Unbelievable?

Should we all pack our bags and move to Mars? If so, shall we pack our Bibles too!?

In this lively Unbelievable? debate recorded at Henry Floyd Grammar School, comedian and host Andy Kind moderates a sharp and entertaining exchange between Christian apologist Mike Jones (@inspiringphilosophy) and science researcher Sam McKee (Manchester Metropolitan University).

Today we're talking, DNA resetting, AI, Mars colonies, and the future of faith on the podcast, confronting a burning question: Is it still rational to believe in God in an age of accelerating science and technology?

What do you think: is religion obsolete in the age of AI — or is it embedded in our biology?

Today's a cosmic conversation!

From the archives of The Big Conversation (Season 4, Episode 2), the acclaimed spin-off series from the Unbelievable? podcast, we're revisiting a powerful episode featuring celebrated author Paul Kingsnorth, who shares the remarkable story of his adult conversion to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

We've just recorded a brand new Unbelievable? show with Paul, so this classic episode is the perfect way to familiarise yourself with his spiritual journey and key ideas. And don’t miss his upcoming book, Against the Machine, releasing this September – pre-order it here

In this conversation, Paul is joined by Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as they explore the deep spiritual hunger beneath our secular age and whether ancient expressions of Christianity might hold the answers today's culture is seeking.

What does it mean to be truly human in an age of artificial intelligence, declining religious belief, and rising spiritual hunger?

Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist Professor John Lennox and cognitive scientist Dr John Vervaeke of the University of Toronto explore whether AI threatens or reveals our uniqueness, if meaning can exist without God, and whether spiritual transformation is possible in a post-religious age.

Along the way, they challenge one another on the Logos, consciousness, and the enduring power of the Book of Revelation. Lennox draws from his new book, God, AI and the End of History, to argue for a Christian vision of wisdom and hope.

In the wake of the catastrophic and deadly 2025 floods in Texas, that caused widespread devastation, fresh questions are being asked about divine justice and human suffering. This classic episode of the Unbelievable? podcast from 2010 grapples with the topic of natural disaster in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, which claimed over 150,000 lives. The discussion brings together Roger Forster of the Ichthus Christian Fellowship, atheist Gordon Livesey, and philosophy student Nick Peters to explore the theological, philosophical, and emotional dimensions of suffering and natural disasters. While Forster and Peters suggest that suffering may have a place within God's greater plan, Livesey challenges the coherence of belief in a loving, omnipotent God in light of such tragedy. The conversation remains strikingly relevant today, as communities continue to wrestle with the meaning of good and evil in a broken world.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:09 The Haiti Earthquake: Facts and Figures

00:41 Panel Introduction and Initial Reactions

00:53 The Problem of Evil and Suffering

02:52 Personal Stories and Perspectives

04:38 Atheist Perspective on Suffering

09:10 Philosophical and Theological Debates

10:41 Listener Reactions and Further Discussion

13:43 God's Role in Human Suffering

17:25 Debating God's Omnipotence and Love

24:52 Summarizing Arguments and Next Steps

31:21 The Problem of Evil and Natural Disasters

31:55 Human Responsibility and the Role of God

33:55 Nancy's Perspective on God's Power

35:35 Gordon's Skepticism and Human Limitations

37:43 Roger's Explanation of Human History and Divine Purpose

43:25 Debating the Nature of Good and Evil

50:14 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Joe Rigney calls empathy a sin. Alastair Roberts says not so fast. Who’s right?

Today, we explore a question at the heart of pastoral care, public witness, and Christian leadership: Is empathy a virtue to be cultivated or a vice to be resisted? 

Professor Joe Rigney and Dr Alastair Roberts joined Andy Kind. Joe is the author of The Sin of Empathy, a provocative work that argues that when empathy becomes "untethered" from truth, it ceases to be a virtue and can even become sinful.  Alastair, a fellow theologian, has written a substantial critique, arguing that Joe's language has muddied important distinctions and potentially misrepresents a vital Christian posture.  This conversation is not about labels, but substance - and we'll explore everything from scriptural foundations to gender roles, pastoral ethics, and theological nuance. Can caring too much ever become morally wrong?

Dr Joe Rigney serves as Fellow of Theology at New Saint Andrews College and is the author of several books, including Things of Earth and Strangely Bright. Joe Rigney, Dr. Joe Rigney, author of The Sin of Empathy.

Joe on X:  @joe_rigney

Dr Alastair Roberts is a Teaching Fellow of The Theopolis Institute and professor for Davenant Hall, and one of the hosts of the Mere Fidelity podcast. He is a co-author of Echoes of Exodus: Tracing Themes of Redemption Through Scripture (2018).

Alistair's substack: https://argosy.substack.com/.

Alistair on X: @zugzwanged

oon Radiopaper: https://radiopaper.com/AlastairRoberts

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Justin Brierley moderates a thought-provoking discussion between Theo Hobson, author of 'God Created Humanism,' and Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association. The conversation examines whether humanist values of equality and human dignity are rooted in Christianity's shaping of Western culture or can develop independently from a secular perspective. What are the origins of secular humanism? And what is the sustainability of humanist values without religious foundations? This dialogue from 2017 explores the historical and philosophical underpinnings of modern humanism.

For more of Theo Hobson and his book

https://theohobson.wordpress.com/

Andrew Copson’s book is The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of

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This week on Unbelievable. Do animals go to heaven? Do humans become angels? Do we start families in the afterlife? And what about reincarnation? Is that really off the table for Christians?

Andy Kind spoke with Princeton theologian Dr. Dale Allison Jr. and rising scholar Andrew Hronich for a mind-expanding conversation on heaven, what it is, who's there, and what we might do for eternity. You will not want to miss this one!

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More than a decade ago, Unbelievable? brought together two experts with very different conclusions about the Shroud of Turin—one of the most mysterious and debated Christian relics. Dr Alan Whanger, who devoted years to studying the Shroud, claimed to identify faint images and markings that point to its origins in 1st-century Israel. Meanwhile, Hugh Farey, editor of The Catholic Shroud of Turin Newsletter, has spent decades critically examining the Shroud literature and argues the evidence strongly supports a medieval origin.

Latest Developments (2020s):

Since that episode aired, there have been further scientific investigations and renewed debates. In 2017, Italian researchers used new dating techniques (notably, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR analysis) to argue for a possible 1st-century origin—challenging the 1988 carbon dating that placed the Shroud in the 13th or 14th century. However, these newer findings remain controversial and have not overturned the scientific consensus. The Shroud continues to spark interest not only among believers and sceptics, but also in fields as diverse as history, forensic science, and art restoration.

For Alan Whanger: http://people.duke.edu/~adw2/shroud/

For Hugh Farey: https://www.shroud.com/bstsmain.htm

What grounds morality... and who counts? Is morality hardwired into us by evolution, shaped by culture, or guided by religion? In this live edition of the Unbelievable? Podcast recorded in London and hosted by public philosopher Jack Symes, four leading thinkers explore the origins and future of ethical thought.

From the role of emotions in our moral choices to the ethics of animal rights and cross-cultural disagreements, this conversation tackles one of humanity’s most enduring questions: what does it mean to be good?

Joining us are:

Peter Singer: World-renowned utilitarian philosopher and animal rights advocate (Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University)Jessica Frazier: Oxford scholar of comparative religion and Indian philosophy (Fellow, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies)Richard Swinburne: Leading Christian philosopher and defender of theism (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Oxford)Alex O’Connor: Atheist thinker and host of Within Reason PodcastProduced by Theora Media x Unbelievable? x Within Reason,

00:00 Exploring the Roots of Morality

05:13 The Evolution of Moral Reasoning

11:00 The Role of Emotions in Ethics

17:33 Moral Disagreement and Its Implications

23:52 The Intersection of Ethics and Religion

30:04 Animal Rights and Moral Considerations

36:32 Cultural Perspectives on Morality

42:52 The Future of Moral Philosophy

Link to related content Alex O'Connor debates Ben Shapiro https://youtu.be/yspPYcJHI3k and Richard Swinburne debates Philip Goff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQmBJDc2FCY

For Today's Guests: Richard Swinburne: users.ox.ac.uk/~orie0087

Jessica Frazier: theology.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-jessica-frazier

Jack Symes: jacksymes.co.uk

Alex O’Connor: alexoconnor.com

Peter Singer: petersinger.info

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In this 2015 episode of Unbelievable, host Justin Brierley moderates a discussion between Christian advocate for Intelligent Design Jonathan McLatchie and atheist blogger Corey Markum. The debate centres on whether God or another form of intelligence is the best explanation for the complexity and apparent design observed in nature. The conversation addresses scientific arguments, the potential biases inherent in human perception of design, and theological implications, especially in regard to the problem of suffering and 'poor' design in biological systems.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview

01:43 Corey Markham's Journey to Atheism

05:51 Jonathan McClatchy's Interest in Intelligent Design

09:44 Defining Intelligent Design

15:48 Corey Markham's Psychological Perspective on Design

20:47 Philosophical and Scientific Critiques of Intelligent Design

26:54 Debating the Validity of Intelligent Design

34:07 Questioning Biological Design

34:33 Possibility of Natural Explanations

35:55 Debating Intelligent Design

38:10 Common Ancestry vs. Intelligent Design

40:11 Scientific Hypotheses and Worldviews

44:14 The Role of Theism in Science

47:56 Evidence and Inference in Intelligent Design

54:55 Challenges to Intelligent Design

58:18 The Problem of Suffering and Design

01:03:14 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions

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