The Sacred

Theos
  • 4.8 (204)
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The Sacred is a podcast about our deepest values, the stories that shape us and how we can build empathy and understanding between people who are very different. Each episode features a conversation with someone who has a public voice, from academics to journalists, playwrights and politicians. We ask them where they have come from, what they are trying to do and what might help heal our very divided public conversations. The Sacred is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, former director of Theos. For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank, @sacred_podcast and @ESOldfield.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    Why We Need to Talk About Class, Privilege, and Race with Jeffrey Boakye

    Why honest conversations about race, class and power make us defensive - and why should we face them anyway. Author, teacher and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye joins Elizabeth Oldfield to talk about truth, joy, race and power and why he believes we can’t fix what we’re too scared to face. We speak about: 👊🏾 Jeffrey's fusion of Black British identities from growing up in Brixton ✏️ The role of a teacher and finding his voice in a mostly white education system ⚡ Learning how to challenge dominant power structures like whiteness, class and Britishness This is a conversation about courage, fear, and how we can talk about race, class and identity without tearing each other apart. --- 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 👉 Follow Jeffrey Boakye: https://x.com/jeffreykboakye Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:06 - What is Sacred to you? Jeffrey Boakye answers 06:23 - Growing up in Brixton as a Ghanaian Catholic 15:30 - Cultural Identities: Black Britishness and Jamaican youth culture 26:00 - “I became a white woman” teaching while Black 33:00 - Why conversations about race make us defensive and what to do about it 42:00 - Power, fear, and the culture wars 50:00 - Why it’s race and class - not race or class 55:47 - Class and it's connection to the slave trade 56:27 - Anti-immigrant propaganda targeted at the working class 57:54 - Reflection by Elizabeth Keywords: Jeffrey Boakye delves into the complexities of power dynamics and the importance of challenging power through truth and joy. He explores cultural identity, drawing from his experiences growing up in Brixton, and discusses the intersectionality of race and class within the education system. The conversation touches on societal structures, the role of religion and community, and the need for empathy in public discourse. Boakye highlights the influence of Caribbean culture and the significance of language in shaping identity. As a teacher, he emphasises the importance of education as a tool for social change, advocating for educational reform and equity. The discussion also covers themes of privilege, patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, and misogyny, while celebrating the richness of Black British culture and multiculturalism. Through storytelling and narrative, Boakye shares his personal values and life philosophy, encouraging social justice, diversity, and inclusion. The episode invites listeners to reflect on social norms, personal growth, and the power of dialogue, understanding, and compassion in fostering human connection and systemic change. With a focus on critical thinking, reflective practice, and educational equity, Boakye inspires empowerment, creativity, and collaboration, urging us to embrace curiosity, exploration, and authenticity in our pursuit of knowledge and wisdom

    1h 13m

  2. 1 OCT

    Trees, Magic, and Why Ancient Wisdom Still Matters with Philip Carr-Gomm

    What can an ancient tradition like Druidry teach us about living well today? In this episode of The Sacred Podcast, Elizabeth Oldfield speaks with Philip Carr-Gomm, psychologist, author, and longtime leader of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. They explore how trees and nature are sacred, the meaning of magic in everyday life, and why ancient wisdom traditions might be exactly what we need in an age of ecological crisis and polarisation. 🌳 Why trees, forests, and nature are sacred 🤝 Why Buddhism felt more appealing than Christianity in his early years ✨ What “magic” really means in psychology and spirituality 🌍 How ancient wisdom, Celtic spirituality, and eco-spirituality can guide us today This conversation touches on modern druidry, earth-based spirituality, mindfulness, interfaith dialogue, and spiritual growth with insight into how we can find the sacred in everyday life and respond with wisdom to our times. --- 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 🌀 Follow Philip Carr-Gomm's work: https://philipcarr-gomm.com/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:10 What is Sacred to you? Philip Carr-Gomm answers 03:00 Why Trees Hold the Secret to Spiritual Enlightenment 09:00 The Influences of a Druid's Childhood 18:00 Diversity and Inclusivity in Druidry 27:00 Art and Nature Collide: The Untold Story of Druidry 36:00 Magic and The Transformative Secrets of Druidry 45:00 Masculine and Feminine Energies 54:00 Druidry's Historical Tapestry 01:03:00 The Divine Child: A Controversial Bridge Between Faiths 01:12:00 Gender in Spirituality: The Debate That’s Changing Everything 01:21:00 Can Spiritual Dialogue Break Down Barriers? Keywords In this conversation, Elizabeth Oldfield speaks with Philip Carr-Gomm, psychologist, author, and modern druid, about the wisdom of Druidry, Celtic spirituality, and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. They explore why trees are sacred, the role of nature in spirituality, and how ancient wisdom traditions can guide us today. Philip explains the meaning of magic, the connections between Buddhism, Christianity, and earth-based spirituality, and how practices of eco-spirituality, mindfulness, and nature connection can help us find the sacred in everyday life. This episode of The Sacred Podcast is for anyone curious about spiritual growth, interfaith dialogue, ancient traditions, modern druidry, psychology and spirituality, exploring faith, and spiritual wisdom in an age of ecological crisis and cultural polarization, polarisation.

    1h 4m

  3. 24 SEPT

    Immigration: Fear, Compassion and the Real Enemy with Rod Dreher and Elizabeth Oldfield

    Elizabeth Oldfield and Rod Dreher tackle one of the most urgent and contentious questions of our time: how should nations, and individuals, relate to migrants in our midst? How do we balance compassion for migrants with the protection of vulnerable citizens? How does Christianity shape responsibilities to strangers? And why do honest conversations about these issues so often spiral into demonisation and division? 🤝This bonus episode is taken from Midwestuary 2025 and models honest disagreement without dehumanisation, showing a different way to engage with hard topics in our societies. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 🎙️ Follow Midwestuary: https://www.midwestuary.com/ Keywords: Immigration is one of the most divisive issues of our time, raising questions of compassion, fear, morality, and national security. In this conversation, Elizabeth Oldfield and Rod Dreher explore how Christianity shapes our response to the stranger, what it means to love our neighbor, and how to hold moral dilemmas around migration without demonizing each other. Together they model how to disagree well, listen across divides, and search for common ground in the middle of a polarized immigration debate, polarised immigration debate

    54 min
  4. The Hidden Cost of Being a Content Creator | Jade Bowler (UnjadedJade) on Burnout, Loneliness & the Authenticity Battle

    17 SEPT

    The Hidden Cost of Being a Content Creator | Jade Bowler (UnjadedJade) on Burnout, Loneliness & the Authenticity Battle

    In a world where half of young people UK dream of becoming influencers, Jade Bowler delves into the hidden costs of this career - from burnout and loneliness to the struggle for authenticity. Jade Bowler (@UnJadedJade ) is an author, content creator, podcaster, and one of the UK’s first “StudyTubers.” Since starting her YouTube channel at 16, Jade has built a global audience and is shaping a generation interested in spirituality, self-discovery in your 20s, productivity and finding "casual magic" in your every day. Elizabeth Oldfield and Jade Bowler talk about: 🎙️The hidden costs of being a content creator, the pressures of social media and the responsibility of influencers 🌿 How to live authentically online and build genuine connection when millions are watching 🌈Jade’s journey of coming out and navigating internalised homophobia --- 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✨ Listen to Jade's podcast @findingyourcasualmagic Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:16 What is Sacred to you? Jade Bowler Answers 02:35 Craving connection and finding it online 08:30 Jade reflects on her parents’ contrasting influences 11:11 Bullied for being "too academic" 13:53 Starting StudyTube at 16:56 The weight of fame, influence and responsibility 20:15 Algorithmic pressure vs creativity 26:10 Authenticity vs. Performance online 32:15 Searching to fill the wisdom-gap 38:11 Coming out online and internalised homophobia 43:52 The hidden cost of being a creator Keywords Jade Bowler (known online as UnJaded Jade) is one of the UK’s first StudyTubers who built a global audience sharing study tips, motivation, and her journey as a student. In this episode of The Sacred Podcast, Jade reflects on what it’s really like to grow up online and live as a content creator in a world driven by algorithms, short-form video, and the pressures of social media.We dive deep into the hidden costs of being an influencer: from creator burnout, loneliness, and mental health struggles, to the constant pressure to stay relevant on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Jade speaks honestly about the difference between being a StudyTuber at 16 and navigating life now as a young woman in her 20s.Jade also shares her coming out story as an LGBTQ+ creator, reflecting on her experience with internalised homophobia, the importance of authenticity online, and how to build genuine connection and community with an audience. She discusses what it means to be a Gen Z content creator, the challenges of making your personal life part of your brand, and how she finds balance, meaning, and even spirituality in the digital age.

    1h 1m

  5. 10 SEPT

    Ask Me Anything | Forgiveness, Comparison & Finding Community with Elizabeth Oldfield & Joe Downy

    In this special Ask Me Anything episode, Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with our new producer Joe, to answer some of the most moving, interesting, and challenging questions we’ve ever received.We go deep into topics of loneliness, forgiveness, parenting, the risks and rewards of finding a community, the disappointment of unmet dreams and the question of representation on the podcast.We were surprised by how often we found ourselves nodding, laughing, and even a bit emotional in response to what you asked.🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ Keywords:Ask Me Anything, Q&A, listener questions, echo chambers, polarisation, loneliness, community, intentional community, community living, eating together, table fellowship, belonging, friendship, forgiveness, disappointment, unmet dreams, hope in hard times, parenting, parenting struggles, parenting with presence, faith and family, raising children with values, marriage and family life, sacred values, what’s your sacred, beauty and patriarchy, church and gender, patriarchy in the church, faith and patriarchy, loving your neighbour, loving enemies, neighbourhood, atomised society, building community, community resilience, honesty and vulnerability, vulnerable conversation, spiritual practice, faith in messy times, your questions answered, faith and doubt, community of listeners, living with hope, why forgiveness matters, how to find belonging, meaningful conversation, spiritual reflection.

    44 min

  6. 21 AUG · BONUS

    Ask Us a Question👇

    We’re putting together a Q+A episode and would love to hear what’s on your mind right now. If you're new here, we're all about deep conversations, exploring spirituality and our values, relational dilemmas and how to live together well, and of course talking about how to be when the world is in crisis. We welcome both big and small questions for Elizabeth and the podcast team! How to send👇 💌 - Drop them in the comments for this episode - DM us a message / voice note / video on X, TikTok or Instagram - Email us at thesacredpodcast@gmail.com Speak soon, Elizabeth & The Sacred Team

    3 min

  7. 6 AUG

    Why Connection Matters Most in Crisis

    In this reflection episode, Elizabeth steps back from interviews to ask: what’s really staying with me from these conversations? We explore themes of gender, division, fear, and the deep longing for connection in a time when everything can feel like it’s falling apart - politically, socially and spiritually. We talk about: Why gender is so hard to talk about without blame The “polycrisis” and our collective fight-or-flight How contempt sneaks in and empathy fades Whether old spiritual traditions still have anything to offer And what it takes to stay human (and stay open) in a polarised world 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 🌿 Take a break with us in August. Take time to be with your people and "unplug" yourself from the online world. We'll see you in September.

    18 min

  8. 30 JUL

    From Republican Darling to Political Outcast with David French

    What happens when standing by your principles means losing your community? David French was once a Republican darling - a military veteran in Iraq, a pro-life lawyer, and a defender of religious liberty. But when he publicly opposed Donald Trump in 2016, everything changed. His church turned on him, his family received threats, and he became controversial figure in political and religious debates. In this conversation, David reflects on the cost of choosing virtue over political loyalty, why free speech still matters even when it's painful, and what it’s like to be exiled by your tribe. We talk about moral courage, the state of American evangelicalism, and what it means to stay principled in a world that rewards tribalism. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ ✍️ Follow David French: https://x.com/davidafrench?lang=en Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:07 What is Sacred to you? David French answers 01:29 Defining Virtue in American Society 06:26 When Have Your Virtues Been Tested? 14:42 Formative Experiences and Moral Foundations 18:40 Political Awakening and Conservative Values 27:27 The Role of Civil Liberties in Society 30:47 The Importance of Defending Difficult Speech 33:31 The Importance of Free Speech 36:39 Serving in the Iraq war 39:52 Transformative Experiences of War 44:10 Political Identity and Church Community Rejection 50:49 The Impact of Community Rejection 54:52 Staying True to Principles Over Tribes Keywords: David French - veteran, constitutional lawyer, political commentator, and lifelong conservative - joins The Sacred to talk about the cost of staying true to his values. In this episode, he shares how refusing to support Donald Trump led to being “cancelled” by his church, receiving threats, and becoming a controversial figure in conservative Christian circles. We explore free speech, religious freedom, evangelical politics, cancel culture, moral courage, integrity, and the crisis of virtue in public life. David speaks about his military service in Iraq, his time defending civil liberties, and why he believes principles should come before political parties. This conversation is for anyone wrestling with faith and politics, Christian identity, the culture wars, the evangelical church, or what it means to live with integrity in polarised times. Topics include: Christian conservatism, Never Trump, leaving church, freedom of speech, spiritual exile, republican, political pressure, and how to remain faithful under fire.

    1h 9m
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
204 Ratings

About

The Sacred is a podcast about our deepest values, the stories that shape us and how we can build empathy and understanding between people who are very different. Each episode features a conversation with someone who has a public voice, from academics to journalists, playwrights and politicians. We ask them where they have come from, what they are trying to do and what might help heal our very divided public conversations. The Sacred is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, former director of Theos. For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank, @sacred_podcast and @ESOldfield.

Information

  • Creator
    Theos
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    223
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Theos
  • Show Website
    The Sacred

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