All Matters of Life and Death articles
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ShowsThe big picture: Creation
Many Christians, going back to church fathers, have understood the grand narrative of scripture through a four-part journey: from Creation, to Fall, to Redemption, to New Creation. This week we are beginning with creation.
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ShowsUnlocking the menopause, with Dr Rosslyn Perkins
A MOLAD listener got in touch with a fascinating question about hormone replacement therapy and the menopause. If some Christians are becoming sceptical about using hormonal contraception, should they be equally sceptical about the widespread use of hormone replacement therapy for women going through the menopause?
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ShowsDesigner babies: Are children commodities or gifts?
We begin by exploring the remarkable offering of PickYourBaby.com, from a company which claims it can help you select the precise genetic inheritance of your child through IVF, to ensure your offspring are taller, more beautiful, healthier and cleverer.
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ShowsDoes God care about nations? Colonialism, culture wars and Christian Nationalism with Nigel Biggar
In this conversation we explore why Nigel Biggar decided to re-examine the ethics of colonialism and his reflections on getting dragged into the culture war. And, in the wake of growing Christian Nationalism in the UK, we discuss his views on what place the nation should hold in Christian theology and why more and more people on the political right have come to lament Britain’s lurch out of Christendom and towards secularism over the last century.
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Shows‘Fearfully and wonderfully made’: What does Psalm 139 really mean?
Psalm 139 is one of the most famous and most quoted chapters of the whole Bible. Some indeed have even constructed an entire Christian ethic of the unborn child from its famous central verses. But what do we think David is trying to say in this beautiful and mysterious poem?
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ShowsCan AI make you mad? Chatbots and psychosis, with Dr Daniel Maughan
There’s been a flurry of news stories and even scientific papers exploring the concept of ‘AI psychosis’ – the idea that people can become psychotic and mentally ill having spent too much time locked in hours of conversation with an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT.
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ShowsAutonomy, suffering and dignity: Christianity and assisted dying
Here in the UK, parliament continues to debate a bill to legalise assisted suicide. As we wait to see whether Britain follows the lead of many other Western nations in introducing a form of assisted dying, we thought we would share as this week’s podcast a lecture John gave recently to the Church of Ireland in Belfast.
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ShowsCircumcision: Male genital mutilation or vital symbol of religious freedom?
A listener in the United States has written in pondering the, ahem, sensitive issue of circumcision. In America it’s been commonplace as a medical procedure for newborn boys for generations, while in the rest of the world it’s almost exclusively a Jewish or Muslim religious rite of initiation. Does circumcision actually offer any real medical benefits?
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ShowsGender dysphoria and trans children
This episode revisits a vital conversation with Christian paediatrician Julie Maxwell about the surge in children experiencing gender dysphoria. We discuss the evidence behind medical treatments like puberty blockers, the complexities facing families and professionals, and how Christians can respond with both compassion and faithfulness in a polarised debate.
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ShowsMaking human egg cells out of skin, and other mysteries
This episode explores a groundbreaking new technology that could allow babies to be created from skin cells - raising profound questions about ethics, identity, and the future of reproduction. Plus, we tackle whether Christians should expect to perform miracles even greater than those of Jesus himself.
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ShowsUnion and communion: The Trinity demystified
In this episode of Matters of Life & Death, we tackle one of Christianity’s most misunderstood doctrines: the Trinity. Is the idea of one God in three persons just a theological puzzle for scholars, or could it transform our understanding of God and ourselves? Discover how reflecting on Father, Son, and Spirit might unlock new meaning and practical insight for daily Christian living.
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ShowsThe idolatry of Christian Nationalism, with John Heathershaw
This episode of Matters of Life and Death delves into the rise of Christian nationalism in Western politics. John Heathershaw, a Christian professor of international relations, unpacks whether longing for a “Christian nation” is helpful, harmful, or even idolatrous. The episode explores how Christians should engage in politics, what the gospel offers beyond national borders, and how faith responds to a world where power seems to triumph over principle.
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ShowsWhy did a good God create earthquakes and volcanoes? Suffering, creation and natural evil, with Prof Bob White
In this episode, Prof Bob White - renowned geophysicist and former director of the Faraday Institute - tackles some of the toughest questions at the intersection of faith and science. Why do earthquakes, volcanoes, and genetic diseases exist in a world made by a good God? Is suffering in nature a sign of a broken creation, or is there a deeper purpose behind natural disasters? Join us as we explore suffering, creation, and the challenge of “natural evil.”
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ShowsElijah or Obadiah: Should our Christian witness be prophetic, incarnational or both?
This episode explores the tension between being prophetic outsiders - standing apart from culture to call out evil - and incarnational insiders - engaging deeply to influence society for good. Drawing inspiration from the unexpected meeting of Elijah and Obadiah in the Old Testament, we ask: What kind of witness is most faithful to Jesus today?
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ShowsDon’t be afraid: The promise and the peril of AI in healthcare
This episode of Matters of Life and Death explores the rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare. While AI promises faster diagnoses and smarter tech, it also raises questions about the loss of human connection and compassionate care. How can Christian healthcare workers continue to embody Christlike presence as medicine becomes more machine-driven?
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ShowsEuthanasia for newborn babies, pagan philosophies and Christian witness in a post-Christian age
This episode explores the ethical and cultural challenges posed by proposed euthanasia laws for newborns in Canada. It examines the contrasting philosophies behind medical decisions for babies, the early church’s radical witness against pagan practices, and how Christians today can uphold the full dignity of every child in an increasingly post-Christian world.
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ShowsHow we all came to think science and religion were at war
This classic MOLAD episode features Nick Spencer, author of Magisteria, exploring the myth that science and religion are natural enemies. The conversation uncovers the complex history behind this idea, asks whether faith and science really need to be kept separate, and reveals the overlooked spiritual lives of some of history’s greatest scientists.
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ShowsA Womb in Limbo: Life Support, Law, and Medical Ethics
This episode of Matters of Life and Death tackles a controversial case from Georgia, USA, where doctors kept a brain-dead pregnant woman on life support for months so her unborn child could be born. We explore the ethical, legal, and emotional dilemmas this raises for families and medics.
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ShowsHealed by prayer: Should Christian doctors believe in faith healing?
A doctor listener has written in with a fascinating question about miraculous healing. It was clearly a major part of Jesus’s ministry in the gospels, and yet she has doubts despite prayer for healing becoming a larger and larger part of her church’s life.
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ShowsConspiracy theories, mRNA, covid and autism: Why do so many struggle to get on board with vaccines?
This episode examines the rise of vaccine scepticism, fuelled by figures like Robert F Kennedy Jr and pandemic-era hesitancy. It explores the evidence for vaccine safety, questions about side effects and rushed COVID rollouts, and asks why mistrust - especially among Christians - remains high, considering whether the church is particularly susceptible to conspiracy thinking.
