22 April KETTERING Arts Centre

Rev Dave Tomlinson, familiar to millions from his Pause for Thought broadcasts on the Radio 2 breakfast show, reflects on his life and work in conversation with regular True Stories host Duncan Steer.

Dave’s podcast, The Holy Shed and books – including ‘The Post-Evangelical’ and ‘How to be a Bad Christian and a Better Human Being’ – have been as inspirational and thought-provoking to his listeners and readers as they have been provocative to the Church of England hierarchy.

A parish priest in the Church of England for 19 years (2000-2019), he started his career in the house church movement of the 1970s before going on to start Holy Joe’s — a pub church for people disillusioned with mainstream religion.

Dave has long been looking to reframe how Christianity is viewed by the wider population – and, in turn, how the Church views those who currently feel excluded.

“It puzzles me that people sometimes try to judge whether I am a proper Christian by asking if I believe in things like the virgin birth or the authority of the Bible,” he says. “Why don’t they ask me how I treat my wife? Or what I spend my money on, or what I’m doing about injustice in the world?”

There will be a chance to ask your own questions.

The first 25 tickets are £10. Full-price tickets are £14, with concessions £10.