The Examined Faith

How Oxford Changed My Faith | Theology Student Interview

What is it really like to study theology at Oxford University, and can it deepen your Christian faith, or shake it?  Tuppy Morrissey sits down with Alina Khokhlova, an Oxford theologian who specialised in the ancient Syriac language (a branch of Aramaic language closely related to the tongue spoken by early Eastern Christians), to explore what studying theology formally can offer believers today. Alina shares her journey to Oxford, where she became one of the only students in a decade to pursue the Syriac pathway — reading rare late antique theological texts in their original language with almost no set curriculum. They discuss what a typical week studying theology at Oxford looks like, how to navigate the challenges of higher biblical criticism, and why reading Scripture in ancient languages can become a surprisingly prayerful and meditative practice. The conversation also turns to icons — what they are, how to read their symbolism, and why they matter for Christians of every tradition — as well as the rich church life Oxford offers, from Anglo-Catholic chapels to Orthodox communities that are quietly booming with converts. What we cover: Why study theology formally — and is it for everyone? Studying the Syriac language and Eastern Christianity at Oxford What a typical Oxford theology tutorial week looks like Biblical Hebrew, Koine Greek, and the value of ancient languages Higher criticism and its challenges for Christian faith How theology can deepen — not undermine — belief Icons as visual theology: symbolism, veneration, and the Incarnation The Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican church scene in Oxford Evagrius of Pontus: "The one who prays is a theologian" 0:00 – Opening 0:44 – Introduction 1:34 – Why study theology formally? 2:17 – Backgrounds & paths to Oxford 8:32 – What is a typical week at Oxford? 9:55 – Studying ancient languages 14:02 – Faith & textual criticism at Oxford 18:29 – How theology deepened faith 24:15 – Churches in Oxford 29:44 – Orthodox Christianity in Oxford 33:12 – Icons & religious art 44:04 – Archaeology & material religion 46:01 – Key lessons from Oxford 48:25 – Final thoughts & encouragement For Alina's videos on Icons: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsSDcjFojHAZl56RVCMpTPVSctu1HKdZf Try the FaithWave app: https://www.faithwave.app/ #aramaic #AramaicLanguage #oxforduniversity #theology #christianpodcast #syriac #christianity #christianfaith

Why Studying Islam Makes You a Better Christian | Dr. Fitzroy Morrissey

Can studying Islam deepen your Christian faith? In this episode of The Examined Faith, Tuppy is joined by his brother Dr. Fitzroy Morrissey, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Law at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Pembroke College, for a wide-ranging conversation on two of the world's great Abrahamic faiths. Fitz brings a rare perspective: a committed Christian who has spent his career immersed in Islamic thought, including the rich Sufi intellectual tradition. Together they explore where Christianity and Islam genuinely converge, from the Quran's striking affirmations about Jesus (his virgin birth, miracles, and status as "Word of God") to the Sufi concept of the "Muhammadan Light" and its remarkable echoes of the Johannine Logos. They also examine where the two traditions fundamentally diverge, on original sin, redemption, and the role of law in the moral life, and how Muslims have historically understood the relationship between the Quran and the Bible, including the concept of tahrif (the corruption of scripture). As the Anglican bishop and scholar Kenneth Cragg once wrote, not to care about Islam would be not to care about Christ. It's a conviction Fitz shares, and one that shapes everything he discusses here. What we cover: Why Christians should study Islam What the Quran says about Jesus — virgin birth, miracles, and "Word of God" Sufism explained: the "Muhammadan Light" and the Johannine Logos Original sin, redemption, and law: where Christianity and Islam diverge Tahrif: how Muslims understand the corruption of scripture Whether interfaith scholarship can enable real dialogue Section Intro & guest introduction 0:00 Fitz's background / how he got into Islamic studies 1:02 Why Christians should explore Islam 4:40 Similarities between Christianity & Islam 10:05 What is Sufism? 13:53 How Christians should approach the Quran 21:29 Original sin & key theological differences 28:11 The Quran's relationship to the Bible 37:40 Muslim views on Paul & the gospels 40:58 Hope for interfaith dialogue 43:57 Wrap-up & book recommendations 46:08 Books & scholars recommended: A Short History of Islamic Thought — Fitzroy Morrissey The Renewal of Islam — Fitzroy Morrissey Kenneth Cragg, Marshall Hodgson, Gabriel Said Reynolds For more about Fitzroy and his work: https://www.pmb.ox.ac.uk/person/professor-fitzroy-morrissey  Grow deeper in faith with the FaithWave app: https://www.faithwave.app/ #christianityandislam  #interfaithdialogue  #sufism  #jesusinthequran #christianfaith

Is Jesus Really Present in the Eucharist? | Charlotte Choley-Kovacevic

"I realised it's actually real — it's all real, and it all ties into the passion and the cross, and it's part of this far greater love story between God and mankind." Charlotte joins Tuppy to explore the Eucharist and the Real Presence. Charlotte is Communications and Events Officer at Fidelium London, a lay-led network of Anglo-Catholic young adults in London, and she brings both theological depth and personal conviction to the question. Together they explore: - What the Bible actually says about the subject. - What the female mystics of the Christian tradition understood about the Eucharist - Why the sacramental life of the Church is increasingly appealing to young people in the UK - Whether a quiet revival is underway — and what role the Eucharist might play in it And much more 🙏 FaithWave helps you grow in faith and understanding by drawing closer to the best of the Christian tradition. 📲 Discover the FaithWave app: https://www.faithwave.app/ [https://www.faithwave.app/] 📲 Discover more about Fidelium here: https://www.fideliumlondon.com/ [https://www.fideliumlondon.com/] #eucharist #realpresence #christianfaith #holycommunion #FaithWave

How to Be a Human Being - Charles Foster

Creation, Theosis, and Becoming Human: Charles Foster on Orthodox Christianity, Nature, Animals, and the Image of God Host Tuppy Morrissey interviews Oxford fellow and writer Professor Charles Foster about creation and what it means to be human, drawing on Foster’s book Being a Human and his nature-immersion experiments. Foster argues modern life estranges us from the cosmos and that humans are shaped more by encounter than ideas. The discussion covers animism, panpsychism and the Orthodox idea that God “fills all things,” technology’s effects on attention, vegetarian ideals in Genesis, practical reforms for animal welfare and education, humans as mediators/microcosm, the Incarnation’s affirmation of matter, cosmic redemption, and Foster’s reading of Genesis as anti-polytheistic and portraying rising disobedience in creation.

Searching for the Good with Fr Thomas Plant: Dionysius, Shin Buddhism, and C.S. Lewis

In this episode, Fr Thomas Plant—Anglican priest, theologian, and author specialising in Christian Platonism and the thought of Dionysius the Areopagite—joins Tuppy Morrissey for a wide-ranging conversation. Together they explore Dionysius, Shin Buddhism, and the theological imagination of C.S. Lewis, reflecting on transcendence, the nature of the good, apophatic theology, myth, and desire, and how these traditions can deepen Christian thought in a secular age. Fr Thomas Plant’s Substack, Ghostly Counsel [https://frthomasplant.substack.com/] The FaithWave app [https://www.faithwave.app/]