Why Connection Matters Most in Crisis

In this reflection episode, Elizabeth steps back from interviews to ask: what’s really staying with me from these conversations?

We explore themes of gender, division, fear, and the deep longing for connection in a time when everything can feel like it’s falling apart - politically, socially and spiritually.


We talk about:

  • Why gender is so hard to talk about without blame

  • The “polycrisis” and our collective fight-or-flight

  • How contempt sneaks in and empathy fades

  • Whether old spiritual traditions still have anything to offer

  • And what it takes to stay human (and stay open) in a polarised world


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📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/

💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

🌿 Take a break with us in August. Take time to be with your people and "unplug" yourself from the online world. We'll see you in September.

Om Podcasten

The Sacred is a podcast about our deepest values, the stories that shape us and how we can build empathy and understanding between people who are very different. Each episode features a conversation with someone who has a public voice, from academics to journalists, playwrights and politicians. We ask them where they have come from, what they are trying to do and what might help heal our very divided public conversations. The Sacred is hosted by Elizabeth Oldfield, former director of Theos. For more information about the people and ideas behind the podcast, visit https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/about/who-we-are or follow us on Twitter @theosthinktank, @sacred_podcast and @ESOldfield.