Welcome. “On the Way” is a series of recorded conversations (podcasts) exploring the deeper mysteries of faith, meaning, and beauty that people from all over the world are able to listen to on their Smartphone or computer.
The podcast invites others who are also “on the way” into conversation; seeking a transformative spirituality and inclusive faith that speaks to real issues of today. Together in dialogue and storytelling we seek to make meaning and articulate a Christianity that expresses the liberating and life-giving message of the Gospel in our time.
Links to the published podcasts may be found below. Note that these are hosted externally by Omny Studio and will open in a new browser tab.
You can also download all the podcasts from the iTunes store, or using your preferred podcast App, including Android. Search by the names “On the Way” or “St John’s Cathedral” and subscribe for free to receive these great conversations straight to your device every month! CDs are also available for those who are unable to access the podcasts online and these are available on the Literature Table in the Cathedral.
To find out more, contact the Cathedral Office by email or phone 3835 2222 during business hours.
59 NEXT PODCAST
Coming soon!
58 WAS PAUL A PROGRESSIVE?
57 MISSION AND SACRIFICE
57 TOXIC OR LIBERATING: THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES
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56 THE DOMESTIC IS POLITICAL
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55 IS GOD AS NICE AS JESUS?
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54 THE SEASON OF CREATION
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53 EVERYTHING IS SPIRITUAL with ROB BELL
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52 THE INNER SELF with HUGH MACKAY
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51 THE DEATH OF CHRISTENDOM
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50 FINDING A CONTEMPLATIVE WAY FORWARD
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49 DISCIPLESHIP FROM A DISTANCE
Peter, Dom and Sue are joined by author and previous podcast guest, Jim Schirmer to talk about being the church in a time where we have to be disciples distanced from one another. What does it mean to be walking the way of the cross in a time of pandemic and to be resurrection people in a time of anxiety? Holy Week presents new challenges as we journey to the cross and the empty tomb in these days before us when themes of life and death are in such vivid focus. This context provides a new vantage point to explore some of the ideas in Jim’s book, “The Way of the Rabbi: Stories of Discipleship from the Gospel of Mark.”
You can download this podcast here
48 FAITH IN A TIME OF FEAR
In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, what are healthy ways of responding? How do we find ways to be community and be the best humans we can be in a time of anxiety?
Like everyone else, Dom, Sue, and Peter are just coming to terms with the rapidly changing face of a pandemic. In this conversation we are joined by The Rev’d Dr Ann Solari, Deacon at the cathedral and GP who offers medical care to different groups, including amongst people who are homeless. This conversation explores the risks for the most vulnerable and the many facets of the way this pandemic is affecting individuals and societies.
How can we be doing life differently at this time? How could we find the invitation to life in a time of crisis and be communities of love and courage?
(Please note that this conversation was recorded on the 20 March before churches were closed)
You can download this podcast here
47 PETER GRESTE AND THE ABYSS OF TRUTH
What is truth? Are our opinions and beliefs being driven by narratives of which we are only dimly aware? What is the role of good journalism in revealing current events and the stories of people we may never know but whose lives are connected with our own or our nation’s story? Peter Greste joins Dom, Peter and Sue to talk about that time in an Egyptian prison, the courage to insist on the freedom of ideas and the healthy nature of scepticism in questions about truth in our time.
You can download this podcast here
46 THE WESTERN DREAMING
Is the West dying for a better story? In this special live podcast recorded at St John’s Cathedral, organisational psychologist Dr Neil Preston joins Dom, Sue and Peter to discuss whether the West has forgotten how to tell its story, and how the crisis of meaning can be traced to the loss of a shared narrative. If this is true, how can the loneliness of an individualistic culture be resisted so we can find our way back to one another?
You can download this podcast here
44 MAKING PEACE WITH THE SHADOW
We all carry with us the ego ideal of ourselves and the New Year can be a time when we put more energy into striving to live into that image. But there is also the part of ourselves which is far from our ideal and which we would all rather not face. What does it mean to encounter and make peace with our shadow- as an individual, a community or a nation? Dr George Trippe returns to the podcast to explore Jung’s understanding of the role of the shadow in our lives, the importance of welcoming the whole of ourselves and the power of facing as communities what we would rather not see.
You can download this podcast here
43 TIM COSTELLO ON FAITH, HOPE and LOVE
In our final interview from the Byron Writers Festival, Dom Fay and Sue Grimmett are joined by Tim Costello to talk about the kind of faith that begets hope, leading us to live everyday lives of love in the ordinary but also in the challenging days before us both individually and as a society. This conversation speaks into the religious freedom debate, the history of ideas in the West, and how we can find ways to step around polarising positions to live as welcoming, engaged communities, transcending all our fears. Tim is formerly a Baptist pastor, CEO of World Vision and now senior fellow for the Australian Centre for Public Christianity.
You can download this podcast here
42 BRUCE PASCOE AND THE POWER OF TRUTH-TELLING
Bruce Pascoe, author of Dark Emu, is popularly recognised as Australia’s most influential indigenous historian and responsible for challenging and revising established accounts of pre-colonial history that depicted Aboriginal people as ‘nothing more than spear-throwing nomads.’ Bruce joins the podcast at the Byron Writers Festival to talk about the ignored and suppressed history of Aborigines cultivating crops, building large villages and creating sophisticated dams and aquaculture systems. He explores with Dom and Sue the power and racism that has controlled the national story and how the Church can move from being part of the problem to part of the solution. This conversation covers some of the history of Aboriginal society as well as exploring the spirituality of truth-telling and the hard and vital work that needs to be done in decolonisation. Bruce Pascoe is an award-winning writer and a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man. He is a board member of First Languages Australia and Professor of Indigenous Knowledge at the University of Technology Sydney.
You can download this podcast here
41 JESS HILL ON POWER, CONTROL AND DOMESTIC ABUSE
In the second of the series of recordings from the Byron Writers Festival, Jess Hill joins Sue and Dom to talk about domestic abuse and the systems that enable perpetrators. The conversation explores the frightening realities behind the statistics and how our communities can confront the fear and violence that is present in so many relationships. Jess Hill is an investigative journalist who has been writing about domestic violence since 2014. Prior to this, she was a producer for ABC Radio, a Middle East correspondent and is listed in Foreign Policy’s top 100 women to follow. Her reporting on domestic violence has won two Walkley awards, an Amnesty International award and three Our Watch awards.
Content warning: This conversation covers topics of domestic abuse and family violence.
If you are affected by domestic abuse help is available. The following website provides further information on where to find support both for victims and those who use family violence and are seeking counselling: www.whiteribbon.org.au/find-help/domestic-violence-hotlines/
You can download this podcast here
40 HOW DID WE GET HERE? POLITICS, DEMOCRACY & LIBERATION WITH JEFF SPARROW
In the first of this series of recordings from the Byron Writers Festival, Jeff Sparrow joins Dom and Sue to talk about the ideologies of our times that are driving popular political, cultural and religious rhetoric, and how we can reclaim our voice in truthful conversations and liberating community action. Jeff is a writer, editor, broadcaster and author of a number of books including “Trigger Warnings: Political Correctness and the Rise of the Right”. You can download this podcast here
39 TOWARDS AN AUSTRALIAN CHURCH
How much of the way we practice our faith is imported? How much does our expression of faith reflect a church engaging with the land and embedded in indigenous culture? The Rev’d Glenn Loughrey, First Nations person and Wiradjuri man, joins Peter, Dom and Sue to explore how the church can break away from its colonial history and colonising structures and live into an expression of good news rooted firmly in the soil of this place and this time. You can download this podcast here
38 SHOULD CHRISTIANS EAT ANIMALS?
Have you ever wondered how faith might affect your everyday decisions about what you eat? Our food has an impact on not just our own bodies, but on all living things on earth, the environment and how we are able to share justly the resources of life. Professor David Clough joins Sue and Dom to talk about the impact of eating animals and animal products, what we need to know about meat and dairy production, and the interrelated nature of all life on earth. David completed his PhD at Yale, lectures in systematic theology and ethics and is the author of the landmark two volume work “On Animals.” You can download this podcast here
37 JOHN ROLLEY: A STORY
Sometimes the most important thing we can do is tell our story, in all its messiness and vulnerability. John Rolley’s story travels the deep terrain of identity, vocation and belonging and captures poignantly the struggle of a man seeking a life of integrity and wholeness in cultures where that seemed impossible. This story shows how the search for belonging is the same journey as that to your true self. You can download this podcast here
Content Warning: This podcast contains references to sexuality, depression and suicidality. If anything in this conversation causes distress, support is available through the following providers:
• Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 anytime for confidential telephone crisis support or visit www.lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue: Call 1300 22 4636 or visit www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support
• Equal Voices: supports, sustains and empowers LGBTIQ Christians to express their religious identity in community with others: https://equalvoices.org.au/
36 THE POWER OF MUSIC
Music communicates in a language that is experienced more powerfully than the spoken word. John Bell joins Dom, Peter and Sue to explore the way music can powerfully shape and change not only our experience of worship, but also how we understand ourselves and God. What do the songs we sing tell us about what we really believe and how we think we should live? John is a hymn writer, composer, lecturer and broadcaster, and an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland and member of the Iona Community. You can download this podcast here
35 THE THEATRE OF LIFE
What do William Shakespeare and the Church have in common? Perhaps it is to do with the big questions explored and in the way, at their best, they both address the human condition, hold a prophetic role in society and speak truth in both direct and mythological forms. Dr Rob Pensalfini joins the podcast to talk with Dom, Peter and Sue about some of these biggest questions, tracking the ways theatre and the church have evolved and what this reveals about the passion and pathos of the human condition. Rob is Associate Professor of linguistics and drama at The University of Queensland and Artistic Director of the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble and you can download this podcast here
34 SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE CHURCH
The Royal Commission investigating institutional responses to child sexual abuse uncovered failures of the Church to protect children and revealed stories of betrayal, violence and suffering leading to ongoing, long-term trauma for sexual abuse survivors. Secrecy, clericalism and an unwillingness to believe the stories of victims have all been factors in the failure of the church to prevent these abuses. Hearing the stories is vital. Steve Smith, who recently appeared on the SBS documentary Christians Like Us, joins the podcast to share his story and reflect on faith and the church . From the age of 10 to 15, Steve was sexually abused by an Anglican priest, and spent the next three decades seeking justice. Download this podcast here
Content warning: This conversation talks about child sexual abuse and trauma. If anything in this conversation causes distress, support is available through the providers listed below.
Child abuse is a crime. If you have been a victim of abuse, or are concerned about a child being abused, you should report your concerns to local police.
Finding help and support
The work of the Royal Commission, and particularly the stories of survivors, may bring up many strong feelings and questions. Be assured you are not alone, and that there are many services and support groups available to assist in dealing with these. Some options for advice and support are listed below:
- 1800 Respect – Call 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au 24/7 telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been impacted by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence.
- Lifeline – Call 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention.
Contact details for additional National and State support services can be found here:
www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/contact
33 AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTIAN VOICE - Part 3 of 3
The label of being a “progressive” can often be misunderstood. The Rev’d Tiffany Sparks joins the podcast to talk about culture, mainstream media, and sharing the Gospel in a way that releases it to be lifegiving and liberating in the world today. Download this podcast here
32 SEXUALITY AND FAITH - Part 2 of 3
Being gay and being Christian can be a hard journey in communities of faith. The stories of pain and exclusion told by many are a prompt to listen more closely to the experiences of the DiGS (Diverse in Gender and Sexuality) community and to pay attention to the damaging and dangerous implications of our theology and practice. Chris Csabs, recently seen in the SBS documentary Christians Like Us joins Dom, Peter and Sue to tell his story and share in a conversation about radical, unconditional love and being the church for everyone. You can download this podcast here
Content warning: This conversation includes references to suicide and so-called ‘gay conversion therapy’. If anything in this conversation causes distress, support is available through the following providers:
- Lifeline – Call 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention.
- Beyond Blue: www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support or call 1300 22 4636
- Equal Voices: supports, sustains and empowers LGBTIQ Christians to express their religious identity in community with others; visit: https://equalvoices.org.au
31 CHRISTIANS LIKE US - Part 1 of 3
In 2019, broadcaster SBS aired a reality television experience called Christians Like Us, describing it as “10 Christians from around Australian, living together for one week. From conservative to progressive, Catholic to Anglican, charismatic to controversial – each confronting the issues that challenge their respective faiths.” The results are an interesting study in the challenges facing the church, but also the power of love to forge enduring friendships in an environment of raw vulnerability. Coming up in future podcast episodes are conversations with housemates, The Rev’d Tiffany Sparks, Chris Csabs and Steve Smith, but first here are three short, revealing interviews with Dom about their experience in the house – download this podcast here
30 CLIMATE CHANGE
Meteorologist, Climate Scientist and Eco-theologian Dr Mick Pope joins the podcast to talk climate change, the future of our planet and the response of communities of faith. Mick outlines the history of the science, the most pressing evidence which prompts us to action, and why the church and other religious traditions have a part to play in this most critical of conversations; to listen in, download this podcast here
29 THE CRUCIFORM PATTERN
How do we move from faith as a fixed set of beliefs to a transformative event that transforms and renews our life? And how can living into the events of Holy Week and the new day of Easter together change us in ways that can be different every time we enter this old story? Dom Fay, Peter Catt and Sue Wilton explore the journey of Lent and the cruciform pattern that plays out in our lives in surprising and holy ways, and you may download this podcast here
28 THE ECONOMICS OF COMMUNITY
Does money really make the world go around? Is self-interest the only reliable predictor of human civil and social behaviour? The Rev’d Gillian Moses joins the podcast to talk about the assumptions we make about economics, and how challenging beliefs about competition and scarcity can open us to a new way of being together that heals the isolation and dehumanisation of consumer capitalism – download this podcast here
27 A DIFFERENT WAY TO BE
Dom Fay, Peter Catt and Sue Wilton are joined by Dave Andrews to explore “Plan Be” – the ethical guidelines laid out by Jesus in The Beatitudes that can help us be the change we want to see in the world. This is about a way of being that helps us live into our deepest potential through inner transformation that in turn transforms our world with justice, integrity, compassion and peace. The conversation explores what it means to follow the way of Jesus through the framework of these 8 life-giving principles – download this podcast here
26 POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD
Happy Christmas or Seasons Greetings? And what jokes and topics of conversation are okay to bring out these holidays at parties and family BBQs? In this episode Peter Catt, Dom Fay and Sue Wilton discuss the emotions around being “PC”, explore what is really felt to be at stake and how we can navigate this territory as people of faith. Download this podcast here
25 DREAMS WITH GEORGE TRIPPE
Ever wondered what your dreams might reveal? Dr George Trippe rejoins Dom, Peter and Sue in a conversation about how the symbols and images of our dreams and nightmares can be a language of rich spiritual insight, wisdom and self-knowledge. Download this podcast here
24 HOW TO PRAY
What is prayer, and how do we go about it? Joining the podcast for a conversation about the practice, meaning and purpose of prayer is The Rev’d Dr Sarah Bachelard, founder and leader of Benedictus Contemplative Church in Canberra and honorary fellow at the Australian Catholic University. Download this podcast here
23 STAYING SANE IN THE 21ST CENTURY WITH MATT HAIG
Author Matt Haig joins Dom and Sue on the podcast to explore some of the ways our world can make us unwell. Social commentaries often reports that rates of stress and anxiety are rising. We are more connected, yet feel more alone. We are encouraged to worry about everything from world politics to our body mass index. Author Matt Haig joins the podcast to talk about the question of how to stay human in a technological and fast paced world. After years of anxiety, Matt began to look for the link between what he felt and the world around him. In this conversation he discusses his latest book, Notes on a Nervous Planet, and explores how to feel happy and human in the twenty-first century. Matt Haig is a UK author of several best-selling works of fiction and non-fiction, including How to Stop Time and Reasons to Stay Alive. Download this podcast here
22 LEARNING WITH THE ANCIENTS
Dom Fay and Sue Wilton are joined by The Very Rev’d Professor Andrew McGowan to explore some of the ancient history of religion and the way ideas about sacrifice pervade the religious imagination. What was the place of sacrifice within ancient religious tradition and what do Christians mean when they talk about Jesus as the sacrificial lamb? This conversation explores the misunderstandings around the nature and history of sacrifice and how a richer understanding can lead to a more compassionate and liberating experience of Christian faith and eucharistic worship. Andrew McGowan is the Dean of Berkeley Divinity School within Yale in New Haven, Connecticut. You can download this podcast here
21 FAITH & HUMOUR
Peter Catt and Dom Fay are joined by The Rev’d Chris Bedding to talk about the place of humour and the absurd in religion. Where does humour turn up in our understanding of faith and the Christian life? What do comedy and worship share in common and is there anything we can’t laugh at? Chris Bedding is a real live Anglican Priest who serves the Parish of Darlington-Bellevue. He is also a stand-up comedian, actor, director and musician, and one half of the duo responsible for Pirate Church; a loving satire about the wacky world of religion, and Christianity in particular – download this podcast here
20 HOW DO WE SPEAK OF GOD?
Professor William Franke and Professor Kevin Hart join Dom Fay and Sue Wilton to try to speak about the unspeakable: How can we talk about God when language fails us? Given that God is mystery and that cannot be conceived as an object among other objects in our cosmos, how do we deepen our understanding and grow in a relationship of love to the Divine? William Franke is Professor of Religious Studies and Comparative Literature at Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee and Kevin Hart is Professor in Religious Studies at Virginia University whose poetry is also widely known and acclaimed in Australia and around the world. Download this podcast here
19 FINDING JOY
Dom Fay and Sue Wilton are joined by Professor Ellen Charry in a discussion about what it really means to be happy, what is the kind of happiness that lasts, and what goodness and blessing have to do with it all. Ellen is Professor of Systematic Theology Emerita of Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey, and author of many publications, including God and the Art of Happiness. Download this podcast here
18 LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE
Do you dream of slowing your life down? Maybe you have explored slow reading, slow food, and even slow TV. What about slow church? The Right Rev’d Professor Stephen Pickard, Bishop and Executive Director for the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture joins us on the podcast to explore how the best things in life can be slow, the mysteries of life can’t be rushed and nothing can be loved at speed. Download this podcast here
17 FREEDOM FROM SHAME - WM PAUL YOUNG
Wm Paul Young, author of several books including The Shack, joins Dom and Sue to talk about shame and the way it can hold us back from a flourishing life; a life grounded in an awareness that we are loved and of great worth. What are the things we believe or have been told about God that would tell us the opposite? How do we instead travel the journey towards authenticity and freedom? Download this podcast here
16 TRANSGENDER IDENTITY & FAITH
Dowd, one of the authors of Transfaith: A Transgender Pastoral Resource. How does the transgender identity influence the life of faith and the search for meaning? What does this mean for both those who identify as transgender and those who hope to gain new understanding of gender and its role in the spiritual journey? A deeply compassionate and human conversation – download this podcast here
15 MAKING SPACE FOR EMERGENCE
In a world that seems obsessed by models of heroic leaders and trusting in the ‘expert’ opinions of others to work things out, models that allow space and time for truly collaborative models of leadership and decision making can seem quite counter-cultural – download this podcast here
14 LOVING YOURSELF
Christianity teaches us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, but that presupposes that we know how to love ourselves. Peter Catt and Dom Fay are joined by psychotherapist, counsellor, spiritual director and artist Dr George Trippe in discussion – download this podcast here
13 THE TWO HALVES OF LIFE
Richard Fay, Dom Fay and Sue Wilton talk over the two halves of life: finding faith in the midst of suffering and discovering the move from trying to allowing and from doing to being – download this podcast here
12 POWER AND THE CHURCH
The Rev’d Dr Steven Ogden joins Dom, Peter and Sue to explore the Church’s enmeshment with sovereign power – download this podcast here
11 RE-VIEWING CHRISTIANITY FROM THE MARGINS
Jim Schirmer is our guest as we discuss challenging our comfortable theologies – download this podcast here
10 THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF CHRISTIANITY
2017 was not a good year for the public image of Christianity. Dom Fay, Peter Catt and Sue Wilton have a conversation to start the New Year about everything from marriage equality surveys to Donald Trump and polemical arguments that get in the way of communicating the compassionate, life-affirming and liberating message of Christian faith – download this podcast
9 SCAPEGOATING, VIOLENCE AND THE THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS
James Alison, theologian and Roman Catholic priest, joins Peter Catt and Dom Fay to explore the meaning of the cross in the light of the work of René Girard. In this conversation, James explores how humans have a history of excluding others and the way Jesus changes all that by volunteering to be the person who was excluded. Shifting the story in this way changes not only how we see our faith, but also how we treat each other and understand relationships. The ideas explored in this conversation help us to understand ourselves and our own patterns of imitative desires and behaviour, even as it gives us insight into patterns of violence in our societies and throughout history. Download this podcast
8 EMBRACING THE NON-VIOLENT TEACHINGS OF JESUS
Dom Fay, The Rev’d Sue Wilton and Brendan McKeague from Pace e Bene Australia in a rich and highly practical exploration of living with an ethic of nonviolence and following the way of Jesus – download this podcast
7 FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
The Very Rev’d Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford and Dean Peter Catt join Dom Fay for a discussion exploring what shape the Church might have in future as we come to terms with the role of complexity and the idea of incorporation – download this podcast
6 WHAT IS THE BIBLE ...
… and how do we read it when we take our sacred text seriously? Peter Catt, Sue Wilton and Dom Fay are joined by the Rev’d Dr Greg Jenks to discuss differing views about scripture and scriptural interpretation and what that means for how we understand faith and what it means to be a follower of the way of Jesus. Download this podcast
5 SCIENCE AND RELIGION
Dom Fay and Peter Catt are joined by the Rev’d Dr Ceri Wynne to talk about the popular myth that science and religion are essentially in conflict and cover some fascinating ground exploring the dynamic interplay possible when science and faith interact – download this podcast
4 CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM AND THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP
Dave Andrews and Dr Nora Amath join Dom Fay and Sue Wilton to tell stories and share the urgency of the message of peace and understanding between religious communities and the power of friendship between individuals. This conversation explores how the ‘prophet’ Jesus can unite rather than divide Muslims and Christians, giving examples of Muslims and Christians finding common ground, with thoughts on how we might all work together for common good – download this podcast
3 GENDER AND GOD
Dom Fay leads the discussion with Peter Catt and Sue Wilton around issues of gender and spirituality. Does God have a gender? What are the issues for women when so much of our language for God is masculine and exclusive? What does scripture reveal about gender and what have we been missing in our tradition that is life-giving and empowering for women? The conversation centres around the alternate narrative that the gospel reveals and the liberating good news that challenges cultures of patriarchy and inequality – download this podcast
2 LIFE BEYOND DUALISM
Dean Peter Catt and Dom Fay are joined by Richard Fay who is CEO of The Centre for Men, Australia and also happens to be Dom’s Dad. Together they explore the way dualistic thinking traps us into defining our world in binary terms, and how seeking a unitive consciousness can avoid an “us and them” mentality and help us on the way to authentic love and freedom and to become who we are created to be – download this podcast
1 THE BIG STORY OF GOD
Talking about life and what are the biggest questions: Dom Fay and Peter Catt talk God, the universe and everything. – download this podcast