Speakers

Nadia Bolz-Weber

Nadia Bolz-Weber is one of the most distinctive and compelling voices in American Christianity. A Lutheran pastor, she founded the House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver and, more recently, New Beginnings, a worshipping community in Denver’s women’s prison, and the Red State Revivals, drawing together many thousands of progressive Christians in conservative heartlands. Her three books, Cranky, Beautiful Faith, Accidental Saints and Shameless were all New York Times bestsellers (all published in the UK by Canterbury Press).

Nadim Nassar

Nadim Nassar is both the first and the only Syrian priest working in the Church of England and is passionate about helping Christians understand their Middle Eastern heritage, which is the culture of the Bible and of Jesus himself.  Fr Nadim was previously a university chaplain and is now Director of the Awareness Foundation  which aims ‘to equip Christians everywhere to form an effective counter-force to the intolerance and mistrust that now prevail in so many communities, and to build understanding between the faiths’.  He is the author of The Middle Eastern Jesus: The Christ of the Gospel and the Culture of God.

Mark Oakley

Mark Oakley is the Dean of Southwark and a Festival of Preaching favourite. He is a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Kings College London; Visiting Scholar at Sarum College, an Ambassador for StopHate UK, Patron of Tell MAMA (supporting those affected by anti-Muslim hate crime) and a Trustee of the Civil Liberties Trust. His books include By Way of the Heart: The Seasons of Faith, My Sour Sweet Days and The Splash of Words which won the Michael Ramsey Prize.

Mark was given the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury last year.

Pádraig Ó Tuama

Pádraig Ó Tuama is a poet, theologian and broadcaster who has worked in reconciliation in Ireland for many years, including as Leader of the Corrymeela Community. He is the author of In the Shelter (Hodder & Stoughton 2016), Daily Prayer from Corrymeela (Canterbury Press 2017) and, with Glenn Jordan, of Borders and Belonging (Canterbury Press 2021).

Ó Tuama is a staff poet with the On Being Project, and hosts Poetry Unbound, a highly-popular podcast. He is Professor in the Practice of Spirituality at Yale Divinity School.

Sam Wells

Samuel Wells is Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, and a leading public theologian. He is  a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, through his regular broadcasts from St Martin’s including its weekly Live Sermon Prep and Great Sacred Music. Sam is the author of over 50 acclaimed books including How to Preach, Humbler Faith, Bigger God, The Moment of Truth and Being With – an introductory course to Christian life and faith from St Martin’s HeartEdge movement.

Isabelle Hamley

Selina Stone

Dr Selina Stone is Lecturer in Theology and Ethics at the University of Edinburgh in the School of Divinity. She is host of the Sunday School for Misfits podcast and author of several books including Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith, and most recently, A Heavy Yoke: Theology, Power and Abuse in the Church. She is a preacher, who teaches preachers, and is a sought-after speaker across Christian traditions. 

Andrew Root

Dr Andrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary, USA. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations. Andy also serves as theologian in residence at Youthfront. He has worked in congregations, parachurch ministries, and social service programs. His most recent books are Evangelism in an Age of Despair (Baker, 2025), The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms (Baker, 2023), and  Churches and the Crisis of Decline (Baker, 2022).