Nomad Podcast

Over the last year, Tim and his eleven-year-old son Elliot have been quietly experimenting with faith at home — exploring a different spiritual practice each month and discovering what happens when faith is lived, not just discussed.

From gratitude and Sabbath to activism, creativity, and pilgrimage; from sawing coconuts and dismantling Hi-Fis to marching for their local library and hiding painted pebbles — they’ve stumble...

Many of us have left behind the religion we inherited. But what, then, are we reaching for? In this conversation, Celtic teacher John Philip Newell reflects on what he calls the Great Search—a deep yearning for soul, earth, and home at a time of ecological breakdown and religious collapse.

John Philip explores the tension between temple and wilderness, soul and ego, doctrine and direct experience, and reflects on the relin...

In this conversation, Joy sits down with eco-therapists Jenny Biglands and Vicky Broadbent to explore the growing field of ecotherapy, where nature itself becomes a partner in the healing process.

Jenny and Vicky reflect on their faith journeys, what led them into therapeutic work, and how moving outdoors has transformed their practice. They explore themes of power and vulnerability, showing how simply walking side by side ...

In this conversation, womanist theologian Selina Stone reflects on the hidden ways power is shaped by theology — and how theology, in turn, can be shaped by power. Drawing on her book A Heavy Yoke: Theology, Power and Abuse in the Church, she explores how divine calling, servant leadership, and spiritual authority can all become tools of control, especially in charismatic and evangelical settings.

But Selina also gestures ...

Halima Gosai Hussein is the former chair of the Inclusive Mosque Initiative. Giles Goddard is an Anglican priest and author of Generous Faith. On paper, their backgrounds could hardly be more different. But their paths converged through a shared commitment to inclusion — Giles in the work of building an open and affirming church, Halima through her leadership with the Inclusive Mosque Initiative.

In this conversation, they...

In this episode, Tim chats with author and activist Brian McLaren about his new novel The Last Voyage, a provocative and emotionally rich exploration of what might happen when the powerful elite try to escape a dying Earth and build a new civilisation elsewhere.

Drawing on decades of theological reflection and his recent work on collapse and ecological crisis, Brian reflects on what spirituality might look like at the end ...

In this episode, Tim speaks with Episcopal priest and author Kira Austin-Young, about the moral, theological, and pastoral dimensions of abortion. Together, they reflect on the silence in progressive churches, the complexity of personhood, biblical texts often used in the debate, and how Christians might begin to hold space for compassion and moral complexity in conversations around reproductive freedom.

It’s a thoughtful,...

In this episode, Tim chats with psychologist and theologian Richard Beck about his book The Shape of Joy, which explores the idea that much of modern misery stems from a life turned inward—and that joy comes when we shift our attention beyond ourselves.

Drawing on ancient theology, modern psychology, and lived experience, Richard challenges the dominance of a belief-centric, self-focused faith and invites us into a more o...

In this episode, we speak with therapist Joy Brooks about spiritual bypassing—how well-meaning spiritual beliefs and practices can sometimes mask or avoid the difficult emotions and wounds we all carry. Drawing on psychology, contemplative traditions, and Joy’s own journey out of charismatic Christianity, the conversation uncovers why confronting pain honestly is essential for genuine growth.

Joy reflects on how communitie...

In this episode, we speak with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams about his vision of faith as attentiveness, not answers — a path not of mastery, but of mystery. Drawing on themes from his book Discovering Christianity, Rowan reflects on the difference between faith and toxic religion, and explores how trust, not certainty, might be the deeper thread that runs through the Christian story.

We talk about the app...

In this episode, we speak with writer Lamorna Ash about her two-year immersion in Christianity—an unexpected journey that took her from conservative Bible studies and charismatic worship to Quaker silence, Jesuit retreats, and the poetry of mystical experience.

Inspired by the sudden conversions of two close friends, Lamorna set out to understand what faith might look like from the inside. Along the way, she wrestled with ...

In this episode we speak with Bible scholar Dan McClellan about one of Christianity’s most foundational claims: the divinity of Jesus.

Drawing from his deep engagement with biblical scholarship, Dan invites us to consider whether the Bible actually presents Jesus as God in the way later doctrine insists. He explores how early Christian texts reflect diverse and competing understandings of Jesus’s nature, and how ideas abou...

In this special Easter meditation, writer and storyteller Gareth Higgins invites us into a deeper experience of reality—one rooted not in fear, despair, or division, but in love.

With characteristic warmth and clarity, Gareth reflects on the challenges of our time: overwhelming empathy, collapsing certainties, and the temptation to believe that love is unrealistic. Yet through all this, he offers a simple but radical refra...

In this episode we speak with Shane Meyer-Holt—writer, speaker, and co-host of In the Shift podcast—about the impact of capitalism on our understanding of ourselves, our relationships and our need for care.

Drawing from his own experiences of parenting, community and faith shifting, Shane reflects on the way neoliberal values have colonised our lives. He invites us to critique capitalist assumptions with a view to building...

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 experie...

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 ...

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 buil...

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 ...

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 f...