Re-enchanting... Rupert Shortt on the death of Christianity

Belle and Justin talk with Rupert about why Europe’s historic faith remains critical to the survival of humane culture.

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

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Rupert Shortt is an author and research associate at the Von Hugel Institute, University Of Cambridge and a former Religion Editor for the Times Literary Supplement.

His latest book The Eclipse of Christianity… And Why It Matters has been praised by Tom Holland as ‘ A brilliant survey of Christianity’s decline in Britain- how it happened and why it matters, by one of our most learned and stimulating apologists’.

Belle and Justin talk with Rupert about why mainstream churches are in decline across the West and why Europe’s historic faith remains critical to the survival of humane culture.

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Podcast

Podcasts

Seen & Unseen Aloud

15 September 2025

1 min read

We need nuance, and theology, plus the summer we turned romantic

Listen to Graham Tomlin, Henna Cundill, and Belle Tindall articles.

Natalie Garrett

Natalie produces and narrates The Seen & Unseen Aloud podcast. She's an Anglican minister and a trained actor.

A woman in a white dress stand in front of a large floral arrangement.

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About this episode

This week -, Graham Tomlin suggests we have much to learn about nuanced cultural debate from the writers of the Nicene Creed; Henna Cundill agrees as she explores how helpful studying theology is for encouraging compassionate, engaged debate in all spheres of life; Belle Tindall takes a deep dive into humanity's propensity for romance and marriage.

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Graham Tomlin
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