Heros of Our Faith

During Lent we have a series of special Lent talks on Heroes of Our Faith which we thought would be of interest after Lent too – audio recordings are below.

2026

22 March – Rev. Dr. Imam-ud-Din Shahbaz (1844–1921) – speaker The Revd Tabitha Singh

Shabaz was a pioneering South Asian Christian theologian, scholar, and Anglican priest. He was especially well known for his deep knowledge of Islamic theology, Arabic, and Persian, and for his thoughtful engagement in Christian–Muslim dialogue. He also made a lasting contribution to Christian worship through his work on the translation and adaptation of the 150 Psalms into local languages, helping to make scripture and worship more accessible and meaningful within South Asian cultural contexts. Our speaker writes: I look forward to speaking about Imam-ud-Din and his contribution in shaping my spiritual life.

15 March – Pope Leo XIV (born 1955) – speaker: Christophe Bondy

Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago is the first U.S.-born pope and the 267th Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, elected on May 8, 2025. He is a member of the Order of St. Augustine of which he became Prior General. He worked as a missionary in Peru and was a Bishop of a Peruvian diocese. He was made a Cardinal shortly before Pope Francis, his predecessor, died.

8 March – Etty Hillesum (1914 – 1943) – speaker: The Revd Canon Margreet Armitstead

Etty was born in Middelburg, Netherlands, into an assimilated Jewish family; she studied law and Slavic languages at the University of Amsterdam. In early 1941, amid Nazi occupation, she began keeping a diary that chronicled her spiritual awakening, influenced by her relationship with psychochirologist, Julius Spier. She volunteered for the Jewish Council, working at the Westerbork transit camp to support inmates facing deportation, refusing offers to hide despite worsening persecution. Deported to Auschwitz in 1943, she died there on November 30, leaving behind diaries published posthumously as An Interrupted Life, which inspire readers worldwide with her resilience and faith.

1 March – Cicely Saunders (1918–2005) – speaker: Mrs. Heather Savini

Saunders was an English nurse, social worker, physician and writer who became the founder of the Modern Hospice Movement and a pioneer of palliative care. In 1967 she founded St Christopher’s Hospice in Sydenham, the first modern hospice to combine expert symptom control with teaching and research, which became an international model for palliative medicine. Her philosophy, strongly guided by her Christian faith, led her to search for ways of improving the quality of life of those approaching death.