meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Good Faith

Malcolm Guite pt. 1: Does Theology Need an Imaginative Spark to Grasp God's Mystery?

Good Faith

Good Faith

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.81.9K Ratings

🗓️ 27 April 2026

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Imagination Combined with Reason Can Build a Sturdier Faith.

 

Malcolm Guite invites us to recover a "baptized imagination," showing how poetry can do real theological work by carrying truth through image, beauty, sacrament, and story. Rather than replacing reason, imagination helps us perceive meaning—opening Scripture, creation, and the mystery of Christ in ways analysis alone cannot reach.

 

00:00 - A Sonnet for Saint Peter

01:16 - Introduction to the Episode

03:32 - Can Poetry Do Theology?

09:02 - What Is the Baptized Imagination?

11:09 - Reason, Imagination, and Meaning with C.S. Lewis

17:24 - The Eternal Act of Creation

20:07 - Conclusion and Preview of Part 2

 

Take the Listener Survey

Sign up for The After Party

Sign up for The Good List

 

Mentioned In This Episode:

Scriptures Referenced In This Episode:

 

More from Malcolm Guite:

 

Follow Us:

Good Faith on Instagram

Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter)

Good Faith on Facebook

 

The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello, who's out there listening in the Good Faith audience?

0:04.0

We want to hear from you. Who are you? Why do you listen? What keeps you coming back?

0:09.0

And how can we make the show even better? Go to good faith.org slash survey,

0:15.0

or use the link in the show notes to take our quick listener survey and tell us everything. As a thank you, one

0:22.3

respondent will get to choose between a $250 gift card to Parnassas Books, a pair of Apple AirPods

0:28.6

Pro, or a donation to a charitable organization of your choosing. So come on, don't be shy. Again,

0:35.8

that's good faith.org slash survey.

0:39.5

Let us know who's on the other side of these microphones.

0:46.0

So you got St. Peter or baptism?

0:49.3

Yeah, I love St. Peter.

0:50.8

So here's a sonnet about St. Peter.

0:55.3

Impulsive master of misunderstanding, you comfort me with all your big mistakes.

1:02.3

Jumping the ship before you make the landing, placing the bet before you know the stakes.

1:07.9

I love the way you step out without knowing, the way you sometimes speak

1:12.6

before you think, the way your broken faith is always growing, the way he holds you, even when you

1:21.2

sink. Born to a world that always tried to shame you, your shaky ego vulnerable to shame. I love the way that

1:31.2

Jesus chose to name you before you knew how to deserve that name. And in the end, your

1:39.9

Savior let you prove that each denial is undone by love.

2:09.7

Welcome to the Good Faith podcast, where friends who follow Jesus help each other make sense of the world.

2:14.8

I'm D.T. Sloughman, Good Faith's producer and director of content. Our podcast is produced by a 501C3 nonpartisan organization.

2:22.3

This is the first episode of a two-part short series with Malcolm Gite.

2:28.6

Anglican priest, life fellow of Gerton College in Cambridge,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Good Faith, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Good Faith and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.