Undeceptions with John Dickson

What in the world do we do about slavery in the Bible?

We shouldn’t rush to William Wilberforce and the Christian abolitionists so quickly that we gloss over an uncomfortable fact: Christians really did use the Bible to keep slaves in their place.

Secular thinkers defended slavery using science, philosophy, politics, economics, and pragmatism. But there’s no doubt many Christians provided moral cover by quoting passages from the Old Testament that seem to endorse slavery, and passages from the New Testament that, at the very least, seem to put up with it.

Professor Esau McCaulley and our friends at International Justice Mission join us for this last Undeceptions episode of the season to try and untangle this tricky topic.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

What do we do when we discover our so-called ‘Christian heroes’ did abhorrent things? What’s the difference between the soul and the spirit? Where does the idea of being a ‘missionary’ come from? Is the God of the Old Testament just a conglomeration of the gods from other cultures that came before?

It’s our seasonal Q&A, and John Dickson is in the hot seat answering your questions.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

We have a troubled relationship with disability. Even the term ‘disability’ is contested.

Perhaps disability is something to inspire us. Or something that calls for our compassion. Or simply something to accept and let be.

How should we think about disability? Should we be trying to cure it? And what about disability in Heaven?

In this episode of Undeceptions, we’re unpacking our assumptions about disability, dignity, suffering and difference—and asking what it means to be fully human.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity has a bit to say about ‘forgiveness’, both on a theological and a sociological level.

In short, God forgives us, and Christians are therefore called to extend this forgiveness to those who’ve wronged them.

But this raises alotof questions.

What does forgiveness actually mean? How does it work? Does it involve forgetting wrongs? Can you forgive someone who isn't sorry? What about profound abuse and injustice?

The Christian emphasis on forgiveness has shaped our civilisation. But does it still make sense?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

John Lennox is one of Christianity’s greatest living “Undeceivers”. His Irish charm, kindness, and general approachability defuse even the most intense debates - and he’s had many intense debates in his lifetime (Dawkins! Hitchens!)

Through it all, Lennox has had one great aim … and it’s the aim of our podcast … to uncover the truth and beauty of Christianity in a world that doesn’t know what to make of it.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Bible is full of tough texts that can be off-putting to the curious sceptic.

But at its best, Christianity stands smiling in the ring of history, science, culture, ethics, and all the rest, and invites anyone to take a swing.

Don’t let these tough texts put you off; treat them as an entry point to the Bible and, just maybe, you’ll be surprised by what else you find.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Almost everyone can remember the exact moment they gave up on mathematics.

But for those who persist, many don’t just find maths useful; they find it beautiful.

Some even go so far as to claim that mathematics is the ‘language of God’.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

It’s high time for an episode on the fabulous Hildegard of Bingen.

This remarkable 12th-century nun’s work covered a vast amount of ground: she wrote about ecclesiastical history, science, medicine, botany, mineralogy and petrology, zoology and theology, mysticism, music, painting,andmonastic architecture.

She was also a travelling preacher, visionary, and geopolitical manoeuvrer.

She’s now revered as a ‘Doctor of the Church’ - one of only 38 people awarded the title for their profound and lasting impact on Christian teaching.

Other Doctors include Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great, and the Venerable Bede. So, Hildegard is in good company.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Our voice actors for this episode were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

The West might be becoming less ‘religious’, but according to many it’s becoming a lot more ’spiritual’.

In fact, “spiritual but not religious” is described as a “rapidly growing faith group” in America, with as many as 20 per cent of people falling into the category.

And yet, there’s nothing new about being spiritual but not religious; it’s been Christianity’s dancing partner – or maybe sparring partner - for thousands of years.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

High performers - athletes, business professionals, artists, and the like - inspire and motivate us. They give us benchmarks to strive for and show us what sort of life we might lead if we were the “greatest of all time” in a given field.

But is striving to be the “greatest” actually good for us? Or does it do more harm than good?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

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CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

Africa is home to over 1.5 billion people and some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but it still faces vast challenges.

Thousands of missionaries have moved to Africa and made it their life’s work to help bring about change.

John speaks with one of them.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

War is a horror – so how has Christianity, in its classical tradition, approached the human reality of war? Can it ever be justified on spiritual grounds?

We looked at these questions in episode 55, ‘Just War’, back in 2021 - and given recent events, we thought now was a good time to revisit that episode.

Wes Huff has made the historical case for Christianity to an audience of millions on some of the biggest podcasts in the world, including theJoe Rogan ExperienceandDiary of a CEO. 

It’s fair to say he’s having a bit of a moment.

But is all this big-name podcast interest in Christianity evidence of something deeper? Is Christianity itself havingmorethan just a moment?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Is it ok for a Christian to enjoy secular music?

Why did Jesus have to get baptised?

And how does the church’s teaching on money compare to what the Bible actuallyteaches about it?

It’s Q&A time again at Undeceptions!

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry, Producer Kaley, and Director Mark. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Oxford English Dictionary describes the Bible as a “library,” not a single work.

But this library has been the most sold book in the world for millennia!

So should we call this ultimate best-seller “literature”?

There are many ways to read the Bible. But reading it as literature may help us see something easily missed: the Bible isn’t just a collection of texts any more than a symphony is just a collection of notes.

The literary approach asks a simple question: how might the Bible’s story work on us?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.

This seems obvious to us today, but many people throughout historydidn’tbelieve in these ideals.

Many would wonder how it could be that every human being, regardless of capacity or usefulness, could be considered equally valuable.

Truth be told, it's hard to find the logic behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights anywhere in historical literature … apart from the Bible.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES -CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

It’s hard to get a clear picture of the historical Jesus without projecting cultural tropes onto Him.

Jesus - perhaps more than anyone in history - is often co-opted to fit either personal or political agendas.

So this Easter, we’re trying to untangle the cultural Jesus from the real historical Jesus - by zeroing in on his famous last few days.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actorS today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

There’s a certain collection of Greek and Roman writings - from roughly 800 BC to AD 200 - which, apart from the Bible, has shaped the Western world more than any other intellectual tradition.

Today, we call them the Classics.

Many are familiar with the names behind these ancient texts: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Livy … the list goes on.

But just because these works have a legacy doesn’t mean that people today actuallylikethem.

For starters, they’re hard work. Mark Twain once described a Classic as “something that everybody wants to have read, and nobody wants to read”.

Others dislike the very concept of the Classics because they privilege the writings of (presumably) white men over other rich, non-Western traditions.

But like it or not, the Classics still matter in their own right today - especially if you’re interested in Christianity.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The First Hymn is coming to the big screens on both sides of the Atlantic!

Find tickets here.

The cultural hangovers of Christianity are well attested.

Recently, people who were once describing themselves as ‘New Atheists’ have gone as far as to call themselves ‘Cultural Christians’, due to the prevalence of Christian thought in modern ethics.

But what if the great dream of the New Atheists eventually succeeded?

What would a world where God wasactuallydead look like?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Since Charles Darwin’s 1859 bookOn the Origin of Species,evolution has been considered by many to be the final nail in the coffin of religion.

Because evolution is supposedly random - or indeed, blind - the argument follows that there is no design.

But recently, a quiet revolution has been raging among the top tier of evolutionary scientists.

The apparent randomness of evolution has come into question, and some experts now suggest there may be patterns, agency, and evenintentionbehind it all.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

A popular myth is that when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, he forced everyone else to embrace the faith - or else face deadly consequences.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

It was under Constantine that the very modern-sounding ideas of freedom of religion and “justice for all” were first instituted.

These were revolutionary ideals, and they came from a very smart, learned Christian in the Emperor's inner circle.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - https://undeceptions.com/podcast/against-coercion/

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

In pop culture, we often enjoy watching - or reading - vice and virtue play out, with the former often far more exciting than the latter.

But what about real life? Do we still find vice “sizzling” (as one writer described it), and virtue stale?

At the heart of this lies a much deeper question: What good is there in pursuing the good?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES: https://undeceptions.com/podcast/virtue-vice/

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative, a contact point for church pastors who are interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out

The Reformation remains a pivotal moment not just for the church, but for global history. 

It permanently split the church, triggered wars, created new city-states, and even led, in the opinion of many experts, to the Enlightenment, Science, and the secularisation of the West.

When it came to covering the topic on Undeceptions, there was so much to talk about that we needed two episodes just to scratch the surface.

In this Rewind, we’re revisiting some highlights of those episodes.

On November 2, 2024, Chris Tomlin performed the world premiere of The First Hymn at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Ben Fielding joined him onstage that night to help gift this 1800-year-old song back to the world.

In this special, shorter episode, you get a front row seat to a fireside chat with Chris as he introduces the new First Hymnto the world, for the first time. 

We attempt to make sense of the silly season, to explain why there really is “more to life”, and why the traditional Christmas story still holds the answers.

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were the Undeceptions Team - wishing you a happy Christmas!

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

It’s probably the most significant of all church history’s debates: Was Jesus fully human, fully divine, or a hybrid of some sort?

1700 years ago, bishops from across the Christian world gathered in the city of Nicaea to settle this once and for all.

The outcome was three paragraphs which went on to represent the core of Christianity, and spell out who Jesus is - and who heisn’t.

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley.
 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The first-century historian Flavius Josephus is the oldest source we have for the historical Jesus outside of the Bible.

His 90-word paragraph about Jesus - where he calls Jesus “the Christ”, and says Jesus “appeared to them [the disciples] alive again on the third day", spending a third day restored to life - has sparked centuries of debate.

Most experts think this paragraph has an authentic core, but has been embellished by a later Christian scribe.

But new scholarly evidence has emerged that might turn our understanding of Josephus - and what he wrote about Jesus - on its head.

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is online librarian.
 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Why don’t Christians still follow the Laws of the Old Testament? Why did God create humans if so many are apparently destined for Hell? Is the ‘Golden Rule’actuallya Christian idea? John answers all these - and more - for our Season XV Q&A!

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is the online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity no longer has the cultural sway it once held. But there’s always been a long tradition of Christians being flexible in engaging their culture—whether in ancient Rome, Viking Scandinavia, or modern America. So what does a ‘relevant’ Christianity look like in the 21st century?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors for this episode were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Back in 2020, John caught up with author and journalist Greg Sheridan to talk about Christianity’s struggles in both Australia, and the global West more broadly. However, Greg wasn’t so glum on the future of the faith in a post-Christian world. Ahead of an upcoming episode on how the gospel applies to a post-Christian world, we thought now was the time to look back at what Greg had to say.

In hisDivine Comedy,Dante isn’t claiming to offer us a vision of what hell and heaven are actually like.

It might be set in the afterlife, but it’s really about how we live life here and now.

Even if you’ve never read one line of the epic poem, you’ve been influenced by The Divine Comedy. 

It’s time we learned more about one of Western literature’s greatest works … and how it might just change our lives. 

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception's episode possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Some claim Christian persecution is on the rise, while others find the idea of a modern persecution implausible. So, what’s the truth? It’s complex … 

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Jane Austen’s words and books are well known. But what do we know of Jane herself - what she was like, and what she believed? What did she think of society and class, ethics, literature, romance, and faith?

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity is sometimes branded as anti-intellectual, and its followers labelled unteachable. But in an increasingly divided age, the church - with its rich history of learning - might be able to help the world recover what it means to have a teachable spirit … and to know whoto learn from.

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor for this episode was Suzanne Ellis.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

African Christianity is almost as old as Christianity itself. Many of the early church's theological giants came from Africa, and today, Christianity is exploding across the continent. In this episode, we look at Jesus through African eyes.

As the West undergoes a ‘de-churching,’ some are starting to wonder about the unintended consequences of a society with fewer believers.

After all, some of history’s greatest humanitarians all had one thing in common: a Christian faith.

Season 15 of Undeceptions is coming really soon! And our latest REWIND will help you brush up on some of the issues we’ll be discussing in our first full episode of next season.

There’s a growing body of research – authoritative, real-life, peer-reviewed research – that reports a significant benefit to wellbeing if you are religious. And not just religious, but part of a faith community.

Are our dreams full of messages and warnings? 
John was sceptical, but for most of human history, that’s been the common view. In this Undeceptions REWIND, we take a closer look. 

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 105 'Decoding Dreams'.

The 18th-century philosopher David Hume famously predicted that, as the world grew more rational and scientific, people would stop having supernatural encounters.

But that’s not what has played out.

We might live in a secular age, but we continue to have seemingly divine experiences.

Lots of people now describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious”, but taking that next step - that leap of faith - into a formal belief system might actually be more rational than not.

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today was Yannick Lawry. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Why does the church meet on a Sunday? How far is too far when it comes to self-defence, biblically speaking? Is it possible that Hell is temporary?

John tackles these questions and more in this, our season XIV Q&A!

The world’s attention has recently been on the Vatican, and the election of the new Pope Leo XIV.

But what’s the history behind the office of the Bishop of Rome? What makes a good pope?

By looking at the extraordinary career of John Dickson’s favourite pontiff, we attempt to answer those questions.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John Dickson's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Some think we might not be too far away from Artificial Intelligence actually having feelings. If it does happen, what will it mean? Might it mean we humans are, in the end, just machines? We look back at that question - and more - in this UndeceptionsRewind!

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 71 'Emotional Intelligence'.

The Gospels tell us about Jesus’ adult life, with scant references to his childhood.

We can catch glimpses of the younger Jesus' life, but there’s so much we don’t know.

But if we move beyond the Bible, wecanlearn about the world the younger Jesus lived in.

Growing up a refugee, in a land under foreign occupation, and a region full of militia groups, it’s worth asking: How did the turbulent background of the boy Jesus affect His message … and the whole of Christianity?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

According to the data, chemistry is the scientific discipline with the highest number of ”theists”.

Perhaps it’s not that surprising: Chemistry grew out of alchemy, a mysterious science that attempted to uncover the secrets of nature, with goals some would consider supernatural.

Modern chemists are also working to uncover the secrets of nature. 

For some, seeing just how ordered the world is has led them to wonder whether there might be more going on behind the scenes than mere chemistry.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Like it or not, life will let us down. We all face disappointment.

Despite this, people spend their entire lives trying to avoid and outrun disappointment.

But the Bible offers a different solution.

It gives us the tools to feel and express disappointment. Tools to grieve well. Tools to lament.

But it doesn’t stop there.

In the Bible, we also find a God who sits with us in our grief and shares our disappointment.

We find a God who laments.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Mary Magdalene has played many roles throughout history. 

She’s been a prostitute, a temptation, Jesus’ wife, Jesus’ lover, a cave-dwelling mystic, a devoted follower, a revolutionary, and a penitent.

The supposed sinner-turned-saint comes to us in a multiplicity of earthly, perhaps even scandalous, portraits that surprise and inspire.

So what can we know about this woman for sure?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

This week, leading up to Easter, we’re looking at the most famous trial of all time: the trial of Jesus. It’s a courtroom drama like no other, and its outcome changed everything.

But what do we actually know about the trial and conviction of Jesus? Was it fair? Was it real?

When John Dickson convinced top Christian songwriters Ben Fielding and Chris Tomlin to have a go at transforming an 1800-year-old hymn into a tune for our times, they felt the weight of responsibility.

This is part two of our mini-series on how the song 'The First Hymn' came to life, with a full documentary soon to follow, which will track the hymn's journey from the deserts of Egypt to the middle of a sold-out stadium arena in the heart of America in the 21st century.

This episode takes you behind the scenes: how Ben Fielding and Chris Tomlin resurrected The First Hymn and made it ours.

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. 

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Edited by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

A big thank you to Michael Wilder at Wheaton College, and Tony Payne for his arrangement of the original First Hymn, and the 50-person choir led by John Trotter that brought this work to life.

Special thanks to our series sponsor, Zondervan, for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Welcome to season XIV of Undeceptions!

Anthropology has a reputation for being the most “godless” of all the sciences. 

The so-called Father of Anthropology, Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, abandoned his faith as an anthropologist, declaring religion was “animalistic”. 

But religion hasn’t gone away - and many anthropologists are now realising there might be something to belief after all …

The cliche: ‘faith’ is the antithesis of knowledge, of wisdom and therefore “Christian philosophy”is an oxymoron, right? For this Undeceptions rewind, we speak to two Christian philosophers who explain why that’s not the case. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts. 

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 57 'Jesus Philosopher'.

Why are Christians such god-botherers? Is it possible to share your belief system with someone who doesn’t accept it without being a jerk? In this Undeceptions rewind, we revisit a conversation about why Christians are so committed to sharing their faith with others - and why, if done right, it can be life changing. 

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 33 'Danger: Proselytising'. 

Words can change lives – whether on paper, on screen, or spoken down a phone line.

A library has an abundance of words – and an abundance of opportunities to change a life.

After a long break, Laurel Moffatt returns with season 4 of Small Wonders!

Undeceptions is pleased to introduce our listeners to this podcast in our network. Each episode of Small Wonders offers a brief but piercing look into a topic. The clarity the desert brings. Hurricanes and hard relationships. Finding reason in the middle of a ruin.

These quiet but profound observations about life uncovers lessons learned. Lessons from broken and beautiful things that are polished to perfection and set in rich audio landscapes for your consideration.

Subscribe to Small Wonders wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hell is one of the most difficult parts of Christian belief - but of all the characters in the Bible, no one comes close to using the word "Hell" as much as Jesus does.

So, what did he mean, how is it plausible, and what does it matter?

As we gear up for a special episode on the difficult topic of Hell, we first bring you this Undeceptions Rewind looking at what the Bible says about Heaven. This rewind is from episode 64 'Kingdom Come'

Is Christianity an offshoot of an ancient fertility cult? Why do the Gospels only talk about Jesus' genealogy in connection to Joseph? Is there a place for Christian patriotism?

John answers all these and more in our Season XIII Q&A!

The Acts of the Apostles is the epic sequel to Luke's Gospel. 

It follows the dramatic events immediately after the resurrection of Jesus, and follows how the first Christians - led by perhaps the most unlikely person - took the news of the Messiah to the edges of the Roman Empire - and beyond. 

If we’re talking only about liquids you drink—because the water in the Bible is washed in, crossed over, and even walked on once—wine is no.1.

Wine appears more than 200 times in the Bible. And almost all of them are positive references—not critiques. 

Christianity has a long, rich history with wine. But oftentimes, we’ve made it much more complicated and, at times, harmful.

There's just something about the Virgin Mary. 

She stirs up big feelings - she has for millennia. 

Some have perhaps given her more prominence than she would feel comfortable with.

Others have hacked down her statues in reforming zeal. 

Others never think about her, except when they come across a nativity scene in a shopping mall (and even that’s becoming a rarity).

So, it’s time we met Mary properly this Christmas. 

In the 3rd century, in the Ancient Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus, a group of Christians composed a song of praise set to the pagan music of the time. 

Now, 1800 years later, John Dickson is working with two of the world's best songwriters to bring this lost song - this First Hymn - back to life. 

Along the way, they make some incredible discoveries about early church music, shedding light on what the earliest Christians believed. 

This is the first in a three-part podcast series on The First Hymn Project - taking its name from the forthcoming Undeceptions documentary, to be released at Easter 2025. 

With 66 different books composed across literally thousands of years, it's fair to say the Bible is a complex read. But it doesn't have to be. The key to understanding the Bible is understanding the different literary genres. 

The great project of the Enlightenment was to bring reason to the forefront. 

No more would humans be held back by superstitions: the power of the mind was all that was needed for advancement. 

Three centuries on though, and some people are beginning to think the pendulum has swung too far.

Celebrated journalist and public intellectual Stan Grant joined John onstage in Sydney for a live recording of Undeceptionsto discuss this new disenchanted age.

A new movie has been released this week about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who was killed by the Nazis for his involvement in a plot to kill Hitler. 

Bonhoeffer's fame has ballooned into a kind of mythology that has seen people of all stripes "claim" him as their own. But our guest for this episode says that if we only think of him as a “hero” for our cause, we may miss important pieces of Bonhoeffer’s complex life and thinking. 

So, who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer and why does he still matter?

Sam Allberry was involved in environmental activism when he became a Christian - a development that his activist friends saw as bad news. 

After all, why would a follower of a religion that looks forward to the coming of a new Earth be concerned with the state of the current world? 

For Sam though, becoming a Christian led him to a very different conclusion. 

The Old Testament is sacred not just to the Christian but also to the Jewish religion. Its 39 books cover thousands of years with an array of literary genres including poetry, history, creation myth, apocalyptic, and song. 

It can be confusing and overwhelming - but luckily, John happens to work in the same building as a leading expert on it all who gives us a quick rundown in this special Single. 

The 21st century has seen—and will continue to see—the rise of Christianity in the ‘Global South’, with surging conversion numbers in Asia and Africa. That’s according to Gina Zurlo, a leading authority on Christian demographics, and our guest on episode 75, ‘Global Christianity’. According to Gina, while the Western world is grappling with secularism, a new spiritual awakening of sorts is taking hold in the world’s two most populous nations, China and India. 

This is our next Undeceptions Rewind, where we resurface some of the best bits of our older episodes that might have been mostly forgotten (but hopefully not misunderstood!) In this episode, we feature snippets of both Episode 17 'Hindu Priest', and Episode 75 'Global Christianity'. 

We interviewed Tom Holland, historian and co-host of the extraordinarily popular podcast The Rest is History, back in 2021 for episode 45, Christian Revolution.

At the time Tom wouldn’t have called himself a Christian (and we won't speak for him now), but he was adamant that not only is Christianity good, but our very sense of what good iscomes from Christianity.

Check out our first Undeceptions Rewind,where we resurface some of the best bits of our older episodes that might have been mostly forgotten (but hopefully not misunderstood!)

Artists have used their tools not just to capture beauty and transcendence, but also the essence of what it means to be human. 

In this episode, we learn from history's greatest artists about loss, hope, the ugly, and the sublime.

What lessons can we take from these broken artists? What might their observations about the world tell us about God?

Is there a "right" way to read The Bible?

Millennia of Ink has been split trying to answer that question.

Surely if The Bible is God's word it should be easier to understand, right?

Well, some experts think there is a right way to read scripture. What we need is a key to unlock The Bible for us.

Why did God make the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Can Christians smoke weed? Why does God allow natural disasters to happen? John Dickson tackles your questions in one of our best Q&A episodes yet!

Famed Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once (well, several times actually) claimed Christianity was irreconcilable with the science of the Universe. 

But there's plenty of scholars who beg to differ.

Recorded live in Brisbane at the State Library of Queensland.

Is history under threat? 

Increasingly, the modern, individualistic global West is coming to see history as a discipline that's irrelevant, harmful, and divisive. 

Some are worried that we're becoming increasingly disconnected from a broader story. 

Can the past help us navigate our modern world? Or is it better if we let it fade into a "dark age"?

Trust is everywhere. It underpins our institutions, our health, and our relationships. However, experts are worried that the world is facing a trust crisis. If so much of our lives depend on it, what could happen if trust starts to break?

In this episode, we spend some time talking about institutional church abuse. Check the time codes below if it would be helpful to skip past this section.

39:15 - Section begins
42:23 - Regular interview resumes

True Crime is one of the most popular genres of film, podcasting, literature, and TV worldwide. 

We are obsessed with tales of the morbid, dark, and most importantly, true. 

As one cold-case detective believes, we can't get enough true crime because of what it teaches us about our human nature. 

But that same detective found that these lessons on humanity could also be found in - what was for him -  the unlikeliest place: The Bible.

Half a billion people alive today speak English as their firstlanguage. But how you speak English depends on where you live, where you come from, and how it was taught to you. It's truly a universal language. So - what's its history? If this is the language that has done the most to spread Christianity (as some claim), how have its quirks influenced our understanding of the Bible?

There's a reason our guests have mentioned Augustine more than any other theologian or philosopher. St Augustine of Hippo was an intellectual giant whose shadow still hangs over Christianity and the Western philosophical tradition. But not everyone loves him. To some, he's a misogynistic pessimist whose work we're better off without. So - what's the truth? It's finally time for Undeceptions to take a deep dive into Augustine.

Reasoning can take us to almost any conclusion we want. We ask "Can I believe?" if we want to believe, or "Must I believe?" if we don't. We can persuade ourselves easily. Only through humility do we stand a chance of approaching something more in line with the truth.

Jazz is a genre of music steeped in tradition, culture, and most importantly, improvisation. According to some, the church can learn a few lessons from this wonderful art form.

Evangelicalism has always been a politically loaded word - but especially since the turn of the century. 

This is especially true of American evangelicalism. 

But if we strip away all the nationalistic and political weight, what is evangelicalism? What makes the American strain of evangelicalism particularly unique? How does it compare to other types of evangelicalism?

John faces down some of our most diverse - and controversial - questions yet. What's the deal with circumcision? Why does John hate the term apologetics so much? Is Director Mark sick of John picking on him all the time? 

If Christianity is one big conspiracy, we wouldn't find so many mistakes and inconsistencies in the Gospels! Surely if the faith was one big lie, the Gospels would have some uniformity to them, united to deceive readers.

Well, that's one side of the argument. Others might point to the Gospel contradictions as proof the entire thing is made up.

So, why are there contradictions in the Gospels? Does this undermine their credibility?

You can make a pretty good case that the Gospels are the four most influential - and controversial - books of all time. But who were the authors? How do we know who wrote them? And why was it that these four books were selected, and not others? 

In this special Undeceptions Single, Stan Grant shares his reflections on God and suffering in the wake of the Bondi Junction attacks that occurred on April 13 in Sydney, Australia.

From the mid-1990s to the 2010s, 'New Atheism' dominated the intellectual space. A virulent, attacking form of godless evangelism, it saw people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens top best-seller lists, and draw huge crowds to their lectures. Justin Brierley was in the middle of it all as New Atheism rose - and then collapsed. In its wake, Justin says he is seeing a new openness to theism - but where that might lead is anyone's guess.

Theology: It's a dry term that conjures images of old academics writing dusty books that will never be read. 

However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The study of theology is the study of who we are as humans, and how we can make sense of both God and the complexities of the world.

So, who are the theologians we should all know about?

Science is a relatively new term. Chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy - all have only existed as defined, singular fields for the last century and a half. Before that was the mysterious world of natural philosophy - an ancient tradition that saw the natural world as one, combined entity. Our guest, Professor Alister McGrath, argues that this old way is a path to a new kind of appreciation of the world and each other. 

The Apostle Paul writes that Christians must battle against "powers and principalities". But what are they? What does the Bible say about political power?

Special thanks to our season sponsor Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books atzondervanacademic.com/undeceptions

Check out more of N.T. Wright's work - including his writing, and Bible studies - here.

A transcript of this episode is availablehere. Please note, that due to software not all exchanges between guests will be completely accurate.

For the full episode shownotes, head to undeceptions.com

There are sophisticated, academic arguments for the resurrection of Jesus. It’s not just a matter of accepting on the basis of faith. The modern industry of Christian apologetics doesn't get us much closer to the historical reality of Jesus' resurrection - but there are solid, investigative ways of examining this seemingly miraculous event.

The pursuit of celibacy is seen as strange, taboo, and repressive in modern society. But that's what David Bennett, a gay man, decided, after becoming a Christian during a night out in Sydney's gay quarter. 

Since then, he's become a scholar of "holy virginity", and the queerness of his Lord, Jesus. This is his story.  

At the heart of cancel culture is a desire to combat injustice, and expose flaws within society. This is a good thing ... but as recent history has shown, there is a lack of forgiveness at the heart of the movement. This is where Christianity can help.

For the final episode of season X, we're taking a deep dive into the global centre of Atheism - France. How did this once-Christian nation become such a lightning rod for the belief that there is no God? And how are the "French" ways of thinking drawing some people back to belief in Christianity? 

Aliens, more Old Testament violence, and ... The Devil. 

Our tenth question-and-answer episode was one of the toughest yet for John. 

Make sure you head to our website to ask a question yourself if you want to pick Johns brain on air!

The story of Christianity is full of wonderful highs and terrible lows. It's truly an epic - and it takes an epic round-the-world adventure to tell its story properly. Thankfully, we have a man who's done just that. This is the story of Christianity, from the crucifixion to the modern day, told through 12 key objects.

Christianity wasn't always its own religion - the first Christians were, in fact, Jewish ...  because Jesus was Jewish! How do we then understand the Jewishness of Jesus? How was his movement different to other Jewish movements?

Angels are everywhere in history. From winged guardians in Sumerian mythology to the messengers of the Gods in Ancient Greece, to new-age guardian angels, humanity has always been fascinated by these celestial beings. But what does the Bible say about them?

Our guest on this episode is Graham A. Cole. He was dean emeritus and professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, before his retirement. He formerly worked as the dean of Ridley College in Melbourne. His book Against the Darkness: The Doctrine of Angels, Satan, and Demons is out now.

For extended show notes and transcripts, head to our website.

J.R.R. Tolkien needs no introduction. The Oxford Philology Professor who would go on to create the world of Middle Earth is rightly hailed as one of the greatest writers of all time. In this episode, we unpack the inspiration behind his work, meet the people who helped him along the way, and examine the faith that drove him to create the world of The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and more.

The Middle Ages saw an explosion of literature, art, and thought around the personhood of Jesus. What can we learn from these centuries-old understandings of the central figure of the Bible?

This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions

Visit undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode.

Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Email the show with your comments/feedback: admin@undeceptions.com

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com: Letting the truth out.

Theme music: JS Bach's Cello Suites, Prelude, performed by the Undeceptions Band. 
Hosted by John Dickson
Produced by Kaley Payne 
Directed by Mark Hadley 
Audio Editing by Richard Hamwi
Social Media by Sophie Hawkshaw
Administration by Lyndie Leviston
Writer and researcher: Alasdair Belling
Online Librarian: Siobhan McGuinness

Copyright Undeceptions Ltd 2023

The Puritans: Everything wrong with a Christian society, or much misunderstood forefathers of innovation and social justice?

This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions

Visit undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode.

Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Email the show with your comments/feedback: admin@undeceptions.com

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com: Letting the truth out.

Theme music: JS Bach's Cello Suites, Prelude, performed by the Undeceptions Band. 
Hosted by John Dickson
Produced by Kaley Payne 
Directed by Mark Hadley 
Audio Editing by Richard Hamwi
Social Media by Sophie Hawkshaw
Administration by Lyndie Leviston
Writer and researcher: Alasdair Belling
Online Librarian: Siobhan McGuinness

Copyright Undeceptions Ltd 2023

This episode, we're visiting some of the ancient Christians to see that they were actually real human beings, with flaws and hang ups … and virtues … that we might recognise in ourselves today.