The Living Church Podcast

Four hundred years of prayer book “turning points” give surprising guidance for current crossroads in worship and common life.

Our guests, Matthew Olver and Nathan Jennings, are here to talk about their new book, Turning Points in Prayer Book History: From England Through Scotland to the United States.

After today’s episode, your view of the Book of Common Prayer may never be the same; not in how you use it, or even maybe what you know about it, but in how you see its role in Anglican decision making and discernment.

From 16th cen...

This week, we collaborate with The Average Episcopalian podcast hosts Annie Hodges and Kate Greer to unpack what it means to be Anglican.

This is Part 2 of the conversation. You can find Part 1, “The Anglican Experiment: Listening,” at theaverageepiscopalian.com, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

In these two episodes (really, one long conversation), we talk about how to be attentive, to listen, to learn, to follow God’s voice from where you are, yet still to know yourself as part of the body that’s much bigger than you and may be there partly to make you unco...

What happened in the Chip Edgar misconduct case? And what does it reveal about the continued, if fractured, relationships between the Episcopal Church and the ACNA?

Today’s newsdesk begins with two bishops, ecclesial discipline, and the complex landscape that is Anglicanism in South Carolina.

From there, we explore what this brings to light about the ACNA’s ongoing relationship with the Episcopal Church; how the 39 Articles, Jerusalem Declaration, and Abuja Affirmation offer clarity and hopeful surprises; and remaining questions about Christian friendship, leadership, and engagement across divides.

In a state of division, even...

What is theology? And what is the Episcopal Church’s relationship to it? How does the Episcopal Church think and live theologically?

Several authors approach these questions in a book released earlier this year by Church Publishing: Wisdom, Knowledge, and Faith: New Essays on the Future of Theology and the Episcopal Church. We invited two of its contributors, Scott MacDougall and the Rev. Kelli Joyce, to share their thoughts.

It can be easy for Episcopal leaders, or the average Episcopalian, to feel like theology is a luxury, fussy, or something “other people” do who have the ti...

How do you lead a congregation or a community in the wake of natural disaster?

This question has always been relevant for church leaders to wrestle with, from theodicy and loss of life, to property damage and insurance claims. Climate change is making this question all the more common.

In Isaiah, God says to a people well-acquainted with disaster, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (43:2).

Today we hear from three Episcopal leaders whose churches have recently passed thro...

Today we learn from a theologian and astrophysicist about how priests can navigate science and faith.

“Consider the stars,” God says to Abraham. The psalms and canticles, too, recommend we look up, beyond our own planet, to consider the grandeur and mystery of God’s handiwork.

You could also say, in a way, that’s what science does, whether it’s looking upward and outward or down and in.

Today we hear from a fellow stargazer and foremost leader in the area of Christianity and science, specializing in resourcing leaders for engagement in and conver...

What happened at the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Belfast, and why does it matter?

In July, our editor, Mark Michael, returned from a gathering of Anglicans that happens every three years: a meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC). This year’s was June 27- July 5, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and also marked the first 100 days or so of Archbishop Sarah Mullally’s ministry as Archbishop of Canterbury.

We pulled together a special episode of the newsdesk to talk about what Mark brought back from this international Communion reunion, who was there, what people were...

What mysteries wink at us from the bright colors of stained glass?

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face” (1 Cor. 13:12). Here St. Paul is talking about how the spectrum of the full human being is revealed—will be revealed—in the light of the face of Christ. But in our modern world of clear mirrors, transparent windows, and electric lights, seeing through glass is not usually done very darkly. One place that St. Paul’s image still comes alive, however, is in the stained glass window.

Stained glass can be darkeni...

In today’s newsdesk roundup, Editor Mark Michael, Executive Director Matthew Olver, and podcast host Amber Noel provide coverage and commentary for three top news stories affecting the Anglican world.

Story number one: Magnifica Humanitas. Pope Leo’s first and recent encyclical is a special, even unique, papal letter. And its topic, artificial intelligence, as well as its tone, are urgent. The letter asks not just “What is the church’s response?” but “What is our human choice?”

We also discuss a series of Anglican responses from our online blog, Covenant, especially touching on humans as sub-creators...

What are the best depictions of clergy in film? Today we swap Top 5 Clergy in Film lists with a celebrated film critic. A recipe for edification and entertainment!

We all know of sloppy versions of the movie cleric—priests, monks, nuns, and pastors, either fanatical, evil, or milquetoast, lacking care or nuance on the part of those creating the role. But perhaps you’ve also seen thoughtful, even powerful, depictions of clergy that not only allow you to see a glimpse of yourself reflected sensitively onscreen, but even give you a glimpse of the kingdom.

Toda...

The Episcopal Church is aging. Where are the young people? A campus minister gives his perspective.

The average age of an Episcopal parishioner is now mid-60s. Older parishioners are vital. But where are the young people? How do we reach them? And what, exactly, are they looking for when it comes to church?

Times are changing in terms of the race for cultural relevance, at least when it comes to ministry to young adults. Waning are the days when churches feel pressure to change style or personality in order to appeal to younger generations.

Mission and discipleship are connected at the root. Today we’re going to explore some of those connections, not only through our guest’s own life, but also through her experience with particular discipleship programs, as well as what she’s learned through a first career as a geographer and her husband’s career as a mechanic.

Our guest today is the Rt. Rev. Dr. Eleanor Sanderson. Eleanor is Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York and was previously the Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves on the Anglican Communion Commission for Disci...

Today’s Newsdesk episode covers developments in Gafcon’s Global Anglican Communion, a Rwandan bishop jailed for grazing cattle on church property, and a new, and possibly unique, church growth survey looking for “bright spots” in Episcopal ministry.

We also enjoy a bonus segment at the end that includes some Eastertide treats, including book recommendations and recipes.

See below for related articles, essays, and resources, including corresponding goodies from our bonus segment.

Podcast host and Director of Programs Amber Noel is joined by the Rev. Mark Michael, Editor in Chief of The Living Church ma...

What’s your school of prayer? Where did you learn to pray? How do you continue to deepen your prayer life? Whose prayer life do you want to have when you grow up? How do you want the example of your prayer life, or the fruits of it, to be a gift to others?

Today’s conversation is about how prayer affects our leadership, and how our pastors’ prayer lives affect us. Whether you are the leader of a congregation, staff, or a person in the pew, our show today is a fascinating, and at times moving, analys...

Who is Archbishop Sarah Mullally? And what might we expect from her ministry?

Augustine of Canterbury was sent by Pope Gregory in 597 on mission to re-evangelize Britain and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. Incase you haven’t heard, Anglicans have made world news for electing as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury the first woman to serve in the role, former Bishop of London, the Most Rev. Sarah Mullally. 

Archbishop Sarah is coming into the role at a time of many tensions and possible changes within the Anglican Communion, including what the ABC's role should actua...

How should Anglicans feel about AI? But first: what the heck is it?

Our guests today tackle one of the toughest topics of our time head on, from both a theological and technical perspective.

What is AI? Is it unprecedented? What can AI currently, actually, do? Should Christians accept, or resist? 

As Christians, it’s often hard to know whether to embrace new technology. If we get worked up or freaked out, is it about the right things? Where might we still need to fill in gaps in our knowledge or our discipleship? Are...

In this episode, we learn from neuroscience to explore questions in theology and ministry.

When we talk about the brain, we think of the intellect, private processes, perception—even as the center or source of the self. And the brain is one important place where “self” happens.

But what if all our private, individualized function, in fact our very life, depends much more on exterior factors, like eye contact and physical touch? What if the center of what it means to be human, or even to be yourself, is not in your head but very much o...

How does the 1662 Book of Common Prayer hold Anglicans together today?

What book of common prayer book do you use? And why? Whichever it is, and however you relate to other Anglicans, all of our common prayer books share one ancestor which still binds us together today, more closely than we might realize.

Today we’re going back to the roots of your Anglican prayer book: the great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandaddy of all Anglican prayer books, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

The 1662 wasn’t technically the first book of common prayer in England. So why is i...

Today, musician Jon Guerra joins us for a conversation about music, theology, and life—and a few live tunes.

We talk about his musical influences and about the formation (and deformation) that happens through Christian music. We talk about creating and speaking in difficult times, working in the shadow of the cross, and, as he puts it, “the dialectic struggle between the call and your ability to meet it.” We also talk about the importance of vulnerability and play, telling your story, and learning to be a Holy Fool.

Our executive director, Matthew Olver, joined us for...

How should ministers of the gospel engage politics from the pulpit? 

Today’s episode is from a panel at the RadVo 2025 conference on politics and preaching: the if, why, and how.

Panelists discuss discernment, formation, and what preaching is for, and give examples of how the gospel of Jesus forms people who can be both responsive and resilient to political challenges and change.

Panelists include:

The Rev. Dr. Annette Brownlee, professor emerita of pastoral theology and the former chaplain at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. She has served the lif...

With love, wit, and a laugh, Jane Austen brought human drama to the drawing room. We love her for it. It also gave her away as a Christian.

On December 16, 1775, the Anglican clergy family of Austens welcomed their youngest daughter, who would grow to become one of the world’s greatest novelists and, as we’ll discuss today, a profound Christian; a loving and lively friend, sister, and aunt; a scholar of human nature; and an expert on how the virtues and vices that make or break us reveal themselves in the everyday. She was also, for the...

What do wise and practical partnerships with immigrant communities look like?

Today’s episode is from a conversation we co-hosted with The Episcopal Parish Network to explore how congregations can engage more faithfully and effectively with immigrant and refugee neighbors.

We dip into a bit of theology here. But we concentrate on strategic application, legal context, and pastoral insights for building authentic relationships and deepening mission.

We discuss:

What can we learn from surprising encounters between Catholics and Pentecostals?

In 1906, in a no-count Los Angeles storefront, a one-eyed preacher named William Seymour, son of former slaves, began leading services on Azuza Street.

Azuza Street has gone down in history as the catalyst of the Pentecostal movement, one of the largest groups of Christians in the world today. But it’s also had deep impact on much older traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church. Charismatic Catholics owe much to brothers and sisters whose practices may make them scratch their heads. On the other hand, ma...

How can decorating a Crèche draw us to a place of divine encounter?

We are approaching yet another Advent season, a season of making space to wait on God.

Maybe you’re good at making that space. Like a cat, you have no problem flopping down where you are, stretching your legs, and letting Jesus take the wheel.

Or maybe you’re addicted—like most of us—to work, to control and productivity, to entertainment, perhaps even to podcasts!—and Advent feels like a struggle.

Or maybe you’re working three jobs be...

This bonus episode of the podcast responds to the launch of a Global Anglican Communion, which would be separate from the Anglican Communion as we have known it.

There are Anglicans rejoicing over this news. Anglicans grieving over this news. Anglicans who don’t know what to think. And a lot of Anglicans who may not know what’s going on, or may not know what this has to do with them.

Today, we explore some of these feelings and questions, and pose some questions of our own.

On Oct 16, a communiqué email went...

What does faith have to do with fiction? Can romance teach us something about God's presence in imaginary worlds?

Today’s episode is a conversation with novelist H.S. Cross, recorded live at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Savannah, GA, as part of their Sunday Night Sessions. 

We talk with Heather about 1920s Oxford; love stories and their theological significance; what it’s like to create and then watch your creations surprise you. We discuss the importance of play; why skipping the hard parts risks a story no longer feeling “real”; and the need to “Hold you...

How does Nicaea speak to social and political life today?

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s Nicaea’s 1700th birthday party all year long. Theology, church politics, Christian unity, we’re here for all of it. 

This is one of two episodes this year focusing specifically on Nicaea itself. Our first one was in January: Learning from Nicaea with Lewis Ayers.

Today, we'll learn how we live with Nicaea. We're joined by Catholic theologian Peter Casarella and Pentecostal theologian Daniela Augustine for an ecumenical chat about the council and its importance for the churc...

Why read poetry? If poetry is esoteric, confusing, and time-consuming, why bother? 

Our guest today, Dr. Abram Van Engen, has a strong case for why poetry isn't esoteric at all, but extremely useful, concrete, relational, enjoyable, and meaningful, not just for you, but for the Church.

His latest book is called Word Made Fresh, an Invitation to Poetry for the Church. Today we’ll discuss: the point of poetry and why anyone should bother reading it, how to read a poem, what it might mean that Scripture is full of poetry, what church leaders learn from...

Today we're talking tea. Why? 

Well, we’re an Anglican podcast. Need we say more?

Knowing how to share and make a good cup of tea translates around the globe. Whether it’s hospitality or work-life balance, tea has played a significant role in leadership, conversation, and parish life. 

Today we meet an amazing Christian woman who knows all about tea, why it's special, and how God can use tea time as an opportunity for ministry and leadership lessons. Her name is Jackie James.

Jackie is a certified Tea Sommelier and founde...

Before there were Protestants, there were Moravians.

In 1415, a Roman Catholic priest named Jan Hus was burned at the stake in Prague for promoting a vernacular liturgy, clergy marriage, and the elimination of indulgences. If he had been born just a few decades later, he might have found a friend in Martin Luther. But instead we know him as the forerunner of a pre-Protestant reforming movement that became the Moravian Church.

Moravians have a unique and robust culture, a fascinating history, and were some of the first and strongest voices for Christian unity, before the e...

Most Christians won't be part of a monastic community. But that doesn't mean they're not influenced by one.

How do those who have taken the habit live their vocations from the monastery into the world around them? And what about the rest of us? What can we learn, whether lay or ordained, from the disciplines and wisdom of monastics? 

Today we’ll hear from three Anglicans whose vocations have been shaped by Benedictine monasticism in different ways. We'll learn about the 6th-century Rule of St. Benedict and how it continues to discipline and nurture Christian life in t...

How can church leaders pursue justice with discernment and theological depth? Pastors often find themselves in a frustrating place when it comes to pursuing justice in their parishes and communities. There's often a divide or at least a tension between two groups: those who do not want to overthink or "overtheologize" it until the moment to act is past; and those who feel wary of action without substantial, theological, and contextual discernment pieces to help.

With respect to all the practical concerns here, this is a false divide. Hopefully, today's conversation might help us start to find a...

There's a powerful group of women who you may not know are in your church. They handle your prayer requests. They support your priest. They may help with Sunday school, coffee hour, or missions. And they are an inspiring example of the understated power of simple service. These women are the Daughters of the King. 

The Order of the Daughters of the King is a vowed order for women who are communicants of Episcopal Churches or churches in the historic episcopate. They currently include women around the world in the Anglican, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic traditions.

What do pilgrimage, tiny bridges, and time machines have to do with Christian unity?

Today we'll be looking at the ministry of the Anglican Centre in Rome, a hub of ecumenical meeting, dialogue, and fellowship in the Eternal City.

The Anglican Centre was founded in 1966, during the watershed of ecumenical engagement that followed the Second Vatican Council. It hosts lectures, exhibitions, special courses, and other public events that foster deeper understanding between Anglicans and Roman Catholics. It also works closely with the Catholic lay community St. Egidio, in projects that serve the poor and disadvantaged...

What do bluegrass, bourbon, and Bible have in common? How about a group of Hillbilly Thomists? Today, we share an episode from the Signal Award-winning podcast, No Small Endeavor. Produced by PRX and Great Feeling Studios, No Small Endeavor explores what it means to live a good life.

In this episode, you’ll hear from the Hillbilly Thomists, the Billboard-charting bluegrass band made up entirely of Catholic Dominican Friars. They talk about their theology and vocation, as well as how they manage life on the road as priests who have taken a vow of poverty. Plus, they give...

What can Christians on the right and left continue to learn about the experience and discipleship of trans people and those with gender incongruence?Today we'll be looking into some of the tough questions of transgender anthropology and pastoral care. But instead of debating directly over the questions (Should we use preferred pronouns? What is just legislation? How do we talk to kids? To affirm, or not to affirm?), we concentrate on how to care for people.

Our two guests today, while not in substantial theological disagreement about trans topics, bring to their different experiences, approaches, and r...

Today is a conversation between a pastor and a farmer. What might working the land, protecting local economies, and nurturing Christian communities have in common?

We'll be speaking with Mary Berry, executive director of the Berry Center, and daughter of poet, farmer, and essayist Wendell Berry. My fellow interviewer today is the Rev. Clint Wilson, rector of St. Francis in the Fields, Harrods Creek, KY, not far from the Berry Center. 

We talk about joy of hard work, and hard work that is good work. Growing up with Wendell Berry as a dad. Faith and fa...

With the death of Pope Francis, today's bonus episode is a reflection on his ministry, particularly as it relates to Christian unity.

Fr. Matthew Olver and Amber Noel chat with Fr. Martin Browne, who serves at the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian unity. Martin shares his first impressions of the pope and what it was like working for him. We discuss the pope's choices and charisms, his passion for shared leadership with other Christians, his inability and refusal to fit into a political box, and the fruit this has borne in personal relationships and the global scene, as...

How can Christian leaders face the "overwhelm" of our times, in politics and national life, in personal life and relationships, and in ministry? 

We live in an age of what our guest today calls "polycrisis." Issues interconnect, pile on, and come hard and fast, faster than we can fix or, often, respond to in a thoughtful or Christian way.

How do we avoid either inaction or anxiousness?

We'll seek what our guest today calls "apocalyptic clarity." And we'll ask, "How do we recognize what's true, despite appearances, resist what's false, and participate joyfully i...

How did a Swedish Pentecostal find himself called to the beauties, benefits, and dangers of an institutional church? Today we join the Rev. Magnus Persson of the Church of Sweden, which is a Full Communion Partner with the Episcopal Church. 

We discuss the "Three streams" of Swedish Lutheranism and it's intersections with Anglicanism, how God led Magnus away from charismatic success to priestly divesment, the painful transformations of grace, and saunas and the Holy Spirit. 

Finally, we talk about the place of the Swedish Evangelical Mission (EFS), the organization Magnus is a part of, within th...