Re-enchanting... Rupert Shortt on the death of Christianity

Belle and Justin talk with Rupert about why Europe’s historic faith remains critical to the survival of humane culture.

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

A podcast guest sits at a table in front of a mic.

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Rupert Shortt is an author and research associate at the Von Hugel Institute, University Of Cambridge and a former Religion Editor for the Times Literary Supplement.

His latest book The Eclipse of Christianity… And Why It Matters has been praised by Tom Holland as ‘ A brilliant survey of Christianity’s decline in Britain- how it happened and why it matters, by one of our most learned and stimulating apologists’.

Belle and Justin talk with Rupert about why mainstream churches are in decline across the West and why Europe’s historic faith remains critical to the survival of humane culture.

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Podcast

Podcasts

Seen & Unseen Aloud

23 June 2025

1 min read

Love is not an order, who prays, and The Salt Path

Exploring love from three very different perspectives

Natalie Garrett

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

A protester wearing a Union Jack flag and hat and holding a cross, points while a man looks on.

Far right protesters, Portsmouth.

Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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In this episode we explore love from three very different perspectives: Barnabas Apsray considers Christian Nationalism - is it an oxymoron? Roger Bretherton talks about how 1-in-4 people pray or meditate daily and how beneficial that is to their life; Roger Standing walks us through The Salt Path - from real life to book to movie - the story of love against all odds and what it teaches us about ourselves.

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