The Sacred

The Sacred

A podcast about the things we hold sacred, and how to talk to people different from ourselves.

Kate Bowler on tragicomedy, and the errors of manifesting and prosperity gospel

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Upcoming Sacred Live on April 19

Join Elizabeth Oldfield and Oliver Burkeman on April 19 for a live recording of The Sacred with a time for Q&A. Get your tickets today using the promo code SACREDLIVE2023: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sacred-live-feat-elizabeth-oldfield-and-oliver-burkeman-tickets-565116999157

Kate Bowler is a three-time New York Times bestselling author, and Associate Professor of American Religious History at Duke University. Kate is also the host of the Everything Happens podcast where she talks to people about what they’ve learned in difficult times.

She spoke about tragicomedy, finding purpose during times of suffering and why the prosperity gospel and manifesting are so problematic.

Read the full transcript here: https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2023/03/08/kate-bowler-on-tragicomedy-and-the-errors-of-manifesting-and-prosperity-gospel

CHAPTERS (00:00) Introduction (03:11) What is sacred to you? Kate Bowler’s answer (08:27) Slick preachers, televangelists and women religious celebrities (11:49) Childhood, religion as a worldview, and the lovely nosiness of theology (17:26) Entering academia: dreams, sacrifices, and the horrible truth (21:19) Gendered misdiagnosis, colon cancer and incredible support (27:48) Desperate forms of Christianity and the prosperity gospel’s ubiquity (34:49) The reason for cancer and the life raft of Love (40:40) A book for letting go and a podcast for fighting loneliness (47:42) On how to be supportive to someone who is suffering (53:35) The distortions of social media and how to bowl down the middle (57:16) The ‘faux secular’ perfect world of #blessed, and genuine blessing (61:17) Elizabeth Oldfield’s reflection on her conversation with Kate Bowler

The Sacred is a podcast produced by the think tank Theos. Be sure to connect with us below to stay up-to-date with all our content, research and events.

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About this podcast

The Sacred is a podcast about our deepest values, the stories that shape us and how we can build empathy and understanding between people who are very different.

Each episode features a conversation with someone who has a public voice, from academics to journalists, playwrights and politicians. We ask them where they have come from, what they are trying to do and what might help heal our very divided public conversations.

The Sacred is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, former director of Theos think tank.

For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank, @sacred_podcast and @ESOldfield.

by Theos think tank

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