To honour the passing of the great scientist and Christian educator Tom McLeish, we're replaying this show first broadcast in 2017. 




David Hutchings is a physics teacher and prof Tom McLeish chaired the Royal Society’s education committee. Both Christians co-authored the book ‘Let there be Science: Why God Loves Science and Science needs God’ arguing that the Christian worldview has fuelled many of the greatest leaps forward in science.




Joining David and Tom was Suzie Sheehy, an accelerator physicist at Oxford University who is agnostic when it comes to religion. She argued that science doesn’t need God since it’s a fundamentally human activity.




 




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Classic Replay: Does Science need God? Tom McLeish, David Hutchings & Suzie Sheehy

Unbelievable? offers a weekly podcast, blog, and video series hosted by Ruth Jackson and a team of thinkers and Christian apologists.

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In a world riddled with conflict, where headlines scream of violence and unrest, the age-old question resurfaces: Is war ever justified, or should Christians wholeheartedly embrace pacifism? Join esteemed scholars Nigel Biggar and Stanley Hauerwas as they delve into the moral complexities of war and peace from a Christian perspective in this classic replay episode.

Nigel Biggar, renowned theologian and ethicist, brings his nuanced understanding of just war theory, exploring the conditions under which Christians might find themselves compelled to engage in warfare. 

Stanley Hauerwas, also a leading voice in Christian ethics, advocates for a radical alternative: pacifism. Hauerwas challenges listeners to reconsider conventional notions of power and violence, urging a transformative approach rooted in love and nonviolence.

This episode originally aired on: 8 November 2014

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Classic Replay: War and Peace: is war ever justified or should Christians embrace pacifism? Nigel Biggar and Stanley Hauerwas

It's no secret that modern American Christians are deeply divided over politics. This division raises important questions about the influence of Scripture on political beliefs. To make sense of this, we invited renowned scholar NT Tom Wright, theologian, professor and star of the "Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast" along with New York Times bestselling author Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle host of the Theology in the Raw podcast. Tom Wright stresses the need for Christians to prioritise the kingdom of God and embody its values within the church. Preston talks about how Israel’s exile to Babylon, Jesus’ mission on earth, and the teachings of Paul all shaped the church’s relationship with politics and can inform our own relationship with politics today.  Tom Wright's co-author Mike Bird came on Unbelievable (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zieWeTqe2qc). This is part of our continuing series on navigating politics.

#politics #godandpolitics #ntwrightonline #debate

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FOR TOM:
Read Tom Wright and Michael Bird's book Jesus and the Powers 
Ask NT Wright Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ask-nt-wright-anything/id1441656192
And more resources online: https://www.ntwrightonline.org/
⬇️ Follow Tom on Social Media
IG: @ntwrightonline


FOR PRESTON: 
Read Preston Sprinkle's book Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire
⬇️ Follow Preston on Social Media
X: @PrestonSprinkle
IG: preston.sprinkle


For more on on this and related topics check out: 


Jesus and Modern Politics with Tom 'NT' Wright, Preston Sprinkle and Billy Hallowell

Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Is there any good evidence to support the resurrection? Are alternative explanations more compelling? Can we trust the biblical narratives? Ruth Jackson hosted a live debate at a school with the help of Aylesbury Youth for Christ. She was joined by Rev Dr Joseph Boot, founder and president of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and Harry Amos, who moved from Christianity to "agnostic atheism" while studying philosophy, politics and economics and blogs about his experience at The Book of Amos. 

For Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/
For Book of Amos: https://thebookofamos.wordpress.com/

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The resurrection: Fact or fiction? Harry Amos vs Joe Boot hosted by Ruth Jackson

Today we delve into the contentious debate surrounding the role of secularism in Western civilization and its relationship with Christianity.
A growing chorus of new atheist writers heralds the advent of an enlightened era of secular rationalism, purporting to liberate society from what they perceive as the shackles of outdated Christian influence. However, according to David Bentley Hart, acclaimed author of "Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and its Fashionable Enemies," such claims amount to nothing more than an "atheist delusion." His book, which garnered the prestigious Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writing in 2011, challenges the narrative of secular triumphalism by revisiting the historical contributions of Christianity.
On the opposing side, Terry Sanderson former President of the UK's National Secular Society contends that contemporary society thrives under an increasingly secular framework, asserting that the freedoms and values we cherish are not contingent upon a Christian foundation.
In this engaging dialogue, we see a clash of perspectives as David argues that secular perspectives are rooted in a misguided myth of secular "progress." By examining the intertwined histories of Christianity and secularism, David presents a compelling case that challenges prevailing notions of societal evolution.

This episode originally aired on:  25 June 2011

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Debunking the Myth of Secular Enlightenment: A Clash of Perspectives David Bentley Hart vs Terry Sanderson (Replay)

The question of the historicity of Jesus' resurrection has been repeatedly investigated,  probed, and discussed. This week on Unbelievable we will add to the debate by asking ‘Did it really happen – the Resurrection of Jesus?’ dissecting the narratives of Jesus’ death and Resurrection.  We’ve got two eminent scholars – who are good friends but with diametrically opposed beliefs on the authenticity of this pivotal event that forms the basis for the Christian worldview. 
 
Dr. Mike Licona, a New Testament scholar, an expert on the intricate details of events surrounding the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in first century Palestine, examines their historical reliability.  Dr. Larry Shapiro a sceptic on such matters, challenges these assertions and offers alternative explanations that he believes are more plausible.   

The show also tackles reconciling discrepancies in the Resurrection accounts - does that strengthen or weaken the arguments that these events happened?   

And even if the historical reliability of ancient texts is established, can we apply these texts to 21st century life from a philosophical perspective?  Dr. Mike Licona presents the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus. If the Resurrection happened, and Jesus conquered death for all who put their trust in Him it’s a question we cannot not ignore.  

Prof. Larry Shapiro
Lawrence Shapiro is the Berent Enç Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin — Madison. 
Website: https://lshapiro911.wixsite.com/mysite
PhilPeople Profile: https://philpeople.org/profiles/lawrence-shapiro
https://philosophy.wisc.edu/staff/shapiro-lawrence/

Mike Licona: 
Mike Licona is Professor of New Testament Studies at Houston Christian University and President of Risen Jesus, Inc. 

X: @DrMikeLicona
Facebook: @DrMikeLicona
Youtube: @MikeLiconaOfficial
Instagram: @drmikelicona
Tik Tok: @mikelicona3

Books to Mention:
The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach (IVP Academic)
Jesus, Contradicted: Why the Gospels tell the same story differently (Zondervan Academic, coming out May 28)

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Classic Replay: Does Science need God? Tom McLeish, David Hutchings & Suzie Sheehy

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