Episodes
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Ahead of an online event on the 9th August Abi speaks to Rev Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana about racial justice in the UK.
We also discuss the intersection with climate justice, mental health and how the UK church can respond and recover.
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Abi has been out and about again, visiting the wonderful people at Leeds Craftivists to hear about their collaborative and crafty campaigns. Including campaigns around food waste, the cost of living crisis and local transport.
If you want to know more about the principles behind craftivism, we have two episodes here and here with Sarah Corbett, author and founder of the Craftivist Collective. Or you can buy her books here.
Abi met Emma Temple and Anna Bland, who co-founded the Leeds Craftivists. I was also able to talk to Husain Alogaily, who co-founded Compost It, a fantastic organisation collecting food waste from households and delivering it to local growers who then turn it into compost.
The Leeds Craftivist group is open to anyone who loves to craft for change.
To donate to The Praxis Centre please visit our website (scroll right to the bottom) or go to PayPal here.
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Missing episodes?
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A super short episode to draw our attention to the new resource from Jubilee+ called Voting Like Jesus. Natalie Williams calls on Christians to engage with politics, to pray and to look honestly at our own hearts, as we face a general election.
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The first in our exciting new series in collaboration with Proximity, a new resource hub for urban Christians. In this episode we discover the joys and challenges of following Jesus on an urban estate.
We'll hear from Allan Finnegan from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Netherton in Liverpool, Tom Grant, also from Emmanuel Baptist Church and Head of Proximity, as well as Tal Watkins and Marie Robinson from the Netherton Community Grocery.
And finally from Bishop Philip North, who tells us that there are two stories: amazing life and hope on urban estates, and also a church that has deep inequality within its structures.
Allan's GoFundMe for his treatment is here.
Clip from Britain's Got Talent used with permission.
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Meet the Hopeful Activist team, including the authors of The Hopeful Activist book and find out why we are so proud of it!
Most of the team came to The Lodge Café in Bradford to hear the story of how a subsiding building became a thriving community space and find out how to be a hopeful activist. Abi also speaks to Thobekile Ncube from Harare in Zimbabwe, to hear about her contribution to the book and how her view on hope has changed.
Ezekiel 37 can be read here.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
With thanks to Beth, Rich, Eilidh, Rachel and Thobes.
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Brian D. McLaren is a very well known author, speaker, activist and public theologian and joined Abi from his home in Florida.
Brian works with Father Richard Rohr at the Centre for Action and Contemplation and is proud to be an activist!
We talk about Brian's new book Life After Doom, covering:
how to welcome the reality of our climate crisishow to be contemplative and protect your mind and what's the problem with hope?We also talk about the parable of the rich fool and the Lord's Prayer ..."may God's dreams for the earth come true."
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Grace Hills has been digging up the grass verges, planting fruit trees and increasing the biodiversity on her street, with the help of her neighbours and their children. Abi met two of the children who are part of her Flower Fairies group, where Grace teaches them to enjoy and appreciate nature, and to do plenty of planting, despite living on a suburban housing estate!
If you’re a gardener this is a good episode to listen to whilst you’re doing some digging and planting, and if, like Abi, you appreciate nature, but don’t see yourself as a gardener, we know you’ll be inspired by the small steps that started Grace Hills on her guerrilla gardening journey. We also talk about being a neurodiverse Christian activist, a subject we'll return to soon!
You can find Grace on Instagram @sparkingcommunity
The book she mentioned is called Get Guerrilla Gardening by Ellen Miles.
You can find out more about guerrilla gardening here and there's a beginners guide here.
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Rachel and Rich (authors of The Hopeful Activist) listen to Abi's interview with Dr Andy Knox, author of Sick Society.
Dr Andy Knox argues that our society is broken because we have built it on values that are not working for too many people. Sharing moving stories from the people he has met in his clinic as a GP, we see a system that is stacked against certain people in society and is profoundly unjust. Arguing against "hero leaders", and for hosting, listening and working together with love at the core, Andy challenges us to be outraged by the injustice in our society, and then do something about it.
To buy Sick Society visit Boz Publications.
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Laura Young has been leading a campaign with groups supporting health and the environment and at the end of January their campaign to have disposable vapes banned in the UK was successful!
The campaign is just 16 months old, and has made a huge impact, with legislative change now around the corner and Abi was delighted to be able to talk to Laura so soon after this amazing result!
Laura, also known as LessWasteLaura is an award winning climate activist, environmental scientist, and ethical influencer. for more ideas on waste reduction visit her linktr.ee
@lesswastelaura across social media
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Thanks so much to Sarah Edwards and Rosie Venner from the Just Money Movement for answering some tricky questions in today’s episode.
If you’ve ever asked questions of capitalism, if you’ve thought about whether direct action or becoming a shareholder is the best way to make change in our financial systems, or if you feel like you don’t have enough money to make a difference anyway, you’ll find something in this interview for you!
Find out more about the Fair Tax Mark here.
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A great interview with the Rev Dr Ash Barker today! For over 30 years Ash has lived on the front line of urban poverty with his family, and Ash is the founder of Seedbeds, which is all about growing the capacities of urban leaders where they live. I went down to Birmingham to meet Ash at his community church building and there are so many riches to mine from him and we’ll also hear more from James Crystal, who we heard from in our Christmas episode about his experience on the Change Makers Programme, which Ash Barker set up.
Find out more about Generosity Dinners here.
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A special episode about faith and mental health. Please be aware that this episode includes reference to sexual assault, suicide and self-harm.
Today we hear from three brilliant contributors.
Aaron Shah from Worship on the Streets shares his personal mental health journey. His book is called Being Still, A Quiet Revolution and you can get a copy here, or by signing up at his Patreon. You can hear more from him on this previous episode.
Bryn Abbott works for Mercy UK and talks to us about The Big Christian Mental Health Campaign. Do look at their website for more details on The Freedom Course.
James Crystal is a mentor to young men coming out of prison with the brilliant organisation In2Out. He is also a speaker and he shares his story of recovery from addiction and mental health struggles.
For other support with your mental health visit the NHS here if you are in the UK. You can also get support from The Samaritans.
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Pete Portal was born in the UK but has lived in Cape Town, South Africa for the last 15 years.
We all have feelings of failure and disappointment, in this conversation we learn to reframe our view of success within Jesus' framework.
Pete shares about the continuing impact of Apartheid on his community and how the Tree of Life Community are seeking to be a sign that another reality is possible. This includes hosting a programme for young men coming out of addiction and gang activity and also a home for abused women and children. Tree of Life is a 24/7 prayer community.
You can buy Pete's book here and find out more about it here.
Henri Nouwen's book In the Name of Jesus can be bought here.
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Abi and Rich get together to discuss deep interviews with artist Barbara Keal and liturgist and author Cole Arthur Riley. They delve into embodied and contemplative activism and creative responses to injustice and trauma.
We hear all about the Coat of Hopes - there is a 10 minute video here telling you more about the project.
Cole Arthur Riley also shares about her book This Here Flesh and her digital project Black Liturgies.
Other helpful resources:
Nine Fold Path - a resource to help you work through Jesus' Beatitudes.
Our episode on Peacemakers seems particularly apt at the moment.
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What if 9 sayings from Jesus could change the way we see and act in the world? The Nine Beats Collective have been creating music based on The Beatitudes and Abi went to meet some of the musicians ahead of an evening of their music in Leeds. Abi spoke to Rob Tayler, Heatherlyn and also Steve Bassett doing a visit to the wonderful Meanwood Valley Urban Farm
We also hear from Katie Dowds, senior pastor at Lighthouse Church in Leeds and also teaches at the Leeds School of Theology. Katie memorised the 9 beatitudes and tells us about the impact on her life.
Music used by permission of the artists, with our grateful thanks
Heatherlyn’s new album Heatherlyn's Musical Apothecary is available now!
If you’re listening to this on release day, Friday the 29th August, you still have time to catch the final date of the current tour, which is at the Oasis Centre in London, 1 Kennington Road, SE17QP at 7pm. More details at 9beats.org
MUSIC:
RIVER, live recording at Acoustic Nights at The Barn at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, from the album Dance of the Deep from Nine Beats Collective.
WILD WORLD (Euro Remix), Nine Beats Collective, Performed by Barry Taylor, Music & lyrics: Barry Taylor
IN RECOVERY Performed by Heatherlyn Music: Tony Bean Lyrics: Tony Bean/Heatherlyn
WHAT CAN LOVE CREATE? Performed by Heatherlyn Music: Heatherlyn Lyrics: Steve Bassett
WILD WORLD (Euro Remix), Nine Beats Collective, Performed by Barry Taylor, Music &
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Huge congratulations to Ben Lindsay, founder and CEO of Power the Fight and all the staff for their award of charity of the year at the Charity Times Awards 2023. And Ben also won Social Media Leader of the Year!
We thought a great way to celebrate their win would be to remind you of this inspiring interview with Ben from 2021.
Power the Fight is an incredible charity tackling violence affecting young people. One example of how they do that is running a therapeutic support programme which is reducing school exclusions in London. In this interview Ben shares his spiritual journey with Abi, we talk about how and why he founded Power the Fight, including the importance of prayer and lament in that journey. We also touch on his incredible book We Need To Talk About Race. There is another episode with Ben that covers more of the topics raised in the book in our archive here.
Donate to Power the Fight here!
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We are revisiting an archive episode this week, whilst Abi puts together some exciting new episodes over the next few weeks!
In this episode Abi and Sarah Small, from Proximity Network and the Message Trust dive into the controversial area of where evangelism and social action meet.
With contributions from Krish Kandiah, Deirdre Brower Latz from Nazarene Theological College, Simon Guillebaud from Great Lakes Outreach, Joel Edwards, Richard Reddie from CTBI, Amy and Ben Woodfield from The Antioch Network and Chris Lane from St Mellitus College and Langworthy Community Church.
We'd love to hear what you think. Contact [email protected]
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John White from Hazelnut Farm in Bristol tells Abi about his own climate conversion, and his church which is connecting people with both creation and our creator. He also has some great challenges around Net Zero and growing vegetables. Plus the Golden Turnip challenge!
Book recommendation: What I Stand for is What I Stand On by Wendell Berry.
Twitter: @hazelnutfarmcom
Facebook: Hazelnut Community Farm
Instagram: hazelnutcommunityfarm
Youtube: @HazelnutCommunity
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Vanessa Nakate is a renowned Ugandan climate activist, Abi talks to her about her faith , feminism, her brilliant book, A Bigger Picture and the importance of listening to activists from countries in Africa. Of course this makes the infamous incident where Vanessa was cropped from a photograph of activists at Davos all the more painful.
Hear more about the Vash Green Schools project installations here.
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Pastor Dewey Williams is a man who has endured a lot of grief, but who has found great joy in Jesus, and through his encounters with men and women on death row in the American justice system. An incredibly joy filled man and a challenging interview.
CW: We hear about the death of Deweys father, which happened in tragic circumstances as Dewey’s sister was experiencing paranoia and schizophrenia. We also talk about the death of Dewey’s daughter, Charity, of health complications.
More info on Dewey's book and where to buy it here.
The joy filled episode with Lynda Sterling is here: Look Again Artist
We'd love to hear how you are finding joy in your activism too at the moment!
Social Media Links:
@DexterityBooks (FB, IG, TW)
@Deweymtm (IG)
@DeweyWill (TW)
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