In February 2012 Sofia Europa sponsored a discussion between Richard Dawkins and Rowan Williams, the then-Archbishop of Canterbury, on the question of Human Nature and Our Ultimate Origins. The discussion was chaired by agnostic Prof Sir Anthony Kenny. It is broadcast here in full. For the full discussion watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bow4nnh1Wv0 • Get our 'Confident Christianity' course: http://www.premier.org.uk/courseierchristianradio.com/... • Subscribe to the Unbelievable...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 28 min
🌟 Is faith necessary for a moral life? 🌟 Is belief in God essential for a meaningful moral framework? Or can secular philosophy give us all the answers? 🤔 This week on Unbelievable?, host Ruth Jackson 🎙️ welcomes two dynamic thinkers to explore one of the most profound debates: the role of God in shaping our moral universe. 🌌✨ Recorded live at Waddesdon School, UK with Aylesbury Vale Youth for Christ, this episode promises to challenge everything you thought you knew about faith and philoso...
Nov 15, 2024•46 min
CS Lewis said "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world." Peter Kreeft is a philosophy professor and well known Christian thinker and writer. He defends the "argument from desire". Does our experience of transcendent longing indicate that there is a God to satisfy it? Atheist philosopher Richard Norman says that the argument amounts to wish-fulfillment. They both sat down to discuss this issue, first br...
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 2 min
New Testament scholars Mike Licona and Darrell L. Bock dive into the Bible’s rich complexities, covering divine inspiration, authorship, and textual variations 📖✨. They discuss how understanding the Bible as both divinely inspired and humanly transmitted influences its authority and interpretation. Topics include the formation of the Old and New Testaments, challenges in translation 🌍, and the development of core doctrines like the Trinity ✝️. Gain insights into how cultural context shapes int...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 21 min
Secular scientist and academic John Hands has been described as a ‘polymath’. His 2016 book Cosmosapiens received wide praise for its analysis of human evolution since the beginning of the universe. His new book ‘The Future of Humankind’ looks ahead to what lies in store for homosapiens. He discusses the issues with Christian thinker Perry Marshall, author of Evolution 2.0, as they discuss whether the dangers posed by AI, climate change or conflict are likely to lead to extinction, or whether we...
Nov 05, 2024•1 hr 8 min
In a nation divided and a pivotal election on the horizon, how should Christians engage with politics? 🤔 How much should our faith influence our public life? What’s truly at stake when we step into the political arena? As we approach the U.S. elections, the spotlight is on debates and appearances from figures like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Here’s the kicker: many Christians are grappling with how to reconcile Trump’s controversial past—marked by scandals and a self-serving attitude—with t...
Nov 01, 2024•45 min
The Big Conversation - Episode 2 | Season 5 Is post-Christendom a brave new world or a culture in collapse? Can ancient wisdom still offer answers to the modern problems of life? Rod Dreher is Senior Editor of The American Conservative and author of bestselling books including ‘The Benedict Option’ and ‘Live Not By Lies’. Louise Perry is a journalist and campaigner against sexual violence. Her book ‘The Case Against The Sexual Revolution’ explains why today’s liberal hook up culture has been bad...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 11 min
In this episode of Premier Unbelievable?, host Vince Vitale moderates a riveting debate that tackles one of the most profound questions in philosophy, religion, and ethics: Can we be 'good' without God? 🤔✨ Dr. Michael Shermer, renowned skeptic and author of The Moral Arc, joins Glen Scrivener, Anglican minister, author of The Air We Breathe, speaker and filmmaker who directs the charity Speak Life, to explore the origins and foundations of morality. Together, they address whether human morality...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 23 min
The Big Conversation - Episode 4 | Season 5 What should we make of accounts of “near death experiences”? Do they give credible support to the possibility that there is life after death, or can they be explained away as mere physical phenomena? Indeed, what is the connection between the brain, consciousness, and “the soul” (if it even exists)? Christian speaker and former neuroscientist Dr Sharon Dirckx, author of Am I Just My Brain?, engages with atheist philosopher Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst, colle...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 9 min
In this Halloween special, we examine the intersection of the occult, Halloween, and Christian perspectives on spiritual matters. Is Halloween merely harmless fun, or does it carry deeper, more sinister implications? Can activities like tarot readings and astrology open the door to evil forces? What does Christianity teach about demons—and is it possible for Christians to be possessed? Joining us is Jen Nizza, a former psychic medium turned Christian, who offers firsthand insights into the decep...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Historian Tom Holland tells how his experiences among persecuted Christians and Yazidis in Iraq impacted his own intellectual and personal journey with Christianity. Titled 'Invisible Fire: Christianity in a post-western world', this 'Perspectives' lecture was recorded in Nov 2021 at the British Library for Christian persecution charity Open Doors with audience Q&A. Used with permission. https://www.opendoorsuk.org ---- Originally aired: Nov 2021 • Get our 'Confident Christianity' course: http:/...
Oct 15, 2024•56 min
Should silent prayer be banned? This week on Unbelievable we’re touching on a sensitive and deeply complex issue that affects both women and men— abortion. Specifically, we’ll be discussing buffer zones outside abortion clinics, which have sparked intense debate around the world, including in the UK, where new legislation comes into effect on October 31, 2024. These zones will make it illegal to influence someone’s decision to access abortion services, including activities like prayer, within a ...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Recently on Unbelievable you may have seen Ruth Jackson host an energised debate about free will between Alex O’Connor – host of the Within Reason podcast and the highly popular YouTube channel, Cosmic Skeptic – and Dr. Alex Carter – who is the Academic Director for Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Cambridge, Institute of Continuing Education. It was very insightful, but neither of these thinkers believe in God, so we also wanted to offer some reflections on the topi...
Oct 04, 2024•35 min
In a Premier Unbelievable special, celebrating his 80th birthday, the indomitable Christian apologist, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, and renowned ethicist, Dr. John Lennox, engages in a candid and unreserved interview with fellow apologist and Oxford-educated theologian, Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing. A long-standing friend of Unbelievable, John delves into his life journey, from a childhood in Ireland, to studying Mathematics at University of Cambridge, speaking and defending his Christian faith from ...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 26 min
How will AI change our lives? Will people be living on Mars in fifty years? And what role does faith play in a rapidly evolving world? In this episode of Unbelievable?, host Andy Kind brings together two thought-provoking voices to explore the intersection of science, faith, and the future of humanity. Denis Alexander, scientist and founder of the Faraday Institute in Cambridge, joins Julian Baggini, atheist philosopher and author, for a fascinating debate on where humanity is headed in light of...
Sep 27, 2024•50 min
In this episode of Unbelievable host Billy Halliwell moderates a debate between author and journalist Megan Basham and social entrepreneur Krish Kandiah. They explore the intersection of evangelicalism and progressive politics, discussing topics such as the implications of secular funding in the church, the influence of critical race theory, and the political ramifications of the pro-life movement. Basham’s book 'Shepherds for Sale' charges that evangelical leaders have compromised their faith. ...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 14 min
🌍✨ Should we edit the human genome, or is that playing God? 🧬 With the revolutionary gene-editing technology CRISPR—winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry 🏆—we now have the power to potentially eradicate diseases that have caused untold suffering. But where should we draw the line? 🤔 In his thought-provoking article, Sam McKee argues that if humanity hopes to settle on other planets 🌌, we’ll need to alter human DNA through genome editing to survive: Read it here. Join host Andy Kind as...
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Here, in part two of The Big Conversation "The Robot Race" we debate the nature of human consciousness and free will -- comparing it to AI and robotics - and ask how humanity should best flourish now that the AI genie is out of the bottle. 🌍🤖 Speaking into this issue, from two very different perspectives, is Christian believer Nigel Crook, Professor in Artificial Intelligence & Robotics at Oxford Brookes University and author of “Rise of the Moral Machine: Exploring Virtue through a Robot’s Ey...
Sep 10, 2024•52 min
In this must-watch episode of 🌟The Big Conversation🌟, we tackle the burning questions that will shape our future. Are the rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) leading us towards a future we can't control? 🚀🧠 Can we even stop AI's rise if we wanted to? And what does AI’s evolution reveal about the essence of humanity? 🤔 Could AI one day replace us? Join Nigel Crook, AI & Robotics expert and author of Rise of the Moral Machine, and Anil Seth, award-winning author of Being You: A New...
Sep 06, 2024•52 min
Free Will Dilemmas: Determinism vs. Compatibilism Are we the masters of our fate or just dancing to the universe's tune? 🤔 This week on Premier Unbelievable, Ruth Jackson moderates a gripping debate on one of philosophy’s oldest questions: Do we truly have free will? Highlights: Freedom or Illusion? What does it really mean to act freely? Can science give us all the answers?Desire vs. Force: Are our choices genuinely our own, or just outcomes of external pressures?Responsibility: If free will i...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Get ready for an electrifying round two on Unbelievable? Podcast. ⚡️ We’re thrilled to welcome back two dynamic debaters 🤩 Dr. Sharon Dirckx, a brain imaging scientist and author of several books on suffering, including Why? Looking at God, Evil, and Personal Suffering, and Stephen Woodford, better known as Rationality Rules, a prominent atheist YouTuber with a focus on debunking religious claims. Now, they’re back to challenge our thinking once more in a debate that took place earlier this sum...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Welcome to this week’s Unbelievable? Podcast! 🎙️ Today, we dive into some profound and challenging questions surrounding the concept of truth in our modern, post-truth world 🌍. Recorded live, this episode features an engaging debate between two distinguished scholars: Kristi Mair 📚, Apologist, Author, and Lecturer at Oak Hill Seminary, who is completing her PhD in Philosophical Theology, and Shaun Stevenson 🧠, a Lecturer in Philosophy at MMU with a particular interest in the philosophy of de...
Aug 16, 2024•1 hr 16 min
On the podcast today we're joined by climate change campaigner Antonia Godber and scientist Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe. They discuss the science of climate change, whether we are heading towards a tipping point, climate ‘alarmism’ and practical solutions. Originally aired: 11 Nov 2021 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Welcome to today's Unbelievable Debate, recorded live at St Michael’s Aylesbury, where two distinguished scholars, Robert Scott and Muhammad Yasir Al-Hanafi, engage in a thought-provoking debate on the historical verifiability, truth, and societal contributions of their respective faiths: Christianity and Islam. Join us as we delve into these complex topics with respect and curiosity and discuss the different truth claims of each religion ask whether we can collaboratively embrace our difference...
Aug 09, 2024•46 min
‘Truth Over Tribe: Pledging allegiance to the lamb, not the donkey or the elephant’ is the name of the poignant book by Patrick Miller and Keith Simon. They are both church pastors in the USA who started the Truth Over Tribe podcast to combat polarisation in politics, culture and Christianity. They talk to Justin about Trump, abortion, LGBT, Christian nationalism, progressives and conservatives, and how the church can be part of the solution rather than the problem of tribalism in politics and c...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Although the number of nones in the USA has flatlined in recent years, deconstruction is still on the mind of many young people. This week a Christian apologist - raised without any religion, and a Christian who moved to agnostic atheism debate how we can reengage young people. Joining the Unbelievable debate is former atheist Mary Jo Sharp from the Pacific Northwest, A former atheist who came to faith,has experienced two worlds of American culture: growing up in the postmodern Pacific Northwest...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Recorded at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, atheist Alex O’Connor (aka Cosmic Skeptic) and Christian apologist Lukas Ruegger join Justin discuss the hiddeness of God. OCCA tutor Max Baker-Hytch also joins the discussion for a post-script commentary. Episode originally aired Jan 2020 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: htt...
Jul 30, 2024•2 hr 35 min
This week’s Unbelievable Podcast is a special #NoQuestionOffLimits episode that you won't want to miss. We’re revisiting one of our live Q&A events, hosted in collaboration with Spring Harvest. Joining us on the panel is the renowned public theologian and author of several books including Why Trust The Bible? Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, Dr. Ben Thomas, an international speaker and consultant anaesthetist from OCCA the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and Dr. Ben Chang, an A&E doctor and author of...
Jul 26, 2024•42 min
From the Archives: How should Christians understand the Adam & Eve story in Genesis? Is it scientifically plausible that humanity can be traced back to a first human couple? What does it mean for the concept of ‘Original Sin’? These and more questions are discussed by Christian philosopher William Lane Craig, author of the new book ‘In Quest of the Historical Adam’, and computational biologist Joshua Swamidass, author of ‘The Genealogical Adam & Eve’. At the end of the show Ruth Jackson talks to...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Ever find yourself asking tough questions of God? Struggling to see His goodness and wondering, "Are you really there, God?" 🤔🙏 Our 'No Question Off Limits' panels are here to tackle these tough questions head-on. We've teamed up with Spring Harvest and invited questions, especially from young people. In the hot seat were author and public theologian Amy Orr-Ewing, along with two Christian emergency room doctors, Ben Thomas and Ben Chang. We had an amazing time, and there are even more questio...
Jul 19, 2024•44 min
