The Russian Orthodox Church has been conspicuous in its support of Putin's war against Ukraine. The reasons seem as obvious as they are depressing.

But behind the politics, there are centuries of history and theology. How did we get here? How is history of the church in Russia shaping the nation's present? How might it shape the future?

This week Nick Spencer talks with Lucy Ash about her book ‘The Baton and the Cross: Russia’s Church from Pagans to Putin’.

Purchase a copy of Lucy's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Baton-Cross-Russias-Church-Pagans/dp/1837731837

The UK has one of highest levels of dissatisfaction with democracy in the world, though other Western countries aren't far behind. Hopes that the rest of the world would naturally follow the West and democratise have all but evaporated.

How serious is this decline in democratic sympathy? What lies behind it? What are the deep foundations on which democracy rests? And what, if anything, can be done about it?

This week, Nick Spencer talks with Jonathan Sumption about his book ‘The Challenges of Democracy: And The Rule of Law’.

Purchase his book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Challenges-Democracy-Rule-Law/dp/1805222503

One of the major changes in Western society in the last half century is the so-called sexual revolution, and one way of understanding that is to see it as the long, withdrawing roar of a Christian sexual ethic.

But that makes two presuppositions: first, that we have indeed left Christian sexual ethics behind and second that there is such a thing as a single identifiable Christian sexual ethic.

This week Nick Spencer talks with Diarmaid MacCulloch about his book ‘Lower than the angels: A history of Sex and Christianity' recorded live at the Church Times Festival of Faith and Literature.

Purchase Diarmaid’s book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lower-than-Angels-History-Christianity/dp/0241400937