The Wise and the Wherefores

Ruth and Liz in this episode speak to Gemma Simmonds CJ about nun girl summer. They also discuss the tragedy in Nepal, and the Catholicism of Andy Burnham. Sister Liz Dodd was talking in the days running up to taking her final vows as a fully-professed sister in the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace. Sister Gemma has been talking and writing over the summer about the latest social media viral trend, nun girl summer. This includes an article in the latest print issue of The Tablet that you can read here and although it is paywalled, by signing up you can get some articles for free. https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/nun-girl-summer-you-are-so-good-at-that/
We are now on Substack for free with our twice-weekly newsletters, and in these you can access our latest subscription issue, five issues for just £5. You can also find that offer here.

Sister Liz Dodd CSJP and writer Rhidian Brook both have Lent books out. Easter in Disguise by Liz and Notes on an Execution by Rhidian have both been picked up by parishes around the country to study and think about at Lent group gatherings. Ruth Gledhill is assistant editor of The Tablet, and her own parish is studying Rhidian’s book. Here, she talks to both authors about the enduring Lenten practices that make this time of year so fruitful for all those who are on a Christian journey.

In this bonus episode of The Wise and the Wherefores, Ruth Gledhill and The Tablet’s Plater Trust intern Aili Winstanley Channer went to Archbishop’s House, Westminster to interview Archbishop Richard Moth ahead of his installation as Archbishop of Westminster at the cathedral on Saturday.

‘There’s a word I always put with leadership, which is service,’ Richard Moth told The Tablet in an interview ahead of his installation as Archbishop of Westminster on Saturday. Archbishop Richard Moth said the Church must continue to use her voice to ‘bring the light of the gospel and the light of Christ, into the world we are living in’ at this point in history, in the context of contemporary national and international challenges. He said, ‘This is what the Church has always been about. That never changes. What changes is the circumstance. The circumstance of this year is very different from the circumstance of ten years ago or even two.’

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This is our first podcast of 2026 and we start by discussing Sister Liz’s Lent book, Easter in Disguise, published by Bloomsbury. There will be more on this in our next podcast as well, but basically, Liz believes there is more, lots more, to Lent than giving up chocolate!
For the first time also, we have a guest and we hope that this will be a regular feature of The Wise and the Wherefores as we move forwards into our second season. Where did last year go so fast? So, in this week’s Tablet, our cover is by theologian, writer and Anglican ordinand Theo Hobson. Headlined ‘The dark night of liberalism’, Theo unpacks why the word ‘liberal’ has become associated with a demand for absolute personal autonomy and an unregulated economic free-for-all. Might Christian ideas be what is needed to create a space that brings freedom of conscience together with the common good?
Read Theo’s feature here: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/the-dark-night-of-liberalism/
Subscribe to The Tablet https://www.thetablet.co.uk/subscribe/
Buy Easter in Disguise by Sister Liz Dodd CSJP, published by Bloomsbury, from The Tablet Bookshop. Discount available if you cite The Tablet, for the next two months. 020 7799 4064 or email bookshop@chbookshop.co.uk.

In the latest episode of The Tablet podcast, The Wise and the Wherefores, Ruth Gledhill and Liz Dodd discuss the Westminster succession as well as the latest pronouncement on women deacons. They also talk about how they are both responding to the season of Advent.

Takeaways
The delay in appointing a new Archbishop of Westminster reflects broader vacancies in the church.
Rumours about potential candidates for the Archbishop position include Richard Moth, John Wilson, and Bernard Longley.
The ordination of women deacons remains a contentious issue within the church, with many feeling disappointed by the lack of progress.
There is a growing sentiment that the church is not keeping pace with societal changes regarding women’s roles.
The discussion around the new Archbishop may indicate the church’s priorities under Pope Leo.
Advent is seen as a time for preparation and reflection, with a focus on social justice this year.
Liz’s new book aims to connect Lenten spirituality with social justice themes.
The importance of community and shared experiences in understanding faith is emphasised.
The church's response to women's ordination reflects deeper issues of gender equality within its hierarchy.
The conversation highlights the need for the church to adapt and respond to contemporary issues.
Liz Dodd’s new book, Easter in Disguise, is the 2026 Lent book from Bloomsbury.