Unapologetic
A weekly show from Premier Unbelievable? in which Ruth Jackson interviews leading apologists, theologians and evangelists in order to help Christians understand, defend and share their faith with confidence… unapologetically!
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Unapologetic
Unapologetic #71 Peter Byrom: Discovering Dawkins
In the first episode of this three-part series, Peter Byrom shares his fascinating story as told in the chapter he contributed to Coming to Faith Through Dawkins. He outlines how he encountered the apologist William Lane Craig via the New Atheists and discusses his growing disillusionment with Dawkins’ “devastating” argument from complexity.
Unapologetic #70 Phil Knox: Dealing with objections
Why do many people deem religion irrelevant? What are some of the biggest objections to belief in God? Why are droves of young people leaving the Church? Evangelist Phil Knox shares some of his thoughts about these big topics and gives some tips on how to share your faith effectively.
Unapologetic #69 Phil Knox: Does evangelism matter?
Evangelist Phil Knox, author of Story Bearer and The Best of Friends, shares some of his story with Ruth Jackson, speaking about the impact of his dad’s death at a young age. Plus, they discuss why evangelism matters and how we can share our story and be a “good news person in a bad news world”.
Unapologetic #68 Andy Bannister: Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God?
A Christian street preacher who was arrested for alleged hate speech, which included criticising Muhammad, was found not guilty following a recent court hearing. Dr Andy Bannister, director of Solas and author of Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?, responds to some of the accusations made by the preacher (eg Muhammad married a 6-year-old and had sex with her when she was 9) and discusses how we can engage with some of these big questions.
Unapologetic #67 Adam Coleman: 60 years on has Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘dream’ been realised?
Monday 28th August marked 60 years since the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr delivered his iconic ‘I have a dream’ speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Adam Coleman’s grandfather was personally invited to attend the event by Dr King. Adam spoke about his grandfather’s experience and reflected on the last 60 years - how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go when it comes to racial justice.
Unapologetic #66 Ana Ávila: How to be productive without burning out
In the second part of her final conversation with Ruth Jackson, Ana Ávila, author of Aprovecha Bien El Tiempo, explores how we can be more productive with our time. She responds to the objection that someone is too busy to read the Bible, pray or go to church, and shares five top tips for avoiding burnout
Unapologetic #65 Ana Ávila: How to avoid burn out
Ana Ávila, author of Aprovecha Bien El Tiempo, shares her insights around how to identify and avoid burnout, how to rest well and how to master technology rather than letting it control us.
Unapologetic #64 Ana Ávila: Has science disproved religion?
Ruth Jackson continues her conversation with Mexican writer Ana Ávila who studied clinical biochemistry. Why is there a perceived conflict between science and religion? Does science contradict the Bible? Can you prove there is a God?
Unapologetic #63 Ana Ávila: Faith, questions and apologetics in Latin America
Mexican writer Ana Ávila, who lives in Guatemala, shares her insights into religion in Latin America. How do we probe our beliefs? What does evangelism look like in a nominally Christian culture? How is apologetics received in some of these countries and what are the big questions being asked?
Unapologetic #62 Dr Jennifer Woodruff Tait: Does Christian history matter?
Dr Jennifer Woodruff Tait, managing editor of Christian History magazine, discloses how looking at the past can help us with the future. She shares some of the interesting steps in her career, from preaching to her stuffed animals at the age of 4, to professor, music director, librarian and priest (and brown belt in Karate!). Plus, she offers her thoughts around the Asbury revival.
Unapologetic #61 Vince Vitale: Why does God allow suffering and how can I cope?
Philosopher Dr Vince Vitale presents some of his PhD research around evil, suffering and theodicy. He and Ruth Jackson share their own experiences of suffering miscarriages, demonstrating that this is not just a theoretical question of why there is pain, but a deeply practical one of how we are to deal with this agony.
Unapologetic #60 Vince Vitale: Can we be confident in our belief?
Ruth Jackson continues her conversation with Dr Vince Vitale, one of the new guest hosts of Premier Unbelievable?, who shares why he developed a passion for evangelism and apologetics. They discuss how he responded to questions and objections academically in the area of philosophy, but also on the sports field with his team mates at Princeton and Oxford.
Unapologetic #59 Vince Vitale: From scepticism to Christian apologist
Ruth Jackson speaks to Dr Vince Vitale, one of the new guest hosts of Premier Unbelievable?, about his journey from scepticism to Christianity while studying philosophy at Princeton University.
Unapologetic #58 Collin Hansen: Does anyone care about apologetics?
Are people even asking questions? If so, are those questions dramatically different from what they used to be? How should we respond to our rapidly changing culture? Collin Hansen, executive director of the The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, looks at some important questions around cultural apologetics and draws on the wisdom of Tim Keller (1950-2023).
Unapologetic #57 Elliott Rae: Fatherhood, mental health and masculinity
Following the birth of his daughter, Elliott Rae was diagnosed with PTSD. Here, the founder of MusicFootballFatherhood (dubbed “the dads’ version of Mumsnet” by the BBC) speaks to Ruth Jackson about experiencing God in the midst of suffering. He shares how becoming a father changed his life and theology. Plus, we hear about how Dwayne Johnson - aka ‘The Rock’ - ended up sharing an article he wrote!
Unapologetic #56 Collin Hansen: Tim Keller (1950-2023) - A pastor to sceptics
In the third part of our discussion with Collin Hansen, author of ’Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation’, we focus on Keller’s ministry in New York and beyond. Hansen also shares what Keller would want to say to the global Church and speculates on his lasting legacy.
Unapologetic #55 Collin Hansen: Tim Keller (1950-2023) on women, family life and homosexuality
We continue our conversation with Collin Hansen, author of ’Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation’, who highlights some of the key women in Keller’s life, particularly his wife Kathy. Hansen explains why Tim Keller was a complementarian and speaks about Keller’s brother, Billy, who died from AIDS in the 1990s.
Unapologetic #54 Collin Hansen: Remembering Tim Keller (1950-2023)
Following the death of Tim Keller on Friday 19th May, Collin Hansen, author of ’Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation’ spoke to Ruth Jackson about Tim Keller’s early life and shared some of his favourite memories of the New York apologist.
Unapologetic #53 John Swinton: Disability, learning difficulties and dementia
John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care at Aberdeen University and a former psychiatric nurse, challenges the way we approach disability, ensuring we create spaces where everyone belongs and has their spiritual needs met. We also discuss difficult questions around dementia, such as what it means to know God when you have limited conceptual intellectual capacity.
Unapologetic #52 John Swinton: Supporting people with mental health challenges
May marks Mental Health Awareness Week, so we spoke to John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care at Aberdeen University, who spent 16 years as a psychiatric nurse. He shares his thoughts about how to care for those experiencing mental health difficulties, particularly young people.
Unapologetic #51 Lydia McGrew: Who is the true Jesus?
In the final part of her discussion with Ruth Jackson, Dr Lydia McGrew, an analytic philosopher and author of Testimonies to the Truth: Why you can Trust the Gospels, unpacks some of the more disconcerting elements of Jesus’ character and looks at how this impacts the veracity of the Gospel accounts. She also addresses how the loneliness and suffering of Jesus can speak to a hurting world.
Unapologetic #50 Lydia McGrew: Can we trust the Gospels?
Dr Lydia McGrew, an analytic philosopher and author of Testimonies to the Truth: Why you can Trust the Gospels, explores how reliability is assessed in regards to ancient documents. She tackles some of the alleged contradictions in the Gospels and looks at why certain elements, such as accurate geography, cultural knowledge and names are important.
Unapologetic #49 Lydia McGrew: Is an evidential approach to Christianity feasible?
Dr Lydia McGrew, an analytic philosopher and author, became a Christian at the age of 4. She shares some of her story with Ruth Jackson, including her experience of being adopted, her prevailing wrestle with the problem of evil and why she’s passionate about an evidential approach to Christianity.
Unapologetic #48 Jeremiah Johnston: Are there credible reasons to believe in God?
Dr Jeremiah Johnston, president of the Christian Thinkers Society and father to five children (including triplets!), shares his journey into apologetics, looking at the importance of engaging both the head and heart. As well as speaking about how to live distinctively, ask good questions and allow room for doubt, Jeremiah unpacks some of the big issues impacting young people today.
Unapologetic #47 Jeremiah Johnston: The 7 best reasons to believe Jesus rose from the dead
New Testament scholar Dr Jeremiah Johnston shares ground-breaking research from his new book ’Body of Proof: The 7 Best Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus-and Why It Matters Today’. He also explains how we can experience overwhelming hope in the midst of great suffering if Jesus really rose from the dead.
Unapologetic #46 John Swinton: darkness, death and extreme suffering - how Holy Week brings hope
In part two of his discussion with Ruth Jackson, Professor John Swinton shares what Holy Week means to him and explores what impact the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus has on a world in need of hope.
Unapologetic #45 John Swinton: a psychiatric nurse-turned practical theologian on suffering, faith and spiritual care
Ruth Jackson speaks to John Swinton, professor in practical theology and pastoral care at Aberdeen University. Having spent 16 years as a psychiatric nurse, John speaks about the importance of spiritual care in medicine. He also shares his thoughts on the problem of suffering.
Unapologetic #44 Bruce Miller: Is the Bible reliable?
In this final episode, Bruce Miller, author of The 7 Big Questions: Searching for God, Truth, and Purpose, explores objections towards the Bible, including whether it is sexist, racist and out of date. Bruce also asks whether we can know and experience God personally, looking at why he doesn’t make himself more obvious.
Unapologetic #43 Bruce Miller: Is Christianity true?
Bruce Miller, author of The 7 Big Questions: Searching for God, Truth, and Purpose, tackles two huge questions: is Christianity too narrow and is Jesus really God? He also explores whether Jesus really rose from the dead.
Unapologetic #42 Bruce Miller: If God exists why does he allow suffering?
Ruth Jackson continues her conversation with Bruce Miller, author of The 7 Big Questions: Searching for God, Truth, and Purpose. He highlights some of the arguments for the existence of God and unpacks one of life’s hardest questions, looking at moral evil, natural suffering and the Christian response to pain.
Unapologetic #41 Bruce Miller: Does life have a purpose?
In the first of four episodes on how to approach some of life’s most difficult questions, Ruth Jackson speaks to Bruce Miller, author of The 7 Big Questions: Searching for God, Truth, and Purpose, about belief, doubt and purpose.
Unapologetic #40 Tyler Scott: What Jesus means to a future NFL player
Following Sunday’s Super Bowl, Ruth Jackson spoke to former University of Cincinnati receiver, Tyler Scott, about faith, football and the power of prayer.
Unapologetic #39 Lauren Windle: Being single and dating in a marriage obsessed Church
As we approach Valentine’s Day, Ruth Jackson carries on her conversation with author Lauren Windle, who shares her thoughts on singleness, dating and why the Church seems so obsessed with marriage.
Unapologetic #38 Lauren Windle: Finding God in the midst of addiction
Journalist Lauren Windle tells her story of getting sober from alcohol and cocaine, and shares how she encountered the God who changed her life.
Unapologetic #37 Alanzo Paul: a former opiate addict on how to reach young people
Originally from Canada, Alanzo Paul fell into a life of addiction after his parents’ divorce. Here, he shares some of his story with Ruth Jackson, including his reflections on working with Ravi Zacharias. He also looks at some of life’s big questions and suggests ways to reach the apathetic with the gospel.
Unapologetic #36 Trevin Wax: How to tackle objections to Christianity
In the second part of their discussion, Ruth Jackson speaks to Trevin Wax, author of award-winning book ‘The Thrill of Orthodoxy’, about culture wars, evangelism and how to approach life’s big questions.
Unapologetic #35 Trevin Wax: Can Orthodoxy be thrilling?
Trevin Wax, author of award-winning book ‘The Thrill of Orthodoxy’, speaks to Ruth Jackson about what Orthodoxy is, how we articulate it in a modern context and why we should pass it on to the next generation.
Unapologetic #34 Pedro Garcia: I became a Christian through Halloween
Apologist Pedro Garcia speaks to Ruth Jackson about how Halloween kickstarted his journey towards faith in Jesus.
Unapologetic #33 Finding Jesus changed Christmas forever
As we approach a new year, we speak to three people from different backgrounds who found new life in Jesus. They share their stories and talk about how finding Jesus has changed the way they celebrate Christmas for ever.
Unapologetic #32 Charles Foster: The virgin birth, child massacre and Shamanic astrology
In the second half of our discussion about Christmas, Charles Foster, author of The Christmas Mystery, looks at some of the more sinister and less straightforward elements of the biblical Nativity narratives.
Unapologetic #31 Charles Foster: The truth behind the Christmas story
Why do only two of the four Gospels mention Jesus’ birth? What if the Christmas story isn’t true? Can we trust the biblical sources? Charles Foster, author of The Christmas Mystery, answers some of the tricky questions surrounding the Nativity narratives in the Bible.
Unapologetic #30 Murdo Macleod: How John Wycliffe impacted my life
Ruth Jackson spoke to film director Murdo Macleod about his new film ‘Morningstar’, which focuses on John Wycliffe’s life and legacy.
Unapologetic #29 Jon Tyson: Digital evangelism and reaching a lost generation
Ruth Jackson speaks to New York-based pastor Jon Tyson about reaching young people, digital evangelism and parenting.
Unapologetic #28 Jon Tyson: Addressing objections, doubts and questions about the Christian faith
New York-based pastor Jon Tyson shares some of his thoughts about living as a Christian in a secular space.
Unapologetic #27 Clare Williams: 5 ways to re-evangelise black young people
Ruth Jackson speaks to apologist Clare Williams about how we can reach young black people with the gospel.
Unapologetic #26 Clare Williams: Why young black people are leaving Christianity
Ruth Jackson speaks to apologist Clare Williams about black consciousness and why so many young black people are leaving the Church.
Unapologetic #25 Clare Williams: Why racial justice matters
Ruth Jackson speaks to apologist Clare Williams about racial justice, black pain and how the Church should respond.
Unapologetic #24 Clare Williams: Why Black History Matters
As we come to the end of Black History Month in the UK, Ruth Jackson speaks to apologist Clare Williams about how we can support young black people and reach them with the gospel message.
Unapologetic #23 Tom Holland: How the Bible inspired the anti-slavery movement
Why were radical Christians at the forefront of the abolition movement? Historian Tom Holland, author of ‘Dominion’, shares why the story of Jesus dying the death of a criminal slave was the historical catalyst for the modern day anti-slavery movement. The second part of a conversation recorded live with Justin Brierley at the IllumiNations Europe conference in Scotland.
Unapologetic #22 Tom Holland: How the Bible made the Western world
Historian Tom Holland, author of ‘Dominion’, shares why the Bible is the most influential book in the world, shaping concepts of equality, human rights, democacy and more. A conversation recorded live with Justin Brierley at the IllumiNations Europe conference in Scotland.
Unapologetic #21 John Wise: The Christian atheist Pt 2 - How Jordan Peterson and Jenny led me to Jesus
Justin Brierley continues his conversation with John D Wise, known online as ‘The Christian Atheist’. John explains how the psychologist Jordan Peterson and John’s now-wife Jenny played important roles in his conversion to Christianity after 25 years as an atheist philosophy professor.
Unapologetic #20 John Wise: How a philosophy professor found God after 25 years of atheism
Dr John D Wise is known online as ‘The Christian Atheist’ and runs a podcast of the same name. He underwent a remarkable conversion to Christianity after 25 years as an atheist philosophy professor. In part 1 of his conversation with Justin Brierley he describes the journey that took him to the brink of conversion.
Unapologetic #19 Mary Jo Sharp: What to do when church lets you down
After coming to faith as an adult Mary Jo Sharp had some negative experiences of church. She tells Justin Brierley about what happened. Why did she stay? And how can we help young people and new converts navigate the ups and downs of being part of the church?
Unapologetic #18 Mary Jo Sharp: How to talk with young people about love, porn and sex
Mary Jo Sharp frequently addresses the questions young people have about Christianity. That includes questions about sexuality, pornography and relationships. She talks to Justin Brierley about how to have tough conversations with teenagers, based on her new video series Dark Room Faith.
Unapologetic #17 Mary Jo Sharp: What about suffering?
Apologist Mary Jo Sharp talks to Justin Brierley about the problem of suffering and evil and what answers Christianity offers, based on her new video series ‘Darkroom Faith’.
Unapologetic #16 Mary Jo Sharp: Coming to faith and dealing with doubt
A former atheist who came to faith, Mary Jo Sharp now runs the apologetics ministry Confident Christianity. She talks to Justin Brierley about her own conversion and how to deal with doubt based on her new video series ‘Darkroom Faith’.
Unapologetic #15 Derwin L Gray: Building multi-ethnic churches that look like Jesus
Martin Luther King said that ‘11 am Sunday is the most segregated hour in America’. Today, most churches are split along black, white or latino lines. Pastor Derwin L Gray, author of ‘How To Heal Our Racial Divide’, tells Justin Brierely how they have sought to make Transformation Church a truly multi-ethnic community.
Unapologetic #14 Derwin L Gray: How should Christians think about CRT, Black Lives Matter and ‘white privilege’?
Phrases such as Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, ‘antiracism’ and ‘white privilege’ have become polarising issues in Christian circles. Derwin L Gray shares what he thinks Christians need to understand about racism and the controversy surrounding these terms.
Unapologetic #13 Derwin L Gray: What the Bible says about racial reconciliation
Former NFL footballer-turned-pastor Derwin L Gray shares lessons he has learned from leading Transformation Church, the multi-ethnic megachuch he founded, as he continues to open up his book ‘How To Heal Our Racial Divide’
Unapologetic #12 Derwin L Gray: How an NFL footballer found faith in Jesus
Derwin L Gray is a former NFL football player who, along with his wife Vicki, founded Transformation Church - a ‘multicultural, multi-generational, mission-shaped’ church in South Carolina.
Unapologetic #11 Scott Stripling: The game-changing archaeological discovery that supports the Old Testament
Archaeologist Scott Stripling recently made a significant discovery in Israel - a ‘curse’ tablet that could prove the historical authenticity of parts of the Old Testament. He tells Justin Brierley about why this find is so significant.
Unapologetic #10 Lee Strobel: The case for heaven
Legendary apologist Lee Strobel joins Justin to talk about the soul, afterlife and near death experiences as related in his book and video documentary The Case For Heaven.
Unapologetic #9 Lisa Fields: Being a black female apologist
Lisa Fields, fonder of Jude 3 Project continues her conversation with Megan Cornwell on polarisation in the USA and the challenges facing her calling as a black female apologist.
Unapologetic #8 Lisa Fields: Apologetics for the black church
What are the questions being asked today by African-American skeptics and believers about Christianity? Lisa Fields shares her faith journey and why she began the Jude 3 Project.
Unapologetic #7 John Lennox: The case for design in biology and the Universe
In the final part of their conversation Justin and Prof John Lennox talk about the fine-tuning of the universe for life and what the frontiers of evolution and biology tell us about the case for design in nature.
Unapologetic #6 John Lennox: Why God is a good explanation
Justin continue his conversation with Christian thinker Prof John Lennox as they talk about the new atheist attempts to dismiss God as an explanation for the Universe.
Unapologetic #5 John Lennox: God, science and atheism
Renowned Christian thinker Prof John Lennox recounts his own journey with science and faith and explodes a few myths about their supposed conflict in the first of a three part conversation with Justin Brierley.
Unapologetic #4 Glen Scrivener: Choose your miracle - why we’re all believers deep down
Whether we identify as atheist, humanist, Christian or something else, if we believe in rights, moral progress, equality and compassion, then we already believe in things that we can’t see or touch. In this episode Glen Scrivener explains why we are all believers deep down.
Unapologetic #3 Glen Scrivener: Science - How Christianity birthed the scientific revolution
Where did modern science come from? Contrary to popular atheist accounts of the conflict between science and faith, Glen Scrivener argues that Christianity gave the framework of an intelligble universe invested with order that scientists set out to explore.
Unapologetic #2 Glen Scrivener: Compassion - How Christianity made our moral world
Glen Scrivener of Speak Life talks to Justin Brierley about how Christianity birthed the modern concept of showing compassion to the most vulnerable.
Unapologetic #1 Glen Scrivener: How Christianity gave us equality
Welcome to the first episode of Unapologetic, a podcast helping you to understand, defend and share your faith with confidence. Justin begins a 4-part series with Glen Scrivener of Speak Life.
Unapologetic #0 Justin Brierley introduces Unapologetic
Justin Brierley, director of Premier Unbelievable? introduces their newest podcast - Unapologetic
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