Best Religion Media Centre Podcasts (2024)

1
RMC Briefing: The place of religion in the US presidential election 50:29

13h ago50:29

50:29

As the US presidential election campaign draws to a close, we use this opportunity to speak to faith leaders and election watchers to assess the importance of religion in the election campaign. Traditionally, white evangelicals have supported Donald Trump and this briefing made clear that they appear to have largely remained loyal. The majority of …

1
Rabbinic Identities/Rabbinic Crises –Spheres of Belonging 43:41

1h ago43:41

43:41

In addition to their responsibilities as leaders and shapers of local Jewish communities, rabbis are responsible for leading the Jewish people forward into the future. The weight of this work is heavy, but the number of people who choose the rabbinic profession is dwindling. In the third and final episode of Rabbinic Identities/Rabbinic Crises, our…

1
Rabbinic Identities/Rabbinic Crises – A Good Fit 46:14

3d ago46:14

46:14

North American Jews are seeking different types of belonging, marked by a steady decline in synagogue membership over the last several decades. What are people searching for in their Jewish communal lives, and how are rabbis adjusting their work to accommodate these new communal needs? In this second episode of Rabbinic Identities/Rabbinic Crises, …

1
Rabbinic Identities/ Rabbinic Crises – The Private and the Public 45:16

8d ago45:16

45:16

For rabbis, the line between the personal and the professional is not always clear cut. As leaders of communities, they are in the public eye and trusted as models of Jewish living, while also living in and among the community. In this first episode of Rabbinic Identities/Rabbinic Crises, Yehuda Kurtzer explores our guests’ paths to the rabbinate a…

1
RMC Briefing: How faith groups including churches are providing health care in their communities 55:06

14d ago55:06

55:06

The National Churches Trust has produced a report pointing out that churches provide health care which would otherwise cost the NHS £8.4 billion to deliver. "The House of Good Health" lists services such as youth groups, food banks, support for drug and alcohol addiction, and a listening ear for mental health counselling. But the report warns that …

1
CATChat 14: Listener Questions 29:26

14d ago29:26

29:26

Krysia, Zoe, and Ian answer listener questions! The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d088f148/transcript.txt If you have any questions, or just want to say hi, email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk or find us on twitter @autismtheology. This podcast is brought to you by The University of Aberdeen's Centre for Autism a…

1
RMC Briefing: The place of religion in the assisted dying debate 57:48

20d ago57:48

57:48

A bill to allow assisted dying in England and Wales will be put before the Commons on 16 October, the first time in nine years that MPs will have had the chance to vote on the issue. The Lords have debated it many times, but in all cases, the measures have been defeated. This time, with a new intake of Labour MPs, and support from the Prime Ministe…

1
A Nation That Still Can't Sleep 48:07

24d ago48:07

48:07

In the hours following October 7, 2023, Yehuda Kurtzer reached out to friends and colleagues in Israel, both expressing his concern and support and asking them to share their personal experiences following Hamas’ deadly attack. He gathered their responses in A Nation That Can’t Sleep, released on October 11. This year, Yehuda reconnected with those…

1
RMC Briefing: Impact of 7 October attack and aftermath on British Muslims and Jews 55:18

1M ago55:18

55:18

One year on from Hamas' attack on Israel, we brought together British Muslim and Jewish community leaders to find out how the war had impacted life in this country. Their discussion illustrates how each group "mirrored each other". Both communities have faced spikes in hate crime, leading to feelings across the board that Britain is not a safe plac…

1
Autism and Social Media with Maddy Scholefield 39:20

1M ago39:20

39:20

Zoe speaks with Maddy Scholefield about her experience of sharing about autism on social media. They discuss why she started sharing online, some content she has produced, and some of the challenges that come with sharing online. Find Maddy on Instagram @maddygracehope Maddy's blog: maddygracehope.substack.com The transcript of the episode is avail…

1
Who by Martyrdom? 49:46

1M ago49:46

49:46

As we gather in synagogues across the world for Rosh Hashana this week, we confront human mortality with the fresh memory of so much violent death since October 7, and the threat of more to come. This week Yehuda Kurtzer spoke with Yair Furstenberg, Professor of Talmud at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, about how Jewish tradition can help us co…

1
RMC Briefing: Rebuilding communities after the riots 56:47

1M ago56:47

56:47

Community and faith leaders from towns and cities across England have spoken of the importance of free and open discussion on the causes of the riots this summer. In a Religion Media Centre briefing, bringing together participants from our 11 Creating Connections events, they spoke of their local efforts to provide opportunities for dialogue betwee…

1
A More Perfect Union 52:53

1M ago52:53

52:53

November is rapidly approaching, and with it the end of the tumultuous U.S. presidential election cycle. In this week's episode, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with Aaron Dorfman, Founder and Executive Director of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy, about his efforts to mobilize the American Jewish community to strengthen U.S. democr…

1
Adi Roche - Founder of Chernobyl Children International 1:08:54

1M ago1:08:54

1:08:54

Adi Roche is the Founder and voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International (CCI). Adi is a globally recognized humanitarian and activist who has dedicated nearly 50 years of her life to advocating for peace, social justice, and environmental causes. A native of Clonmel, County Tipperary, Adi’s commitment to helping others was ignited at a young…

1
CATChat 13: One year of the Autism and Theology Podcast 21:49

2M ago21:49

21:49

Krysia and Ian reflect on the first year of the Autism & Theology podcast. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/dfd1305d/transcript.txt If you have any questions, or just want to say hi, email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk or find us on twitter @autismtheology. This podcast is brought to you by The University of Abe…

1
The Centre Must Hold 42:27

2M ago42:27

42:27

At a time when society feels more divided than ever, Yair Zivan, diplomatic advisor to Yair Lapid and author of the new book, The Centre Must Hold, is advocating for centrism. On this week’s episode, Yair chats with guest host and Shalom Hartman Institute Vice President Justus Baird about topics ranging from the politics around hostage deals to the…

1
RMC Briefing: Faith and community groups rallying at Grenfell Tower fire were "best in humanity" 47:58

2M ago47:58

47:58

The report into the fire at Grenfell Tower, which claimed 72 lives in 2017, says the disaster was a devastating critique of failure, incompetence, dishonesty and greed at all levels, in government and business. In a section on how religion was part of the story, the report said Muslims felt abandoned and neglected by the council. But there was one …

1
Autism and the Senses with Léon van Ommen 38:52

2M ago38:52

38:52

This week, Ian speaks with Léon van Ommen about his project on autism and the senses. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9ba5a57c/transcript.txt If you have any questions, or just want to say hi, email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk or find us on twitter @autismtheology. This podcast is brought to you by The Univer…

1
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, z”l 33:42

2M ago33:42

33:42

The recovery of the bodies of six hostages over the weekend, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l, brought with it a fresh round of mourning in the ongoing collective grief for Israelis and Jews around the world since October 7. In this week’s episode, Yehuda Kurtzer explores the personal, political, and ethical questions that emerge during this pain…

1
Pride and Prejudice at Elite Universities (Re-Release) 47:14

2M ago47:14

47:14

This episode was originally released on January 16, 2024. The relationship of many Jews to top tier American universities has recently undergone a transformation from an aspiration to study at an ivy league institution to a desire to join more hospitable campuses. On this episode of Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer is joined by Mark Oppenheimer to e…

1
Lee Keylock - On Gun Violence, Division, Empathy and Kindness 1:18:18

2M ago1:18:18

1:18:18

Lee Keylock is the Director of Global Programs with Narrative 4. Originally from England, Lee has lived in the US for over 30 years. He is a former night club manager turned high school teacher who has a lot to say about social division and why we need to talk about empathy and human connection. A major turning point in Lee’s life was his experienc…

1
CATChat 12: Navigating Change 20:15

3M ago20:15

20:15

This week, Krysia and Zoe discuss navigating change as neurodivergent people and how they've been feeling recently about changes both big and small in their lives. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b2895613/transcript.txt If you have any questions, or just want to say hi, email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk or fi…

1
RMC briefing: Kamala Harris and the faith vote 56:30

2M ago56:30

56:30

The US Vice President Kamala Harris will be formally nominated as the Democrat's presidential candidate at the party’s convention in Chicago this week. With a Hindu mother, Baptist father and Jewish husband, she embodies religious pluralism in a diverse country. But will this make her more or less appealing to constituencies of faith, or the non-re…

1
Sources: Two Students Speak 27:54

3M ago27:54

27:54

With the fall academic semester just around the corner, guest host Claire Sufrin, Editor of Sources: A Journal of Jewish Ideas, shares two of the winning essays from the first student writing contest in the summer issue, Jewish on Campus. In the first essay, Princeton University senior Stephen Bartell rejects the claim that the Israel-Hamas War can…

1
RMC Briefing: Building community after the riots 51:14

3M ago51:14

51:14

Fear and anxiety immediately followed the riots which spread across England last week, with Muslims in particular afraid to leave the house because of the hatred and violence on the streets. But in this Religion Media Centre briefing, faith leaders described how within 24 hours, faith and community leaders sought and found solidarity and support fr…

1
TEXTing: A Foundation for Hope 37:31

3M ago37:31

37:31

This year on Tisha b’Av—the ninth of the Jewish month of Av—we’re bringing you an episode from our podcast TEXTing featuring Hartman fellows Elana Stein Hain and Leora Batnitzky: Living through crisis propels us to reflect on historical crises and consider the consequences of our behavior on future generations. As Tisha B’av approaches, Elana and L…

1
Steven Owens: An online community for autistic Christians 36:01

3M ago36:01

36:01

Zoe and Krysia speak with Church of Scotland minister, Steven Owens, about his vision for St Thorlak's community, an online space for autistic christians to connect and be supported. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/57fa4b80/transcript.txt Contact Steven at st.thorlaks@gmail.com If you have any question…

1
RMC Briefing: The wave of riots and impact on British Muslims 52:39

3M ago52:39

52:39

Violent thuggery in more than 20 towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland has targeted British Muslims, who are now in fear for their lives. Mosques have been attacked, hotels with asylum seekers have been surrounded by protesters, shops with Muslim owners have been ransacked or burned, and areas with high immigrant populations have been va…

1
All Eyes on Rafah (Re-Release) 58:01

3M ago58:01

58:01

This episode was originally released on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The whole world is watching Israel’s next moves in Gaza, particularly on the amplified information battleground of social media where images of civilian suffering and desolation abound. What is the ethical calculus at play for the IDF in continuing to conduct this war? In this episode, …

1
RMC Briefing: Olympics and Religion 53:09

3M ago53:09

53:09

For a secular country hosting the 33rd Olympic Games, France finds itself dealing with religion dominating the headlines. The controversial tableau in the rain-swept opening ceremony depicting the Last Supper (or was it the Festival of Dionysius) with drag queens and a woman comedian wearing a crown, widely seen as representing Jesus, caused anger …

1
Mary Lawlor - Human Rights Leader 55:38

3M ago55:38

55:38

Dubliner Mary Lawlor is a veteran human rights champion with a fascinating backstory, including a stint in her youth selling encyclopaedias in Canada. After a meeting with Amnesty International co-founder Sean MacBride, Mary got involved in the early days of Amnesty International Ireland, becoming one of their first volunteers while she was running…

1
Measuring the Crisis (Re-Release) 51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

This episode was originally released on May 28th, 2024. October 7th and its unfolding aftermath have triggered a seismic shift in Jewish communal life. In this episode, Yehuda Kurtzer sits down with Mimi Kravetz, Chief Impact and Growth Officer for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), to talk about JFNA’s recent surveys on Jewish communi…

1
The Roots, Values, and Crises of Liberalism 44:07

4M ago44:07

44:07

With elections top of mind for Jews in the U.S, Israel, and around the world, growing threats to liberalism and the rise of religious fundamentalism, populism, and identitarianism beg the question – are we going back in time? This week on Identity/Crisis, Yehuda Kurtzer and Tomer Persico discuss the current challenges to liberalism as a Jewish valu…

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