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Religion & Spirituality

Holy Smoke

by The Spectator

Today: #137 in Religion & Spirituality, United Kingdom on our combined chart.

Chart positions today · United Kingdom

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Ranking history · United Kingdom

History builds daily. We started tracking this show on the Religion & Spirituality, United Kingdom chart recently, so the trend line appears after a second day of data.
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DateCombined RankApple PodcastsCastbox
Oct 11#137#114#94

Latest episodes

  • Charles Owen: can you hear God in Franz Liszt’s music?

    September 30, 2026 · 26 min

    Franz Liszt is remembered as one of the great showmen of the 19th century: a dazzling virtuoso, breaker of pianos and notorious womaniser who inspired a frenzy among his admirers. But a profound Catholic faith ran through his life, which…

  • Michael Nazir-Ali: Pakistani Christians fear backlash over Lambeth Palace award

    September 18, 2026 · 22 min

    Pakistani Christians could face renewed persecution following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s decision to withdraw an honour to a leading Muslim cleric, Monsignor Michael Nazir-Ali warns today in this episode of Holy Smoke. The former…

  • Catholic Burnham barred: should the law change?

    September 12, 2026 · 15 min

    Andy Burnham has announced his intention to change a law which bars him from advising the King on appointments to the Church of England. The Victorian-era law explicitly bars Catholics like Burnham, as well as Jews – but doesn't prevent…

  • Are you having a 'nun girl summer'?

    August 30, 2026 · 20 min

    Why are young women suddenly fascinated by nuns? From ‘nun girl summer’ on TikTok to a wider ‘quiet revival’ of Christianity among Generation Z, the religious life appears to be enjoying an unexpected cultural moment. But is the attraction…

  • Plastic Parsons: why Quentin Letts fears for the parish church

    August 23, 2026 · 17 min

    Is the Church of England slowly abolishing the parish priest? A new model of ‘oversight ministry’ promises team-based leadership and a greater role for lay volunteers – but critics fear it will leave priests increasingly invisible in the…

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  • Wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches

    August 18, 2026 · 30 min

    What happens when a bishop breaks with Rome but still claims apostolic succession? Damian Thompson is joined by historian Magnus Lundberg, Professor of Church and Mission History at Uppsala University in Sweden, to explore the strange…

  • How Project Spire will hurt England's parishes

    August 8, 2026 · 21 min

    In this week’s episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by Madeline Grant to dive into the contentious topic of Project Spire, the Church of England's ambitious plan to allocate £100 million in reparations for its involvement in…

  • Coffee House Shots: Britain's first Catholic PM

    July 31, 2026 · 19 min

    Is Andy Burnham the country's first catholic Prime Minister, and how might it influence his leadership? Despite his faith drawing him to Labour, he doesn’t attend mass and rarely emphasises his religion publicly. To unpack his faith and…

  • When Mary Calls: why Protestants are praying to the Mother of God

    July 19, 2026 · 36 min

    For many Christians, devotion to the Virgin Mary is deeply moving. For others, it raises uncomfortable theological questions. Is the veneration of Mary a vital part of Christian faith or does it risk elevating her to something resembling a…

  • How religion shapes football

    July 10, 2026 · 17 min

    From idolising players to faithfully following a club, football is often described as the world’s secular religion. But religion has long been woven into the fabric of the game itself. From the sectarian roots of Glasgow’s Old Firm rivalry…

  • Was America meant to be a Christian nation?

    July 4, 2026 · 27 min

    It might be 250 years since the Declaration of Independence but the document continues to prove controversial, with political groups arguing over the intention behind the document – just watch any Supreme Court case. To mark the 4th of…

  • The Pope & the SSPX: is this a permanent schism?

    July 2, 2026 · 28 min

    On Wednesday morning the ultra-traditionalist Society of St Pius X (SSPX) consecrated four bishops in defiance of Pope Leo XIV. Those bishops and the two who consecrated them were immediately excommunicated and the Vatican warned the…

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

The most important and controversial topics in world religion, thoroughly dissected by a range of high profile guests. Presented by Damian Thompson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.