Seen & Unseen Aloud: new episode

Listen now: loneliness at Downing Street; political emotions, and a wedding tiff.

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

a young man looks pensive as he answers a questuon while sitting in a fancy room.

Bobby Brazier at 10 Downing Street.

NHS.

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This week we explore loneliness with Belle Tindall, the NHS and Downing Street; we think about the role of emotions alongside reason in the realm of politics with Henna Cundill and Jonathan Rowlands straddles both sides of the dispute between wedding photographers and clergy.

Podcast

Creed

GodPod

Podcasts

Visionaries

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

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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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