» Astronomy and the thrill of curiosity: Jennifer Wiseman and Mehmet Ozalp
02/02/23 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
Looking at the stars and imagining what’s out there – and our own place in it as humans – is a theme that’s preoccupied our species across time, across cultures, and across religious traditions. Dr Mehmet Ozalp is director of the Centre ...

» Tricia Hersey on rest, resistance and liberation
26/01/23 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
Why is rest such a challenge in our culture, in our time? Tricia Hersey has made it her life’s work to advocate for rest – developing a rest practice herself, and guiding others in the same direction. Tricia’s work isn’t about self-care ...

» Theology after Mabo
22/01/23 07:00 from The Spirit of Things
The first interview in this episode with Anne Pattel-Gray first aired 29 May 2022. The Mabo decision was a legal and cultural milestone in Australia, but thirty years on, how has it changed theology? For decades Dr Anne Pattel-Gray has b...

» What makes a building sacred?
15/01/23 07:00 from The Spirit of Things
This episode originally aired 22 May 2022. Have you ever found yourself in a place where heaven and earth seem to meet? Sacred architecture and aesthetics can make a person experience the numinous, even in a building not set aside for a ...

» The forest makers – Tony Rinaudo and Ruth Jerotich
08/01/23 07:00 from The Spirit of Things
This episode first aired 5 June 2022. What does it take to re-green a desert? As it turns out, sometimes what you need is already in the ground right under your feet. Tony Rinaudo went to Niger as an agriculturalist and missionary and – ...

» Salvaging the light: Poet and aphorist Yahia Lababidi
01/01/23 07:00 from The Spirit of Things
This episode originally aired 8 May 2022. an literature somehow bridge the visible and invisible realms? Meredith Lake speaks with Egyptian-American poet and aphorist Yahia Lababidi, whose work ranges across cultures, traditions and genr...

» Christmas on the liquid continent
22/12/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
The South Pacific – the liquid continent – is one of the most religious places on earth. The overwhelming majority of people identify as Christians of one kind or another – so what does that mean at Christmas? Rev James Bhagwan is an ord...

» The gospel of John and the poetry of belief
15/12/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
As people around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas, Christians turn to the Gospels to read ancient accounts of Jesus. The gospel of John is the fourth gospel contained in the New Testament – and in some ways it stands apart from t...

» Prayers of nomads – Valerie Browning and Mohammed Salih
08/12/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
The Horn of Africa is one of the hottest and poorest regions on earth, and it’s home to a semi-nomadic community, the Afar. Valerie Browning is an Australian nurse who has given up her own way of life to live and work with Afar people fo...

» How to have an enemy: Melissa Florer-Bixler
01/12/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
Do you have an enemy? Even if you do, you might not want to admit it, or say who! Melissa Florer-Bixler has thought a lot about enemies, especially in the political context of Donald Trump’s presidency. It gets complicated for her, becau...

» Faith amid flood waters
24/11/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
At the beginning of 2022, flooding in South-East Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales upended the lives of thousands, including the area’s diverse religious communities. Hear how the area’s Sikhs provide aid even though ...

» Finding the divine in the natural world
17/11/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
With the latest round of UN climate talks wrapping up recently, it’s a good time to ask a fundamental question: Who are we, in relation to nature? What kinds of relationships bind us to other beings, like trees? Maybe even amid climate c...

» Travel and transformation: Sarah Malik and Giselle Bader
10/11/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
Where are you going? Journeys take many forms: Moving away from your parents’ house, being a tourist in a foreign land, or going on a pilgrimage to a site of profound spiritual significance – and all have a transformative effect on our l...

» The music of doubt, grief and transformation
03/11/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
How important is music to you? Does it have a sacred quality in your life? From contemporary Catholic theology to the goth icon Nick Cave, music speaks to the soul in ways other media does not. Dr Lyn McCredden is emeritus professor of l...

» Nobel physicist Frank Wilczek on paradox, beauty and truth
27/10/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
Frank Wilczek is a Nobel Prize winner, and earlier this year he was named the 2022 Templeton laureate as well – a recognition of his spiritual as well as scientific curiosity. He’s a scientist, renowned for theorising the strong force in...

» Sacred landscapes: The Flinders Ranges
20/10/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
The Flinders Ranges in the semi-arid outback of South Australia is one of the oldest places on earth and the cradle of Adnyamathanha culture, ceremony and language. In addition to being an ancient place of cultural and spiritual signific...

» Women’s voices in ancient texts and Australian churches
13/10/22 05:00 from The Spirit of Things
Women, where they speak and what they say, has been a hot topic for nearly 2000 years of Christian history. Modern moves to empower women to teach and preach in churches can seem opposed to ancient Christian texts, but the early church w...

» Danya Ruttenberg on repentance and repair
06/10/22 04:00 from The Spirit of Things
In this messy old world, we all find ourselves on the receiving end of harm. But then – sometimes it’s us, we’re the one in the wrong. How do we face it?

» Making fictional faiths real – invented religions
29/09/22 06:00 from The Spirit of Things
In the past it’s been a joke to put Jedi as your religion on the census, but there are people who practise Star Wars-inspired faiths quite seriously. It turns out, people really do take things from fiction and incorporate them into their...

» Satanic Panic — Dungeons & Dragons and Harry Potter
22/09/22 05:00 from The Spirit of Things
The Satanic Panic was a time of incredible anxiety in the United States – and Australia. This special feature examines how games like Dungeons and Dragons and books like Harry Potter became unlikely villains in a war over religion, polit...

» Making something of our mortality in Australia and Japan
15/09/22 06:00 from The Spirit of Things
Funerals have been front and centre these past few weeks. The rituals we use to memorialise the dead are only one part of the story – what about the material things we use to mark the life of someone who has died?

» Sacred landscapes: the desert
08/09/22 05:00 from The Spirit of Things
How do deserts shape our sense of the sacred? For centuries people have found deserts spiritually transformative – not just for individuals but for whole communities.

» Sidney Nolan’s secret Holocaust paintings
01/09/22 06:00 from The Spirit of Things
Sidney Nolan is best known for his Ned Kelly series and Anzac portraits, but secretly, privately, he also painted around 200 works about the Holocaust. They’re now display in Australia for the first time at the Sydney Jewish Museum.

» Life on earth, life in space
23/08/22 06:00 from The Spirit of Things
Is human life bound to planet earth? If so, what does that mean for our ambitions to colonise space? Even our fledgling space exploration has caused damage to the near-earth environment, so space ethicists are beginning to advocate for s...

» End of life stories
18/08/22 06:00 from The Spirit of Things
“Once upon a time” is a familiar beginning for tales of adventure and heroism. But if stories also capture and pass on to our kids what we know of the world, can a story help broach the reality of death – our own, and those of the people...

» Community and connection in a world of devices
14/08/22 08:00 from The Spirit of Things
According to a 2021 study by Monash University, 99% of phone users experience ‘nomophobia’: the fear of being without our phones. But we’re also living in a loneliness crisis, according to the experts. So what are the spiritual costs to ...

» How faith can help fight climate change
05/08/22 04:15 from The Spirit of Things
Climate Change. One of the biggest global challenges of our time.

» Trees – conservation, culture and country
31/07/22 08:00 from The Spirit of Things
We all know trees are important for the environment – to clean the air and hold the soil together, but for many people they’re also important for spirituality and culture.

» Silence and spiritual direction in a noisy world
24/07/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
In today’s busy world it might feel difficult to connect with something deeper – or bigger – than ourselves. If you are religious, you might go to your clergy for advice, but increasingly spiritual directors are being trained to journey ...

» Christian mission in a wounded world
17/07/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Imagine leaving everything you know behind and going to a place that’s completely foreign to you. This is what Christian missionaries have done for nearly 2,000 years, sharing what they believe is good news for all of humanity. But given...

» Royston Sagigi-Baira: Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
10/07/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
In this special NAIDOC episode, guest host Brooke Prentis chats to singer Royston Sagigi-Baira about growing up in the remote community of Old Mapoon on Tjungundji Country in Western Cape York.

» ABC's 90th: Religious broadcasting in a changing Australia
03/07/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Religion, like the media, is changing fast in Australia. What does this mean for the national broadcaster as it reflects and informs Australian life? Plus, the war chaplain turned journalist who became the ABC's first head of religious p...

» Sacred Landscapes: solastalgia and spirituality in a melting world
26/06/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Glaciers matter to the people who live near them – but how do these communities respond as more and more ice melts away? A priestess of the Icelandic religion of Ásatrú explains how ancient Norse mythology orients her towards nature, and...

» Does Australia need a permanent basic income?
19/06/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
What would you do if you knew you had an unconditional, permanent, adequate income that would cover all your basic expenses… no matter how much or how little work you did? It’s an idea that has the backing of the Pope and one of Australi...

» Joan Chittister on renewing community in a changing world
12/06/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Joan Chittister found her community as a teenager, seventy years ago, when she joined the Benedictine sisters in Pennsylvania. For decades she has devoted herself to renewing community in and beyond the Catholic church. Her fierce advoca...

» Theology after Mabo – Dr Anne Pattel-Gray for Reconciliation Week
29/05/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
The Mabo decision was a legal and cultural milestone in Australia, but thirty years on, how has it changed theology? For decades Dr Anne Pattel-Gray has been calling for racial justice in and through Christian churches. She says Mabo “sh...

» Sorrow in solidarity — Poetry and suffering from Ukraine to Australia
15/05/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
What do we do with suffering – as we experience it ourselves, and in the world around us? Meredith Lake explores solidarity in the midst of violence, both through activism and poetry.

» New lease on life – Korean Buddhist arhats, and a Bosnian Muslim celebrates Eid
01/05/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
In what could be described as Korea’s ‘terracotta warrior’ moment, a farmer digging in a vacant field discovered scores of stone statues depicting arhats – or disciples of the Buddha. Unearthed from their hiding place, the Arhats now par...

» Making peace with our unpeacefulness: Claude AnShin Thomas' path from war to Zen Buddhism
24/04/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Claude AnShin Thomas enlisted in the US Army at 17, served as a helicopter gunner and crew chief in the Vietnam War, and was awarded numerous medals and a Purple Heart – all before becoming ordained as a Zen Buddhist monk. He carries the...

» Victory over death – Easter in art from Caravaggio to Colin McCahon
17/04/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
The crucifixion of Christ is perhaps the most painted subject in world history. From Medieval art, to the Renaissance masters to contemporary works, the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection pervades the Western imagination – even amid ...

» Recipes for Ramadan and female solidarity in Afghanistan
03/04/22 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Is there a recipe that sums up your story or personal history? As Muslims around the world observe Ramadan, one family is observing the holy month in Australia for the first time. For them, their recipe for Bolani – a type of stuffed and...

» Gods: from Ancient Greece to the Antipodes
27/03/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
What did religious life look like in Ancient Greece? Find out how the gods played a role in everything from daily life to outcomes on the battlefield. Then, fast forward to just before federation in Australia and discover the untold stor...

» Art after religion? Artmaking as a spiritual practice
20/03/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Can the practice of artmaking be a religious ritual? A contemporary fresco painter, Sarah Tomasetti, and a philosopher, Dr Lexi Eikelboom, explore the ways in which art has big things in common with theology, and whether there's spiritua...

» Hirini Kaa: Māori and Christian ideas of the sacred, reciprocity, and spiritual flourishing
13/03/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
“We can’t have a secular Māori culture. It just doesn’t work for us, it’s not how we view the world.” Third generation Anglican minister, Rev Dr Hirini Kaa, has written a book, Te Hāhi Mihinare: The Māori Anglican church, that opens up a...

» International Women's Day: Liberating religion from Australia to West Papua
06/03/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
To mark International Women's Day, we hear from two remarkable women – worlds apart – on their experiences of liberating religion and women from within their religious and cultural contexts.

» Reflections on Lent and what ‘living with COVID’ means for the spiritual life
27/02/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
How do we live well in times of crisis? Whether it's a global pandemic or a more personal dilemma, two of Australia's leading spiritual guides share their thoughts on how to make it through difficult times – and even find spiritual nouri...

» Prayer, Peacemaking and Reconciliation: Desmond Tutu's life and legacy
20/02/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
He was the moral conscience of South Africa, a hero in the struggle against apartheid, and one of the spiritual giants of our time. The legacy of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu lives on through people like Michael Battle, Dire...

» Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh: Founder of engaged Buddhism and father of mindfulness
13/02/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Dr Martin Luther King Jr called him an 'Apostle of Peace' when nominating Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. To many, he's known as the Buddhist monk who introduced the practice of mindfulness to the West and popularised ...

» Re-enchanting China: The resurgence of popular religion
06/02/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
How secular, or not, is China today? As many of us celebrate Lunar New Year, Soul Search heads to China. Professor Mayfair Yang discusses the resurgence of popular region in China – from local cults to lineage organisations, Protestant C...

» The word and the pen: Writers on faith, fiction and grace in the ordinary
30/01/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Francis Spufford is a storyteller who sees grace and beauty in the grimiest and grittiest of places. He challenges us to look closely and catch a glimpse of something wildly precious and extraordinary, even holy and eternal. Also, Mehmet...

» Kate Bowler on Mennonites, megachurches, and why there's no cure for being human
23/01/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
How Kate Bowler, a self-described incurable optimist and expert on the American prosperity gospel, faced the biggest challenge of her life – which upended everything she knew about health, wealth and what it means to live a good and succ...

» The wisdom of deep listening: Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann and Fleur Magick Dennis
16/01/22 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Many Indigenous languages have a word that means something like ‘deep listening’. In Ngan'gikurunggurr, a Northern Territory language, that word is dadirri. We hear from renowned Aboriginal elder and 2021 Senior Australian of the Year, D...

» Seeking the simple life: from everyday economics to meditation
09/01/22 07:06 from The Spirit of Things
Do you ever look around and think, there must be a better way to do life, here? We’re meeting people asking the big question of how to live well in the world as we find it. Hear from Dr Jonathan Cornford, a political economist on a missi...

» The Muslim Cameleers: The lives and legacies of Australia's little-known outback pioneers
02/01/22 07:06 from The Spirit of Things
Muslim cameleers have a rich history in Australia – that you may not have heard much about. They're the men who transformed the economic, cultural and spiritual life of many outback communities at the turn of the 20th century.

» Casper ter Kuile: How everyday practices build joyful belonging
26/12/21 07:06 from The Spirit of Things
Meredith Lake chats to podcaster and author Casper ter Kulie whose been thinking about a big question: How do we make meaning as communities, and deepen our sense of connection to one another?

» Jane Goodall on humanity and hope
19/12/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Acclaimed ethologist and 2021 Templeton Prize winner, Jane Goodall, tells us about the many teachers who have gifted her with lessons on humanity and hope: from her childhood reading tree to her first dog, the Gombe forest and, of course...

» How's your soul? A look back at 2021
12/12/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
It has been quite the year for many of us — but what's gotten you through? What everyday wisdom and practices have nourished you and being good for your soul? Hear the answers to these questions and more from friends of the show: the alw...

» From Sri Lanka to Australia: how women are remaking Buddhism
05/12/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Join Dr Meredith Lake and Suvira Bhikkhuni as they trace the revival of the ordination of Theravada women — one of the most important recent reforms within global Buddhism.

» Love, Beauty and Solitude: Translating Rilke with Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy
28/11/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
At the turn of the 20th Century, a teenage military cadet and budding poet began a correspondence with Rainer Maria Rilke. The young man expected some guidance and criticism from the great German poet but received something far greater: ...

» Much Ado About Religion
21/11/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Shakespeare's world was marked by social change, spiritual tumult and cosmic disorientation – Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne, Europeans were exploring the Americas, and a heliocentric model of our solar system was taking shape. Join...

» Life as we think it: poetry and philosophy for the everyday
07/11/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
How do we navigate the mundane of the everyday, the ordinariness of life, without becoming dull to it's depth, beauty and capacity to surprise? A poet presents his award-winning meditation on walking around Wagga, and an ex-priest takes ...

» Forgiveness up close: a look at mothers and daughters, Kierkegaard, hope and humility
31/10/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
What does forgiveness look like in the messiness and chaos that is real life? A filmmaker shares the intimate and courageous story of her own tumultuous relationship with her mother, and her journey towards love and acceptance. A profess...

» Sacred landscapes: suburbia
24/10/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Are suburbs spiritual deserts or sacred wellsprings? In the places where most of us live our day to day lives, where do we go to find joy and hope, beauty and grace – and how do we experience the transcendent and divine?

» Sacred landscapes: snow and the high country
10/10/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Soul Search returns to our Sacred Landscapes series that explores the connections between spirituality and place. We turn to the cool climates with our guides – Dr Jonica Newby and Professor Jakelin Troy – taking us into the coldest regi...

» Elaine Pagels on secret gospels, grief and religion
03/10/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Professor Elaine Pagels has spent decades seeking to understand religion and, as her latest book reveals, this isn’t a merely academic exercise but a quest bound up with her own experience of life and bereavement.

» Church and State in Germany: Political Theology from Karl Barth to Angela Merkel
26/09/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
It's the end of the Merkel era in Germany. We take a look at the faith and politics of this remarkable leader who has been at the helm of Europe's largest economy for almost 16 years. Then, we step a little further back in German history...

» Saints, bullies and believers
19/09/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
What happens when a sceptical writer immerses herself in peak Christian belief at a creationist museum? What happens when a Christian minister confronts the past and present horrific failures of the church? Hear from authors Sarah Krasno...

» 700 years of Dante and The Divine Comedy
12/09/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." To mark 700 years since Dante's death on 14 September 1321, we're taking a close look at his life and masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. Join Dr Meredith Lake and a host of Dante experts and enthusiast...

» Short-Distance Relationships: Soulmates
05/09/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Soulmates. Star-crossed lovers, couple goals, my other half. Or besties, brother-from-another-mother, my person. Whatever form they come in, they're the people we can't live without. So, what role do soulmates have in shaping our thought...

» Short-Distance Relationships: Strangers
29/08/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Strangers. We pass them in the street. We live next door to them. We have conversations with them online. What brings strangers together, and what keeps us apart? Why do our interactions with strangers matter? In this episode we explore ...

» Short-Distance Relationships: Siblings
22/08/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Siblings. Most of us have them, and they're the closest and longest relationships many of us will have in our lifetimes. So, how do sibling relationships shape us? And what can we learn from brothers and sisters in religious traditions, ...

» Planting peace: from Hiroshima to Pine Gap
08/08/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
As the Tokyo Olympics draws to a close, we mark another significant date on the calendar: Hiroshima Day. Hear from two women about their work to spread peace around the world by planting Hiroshima A-bomb survivor trees in 36 countries so...

» Why atheism is more than mere unbelief
01/08/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
A lapsed Catholic and a professor of theology on why there's a whole lot more to atheism than mere unbelief, and how atheists and theists may have more in common than you think.

» The secret paintings and spiritual courage of Hilma af Klint
25/07/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Join Soul Search host Meredith Lake and curator Sue Cramer as they take you on an audio tour of Hilma af Klint's works of incredible vibrancy and power that demonstrate her spiritual adventurousness and bravery – incredible, massive pain...

» Indigenous theologian Garry Deverell on grounded spirituality
11/07/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
What are the possibilities for a grounded spirituality, in the aftermath of colonisation? Indigenous theologian Garry Deverell has lived the search for a spirituality that connects land and body. He joins Meredith Lake to discuss ritual,...

» Heal Country: NAIDOC week with Brooke Prentis and Aunty Rev Denise Champion
04/07/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
This NAIDOC week Meredith Lake hands over the mic to guest presenter Brooke Prentis. Brooke is a Wakka Wakka woman who was born on Yidinji country, grew up mainly in Gubbi Gubbi country, but now lives on Gadigal land in Sydney. She's als...

» A jump, a kick and a prayer: Religion at the Olympics
27/06/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
In the lead up to the Olympic Games in Tokyo we look at the relationship between religion and sport. We speak to young Christian athlete Nicola McDermott, a Shia Muslim Olympian Hayder Shkara, and a Japanese writer Shotaro Honda Moore.

» Sacred Landscapes: the mountains and spiritual freedom
20/06/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Mountains have often been the location for spiritual experiences, or breakthroughs. On Soul Search today, we're turning to the mountains in our third — and final — episode on Sacred Landscapes. We meet Dr Thomas Michael, an expert on the...

» Sacred landscapes: the forest as mirror and sanctuary
13/06/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Trees have a special place in the human imagination and they feature in many of the world’s cultural and religious traditions. The ancient Hebrew poets even imagined trees themselves shouting for joy in praise of a divine creator. Today ...

» Sacred landscapes: religion and ecology around the Pacific
06/06/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
How do the places we love shape our sense of the sacred? And how are our spiritual lives nurtured by the bush, the mountains — or even the sea? In the first episode of our 3-part series Sacred Landscapes, we hear from Mary Evelyn Tucker,...

» Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on karma, the pandemic, and politics in India
16/05/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Today, an exclusive interview with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. He’s a Ducati-riding yogi and spiritual teacher, who has caught the attention of millions worldwide, and there's a lot to discuss — from karma to COVID-19 and politics in India. ...

» Alexander Hamilton and the religion of the American Revolution
09/05/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Irrespective of whether or not you are a fan of Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical, Hamilton, it’s a fascinating and provocative take on the early American republic. So what are some of the questions the Musical opens up about religion and the...

» The Pope and the working man’s paradise: Rerum Novarum at 130
02/05/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
Once upon a time, Australia was described as 'a workingman’s paradise.' But does that ring true – either in the past, or now? On Soul Search we’re looking at work, and at one of the world’s most influential discussions of it. 130 years a...

» Green Buddhism with Professor Stephanie Kaza
25/04/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
How can we live in proper relationships with other species? We often consider environmental questions in terms of science, or perhaps economics or even politics. But what can religious perspectives - like Buddhism - add to the conversati...

» How the Tibetan Book of the Dead resonates with the living, plus the global ethics of Hans Küng
18/04/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
The Tibetan Book of the Dead is the most famous Buddhist text in the West, selling more than a million copies since the first English version was published in the 1920s. But why does the book of the dead resonate so deeply with the livin...

» Poetry and worship with Sara Saleh, and Turkish Sufi Cemalnur Sargut
11/04/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
American poet W.H. Auden said that 'poetry, might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.' On Soul Search today, we meet two religious poets this Ramadan. Sara Saleh is an award-winning Arab-Australian poet whose attuned to...

» Art at the edge of time: Makoto Fujimura, plus the 2021 Blake Prize
04/04/21 08:05 from The Spirit of Things
On this Easter Sunday as Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are joined by internationally renowned artist Makoto Fujimura as he reflects on suffering, humanity, time, and creativity. And we travel to the Casula P...

» Remembering for the future: Danielle Celermajer and Michael Twitty for Pesach
28/03/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
What kind of memory do we need to face an uncertain future? Jewish communities are asking that right now, as they recall the ancient exodus out of slavery in Egypt. Professor Danielle Celermajer reflects on how we might face up to the cl...

» The invisible beast: slavery today and in history
21/03/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
What does it mean to face up to slavery today? What exactly does slavery look like in the modern world? Were the convicts slaves? And what about Indigenous Australians? Jacob Sarkodee, Chief Impact Officer for the International Justice M...

» What is our life for? Henry David Thoreau’s search for justice
14/03/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Today, we’re heading into the woods for a fresh look at nineteenth century philosopher-poet, Henry David Thoreau. What was Thoreau’s vision of the good life, and of the just society? Alda Balthrop-Lewis's new book is being hailed as a on...

» Mending the world: Eva Cox and Gemma Dashwood for International Women’s Day
07/03/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Is it women who need to change, or the society and the institutions we live with? That’s our question as the world marks International Women’s Day this week. We are joined by an icon of the feminist movement, Eva Cox and Paralympic swimm...

» I believe? Ben Myers on creeds in the contemporary world, Lent and Bob Dylan
28/02/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
What does it mean to believe? To say 'this is what I believe the truth to be'? Today on the show, theologian Ben Myers joins Meredith Lake in discussing the ancient Christian statement of belief, known as the Apostles' Creed. And, our mi...

» From Crikey! to Karma: Religion in Aussie English
21/02/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Today on Soul Search we saunter through the world of words. Two Australian lexicographers Sue Butler and Amanda Laugesen explore how words come about in a dictionary – and how religious words like karma, temple, and Zen entered popular u...

» Tradition and change: From Lunar New Year to Basant Panchami, plus religion & sex
14/02/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Is it possible to be traditional and unconventional at the same time? To be steeped in a culture — but also open to change? Today on Soul Search we have a variety of stories that explore just that - from Lunar New Year, to the Indian sub...

» New Norcia’s nuns and the riddle of reconciliation
07/02/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Today on Soul Search we head to New Norcia in WA — the only monastic town in Australia. Founded by Spanish Benedictine monks over 170 years ago, New Norcia is a place with no smooth or easy stories; a place that stays with you - for bett...

» Reconciliation as a pilgrimage to justice
24/01/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Today, we meet two visionary people on the long pilgrimage towards justice. Dr Anne Pattel Gray is a globally recognized expert on Black theology, and the first Indigenous Australian to be awarded a doctorate in theology in the 1990s. We...

» Pádraig Ó Tuama: The pain and poetry of reconciliation
17/01/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
As Brexit reshapes the Irish border, poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama reflects on the role of storytelling in fractured societies.

» Beyond belief: theosophy in Australia
10/01/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
An in-depth discussion about the radical, spiritual movement - theosophy. What made theosophy so compelling to an influential minority of Australian society?

» Remarkable women — from Indigenous health to the Navy
03/01/21 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
Join Meredith Lake as she meets two remarkable women who beat the odds. Lisa Jackson Pulver was once a runaway teen. Today, she is a leading figure in the field of Indigenous health and education; and Kamala Sharma Wing was once the only...

» Professor Mona Siddiqui on living gratefully
27/12/20 07:05 from The Spirit of Things
The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart once said, “If the only prayer you said in life was ‘thank you’, that would be enough.” It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But there’s more to gratitude than it seems. In this episode, Professor Mona Siddiq...