Undeceptions with John Dickson

If Christianity is one big conspiracy, we wouldn't find so many mistakes and inconsistencies in the Gospels! Surely if the faith was one big lie, the Gospels would have some uniformity to them, united to deceive readers.

Well, that's one side of the argument. Others might point to the Gospel contradictions as proof the entire thing is made up.

So, why are there contradictions in the Gospels? Does this undermine their credibility?

You can make a pretty good case that the Gospels are the four most influential - and controversial - books of all time. But who were the authors? How do we know who wrote them? And why was it that these four books were selected, and not others? 

In this special Undeceptions Single, Stan Grant shares his reflections on God and suffering in the wake of the Bondi Junction attacks that occurred on April 13 in Sydney, Australia.

From the mid-1990s to the 2010s, 'New Atheism' dominated the intellectual space. A virulent, attacking form of godless evangelism, it saw people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens top best-seller lists, and draw huge crowds to their lectures. Justin Brierley was in the middle of it all as New Atheism rose - and then collapsed. In its wake, Justin says he is seeing a new openness to theism - but where that might lead is anyone's guess.

Theology: It's a dry term that conjures images of old academics writing dusty books that will never be read. 

However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The study of theology is the study of who we are as humans, and how we can make sense of both God and the complexities of the world.

So, who are the theologians we should all know about?

Science is a relatively new term. Chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy - all have only existed as defined, singular fields for the last century and a half. Before that was the mysterious world of natural philosophy - an ancient tradition that saw the natural world as one, combined entity. Our guest, Professor Alister McGrath, argues that this old way is a path to a new kind of appreciation of the world and each other. 

The Apostle Paul writes that Christians must battle against "powers and principalities". But what are they? What does the Bible say about political power?

Special thanks to our season sponsor Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions

Check out more of N.T. Wright's work - including his writing, and Bible studies - here.

A transcript of this episode is available here. Please note, that due to software not all exchanges between guests will be completely accurate.

For the full episode shownotes, head to undeceptions.com

There are sophisticated, academic arguments for the resurrection of Jesus. It’s not just a matter of accepting on the basis of faith. The modern industry of Christian apologetics doesn't get us much closer to the historical reality of Jesus' resurrection - but there are solid, investigative ways of examining this seemingly miraculous event.

The pursuit of celibacy is seen as strange, taboo, and repressive in modern society. But that's what David Bennett, a gay man, decided, after becoming a Christian during a night out in Sydney's gay quarter. 

Since then, he's become a scholar of "holy virginity", and the queerness of his Lord, Jesus. This is his story.  

At the heart of cancel culture is a desire to combat injustice, and expose flaws within society. This is a good thing ... but as recent history has shown, there is a lack of forgiveness at the heart of the movement. This is where Christianity can help.