This week, Madeleine Davies and Ed Thornton talk about the latest Statics for Mission which show the average C of E church has just three children attending. And they ask whether social media can help stem the decline in church attendance. Plus, Ed Thornton speaks to Mike McGargue, aka "Science Mike" about his new book, Finding God in the Waves, which tells the story of his dramatic loss of faith, and how he found it again through studying science.

Episode 31 - why are so few children in church? Can social media help? Plus, Mike McHargue interview

Guy Stagg spent 10 months walking from Canterbury to Jerusalem, following medieval pilgrim paths across 5,500 km. 

He began the journey after several years of mental illness, hoping that the walk would heal him. A non-believer, he wanted to understand religion by taking part in its rituals.

The Crossway, published by Picador, is an account of his journey, a mix of travel and memoir, history and current affairs.

Guy came into Church Times offices to talk about his extraordinary journey. The Crossway is available to buy from the Church House Bookshop.

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The Crossway - writer Guy Stagg on his 10-month walk from Canterbury to Jerusalem

This week, Rachel Mann is in conversation with Francis Spufford about his eagerly-anticipated second novel, Light Perpetual (Faber and Faber). It’s available from the Church Times Bookshop for the discounted price of £15.29.

The conversation was recorded last Saturday at a one-day online event organised by the Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature. Francis also answered questions from viewers on subjects including doubt, heaven, and whether, as a writer, he sees God as a great explosion of words.

If you missed the live event, you can buy access to a recording at https://faithandliterature.hymnsam.co.uk

In a review published in last week’s Church Times, Angela Tilby wrote: “It is a novel, a story of London, and a set of human stories. It is also a profound and teasing meditation on time and chance and the presence in our lives of an elusive reality greater than ourselves. It works as both a novel, and as a hymn at life that begins in disaster and ends in doxology.

“The interwoven stories are of five south-London children, Jo, Valerie, Alec, Vernon, and Ben. They were among those who were pulverised in a V2 rocket attack in November 1944. But supposing time had played a trick and the bomb had not gone off, or had exploded harmlessly elsewhere?”

Francis Spufford’s first novel, Golden Hill, won the Costa First Novel Award 2016. He has also written five highly praised works of non-fiction, including Unapologetic: Why, despite everything Christianity can still make surprising emotional sense, which was shortlisted for the 2016 Michael Ramsey Prize.

Picture credit: Eamonn McCabe/Popperfoto

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Francis Spufford on Light Perpetual

News, interviews, book reviews, and discussion each week from the Church Times - the world's leading newspaper on faith and the Church.

Francis Spufford on Light Perpetual

The Church Times Podcast

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