Explore the intricate and enlightening conversation between scholars Beryl Dov Lerner and Phil Sumpter as they delve into Jewish and Christian interpretations of scripture, covenants, and theological modesty. This engaging debate asks ‘Can we know God?’ and sheds light on the nature of God, the divine-human relationship, and the crucial role covenants play in both traditions. How do Jewish and Christian perspectives on ethical behaviour and the interpretation of biblical texts converge and diver...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 16 min
This recording of a live debate between Andrew Bunt and Charlie Bell speaks to sexuality, gender, and identity within the church. Andrew Bunt, Emerging Generations Director at Living Out and author of "Finding Your Best Identity," is a same-sex attracted Christian who has chosen celibacy and believes in traditional male-female marriage. Charlie Bell, a gay Anglican vicar and psychiatrist, is the author of "Queer Holiness" and advocates for the acceptance of gay marriage in the church. In this ep...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 29 min
How do we live well with nations, ecosystems, economies, religions, and other institutions in disarray? Data reveals widespread anxiety among young people globally regarding the impact of climate change on their future. Unbelievable host Andy Kind seized the chance to talk with writer and activist Brian McLaren. Once banned reading for a young Andy Kind when he first embraced his faith, McLaren now joins him for a face-to-face conversation. Have we crossed tipping points towards an inexorable ti...
Jul 05, 2024•50 min
Billy Hallowell sits down with Joshua Broome to explore his extraordinary life transformation. Joshua, once a top adult film star, shares his story of fame, wealth, and the emptiness that led him to seek a deeper purpose. In this gripping episode, Joshua discusses: His rise to fame in the adult film industry, the profound emptiness despite his success, how he found redemption in Jesus and his journey to becoming a pastor. This interview offers hope and insight for those struggling with porn addi...
Jul 02, 2024•51 min
Did you hear the one about the three philosophers? Yes, on Unbelievable? 👀 🧠 🎙️In this episode, Oxford philosopher Stephen Law, the main proponent of the Evil God Challenge, argues that the evidential problem of evil challenges the belief in a good God. ⚡️ Jack Symes contends that there are asymmetries between the arguments for believing in a good God and an evil God. The debate examines the distribution of good and evil in the world as evidence and explores how theists defend belief in a goo...
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 16 min
This episode dives into the debate between the annihilationist view (also known as 'conditional immortality') and the traditional 'eternal conscious torment' perspective on hell that has been highlighted among scholars for years. Dr. Al Mohler, Former President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, strongly opposes the annihilationist view, a stance he elaborated on in his daily podcast, The Briefing. On the other side we have Chris Date, a co-founder of Rethinking Hell, who argues in fa...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Why do we tend to go for an experience that feels good and when something feels bad, we tend to avoid it? Why are conscious experiences and behaviour paired together in the most rational way? The Unbelievable podcast unpacks the mystery of psycho-physical harmony with Philip Goff, Professor Philosophy at Durham University (an atheist) as he debates Dustin Crummett, a Christian philosopher. Goff believes this topic in philosophy will revolutionize how we perceive the relationship between mind and...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Ever struggled to share your faith with your friends, family or colleagues? You're not alone! Today we're joined by Rt Revd John Pritchard, Former Bishop of Oxford and Acclaimed Author of 'How to Explain Your Faith' to talk about effective ways (as well as not so effective ones!) to talk about your beliefs and Christian faith with atheists, or unbelieving friends. Also joining us this episode is church-going atheist Andrew Nightingale and Christian philosopher and storyteller Mark Roques. Togeth...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr
If God is the creator and doesn't make mistakes, what about trans people? 👀 Are miracles real and can they ever be medically verified? 🔥 In today's episode we’re taking you to the second half of the recording of a live event we call NO QUESTION OFF LIMITS which we hosted with Spring Harvest last month. Audience members were invited to text in their questions that were then upvoted and answered by a panel of experts. Joining us on the show to answer your heart-felt questions is renowned public ...
Jun 14, 2024•41 min
In this special podcast episode, prominent Emerging Church leader Brian McLaren and renowned evangelical leader Andrew Wilson engage in a thought-provoking debate on whether we need to rethink our approach to scripture. This insightful discussion delves into critical topics, including: Have we made an idol of the Bible?How did Jesus read scripture?The relevance of Old Testament lawPerspectives on homosexualityAddressing contradictions in the BibleThe use and misuse of scriptureUnderstanding the ...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 22 min
How do we speak the truth and balance love with causing offence? Join us on Unbelievable for a challenging episode dedicated to exploring how and whether Christians can engage in politics for the greater good. In this episode, we sit down with former addict and approval seeker, Shane Idleman, founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster and Leona Valley, CA and founder of Westside Christian Radio Network. He is the author of a number of books and articles, and a regular ...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Christian philosopher Prof Keith Ward and atheist philosopher of science Michael Ruse debate issues of the mind, consciousness and the existence of God. Join us as we explore whether advances in science are undermining or supporting belief in God. Featuring audio clips from the film The God Question, our guests today engage in a spicy discussion debating whether the human mind can be explained by material processes alone, religious experience and free will. Originally Aired: 13 December 2014 • S...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Where is God in my friend’s suicide? 😭 Is God anti-gay? 👀 Do Christians and Muslim's worship the same God?... 🔥 ☪️ ✝️ In today's episode we’re taking you to the recording of a live event we call NO QUESTION OFF LIMITS which we hosted with Spring Harvest last month. Audience members were invited to text in their questions that were then upvoted and answered by a panel of experts. Joining us on the show to answer your heart-felt questions is renowned public theologian Dr Amy Orr-Ewing, Podcaste...
May 31, 2024•44 min
Lynn Wilder and Corey Miller are among 4 scholars who tell their story of leaving The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the new book 'Leaving Mormonism'. They engage with Mormon believer James Holt as they discuss Jesus, Joseph Smith, polygamy, testimony, the Book of Mormon and more. For 'Leaving Mormonism: Why Four Scholars Changed Their Mind': Originally Aired: 24 November 2017 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newslett...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Trust in our elected officials seems at an all-time low. Moral failures, infighting, and scandals have become commonplace. Today, on Unbelievable? we ask, Can we rediscover the moral compass in politics? With crucial primaries taking place in the USA and an election in the UK on July 4 we are asking what should be the standard for behaviour of elected officials? And who decides? The discussion is hosted by BBC veteran broadcaster Roger Bolton. Can politics uplift and inspire? Is our political id...
May 24, 2024•1 hr 16 min
As we approach the one-year anniversary of apologist Tim Keller's death on May 19th, we sit down with his wife Kathy Keller, author and speaker in her own right, to discuss a number of listener's questions 👀 🤔 on topics of skepticism and reasons for God, suffering, unanswered prayer and to discuss in more depth Kathy's own personal conversion to faith 🔥🔥 her early personal correspondence with CS Lewis ✍️🦁 and what Biblical conclusions she's come to, or even changed position on, later in lif...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 11 min
One of our favourite debates today from the Archives - Elliot George, a retired science teacher, argues that science is grounded in evidence, while religion is based on 'faith' and 'make-belief' and should thus be dismissed. Jonathan McLatchie, writer, speaker and scientist, joins the debate and critiques Elliot's theories as fundamentally flawed. He contends that Christian belief is supported by evidence, asserting that science itself bolsters the argument for God's existence. Their debate expl...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Everyone from Madonna to top neuroscientists and millions of other people around the world report personal, unforgettable near-death experiences or NDEs. Do these NDE accounts prove the existence of a loving God? This week on Unbelievable? Pastor and author John Burke, who has studied and examined over 1,000 accounts of near-death experiences, explains these reports provide faith-building evidence of God and the Bible. Neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander joins the debate pushing back on Burke’s asse...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 24 min
This week's episode dives deep into one of the most challenging philosophical questions humanity has grappled with for centuries: the problem of natural evil. Hosted by Vince Vitale the show delves into the complexities of evil that seem inherent to the fabric of our world – earthquakes, famines, diseases – phenomena that sometimes shake our faith in a benevolent God. We're joined by two brilliant minds with divergent perspectives. Sharon Dirckx, a renowned speaker, author, and Christian apologi...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 19 min
In this riveting podcast episode, we bring together two intriguing voices from opposite ends of the spectrum: Mark Lanier, a distinguished trial lawyer and keen apologist-theologian, known for his compelling defense of Christianity in "Christianity on Trial," and Paul Beaumont, a former Christian turned skeptic after encountering the arguments of new atheists like Richard Dawkins. Mark, drawing on his legal expertise, passionately defends the tenets of Christianity, while Paul, armed with his ow...
Apr 30, 2024•1 hr 4 min
In the discussion on the plausibility of an all-evil God versus an all-good God, Dr. Max Baker-Hytch delivered a compelling argument that encapsulated the essence of the debate. He highlighted the inherent scepticism that arises when considering the 'evil God' hypothesis, pointing out that if such a malevolent deity were to exist, it would provide ample reason to doubt the reliability of our cognitive faculties. According to Dr. Baker-Hytch, the very nature of an evil God would entail a desire t...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 17 min
For too long, the ‘science and religion’ debate has fixated on creation, evolution, cosmology, miracles and quantum theory, and not enough on the essence of what it means to be human. But this is a mistake argues one of our guests today, Christian academic Nick Spencer, Senior Fellow at Theos, in his new book ‘Playing God: science, religion and the future of humanity.’ Back on the show is Emily Qureshi-Hurst expert on the philosophy of time. Emily is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Oriel College, Un...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 17 min
In a world riddled with conflict, where headlines scream of violence and unrest, the age-old question resurfaces: Is war ever justified, or should Christians wholeheartedly embrace pacifism? Join esteemed scholars Nigel Biggar and Stanley Hauerwas as they delve into the moral complexities of war and peace from a Christian perspective in this classic replay episode. Nigel Biggar, renowned theologian and ethicist, brings his nuanced understanding of just war theory, exploring the conditions under ...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 6 min
It's no secret that modern American Christians are deeply divided over politics. This division raises important questions about the influence of Scripture on political beliefs. To make sense of this, we invited renowned scholar NT Tom Wright, theologian, professor and star of the "Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast" along with New York Times bestselling author Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle host of the Theology in the Raw podcast. Tom Wright stresses the need for Christians to prioritise the kingdom of God...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Is there any good evidence to support the resurrection? Are alternative explanations more compelling? Can we trust the biblical narratives? Ruth Jackson hosted a live debate at a school with the help of Aylesbury Youth for Christ. She was joined by Rev Dr Joseph Boot, founder and president of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and Harry Amos, who moved from Christianity to "agnostic atheism" while studying philosophy, politics and economics and...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Today we delve into the contentious debate surrounding the role of secularism in Western civilization and its relationship with Christianity. A growing chorus of new atheist writers heralds the advent of an enlightened era of secular rationalism, purporting to liberate society from what they perceive as the shackles of outdated Christian influence. However, according to David Bentley Hart, acclaimed author of "Atheist Delusions: The Christian Revolution and its Fashionable Enemies," such claims ...
Apr 02, 2024•59 min
The question of the historicity of Jesus' resurrection has been repeatedly investigated, probed, and discussed. This week on Unbelievable we will add to the debate by asking ‘Did it really happen – the Resurrection of Jesus?’ dissecting the narratives of Jesus’ death and Resurrection. We’ve got two eminent scholars – who are good friends but with diametrically opposed beliefs on the authenticity of this pivotal event that forms the basis for the Christian worldview. Dr. Mike Licona, a New Testam...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 18 min
In this Classic Replay of Unbelievable? Podcast, we delve into the fascinating journey of Leah Libresco, once a prominent atheist blogger who made headlines by converting to Catholicism. Her story gained attention across both religious and secular spheres, including a feature on CNN. Leah sits down with Hemant Mehta, widely known as the Friendly Atheist, for a topical discussion about the moral arguments that played a pivotal role in her conversion journey. Hemant quizzes Leah on her decision to...
Mar 25, 2024•58 min
With crucial elections happening in the UK and USA this year Unbelievable is diving back the debate into politics and faith with some paradigm shifting thinkers and theologians. Strap in for this mini-series starting with Michael F. Bird (Deputy Principal & New Testament scholar at Ridley College, Australia) and Stephen Wolfe (author of ‘The Case for Christian Nationalism’). These two come to vastly different conclusions about how faith and politics should mix. Stephen Wolfe makes a startling ca...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 12 min
In this replay we bring together Christian Philosopher & Theologian Keith Ward and atheist Professor of Philosophy from King's College London, David Papinaeu to unpack the question "Is our mind more than matter"? Ward believes that the brain is accompanied by an immaterial mind, while Papinaeu believes the brain and the mind to be one in the same - with nothing immaterial about it. What do you think? This episode originally aired on: 14 Jan 2012 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 1 min
