Soul Search explores contemporary religion and spirituality from the inside out — what we believe, how we express it, and the difference it makes in our lives
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Why did an atheist spend a year as a secular priest?
2026/04/23
Does a society lose anything if we lose religion? Niki Harré is a lifelong atheist who wanted to test this. She took a year off from her job as an academic, to the point of setting herself up as a 'secular priest!' What did she uncover?
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Active body, active soul — encountering the spiritual side of sports
2026/04/16
Australia's devotion to sports takes on many religious qualities. And in many religious traditions, the physical discipline of the body is one way of working on the soul. So, how do shared activities, like running groups or football clubs, keep us healthy physically, mentally — and spiritually?
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What’s new about death in the 21st century?
2026/04/09
We tend to think of death as constant — unchanging — but when and how we die looks very different today than it did even 100 years ago. So what does it mean to think about your own mortality in the 21st century?
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The power of pure attention with Laurence Freeman
2026/04/02
How might silence and stillness help us meet the challenges of our time? Fr Laurence Freeman is an English Benedictine monk, and one of the most well-known meditation teachers in the world.
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No really, who is my neighbour?
2026/03/27
If a neighbour turned up on your doorstep, would you know them by name? In some ways we are more connected than ever before, but knowing and loving your neighbour has become thin in our increasingly individualised society. So how can we build flourishing communities with our neighbours?
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The possibilities of the gift economy
2026/03/19
Imagine living life without money — cutting up your credit card, closing up your bank account, and finding new ways to feed and clothe yourself. On Soul Search, we examine what it might look like to step away from the cycle of getting and spending, and towards a gift economy.
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Quitting stuff for a richer life
2026/03/12
Currently around the world, billions of people are fasting for Ramadan and Lent. What are the spiritual motivations for fasting? And what happens when we press pause on food, water, and acquiring things?
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Violence against women in the church
2026/03/05
In Australia, one-in-four women will experience violence by an intimate partner. There's been little research into rates of violence against women in Christian churches, but from what we do know, the rates of violence are the same — if not higher.
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Gender expansive Christianity
2026/02/26
There's a paradox to Sydney. It's long been an oasis for LGBT people in Australia, but it's also globally known as the home of particularly traditional — some would say conservative — kind of Christianity. There's a tension in this dual identity, but these two communities do sometimes overlap. When LGBT people grow up in these churches, they need to decide.
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Why are we fascinated with monsters and evil creatures?
2026/02/19
What's your favourite monster story? Descriptions of monsters and evil creatures are more than just a cheap thrill — they can reveal a lot about our moral systems, and our beliefs about how the universe works.
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The Philokalia — the book at the heart of the Orthodox world
2026/02/12
As the Russia-Ukraine rages, there's a book cherished by both sides — the Philokalia holds what many consider the true spiritual essence of Orthodoxy: Stillness and ceaseless prayer.
How the performing arts connects us to our body and souls
2026/02/05
When was the last time you saw a live performance that took your breath away? In a digital age, there's something spellbinding about the physicality of live music and theatre that connects us to each other, our bodies, and perhaps the divine.
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The discipline of inner peace
2026/01/29
When you think of inner peace, you might be thinking of a feeling, and many of us are searching all over for it! But what if it's more like... exercise?
Can video games be part of the “good life?”
2026/01/22
Are video games a waste of time? Aristotle said a good life is one of flourishing and realising your potential. So, can games enrich our lives, or are they a kind of "false pleasure?"
Being Aboriginal and Catholic in remote Australia
2026/01/15
Culture, history and faith collide in the remote Aboriginal community of Ltyentye Apurte. A former mission town 80kms east of Alice Springs, it remains one of the most Catholic communities in the country.
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Podcast reviews
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Soul Search
podcast reviews
4.4 out of 5
25 reviews
MFD0412
2024/10/03
Soothing for the current time we live in
A balm for the soul at this time. The people and guests on the show are bringing awareness to the global issues and those in our backyard. I am glad I...
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b-wrat
2007/12/04
In Touch . . . In the Spirit
The Spirit of Things is absolutely wonderful. Based in Austrialia, the show is universal. I listen to it every Sunday. If you're in touch with the ...
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ElimiNathan
2020/05/05
Religiously focussed with a generally positive view
I was hoping to learn more about religion and spirituality by listening to this podcast, but it appears to be a re-titled show originally called the S...
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gstrom47
2006/11/26
A Review of the Spirit of Things
This is a wonderful podcast if you are interested in improving your own spirit. Wide range of topics but always relevant.