Undeceptions with John Dickson

You may not feel ready to experience heaven or hell quite yet but Undeceptions listeners certainly had a lot of questions about it! In this season’s Q&A episode, John Dickson attempts to answer at least some of the questions you’ve thrown at us this year.  This episode is brought to you by Zondervan Academic’s How NOT to read the Bible by Dan Kimball  LINKS What Dreams May Come trailer The Goo...

Christianity has plenty to say about the future and what the end of the world might look like -- though some think it says a lot more than others. Christians have, in fact, been accused of being obsessed with end times, so much so that they stop caring about the world they’re in right now. And sometimes that’s true.  But apocalyptic Christians aren’t the only ones dwelling on all this. Plenty of u...

Proselytise: to convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. Why are Christians such god-botherers? Is it possible to share your belief system with someone who doesn’t accept without being a jerk? Many people today would have you believe that there is no context in which proselytising could be considered a good thing.  This episode is supported by Zonde...

Transhumanism is the transformation of the human condition through sophisticated technologies that modify our physiology and intellect.  This episode, we continue our conversation about Artificial Intelligence with Professor John Lennox, and Dr.s Vicky Lorrimar and Grenville Kent. This episode is brought to you by series sponsor Zondervan Academic, publishers of How to talk about Jesus without bei...

"I'm all for technology being used in a good sense. I often say to people, AI is like a knife, a very sharp knife. You can use it to operate with, or you can use it to kill people." -- Professor John Lennox  Artificial Intelligence is the buzz phrase of the 21st century.  For some, it’s a welcome step into a future that promises all manner of good. For others, AI is damaging at best and, at worst,...

How did the New Testament actually come together? Some have argued that is a “chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents” that has been revised and ‘improved’ over centuries. Others have argued it is a deeply political document, created to quell rebellions and placate a growing and agitated movement.  Millions of people put their trust in the New Testament. It’s time to get to...

For years, people have argued that our minds’ natural default position is non-belief. Left to ourselves, we would never grow up thinking about God. Religion is, therefore, an imposition on the susceptible minds of children. Some have suggested that teaching kids about God comes close to a form of brain washing. Our guest for this episode, Justin Barrett, says that is actually getting harder to arg...

In Episode 28 (Creation's Music) we spoke with Jeremy Begbie and Kirsty Beilharz about how music can point us to God. But what if it's music we just don't like? What about music that's genuinely bad. Or dissonant. What is the purpose of that type of music? Can music that's really hard to listen to still point us to the divine?  Special thanks to Zondervan Academic, our show sponsor, publishers of...

What is music and what is it about music that stirs the human soul? Is it just a series of sound waves producing neurological responses … or could music be - as so many ancients believed - a signal from God? Join us for this episode as we take a look at the enduring love affair between music and the human heart.  Special thanks to Zondervan Academic, our show sponsor, publishers of Evangelical The...

Whether you’re a believer or doubter in Christianity, this episode is really more about whether you’re a ‘believer’ or ‘doubter’ in climate change … and the things that often lie behind such beliefs (hint: faith is just one factor!)  But, if you listen to Katharine, climate change shouldn’t be about belief anymore. It’s real. It’s happening. The question now is, what can we do about it?  Special t...

In the first episode of our third season, we're taking a close look at the New Testament - the second part of the Bible. Many scholars have pointed out historical inaccuracies in the gospels, or inconsistencies between the gospels that would surely call into question their reliability as sources for the historical Jesus. Some have suggested that the gospels weren't actually written by who we think...

We're back with a new season of Undeceptions. Join us as we chase down facts and explore the best arguments, to explode some of the myths about history, science, psychology, and the good life … and how it all relates to the Christian faith. This season, we're talking climate change, public health, why belief in God is natural, how music points to the divine, mistakes in the Bible, and … the end of...

John Dickson takes a deep dive into the murky world of church finances to discover the pagan ruler responsible for granting Christian congregations their special financial privileges. When the most powerful man in the world becomes a believer, things are definitely going to change. But what did this ruler actually have in mind when he gifted churches and clergy their tax free status? Press play to...

Dr. Laurel Moffatt makes a return to Undeceptions with a single aimed at making us consider the level of our indifference. The Black Lives Matter campaign has focussed America's attention on statues that commemorate the great military leaders and politicians of the slave-supporting Confederacy.  Should these symbols be taken down and our values rebuilt? Or would that leave a greater human failure...

Matt Andrews makes a guest appearance on Undeceptions, tackling the thorny topic of slavery in Australia. Have Aboriginals been enslaved at various times in Australia's history? Certainly. Was that the intention of its British leaders? Certainly not.  There are two key things to undeceived of here, but you'l have to click play to find out what they are.

Eligius of Noyon was a French jewellery smith of uncommon talent who counted royal families and the highest nobility amongst his clients. As a young man, his success allowed him to dress so exorbitantly, his sense of luxury made it into the history books. However when Eligius' attention turned from kingly clients to the Kingdom of God, an incredible transformation took place. He became so concerne...

St. Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo and the leader of the Christian church in a city that had become a hub in the ancient world's slave trade. He led his followers in an ambitious buy-back program for those captured by unscrupulous traders. But when church funds failed, these meek and mild believers didn't hold back from carrying out dangerous slave raids. Join John Dickson as he takes us throug...

The fourth century bishop, Gregory of Nyssa, led the charge on ending slavery centuries before modern champions like William Wilberforce and Frederick Douglass ever stepped on to the stage. His arguments regarding the value of human beings would fuel abolitionists and civil rights movements fifteen hundred years after he was dead.  If only we'd listened sooner.

John Dickson delves into the history of the abolition of slavery in the 19th century and discovers its deep roots in Christian theology. His investigations reveal secular claims that Christianity was a leading cause of slavery are without foundation. In fact, the campaign for freedom arose from a distinctly Christian world view that had existed for well over a thousand years. Yet the church could...

Dr. Laurel Moffatt is a writer and researcher based in Sydney, and a special guest for our Undeceptions 'Single' this week. On a recent kayaking trip, she discovered a connection between our desperate need for 'places of safety' during this pandemic, and international statistics that show a growing desire to communicate with the Almighty.  Leveraging the wisdom of Augustine, she shares how prayer...

A remarkable event occurred on this day at 11:30am, 25 June, 1788. The 21 year old convict, Samuel Peyton,  entered into eternity courtesy of the hangman's noose.  But unlike many of his convict comrades who suffered a similar fate, Peyton left behind a testament to his belief that, even in death, he was “firmly relying on the merits of a Blessed Redeemer.” Listen in for one of the most heartfelt...

Rachel Gilson says she grew up knowing two things instinctively: she was romantically attracted to women and Christians were NOT ok with that.  Smart, sophisticated, with a love for big ideas not small minds … Rachel Gilson sounds like she’s the poster girl for that common critique of Christianity - that it’s unhelpful and unhealthy for those with lesbian, gay, or bisexual orientations. But that i...

The end of the second season of Undeceptions is drawing night, so it's time to start unpacking all of the questions we've collected. This episode John Dickson tackles everything from is the Old Testament History to is the New Testament a re-write of Jesus' real perspective? If you enjoy listening to hosts squirm, you'll love season's two's Undeceptions Q and A. LINKS Both atheistic evolutionists a...

This episode, we’ll be zooming in on the early Christian women, for whom we have good evidence, and who had a profound impact on the church and its teaching in their time. Our guide is Dr. Lynn Cohick, who's written books on the topic, including Christian Women in the Patristic World: Their Influence, Authority, and Legacy in the Second through the Fifth Centuries (co-authored with Amy Brown Hughe...

Greg Sheridan cut his teeth at the legendary news magazine, The Bulletin , before moving on to the national daily newspaper, The Australian , where he’s been the foreign editor since 1982. John catches up to talk to him about Christianity's struggles in Australia and why, of all times, he would choose to out himself as a believer. However, Greg is not so glum on the future and underlines that beca...