All Christmas articles
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #190 Holly Ordway: Tolkien’s Father Christmas letters
For 23 years JRR Tolkien wrote to his four children as Father Christmas. Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, explores Tolkien’s creative, humorous writing around Father Christmas and his companions, including his Polar bear assistant, snow-elves, the Man in the Moon and goblins!
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #189 Holly Ordway: What did Christmas mean to JRR Tolkien?
How integral was the incarnation for JRR Tolkien? Does Christmas feature in The Lord of the Rings legendarium? How did the Tolkien family celebrate Christmas? Dr Holly Ordway, author of Tolkien’s Faith, shares her thoughts on what Christmas meant to Tolkien and explores a recently discovered poem of his, Noel, which is one of his most overtly Christian works.
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #188 Jem Bloomfield: Christmas in Narnia
Dr Jem Bloomfield, assistant professor of literature at the University of Nottingham and author of Paths in the Snow, unpacks the Christmas references as well as key elements, such as the stone table and the titles of the Pevensie children, within The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
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Article
Divine Humility: The Astonishing Reality of God’s Arrival in a Manger
Erik Strandness delves into the profound humility of the Christmas story, exploring how the birth of Christ in a manger challenges our expectations of divinity and invites us to encounter God in an entirely new way
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Article
The Wonder of Christmas: Myth or History? NT Wright explores
Is the Christmas story a comforting myth or a historical reality? NT Wright explores the evidence behind the Gospel narratives, challenging modern scepticism and affirming the season’s wonder as the most pivotal moment in history.
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #187 Jem Bloomfield: Paths in the snow
As Christmas approaches, we unpack some of the key elements in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe with Dr Jem Bloomfield, assistant professor of literature at the University of Nottingham and author of Paths in the Snow.
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Article
Making movies is… love, actually
The highly successful British screenwriter and film director Richard Curtis is a good example of a life of service, says Drew Cordell
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Shows
Unapologetic #100 Ruth Jackson: 100th Episode Special
Ruth Jackson shares some of her favourite moments over the last 99 episodes, including an opiate addict becoming a Christian apologist via a near death experience, an analytic philosopher on why she believes the gospel narratives are reliable, an NFL player on how he’d choose Jesus over winning the Super Bowl and a theologian exploring whether Jesus had a sex drive.
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Shows
Unapologetic #85 Andrew Gosler: Coming to faith through Dawkins
Rev Andrew Gosler, professor of Ethno-ornithology at Oxford University, shares how working in the same department as Richard Dawkins and reading his publications eventually led him to become a Christian. Plus, he shares a fascinating story about answered prayer.
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Shows
Ask NT Wright Anything #200 A Christmas Special - Tom answers your questions about his life and work (Classic)
In this replay from the podcast archives, Tom answers listener questions about his role as Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall Oxford, his work habits and his love of classical music… plus a Christmas question or two.
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Shows
Unapologetic #84 Finding faith at Christmas and the Atheist Christmas Queen
In this Christmas special, Ruth Jackson speaks to an atheist who loves Christmas, but not Christ. They discuss whether atheists should celebrate a festival focussed on someone they don’t believe in. Plus, we hear from entrepreneur Jonathan Self who became a Christian largely through Christmas. Why was the festive period so significant and what difference has Jesus made in his life?
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #137 David Bates: How did Lewis celebrate Christmas?
David Bates of Pints With Jack shares his final thoughts with Ruth Jackson about CS Lewis and Christmas. Is there a particular food or drink Lewis would have enjoyed? What advice would he give about surviving the festive season? Plus, which of Lewis’ works would David recommend reading over the holiday period?
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Shows
Ask NT Wright Anything #199 Can we trust the Christmas Narratives? Responding to questions about Christmas and Bart Erhman on the historical Jesus (Classic)
Tom Wright responds to audiences questions about Christmas and the birth narratives, the reliability of the gospels, Bart Ehrman on textual transmission, the dating of the gospels, and whether the Ascension actually happened as described.
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Article
Is Christmas relevant for everyone?
Author Ben Harris shares some thoughts on how to bring the Christmas story to life this Christmas
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Article
The birth of Jesus: Historical fact or hidden agenda?
Writer Steve Schramm explores whether the Nativity story can be trusted
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Article
Is it time for Christians to ditch Christmas?
Author Drew Cordell ponders what it might mean for those who believe “Jesus is the reason for the season” to abandon 25th December all together
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Shows
Unapologetic #83 Bishop Arun Arora: Stormzy, women ordination and the hope of Christmas
In the final part of his discussion with Ruth Jackson, Bishop Arun Arora, author of Stick With Love, looks at some modern day saints including former Archbishop John Sentamu, Stormzy, Cardinal Van Thuân and Rev Dr Florence Li Tim-Oi. Why did Stormzy’s mum skip his Glastonbury performance to go to church? And how does the Christmas story speak hope to a dark world?
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Shows
The CS Lewis Podcast #136 David Bates: Was Lewis a bit of a grumpy old man when it came to Christmas?
What did CS Lewis say about Christmas? David Bates from Pints With Jack discusses some of Lewis’ poetry and prose on this topic. What did he mean by the “commercial racket” of Christmas? How does he depict the incarnation? And what is the significance of Father Christmas in the Narnia Chronicles?
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Article
What can we learn from Mary, her midwife and the untold Nativity story?
Bridget Supple, an antenatal teacher and author of The Birthkeeper of Bethlehem, shares her perspective on the often-neglected account of the midwife in the Christmas birth narratives
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Article
Did CS Lewis like Christmas?
Professor Alister McGrath shares his thoughts about how Lewis perceived the festive season and what we can learn from him