Encountering Thin Places: One Priest's Hope in the Modern World
From Constant Wonder by BYUradio
April 15, 2026 · 53 min · Season 13 · Episode 15
About this episode
Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal discusses the concept of thin places and finding the sacred in everyday life.
Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal grew up wandering the ruins of Fountains Abbey in the UK—one of his "thin places." After he was ordained an Anglican priest in his twenties, he learned to find the sacred as easily in seminar rooms as on the side of the road. Teal believes in the power of inhabiting the world, be it through philosophy, poetry, or simply your presence. Guest: Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal, an Anglican priest, chaplain, fellow, and lecturer in theology at Pembroke College, Oxford University Chapters: (0:00) Introduction (3:55) Fountains Abbey (13:17) Grief and silence (20:23) Rachel's thunderbolt (24:57) Thin spaces (32:35) Prodigal sons and sacred hymns (43:34) Illumination
People in this episode
Guest: Reverend Dr. Andrew Teal
Topics covered
- thin places
- sacred spaces
- theology
- grief
- philosophy
- poetry
Keywords
- thin places
- sacred
- theology
- grief
- Fountains Abbey
- Anglican priest
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Pembroke College, Oxford University
Places: Fountains Abbey, UK
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