Alex O'Connor: re-enchanting... atheism

Belle and Justin talk to Alex about atheism, culture's tides and what it would take for him to believe.

Belle Tindall

Belle is the staff writer at Seen & Unseen and co-host of its Re-enchanting podcast.

A podcast guest speaks in front of a mic and raises their hand to gesture.

About this episode

Alex O'Connor is a well known atheist YouTube and podcast host with over 800,000 subscribers to his channel. Unlike many online new atheists he has sought to genuinely understand his Christian and religious counterparts. This included studying theology at Oxford University, helping to re-establish a Socratic debating society in the mould of the one created by CS Lewis, and counting many Christians as his friends and acquaintances. Belle and Justin talk to Alex about atheism, the changing tides of culture and what it would take for Alex to believe…

Watch now

Listen now

Podcast

Culture

Film & TV

Podcasts

Politics

Wildness

13 January 2025

1 min read

New episode: Seen & Unseen Aloud

Where are the mystics? What with the free speech? And the humanity of a dog. Listen now.

Natalie Garrett

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

A cartoon scene depicts a robot gnome marching out a shed while its inventor and his dog look on.

A good boy is not convinced.

Listen now

As we start the year, we hear from Belle Tindall about some of the great mystics of the Christian faith; Cameron Wiltshire-Plant warns Elon Musk that there is always a cost to "free speech" and Jonathan Rowlands celebrates the deep humanity of Wallace & Gromit.

Join with us - Behind the Seen

Seen & Unseen is free for everyone and is made possible through the generosity of our amazing community of supporters.

If you’re enjoying Seen & Unseen, would you consider making a gift towards our work?

Alongside other benefits (book discounts etc.), you’ll receive an extra fortnightly email from me sharing what I’m reading and my reflections on the ideas that are shaping our times.

Graham Tomlin

Editor-in-Chief

Find out more and sign up