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Artwork for Soul Search

Soul Search

ABC Australia
Spirituality
Christianity
Australia
Mindfulness
Meditation
Buddhism
Faith
Islam
Catholic Church
Music
Social Justice
Neuroscience
Mental Health
Community Living
Julian Of Norwich
Habit
Rest
Gift Economy
Cultural Identity
Alice Springs

Soul Search explores contemporary religion and spirituality from the inside out — what we believe, how we express it, and the difference it makes in our lives

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes1044Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Religion & SpiritualitySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Soul Search

Latest Episodes

In China, Daoists have seen mountains as sacred for thousands of years — as places where heaven and earth meet, and even where sages and immortals dwell! But what can a Daoist view of nature offer us in an era of climate change?

Greta Gerwig is one of Hollywood’s buzziest directors today. After her smash-hit Barbie, audiences are hotly anticipating her next movie, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. But some fans of CS Lewis’ original book are upset that the lion Aslan – a Christ... more

Across the Middle East, desert caves and ancient monasteries hid troves of ancient manuscripts. Now, advances in machine learning are helping scholars to unlock these ancient texts and the lost religious worlds that produced them.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen is perhaps Medieval Europe's most remarkable woman. She was a prolific writer, a theologian, a mystic, and Europe's first known female composer. It been about 1000 years since she lived, but why is the music she wrote so pop... more

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Recent Guests

Adrian Drayton
Writer and film critic specializing in religion and popular culture
The Long Conversation
Episode: Greta Gerwig's Narnia and how metaphors shape faith
Sally Douglas
New Testament scholar at Pilgrim Theological College and author of Rewilding Prayer
Pilgrim Theological College
Episode: Greta Gerwig's Narnia and how metaphors shape faith
Robert Turnbull
Data scientist and scholar of ancient Arabic manuscripts
University of Melbourne
Episode: How AI is opening up lost religious worlds
Gareth Wern
Associate professor of biblical studies
Australian Catholic University
Episode: How AI is opening up lost religious worlds
Jennifer Bain
Dalhousie University professor and editor of The Cambridge Companion to Hildegard of Bingen
Dalhousie University
Episode: Hildegard — The visionary music of medieval Europe's most remarkable woman
Sylvia MacRitchie-Hook
Australian Catholic University Ramsay Scholar whose postgraduate research examined Hildegard's Scivias
Australian Catholic University
Episode: Hildegard — The visionary music of medieval Europe's most remarkable woman
Taka Takaguchi
Writer, artist and creative producer based in Melbourne
Episode: Soul Search
Susan Murphy
Zen Buddhist teacher and author, founder of Zen Open Circle
Zen Open Circle
Episode: Soul Search
Costa Georgiadis
Gardening Australia host and advocate for soil, the soul, and the suburbs
ABC
Episode: Costa Georgiadis on trust and attention in the garden

Host

Meredith Lake
Host of Soul Search

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 252 ratings
  • Exceptional- NAIDOC reflections

    Wow - Kudos for this latest drop - a powerful reminder from Professor Anne to all non Indigenous Christians that we have a special duty to lead in building a better future for First Nations peoples

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    _thevegantrad
    Australia4 months ago
  • enriching

    I just happened to turn the radio on and catch the very timely topic of contentment and wanting in this culture of consumption. Great thoughts on the show! Practicing generosity is our remedy ❤️I can’t wait to explore more topics from this podcast. Thank you Meredith

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Brittabe
    Australia2 years ago
  • Soothing for the current time we live in

    A balm for the soul at this time. The people and guests on the show are bringing awareness to the global issues and those in our backyard. I am glad I fell into this while scrolling for peace. Was fed up of the American style which is more commercial and material. I needed to shed that and get back to simplicity. This podcast has restored my faith in humanity and the ability to find a path and guide forward. Well done ABC.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MFD0412
    United States2 years ago
  • Briliant program

    Your most sensitive exploration of spirituality and meaning of life is much appreciated . Interview with Robyn J. Whitaker , is so refreshing .

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Random Carrot
    Australia3 years ago
  • And all will be well...

    Just listened to the fascinating and poignant episode about Julian of Norwich. Her famous words "and all will be well" resonated with me in these very tumultuous times. I agree that many of the systems in our societies force us to move too quickly -- there is little time to stop and breath, contemplate or think. So how on earth can we hope to change for the better?

    I find comfort in Julian's famous words because, similar to looking up at a star lit sky on a quiet summer night, I see the beauty... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    pcoristi
    Canada3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many comments highlight its usefulness for educators and faith leaders seeking nuanced perspectives.
Audiences value the calm, respectful interview style and rigorous context provided by guests.
Listeners praise its thoughtful, in-depth discussions and diverse guest lineup.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Greta Gerwig's Narnia and how metaphors shape faith
Q: What would you say prayer is and the first step towards taking it up?
Sally Douglas says prayer is not a competition or test. She recommends beginning with openness, choosing an image that resonates, and trying a brief, simple practice such as a minute of stillness or a line from the Psalms.
Greta Gerwig's Narnia and how metaphors shape faith
Q: Do you think Narnia is an allegory for the Christian story?
Adrian Drayton says C.S. Lewis drew on Christian understanding in his fiction, but most books in the series do not follow the clear Christ-allegory structure of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
How AI is opening up lost religious worlds
Q: What are the findings, I guess, at this point, that you find most exciting?
A study combining radiocarbon dating and machine learning found that a Daniel manuscript fragment likely dates close to the book's composition, and suggested some scrolls may be older than conventional handwriting-based estimates.
How AI is opening up lost religious worlds
Q: How do you actually study the undertext and how do you use machine learning to do it?
Researchers photograph manuscript pages using infrared and ultraviolet light, then use image segmentation to identify pixels belonging to erased writing. The approach has helped reconstruct portions of an earlier Greek Gospel text.
Soul Search
Q: For people coming to haiku, perhaps neither as Japanese nor as Zen practitioners themselves, what would you say is one of the gifts of this form that perhaps people could orient themselves to or take up in reading these poems?
Murphy recommends accepting haiku's plain language and attending closely to ordinary, passing experience. Its precision can make a familiar moment feel newly vivid.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Soul Search

What is Soul Search about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful round of conversations that traverse religion, spirituality, and ethics through the lens of poetry, philosophy, indigenous wisdom, and contemporary culture. Episodes often pair researchers, theologians, and artists to explore how belief shapes identity, community, and everyday life—ranging from Sufi poetry and medieval saints to modern AI ethics and spiritual ecology. A notable strength is the diverse guest roster, which includes Indigenous voices, Buddhist and Christian thinkers, and scholars, all brought into dialogue with contemporary issues like belonging, ritual, and social justice. Listeners can expect calm, probing interviews that prize nuance, cross-cultural perspectives, and practical applications of contemplative prac... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Soul Search?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Soul Search. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Soul Search and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Soul Search get?

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What are the audience demographics for Soul Search?

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How many subscribers and views does Soul Search have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Soul Search has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Soul Search?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Soul Search:

1. Big Ideas
2. All In The Mind
3. Philosopher's Zone
4. The Minefield
5. Life Matters - Full program podcast

How many episodes of Soul Search are there?

Soul Search launched 21 years ago and published 1044 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Soul Search?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Soul Search?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Soul Search from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Soul Search. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Soul Search?

Recent guests on Soul Search include:

1. Adrian Drayton
2. Sally Douglas
3. Robert Turnbull
4. Gareth Wern
5. Jennifer Bain
6. Sylvia MacRitchie-Hook
7. Taka Takaguchi
8. Susan Murphy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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