Seen & Unseen Aloud: new episode

Zeal, reform, and weaponised words.

Natalie Garrett

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

An enthusiastic hiker stands in front of a view down a valley, smiling and holding his backpack straps.

Simon Reeve on his travels.

This week we start with the infectious zeal of Simon Reeve's green agenda; we go to the Garrick Club with George Pitcher, comparing the vote for inclusion of women in its membership with the vote for ordaining women as priests in the Church of England; we close with Krish Kandiah's poignant telling of the parallel stories of Daniel Anjorin, Salman Rushdie and Bishop Mar Mari, highlighting the part words play in a world rife with knife crime.

Podcast

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.

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