A weekly series for preachers, ministers and worship leaders, discussing the dimensions of justice present in the Bible readings explored by many churches each Sunday, and reflecting on how they connect with current affairs and our calling to be justice seekers.
Episodes
26 minutes ago
26 minutes ago
Alex, Christine, Erica, and Thomas discuss the readings for 28 December. Don't forget to listen to parts 1 and 3 of our Christmas special and watch this space for a new host and a return to our traditional format in the new year.
3 days ago
3 days ago
Alex, Christine, Erica, and Thomas discuss the readings for Christmas Day. Don't forget to listen to parts 2 and 3 of our Christmas special and watch this space for a new host and a return to our traditional format in the new year.
6 days ago
6 days ago
The fourth episode of our Advent specials of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Thomas Niblett, and features Hannah Fremont-Brown and JPIT member Roo Stewart! This week, Thomas, Hannah, and Roo explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 21st December.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
26:30 – Romans 1: 1-7
35:47 – Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
41:59 - Isaiah 7: 10-16
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
The third episode of our Advent specials of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Erica Lees-Smith, and features Neil Thorogood and JPIT member Steve Tinning!
This week, Erica, Neil, and Steve explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 14th December.
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
06:33 – Luke 1: 47-55 (Magnificat)
12:04 - Isaiah 35: 1-10
21:14 – James 5: 7-10
25:33 - Matthew 11: 2-11
30:52 – Psalm 146: 5-10
This episode includes particular discussion of the Tommy Robinson event due to take place this weekend, and what preachers could say from the week's readings to speak out for compassion and justice. For more resources please visit our recent blog - jpit.uk/is-this-love.
Monday Dec 01, 2025
Monday Dec 01, 2025
The second episode of the Advent season of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Thomas Niblett, and features guests and JPIT team members Erica Lees-Smith and Simeon Mitchell. We are trialling some live on-site episodes during advent.
This week, Thomas, Erica, and Simeon explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 7th December.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
05:15 - Matthew 3: 1-12
11:35 - Romans 15: 4-13
17:40 - Isaiah 11: 1-10
24:40 - Psalm 72: 1-7, 18-19
Monday Nov 24, 2025
Monday Nov 24, 2025
The first episode of the new Advent season of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Politics in the Pulpit editor Erica Lees-Smith, and features guests and JPIT team members Alex Clare-Young and Thomas Niblett. We are trialing some live on site episodes during advent. This week, Erica, Alex and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 30th November.
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
The tenth and final episode of this season of Politics in the Pulpit Autumn 2025 is hosted by Stephen Ansa-Addo, and features our special guest, Nicola Robinson!
Nicola Anne Robinson is a URC Minister, currently serving in the Leeds URC Partnership. She has a strong commitment to social and environmental justice, for people and planet who are experiencing marginalisation and exclusion, both locally and globally. Embedding themes such as racial justice, creation care, refugee awareness and more in worship services and with congregations, exploring how people who have been excluded from church can be welcomed and affirmed. Nicola is the Convenor of Yorkshire Synod’s Green Apostles group. In 2026, she will serve as Chaplain to the URC Youth Moderator. She is part of the ecumenical planning group for Pride Church Leeds which holds a service and gathering for our LGBTQ+ Christian community once a month. She lives with her lady companion, Maisie, a 10-year-old cockapoo.
This week, Stephen, Nicola and Roo explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 23rd November.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
09:30 - Jeremiah 23:1-6
18:50 – Psalm 46
28:50 - Luke 23:33-43
41:25 - Colossians 1:11-20
Friday Nov 07, 2025
Friday Nov 07, 2025
The ninth episode of Politics in the Pulpit Autumn 2025 is hosted by Stephen Ansa-Addo, and featuring our special guest, Lindsey Sanderson!
Lindsey is a URC minister, serving as Moderator of the National Synod of Scotland since January 2024. She currently represents the Synod Moderators on the JPIT strategy group. Her commitment to social justice plays a strong part of her Christian faith. She served as a trustee of Christian Aid and global ecumenical experiences through Council for World Mission and as URC representative on the World Council of Churches Central Committee. She has interests in liturgy, writing liturgy including hymn words and sharing the liturgical resources of the world church. She lives in Glasgow with her husband, older daughter and their dog Hamish.
This week, Stephen, Lindsey and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 16th November.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro
06:20 – Isaiah 65: 17-25
18:29 – 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13
34:15 – Luke 21: 5-19 and Isaiah 12
Mentions
Social Care Sunday
Interfaith Week – www.interfaithweek.org
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Friday Oct 31, 2025
Friday Oct 31, 2025
The eighth episode of Politics in the Pulpit Autumn 2025 is hosted by Alex Clare-Young, and featuring our special guest, Mark Rowland!
Mark is Secretary of the Faith and Order Committee for the Methodist Church in Britain. He has been a Methodist minister since 2009 and his formation stretched from inner city Sheffield to the United States. He was awarded his PhD for a thesis entitled “A queer and Methodist theology of holiness: strategies for queering Wesley’s teaching,” reimagining concepts of sin, transformation and perfection. Before his current role, Mark has served in local church and chaplaincy ministry and has a deep passion for worship and preaching which respond to the realities of the world God loves and calls us to love. An activist for the greater participation and inclusion of LGBT+ people in the Church, Mark is co-Chair of OneBodyOneFaith and a trustee of Dignity and Worth. In his free time, Mark is a keen singer and organist.
This week, Alex, Mark and Erica explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 9th November.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
04:16 - Luke 20: 27-38
17:30 - 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17
21:59 - Haggai 1: 15b-2:9
28:58 - Psalm 145: 1-5, 17-21
Mentions:
King unveils new memorial to LGBT veterans after gay ban campaign
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr7m8kzgy77o
Just Money Movement – https://justmoney.org.uk/
Make Them Pay coalition - https://www.makethempay.org.uk/
2025 General Council for the World Communion of Reformed Churches - https://wcrc.eu/gc2025/
Friday Oct 24, 2025
Friday Oct 24, 2025
The seventh episode of Politics in the Pulpit Autumn 2025 is hosted by Stephen Ansa-Addo, and featuring our special guest, Phil Nevard!
Other than a few years dabbling in other jobs, Phil has been a URC minister for most of his working life - over 30 years. For all of that time Phil has managed to escape temptation into regional URC jobs and has happily followed his calling to be a local church minister and not much else. Phil counts preaching to be one of the joys of ministry and URC folk might vaguely remember his name from the three year vlog and podcast series "Talking Absolute Worship" that Phil hosted through the Covid years. Phil's most significant contribution to the Liberation struggle has probably been his voluntary work with the Battery Hen Welfare Association. With the Essex team, including his youngest daughter, he has helped liberate thousands of battery chickens, many of them finding refuge and a new life in his own back garden. Being a lifelong Bolton Wanderers fan has taught him all he needs to know about dealing with disappointment and disaster. It is said that this is character-building! Phil is currently Minister in three churches across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk and is mostly talking about retirement these days!
This week, Stephen, Phil and Simeon explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 2nd November.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
08:50 - Habakkuk 1: 1-4; 2:1-4
23:56 - Luke 19: 1-10
37:44 - Psalm 119: 137-144
44:01 - 2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4, 11-12
Mentions:
Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Talking Absolute Worship podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/3bPvwOSi9UIuXVMhw5Ks9m
Together with Refugees https://togetherwithrefugees.org.uk/
The Zacchaeus tax campaign https://www.cwmission.org/news/spotlights/zacchaeus-tax-campaign-to-relaunch-in-africa/