Undeceptions with John Dickson

Episodes page 3 of 6

1. 112. Cultural Christianity

   12 Nov 2023 · 1 h 10 min · S10 E7

   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.

2. 111. Growing Older

   5 Nov 2023 · 1 h 10 min · S10 E6

   Our world spends billions of dollars a year on anti-ageing, but nothing will change the simple fact that we are all growing older. Is it time we re-thought our approach to the relentless march of time, and the…

3. 110. Violent Faith

   29 Oct 2023 · 1 h 13 min · S10 E5

   "I love Jesus but I hate the God of the Old Testament. He's just so violent." You might have heard this line before or thought it yourself. In this episode, we're tackling this issue head-on. We're taking a deep…

4. 109. Many Gods - Live from Melbourne

   22 Oct 2023 · 47 min · S10 E4

   In this live episode, recorded at the Melbourne leg of the Undeceptions Conference, we ask: What did the first Christians mean when they proclaimed Jesus as God? How did this teacher, healer, and religious…

5. 108. The Multiverse

   15 Oct 2023 · 50 min · S10 E3

   The multiverse has become a popular cinema trope, but more and more astrophysicists are taking it seriously. Could there really be parallel universes? If so, does this mean there might be parallel Gods? What does this…

6. 107. She Believes

   8 Oct 2023 · 58 min · S10 E2

   Is the Bible bad news for women? Is Jesus misogynistic? Or - as some claim - were the teachings of Jesus in fact the basis of a revolutionary change in the way women were seen and treated across the ancient world, as…

7. 106. Deconstructing Faith

   1 Oct 2023 · 1 h 10 min · S10 E1

   To kick off season 10 of Undeceptions, we're exploring the new "threat" to the Christian faith - deconstruction. Deconstruction has become something of a buzzword in recent years, with many well-known Christians…

8. Single: If Jesus really did rise from the dead, then it would confirm everything

   28 Sep 2023 · 18 min · Bonus

   If Jesus was just a teacher who lived and died in first-century Palestine, Christianity would be a waste of time. But what if the miraculous were somehow true? What if this man really did rise from the dead, after…

9. Single: A compelling answer to the question "What's wrong with the world?"

   24 Sep 2023 · 20 min

   Most of us can agree that the world is a pretty messed up place. But what’s the problem with humanity? What’s wrong with the world? What’s causing all this crime, suffering, destruction and chaos? John Dickson brings…

10. Single: Christianity is about life to the full

    20 Sep 2023 · 19 min

    Many believe Christianity is all about following rules and not having any fun. However, this is a huge misunderstanding; Christianity is actually about living life to the fullest. John Dickson brings you part two of…

11. Single: It's worth thinking through what life's all about

    17 Sep 2023 · 20 min · Bonus

    Lots of people assume that Christianity is a nice story for kids or a niche hobby for weirdos. John Dickson brings you the words of his dear friend Ben Shaw, who invites sceptical readers to think again about the…

12. 105. Decoding Dreams

    2 Jul 2023 · 1 h 12 min · S9 E15

    Throughout history, humans have looked for hidden meanings behind dreams. But in this modern, scientific age, surely we don't believe dreams could hold spiritual significance anymore? God wouldn't speak to people…

13. 104. Question Answer IX

    25 Jun 2023 · 48 min · S9 E14

    Is there a place for pessimism in the Christian life? Is Halloween evil? Does God have 'mothering' characteristics, too? Why won't there be marriage in heaven? Yes, it's this season's Q&A episode, and John is having a…

14. 103. Blind Faith

    18 Jun 2023 · 1 h 11 min · S9 E13

    If we can make sense of our faith, is it really faith at all, or just a projection of what we want? Soren Kierkegaard, one of the most celebrated philosophers of the 19th century, asked the same question. With the help…

15. 102. Ancient Letters

    11 Jun 2023 · 1 h 09 min · S9 E12

    The Bible uses a very "human" way to communicate God's word: letter writing. But how do we know these letters - mostly written by the Apostle Paul - really are God's word? How could it be that the divine would speak…

16. 101. Keller's Legacy

    4 Jun 2023 · 1 h 14 min · S9 E11

    In memory of Timothy James Keller (1950-2023). This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at…

17. 100. Saving Nature

    28 May 2023 · 1 h 03 min · S9 E10

    Is nature inherently valuable if there is no God? According to one scientist, without faith, that's an almost impossible question to answer. But if there is a design to it all? That changes everything - including how…

18. 99. Overcoming Apathy

    21 May 2023 · 58 min · S9 E9

    Apathy has seeped into every part of society. We've become a "Seinfeldian culture"; alive to the trivial, and numb to the meaningful. How can we find ways to care more, and how might Christianity's history of grappling…

19. 98. Dorothy L. Sayers

    14 May 2023 · 1 h 00 min · S9 E8

    Dorothy L. Sayers was much more than a celebrated detective novelist - she was a Christian playwright and author who brought the message of the Gospels to millions of people in everyday, easy-to-understand language. A…

20. 97. The Apocalypse

    7 May 2023 · 1 h 04 min · S9 E7

    There aren’t many parts of the Bible that excite the imagination more than its thrilling climax in the book of Revelation. Amidst the imagery, fantasy and controversy, how do we sort truth from fiction? This season of…

21. 96. Medical Miracles

    30 Apr 2023 · 1 h 04 min · S9 E6

    Is there room for the supernatural and the advancing world of medicine? According to some scientists - absolutely! This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video…

22. 95. With Beth

    23 Apr 2023 · 58 min · S9 E5

    An hour with acclaimed speaker and church leader Beth Moore. This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at…

23. 94. Venerable Bede

    16 Apr 2023 · 1 h 16 min · S9 E4

    Introducing The Venerable Bede: Father of English history and the most brilliant polymath you've never heard of. This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video…

24. 93. The Crucifixion

    6 Apr 2023 · 1 h 12 min · S9 E3

    Why did Jesus have to die? Why did it have to be such a violent death? And what on earth does the death of Jesus on a cross such a long time ago have to do with us today? This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by…

25. 92. The Reformation II

    2 Apr 2023 · 1 h 15 min · S9 E2

    Is there still something to celebrate about the Reformation, or is it, as many claim, the root of Christian division and conflict? This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on…

26. 91. The Reformation I

    26 Mar 2023 · 1 h 07 min · S9 E1

    The Reformation: one of the greatest ruptures in European history, a rupture that permanently split the church, triggered wars, created new city-states, and even led, in the opinion of many experts, to the…

27. Ahistoric Age

    20 Mar 2023 · 9:14 · Bonus

    "We know less than ever about history and are losing the ability to grapple with the ethical complexities of the past - the entwining of good and evil - in the same historical figure, or empire."

28. 90. Jesus Quests

    15 Jan 2023 · 1 h 06 min · S8 E10

    This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's Masterlectures. Get 50% off your first three month subscription with the code 'Undeceptions50'. Visit the undeceptions.com for more content, including…

29. 89. Question Answer VIII

    8 Jan 2023 · 1 h 00 min · S8 E9

    This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's Masterlectures. Get 50% off your first three month subscription with the code 'Undeceptions50'. QUESTIONS • Why did Jesus come during the Ancient…

30. 88. Beautiful Science

    1 Jan 2023 · 1 h 17 min · S8 E8

    The more we learn about the world, the more we see how it operates under elegant laws. There is an order to the universe that betrays the randomness you so often hear about. This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by…

31. 87. Old Christ

    25 Dec 2022 · 58 min · S8 E7

    There’s no such thing as a “New Testament Christian”. While the popular scepticism about parts of the Old Testament is understandable, we're convinced by the arguments of our guest today: Christ isn’t just the hero of…

32. 86. First Noel (second time around)

    18 Dec 2022 · 47 min · S8 E6

    ‘Tis the podcast before Christmas, so we’re diving into the fairy lights and tinsel to uncover some of the myths of Christmas - things you might have thought were true but aren’t. And we’ll look at a few of the common…

33. 85. Lewis' Narnia

    11 Dec 2022 · 1 h 11 min · S8 E5

    You might think the Chronicles of Narnia are just for kids. But scholars have discovered some amazing historical, literary, and theological keys in the stories that Lewis never talked about openly, and that bind the 7…

34. 84. Byzantine Empire

    4 Dec 2022 · 1 h 17 min · S8 E4

    The Byzantine capital, Constantinople, was famously fortified with an impenetrable three-wall network, which preserved it from foreign conquest for centuries. But the Byzantine Empire doesn’t have to be impenetrable to…

35. 83. Time Matters

    27 Nov 2022 · 1 h 13 min · S8 E3

    This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's new book Bully Pulpit by Michael J. Kruger. How we think about time, the value we give to the three parts of time (past, present, and future) really…

36. 82. On Animals

    20 Nov 2022 · 1 h 19 min · S8 E2

    We’re talking all things animals in this episode, starting with why God would create a world that seems to embed animal suffering into the fabric of things. And we’ll get to some practical questions too: do animals go…

37. 81. Lewis' Oxford

    13 Nov 2022 · 1 h 19 min · S8 E1

    This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's Master Lecture series by Russ Ramsey, Rembrandt is in the Wind. Click here to get 50% off your first 3 months subscription with the code UNDECEPTIONS50.…

38. Really Old? Single

    6 Nov 2022 · 15 min · Bonus

    From John Dickson: While we’re working hard on our next Season of Undeceptions, I’ve asked the Rev Dr George Athas to have a chat to you about how we can be sure our old stuff - artefacts we’ve found from thousands of…

39. In Christ single

    30 Oct 2022 · 10 min · Bonus

    One of the surprises when we turn the pages of the New Testament is how little the word “Christian” actually comes up. Given this is the book for Christians you’d expect it to be littered with the words “Christian” and…

40. 80. Critical Theory

    4 Sep 2022 · 1 h 06 min · S7 E10

    The basic aim of ‘critical theory’ is to make visible the hidden structures of a culture, so as to critique society and then, in the best forms of critical theory, bring about improvements. Our guest today reckons the…

41. 79. Question Answer VII

    28 Aug 2022 · 46 min · S7 E9

    It's our seasonal Q&A episode and there are actually quite a few curly questions about the future of the universe, heaven, as well as plenty of other questions about a bewildering range of topics, some of which push…

42. 78. Scientific Imagination

    21 Aug 2022 · 1 h 05 min · S7 E8

    It may just be that science is an imaginative, creative, and emotive enterprise, just as it is obviously a rational, mathematical, evidence-based discipline. Which, to John Dickson's mind - and that of our expert guest…

43. 77. Bookish Religion?

    14 Aug 2022 · 1 h 07 min · S7 E7

    We take a closer look at 15 words that are often misunderstood, or sometimes forgotten. And my guest today reckons these words communicate the heart and soul of the New Testament, of the Christian faith, of God…

44. 76. Against Euthanasia

    7 Aug 2022 · 1 h 26 min · S7 E6

    This episode, we’re laying out the best arguments for and against legalising euthanasia and asking: What view of the human person should a good society embody in its laws? This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by…

45. 75. Global Christianity

    31 Jul 2022 · 1 h 02 min · S7 E5

    The death of religion was the conventional wisdom in the social sciences during most of the twentieth century. Turns out, they were wrong. Religion is not dead. It’s still here. Actually, it’s growing. This episode of…

46. 74. Medieval Science

    24 Jul 2022 · 1 h 06 min · S7 E4

    The period 500 to 1500 - the Middle Ages - was anything but dark. In fact, it was one of the most lively periods in world history. This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's new book The Beauty…

47. 73. On Buddhism

    17 Jul 2022 · 1 h 14 min · S7 E3

    Buddhism probably takes the prize today for World’s Most Lovable Religion. But is this widespread appreciation of Buddhism matched by widespread understanding? This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan…

48. 72. The Flood

    10 Jul 2022 · 59 min · S7 E2

    This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan’s new book Global Christianity: A Guide to the World’s Largest Religion from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe by Gina Zurlo. Visit the undeceptions.com for more content,…

49. 71. Emotional Intelligence

    3 Jul 2022 · 1 h 01 min · S7 E1

    This episode was sponsored by Zondervan Academic's book Bully Pulpit by Michael J. Kruger. Visit the undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode. Follow the show on Facebook,…

50. Ben's Song

    16 Jun 2022 · 17 min · Bonus

    The song 'Christmas Time' was written by John's mate Ben Shaw, with some help from John himself. We recorded Ben’s beautiful guitar parts just 4 weeks before he died of cancer. Ben was on this podcast a couple of…