There is probably no bigger fact for the Australian economic context than the fact that we are a settler colony, so it’s no surprise that colonisation is one of the most contested subjects in Australian politics today. But how many of us actually know the history of what happened? With both sides of the culture war seeming to prefer their own idealised stories, how should Christians begin to get a handle on things here? This episode marks the beginning of our deepest dive series yet for the MannaCast, so strap in – this one may ruffle some feathers!

(Episode notes available here.)

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

Jonathan interviews Dr Siu Fung Wu about his book, Suffering in Romans. Siu Fung describes how his own childhood experience of poverty in Hong Kong led him to explore themes of suffering in Paul's letter to the Romans, and how understanding the economic hardship of many of the Roman Christians to whom Paul was writing helps us better understand these deep themes in his writing.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

Did the Mongolians kick start the modern world economy? Can Christianity work in a yurt? What can Australians learn from Mongolia? And why are Jonathan and Jacob talking about Mongolia anyway?

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

It’s an election year! But should Christian involvement in politics be limited to voting? Who should we vote for anyway? More than that, might there be a distinctively Christian way of negotiating our common life together? We bring our Christianity and politics series to a close with a frank discussion of where we find ourselves and forms of political witness in Australia today.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

On part three of this four-part series we explore the lies, achievements, and compromises in Australia's political settlement. Believe it or not, Australia was once seen as the political laboratory of the world!

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

How did we get here? On this mammoth episode we try to tell the story of politics in "the Christian West" from about 330 AD - present. Sounds crazy? It probably is, but we need to understand where we've come from if we're going to understand where we are (and where to go from here). There's much to learn from this history, as well as things worth preserving if we can. 

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

How do Christianity and politics go together? Do they? Jesus said his kingdom was ‘not of this world’ and yet ever since God made a nation out of Abraham’s descendants the people of God have always been ‘political’ in one way or another. In part one of this series, Jacob and Jonathan try to get a handle on what we mean by 'politics' from biblical times into early church history.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

We live in a world shaped by the Industrial Revolution, but what do we make of it out the other side? Modern life would not be possible without this transition, but does that just cloud our judgement? Are the immense benefits, on balance, worth the costs? Can we even imagine an alternative? The way we answer these questions has much to do with how we evaluate the moral meaning of history as well as our daily lives.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

The Industrial Revolution is one of the biggest shifts in human history, but what did it involve, and what does it mean for us today? In part one of this two-part series, Jonathan and Jacob survey what actually changed, how things changed, and what it looked liked for the people who lived through it. It's a story which spans much of the globe, and one we need to understand if we're to live well in the modern world.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.

Additional credits: Mezhdunami, 2017; Rage Against the Machine, Epic Records, 1992 & 1996.

Which foodstuffs are most at risk of slavery? How does slavery get into—and out of—supply chains? On this episode, Jacob talks to Heather Roberts from Just Kai, an organisation which promotes slave-free choices in food. Food made with slave labour is hidden in plain sight in every supermarket – Heather’s here to tell us how we can be part of the change to a more just food system.

Theme music: © Don Stewart, Recorded/Mixed by Unmuzzled Music Productions.