Podcast
America
Culture
Re-enchanting
1 min read

Re-enchanting... conversion & US evangelicalism

Journalist and professor Molly Worthen talks to Belle and Justin about what led her to embrace faith, after researching the good, the bad and the ugly of Christian history.

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

A woman seated at a table gestures with both hands while talking

Journalist and professor Molly Worthen talks to Belle and Justin about what led her to embrace faith after researching the good, the bad and the ugly of Christian history.

Molly Worthen is a journalist and associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For the past decade she has pursued a career researching the religious and intellectual history of North America. As well as writing books such as Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, she is regular contributor to publications such as the New York Times, The Atlantic and The New Yorker.

But Molly’s story took an interesting turn recently. Having been an agnostic most of her life, last year she converted to Christianity. Having researched the good, the bad and the ugly of Christian history we’ll be finding out what led her to embrace faith in the end. And with the continuing polarisation of politics and church culture among US evangelicals why on earth has Molly chosen to be an insider rather than an outsider in the US church?

For more episodes of Re-Enchanting: https://www.seenandunseen.com/podcast

There’s more to life than the world we can see. Re-Enchanting is a podcast from Seen & Unseen recorded at Lambeth Palace Library, the home of the Centre for Cultural Witness. Justin Brierley and Belle Tindall engage faith and spirituality with leading figures in science, history, politics, art and education. Can our culture be re-enchanted by the vision of Christianity?

Podcast
Podcasts
Re-enchanting
2 min read

Re-Enchanting podcast, by Seen & Unseen

Re-enchanting culture, politics, the arts, the sciences, history, and so much more.

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

A camera's screen shows a podcast recording also visible in the background.
Dame Sue Black, recording an episode at Lambeth Palace Library.

About Re-Enchanting

The Re-Enchanting podcast sees hosts Justin Brierley and Belle Tindall talk with guests about how Christianity can re-enchant culture, politics, the arts, the sciences, history, and so much more.

Despite the increasingly scientific and secular age we live in, many people are still searching for a bigger story to live by. The podcast will feature a mix of guests - both with and without faith - and explore how those who have tired of modern materialism are the ones seeking to 're-enchant' the world. This podcast is about tracing their journey and work.

The series so far

Series six featured Les Isaac, Rupert Shortt, Sue Black, Johnathan Wittenberg, Jo Swinney, Andrew Davison, Kate Flaherty, John Mark Reynolds, Tyler Staton, and Esther Maria Magnis.

Series five featured Alex O'Conner, NT Wright, Krish Kandiah, Talia Dean, Jack Palmer-White, Zoe Clark-Coates, Siku, Sarah Irving-Stonebraker, Claire Gilbert, and Francis Collins.

Series four featured Joshua Luke Smith, Elizabeth Oldfield, Holly Ordway, Michael Ward, Rasool Berry, Luke Bretherton, Ben Sixsmith, Karen Swallow Prior, Iain McGilchrist, and Nick Spencer.

Series three featured Rory Stewart, Helen Lewis, Martin Shaw, Sabina Alkire, David Bennett, Lauren Windle, Milton Jones, Jessica Oyelowo, and Lisa Fields.

Series two featured Esau McCaulley, Kate Bowler, Ros Picard, Suzannah Lipscomb, Glen Scrivener, Chine McDonald, Esme Partridge and Yaroslav Walker, Molly Worthen, and Frank Skinner.

Series one featured Cishal Mangalwadi, Katherine Birbalsingh, Paul Kingsnorth, Marilynne Robinson,  Michael Hastings, Louise Perry, Ton Holland, Jennifer Wiseman, Francis Spufford, and Graham Tomlin.

About the hosts and venue

Belle Tindall is a staff writer for Seen & Unseen, the podcast's parent title. Find out more about her and read her articles.

Justin Brierley is a successful broadcaster and pioneering podcaster. Find out more about his work.

Episodes are recorded in the Bancroft Room at the top of Lambeth Palace Library in London. Explore the collection and the building.

Contact the editorial team

Listen to Re-enchanting now

During each series episodes go live every Wednesday.

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Since April 2023, our listeners have enjoyed hundred of podcast episodes from Re-enchanting and its sister podcasts. All for free. This is made possible through the generosity of our amazing community of supporters.
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Graham Tomlin
Editor-in-Chief