sv podcast – the one with a bit of faith and doubt

It’s almost Lent and Holly and Darren are discussing faith, doubt and spiritual practices. Will you have Plenty Lenty? Is doubt sacred? How do we kindle the spark of faith within us? How do we tune in to the divine?

Will there be chocolate?

Our references and links in this podcast are:

The Sacred podcast with Elizabeth Oldfield
Faith, Hope and Carnage by Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan, published by Canongate
Everything Happens. With Kate Bowler podcast
Rachel Held Evans
Richard Coles
Foy Vance
You Have Permission podcast

This podcast was recorded on Thursday 16 February 2023. Available from Apple Podcasts , TuneIn Radio, and from all your usual podcast Apps. Duration: 30 minutes.
Theme music by Nicolai Heidlas.

Coming soon …
In a first, we’ll be reading a book during Lent for the podcast. It’s Faith, Hope and Carnage by Nick Cave and Sean O’Hagan, and Darren & Holly will be reviewing it next month. Read along with us and let us know what you think!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Geraldine Rooney says:

March 2, 2023 at 1:33 pm

Hello, just listened to this while baking a cake for tomorrow’s World Day of Prayer, to be held at my church (St Andrews, Ravelston) tomorrow, 3 March. Gosh, it needs to be a 365 day event just now. Very thoughtful and interesting, I agree with so much of what Holly says. I am inclined to think Darren is at it, making his favourite Italian a spiritual matter – but then again, cooking and eating together is a kind of love so perhaps I am too judgemental (o:
As a Catholic, I often feel that my faith is given to cause me discomfort and doubt. So many occasions to bristle at its strictures and practices. I think my nature must be quite thrawn to tolerate it. But at a time when the world seems to be in such a precarious state, it can also be a great comfort. The human condition.
I was blessed to have a cousin who was a Cistercian monk (in Ireland, the same order as Nunraw in East Lothian). He was so wise. Like the Bob Dylan song, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now” sums up how he lived lightly in his skin as time went on. I sometimes use the Monastic Diurnal as an aid to prayer. I see that BBC radio 3 offers us a handful of Compline services, my dearest office of the day.
But, verging on pantheism, I also find nature a balm. One of my favourite lines from a psalm is “Be still and know that I am God”, so handy to say in one’s head (and can be reduced word by word in succession). We once went to Taizé, almost by accident – camping in Burgundy sounded like a great idea. I see its attraction.
Anyway, thanks Holly and Darren and all the team. Geraldine

Darren says:

March 4, 2023 at 3:36 pm

Hi Geraldine, thanks for posting such a long and considered reply!

You may be right that I am “at it” but I will continue to scour the Bible in the hope of finding supportive verses re la cucina Italia. Or maybe just a mention of pasta and chickpeas. What’s the Latin for “limoncello”??

I’ve always liked the Bob Dylan lyric and feel that the older I get the less I know for sure. I have to hope that is no bad thing. I see what you mean about strictures but am wrestling (if that’s not too strong a term) with finding the border between practice and superstition. And yes, the whole prayer thing.

I went to a Taize service at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, it was quite a beautiful experience. One shouldn’t rate worship like a film or book, but it made my top ten religious experiences. Mind you, I’m not sure I could actually fill a list with ten of those!

1. Geraldine Rooney says:
  
  March 7, 2023 at 8:33 pm
  
  Well, it’s true that some of Jesus’ best moments include food and wine: the wedding feast at Cana one of my favourites. The feeding the multitude (I’m sure my mother used to refer to Sunday lunch as this), and the Last Supper…
  I am coming to the conclusion that the best thing is to find what suits you: some people get it from saying the rosary, especially in a group – not me. But that’s okay. We cannot expect religious ecstasy all the time, just as we cannot live in a state of euphoria. A little glimpse now and then: to borrow Cardinal Newman’s words “ Lead, Kindly Light… Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
  The distant scene; one step enough for me”.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply