The Natural Philosopher

Episode 41: Show Your Stripes as Common Grace

Recently I observed Show your Stripes day with Christian advocacy group Common Grace, by gifting scarves to politicians that tell the story of a warming climate. In this episode, I reflect upon that experience.

Episode 40: The Ecotheology of Ross Langmead

Ross Landmead was a Baptist ecotheologian who wrote about the need for evangelical theology to grapple seriously with non-human creation as part of its mission.

Episode 39: Being a Beast for World Environment Day

In this episode, I engage with Charles Foster's fascinating Being A Beast: Adventures Across the Species Divide. Time to abandon a little human self-importance and get to know our nonhuman neighbours for World Environment Day.

Episode 38: Beyond conflict - Christianity, science, climate, and COVID

Christianity and science have often been pictured as opposed. In a time of climate change and COVID, we need to move beyond this conflict to fight the threat these issues present.

Episode 37: The future - the undiscovered country

Is history cyclical or linear, or both? Is it closed to our actions or can we shape the future? In this episode I argue the future is open to our actions, and the scientific and theological imperative is that we act to avert the worst of possible futures under climate change.

Episode 36: Why academic study in a time of climate emergency?

Is theological study a waste of time in the face of the climate emergency? Or does it prepare Christian scholars to motivate the church to stronger action and see it as part of their Christian duty?

Episode 35: Can Christians call the Earth Mother?

Can Christians call the Earth Mother? Is this just adopting ideas from elsewhere, or does it acknowledge the biblical picture of the Earth as a source of nurture, albeit not divine, partnering with God?

Episode 34: God's gardeners. Genesis 2-3 and creation care

In this episode, I rave excitedly about the idea that Genesis 2-3 portrays humans as both fundamentally made from and for the soil, and that we do so as king and queen priests in creation.

Episode 33: What is Forest Church, part 2

In this episode I continue my chat with Matt Stone about forest church, alternative forms of Christianity, and being with and learning from pagans.

Episode 32: What is Forest Church?

In this episode I talk with Matt Stone about issues with the traditional ways in which we do church. We then go on to discuss what Forest Church is in his experience.