The Southwark Cathedral Podcast

Episode 9 | What are the Psalms?

The Dean recently gave a talk on ‘What are the Psalms?’ Listen now to explore what the psalms are, when and why they were written, and how they speak to our faith today.
For those who wish to read more on this subject, the following books are recommended:
Charlie Bell: Searched Me Out and Known Me
John L. Bell: Living with the Psalms
Walter Brueggemann: Spirituality of the Psalms
Walter Brueggemann: Praying the Psalms
Pula Gooder: Journalling the Psalms – A Guide for Reflection and Prayer
CS Lewis: Reflections on the Psalms
 
You might also like to watch three talks on Youtube by Walter Brueggemann called ‘The Psalms: The Hard Road from Obedience to Praise’.

The World Needs More Poetry | Dame Mary Beard on Homer's The Odyssey

The latest podcast in our ‘The World Needs More Poetry’ series is a conversation between the Dean and Dame Mary Beard on her chosen poem ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer. Mary Beard is very well known as a Classicist and as a popular broadcaster and writer. In their dialogue together, we hear about the origin of the Odyssey, its main characters and themes, and are left to explore questions about the nature of heroism, the complications of returning home, of becoming an adult, and of understanding power.
 

Episode 8 | The Truth About Modern Slavery with Emily Kenway

We recently hosted writer and activist Emily Kenway to give a talk aboout her first book, The Truth About Modern Slavery. Throughout the evening Emily addressed modern slavery, and its misrepresentation in political and cultural narratives. Kenway, an advisor to the UK's first anti-slavery commissioner, emphasises the difference between the real experiences of victims and the stories shaped for political motives. She discusses the conditions that foster exploitation, the misuse of the term 'modern slavery,' and how systemic issues like weak labour rights, poor regulation, and political convenience contribute to it. Emily uses examples like car washes, nail bars, and supply chains to illustrate inconsistent attitudes towards labour exploitation. She advocates for addressing systemic issues rather than focusing on sensationalized rescue efforts, stressing the need to understand and tackle the root causes of exploitation.

Episode 7 | Why I Care and Why Care Matters with Sir Ed Davey MP

The conversation delves into Davey's personal experiences as a young caregiver following the deaths of his parents, his role in caring for his son with disabilities, and his advocacy for family carers through his political work. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting family carers, sharing stories and insights from his book. The podcast touches on the societal undervaluation of care work, the bureaucratic challenges carers face, and the need for systemic changes to better support carers and those they care for. Davey argues that integrating care more centrally into policy could lead to a more compassionate and prosperous society.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

The World Needs More Poetry | The Rt Rev'd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally

The latest episode of the Southwark Cathedral Podcast is the second in our The World Needs More Poetry miniseries. This time, the Dean is joined by the Bishop of London, The Rt Rev'd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, for a moving and deeply personal conversation.
Bishop Sarah reflects on William E. Stafford’s poem “Ask Me” — a piece that has accompanied her through moments of challenge, both as an ordained woman in the Church of England and as someone who lives with dyslexia. With honesty and grace, she explores how poetry can hold space for vulnerability, strength, and the questions we don’t always have answers to.
If you’ve ever found comfort in poetry or are simply curious about how a single poem can speak into a life, this episode offers a powerful and thoughtful listen.

Episode 6 | The Boyhood of Cain

Michael Amherst regularly attends Southwark Cathedral, loving the building and the beauty of Evensong. His debut novel, 'The Boyhood of Cain', which has just been published by Faber, made The Times excitedly report that 'a literary star is born'. It is a novel about Danny, a boy on the precipice of adulthood, struggling to understand how he might give and deserve love. 'People are just like books', thinks Daniel, ' - full of hidden meanings that need to be unearthed by an attentive reader'.
In our latest podcast, the Dean talks with Michael about the book and its themes, and why the story of Cain and Abel intrigues him.

Episode 5 | Introducing Holy Week

Later than planned, but a great conversation nonetheless...In this episode of the podcast as the Cathedral prepares for Holy Week and Easter, the Dean of Southwark, The Very Rev'd Dr Mark Oakley, is in conversation with the Cathedral’s Precentor, Canon Kathryn Fleming, about the services, traditions, and theology of Holy Week.
 

Episode 4 | The Dean in conversation with Laurence Rees on The Nazi Mind: 12 Warnings from History

In the Cathedral’s latest podcast, the Dean, Mark Oakley, discusses Laurence Rees’s latest book, ‘The Nazi Mind: 12 Warnings from History’, a book which combines history and the latest research in psychology to help answer some of the most perplexing questions surrounding the Second World War and the Holocaust. Ultimately, he delves into the darkness to explain how and why people were capable of committing such abhorrent crimes. Rees traces the rise and eventual fall of the Nazis through the lens of ‘twelve warnings’ – from talk about ‘them’ and ‘us’ to the escalation of racism – whilst also highlighting signs to look out for in present day leaders.

The World Needs More Poetry | Stella Kanu

Welcome to the first programme in a new Southwark Cathedral Podcast mini-series. The series asks invited guests to choose a favourite poem and then chat to the Dean about why it is important to them. Our first guest is Stella Kanu, Chief Executive of Shakespeare’s Globe, who has chosen Roger Robinson’s ‘A Portable Paradise’.
The poem: A Portable Paradise - Poetry Archive

Episode 3 | The Dean in Conversation with Pádraig Ó Tuama

In this episode of the Southwark Cathedral podcast, the Dean of Southwark - The Very Rev'd Dr Mark Oakley - is in conversation with Irish poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama.
Ahead of an event held at the Cathedral, Pádraig sat down with the Dean and a copy of his latest book 44 Poems on Being with Each Other and discussed a couple of his favourite poems from the collection.