Undeceptions with John Dickson

In the first episode of our third season, we're taking a close look at the New Testament - the second part of the Bible. Many scholars have pointed out historical inaccuracies in the gospels, or inconsistencies between the gospels that would surely call into question their reliability as sources for the historical Jesus. Some have suggested that the gospels weren't actually written by who we think they were written by. Or claim that many of the letters written by Paul that appear in the Bible weren't penned by Paul at all. 

Professor Craig Blomberg has spent a lifetime digging around these 'Bible mistakes'. And he's not convinced that they are, in fact, mistakes. 

LINKS

• For more on Professor Craig Blomberg, check out his website.
• And while you're clicking, have a look at Undeceptions.com for all sorts of cool stuff related to undeceiving the world.
• Special thanks to Zondervan Academic, our show sponsor, publishers of the Collected Essays of N.T. Wright.
• Read more about the famous 'Wicked Bible' in this Washington Post article.
• Grab Craig Blomberg's latest book, The Historical Reliability of the New Testament, here.
• Other scholars who have written about the Book of John: Martin Hengel and Richard Bauckham.
• Episode 7 of Undeceptions, called Gospel Truth with Peter Williams is a good sister-podcast for this one. Check it out.
• Read Saint Saul: A Skeleton Key to the Historical Jesus by Donald Harman Akenson (mentioned in this episode's 5 Minute Jesus)

Want to send John Dickson a question? He loves them. Just click here to provide a query for our next Q and A show!

Undeceptions is part of the Eternity Podcast Network, an audio collection showcasing the seriously good news of faith today.

John Dickson takes a deep dive into the murky world of church finances to discover the pagan ruler responsible for granting Christian congregations their special financial privileges.

When the most powerful man in the world becomes a believer, things are definitely going to change.

But what did this ruler actually have in mind when he gifted churches and clergy their tax free status? Press play to find out.

Dr. Laurel Moffatt makes a return to Undeceptions with a single aimed at making us consider the level of our indifference.

The Black Lives Matter campaign has focussed America's attention on statues that commemorate the great military leaders and politicians of the slave-supporting Confederacy. 

Should these symbols be taken down and our values rebuilt? Or would that leave a greater human failure still standing? 

Matt Andrews makes a guest appearance on Undeceptions, tackling the thorny topic of slavery in Australia.

Have Aboriginals been enslaved at various times in Australia's history? Certainly. Was that the intention of its British leaders? Certainly not. 

There are two key things to undeceived of here, but you'l have to click play to find out what they are.

Eligius of Noyon was a French jewellery smith of uncommon talent who counted royal families and the highest nobility amongst his clients. As a young man, his success allowed him to dress so exorbitantly, his sense of luxury made it into the history books.

However when Eligius' attention turned from kingly clients to the Kingdom of God, an incredible transformation took place. He became so concerned for the slaves around him, that his finery became the means for setting them free.

In this fourth single on the hidden Christian history of slavery, John Dickson shares how Eligius impoverished himself so that others might know the grace of God.

St. Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo and the leader of the Christian church in a city that had become a hub in the ancient world's slave trade.

He led his followers in an ambitious buy-back program for those captured by unscrupulous traders. But when church funds failed, these meek and mild believers didn't hold back from carrying out dangerous slave raids.

Join John Dickson as he takes us through a first hand account of what early Christians risked to save less fortunate men and women. 

The fourth century bishop, Gregory of Nyssa, led the charge on ending slavery centuries before modern champions like William Wilberforce and Frederick Douglass ever stepped on to the stage.

His arguments regarding the value of human beings would fuel abolitionists and civil rights movements fifteen hundred years after he was dead. 

If only we'd listened sooner.

John Dickson delves into the history of the abolition of slavery in the 19th century and discovers its deep roots in Christian theology.

His investigations reveal secular claims that Christianity was a leading cause of slavery are without foundation. In fact, the campaign for freedom arose from a distinctly Christian world view that had existed for well over a thousand years.

Yet the church could clearly have done a lot more, a lot sooner.

Dr. Laurel Moffatt is a writer and researcher based in Sydney, and a special guest for our Undeceptions 'Single' this week.

On a recent kayaking trip, she discovered a connection between our desperate need for 'places of safety' during this pandemic, and international statistics that show a growing desire to communicate with the Almighty. 

Leveraging the wisdom of Augustine, she shares how prayer can become your safest place.