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
6 days ago
6 days ago
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest, and next host, Eddie Boon!
Eddie serves the Thames North Synod of the United Reformed Church as Discipleship Enabler (Special Category Ministry). His main focus is encouraging people, leaders and churches in becoming more intentional in whole-life discipleship as gathered and scattered church.
Eddie has served and led URC congregations for over 40 years and has experience of ministry in the Church of South India. He is a massive fan of Everton FC, Hampshire County Cricket and the band The Stranglers. He loves to swim, cycle, walk, go to the theatre, cinema, and art galleries and take part in book clubs locally.
This week, Naomi, Eddie, and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 12th July.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
05:19 - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
19:53 - Genesis 25:19-34
32:11 - Romans 8:1-11
35:15 - Psalm 119:105-112
Mentions
The Homilies of St john Chrysostom on the Gospel of Matthew - The homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople
Isaiah 55 - Isaiah 55 NRSVUE - An Invitation to Abundant Life - Hear, - Bible Gateway
‘Parables’ by Dr Paula Gooder Parables - Paula Gooder
Psalm 65 - Psalm 65 NRSVUE - Psalm 65 Thanksgiving for Earth’s - Bible Gateway
Monday Jun 29, 2026
Monday Jun 29, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Anthony Lees-Smith!
Canon Dr Anthony Lees-Smith is Canon Missioner at Chester Cathedral where he oversees the education programme, arts and exhibitions, and community engagement. A former primary school teacher, Anthony has spent most of the past 25 years living and working in religiously diverse communities, an experience which became the focus of his doctoral research.
This week, Naomi, Anthony, and Adam explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 5th July.
We apologise that there is no video recording from this week’s episode due to technical difficulties.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 03:50 - Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30
- 14:29 - Genesis 24: 34-38, 42-49, 58-67
- 21:45 – Psalm 45: 10-17
- 23:49 - Romans 7: 15-25a
Mentions
Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now by Walter Brueggeman
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
JPIT’s resource bank on Artificial Intelligence - https://jpit.uk/ai-faith-and-justice-resources
JPIT’s campaigns on gambling - https://jpit.uk/issues/gambling-and-alcohol
Monday Jun 22, 2026
Monday Jun 22, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Anna Jones!
This week, Naomi, Anna, and Erica explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 28th June.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 08:05 - Genesis 22: 1-14
- 20:22 - Psalm 13
- 25:55 - Romans 6: 12-23
- 36:33 - Matthew 10: 40-42
- 44:48 - Jeremiah 28: 5-9
Mentions
The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by Desmond Tutu and Dalai Lama
Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/
Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson
Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit
JPIT’s resources on Christian nationalism - https://jpit.uk/responding-to-christian-nationalism
Guest blog from Welcome Churches for Refugee Week - https://jpit.uk/welcome-churches-for-refugees
Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI - https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html
Monday Jun 15, 2026
Monday Jun 15, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Kathy Bevan!
Kathy is the Evangelism & Justice Enabler for the Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Methodist District and also a student Deacon, studying part time at Queens Foundation. Her work across the District involves supporting churches to consider how they might partner with their communities in the work of social action and social justice; and encouraging and enabling them to share their stories of lives transformed by relationship with Jesus.
This week, Naomi, Kathy, and Thomas explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 21st June.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 03:18 – Psalm 86: 1-10, 16-17
- 10:27 - Romans 6: 1b-11
- 21:50 - Matthew 10: 24-39
- 39:09 - Genesis 21: 8-21
Mentions
Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/
BBC Sounds podcast – In Detail (Viraj Mendis’s story seeking sanctuary) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0m2zr57
Open Doors charity - https://www.opendoorsuk.org/
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI - https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html#can_all_do_our_part
JPIT’s Future of Arms work - https://jpit.uk/issues/peacemaking/futureofarms
Just a Sister Away: Understanding the Timeless Connection Between Women of Today and Women in the Bible by Renita Weems
Sisters in the Wilderness by Dolores S. Williams
Monday Jun 08, 2026
Monday Jun 08, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest Matt Ceaser!
Matt is the 18-35s Development Coordinator for the Baptist Union, working to make space for a new generation of leaders in Baptist life. He was previously a JPIT intern (and producer of this podcast) before working on Methodists for Ukraine and then joining JustMoney Movement, a Christian charity with a vision for a world where money shapes a fairer, greener future. He is passionate about equipping people for action and seeing them grow in confidence as they learn how they can exert agency in the world, and he lives in East London where he serves as a deacon at his local Baptist church.
This week, Naomi, Matt, and Simeon explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 14th June.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 08:12 - Romans 5: 1-8
- 14:36 - Matthew 9: 35 – 10: 8(9-23)
- 28:50 - Genesis 18: 1–15
- 37:20 - Psalm 116: 1–2, 12-19
Mentions
JustMoney Movement - https://justmoney.org.uk/
Baptist Union NextUp learning community for 18-35s - https://www.baptist.org.uk/nextup
Tommy Sharpe’s blog reflecting on the Tommy Robinson counter-demonstration - https://tommysharpe.substack.com/p/the-need-to-see-one-another-lessons
Refugee Week 2026 - https://refugeeweek.org/
Monday Jun 01, 2026
Monday Jun 01, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guests Charlotte Naylor Davis and Simon Hall!
Charlotte Naylor Davis is a part-time minister and academic based in Leeds. her church community, Revive, is small, meeting in houses, teaching is discursive and inclusive - meaning it's often challenging but valuing everyone's voice in the room. She has a PhD in biblical studies, specifically bible translation, and research expertise in the history of interpretation of biblical texts, particularly in subcultures, and from the hermeneutical perspective of gender and disability. She also is the president of the International Society of Metal Music Studies and writing a book on the Bible in heavy metal culture. She has ME so doing any of these things takes three times as long as healthy people but Revive are very kind and let her be herself, that's how she came to be doing a podcast with Simon on sex and church this last year.
Simon Hall is a Baptist Minister who divides his time between supporting pioneering, podcasting with Charlotte at A God We Could Believe In and as part of The Northumbrian Collective, and writing a graphic novel about St George and English Nationalism. He lives in Leeds with his wife Anna, a TV Documentarian.
This week, Naomi, Charlotte, Simon and Erica explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 7th June.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 05:02 - Genesis 12: 1-9
- 13:52 - Romans 4: 13-25
- 21:40 - Psalm 33: 1-12
- 26:39 - Matthew 9: 9-13,18-26
Mentions
A God We Could Believe In podcast, hosted by Simon and Charlotte - https://open.spotify.com/show/4IlVQQJ7Qz6B88XRGqAD7f?si=cac74298fb8848e6
Live: How Would Jesus ‘Unite the Kingdom’? - A God We Could Believe In with Helen Paynter https://open.spotify.com/episode/0EoWbY1DSDaFVmt12baDML?si=e9c8ee2170d54845
JPIT’s refugee family reunion campaign - https://jpit.uk/refugee-reunion
How to Have an Enemy: Righteous Anger and the Work of Peace by Melissa Florer-Bixler
JPIT’s resource bank for responding to Christian nationalism - https://jpit.uk/responding-to-christian-nationalism
Better Story - https://www.betterstory.info/
The Bible and Disability: A Commentary edited by Sarah Melcher, Mikeal C Parsons and Amos Young
Environment Sunday resources - https://jpit.uk/issues/environment
Monday May 25, 2026
Monday May 25, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates and features our special guest John Goddard!
Revd John Goddard has been an ordained Baptist Minister for almost 30 years. Having served churches in rural Oxfordshire and industrial South Cumbria, he has been the Minister of Saffron Walden Baptist Church in Essex since 2013. Married to Karen, they have 2 adult sons and a shared love for wildlife and remote Scottish islands. John grew up in a Methodist family in the Derbyshire High Peak, and began training as a Methodist Local Preacher at the age of 16. Themes of inclusion and welcome are prominent in his theology and preaching, with a particular emphasis on the Biblical imperative for the full inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ siblings within the Body of Christ. Much to everyone's surprise, not least his own, the last couple of years has seen a growing interest in running and he is a regular participant in Parkrun.
This week, Naomi, John and Paul explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 31st May.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 05:18 - Genesis 1: 1 – 2: 4a
- 18:20 - Psalm 8
- 26:00 – Matthew 28: 16-20 and 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13
Mentions
A Million Acts of Hope campaign (13-20 May 2026) - https://millionactsofhope.org/about
Monday May 18, 2026
Monday May 18, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates and features our special guest Hannah Fremont-Brown!
Hannah has recently come back to the Methodist church as the Justice Seeking Church Officer. She previously coordinated Let’s End Poverty, a movement of people united behind a vision of the future where poverty can’t keep anyone down. She is passionate about supporting churches and Christians to campaign and walk alongside our communities for justice. She is a member of Hinde Street Methodist Church, and has just completed an MA in Theology, Mission and Ministry. She is a great friend of JPIT, having been an intern and Campaigns & church engagement officer with us!
This week, Naomi, Hannah and Paul explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 24th May.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 06:00 - Acts 2: 1-21
- 16:24 - 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-13
- 26:00 - Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b
- 32:35 - John 20: 19-23
Mentions
Mentions Addressing Anti-Judaism in Lent, Holy Week and Eastertide: Updated Lectionary Recommendations (The Methodist Church) - https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-chur...
Trussell - https://www.trussell.org.uk/
Trussell’s Walking Humbly Bible study resources - Walking_Humbly_Bible_Studies.pdf
Monday May 11, 2026
Monday May 11, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Naomi Oates, and features our special guest June Love!
June Love is a Baptist minister based in Norfolk, serving at King’s Lynn Baptist Church. She is also the ecumenical officer for the Baptist Church in Norfolk & Waveney, and chairs Churches Together in King’s Lynn, working closely with other denominations and local organisations. June is passionate about helping people engage deeply with Scripture in ways that connect with everyday life, and is actively involved in community initiatives including the local foodbank and creating spaces for public conversation such as election hustings. She is particularly interested in how faith speaks into issues of justice, community, and wellbeing.
This week, Naomi, June and Steve explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 17th May.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 05:00 – Acts 1: 6-14
- 11:15 – Psalm 68: 1-10, 32-35
- 23:53 – John 17: 1-11
- 31:20 – 1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11
Mentions
A Million Acts of Hope campaign (13-20 May 2026) - https://millionactsofhope.org/about
Mentions Addressing Anti-Judaism in Lent, Holy Week and Eastertide: Updated Lectionary Recommendations (The Methodist Church) - https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-chur...
Churches Together in England - https://cte.org.uk/
Monday May 04, 2026
Monday May 04, 2026
This episode of Politics in the Pulpit is hosted by Erica Lees-Smith, and features our special guest and new season host, Naomi Oates!
The Revd Naomi Oates is a Methodist minister in the North Kent Circuit. She works with four churches and one Methodist community without a building. She loves cycling between her churches through the beautiful Kent countryside, which is thankfully fairly flat. In her spare time, she enjoys baking with her two young daughters, wild swimming, and reading Agatha Christie books, although not necessarily all at the same time. She loves that social justice lies at the heart of Methodist identity, and is particularly interested in issues relating to immigration and asylum, the criminal justice system, homelessness, and equality.
This week, Erica, Naomi and Alex explore the lectionary readings for Sunday 10th May.
Don’t forget to vote in your local or devolved elections on 7th May!
TW: this episode briefly mentions sexual assault at 34:05-15.
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Intro
- 06:27 - Acts 17: 22-31 and 1 Peter 3: 13-22
- 16:30 - Psalm 66: 8-20
- 30:20 - John 14: 15-21
Mentions
Addressing Anti-Judaism in Lent, Holy Week and Eastertide: Updated Lectionary Recommendations (The Methodist Church) - https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-chur...
Together Alliance - https://www.togetheralliance.org.uk/
Sign your church up to our Constituency Action Network to form a positive and purposeful relationship with your MP – jpit.uk/can
Watch our new CAN film (April 2026) - https://youtu.be/SPkQq3Oj81A?si=XvIPn2kzDPW2WHnK
Right to protest faith leaders letter – https://cte.org.uk/churches-warn-over-right-to-protest/
Compassion UK prayers for elections - https://www.compassionuk.org/blogs/prayers-for-elections/