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On this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by British pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen to explore the extraordinary musical world of 18th-century France - where religion, courtly spectacle and music were deeply intertwined. They discuss the music of François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau and the pioneering composer Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, as well as the unlikely connection between Catholic and Protestant composers. They also ask whether the Church has lost its musical vernacular; and whether the sacred music of the Baroque could have a place in churches today. Produced by Abigail Brierley. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel has voted in its first general election since the 7th of October attacks, and the result is deadlock. Netanyahu’s bloc took 53 seats, the opposition 48 and the Arab parties a record 19. Shas, the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox party, fell from 11 seats to six, its worst result since 1992, after insisting that haredi men should stay exempt from military service. Damian Thompson is joined by Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent for The Economist and biographer of Benjamin Netanyahu, to ask how much religion is shaping the country’s future. They discuss the ‘status quo’ deal David Ben-Gurion struck with the rabbis before the state was founded, why Israel still has no civil marriage, the three main branches of ultra-Orthodoxy, and a birth rate that has taken the haredim from 2-3% of the population to 13-14%. Could they be half of Israel within a generation or two? And with the parties promising not to sit with Netanyahu, the Arab parties or the haredim, which of those promises will be broken first? Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Henry Lloyd Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manuela Lowenthal Ferreira joins Damian Thompson from Brazil to report on the growing role of evangelical Christians in the presidential election. The second round this Sunday sees left-wing President Lula –serving his third term nonconsecutively – pitted against right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro – son of the previous president. Around 50 million Brazilians identify as evangelical so, considering that is almost 30 percent of the population, do they hold the deciding influence? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pope Leo XIV is recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, with doctors removing the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican says his recovery is progressing normally, but questions remain over how his illness could affect a pontificate that is still in its early stages. What does the Pope’s diagnosis mean for the Catholic Church? The Pillar’s Ed Condon joins Damian Thompson to consider how illness could reshape Leo’s papacy and whether his health could speed up the process of senior appointments – and ultimately revive the debate over papal succession. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Franz Liszt is remembered as one of the great showmen of the 19th century: a dazzling virtuoso, breaker of pianos and notorious womaniser who inspired a frenzy among his admirers. But a profound Catholic faith ran through his life, which found an increasingly powerful expression in his music. For this Holy Smoke episode, Damian Thompson is joined by the award-winning British pianist Charles Owen, whose new album De Profundis explores the sacred music of both Liszt and César Franck. Owen explains how Liszt translated the stories of saints, scripture and even birdsong into what he argues is some of the most extraordinary music ever written for the piano. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to withdraw an honour to a leading Muslim cleric, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali warns today in this episode of Holy Smoke. The former Bishop of Rochester speaks to Damian Thompson following the news that Lambeth Palace has had to withdraw an award to Hafiz Ashrafi after previous comments by the Imam came to light. Following the ‘Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation' award being presented, it came to light that Ashrafi had praised Osama bin Laden in 2007, saying he would give the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks the title Saifullah – or 'Sword of God’ – for ’serving Muslims by waging jihad against infidels’.  The question remains ‘why there was not due diligence’ Msgr Nazir-Ali tells Damian, saying Pakistani Christian leaders fear a backlash. The ‘reactionary action on the part of extremists’ should have been thought about before making the announcement, Nazir-Ali said, as he criticised Lambeth Palace. Msgr Nazir-Ali, now a priest of the Catholic Ordinariate and who was born in Pakistan, is a world renowned authority on Islam's relations with Christianity. He talks to Damian about the debacle over the award, and warns against the increasing secularisation and desecration of British churches. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has announced his intention to change a law which bars him from advising the King on appointments to the Church of England. The Victorian-era law explicitly bars Catholics like Burnham, as well as Jews – but doesn't prevent those of other Christian denominations, other faiths – like Hindu Rishi Sunak, or atheists like Keir Starmer. So, if the law is going to be changed to address this anomaly, should it allow all Prime Ministers of any faith to provide advice – or should all non-Anglicans be barred? And what does Burnham's interest in the power tell us about his relationship with his faith – and his approach to the job? The Spectator's James Heale and William Moore join Damian Thompson to discuss. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are young women suddenly fascinated by nuns? From ‘nun girl summer’ on TikTok to a wider ‘quiet revival’ of Christianity among Generation Z, the religious life appears to be enjoying an unexpected cultural moment. But is the attraction genuinely spiritual – or are young women simply drawn to the aesthetics, certainty and tranquillity of convent life? This week on Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by the Spectator's US assistant editor Margaret Mitchell and the Daily Mail’s Mimi Yates to discuss the unlikely appeal of nuns to Gen Z. They explore the joy and ‘slow living’ of convent life, the exhaustion of the attention economy and whether retreating into an all-female religious community offers an escape from modern dating and the 'manosphere'. Are young people merely borrowing the Catholic aesthetic or is there something deeper behind this trend? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the Church of England slowly abolishing the parish priest? A new model of ‘oversight ministry’ promises team-based leadership and a greater role for lay volunteers – but critics fear it will leave priests increasingly invisible in the communities they serve. Meanwhile, those volunteers face an expanding regime of training, safeguarding requirements and diocesan bureaucracy. This week on Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by Daily Mail sketchwriter Quentin Letts, who has written a provocative piece for The Spectator on what he calls the rise of ‘plastic parsons’. They discuss the Church’s shortage of priests, whether safeguarding has become a vehicle for bureaucratic overreach, the money spent on central initiatives rather than struggling parishes – and whether the sight of a vicar in a dog collar could soon become as unusual as an old-fashioned policeman on the beat. Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a bishop breaks with Rome but still claims apostolic succession? Damian Thompson is joined by historian Magnus Lundberg, Professor of Church and Mission History at Uppsala University in Sweden, to explore the strange world of ‘wandering bishops’, rival popes and tiny schismatic churches. They trace the tangled web of consecrations that have produced thousands of bishops outside the authority of Rome, and explore the grandiose titles and ceremonies of these independent bishops. They also examine the roots of sedevacantism, the legacy of Archbishop Lefebvre and the Society of St Pius X, and ask whether the latest breakaway bishops could create yet another schism. Plus, where exactly does the Catholic Church draw a line between a bishop whose orders are illicit and one whose orders are invalid? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by Madeline Grant to dive into the contentious topic of Project Spire, the Church of England's ambitious plan to allocate £100 million in reparations for its involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. They will shed light on the Church's insistence on proceeding with this plan despite significant opposition from both the public and its own parishioners. Produced by Henry Lloyd and Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Andy Burnham the country's first catholic Prime Minister, and how might it influence his leadership? Despite his faith drawing him to Labour, he doesn’t attend mass and rarely emphasises his religion publicly. To unpack his faith and where it might take him, Lara Brown, The Spectator's commissioning editor, is joined by the chief political commentator at The Times, Patrick Maguire, and The Spectator's religion editor, Damian Thompson. Produced by Henry Lloyd, Ed Parker and Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Christians, devotion to the Virgin Mary is deeply moving. For others, it raises uncomfortable theological questions. Is the veneration of Mary a vital part of Christian faith or does it risk elevating her to something resembling a goddess? And why are growing numbers of Protestants, as well as Catholics and Orthodox Christians, rediscovering Marian devotion today? Damian Thompson is joined by theologian and author Margarita Mooney Clayton to discuss her new book When Mary Calls: Surprising Encounters with the Mother of God. They explore modern claims of Marian apparitions, why stories of Mary continue to resonate across Christian traditions and what devotion to the Mother of God reveals about the search for spiritual renewal in the modern world. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From idolising players to faithfully following a club, football is often described as the world’s secular religion. But religion has long been woven into the fabric of the game itself. From the sectarian roots of Glasgow’s Old Firm rivalry between Catholic Celtic and Protestant Rangers to Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in 1986, faith has repeatedly shaped football’s biggest moments. This year’s World Cup has offered plenty more examples. Players have prayed openly during matches; images of Lionel Messi as a saint have appeared at Argentina games; and Muslim footballers have performed the sujood on the pitch after victory. Meanwhile, following Brazil’s earlier-than-expected exit, some distraught supporters blamed the country’s rapid growth of Protestantism, lamenting: ‘If we pray like a gringo, we play like a gringo.’ So how has religion shaped the world’s most popular sport? And why is Christianity becoming increasingly visible in modern football? Produced by Patrick Gibbons & Oscar Edmondson. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might be 250 years since the Declaration of Independence but the document continues to prove controversial, with political groups arguing over the intention behind the document – just watch any Supreme Court case. To mark the 4th of July, Professor Gregg Frazer joins Damian Thompson to talk about the intention of the founding fathers in terms of religion – did they really want America to become a Christian nation? With President Trump courting evangelical Christian voters, rising religious tensions amongst religious minorities and some sections of society advocating for ‘Christian nationalism’, is America’s free market in religious ideas being tested to its limit? Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more. For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.