My latest book ‘Relatable: Exploring God, Love and Connection in the Age of Choice’ has been out in the world since May and starting lots of interesting conversations. It’s been great fun to follow up with some in-depth conversations about how faith affects relationship choices in the Relatable Podcast. You can follow the Relatable conversation on Instagram and Twitter – use #RelatablePodcast to share thoughts! The great music is used by permission of Clap and Thunder and the episodes in this series were sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church (you can get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable.) You can find The Relatable Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or listen HERE.
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
The six episodes in series one are…
Vulnerability, validation and value – what does singleness mean for women?
How have single Christians been affected by the expectations of church and family? Has the silence around dating, sex and relationships been helpful or a hindrance? What have been the effects of shrinking numbers of Christians, fewer couples meeting in church and people marrying later for women who were taught to expect marriage as a natural stage of life? How can single people navigate ambiguous friendships, uneven numbers of men and women in the church, and live well no matter what their relationship status?
Vicky Walker talks to broadcaster and journalist Genelle Aldred about all of these things, and her experiences growing up as a pastor’s child, the stillbirth of her daughter, love and sex, compromise, career, leadership, definitions of singleness, expanding horizons and what drives relationship choices.
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Men and women- what does true equality look like?
Christian views about the roles of women and men have been debated for millennia, with conversations about submission, leadership, gender roles and what should come naturally to the sexes still rolling on. Do gender roles help or hinder flourishing? What does a marriage based on egalitarian values and theology look like? Vicky Walker talks to writer, activist and runner Jenny Baker, author of ‘Equals – enjoying gender equality in all areas of life’ about her role models, marriage, parenting, how men and women can work together in relationships and where the church can help.
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Singleness, celibacy and dating yourself – what inspired one man’s choices?
Why would a 13 year old boy take a vow of celibacy? What happens when he later enters the world of rap? MOBO Award winning rapper Faith Child‘s childhood memories include poverty and witnessing domestic abuse. Vicky Walker talks to the TV presenter and performer about forgiveness, family and what it means to be a man. Should gender roles exist? Does it matter who earns more money in a relationship? How important are dating, friendship and fulfilment in an abstinent life?
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Childlessness and changed plans – what happens when the ‘Christian ideal’ doesn’t happen?
The church has long linked fertility to being blessed by God. ‘Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him…Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them’ is even in the bible. What does it mean to be a man who can’t reproduce? How do Christians respond when longed-for children don’t come along? What does a full life look like when dreams and desires are unfulfilled?
Vicky Walker talks to writer and broadcaster Sheridan Voysey about masculinity, marriage, infertility, love, redemption and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan.
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Sex and growing up Christian – Just don’t do it?
Christian teaching about sex outside of marriage can be very black and white – ‘Don’t do it!’ – but increasingly Christians have a wide range of sexual ethics. Is there one right way? How do church expectations affect sexual development? Vicky Walker talks to Kate Mounce and Eleanor Young AKA the Beside Ourselves Collective, whose theatre show ‘Just Don’t Do It’ unpicks their own experiences of growing up, sex, sexuality and faith. Covering shame, struggle, singleness, frustration, freedom and desire, what could change and should it?
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Do people really wait until marriage for their first kiss?
Does avoiding physically intimacy before marriage make for a great relationship after? That’s one of the big ‘sales pitches’ often given to young Christians but does anyone take it seriously? Vicky Walker talks to Australian performer Lara Pilcher who didn’t kiss her husband Andrew until their wedding day, thirteen years ago. What led them to that decision? What happened next? Have they changed their views since then? Would they recommend their relationship choices to others?
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 6 – Vulnerability, validation and value – what does singleness mean for women?
December 5, 2019
How have single Christians been affected by the expectations of church and family? Has the silence around dating, sex and relationships been helpful or a hindrance? What have been the effects of shrinking numbers of Christians, fewer couples meeting in church and people marrying later for women who were taught to expect marriage as a natural stage of life? How can single people navigate ambiguous friendships, uneven numbers of men and women in the church, and live well no matter what their relationship status?
Vicky Walker talks to broadcaster and journalist Genelle Aldred about all of these things, and her experiences growing up as a pastor’s child, the stillbirth of her daughter, love and sex, compromise, career, leadership, definitions of singleness, expanding horizons and what drives relationship choices.
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church. Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 5 – Men and women- what does true equality look like?
December 1, 2019
Christian views about the roles of women and men have been debated for millennia, with conversations about submission, leadership, gender roles and what should come naturally to the sexes still rolling on. Do gender roles help or hinder flourishing? What does a marriage based on egalitarian values and theology look like? Vicky Walker talks to writer, activist and runner Jenny Baker, author of ‘Equals – enjoying gender equality in all areas of life’ about her role models, marriage, parenting, how men and women can work together in relationships and where the church can help.
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church. Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 4 – Singleness, celibacy and dating yourself – what inspired one man’s choices?
November 23, 2019
Why would a 13 year old boy take a vow of celibacy? What happens when he later enters the world of rap? MOBO Award winning rapper Faith Child‘s childhood memories include poverty and witnessing domestic abuse. Vicky Walker talks to the TV presenter and performer about forgiveness, family and what it means to be a man. Should gender roles exist? Does it matter who earns more money in a relationship? How important are dating, friendship and fulfilment in an abstinent life?
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church. Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 3 – Childlessness and changed plans – what happens when the ‘Christian ideal’ doesn’t happen?
November 18, 2019
The church has long linked fertility to being blessed by God. ‘Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him…Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them’ is even in the bible. What does it mean to be a man who can’t reproduce? How do Christians respond when longed-for children don’t come along? What does a full life look like when dreams and desires are unfulfilled? I talk to writer and broadcaster Sheridan Voysey about masculinity, marriage, infertility, love, redemption and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan.
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church. Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 2 – Sex and growing up Christian – Just don’t do it?
November 14, 2019
Christian teaching about sex outside of marriage can be very black and white – ‘Don’t do it!’ – but increasingly Christians have a wide range of sexual ethics. Is there one right way? How do church expectations affect sexual development? I talk to Kate Mounce and Eleanor Young AKA the Beside Ourselves Collective, whose theatre show ‘Just Don’t Do It’ unpicks their own experiences of growing up, sex, sexuality and faith. Covering shame, struggle, singleness, frustration, freedom and desire, what could change and should it?
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church. Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable
The Relatable Podcast, Episode 1 – Do people really wait until marriage for their first kiss?
October 23, 2019
Does avoiding physically intimacy before marriage make for a great relationship after? That’s one of the big ‘sales pitches’ often given to young Christians but does anyone take it seriously? In the first full episode of the Relatable Podcast, I talk to Australian performer Lara Pilcher who didn’t kiss her husband Andrew until their wedding day, thirteen years ago. What led them to that decision? What happened next? Have they changed their views since then? Would they recommend their relationship choices to others?
Subscribe on iTunes | Listen on Spotify | Podcast Feed
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate and share!
This episode was sponsored by Christian Connection and Single Friendly Church.
Get 25% off Christian Connection membership by visiting https://www.christianconnection.com/relatable
Music provided by Clap and Thunder.
Vicky Walker 