gender.About A God We Could Believe In:A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.New episodes are released every other Monday.Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.comStay in touchEmail: [email protected]: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com/subscribe