Tim Nash

Shows

Episodes

  1. Liz Bucar – Borrowing, Belonging & Religion After Belief (N378)

    5d ago

    Liz Bucar – Borrowing, Belonging & Religion After Belief (N378)

    Wellness culture promises us healthier bodies, calmer minds and longer lives. But what if that still isn’t enough? In this conversation, Beyond Wellness author and religious ethicist Liz Bucar explores what gets lost when spiritual practices are detached from the traditions, communities and worldviews that gave them meaning. We discuss the difference between wellness and genuine flourishing, why religion may have more to offer than belief alone, and whether we can responsibly borrow from traditions without ever really belonging to them. Along the way, we wrestle with authority, community, spiritual seeking, and what might be lost when religion becomes something we draw from without ever calling it home. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Hannah reflect on what happens when spiritual practices are taken out of the communities that formed them — and whether sometimes the opposite can also be true. Drawing on their own evangelical backgrounds, they explore Sabbath, spiritual formation, cultural appropriation and the question of what kind of people our practices are actually shaping us into. Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  2. Carmen Acevedo Butcher - Love Beyond Certainty (N377)

    Sep 25

    Carmen Acevedo Butcher - Love Beyond Certainty (N377)

    For many of us, faith was handed to us as certainty: right beliefs, right answers, and a God who could be clearly defined, defended and explained. But what happens when certainty begins to fall away? In this conversation, Carmen Acevedo Butcher returns to Nomad to explore The Cloud of Unknowing, the anonymous medieval text that insists God “can be loved but not thought.” Together we ask what it might mean to find a firmer foundation in mystery than in control. Carmen reflects on contemplation as a way of knowing love, befriending our restless minds, loosening our grip on language, and learning to live with greater kindness, humility and courage in an anxious age. Along the way, she helps us see that unknowing need not be a failure of faith, but perhaps one of love’s deepest invitations. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Anna wonder what it means to stand on the “firm foundation of mystery” rather than certainty, and why that can feel both unsettling and deeply nourishing. They also explore Lectio Divina as a practice of looking again — at scripture, poetry, relationships, politics, and the parts of reality we’re tempted to skim past. Interview starts at 14m 40s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  3. Pádraig Ó Tuama – Desire, Anger and Becoming Almost New (N376)

    Sep 11

    Pádraig Ó Tuama – Desire, Anger and Becoming Almost New (N376)

    Pádraig Ó Tuama returns to Nomad for a conversation about the stories we inherit, the desires we’re taught to mistrust, and what happens when religious language gets tangled up with shame. We talk about scripture, poetry, anger, masculinity, friendship and the strange ways God can remain present even after religion has caused harm. Along the way, Pádraig reflects on exorcisms and reparative therapy, the body’s capacity to know before the mind catches up, and why anger can become a creative energy rather than something to fear. We also explore what it means to become “almost new” — not through a neat story of healing, but through friendship, attention, prayer, birds, and the slow work of learning how to live differently. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Anna pick up some of the threads Pádraig left dangling: what do we do with anger once it stops being something to fear, why can faith remain strangely compelling even after it has caused harm, and what might our images of God reveal about us? Interview starts at 12m 22s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  4. Bart Ehrman – Are We All Followers of Jesus? (N375)

    Aug 24

    Bart Ehrman – Are We All Followers of Jesus? (N375)

    In this conversation, bestselling historian Bart Ehrman argues that ideas we now take for granted—caring for strangers, helping those in need and expanding our moral concern beyond family and tribe—were anything but obvious in the ancient world. Bart has spent much of his career challenging traditional Christian beliefs. But in Love Thy Stranger he makes a surprising historical case for Christianity's positive legacy, while remaining candid about the harm the church has also caused. Along the way we explore Jesus' relationship to Judaism, why the early church may have changed his teaching on forgiveness, whether Christianity transformed the moral imagination of the West, and what—if anything—we stand to lose as faith continues to decline. After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Nick wrestle with what it means to be shaped by Jesus’ moral vision while no longer holding all the beliefs that once came with it. Interview starts at 11m 44s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  5. Swami Padmanabha – Truth, Tradition and the Courage to Question (N373)

    Jul 24

    Swami Padmanabha – Truth, Tradition and the Courage to Question (N373)

    How do you hold onto a spiritual tradition after being deeply disappointed by the people who represent it? That's a question Swami Padmanabha — a Hindu monk, teacher and author of Evolution in Divine Love — has had to wrestle with more than once. Rather than walking away, those experiences led him into a deeper exploration of authority, uncertainty, love and the possibility that healthy traditions are those that continue to evolve. In this conversation, Tim and Swami explore what it means to stay rooted without becoming rigid, to question without becoming cynical, and to remain open to wisdom wherever it is found. Along the way they discover some surprising resonances between Hinduism and Christianity, and ask whether the future of religion might depend less on having all the answers and more on learning how to keep growing. After the interview, Tim is joined by Nick to reflect on what stayed with them most. From caring for God as though God were a child, to learning from other faith traditions without losing your own roots, they explore where Swami's vision resonated, where it challenged them, and the questions they're still left pondering. Interview starts at 12m 48s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  6. John Philip Newell – Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home (N354)

    10/10/2025

    John Philip Newell – Turning to Earth and Soul in the Quest for Healing and Home (N354)

    Many of us have left behind the religion we inherited. But what, then, are we reaching for? In this conversation, Celtic teacher John Philip Newell reflects on what he calls the Great Search—a deep yearning for soul, earth, and home at a time of ecological breakdown and religious collapse. John Philip explores the tension between temple and wilderness, soul and ego, doctrine and direct experience, and reflects on the relinquishment of his ordination, the sacredness of the Earth, and the wisdom found in mystics across traditions. With poetic depth and prophetic insight, John Philip shares why returning to the light within ourselves, one another, and the Earth might be the beginning of something truly new. After the conversation, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on what it means to live with two wings of awareness — beauty and suffering — and how spiritual friendship, embodied practices, and a relationship with the Earth might help us navigate a time of profound unraveling. Interview starts at 17m 37s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  7. Shannon Kearns – Improvising Manhood (N374)

    Aug 10

    Shannon Kearns – Improvising Manhood (N374)

    What does it mean to become a man? And who teaches us how? In this episode, Tim is joined by author Shannon Kearns to explore the stories, expectations and assumptions that shape masculinity. Drawing on his experience as a trans man, Shannon offers a unique perspective on what it means to consciously navigate a world that many assume comes naturally. Together they explore male loneliness, friendship, vulnerability, violence, faith, and the quiet fear many men carry of not being enough. Rather than offering another culture-war take on masculinity, this conversation asks a more generous question: what might it look like to improvise a better way of being a man? After the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Joy reflect on their own experiences of gender, friendship and vulnerability, and wonder whether some of the familiar stories we tell about men and women are quite as simple as they seem. Interview starts at 13m 13s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  8. Rupert Sheldrake - Psychedelics, Mysticism and the Mystery of Consciousness (N364)

    Mar 9

    Rupert Sheldrake - Psychedelics, Mysticism and the Mystery of Consciousness (N364)

    Rupert Sheldrake joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with psychedelics and quickly opens into bigger questions. Why do some experiences feel “more real than real”? What happens when the familiar boundaries of self dissolve, and the world returns charged with meaning, beauty, and presence? Along the way Rupert reflects on his own encounters with psychedelics, the long ritual history behind them, and why he thinks they’re just one doorway into a much larger landscape. From dreams and near-death experiences to prayer, music, nature and the possibility that mind might not be contained by the brain, this episode doesn’t aim to settle the questions so much as to sit inside them — and see what they reveal. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Joy reflect on curiosity, caution and the strange tension between breakthrough moments and slow formation. From therapy and music to dogs, dreams and those hard-to-explain moments of connection, they explore what it might mean to live in creative puzzlement before a world that still feels charged with mystery. Interview starts at 13m 5s. Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  9. Marissa Burt - The Myth of Good Christian Parenting (N372)

    Jul 10

    Marissa Burt - The Myth of Good Christian Parenting (N372)

    For many Christian parents, the message was simple: if you follow the biblical formula, your children will grow into faithful, flourishing adults. But what if those promises were never true? In this episode, Tim speaks with Marissa Burt, co-author of The Myth of Good Christian Parenting, about the rise of the evangelical parenting movement, the fears that fuelled it, and the hidden assumptions about authority, obedience and control that shaped generations of families. Drawing on historical research and the stories of both parents and adult children, Marissa explores how well-intentioned families were often let down by systems that offered certainty where none could be guaranteed. Together, they discuss the relationship between love and control, the impact of shame and spiritual authority, and what healthier, more hopeful approaches to parenting and faith might look like today. After the interview, Tim is joined by his wife Hannah to reflect on how the conversation resonated with their own experiences of growing up in evangelical families, and how it has shaped the way they're raising their son, Elliot. Together they explore themes of fear, control, corporal punishment, questioning authority, and what it means to pass on faith without trying to control the outcome. Interview starts at 16m 19s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  10. Mark Vernon - Silence and the Search for God (N368)

    May 11

    Mark Vernon - Silence and the Search for God (N368)

    What if the deepest encounters with the divine are not dramatic or ecstatic, but quiet, steady, and hidden in ordinary life?Mark Vernon returns to Nomad to explore silence, mysticism, and the search for God after disillusionment. Reflecting on his own journey through priesthood, contemplative practice, psychotherapy and spiritual direction, Mark speaks about finding a form of Christianity rooted less in performance or certainty, and more in attention, presence and the inner life. In this conversation, Tim and Mark discuss The Cloud of Unknowing, Julian of Norwich, William Blake, spiritual homelessness, and why the mystical tradition may still have something vital to offer those who feel drawn to Christ but no longer fit easily within institutional church life. Following the interview Nomad hosts Tim and Anna reflect on their own relationship with mysticism, and the way it has shaped their evolving faith. Interview starts at 12m 48s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  11. Abi Millar - Meaning, Mystery and Spirituality After Faith (N370)

    Jun 8

    Abi Millar - Meaning, Mystery and Spirituality After Faith (N370)

    Abi Millar grew up in a charismatic evangelical church where faith once felt vivid, immediate and full of certainty. But as questions about science, belief, heaven and hell began to press in, that certainty slowly unravelled. In this conversation, Tim talks with Abi about what it cost to leave, the freedom and loss that followed, and the spiritual hunger that eventually re-emerged after a long season of atheism. They also talk about some of the practices Abi explores in her book The Spirituality Gap — including yoga, ayahuasca, tarot and meditation — and the tension between scepticism and openness that runs through her journey. Along the way, the conversation touches on rootedness, community, cultural integrity, and the question of whether spirituality can truly flourish without a shared story or tradition. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Nick reflect on the burden of heaven and hell, the freedom and loss of leaving evangelical faith, and the search for meaning beyond certainty. They also explore what Abi’s journey raises about psychedelics, tarot, rootedness, and the limits of highly individual spirituality. Interview starts at 10m 34s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  12. Dan McClellan - Does the Bible Say Jesus is God? (N344)

    05/09/2025

    Dan McClellan - Does the Bible Say Jesus is God? (N344)

    In this episode we speak with Bible scholar Dan McClellan about one of Christianity’s most foundational claims: the divinity of Jesus. Drawing from his deep engagement with biblical scholarship, Dan invites us to consider whether the Bible actually presents Jesus as God in the way later doctrine insists. He explores how early Christian texts reflect diverse and competing understandings of Jesus’s nature, and how ideas about divinity were shaped as much by evolving theology and politics as by the biblical text itself. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson reflect on their own relationship with Jesus’s divinity, and what it means to engage these questions with both intellectual honesty and spiritual openness. Interview starts at 15m 22s If you’d like to sponsor Tim on his 165 Mito Miles in May challenge, go to his GoFundMe page.  Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  13. Matthew Fox: Julian of Norwich - Prophets, Pandemics & Patriarchy (N240)

    01/25/2021

    Matthew Fox: Julian of Norwich - Prophets, Pandemics & Patriarchy (N240)

    Matthew Fox is an American priest and spiritual theologian and an activist for gender and eco-justice. His work on creation spirituality and mysticism has given him the reputation of being one of the most challenging religious-spiritual teachers in America. It’s also got him into trouble with the Catholic Church, most notably for rubbing two popes up the wrong way, which eventually got him excommunicated. We speak with Matthew about his latest book Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic-And Beyond, and ask him what this 14th Century mystic can teach us about what it means to live well in the midst of a global pandemic and climate meltdown. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Anna Robinson reflect on what Julian and mystics like her, might bring to their evolving faith.  Interview starts at 15m 47s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  14. Rowan Williams - Christianity After Certainty (N346)

    06/09/2025

    Rowan Williams - Christianity After Certainty (N346)

    In this episode, we speak with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams about his vision of faith as attentiveness, not answers — a path not of mastery, but of mystery. Drawing on themes from his book Discovering Christianity, Rowan reflects on the difference between faith and toxic religion, and explores how trust, not certainty, might be the deeper thread that runs through the Christian story. We talk about the appeal of other traditions, Rowan’s appreciation of Buddhism, and why — despite it all — he remains rooted in the Christian faith. Along the way, he speaks candidly about the beauty and the cruelty of the Church, the liberating potential of theology, and how contemplation can shape not only our spiritual life but our way of seeing the world. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on the complexities of letting go of toxic religion, while staying open to what faith might still become. Interview starts at 15m 2s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  15. Tina Schermer Sellers - Sex, Shame & Learning to Trust Our Bodies Again (N371)

    Jun 23

    Tina Schermer Sellers - Sex, Shame & Learning to Trust Our Bodies Again (N371)

    In this episode, Tim talks with sex therapist and author Tina Schermer Sellers about the hidden legacy of religious sexual shame and the impact it can have on our relationships, our spirituality, and our sense of self. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Tina explores how messages absorbed in childhood can shape the way we experience our bodies, desire, intimacy, and even our understanding of God. Together they discuss purity culture, embodiment, safety, trust, and why our bodies often hold onto shame long after our beliefs have changed. Along the way, Tina offers a more hopeful and life-giving vision of sexuality—one rooted not in fear or control, but in connection, pleasure, mutuality, and belovedness. The conversation explores eros as a life force, the possibility of healing through relationships, and how we might begin to reclaim our bodies as places of joy, wisdom, and even divine encounter. Following the interview, Tim is joined by his wife Hannah for a thoughtful and often humorous conversation about growing up with evangelical messages around sex, dating and relationships. Together they reflect on shame, intimacy, safety, eros, and what it means to raise children with a healthier relationship to their bodies, desires and sense of self. Interview starts at 19m 08s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Homegrown Conversations, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  16. Tim & Elliot Nash – A Year of Practice, Family & the Unexpected Sacred (N355)

    10/23/2025

    Tim & Elliot Nash – A Year of Practice, Family & the Unexpected Sacred (N355)

    Over the last year, Tim and his eleven-year-old son Elliot have been quietly experimenting with faith at home — exploring a different spiritual practice each month and discovering what happens when faith is lived, not just discussed. From gratitude and Sabbath to activism, creativity, and pilgrimage; from sawing coconuts and dismantling Hi-Fis to marching for their local library and hiding painted pebbles — they’ve stumbled into moments of laughter, frustration, and the occasional glimpse of transcendence. In this conversation, Tim and Elliot look back over their first year of Homegrown Faith — reflecting on what surprised them, what changed them, and how spirituality can take root in the ordinary rhythms of family life. (This conversation is also being shared on the Homegrown Faith podcast feed, where you can follow Tim and Elliot’s ongoing monthly experiments in everyday spirituality.) Conversation starts at 12m 56s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  17. Meggan Watterson - Silenced Voices, Lost Christianities (N363)

    Feb 23

    Meggan Watterson - Silenced Voices, Lost Christianities (N363)

    In this episode, Tim speaks with feminist theologian and author Meggan Watterson about the Gospel of Mary and the Acts of Paul and Thecla — early Christian texts that didn’t make it into the New Testament. They explore what these stories reveal about the diversity of early Christianities, the formation of the biblical canon, and the ways women’s voices were preserved, reshaped, or silenced. What does it mean that some communities treasured these texts enough to pass them on — and how might Christianity have looked if Mary and Thecla had been read alongside Paul and Peter? The conversation moves from history into questions of authority, embodiment, and discernment. Meggan reflects on what drew her to these texts and what she means by “inner authority,” while Tim probes the tension between personal revelation and communal accountability. Together they ask what kind of faith might emerge if we loosen our grip on a single master story without losing our grounding. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Joy reflect on growing up with a narrow vision of “the early church,” the uneasy relationship between canon and power, and what it means to reclaim inner authority without losing community. Interview starts at 14m 01s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  18. Joanna Leidenhag - The Consciousness of All Things (N330)

    10/10/2024

    Joanna Leidenhag - The Consciousness of All Things (N330)

    In this episode Joanna Leidenhag explores the fascinating nature of consciousness and its implications for how we understand ourselves and the world around us. She challenges traditional views that separate mind and body, and instead advocates for panpsychism, an understanding that she believes better fosters environmental awareness, deeper respect for diverse cultures and a view of existence that is interconnected and alive. After the interview Nomad hosts Tim Nash and Joy Brooks try to get their heads around the pros and cons of the various models of consciousness and ponder how panpsychism might shape their evolving faith.  Interview starts at 14m 19s  Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  19. Hiroko Yoda – Half Belief Half Doubt and the Art of Paying Attention (N362)

    Feb 9

    Hiroko Yoda – Half Belief Half Doubt and the Art of Paying Attention (N362)

    In this gentle and quietly unsettling conversation, Hiroko Yoda invites us into a world where spirituality doesn’t begin with belief, but with attention. Drawing on her Japanese upbringing and her book Eight Million Ways to Happiness, Hiroko reflects on grief, ancestors, everyday ritual, and the idea of “half belief, half doubt” — a way of living that makes space for ambiguity rather than trying to resolve it. From small shrines in city parks to the simple act of taking a walk, she describes spirituality as a set of tools for pausing, noticing, and staying connected to the living world around us. Together, Tim and Hiroko explore what happens when faith becomes less about certainty and more about participation: how joy and play find their way into sacred spaces, why traditions can be blended and remixed without anxiety, and what it might mean to belong without needing to define what you believe. It’s a conversation that gently challenges Western ideas of religion and invites listeners to experiment with a slower, softer, more attentive way of being in the world. Following the interview, Nomad hosts Tim and Anna reflect on the disorientation and gift of meeting a spirituality that doesn’t play the same “belief game,” exploring simplicity, attention, and the idea of spiritual practices as tools rather than tests. Interview starts at 17m 53s Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

  20. Rachel Held Evans - Losing My [Evangelical] Religion (N97)

    05/23/2015

    Rachel Held Evans - Losing My [Evangelical] Religion (N97)

    Rachel Held Evans is a hugely successful and influential progressive Christian blogger, author and speaker.  We talk to Rachel about her journey from a conservative evangelical faith characterised by certainty, to wrestling with questions, doubt, cynicism and despair, through to a new kind of faith. And we discuss the trials and tribulations of embarking on this journey under the gaze of social media. It's a fascinating and insightful story. “You’re allowed to ask questions, but only up to a certain point. And there were a lot of predetermined answers. Like, ‘We want you to wrestle, we want you to struggle a little bit…but only if you come back around to believing this, this, this and this.’ So, it felt like the inquiry was very limited and restricted, which didn’t feel like actual inquiry to me.” - Rachel Held Evans Books, quotes, links → The creation of Nomad’s thoughtful, ad-free content is entirely funded by our equally thoughtful and wonderful listeners. By supporting us, you gain access to Nomad’s online spaces—like the Beloved Listener Lounge, Enneagram Lounge, and Book Club—as well as bonus episodes such as Nomad Contemplations, Therapeutic Reflections, and Nomad Revisited. If you’d like to join our lovely community of supporters, head over to our Patreon page. You might even be rewarded with a Nomad pen or our coveted Beloved Listener mug! If a monthly commitment isn’t possible right now, a one-off donation is always deeply appreciated—you can do that here. Looking to connect with others nearby? Check out the Listener Map or join our Nomad Gathering Facebook group. And if you're up for sharing your own story, we regularly post reflections from listeners on our blog—all with the hope of fostering deeper understanding, connection and supportive relationships. If you'd like to share your story on the blog, contact us for more information here.

Tim Nash on Apple