Theos

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Understanding faith. Enriching society.

Theos stimulates the debate about the place of religion in society, challenging and changing ideas through research, commentary and events.

Feature — Dying for Beginners: Theos’ work on Death, Dying and the Afterlife

Animation — Latest

Watch ‘Dying for Beginners’ feat. Dr Kathryn Mannix

Comment

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Hoping For A Good Bye: Exploring Britain’s Transformed Relationship With Death

Madeleine Pennington unpacks her latest report ‘Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK’. 28/11/2023

Death, Faith, Funeral, Grief, Love

Who is responsible for feeding us (well)? In conversation with Pen Vogler

Nick Spencer speaks with publicist and author Pen Vogler. 28/11/2023

Podcast, Reading Our Times

What does the end of the world look like? In conversation with Cal Flyn

Nick Spencer speaks with journalist Cal Flyn. 21/11/2023

Podcast, Reading Our Times

Elizabeth Oldfield on Avoiding Labels and the Need for Good Formation | Sacred Reflection

Elizabeth Oldfield reflects on the themes and guests from the eighth series of The Sacred. 15/11/2023

Podcast, The Sacred

Latest thoughts from the Theos team and guest contributors on current issues around religion and society.

Research

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Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK

Madeleine Pennington

Madeleine Pennington and Nathan Mladin’s report examining emotional responses to death and dying in the UK. 27/11/2023

Death, Faith, Funeral, Grief, Love

Reports Download

Volunteering After the Pandemic: Lessons from the Homelessness Sector

Hannah Rich

Hannah Rich and George Lapshynov’s report on the state of volunteering across the UK since the pandemic. 12/09/2023

Coronavirus, Covid, Homelessness, volunteering

Reports Download

Theos is undertaking a substantial research project in partnership with the Good Faith Partnership and the Church Works Commission to explore the role of churches and faith communities in social prescribing.

Reports

The United Reformed Church: A Paradoxical Church at a Crossroads

Nathan Mladin

Nathan Mladin’s report exploring the life, identity, and flourishing of the United Reformed Church. 04/07/2023

United Reformed Church, URC

Reports Download

Theos researches and investigates the intersection of religion, politics and society in the contemporary world.

Theos is a body that commands attention.

The Economist

Events

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28 November 2023

Reading Our Times Live: In conversation with Robert Skidelsky

Join Nick Spencer for a live recording of Reading Our Times where he will be joined by economist and member of the House of Lords Robert Skidelsky.

1 November 2023

Dying for beginners: how understanding death can help us to live better

On All Saints’ Day, Dr Kathryn Mannix will speak about mortality, the themes of death–myths and the preciousness of a finite lifetime

23 September 2023

Theos at How The Light Gets In Festival

Join the Theos team at this year’s How The Light Gets In London Festival. 04/09/2023

24 August 2023

Theos at Greenbelt festival

This year Theos delighted to be partnering with Greenbelt festival and running a number of events.

Theos hosts public debates, discussions and lectures about religion and society.

In the news

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We no longer want to confront the reality of death

Theos’s report Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK features in The Telegraph. 29/11/2023

Why I believe a good funeral can be just as memorable and life–affirming as a wedding (and to deny your family one is selfish)

Theos’s report Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK features in the Daily Mail. 28/11/2023

Let’s resurrect the art of celebrating death

Theos’s report Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK features in The Times. 28/11/2023

Death of the funeral: just 47% want one when they’re gone

Theos’s report Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK features in The Times. 27/11/2023

Theos is regularly quoted in mainstream media across broadcast, print and digital.

Theos has done a huge amount to raise the level of public debate about religion. It has won respect for its high–quality research and respect for honest enquiry.

Linda Woodhead, Professor, Sociology of Religion, Lancaster University

Audio & Podcasts

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Wes Streeting MP on Growing Up in a Council Flat and Why Politics Matters

Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to Labour MP Wes Streeting. 28/06/2023

Labour Party, Parliament, Podcast, Politics, The Sacred

Nick Cave and Seán O’Hagan on grief, faith and navigating disagreement

Elizabeth Oldfield speaks to musician Nick Cave and journalist Seán O’Hagan. 18/01/2023

Music, Podcast, Poetry, Suffering, The Sacred

Whatever happened to the human mind? In conversation with Marilynne Robinson

Nick Spencer talks to Marilynne Robinson about her book Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self. 23/05/2023

Podcast, Reading Our Times

Theos produces two podcasts: The Sacred, exploring how we can have better public conversations about the things we value, despite our differences; and Reading Our Times, exploring the books and ideas that are shaping us today.

Theos

Theos

Understanding faith. Enriching society.

Feature — Dying for Beginners: Theos’ work on Death, Dying and the Afterlife

Animation — Latest

Comment

Hoping For A Good Bye: Exploring Britain’s Transformed Relationship With Death

Who is responsible for feeding us (well)? In conversation with Pen Vogler

What does the end of the world look like? In conversation with Cal Flyn

Elizabeth Oldfield on Avoiding Labels and the Need for Good Formation | Sacred Reflection

Research

Love, Grief, and Hope: Emotional responses to death and dying in the UK

Madeleine Pennington

Volunteering After the Pandemic: Lessons from the Homelessness Sector

Hannah Rich

Faith in Social Prescribing

Marianne Rozario

The United Reformed Church: A Paradoxical Church at a Crossroads

Nathan Mladin

Theos is a body that commands attention.

Events

28 November 2023

Reading Our Times Live: In conversation with Robert Skidelsky

1 November 2023

Dying for beginners: how understanding death can help us to live better

23 September 2023

Theos at How The Light Gets In Festival

24 August 2023

Theos at Greenbelt festival

In the news

We no longer want to confront the reality of death

Why I believe a good funeral can be just as memorable and life–affirming as a wedding (and to deny your family one is selfish)

Let’s resurrect the art of celebrating death

Death of the funeral: just 47% want one when they’re gone

Theos has done a huge amount to raise the level of public debate about religion. It has won respect for its high–quality research and respect for honest enquiry.

Audio & Podcasts

Wes Streeting MP on Growing Up in a Council Flat and Why Politics Matters

Nick Cave and Seán O’Hagan on grief, faith and navigating disagreement

Whatever happened to the human mind? In conversation with Marilynne Robinson