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Bread and RosariesEp.76 - Bomb Gaza, but Don't Be Mean!Send us a textThis week, Ben, Adam, and Jonny take a look at the confected moral outrage machine. Why are we allowed to be angry at Bob Vylan, but not a government aiding and abetting a genocide? How does the state uses outrage to keep people quiet? Why do Christians so often fall for it? Plus: the antifascist joy of queer wrestling in nacho cheese, bookshop-based moral collapse, and a French pastor and his deeply unimpressed wife, who led a village to save thousands of Jewish refugees during the Nazi occupation.Support th...2025-07-271h 15Bread and RosariesEp.75 - Illegal Palestine Action EpisodeSend us a textWell almost illegal anyway... if the government gets its way, pretty soon this kind of content will get us up to 14 years in prison, so enjoy (endure?) it while you can!CLARIFICATION: In this episode, Adam says he thinks Mark Rowley was formerly commissioner of the Northern Irish Police Service. This is not the case. Bread and Rosaries wishes to apologise for associating such a name with the good people of Ireland. It's bad enough the PSNI exists, without Mark Rowley getting involved.Donate to Palestine Action's legal defence...2025-06-271h 08
Bread and RosariesEp.74 - Mary Magdalene, Christian Communism & Radical Love (feat. Dr. Fran Lock)Send us a textBen and Adam sit down with poet and Culture Matters editor Fran Lock to talk about her new poetry collection Love Is Stronger Than Death: Mary Magdalene and the Insurrection of Jesus. They talk Christian communism, doubt as an ethical practice, Mary Magdalene’s overlooked radical role, and what Christ and Huey Newton have in common. Plus: football and Palestine solidarity; Saint of the Week Thomas Hagerty. Buy Fran's book here!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it do...2025-06-181h 23Bread and RosariesEp.73 - Christian Nationalism in the UKSend us a textBen and Adam coordinate T-shirts, then draw from Adam's article in Shibboleth magazine to coordinate their critiques of how church and crown legitimise each other. They also react to the horror of an American Pope and present perhaps their most famous Saint of the Week yet!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits at...2025-05-131h 08Bread and RosariesEp.72 - Praying the Price: Commodity Fetishism and Christianity (feat. Steve the Kangaroo)Send us a textJoin Ben and Adam as they try to work out why online shopping feels like a spiritual experience, uncover the story of a Jesuit resistance hero who outsmarted the Gestapo, and endure Adam’s chaotic new soundboard additions.Spoiler: Yes, your headphones are ethically cursed.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits at this link...2025-05-061h 10
Bread and RosariesEp.71 - He Died for Our Sins... Time for Chocolate (feat. James Sholl)Send us a textAvoid God's wrath by joining Ben, Jonny, Adam and returning guest James Sholl, pastor of Toronto’s Wellspring Worship Centre, as they ask 'why did Jesus (have to) die?' Is penal substitution just divine child abuse? Does Jürgen Moltmann's solidarity theory hold up? And most importantly, how many times can Ben say the words "lick out" before we never want a Caramel Egg again? Plus learn about Saint of the Week, Trevor Carter, the Windrush-generation communist who co-founded Notting Hill Carnival.Content warning: May contain traces of heresyS...2025-04-191h 26Bread and RosariesEp.70 - The ManosphereSend us a textGet yourself a beer and the roasted flesh of the cutest animal you can find, then buckle up and tune in for the manliest UK-based leftist Christian podcast ever! This week the team take on The Manosphere. Can they stare into the abyss and still come back? Will they suddenly start getting defensive whenever anyone mentions Joe Rogan? Only time (about 1hr 15mins!) will tell!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you...2025-04-081h 15
Bread and RosariesEp.69 - How Do We Know What We Know? (feat. Professor Oli Mould)Send us a textIt's time for the big one: just how exactly do we know what we know? In episode 69 (nice!), Adam and Jonny have invited special guest Professor Oli Mould to talk with them about epistemology. Can they work out how to tell truth from lie in a post-truth world? Or will they fall prey to the postmodern neo-Marxists trying to spread their WOKE agenda? There's only one way to find out!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money...2025-03-311h 22
Bread and RosariesEp.68 - New Media for the Christian Left (feat. Jonty Langley)Send us a textIt's finally happened! Beer Christianity's Jonty Langley has degraded himself (further?) by appearing on a lesser UK-based leftist Christian podcast! Join Ben and Adam as they quiz Jonty about the need for new leftist Christian media, as well as the new magazine that's playing its part!Jonty's links:S(h)ibboleth magazineNovel Beer Christianity podcastNew Old Music podcastTikTok TwitterSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but...2025-03-121h 15
Bread and RosariesEp.67 - From Bad to Wurst: Unpacking the German Elections (feat. Dr. Antonia Rumpf)Send us a textThat's right folks, it's the sequel nobody wanted! The German far-right have come second in the federal elections... everything's gonna be fine, right? Right?!! Oh God, tell us everything's gonna be fine! Adam and Ben are joined for this episode by Dr. Antonia Rumpf, Equality Officer for the Protestant Church in Bremen, who helps them look at the recent federal elections and the role of the Church.Follow Antonia's work on InstagramSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone...2025-03-041h 38Bread and RosariesEp.66 - Does the UK have a Christian far-right?Send us a textDoes the UK have a Christian far-right? Yes... yes it does. We can't believe this is even a question, but one academic paper claims otherwise. Join Ben and Adam as they take a look.NB There is no video this week because *someone* forgot to record it! Sorry about that. Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!M...2025-02-271h 04Bread and RosariesEp.65 - The Evangelical AllianceSend us a textThe Evangelical Alliance have been having a bit of an a recruitment drive on social media. This annoyed Adam so much that he insisted we do an episode about them and their shit! Also present for today's episode are actual bona fide saint, Moses the Black; official enemy of the pod, Calvin Robinson, and fascist Vice President of the United States of America, JD Vance.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so i...2025-02-111h 36Bread and RosariesEp.64 - The Fall of Justin WelbySend us a textWe planned this episode before Justin Welby announced his resignation and recorded it shortly after the news broke. It was set to be our most timely and relevant episode yet! But then Adam fell ill and couldn’t edit it in time. So, if you can, cast your mind back to last week, and this will all feel strikingly prescient—dare we say, prophetic even!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish...2024-11-271h 21Bread and RosariesEp.63 - One Year On: Palestine and the Complicity of NeutralitySend us a textBen and Adam reflect on a year of faith leaders' moral failure in response to Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people as well as a much better response from liberation theologian, Sarojini Nadar. They also talk about Saint of the Week, St. John Chrysostom. That's right, an actual official saint for Saint of the Week! And what's up with sports journalists covering for athletes who have committed horrific crimes? Ben helps us think through some ongoing cases in Mingrapes. Joint letter from faith leadersSarojini Nadar's reflectionSupport...2024-10-151h 09Bread and RosariesEp.62 - Democracy as IdeologySend us a textHow is democracy used ideologically? Is it even the best way to structure society? Are there alternatives? Jonny and Adam try to get to the bottom of it and along the way run into dogs painted to look like pandas, the resurrection of a long-lost biblical tree, and the first (and possibly only!) TORY Saint of the Week!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon...2024-10-0458 minBread and RosariesEp.61 - The Politics of CharitySend us a textIs charity really the solution to society’s biggest problems, or is it just a sticking plaster for an evil capitalist system?! Join Ben and Adam as they critique Jon Kuhrt's lecture Grace, Truth and the Common Good, discuss this week’s Saint of the Week, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and explore why Lee Carsley refuses to sing the national anthem. Links:Carsley not singing national anthemParents' dismay at 'draconian' uniform rulesJournal article on Ken Saro-WiwaEdited extract of Jon Kuhrt's lectureFull version transcriptVideo of lecturePodcast of lectureSupport the showEver...2024-09-121h 01Bread and RosariesEp.60 - The Church's Hedge Fund FinancierSend us a textBen and Adam take a look at the influence of right-wing hedge fund manager and media mogul, Paul Marshall's quiet reshaping the Church of England through financial influence. They also spotlight Gresham Kirkby, the Anglican priest who proclaimed his undying support for anarchism to the end, making him our Saint of the Week. The Surviving Church blog has some really interesting pieces on HTB, power and safeguarding. This series, by Hatty Calbus, was particularly helpful.Fr. Gresham and the Kingdom of God by Steve BurrowsA Father and a...2024-08-301h 05Bread and RosariesEp.59 - Where is the Church's Prophetic Voice?Send us a textAs an established church, the Church of England occupies a unique position in the constitutional life of England and the UK as a whole. But in the face of growing authoritarianism, how can it act prophetically? Is it time to give up its privileged status? Join Jonny and Adam as they discuss Adam's article Where is the Church's Prophetic Voice? and explore the tensions between the Church's influence and its ability to challenge the status quo. Can the Church of England find a way to embody its calling, or is it time for a ra...2024-08-1345 min
Bread and RosariesEp.58 - Spirituality for the Secular Left (feat. Graham Jones)Send us a textDoes the secular left need a better approach to spirituality and faith? What can it learn from religious practices? And is a materialist spirituality possible? Join Ben and Adam as they chat with author and activist, Graham Jones, about his book Red Enlightenment. Red Enlightenment is available here!Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits a...2024-07-201h 13
Bread and RosariesEp.57 - Kicked Out for Queer Inclusion (feat. James Sholl)Send us a textWhat happens when a church decides to fully embrace queer inclusion? To find out, Bread and Rosaries takes a rare detour across the Atlantic where Adam chats with James Sholl, pastor of Wellspring Worship Centre, Toronto. James' InstagramWellspring Worship CentreSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits at this link 2024-07-021h 18Bread and RosariesEp.56 - Flexing My ElectoralsSend us a textFrom the CofE's standard 'let's not be mean' offering in #PrayYourPart, to something a little more interesting from the Diocese of Salisbury, join Adam Spiers and Jonny Bell as they take a look at some Christian responses to the upcoming general election. Is democracy possible under capitalism? How does the Church intersect with power? What does it mean to be a Christian committed to revolutionary change in a world dominated by establishment interests? All of these questions will remain unanswered in this episode so maybe you want to give this one a miss? I dunn...2024-06-1946 minBread and RosariesEp.55 - Russell Brand: Brother in ChristSend us a textSo er... Russell Brand's a Christian now apparently. Join Ben and Adam as they rejoice at the news and discuss the Christian/conspiracy theorist/Fascist pipeline. Also listen out for Saint of the Week, Joseph Brotherton.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits at this link 2024-05-301h 04Bread and RosariesEp.54 - Pain in the CassSend us a textBen, Adam, and Jonny take a look at the Cass Review into gender health care for young people, discussing some of the biases, shady characters and rhetoric associated with it. Naturally Jonny thinks Hegel can help and Adam wants to talk about ageism again.The hosts also discuss Saint of the Week, Jacques Gaillot, best known for pissing off the pope so much that he made him bishop of a portion of the Sahara dessert.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will b...2024-05-1459 min
Bread and RosariesEp.53 - Britain's Betrayal of Palestine (feat. Dr. Peter Shambrook)Send us a textWhen the echoes of history reverberate through today's headlines, understanding the past becomes essential to navigating the present. Ben Molyneux-Hetherington and Adam Spiers are joined by Dr. Peter Shambrook, author of 'Policy of Deceit: Britain and Palestine, 1914-1939', who helps us understand British manoeuvrings in Palestine prior to the establishment of the State of Israel.Peter's book, 'Policy of Deceit' is available here.The Balfour Project can be found here.We also discuss Saint of the Week Henry Gunter, and his profound impact on the antiracism m...2024-04-131h 07Bread and RosariesEp.52 - Kairos PalestineSend us a textBen, Jonny and Adam talk about the Kairos Palestine document in light of Israel's ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. At time of publication kairospalestine.ps is unavailable, but the World Council of Churches website also has the Kairos Palestine document in full here.A longer, uncensored version of this episode is available for free on our Patreon page here.Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianSupp...2024-02-1755 minBread and RosariesEp.51 - Organising for PalestineSend us a textBen and Adam talk about the importance of Christians organising for a free Palestine and what role they can play in the movement. Also, we know we're extremely late with this one. Adam blames his dog... and work. But mostly the dog. She's a needy little bitch.Adam's blogpost about ModiFind us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be...2024-02-0753 min
Bread and RosariesEp.50 - Empire Theology and Empire Medals (feat. Rev. Chris Howson BEM)Send us a textTo kick off the New Year and a new series, Ben and Adam are joined once again by Chris Howson who tries to defend his acceptance of a New Year's honour and talks about two very different sermons.Free bonus material here!Links:Martin Luther King and the Trumpet of Conscience Today by Jean-Charles Regine MichelleThe God Who Riots: Taking Back the Radical Jesus by Damon GarciaThe Hero and the Whore: Reclaiming Healing and Liberation Through the Stories of Sexual Exploitation in...2024-01-201h 08Bread and RosariesChristmas in PalestineSend us a textChrist is born, but celebrations in Palestine have been cancelled. Palestine Solidarity Campaign FundraiserWith thanks to Raghad Haddad for vocals on Silent Night and Sandra Daniels for her help and encouragement.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon, we'd love you forever!Music credits at this link 2023-12-2507 minBread and RosariesEp.49 - The True Levellers Standard AdvancedSend us a textCap out the fourth season with Adam as he reads from start to finish, Gerrard Winstanley's 1649 pamphlet 'The True Levellers Standard Advanced'. Read along hereFind us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to support the show on Patreon...2023-12-1247 minBread and RosariesEp.48 - BothsidesismSend us a textJonny, Ben and Adam try to work out why 'bothsidesism' seems so prevalent in both the Church and wider society, particularly in coverage of Israel's ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. So a nice light topic then! Liturgies from Below: https://www.abebooks.co.uk/9781791007355/Liturgies-Below-Praying-People-Ends-179100735X/plpFind us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianSupport the showEverything Bread and...2023-11-2456 minBread and RosariesEp.47 - Postmodern Neomarxists Cucked Our PodcastSend us a textJonny tries to justify his love of postmodernism whilst Lu fans the flames of Adam's oscillating between incredulity and rage. Consensus is found however, in the assertion that Jordan Peterson is a hack.Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianMusic credits at this linkHere's a bunch of resources about Palestine:Beer Christianity newsletter on condemning HamasShort video on anti-zionism and anti-semi...2023-11-0758 minBread and RosariesEp.46 - Why Bother 2: Why BothererSend us a textAdam and Ben discuss why they still bother with politics, how their Christianity relates to this and their differing approached to doubt. They also discuss Israel's ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.You can find a form letter for writing to your MP about Palestine on our website: https://breadandrosaries.com/2023/10/24/writing-to-your-mp-about-palestine/Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianLinks:Here's a bunch of...2023-10-241h 03
Bread and RosariesEp.45 - Liberation Theology Gathering (feat. Rev. Chris Howson)Send us a textAdam and Jonny are joined by liberation theologian, chaplain and comrade Chris Howson for his third appearance. Chris tells us about the upcoming Liberation Theology Gathering which was upcoming at time of recording, but has now taken place for 2023.Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianChris Howson's Facebook Support the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it doe...2023-10-1156 min
Bread and RosariesEp.44 - Class and Solidarity (feat. Rev. Luke Larner)Send us a textJonny, Ben and Adam are joined by Luke Larner to talk about the new book Confounding The Mighty: Stories of Church, Social Class and Solidarity which he edited. We talk about the confusing way class is often understood, navigating identity politics, and the class nature of Brexit, as well as the the joys of being a Premier League parish!Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianLinks:Luke...2023-09-261h 01
Bread and RosariesEp.43 - When the Bible Disagrees With Itself (feat. Dr. Dan McClellan)Send us a textBible scholar, podcaster and TikTok star Dr. Dan McClellan joins Ben and Adam to talk constructions of Jesus, univocality and biblical contradictions... and revolution!Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianLinks:Data Over Dogma podcastDan's TikTokSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone forever, but it does cost money to produce so if you wish to suppo...2023-09-121h 10Bread and RosariesEp.42 - Debt and MammonSend us a textBen and Adam have a look at the topic of debt, drawing from Marika Rose's book 'Theology for the End of the World'. They talk Christian moral values, David Graeber and the Mob! Plus find out about the patron saint of comedians!Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianLinks:Marika Rose's book: 'Theology for the End of the World'Church Times Article: Traditionalists argue that confession should be exempt from...2023-08-301h 05Bread and RosariesEp.41 - The World Turned Upside Down?Send us a textBen and Adam are joined by new cohost and former guest Jonny Bell to talk about the social impact of the Diggers. Together, they delve into the social reverberations sparked by the Diggers, ask whether an excess of moralism has ruined cultural criticism, and discover a very good boy sainted for his uncompromising stance on cops.Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianJonny - jonathan.bell@methodists.org.uk Links:2023-08-151h 06Bread and RosariesEp.40 - Hot Digger SummerSend us a textBen and Adam continue the conversation about the Diggers and we learn about someone so radical even the Quakers disowned him!Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianTheme song: 'Good Morning' by Amine Maxwell (CC BY 3.0)Outro "Outlandish" by Double-F the King (CC BY-SA 4.0) Additional track licensed under Pixabay Terms of Service: "Uplifting House" by RoyaltyFreeMusicSupport the showEverything Bread and Rosaries does will be free for everyone f...2023-08-011h 17
Bread and RosariesEp.39 - Gerrard Winstanley and the Diggers (feat. Lívia Roberge)Send us a textHistorian Lívia Roberge joins Adam and Lu on their quest to explore the story of Gerrard Winstanley and the Diggers! On the way they discover why former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro hates alligators and why it's definitely 'Wars of the Three Kingdoms' rather than 'English Civil War' or 'English Revolution'!Elmbridge Museum's 'Surrey Diggers Trail' where you can find Liv's blog.Liv's Twitter(X?) - @LivLeFayFind us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.com...2023-07-251h 37Bread and RosariesEp.38 - Abuse (feat. Sarah M-H)Send us a textBen is joined by Sarah to discuss some of the recent safeguarding news in the Church alongside her research into spiritual abuse. For a lighter topic, we discuss people dying in an exploding submarine. Content warning - With the exception of the opening segment, almost the entirety of this episode deals with issues of abuse in the church. Whilst we don’t describe any acts of abuse in any detail, we do talk extensively about the nature and impact of spiritual abuse. Please do skip this episode if this isn...2023-07-041h 10Bread and RosariesEp.37 - DeclineSend us a textEven by our standards, there are a lot of tangents in this one. Ben and Adam talk about nostalgia (bad), peasant revolts (good), Lord of The Flies (bad), The Beatles (good) and Justin Welby (complicated). Find us here:Website - breadandrosaries.comFacebook – facebook.com/BreadAndRosariesTwitter – @Bread_RosariesEmail – breadandrosaries@gmail.comAdam – @CommieXianOur theme song is "Good Morning" by Amine Maxwell, available here.It is licensed under CC BY 3.0, available here.Support the showEverything Bread and Rosa...2023-06-201h 00