This episode focuses on the Government Budget, released yesterday by Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves. In this episode Aoife from the Joint Public Issues Team is joined by Paul Morrison, a JPIT Policy Advisor. They discuss the recent government budget, and what that means for people across the UK. Resources: https://jpit.uk/the-202…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Matt Forsyth, chats to Niall Briggs, and is joined by JPIT member Florence Wright. Niall is a Methodist Community Pioneer, working as part of the Flourish Framework in Bristol & South Gloucestershire. This has involved helping to activate and open up church-owned and other spaces as spaces…

This episode is part of our Future of Arms series, exploring advances in warfare technology with theological and ethical discussions. In this episode Florence from the Joint Public Issues Team is joined by Zahraa Kapasi from SCRAP Weapons. They discuss interfaith advocacy, a Special Session on disarmament and youth engagement. Resources: SCRAP Weap…

This episode is the first part of our Future of Arms series, exploring advances in warfare technology with theological and ethical discussions. To introduce the series, Sienna is joined by Steve Hucklesby, Policy Advisor on International Affairs, Peace, Security, Arms and Climate Change at JPIT. Resources: JPIT's Future of Arms: jpit.uk/foa Find us…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Matt Forsyth, chats JPIT members, Simeon Mitchell and Aoife Wright. Simeon has been JPIT Team Leader since April 2021, and has had the privilege and responsibility of coordinating the work of the team. He was previously Deputy Team Leader and Secretary for Church and Society for the United…

A Challenge Poverty Week special episode! In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Nathan McGuire chats to Hannah Fremont-Brown, Revd. Simon Jay and Niall Cooper. Niall Cooper has been Director of Church Action on Poverty since 1997, and has been responsible for piloting new approaches to tackling poverty in the UK that enable people and c…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Matt Forsyth, chats to Revd. Dr Sally Mann. They are joined by Steve Tinning, a member of the JPIT team. Sally is Co-Director of www.redletterchristians.org.uk and one of 5 co-vocational ministers at Bonny Downs Baptist, an inclusive church in East London. She is the 4th of 6 generations o…

Nathan is joined by Bonnie Williams, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, and Joe Rinvolucri, Housing Justice Refugee Lodgings Officer. Why is there a housing crisis in the UK today? Are refugees really the cause? How can churches be part of the solution? Further reading and action: https://housingjustice.org.uk/ https://jpit.uk/housing-and-homeless…

Nathan is joined by Bonnie Williams, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, and Joe Rinvolucri, Housing Justice Refugee Lodgings Officer. Why is there a housing crisis in the UK today? Are refugees really the cause? How can churches be part of the solution? Further reading and action: https://housingjustice.org.uk/ https://jpit.uk/housing-and-homeless…

Nathan is joined by Bonnie Williams, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, and Joe Rinvolucri, Housing Justice Refugee Lodgings Officer. Why is there a housing crisis in the UK today? Are refugees really the cause? How can churches be part of the solution? Further reading and action: https://housingjustice.org.uk/ https://jpit.uk/housing-and-homeless…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Matt Forsyth, chats to Jacob Dimitriou. They are joined by Roo Stewart, a member of the JPIT team. Jacob Dimitriou is the Director for England at Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice, he has previously worked for the Labour Party and Commonweal Housing. Jacob was closely involved…

Welcome to this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit. Nathan Maguire introduces Matt Forsyth, future Vice President of the Methodist Conference, who takes over hosting duties. Matt is joined by Steve Hucklesby, a policy advisor for the Joint Public Issues Team (JPIT). Matt and Steve delve into their roles, emphasising the intersection of politi…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Isabella Senior. Isabella is the Young Leaders' Development Coordinator for Baptists Together. She's from Brazil and grew up church planting with her family. Isabella first came to the UK age 15 on a mission trip when she heard God speak to her about not wai…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Revd Dr Canon Sarah Hills. Sarah was born in South Africa and brought up mainly in Northern Ireland. She has been Vicar of Holy Island since January 2019, and Area Dean of Norham for the last 3 years. Before moving to Newcastle Diocese, she served as Canon f…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Stef Benstead. Stef is an independent researcher in social security and disability, and is herself dependent upon benefits due to a genetic chronic illness. She is currently studying for a Master's in Theology, Community Development and Social Change at Naza…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Revd Dr Simon Woodman. Simon is the Minister of Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church in the West End of London, and has previously been a market stall holder on Camden Market, a Baptist Minister in Bristol, a Tutor at South Wales Baptist College, and a lecturer…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Dr Trevor Laurence. Trevor Laurence (PhD, University of Exeter) is the Executive Director of the Cateclesia Institute and Theologian-in-Residence at Trinity Church (PCA) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He serves as a Research Associate with the Centre for …

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Dr Marion Carson. Marion Carson lives in Glasgow where she serves as Chaplain to Glasgow City Mission. She is also a senior research fellow at the International Baptist Study Centre in Amsterdam. She is the author of several books and articles, including the…

We're back with a brand new season! In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, our new host, Revd Dr Helen Paynter, chats to Revd Jade Zerk. Jade is a Baptist Pioneer Minister at Hope in Highbridge, working as a consultant to the Trussell Trust Church Engagement Team one day a week. Prior to this Jade was a Community Engagement Worker in a N…

Sienna talks to anti-poverty campaigner Hannah Fremont-Brown on this final episode of our election mini-series. They discuss poverty in the UK and how engagement with candidates and our future MPs can encourage putting the ending of poverty higher up the political agenda of all parties. Remember to take your voter ID if you vote at a polling statio…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, we focus on the upcoming General Election. With Sunday 30th June being the final Sunday before the General Election on the 4th July. This episode is hosted by Nathan McGuire, who is the Campaigns and Church Engagement Officer for JPIT, and is a Baptist Minister and is driven by a strong passion for …

Sienna talks to Emma Nash, a Baptist minister and member of the Methodist Mission Team on voting, the local church, mission, marginalisation and hope in politics. Emma shares how her work and ministry influence why she votes, especially from the perspective of churches in marginalised communities. She makes the case that hope is an action that Chri…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Revd Dr Helen Paynter. Helen will take over as our podcast host in our Summer series, beginning on 9th July. Helen Paynter, PhD, is a minister accredited by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, who now serves as tutor in Old Testament at the Bristol Baptist College. She …

Sienna and Annie discuss universal suffrage, politics and gender equality and being a mosquito. Huge leaps forwards in gender equality in the UK have been made in the almost 100 years since all women were allowed to vote. However, the gender pay gap remains stubbornly at 8%, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions and in politics, and…

In this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Dr Lisa Adjei. Dr. Lisa Adjei is an international speaker and writer who holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Physiology from the University of Surrey in Guildford, where she was also a church leader for many years. Lisa is the founder of Sankofa Collective, an ecumenical ra…

Do we vote for the benefit of others as well as ourselves? Can a 15-year gap in life expectancy between the wealthiest and poorest be addressed through elections? Sienna talks to Bevan Powell, Director of Inclusion for the Methodist Connexional Team, about being an architect of change and how political engagement by people of faith might help creat…

With around 4 million people able to vote in a General Election for the first time in 2024, how can we help young people to engage and make their voices heard? Roo talks to Maya, Youth Assembly Moderator Elect for the United Reformed Church, about her attitude to voting and politics, and what changes she thinks would help young people to get more i…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Revd Dr Tim Judson. Reverend Doctor Tim Judson is a theologian and Baptist Minister passionate about the intersection of theology, arts, and social justice. He explores how beliefs shape lives, engaging with liberation theologies to challenge systemic inequalities. As o…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Revd Dr Jo Cox-Darling. Joanne Cox-Darling is Superintendent of the Wolverhampton Methodist Circuit, Chair of the Mission Committee, and trustee of the Southlands Methodist Trust. A lifelong proponent of holding the space for both justice and evangelism, Joanne continue…

A General Election has been called! How should churches and Christians engage? Join Simeon and Sienna as they talk about our call to ‘Love, Pray and Vote’, some of the issues we want to see on the election agenda, and how churches can be part of the democratic process through voter registration and holding hustings.Further reading/resources: https:…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Revd George Pitcher. George Pitcher is a visiting fellow at the LSE and an Anglican priest. He's a journalist and writer by background, an occasional broadcaster and a former senior adviser to Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. He recently completed 10 years of ru…

This week, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, stated that we are closer to nuclear escalation than at any point since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Is he right and what can be done? In 2008, US nuclear weapons were removed from British soil. Now it looks like the US wants to send them back. Should the British public have a say? Listen to Annie and S…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Paul Kerensa. Paul is a British Comedy Award-winning writer, working on TV shows including Miranda, Not Going Out with Lee Mack, Top Gear, and many more. As a comedian he’s performed over 3000 gigs, from Montreal Comedy Festival to London’s Comedy Store, via countless c…

UPDATED 13 May to reflect an announcement from the Home Office on one of the issues raised in the episode.-----Roo talks to Fr Dominic Robinson and Revd Jennifer Mills-Knutsen, two of London's West End church leaders, about their recent letter denouncing the UK Government's approach to 'nuisance' rough sleeping in the Criminal Justice Bill.Further …

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats his brother, Revd Mark Wakelin. Revd Mark Wakelin is a Methodist Minister in Chessington, in Greater London. Mark has been a Methodist Minister for over 40 years and was President of the Methodist Conference 2012-2013. He is currently Chair of Trustees of the Fellowship of…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Deacon Eunice Attwood. Deacon Eunice Attwood is the Church at the Margins Officer for the Methodist Church. Eunice brings over twenty years’ experience of ordained diaconal ministry from a variety of contexts, including theological education and city- and town-centred m…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Revd Hayley Young. Rev Hayley is currently the Regional Minister: co-team leader of Southern Counties Baptist Association. In 2022-2023 she was President of Baptist Together, she has a passion for encouraging churches to out hospitality at the heart of their mission and…

In this week's episode of Politics in the Pulpit, host Michael Wakelin chats to Rev Naomi Nixon. Naomi is CEO of the Student Christian Movement which has been at the forefront of putting progressive theology into action for over a century. As an Anglican priest, in addition to parish ministry, she has worked in clergy training, college chaplaincy a…

In our first episode of this new series, our new host, Michael, chats to Dave Tomlinson. Dave is an Anglican priest and chaplain to the St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, who holds a masters degree in modern hermeneutics. He is the author of many books including ’The Post-Evangelical’, ‘How to be a Bad Christian and a Better Human…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Michael Wakelin. Michael will be our podcast host for the next series, beginning 9th April. Michael is known for his work in interfaith dialogue, media production, and academic contributions. He is currently the Executive Chair of the Religion Media Centre and Executive Producer…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Chine McDonald. Chine McDonald is director of the religion think tank Theos. She is a regular writer and media commentator on issues of religion in public life, race, and gender. She is the author of ‘God Is Not a White Man: And Other Revelations’ and the upcoming 'Unmaking Mary…

Simeon and Paul discuss the impact they expect The Budget, announced on 6 March 2024, will have on people with the lowest incomes or those who are experiencing poverty or destitution.Further reading and action:https://jpit.uk/responding-to-the-budget-0324https://letsendpoverty.co.uk/Find us on:* twitter.com/publicissues* instagram.com/public.issues…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Wendy Lloyd. Wendy lives and works on a croft on the Isle of Mull on the west coast of Scotland. She is a spiritual director, pilgrim guide and retreat facilitator under the name of her own fledgling project, Mull Another Way. She creates and curates worship resources for GoHeal…

Sienna and Steve T discuss why voting is important, the potential barriers people might face to voting this year and how churches can become accredited Voter Registration Champions.Further reading and action:https://www.voterchampion.org.uk/https://jpit.uk/the-view-from-a-cupboard-in-parliamenthttps://jpit.uk/electionFind us on:* twitter.com/public…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Revd John Howard. John has been a Methodist Minister for over 40 years, working in areas of social deprivation before becoming Chair of the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District. His last appointment was as a mission partner in Israel Palestine, where he has also served twice as…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Bishop Olivia Graham. Olivia began her career in teaching and international development, including a period working for Oxfam in Somalia. She was ordained in 1997 serving in Garsington, Princes Risborough, and Burnham in the Diocese of Oxford, before becoming a Parish Developmen…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Revd Yousouf Gooljary, a retired Anglican priest, currently working on projects challenging racism and the legacy of slavery in Scotland. Yousouf has two boys and three grandchildren, and works as a supply teacher in Edinburgh schools teaching science. His current responsibiliti…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young. Alex is a minister in the United Reformed Church currently in a pioneering role in Cambridge city centre. A member of the Iona Community, Alex is a keen advocate for social justice, with a particular interest in LGBTQ+ theologies. Jacky and Alex discuss…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to Professor Anthony Reddie. Anthony Reddie is the Professor of Black Theology in the University of Oxford. He is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture in Regent's Park college, the University of Oxford and is also an Extraordinary Professor with the University…

On this week’s episode of Politics in the Pulpit, Jacky is chatting to JPIT's newest member, Nathan McGuire. Nathan has long demonstrated a deep care for others and expresses his faith through loving action. Born and raised in South London, he came to faith during sixth form college before working as a Domestic Violence Prevention Practitioner at L…