In my podcast FKD UP BY FAITH, I have healing conversations with people who’ve been ‘f****d up’ by their faith, and who’ve found hope, healing, reconciliation, or forgiveness, in, or out of their faith tradition
Underlying the tongue-in-cheek title is a purposeful ethnographic and theological agenda. It is informed by, and in turn, informs my research for my Master’s degree in Public Theology.
I am a storyteller, fascinated by stories. The stories told in FKD UP BY FAITH are experiences of faith, religion, family and upbringing, of identity, rejection, control, and also of healing, acceptance, and forgiveness. Whilst not all stories are about this, FKD UP BY FAITH is also a space to talk about the important topic of Spiritual Abuse, something that we are only just beginning to properly talk about in public fora. I aim to create a space of deep, non-judgemental listening to allow the stories to be told. For this reason, some of my guests choose to be anonymous.
I have had some really wonderful conversations with some great folk – have a listen – all the episodes are listed below. Although it might seem like it, it’s not just for ex-evangelicals! Whatever your faith or religious background (or not) I am interested in having a conversation with you. Even if you don’t feel like you’ve particularly been f****d up, even if you’re just slightly peeved, come and have a chat.
in FKD UP BY FAITH Have a look at ‘Be a Guest’ if you would like to come and have a conversation with me, or if you know someone who fits the bill…
And… if you would like to support me in producing the podcast you can leave me a tip using the Paypal link at the bottom of this page.
Latest Episodes
Rhian, who is a mental health social worker, spoke to me candidly about her childhood in a fundamentalist Welsh chapel, where not even (or maybe especially not) the Anglicans were going to heaven!
Through travel and exposure to other cultures, as well as moving for education and exposure to a range of philosophical thought, Rhian found herself rejecting those ideas for something more integrated, and more mystically connected to the divine.
The poetry in this episode is ‘Your presence is near’ by Julianne Lepp, read at the top of the show by Jude.and ‘Thanks Robert Frost’ by David Ray, read at the end by Rhian.
It was a real delight to interview Richard Turner for the podcast. Richard is a cult recovery therapist and cult psychology consultant. Alongside working in this field, he teaches counselling at his local college and works to raise awareness of cult abuse in the media, sometimes discussing the relationship between cults and autism.
The website for Richard’s counselling and consultancy practice is www.tothinkagain.co.uk
Richard’s Linked-in page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-j-turner/ As part of his media work, Richard also presented a show called ‘Me, My Autism and Cults’ on BBC World Service which you can find here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct4244?fbclid=IwAR0qMVunNUYAW1NyMLRGpIYj71PBuQVnaejRIE9pRsmEQXVMmEKJiyXMm_E
And he was interviewed for BBC Radio 5 Live: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0cdtfnt
As a hobby, Richard also runs a gaming channel on YouTube and sometimes produces cult psychology gaming videos too: https://www.youtube.com/@richjturn/featured
I was very lucky and very excited, to interview Matthew Remski for this first Fkd Up By Faith of 2023!
Many of you will know Matthew as one of the hosts of the fabulous Conspirituality podcast which is easily my favourite podcast, and the highlight of my listening week.
He is a writer, journalist, and cult researcher whom I first met in the yoga world, with which we have both become rather disillusioned. Our wide-ranging conversation begins in Catholicism and ends in the online world of the New Age influencer. A must-listen!
Matthew is author of several books, the latest being ‘Practice And All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, And Healing In Yoga And Beyond’ which is a must-read for anybody who is involved in yoga (especially those who teach)
He is also co-author – along with his fellow podcast hosts, Derek Beres and Julian Walker – of the upcoming Book ‘Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Public Health Threat’ which is out in June, and available for pre-order from the publisher, and all the usual book places.
LINKS
Matthew’s website matthewremski.com/wordpress
The Conspirituality website www.conspirituality.net
The Conspirituality book www.conspirituality.net/book
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In this episode, Jude shares the poem ‘Adjective’ by Anne Carson
Matthew shares from ‘Noctograms’ by Luciano Iacobelli and from ‘An H in the Heart’ by bpNichol
I was very excited and deeply honoured to be joined by the wonderful Dave Tomlinson on the podcast. If I am honest, I got a little bit excited to speak to one of my ‘favourite Christians’.
He is an Anglican priest, broadcaster and writer whose books include The Post-Evangelical, How to Be a Bad Christian, and Black Sheep and Prodigals.
You may well have come across Dave in his regular contributions to BBC Radio 2’s ‘Pause for Thought.’
Dave currently runs ‘the smallest parish in Christendom’ called the ‘Holy Shed’ which he broadcasts every Sunday evening on Facebook and Youtube.
You can find Dave on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theholyshed
On Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/revddavetomlinson
On ‘Pause for Thought’ on Radio Two – Most recent broadcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0d7zm1f
At ”Soul’ Space https://stethelburgas.org/event/monthly-soul-space/
This episode is an unusual solo run with me, Jude. It begins with an invitation to join me as a guest on the Podcast, and a little bit about why I am doing this, my ethical approach, and my Master’s in Public Theology.
I then talk a little about learning to trust the creative process. I then segue into a piece about preaching (and how on Earth I came to be a preacher!) and give an example of how I do it! I offer a homily I gave a few weeks ago about fear, trust and love. Don’t be put off by the ‘preaching’ focus, the piece says a lot about where I am coming from in my theology, which is about the radical message of the Gospels and the way I am compelled to push people’s buttons!
Read all about how to be a guest and my ethical approach here https://judemills.com/be-a-guest
Contact me https://judemills.com/contact
The Gospel reading is Luke 12: 32-40
My guest on episode 23 is the fabulous Rachel Blackman, who describes herself as a somanaut, acrobat of the heart, artist, somatic educator, somatic coach, theatre maker, and mentor
This was such a great conversation that could have gone on for several hours (and probably will for a few more!)
Rachel shares about growing up with Christian science, and about her evolving spirituality rooted in the earth, in interconnectedness, in the wisdom of the ancestors, in the intelligence of the body, and ultimately, and most fundamentally, in hope. She also very deftly started interviewing me at one point!
LINKS
Rachel’s website – https://www.vibrantbody.co.uk
Tiny Failures – https://www.tinyfailures.com
The Somatic School – https://www.thesomaticschool.com
Article about Improv and Polyvagal Theory by Lacy Alana – https://www.yesandbrain.com/blog/improv-and-polyvagal-theory