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Fantasy For Our TimeAuthor: Nicholas Kotar
Fantasy stories have inspired readers for centuries, making them think and feel deeply, and offering them glimpses of the magical in mundane reality. Join fantasy author and storyteller Nicholas Kotar as he explores classic and new fantasy media, talks to fantasy authors and storytellers, and explores how these stories can help us all live a better, more fulfilling life. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Unwitting Theology of Warhammer 40k
Episode 41
Monday, 23 June, 2025
Behold, mortals and mech-fanatics! Welcome to the very first episode of our theological deep-dive into the grimdark future where there is only war... and apparently, a surprising amount of sacramental symbolism. 🕊️⚔️ In this gloriously over-caffeinated conversation, I (underdressed but spiritually overdressed) sit down with the ever-eloquent Father Deacon Seraphim to unravel the soul of Warhammer 40K — and maybe, just maybe, find a little grace in a galaxy on fire. We talk Orthodoxy,  Horus Heresy, metaphysical mech lore, the martyrdom of the last priest on Terra, and how wargaming is actually a form of liturgical drama (I said what I said). Some say Warhammer is just space fascism with skulls. We say: it's an accidental cathedral, built by atheist Britons, that somehow describes actual spiritual awakening better than most Christian fiction. Yes, there are beards. Yes, there is laughter. Yes, there are Necrons, Imperial Knights, and a barn full of Orthodox dads praying compline before throwing dice. This is not a drill. This is Warhammer meets theosis. This is… whatever this is. You're welcome.  ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00  The Geeky Deacons? A Bearded Beginning 02:00 First Contact with Warhammer via Flight of the Eisenstein 06:00  The Warhammer Store is a Personality Test (Seriously) 11:00  Orthodox Wargaming & Praying Before Battle 15:00  Narrative Roleplaying as Theology Practice 20:00  A Living Sector Map, Custom Code, and Warp-Fueled Strategy 26:00  Horus Heresy: A Story Written by a Council of Atheist Prophets? 31:00  Worship is Inevitable (And the Monsters Know It) 36:00  From Satire to Shakespeare: The Aesthetic Power of Warhammer 41:00  Theology of Awakening: From Empirical Truth to Divine Encounter 48:00  The Emperor vs. The Last Priest: A Hidden Martyrdom 54:00  Is the Emperor… Jesus? Saint George? The Antichrist? 59:00  The Divine in Warhammer: Still, Small Voices Amid Chainswords 1:04:00  The Rise of Living Saints & Involuntary Miracles 1:10:00  Why This British Atheist Setting Might Be Weirdly Orthodox 1:17:00  Wrapping Up: Pratchett, Tolkien, and a Cathedral in the Grimdark
