Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality

Undeceptions with John Dickson

Undeceptions Ltd

267 episodes

Every week on Undeceptions we’ll explore some aspect of life, faith, history, culture, or ethics that is either much misunderstood or mostly forgotten. With the help of people who know what they’re talking about, we’ll be trying to ‘undeceive ourselves’ and let the truth ‘out’.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. 188. The Pagans

    · 1 h 21 min · Episode 188

    The modern world was supposed to leave magic behind. But a new generation is searching for enchantment in paganism, folklore, and the supernatural. What’s driving this spiritual interest? Is it a doorway to darker…

  2. 187. On Slavery

    · 1 h 24 min · S17 E10

    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…

  3. 186. Question Answer XVII

    · 45 min · S17 E9

    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…

  4. 185: Dis / Ability

    · 1 h 17 min · S17 E8

    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…

  5. 184. Forgive Us

    · 1 h 19 min · S17 E7

    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…

  6. 183. With Lennox

    · 1 h 14 min · S17 E6

    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…

  7. 182. Tough Texts

    · 1 h 01 min · S17 E5

    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…

  8. 181. Beautiful Maths

    · 1 h 00 min · S17 E4

    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…

  9. 180. On Hildegard

    · 1 h 13 min · S17 E3

    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…

  10. 179. Spiritual ≠ Religious

    · 1 h 03 min · S17 E2

    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…

  11. 178. Against Ambition

    · 58 min · S17 E1

    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…

  12. SINGLE: Good Missionary?

    · 31 min

    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…

  13. REWIND: Just War

    · 36 min · Bonus

    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…

  14. 177. Wes Huff

    · 1 h 07 min · S16 E10

    Wes Huff has made the historical case for Christianity to an audience of millions on some of the biggest podcasts in the world, including the Joe Rogan Experience and Diary of a CEO. It’s fair to say he’s having a bit…

  15. 176. Question Answer XVI

    · 46 min · S16 E9

    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 actually teaches about it? It’s Q&A time again at…

  16. 175. Literary Bible

    · 1 h 05 min · S16 E8

    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”?…

  17. 174. God's Image

    · 1 h 15 min · S16 E7

    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…

  18. 173. Good Friday

    · 50 min · S16 E6

    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…

  19. 172. Reading Classics

    · 1 h 07 min · S16 E5

    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…

  20. First Hymn US / UK Release

    · 4:53 · Trailer

    The First Hymn is coming to the big screens on both sides of the Atlantic! Find tickets here.

  21. 171. Without God

    · 1 h 10 min · S16 E4

    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…

  22. 170. Evolution Revolution?

    · 1 h 05 min · S16 E3

    Since Charles Darwin’s 1859 book On 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…

  23. 169. Against Coercion

    · 1 h 12 min · S16 E2

    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…

  24. 168. Virtue / Vice

    · 1 h 06 min · S16 E1

    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…

  25. REWIND: The Reformation

    · 23 min · S15 E11

    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…

  26. SINGLE: Concert Hymn

    · 19 min

    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…

  27. SINGLE: Christmas Peace

    · 36 min

    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. • (00:00) - - Unwanted Christmas cards • (04:41) - -…

  28. 167. Nicene Creed

    · 1 h 10 min · S15 E10

    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…

  29. 166. Jesus Proof?

    · 1 h 24 min · S15 E9

    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…

  30. 165. Question Answer XV

    · 58 min · S15 E8

    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’ actually a Christian idea? John answers all these - and more…

  31. 164. After Christendom

    · 1 h 23 min · S15 E7

    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.…

  32. REWIND: Post Christian

    · 18 min

    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…

  33. 163. Divine Comedy

    · 1 h 29 min · S15 E6

    In his Divine 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…

  34. 162. Persecution Complex

    · 1 h 25 min · S15 E5

    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 … • (00:00) - - John Dickson's persecution complex • (08:56) - - The…

  35. 161. Jane Austen

    · 1 h 12 min · S15 E4

    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? • (00:00)…

  36. 160. Deep Learning

    · 1 h 08 min · S15 E3

    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…

  37. 159. African Jesus

    · 1 h 02 min · S15 E2

    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…

  38. 158. Faith Factor

    · 53 min · S15 E1

    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:…

  39. REWIND: Mental Health

    · 16 min · Bonus

    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 –…

  40. REWIND: Decoding Dreams

    · 28 min · S14 E11

    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…

  41. 157. Why Believe?

    · 1 h 25 min · S14 E10

    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…

  42. 156. Question Answer XIV

    · 37 min · S14 E9

    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!

  43. 155. Good Pope

    · 1 h 14 min · S14 E8

    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…

  44. REWIND: Emotional Intelligence

    · 17 min · Bonus

    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…

  45. 154. Boy Jesus

    · 1 h 09 min · S14 E7

    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, we can learn…

  46. 153. The Chemists

    · 1 h 13 min · S14 E6

    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…

  47. 152. God Laments

    · 1 h 12 min · S14 E5

    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…

  48. 151. Mary Magdalene

    · 1 h 09 min · S14 E4

    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…

  49. 150. Jesus' Trials

    · 1 h 24 min · S14 E3

    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…

  50. 149. Our Hymn

    · 1 h 03 min · S14 E2

    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…

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