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.

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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.

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Graham Tomlin

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GodPod

Podcasts

Visionaries

5 September 2025

1 min read

Visionaries: Milton's indelible mark on poetry and politics

Jessica Martin discusses the writer's literary legacy with the GodPod hosts

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

A painting of a young John Milton wearing a neck ruff.

National Portrait Gallery, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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About this episode

In this episode of GodPod’s Visionaries series, we explore the profound impact of John Milton's personal life and Christian faith on his mighty literary works.

Milton's journey from a loyal servant of the crown to a passionate advocate for political reform and freedom of speech is deeply intertwined with his spiritual beliefs. His faith underpinned his writings and fuelled his desire to address the pressing issues of his time – shaping his approach to both poetry and politics.

Join Graham Tomlin, Jane Williams and – special guest - Jessica Martin, as they uncover how Milton's deep faith not only guided his personal life but also left an indelible mark on his literary legacy.

Support this podcast

Since Spring 2023, thousands of people have enjoyed hundreds of podcast episodes and over 1,500 articles.

All for free.

This is made possible through the generosity of our amazing community of supporters.

If you enjoy Godpod, would you consider making a gift towards our work?

Do so by joining Behind The Seen. Alongside other benefits, you’ll receive an extra fortnightly email from me sharing my reading and reflections on the ideas that are shaping our times.

Pledge now