Johannes Hartl: the sign of the times

The philosopher and theologian on meaning, connectedness, beauty and faith. A GodPod bonus episode.

Graham Tomlin

Graham is the Director of the Centre for Cultural Witness and a former Bishop of Kensington.

Two people sit on a stage in a relaxed manner, having a converation.

Johannes Hartl and Graham Tomlin.

Mark Tatton.

This episode is a little bit special.

Recorded live as a part of HTB’s 2024 Leadership Conference, GodPod’s Graham Tomlin interviews Dr Johannes Hartl. Johannes is a philosopher, theologian, spiritual leader, musician and author, dealing in topics of meaning, connectedness, beauty and faith. He is also the founder of the House of Prayer in Augsburg and, more recently, Eden Culture.

Graham and Joahnnes, joined by a live audience, speak of the self, language, how the transcendent is understood in our cultural moment and the power and beauty of prayer. This conversation is diverse and rich, and absolutely not to be missed.

For more from Johannes visit his web site.

Find Johannes’ main stage talk at the Leadership Conference main stage (along with other curated highlights for the event).

For more about St Mellitus visit its web site.

Podcast

Creed

GodPod

Podcasts

8 August 2025

1 min read

The visionaries: Kierkegaard's critique of cultural Christianity

Stephen Backhouse and the GodPod hosts on the first of the visionaries

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

A sculpture of a early 19th century man with a quiff and sharp suit.

Kierkegaard captured in sculpture. The Royal Library, Denmark.

Holger Damgaard, via Wikimedia Commons

Listen to this episode

About this episode

In this, the first instalment of GodPod’ Visionaries series, Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams delve into the profound impact of Søren Kierkegaard, the enigmatic Danish philosopher whose ideas continue to resonate in today's world.

Join us as we explore Kierkegaard's critique of Christendom (or ‘cultural Christianity’), his emphasis on individual authenticity, and his challenge to the herd mentality. With insights from Dr. Stephen Backhouse, an expert on Kierkegaard, we uncover how this 19th-century thinker shaped modern existentialism and continues to influence contemporary discussions on faith, individuality, and societal norms.

Tune in to discover why Kierkegaard's legacy is, perhaps, more relevant than ever

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Graham Tomlin
Editor-in-Chief

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