Jonathan Merritt: The Translator

Show Notes

Jonathan Merritt is an award-winning journalist. He helps me understand what’s really going on when religion and the news come together and his role as a translator between culture, religion and society. His perspective is unique and offers him the chance to critique religion as much as translate it. We explore why sacred language matters for understanding each other and the world.

You can find out more about Jonathan Merritt at JonathanMerritt.com, on Twitter and Instagram.
His book, Learning to Speak God from Scratch is worth a read.

If you would like to talk about anything in this podcast, reach out to me on Twitter @tashmcgill. 

If you enjoyed this conversation please share it and subscribe. This series was made with the support of New Zealand on Air as part of the Easter programming on Newstalk ZB.

What is Faith in the Time of Corona?

As the globe experiences a pandemic unlike anything in our recent history, the first wave of coronavirus infections is moving towards a peak, coinciding with some of the world’s most sacred religious festivals and celebrations; the Jewish Passover, the Christian Holy Week and Easter and the Muslim festival of Ramadan.

In times of suffering and uncertainty, it is often our religious practices and faith narratives that hold us together, forming a framework for grief and hope. Now, as we remain physically distant, our connection to the outside world and each other has become virtual as we cling to the news cycle to understand how this virus is progressing and when it might end.

When understanding our world and each other means understanding the religious nature of our most important rituals of life and death, what role does the voice of religion have in the media?

Tash McGill presents Faith in the Time of Corona, with Newstalk ZB.

This series was made with the support of NZ on Air as part of the Easter programming on Newstalk ZB.