When terrible stories of abuse hit the headlines, many people are happy to reject the perpetrators as “bad” and happy to consider themselves as “good”. But is it really that simple to make these moral categories of human beings?
Many people complained about drag artists depicting the Last Supper during the Olympics opening ceremony. Author Drew Cordell looks at whether their outrage was justified
A landmark court case in the UK recently saw five radical climate activists jailed for up to five years for their role in organising the blocking of a major motorway to protest against fossil fuels.
The controversial hacker and activist (and maybe journalist?) Julian Assange was suddenly freed for five years in a British jail last month, after he reached a surprise deal with the US authorities over classified military files he published online more than ten years ago.
Author Drew Cordell reflects on the death of British celebrity doctor and looks at what we can learn from his life
In light of the recent eclipse, neonatal consultant Erik Strandness reflects on why rare cosmological events catch the attention of the world
To mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January, Steve Maltz from Saltshakers – a Christian ministry witnessing to the Jewish roots of the Christian faith – shares his thoughts about why this day is more important than ever in light of current events
In the second part of their discussion based on the book Coming to Faith Through Dawkins, theologian Alister McGrath and YouTuber Alex O’Connor discuss where we may be heading in regards to religion and atheism.
Nigerian pastor Hassan John reflects on the anti-Christian violence in his home country and considers the appropriate response
Perhaps the most contentious political, medical and social issue of the day is how to treat and care for young people who are questioning or experiencing distress around their sex and gender.
Church of England vicar Rev Jeremy Crossley reflects on why we crown and what the upcoming coronation reveals about King Charles III’s vocation and calling
Alex O’Connor, also known as Cosmic Skeptic, shares his thoughts about the forthcoming coronation of King Charles III
The Unbelievable? show has been broadcasting for over 17 years. Justin Brierley and Ruth Jackson take a retrospective tour through highlights from the show from day one to some of the most significant debates that have been hosted, before being joined by Dr. Vince Vitale for a special announcement by Justin.
In this episode we take a lightning-quick tour through the Bible to consider what we can learn about friendship there – with God, between God’s people, and fundamentally lived out in the life of Jesus.
Somebody once said that in contemporary society we all want to ‘have sex with our friends, and be friends with our sexual partners’. There is a broad suspicion of intimate but non-sexual friendships, especially those which are intergenerational or cross the sexes.
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.
Tim James explores how the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to our understanding of the divine importance of physical place in our modern world
Jana Harmon shares the story of Dr Fazale Rana who discovered God through his pursuit of science. His paradigm shift began when he began to find scientific explanations for the origin of life inadequate and started to look elsewhere
Prof Saleem Ali of the University of Delaware is author of ‘Earthly Order: How natural laws define human life’ and describes the way order in the universe drives order in human and social settings. He engages with Dr Stephen Meyer of the Discovery Institute, whose book ‘The Return of The God Hypothesis’ makes the case that order in nature points to a divine mind.
There are two strong Christian traditions when it comes to robust political or industrial action such as strikes.
The UK is currently gripped by a wave of strikes from public sector employees – nurses, teachers, postal workers, train drivers, paramedics, and soon junior doctors too.
Thousands have been flocking to Asbury University in Kentucky after a chapel service turned into a 24/7 revival outpouring. Justin is joined by guests as he asks: What are the true marks of revival? What are the blessings and concerns that accompany this student-led awakening?
In light of the tragic Kahramanmaras earthquake, apologist Dr Sharon Dirckx shares her thoughts on how we reconcile the idea of a good and powerful God with the presence of natural disasters
As we approach Racial Justice Sunday, apologist Adam Coleman of Tru-ID looks at why all humans have intrinsic worth. He shares examples of abolitionists who took matters of justice into their own hands as well as those who opted for non-violence, trusting God to act on their behalf
Justin and Ruth were joined by research scientist Dr John Wyatt on a live show to talk about AI, robotics and technology. Listeners asked questions about machine consciousness, the potential dangers of AI and how to raise children in a tech world.
Justin Brierley rounds up the most popular shows of the year
A Public Order Bill in UK Parliament proposing ‘buffer zones’ could potentially criminalise pro-life activity or even silent prayer outside abortion clinics.
‘Truth Over Tribe: Pledging allegiance to the lamb, not the donkey or the elephant’ is the name of the new 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.
Tom is joined by Texan Bible scholar Justin Bass as they respond to questions from US listeners about right wing politics and faith. Where does patriotism fit with Christian worship? What do I say to family members who say I can’t be a Christian and vote for Joe Biden? How do I talk to post-Christian friends who have rejected US evangelicalism?
Apologist and author Sean McDowell joined Justin along with hundreds of Unbelievable? listeners for a live show talking about Sean’s new book ‘A Rebel’s Manifesto’ and taking questions on LGBT, same-sex marriage, transgender, divorce, theology and more.
The Queen’s state funeral was watched by billions of people and marked by deep Christian symbolism. However, during the ceremony, atheist journalist Ian Dunt tweeted that he found it “empty and platitudinous, a cardboard shield against existential despair”.
Veteran religion reporter Julia Bicknell analyses a major global survey on media coverage of religion
As the global pandemic subsides, the way the Covid lockdowns were implemented in churches still divides Christians. The Frankfurt Declaration has been signed by church leaders who are concerned that civil and religious liberties are being eroded by Government overreach.
Four guests and hundreds of attendees gathered with host Justin Brierley for the live webinar event ’Falling From Grace: Addressing Power, Leadership, and Abuse in the Church.
Following the Queen’s funeral, author Paul Kingsnorth reflects on what it means for a nation to profess that life has no meaning beyond what we ascribe to it.
Gavin Ashenden was appointed chaplain to the Queen from 2008 until 2017. He shares his thoughts about Elizabeth II’s faith, role and character.
Katherine Mathieson, director of the Royal Institution and Nick Spencer of Theos discuss the recent report ‘Science and Religion: Moving away from the shallow end’, which surveyed the British public’s attitudes towards science and faith. They explore questions such as: Why does the public believe there is a conflict? How has New Atheism played into the debate? Is science the only way of knowing truth?
Deep-fakes, Turing Tests and chatbots - AI systems are becoming ever more human-like. Robotics expert Prof Nigel Crook says we need to make sure they are moral too.
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.
This episode was recorded shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine. Prior to the outbreak of war, Ukraine’s lax surrogacy laws have made it a major destination for so-called ‘reproductive tourism’ for infertile and same-sex couples who wish to have a baby.
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is more than just a geo-political conflict. The Russian leader believes in the spiritual destiny of a united ‘Holy Rus’ that goes back to the conversion of Vladimir the Great in 984.
Historian Tom Holland tells how his experiences among persecuted Christians and Yazidis in Iraq impacted his own intellectual and personal journey with Christianity.
Following the pro-Trump riots and storming of Congress at Capitol Hill, many fear white evangelicals in the USA are in the grip of political idolatry in their support of the outgoing president.
Are religious people stupid, or do journalists just not do science? Heather Tomlinson takes a closer look at recent research
Canon J John says hard questions need to be asked about the case of Sir Cliff Richard
Hear the live debate in Woking with 4 speakers putting the Christian case for and against the UK leaving the European Union.
Justin is joined by Palestinian Christian Salim Munayer and Jewish Christian believer Lisa Loden, authors of ‘Through My Enemy’s Eyes’, as they discuss the prospects for peace in Israel.
This week’s episode is a podcast-only special featuring the audio of a recent debate between David Robertson of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity and Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland.
Following the terror attacks in Paris, Justin is joined by Christians and Muslims to debate whether Islamic State represents a true interpretation of Islam.
One year after the Paris attacks, David Cook says the biblical story of Saul reminds us that even fanatics can be converted
Theologian Guillaume Bignon used to be an atheistic Parisian. He explains how his Christian faith makes sense of the attacks
Claims of UFO sightings and alien abductions have been widespread in the last few decades. Is there any substance to the sightings, do UFOs appear in scripture and would discovering alien life make a difference to the Christian faith? Is evidence for UFOs on a par with evidence for supernatural events like the resurrection of Christ as some atheists claim?
Book now! Unbelievable? The Conference 2012, Sat 26 May http://www.premier.org.uk/reasons Mike Lee aka “The Religious Antagonist” is a US atheist who makes YouTube videos mocking Christianity. His videos are popular but his approach earns him both praise and criticism from fellow atheists. David Robertson is Pastor of St Peter’s Free Church, Dundee and director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity.
Peter Tatchell is a lifelong gay rights campaigner who has staged controversial protests campaigning for equal rights. He believes that the proposed legislation to introduce same-sex marriage in the UK is long overdue. Peter D Williams of Catholic Voices believes that putting gay marriage on an equal footing with heterosexual marriage is a dangerous and unnecessary step.
Book now for Unbelievable?: The Conference 2012 http://www.premier.org.uk/reasons On the show this week: Andrew Wilson is an apologist, author and elder at KingsChurch Eastbourne. His new book ‘If God, Then What?’ presents arguments for the existence of God and how the Christian Gospel addresses the issues of suffering and death in the world. Geoff Lillis, a humanist atheist from Ireland returns to chat with Andrew.
On Fri 22 July 2011 tragedy struck Norway as Anders Breivik detonated a bomb in Oslo and shot dozens of people on the island of Utoya.
With the death of Osama Bin Laden we ask “Did Bin Laden represent the true face of Islam” Radical Islamist Anjem Choudary who has frequently praised Bin Laden and Al Queada for their acts of terror, joins the discussion. He says Osama was a true Muslim doing the work of Allah. Muhammad Al Hussaini is a Muslim scholar for the organisation Scriptural Reasoning. He deplores acts of terror and says Bin Laden transgressed multiple commands of Islam.
As peaceful demonstrations by thousands of Buddhist monks have been brutally quashed by the military dictatorship in Burma, Justin Brierley is joined by Buddhist Alison Murdoch as she explains the thought behind the pacifist approach. Nick Spencer of Christian think-tank Theos also joins the discussion, along with Quaker Michael Bartlett.