Undeceptions with John Dickson artwork

Undeceptions with John Dickson

181 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 253 ratings

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’.

Religion Religion & Spirituality History religion history christianity jesus ancient apologetics faith ethics culture john dickson
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Episodes

The Resurrection

March 24, 2024 18:45 - 1 hour - 197 MB

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.

SINGLE: Holy Virginity

March 17, 2024 19:00 - 31 minutes - 72.1 MB

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.  

SINGLE: Cancel Culture

March 10, 2024 18:45 - 23 minutes - 54 MB

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.

French Atheism

January 14, 2024 18:45 - 1 hour - 179 MB

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? 

Question Answer X

January 07, 2024 18:45 - 1 hour - 155 MB

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!

12 Objects

December 31, 2023 18:45 - 1 hour - 150 MB

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.

Jewish Jesus

December 17, 2023 18:45 - 1 hour - 234 MB

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?

Holy Angels

December 10, 2023 18:45 - 57 minutes - 131 MB

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 Ridl...

On Tolkien

December 03, 2023 18:45 - 1 hour - 190 MB

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.

Medieval Jesus

November 26, 2023 18:00 - 53 minutes - 123 MB

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 ...

The Puritans

November 19, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 157 MB

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...

Cultural Christianity

November 12, 2023 22:49 - 1 hour - 171 MB

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. 

Growing Older

November 05, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

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 challenges that come with it?

Violent Faith

October 29, 2023 18:45 - 1 hour - 178 MB

"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 dive into the violence of the Bible - especially the Old Testament - and asking how is it that this God of judgement and war can be one and the same with the peace-loving Jesus Christ.  

Many Gods - Live from Melbourne

October 22, 2023 20:49 - 52 minutes - 119 MB

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 revolutionary come to be seen as divine?

The Multiverse

October 15, 2023 18:45 - 54 minutes - 125 MB

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 all mean for Christianity - if it's even real at all?

She Believes

October 08, 2023 21:09 - 1 hour - 145 MB

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 Christianity spread? Live from the Sydney leg of the Undeceptions conference comes this special episode, with John Dickson, Rebecca McLaughlin, and an audience of 600 Undeceivers taking a look at Jesus, through the eyes of the women who walked alongside Him.

Deconstructing Faith

October 01, 2023 22:25 - 1 hour - 172 MB

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 deconstructing their beliefs, and sometimes abandoning Christianity altogether. So what's going on? Can the claims of the Bible be trusted if they seemingly fall apart when we ask questions? Head to undeceptions.com for information on how to become an Undeceiver, get expa...

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

September 28, 2023 02:00 - 19 minutes - 27.1 MB

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 being publicly executed on a Roman cross outside the walls of Jerusalem? In the final episode of our 'singles' series, John Dickson brings you the words of his friend Ben Shaw, who invites sceptical listeners to think about the implications of Christianity's most startli...

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

September 24, 2023 20:00 - 21 minutes - 29.9 MB

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 you the words of his dear friend Ben Shaw, who on this special episode challenges us to see that what’s required to make meaningful change is a totally new heart, or, as Jesus taught, to be born again: to become a new person. 

Single: Christianity is about life to the full

September 20, 2023 20:00 - 20 minutes - 28.4 MB

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 his friend Ben Shaw's work about reconsidering the Christian faith, pointing out that for years, millions of people have misheard the beautiful lyrics of Christianity. 

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

September 17, 2023 20:00 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MB

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 million-dollar question: what is the meaning of this thing we call life?

Decoding Dreams

July 02, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 176 MB

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 through a medium as unreliable as dreams ... right? 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 con...

Question Answer IX

June 25, 2023 19:00 - 52 minutes - 121 MB

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 crack at a heap of listener questions. 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, in...

Blind Faith

June 18, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 175 MB

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 of two experts, we'll untangle his "answers" and discover how to take a leap of faith. This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undecept...

Ancient Letters

June 11, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 169 MB

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 through simple mail - and how can we trust it? 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 conte...

Keller's Legacy

June 04, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 180 MB

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 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: [email protected] Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Und...

Saving Nature

May 28, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 155 MB

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 we should treat the natural world. 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, includi...

Overcoming Apathy

May 21, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 144 MB

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 with apathy help us, whatever we believe? 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...

Dorothy L. Sayers

May 14, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 149 MB

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 true Undeceiver, it's high time we knew more about her. 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...

The Apocalypse

May 07, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 158 MB

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 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 ...

Medical Miracles

April 30, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 159 MB

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 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:...

With Beth

April 23, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 145 MB

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 zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions Visit the 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: [email protected] Undeceptions is the fla...

Venerable Bede

April 16, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 185 MB

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 courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions Visit the 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 / feedb...

The Crucifixion

April 06, 2023 02:49 - 1 hour - 177 MB

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 Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions Visit the undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitte...

The Reformation II

April 02, 2023 19:00 - 1 hour - 184 MB

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 MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptions Visit the 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 yo...

The Reformation I

March 26, 2023 22:55 - 1 hour - 166 MB

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 Enlightenment, Science, and the secularization of the West. It's such a big deal we’re going to take two whole episodes to examine it—and still only scratch the surface.  How did one man go from a pious local friar in an obscure backwater town to the leader of a global movement ...

Ahistoric Age

March 20, 2023 18:00 - 10 minutes - 25 MB

"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." 

Jesus Quests

January 15, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 163 MB

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 the full show notes for this episode. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Email the show with your comments / feedback: [email protected] Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com: Letting the truth out. Theme music: JS Bach's Ce...

Question Answer VIII

January 08, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 150 MB

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 period? I get why Jesus came (to fulfill God’s promises and save the world etc.) but why the specific time period and place? Why didn’t Jesus come in say, the medieval era? Or the 1900s? Why was it ancient Rome? In ‘The Flood’ episode, you talk of the story of the flood as...

Beautiful Science

January 01, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 189 MB

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 Zondervan Academic's Masterlectures. Get 50% off your first three month subscription with the code 'Undeceptions50'.  Visit the undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode. Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Em...

Old Christ

December 25, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 145 MB

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 the New Testament … He is everywhere in the Old Testament. 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, ...

First Noel (second time around)

December 18, 2022 18:00 - 51 minutes - 71.2 MB

‘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 challenges to the history of Christmas that aren’t as strong as our sceptical friends reckon. 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...

Lewis' Narnia

December 11, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 175 MB

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 stories together in a way only Lewis could have imagined. This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's Masterlectures. Check out Delores Morris' course Believing Philosophy. Get 50% off your first three month subscription with the code 'Undeceptio...

Byzantine Empire

December 04, 2022 19:04 - 1 hour - 188 MB

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 us, today.  This episode of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic's new book Five Views on Christ in the Old Testament, edited by Brian J. Tabb and Andrew M. King.  Visit the undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode...

Time Matters

November 27, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 178 MB

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 matters. And our special guest reckons it’s part of what makes for the good life. Visit the 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 / feedba...

On Animals

November 20, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 192 MB

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 to heaven? Is it OK to keep pets? And, should we all, actually, be vegetarian?

Lewis' Oxford

November 13, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 193 MB

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. Since their publication between 1950 and 1956, the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis have sold more than 100-million copies in 47 languages. And despite their dated references and sometimes controversial worldviews, they continue to sell over a million copies a yea...

Really Old? Single

November 06, 2022 18:00 - 16 minutes - 38.3 MB

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 years ago - is actually old. George is Director of Research, Old Testament and Hebrew at Moore Theological College in Sydney. We spoke to him at length for our super popular episode called ‘Between Testaments’, so go check that out if you haven’t heard it already. It’s...

In Christ single

October 30, 2022 18:00 - 11 minutes - 26.9 MB

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 “Christianity.”  But the word “Christian” only comes three times, whereas the language of being “in Christ” comes up over 200 times. It’s pretty much everywhere.

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