Prayer, Phones & a Quiet Revival: Johannes Hartl on the Future of Faith in Europe

Is prayer still relevant in a hyper-digital, secular age? Dr Johannes Hartl – Catholic philosopher, author, and founder of the Augsburg House of Prayer – thinks not only is it relevant, but it may also be the key to our future. Chapters 00:00 Can prayer make sense in a secular age? 05:16 What if God never answers you? 09:08 Why transactional prayer gets God wrong 13:37 Inside a 24/7 house of prayer 16:13 100,000 hours of prayer: what changes? 21:45 Can prayer be more powerful than therapy? 27:24 Digital detox: why your phone is shaping you 31:24 “I love Instagram and I hate Instagram” 32:54 Should children be banned from smartphones? 35:25 Is a quiet Christian revival beginning in Europe? 39:21 Why are young men turning to Christianity? 44:02 Have secularism’s biggest promises failed? 46:45 Can Christianity save Western civilisation? 55:21 How Johannes Hartl found faith 1:00:45 Church abuse, deconstruction and losing faith 1:07:35 Why Christianity needs beauty, art and imagination 1:11:51 AI, the body and our loss of reality 1:14:39 “Catholics and Protestants both dislike me” In this wide-ranging conversation, Johannes Hartl [@DrJohannesHartl on Instagram] Luke Martin explore why even non-believers may pray more than they realise, and why prayer begins with attention, not just words. They discuss divine hiddenness and unanswered prayer, why a transactional view of prayer misses the heart of Christian spirituality, and what Johannes has learned from helping lead a 24/7 House of Prayer that has logged more than 100,000 hours of prayer. The conversation also ranges across digital minimalism, smartphones and why Johannes goes on holiday without his phone; the surprising openness to faith among young men; the failures of secularism and the sexual revolution; church hurt, deconstruction and emotionally unhealthy Christianity; and why the future may require a renewed form of Christian community, rooted in prayer, beauty, embodiment and hope. Whether you are sceptical, deconstructing or a lifelong believer, this episode offers a challenging and hopeful vision of prayer, faith and cultural renewal. For Johannes Hartl: https://johanneshartl.org/en/ For Luke Martin: follow on X: https://x.com/luke_s_martin   Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 📢 Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)