Best of the Spectator

Filtered episodes(5)

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  Holy Smoke: Catholic Burnham barred – should the law change?

  Published Sep 13, 2026

  Holy Smoke

  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 those of other Christian denominations, other faiths – like Hindu Rishi Sunak, or atheists like Keir Starmer. So, if the law is going to be changed to address this anomaly, should it allow all Prime Ministers of any faith to provide advice – or should all non-Ang

  dailysocietyculture
• StandardSummaries only
  Holy Smoke: are you having a 'nun girl summer'?

  Published Aug 30, 2026

  Holy Smoke

  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 genuinely spiritual – or are young women simply drawn to the aesthetics, certainty and tranquillity of convent life?This week on Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by the Spectator's US assistant editor Margaret Mitchell and the Daily Mail’s Mimi Yates to d

  dailysocietyculture
• StandardSummaries only
  Holy Smoke: why Quentin Letts fears for the parish church

  Published Aug 23, 2026

  Holy Smoke

  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 communities they serve. Meanwhile, those volunteers face an expanding regime of training, safeguarding requirements and diocesan bureaucracy. This week on Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson is joined by Daily Mail sketchwriter Quentin Letts, who has written a provocati

  dailysocietyculture
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  Holy Smoke: wandering bishops, rival popes & schismatic churches

  Published Aug 18, 2026

  Holy Smoke

  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 world of ‘wandering bishops’, rival popes and tiny schismatic churches. They trace the tangled web of consecrations that have produced thousands of bishops outside the authority of Rome, and explore the grandiose titles and ceremonies of these independent bishops.

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  Holy Smoke: how Project Spire will hurt England's parishes

  Published Aug 9, 2026

  Holy Smoke

  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 the transatlantic slave trade. They will shed light on the Church's insistence on proceeding with this plan despite significant opposition from both the public and its own parishioners.Produced by Henry Lloyd Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform

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