Theo Hobson

Theo Hobson

Theo Hobson is co-editor of Created for Love: Towards a New Teaching on Sex and Marriage.

Friday

Theo Hobson

Tim Shipman, Ian Williams, Theo Hobson, Lara Prendergast & Lisa Haseldine

From our UK edition

34 min listen

On this week’s Spectator Out Loud: Tim Shipman says that the real war for the right is yet to come; Ian Williams examines the farce over the collapses China espionage case; Theo Hobson argues that the Church of England is muddled over sex and marriage; Lara Prendergast reads her letter from America; and, Lisa Haseldine goes on manoeuvres with the German army, the Bundeswehr. Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

Thursday

Theo Hobson

Migration mystery, Ipso’s trans muddle & are you a ‘trad dad’?

From our UK edition

46 min listen

This week: why don’t we know how many people are in Britain?How many people live in the UK? It’s a straightforward question, yet the answer eludes some of the nation’s brightest statistical minds, writes Sam Bidwell for the cover this week. Whenever official figures are tested against real-world data, the population is almost always undercounted. For example, in England alone, nearly 64 million patients are registered with GP practices – higher than the Office for National Statistics (ONS)'s estimated population of 58 million. Sam argues there are serious consequences for our society at large, including for tax, housing and our utilities. Who is to blame for this data deficiency? And why is Britain so bad at tackling illegal migration?

Friday

Theo Hobson

Did Christianity create secular humanism?

From our UK edition

33 min listen

Since the election of an overwhelmingly secular Labour government, people who describe themselves as humanists have a spring in their step: for example, there's a prospect that humanist weddings will be legally recognised in England and Wales (they already are in Scotland). But what exactly is a humanist? Definitions vary and there's a heated debate about to what extent the ethical but firmly atheist beliefs of the rather loosely organised modern humanist movement are descended from Christianity. In this episode of Holy Smoke we'll hear from Andrew Copson, CEO of Humanists UK since 2010 & President of Humanists International, and the theologian and Spectator contributor Theo Hobson, author of God created Humanism: the Christian Basis of Secular Values.

Saturday

Theo Hobson

Svitlana Morenets, James Heale and Theo Hobson

From our UK edition

17 min listen

This week: Svitlana Morenets explains why Ukrainians can't trust Putin's hollow promises (00:57), James Heale reads his politics column on Rishi's January blues (05:42), and Theo Hobson describes the joys of middle-aged football (10:54).  Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

Saturday

Theo Hobson

Lionel Shriver, Theo Hobson and John Maier

From our UK edition

25 min listen

This week: Lionel Shriver asks whether we are kidding ourselves over Ukraine (00:56), Theo Hobson discusses Martin Luther King and the demise of liberal Protestantism (09:28), and John Maier reads his review of Quentin Tarantino's new book Cinema Speculation (18:11). Produced and presented by Oscar Edmondson.

Saturday

Theo Hobson

Douglas Murray, Nyrola Elimä, Theo Hobson

From our UK edition

27 min listen

On this week's episode, we’ll hear from Douglas Murray on why he thinks that the Coronavirus is over. (00:51)Next, Nyrola Elimä on her family’s experiences as Uighurs living under the rule of the CCP. (08:27)And finally, Theo Hobson on why the different factions of the Church of England need to come together. (16:54)Produced and presented by Sam HolmesSubscribe to The Spectator today and get a £20 Amazon gift voucher:spectator.

Thursday

Theo Hobson

Cop out: Boris’s battle to save the climate summit

From our UK edition

32 min listen

In this week’s episode: Can Cop26 deliver on its grand promises? In our cover story this week, Fraser Nelson assesses the state of the upcoming Cop26 summit in Glasgow and questions their very effectiveness in dealing with climate change in a world of global players with very different priorities. He is joined on the podcast by reporter Jess Shankleman, who is covering Cop26 for Bloomberg. (00:48)‘This one’s in Glasgow, but you’d best think of it as the Edinburgh Festival for environmentalism. Lots of fun, lots of debates, lots of protests, lots of street action, but not really any much of concrete substance.’ – Fraser Nelson Also this week: Is it moral to bribe your child to go to church?