Mark Dowd

Author of My Tsunami Journey available on April 11 2022

Mark Dowd is a former Dominican friar turned BBC journalist and is the presenter of a number of award-winning television programs on faith and religious belief.

Listen to the Podcast: Where Was God?

About Mark

Author | Journalist | Broadcaster

Currently Mark is engaged in a lot of media training with NGOs, charities and other bodies and is a regular presenter of BBC Radio 4’s weekday Daily Service, a programme dedicated to Christian prayer and reflection. In 2017 Darton Longman and Todd published his autobiography, Queer and Catholic: a Life of Contradiction.

Author

“My Tsunami Journey” is Mark’s second book after the publication of his critically acclaimed autobiography, “Queer and Catholic” in 2017. He is the author of countless newspaper articles and columns for publications such as the Catholic weekly, The Tablet, and has also written extensively for UK national titles such as The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph.

Journalist

Mark began his journalistic career on The Times newspaper in London in 1985 where he covered Education and was also employed as a leader writer. He subsequently went on to work in TV current affairs for prestigious programmes such as Weekend World, Newsnight and Panorama before opting for freelance work as a presenter of prime time documentaries on the subject of religion and faith.

Broadcaster

He has fronted more than a dozen full length documentaries on UK national TV, as well as being a much sought-after commentator on religious affairs. Most of his contemporary work revolves around radio documentaries and podcasts.

My Tsunami Journey

The Quest For God In A Broken World

How to reconcile belief in a loving God with the suffering of innocent human beings and earthly creatures in the natural world?

This question, as old as the Old Testament’s Book of Job, has been mainly grappled with over the centuries by learned theologians and philosophers. But in this groundbreaking work, the author is sent on a journey across thousands of miles to speak to Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians like himself following the 2004 colossal Tsunami waves that killed more than 230,000 people.

Reviews

What are they saying about My Tsunami Journey?

"In his stunning book, Dowd leads us on a frank, moving, and beautiful journey into the hardest challenge to faith: radical evil, especially in its most opaque form, natural evil - epitomized by the Asian tsunami of 2014.... His personal journal of faith and despair has now culminated in this most remarkable story. I urge everyone interested in such gut-wrenching events to read MarK's book - again and again."

Robert John Russell Founder and Director, center for Theology and Natural Sciences

"Dowd's own experience of loss and his own distinctive journey of calling and discovery are woven into a really compelling narrative. This is a book of great and transparent humanity."

Rowan Williams Former Archbishop of Canterbury

"Twenty years on from the great Asian tsunami, this is a tantalizing but ultimately satisfying read for all of those whose daily prayer is Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief."

Julian Filochowski Chair, The Archbishop Romero Trust

"Mark Dowd is a gifted storyteller on TV and radio and in print, with his own revealing reactions always part of the story. My Tsunami Journey brings this skill to bear on the problem of evil. Where this topic is normally addressed via analysis, Dowd goes for real-life stories that challenge the faithful and nonbelievers alike. Like the extraordinary TV documentary that began the project, this written continuation is both moving and inspiring."

Christopher Jamison, OSB Author of Finding Sanctuary