Faith with Haith

Some people have the most amazing resumes. Check out Peter's bio in The Atlantic: "Peter Wehner is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. His books include The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era, which he co-wrote with Michael J. Gerson, and Wealth and Justice: The Morality of Democratic Capitalism. He was formerly a speechwriter for George W. Bush and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Wehner is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and his work also appears in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Affairs."Wow. But here's the thing: what this doesn't tell you is that Peter also happens to be one of the kindest and wisest men on the planet. It's my honour to get to call him friend and to share this interview with you.

The Recovery Course was founded by Nigel Skelsey in 2007 and within 18 months 120 people were coming to each evening. Since then the course has continued to grow and thrive, helping countless people recover from many different addictions. Nigel is the first to say that he himself has experienced the struggle with various addictions throughout his own life, but knows that it is possible to find a way out and experience freedom. Having spent 30 years in photography and publishing, including 17 years as Picture Editor of The Sunday Telegraph, Nigel has subsequently worked at Priory Hospital alongside those struggling with acute mental health issues as well as helping to run an artisan bakery. (He tells me he may or may not be able to help people with their addiction, but he can definitely tell them what's wrong with their sourdough!) Nigel lives in Sussex with the love of his life Jan, to whom he got engaged in 1970 (while they were both still at school!)

Reverend Jo Davies was, until 2024, the Managing Chaplain at HMP Pentonville in north London. Retirement has not slowed Jo down one bit: she is now a trustee of a charity relating to addiction recovery and one focusing on rehabilitation back at HMP Pentonville. She has also joined the team at Saint George the Martyr church in Queen Square in the heart of London (...an amazing addition to a very lovely church!) In this episode we talk all about Jo's life: her long, loving marriage to Karl, her love of being a mum and her devotion to  prisoners and ex-offenders along with those struggling with homelessness, mental health  & addiction issues. 

Lucy Williamson lives near Cambridge with her teenagers. By her own admission she is an ordinary mother who came home from work on an ordinary Wednesday to find her perfectly extraordinary teenage son had died by suicide. She never thought she'd be that mother: not that mother; not that son. In this conversation we discuss the aftermath of the tragedy (totally unexpected; totally unexplained); the gravitational pull of grief alongside the surprising desire to lean forward into life. We discussed finding solace at the keyboard and her recent solo trip to Uzbekistan and the complexities of having both faith and doubt.

What is life and what is dying? Surely, in a world in which we as humans are used to being in control of so many things, why should we not be in charge of when and how we die? If you were diagnosed with a terminal illness, would you want the right to choose euthanasia? Through recent personal experience, Matthew uncovers the true reality for one family engaging in “MAID” (medical assistance in dying) in Canada.

Elizabeth Garnsey and her young son live in New Canaan, Connecticut, where she is Senior Associate Rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Before that she was ordained to the priesthood in the diocese of New York in 2006 and went on to serve as an Associate Rector in two Manhattan churches, then as a chaplain and religion teacher at an Episcopal school.Before that Elizabeth earned a Master of Divinity degree from Yale in 2005. Before that she worked in New York as a magazine journalist at George and Travel + Leisure  Before that she studied Spanish in Costa Rica, archeology in Wales, and the European Union at the Sciences Po in Paris and earned a degree in history from the University of ColoradoElizabeth has led a very full life, and it's a joy to chat with her.

Tim is an anti-human trafficking operative with Destiny Rescue, a Christian non-governmental organization that identifies, rescues and rehabilitates young women and children trafficked into sexual exploitation. Highly trained covert teams infiltrate bars, sex clubs, prostitution rings, online chat groups, the dark web and red-light districts to find precious young lives trapped in nightmare situations. To date, more than fifteen and a half thousand individuals have been rescued and placed on a path to freedom from exploitation. Destiny Rescue is at work in 12 nations, from SouthEast Asia, to South Asia, to Africa and Latin America, providing class-leading skill sets to law enforcement agencies, working in partnership to tackle this fast-growing crime type.

Dame Julia Cleverdon is a passionate and practical campaigner who has gained an international reputation for 'connecting the unconnected', inspiring individuals and organisations to work together for the common good. Tune in now to hear how Julia's faith compels her to reach out to the marginalised in society: bringing light to an often very dark world, she is truly a woman of sunshine.

We live in a world that is beautiful but brutal. No-one knows that more than war reporter Clarissa Ward, who has spent nearly two decades reporting from front lines around the world: from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan to Yemen, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.Within hours of Hamas’ terror attack on October 7, Ward traveled to the site of the Tribe of Nova music festival and Be’eri kibbutz massacres. Two months later, Ward and her team visited a UAE-run field hospital in southern Gaza as victims – young and old – poured in to receive treatment from wounds sustained in Israeli strikes.Ward was on the ground in Ukraine as Russia began its invasion in February 2022 and has since spent more than five months crisscrossing the country to cover the now two-year war. Clarissa Ward is  recipient of the National Press Club’s most esteemed prize, the Fourth Estate Award, and is the author of ‘On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist’ (Penguin Press), a memoir that details her singular career as a conflict reporter and how she has documented the violent remaking of the world from close range.

The author Corrie Ten Boom wrote: "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."That perspective on faith sounds all well and good in theory, but what does it actually look like in practice? I never cease to find it deeply humbling to speak with people who are right in the middle of that darkness and yet their trust in God remains. Patricia is most definitely one such person and I know that you will find this episode both deeply moving and hugely inspiring.

I've been off the airwaves for 18 months (I hope you've missed me?!)....and what better way to make a return to podcasting than to talk to the wonderfully inspiring Darleen Santore, known to those she helps as "Coach Dar". Author, speaker and mentor to global leaders, CEOs and athletes, Dar has helped thousands of people across the world with her message of resilience and purpose. Now she has captured her story of bravery and comeback in the book "The Art of Bouncing Back". It's really very good: you should buy it and read it. But first, sit back and enjoy this brand new episode. Here's to bouncing back!

Leader and lecturer Doug Holladay's life path has taken him from degrees at top universities to Goldman Sachs, then on to the White House and serving at the US State Department as a special ambassador to South Africa. He has met a lot of people and seen a lot of leadership along the way. What he's witnessed is that, all too often, "successful" people end up experiencing emptiness, isolation and depression as the unintended fruits of their very achievements. His new book, and this conversation, focus on how we all might go about "Rethinking Success".

A career in food was always more tempting than school for Camilla Stephens, who left halfway through her A-levels to attend Leith’s School of Food and Wine. She spent the next few years working in catering before joining Good Housekeeping magazine. Next came travel in America where she fell in love with coffee culture: returning to the UK, Camilla then  developed the food range for the Seattle Coffee Company and Starbucks.  In 2003, the newly freelance Camilla set up the Higgidy brand, making handmade pies near her home in West Sussex. Today, the company range is available in most major food retailers. The business may have grown, but Camilla’s home-cooking philosophy and use of kitchen cupboard ingredients remain at the heart of the Higgidy kitchen. Camilla is married to James; they have two teenage children, Kate and Jack and a golden retriever who is very aware of being the most popular member of the family.  

My guest on the "Faith with Haith' podcast this week is Rachel Hughes, the Lead Pastor of Gas Street Church in Birmingham (alongside her husband Tim):  a brilliant communicator who is passionate about seeing young women released into leadership. She has recently pioneered a national ministry alongside her sister, called ‘The Orchard’, with the aim of encouraging and empowering women.  Rachel can also be found inspiring families into fostering & adopting, all whilst also raising five young children; Phoebe, Simeon, Lois, Judah & Summer. 

Next time you get a letter from  a bishop you'll see their signature has a plus-sign by their name: it's symbolic of the blessing of the Cross. But its also perfectly apt that it's a plus-sign, because that person is someone who has dedicated their life to bringing addition and positivity to all the people around them.  None more so than this week's guest on the "Faith with Haith" podcast: +Rob is a man with a  great mind and a kind heart who works tirelessly to make this world a better place. (And I promise I'm not just saying that because he's my boss....)

How does a lad from the suburbs of Stockholm end up negotiating for equitable use of resources in the Middle East? How does a self-confessed sauna addict  advocate for peace and understanding in transboundary water disputes in North Africa? And where does faith fit into all of this, and a busy family life, for this week's guest on "Faith with Haith"? Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you: the mighty viking, and lovely man, Anders Jagerskog.

Terl Bryant is not only one of the kindest men you will ever meet, he is totally cool and insanely talented: he would have to be in order to play for, amongst others, Pete Murphy (Bauhaus), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Peter Gabriel. We became firm friends in the early '90s when I was asked to drive the bus for his band at the time, Iona, on  the Irish leg of their tour. By some miracle we all survived: his drumming ability and my driving licence both remained unscathed. This episode of the "Faith with Haith" podcast is many things, but it is mainly two old friends catching up after many years.

This week's episode of "Faith with Haith" was not supposed to happen. My son was booked in to have a pretty big operation in the world-famous and wonderful Great Ormond Street Hospital which is, rather extraordinarily, in my parish. Suffice it to say I was a nervous wreck. until my old pal Stef put to work the age-old friendship  practice of "just showing up". The more we chatted the more I realised that we should be recording it. So we both fired up our voice memo apps and this was the result...

So here we are at the start of a new year. Perhaps you have made some fresh resolutions to take on some new creative adventure? Perhaps you have decided it's time to turn your back on some unhealthy practices? Perhaps you want to chart a whole new course with your career? I believe that to do any of these things you will need help from God, but you will also need to find a new confidence, fresh faith, in yourself. In this episode of "Faith with Haith" I explore the concept and power of self-belief with two inspiring entrepreneurs. The faith that Nicky and Steven display, both within and beyond themselves, will supercharge your resolve to make a difference this year.

I figured you wouldn't be up for anything too high-brow today, so this week's episode of the "Faith with Haith" podcast features the now-annual ridiculous chat with my old pals Lorne and Busky. Yes, they have returned. I only wish I could say it was by popular demand...  

Perhaps you know him from his days making tackles and scoring tries for Harlequins, England and the Lions. Perhaps you know him from his TV and radio commentary or captaincy on the iconic BBC "Question of Sport". Or perhaps your favourite version is the one with some serious rumba rhythm as a contestant on "Strictly Come Dancing". However you know Ugo Monye this is your chance to see more of the heart of the man and come to know and love him even more. Tune into the "Faith with Haith" podcast today. Oh...and...happy Christmas. x

A departure this week on the "Faith with Haith" podcast: apologies that there is both no guest  interview and a lot more input from me! But I think you will love this little Christmas treat: in December 2020 we recorded the stunning Spirituals gospel choir under the glorious dome of London's St Paul's Cathedral. You can see the full video online: this is the 2021 audio edit for your listening pleasure. So pour yourself an egg-nog, crank up the volume on your headphones and get carolling!

You know how there are some people who seem to be able to do loads of different things...and not just do them, but do them BRILLIANTLY?   Dave ("The Doctor") Clifton is one such person: making the planet a richer and more beautiful place with both his deep insights and his broad-ranging creativity.  To be honest, initially I was excited to talk about his lifetime of playing lead guitar for famous performing artists, but the way Dave describes the art of pottery and sculpture opened my eyes and heart in a way I really wasn't expecting.(NB: This episode also features the drinking of holy beers and me playing percussion...for neither of which shall I apologise...)

If you have a creative soul then you will love this week's episode of the "Faith with Haith" podcast. And if you don't have a creative soul, then you are guaranteed to have one by the time you've finished listening to the thoughtful and inspiring Rt Rev'd Andrew Rumsey. He has the most wonderful way of seeing the world, so pull up a chair by the fireside and get to know the world's finest Bard-Bishop.

This week’s guest on the “Faith with Haith”podcast: film director and screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine, He is best known for his 2009 psychological thriller Exam, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. But where we mostly go in this interview is into a movie-meeting with God,  because Stuart directed the 2017 film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Shack. Tune in now for profound  insights  from a true pro: from how to start writing creatively  to how to not get star-struck when you meet Octavia Spencer...

What do you get when you combine one of the finest gentlemen on Earth with one of the greatest pilots in the sky?: Group Captain Peter “Willy” Hackett, MBE…Britain’s answer to Tom Cruise’s Maverick…that’s what. In this episode of the “Faith with Haith” podcast, recorded especially for the Remembrance Day weekend, Willy and I talk honestly about the realities of military service, both in the past and today; we talk honestly about what it is to have faith in the modern world; we talk honestly about his infectious passion for flying; and we talk honestly about why both the world and my trousers are better off for me personally having my feet firmly on terra firma…

This week on the Faith with Haith podcast: Bill Cahusac. He is one of the finest men I know: loving husband, great dad, true leader...and brilliant car driver (...?). We would all agree that faith is hard, and God often feels distant and silent, yet the Bible is full of stories  of God  speaking to humans. But are they just stories? If you've ever wondered what it means to listen to and hear from God then tune in now to hear how to tune in.

This week on the Faith with Haith podcast, my guest Nici Cahusac gets very honest about the experience and psychology of bulimia, with which she struggled for many years. Ultimately it's a story of hope: Nici was miraculously set free through prayer and her life was changed forever. Today, between running an organisation, raising three teenagers and competing at the highest level of amateur athletics, she retains the desire to see other men and women set free in the same way.

You know that feeling when you've had a conversation with someone but then afterwards you kick yourself, wishing you'd asked a whole load of other questions? The big downside of creating and presenting the "Faith with Haith"  podcast is that, to be honest, I have that feeling every single week; and never more so than when Carolina Mountford was extraordinarily honest with me when I first interviewed her. Thankfully Carolina agreed to come back and open up some more. Listen in now: this is important and special.

Being a professional church pastor is not an easy job and, as a result, it's all too easy to do it in a really detached way: it's all too easy to be distant and become untouchable. But with Ger Jones you get something very different. You get deep honesty and true warmth up close; you get a real man living real life and loving a church along the way. He is the real deal and it's my honour to call him my friend.

Picture the scene: an empty stage, a theatre full of people, a single microphone on a stand in a pool of light. There's nowhere to hide. It's now on you alone to entertain this expectant crowd. Now THAT is most people's idea of the ultimate nightmare. But not today's guest. Milton Jones is one of the best-known comedians in the UK, selling out theatres country-wide and often starring in popular shows on TV and radio, including the long-running hit TV show "Mock the Week".  But he's not all genius jokes and crazy hair: listen in now and enjoy getting to know a man of thoughtfulness and empathy, intelligence and faith.

As the climate changes around us, it's clear that our attitudes and behaviours need to change in response; and they need to change fast. But what can we do to protect this exquisite planet that we call home ? Consider an electric car? Yes. Eat less meat and palm oil products? Definitely. But have you ever given much thought to your fashion choices? Listen in now as  sustainable fashion advocate Christina Dean guides us as we leaf through the clothes-rails of uncomfortable truth. An award-winning journalist, Christina founded Redress and The R Collective, both with the mission to reduce fashion's waste through creative and bold approaches. Christina co-authored the book 'Dress [with] Sense', her TEDx ‘You are What You Wear’ has been viewed over half a million times and she has received numerous recognitions, including UK VOGUE who profiled her as one of the UK’s ‘Top 30 Inspirational Women’ 

The remarkable Amy Owen explains how it feels to know that your present life is coming to an end, how the hope of Heaven is real and how the presence of God is a tangible experience available to us all.Listen in now for a wide-ranging conversation (including Buble, the Bible and plenty of bubbles!) and then please share this episode with someone you know needs to hear it today.

For us all, the road of life takes many twists and many turns. As you journey on, the joys of the mountain-top can feel outweighed by far more deep, dark valleys and difficult climbs. As Ian Dyble will tell you, being a Church of England vicar is no different. He opens up about how an intelligent London lawyer finally chose to turn his collar around and serve in the Church; how growing stress led to worrying symptoms, including breaking a laptop on his face; and how he has discovered a peace-filled, and creatively fruitful, space for his soul.

Have you seen the extraordinary post-9/11 image of two almighty searchlight-towers dominating the New York skyline?  The message to the world is clear: the light will ALWAYS break through and defeat the darkness.As "Faith with Haith" returns for a second season, and on this 20th anniversary of 9/11, I interview an amazing woman who was in the White House on that darkest of days, but then responded to the evil by bringing light and hope to thousands worldwide.

I cannot believe that this is the 50th episode of the "Faith with Haith" podcast. By way of a celebration of that fact  I could think of no-one finer to share it with than the women of the Griffiths family. Rae and her two daughters, Phoebe and Fleur, have a wonderful dynamic together and by rights should have a podcast of their own. Listen in now to hear us talking about everything from navigating growing up in a Christian home to the everyday experience of being a woman in modern day Britain. This is the last episode for a while as I take a break and let you trawl through all the past episodes at your leisure.

This week on the "Faith with Haith" podcast: a total delight to welcome back Michael Emmett.His new book, "Sins of Fathers", is flying off the shelves and you would be mad to miss out on this extraordinary story of crime and addiction, but also faith and connection.  He might look like he's carved from stone but today Michael is one of the kindest and most loving men you could ever meet. In this episode we explore together the nature of addiction, why we cling to substitutes, and the ultimate hope of living free.

Faith can and should push us out into the world, to bring friendship and comfort to those most in need. Patrick Regan has been doing that for years now, helping hundreds of thousands of people to understand and experience God's love. But Patrick would be the first to say (and does on this podcast) that it is so easy for the balance to go out of life, even when you are doing great works. A few years ago, Patrick hit a wall. Tune in now to hear what happened next.

Such a delight and honour to interview one of my heroes: Terry Virgo, the founder of the "New Frontiers" network of churches. Not only is he one of the finest Bible teachers you will ever get to hear, his legacy of church-planting and leadership development has impacted the entire globe, touching the lives of millions. But the main reason this podcast episode is so special to me is that I grew up in "Clarendon", the church Terry started in the '70s where my mum was a founder member.  Throughout my teens, my faith was given deep, deep roots and for that I will always be deeply grateful to this wonderful, brilliant and kind man.

Some people are just fascinating to talk to: Peter is most definitely one of them. You may have enjoyed studying literature at Uni, like me, but I guarantee you could not begin to come anywhere close to the depth and breadth of knowledge that he has. The way he talks about poetry makes you want to spend the rest of the day curled up reading in front of the fire. And then there's his spiritual insights as a prayerful priest. And then there's his practical experience of heartache and heartbreak...and the most beautiful metaphor for brokenness and gradual healing I've ever heard...

Singer-songwriter Matt Redman's music is both listened to and sung by millions around the world every day, especially the double-Grammy award winning "10,000 Reasons".  He's also  authored eight books and helped start three new churches, all whilst being a loving husband to Beth and a great dad to 5 kids. But, at the end of the day, he's just Matt and his honesty and vulnerability in this interview are deeply moving.

I remember the day when Julia Strachan (nee Immonen) announced to me with glee that she was going to row the Atlantic. And I especially remember my reaction...(let's just say I was rather sceptical and very nervous). But she only went and did it: she faced up to mountainous waves, endless technical failures and crushing self-doubt all in order to raise awareness about modern-day slavery. What a story. What a woman.

I find these weekly conversations so deeply humbling: to be able to talk with people at such an intimate level is such an honour. In this episode, Andy Henderson and his amazing son Archie share their life experiences which have been nothing short of excruciating. We get the word "excruciating" from the word "crucifixion": Andy and Archie, individually and together, have experienced the pain and yet also the power of the Cross. To witness their faith is searingly beautiful.

This week's conversation is with an extraordinary man: Andrew Steer, who heads up the World Resources Institute. He has had, to date, the most extraordinary career helping entire nations towards economic growth, reduced poverty, better healthcare and education and all whilst protecting the environment. Andrew believes that sustainable development goals are possible at the same time as working to stem the flow of climate change, and, crucially, that there is most definitely a spiritual element to it all.

A total delight to interview one of my favourite songwriters. I've often been in the crowd enjoying the music of  "Delirious?" and many of Martin's songs have deepened my faith over many years. This is your chance to get to know the great man behind the great music just a little bit more.

You will never meet a more intelligent,  insightful and courageous journalist, and a more balanced, nuanced and compassionate Christian, than Peter Wehner. We got to know each other when I was leading a church just outside DC: every coffee and every lunch was a meeting of both minds and hearts. If you, like me, are struggling to understand what is going on in America, in politics and in the church, then listen in now.

This week I interview Charlie Groves, one of the finest men, and finest musicians, alive. The "Faith with Haith" podcast has always been about real faith and real life, and this episode is no different. In our conversation Charlie opens up about his real life, focusing in on what it is to be the father of a son with autism, all the highs and all the lows, and how love conquers all.

Fast becoming one of the best-known vicars in the UK, Pat took to the streets during the first lockdown to help bring light in the darkness. With a hymn, a prayer and a quality sound system, he showed London that God is very much with us, even if we have to keep the church doors closed....and he only got unplugged once! Listen in now to hear how Pat's faith has developed over the years to give him such love for people today.

Everyone’s story is so different. We all see this thing called life from such diverse angles and we all appreciate God and spirituality in such varied ways. But, within those differences, there are fundamental similarities that make us all the same; profound truths that bind us all together. This week's guest, executive coach Audrey Wiggin, has seen it all: tragedy, sadness and stress...love, hope and success. Having worked for many years in the high-octane, male-dominated world of finance she retrained as a coach. Listen in now and be inspired by her faith journey as she sets about running her own business alongside lockdown motherhood.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the presence of faith"When his A-6 Intruder aircraft was shot down over North Vietnam on May 19, 1967, Red was captured and spent six agonizing years as a POW in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison. In the face of unrelenting barbaric and sadistic torture, McDaniel remained a source of hope and strength for his fellow POWs by clinging to his faith in even the darkest of hours. "The one thing they could not take from me was my faith" says Red. "There were many times in my lonely cell when my victories were known only by me and God.” For three years, Red was listed as Missing in Action while his wife, Dorothy, and three children, did not know if he was dead or alive. In 1970, the Hanoi government finally acknowledged that McDaniel was being held prisoner. After six years in captivity as a POW, he was released on March 4, 1973.Recorded live in Washington DC in May 2017, this is their story.