Best Religion Media Centre Podcasts (2024)

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

3h 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

3h 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

3h 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

7d 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

7d 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

7d 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

13d 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

14d 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

26d 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

26d 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

28d 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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…

1
CATChat 11: Autistic Representation in Books and Media 24:58

3M ago24:58

24:58

This week, Ian and Zoe discuss autistic representation in media and share some of their recomedations for good tv and books with autistic/autistic coded characters. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/617d31ea/transcript.txt Books and TV mentioned: Actually Autistic Extraordinary Attorney Woo Dinosaur The …

1
RMC Briefing: The swearing in ceremony for MPs united a richly diverse intake around a sacred oath 48:38

3M ago48:38

48:38

The three-day swearing in ceremony for MPs in the new parliament has proved a remarkably popular watch, with the oath of allegiance to the King spoken in English, Welsh, Scottish, Gaelic, Irish and Kernewek, on a wide variety of texts including the Bible, Quran, Bhagavad Gita, Sundar Gutka, Tanakh - and none. The latest tally of MPs’ religious affi…

1
Our Golden Age 48:54

3M ago48:54

48:54

At a time when it can be easy to focus on the threats to North American Jewish life, it’s important to remember that the current generation of American Jews benefits from more affluence, influence, power, and privilege than any other Jewish community in history. In this episode recorded in front of a live audience, Yehuda Kurtzer argues that we are…

1
RMC Briefing: Where next for the Church of England? 56:59

3M ago56:59

56:59

The decision by the Church of England general synod in York, to move towards allowing services for same-sex blessings, has once more revealed deep divisions, hurt, anger and anxieties. Speakers in this Religion Media Centre briefing discussed what possible moves could come next to keep the church together, where both sides are certain they are righ…

1
The Rise and Fall of Jamaal Bowman 52:18

3M ago52:18

52:18

The Democratic congressional primary in New York’s 16th District was one of the most closely watched this year and ended with Representative Jamaal Bowman losing to George Latimer. Yehuda Kurtzer and J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami discuss Bowman’s visit to Israel with J Street and the shift in Bowman’s politics and strategy during his time in of…

1
John Evoy - On Men's Sheds, Bereavement, Addiction, Counselling, Remote Work & More 1:02:42

3M ago1:02:42

1:02:42

My guest in this podcast is John Evoy. John is someone I've connected with at different times in the past due through my work in the community. I’ve always found him to be a deep thinker with a big heart. John lives in County Wexford, Ireland, and works as the General Manager of Grow Remote Ireland. He previously worked with social innovation fundi…

1
RMC Election Briefing: relationship between faith groups and the government 46:51

3M ago46:51

46:51

How should the incoming government work with faith groups in modern, diverse Britain? In this Religion Media Centre briefing, the panel discussed the current vacuum of communication, and heard that Muslims in particular feel alienated and ostracised. The government refuses to speak to the Muslim Council of Britain and there is no mechanism for fait…

1
Autism, Prayer and Anxiety, with Henna Cundill 41:17

3M ago41:17

41:17

This week, Ian is speaking with Henna Cundill about her research on autism, prayer and anxiety. She shares about autistic experiences of anxiety and how churches can be more understanding. She also shares about how she ended up doing her PhD. The transcript of the episode is available here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e98f7761/transcript.txt Find…

1
Disaster from the North 53:05

3M ago53:05

53:05

With looming threats and escalating violence from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel is being forced to shift its gaze to the North. In this episode, Yehuda Kurtzer speaks with journalist and author Matti Friedman about the rising tensions with Lebanon, Hezbollah’s history and ethos, and the ideological and geopolitical challenges currently faced by Isra…

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