Undeceptions with John Dickson
184 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago - ★★★★★ - 253 ratingsEvery 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’.
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Episodes
Intersectional Jesus
September 19, 2021 19:00 - 11 minutes - 16.2 MBAuthor and highly sought-after speaker Sam Allberry talks us through 'intersectionality' and ponders the wisdom and boundaries of this way of bestowing moral authority. "Just as those who stand at an intersection can see in more directions than those who don't, so too - according to this thinking - those at the intersection of multiple minority and victim groups have more insight to bring to society."
Nine Eleven Single
September 10, 2021 14:01 - 26 minutes - 37 MBToday is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a series of coordinated terrorist strikes in the US that killed almost 3000 people and changed the world forever. Our guest for this single, Hans Kunnen, was one of several Australians in New York that day and has told his story many times over the last 20 years. But what struck us about his story was not how close he was to the action, or how he described the flames, the smoke, the hurtling bodies. It is how he talks about the ...
The Terror Single
September 06, 2021 04:29 - 9 minutes - 13.6 MBOn the anniversary of the France's Reign of Terror, John asks where we got the idea that three centuries of the Spanish Inquisition represented the height of human cruelty. In any objective history of human violence it would hardly rate a mention, especially when it stands alongside the terrors of the French Revolution.
Pro Life
August 15, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 176 MB** We’re talking about abortion in this episode, and occasionally we mention sexual abuse and violence. Nothing graphic, we promise. But some listeners may find what follows distressing. Be safe. ** We're weighing up the arguments of the Pro Choice and Pro Life movements. Perhaps we can convince you that the case against abortion - the pro-life case - isn’t as dumb and mean as it's often portrayed to be, and nor does it depend on religious dogma. This episode is sponsored by Zonde...
Ask Anything IV
August 08, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 146 MBIt's this season's Q&A episode, where listeners get a chance to ask John Dickson their burning questions. This episode is sponsored by Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew About the Bible by Michael F Bird, a new book published by Zondervan. QUESTIONS Is all “music” at its best good or beautiful and at worst simply neutral; or can some “music” be “bad”, “evil” or “ungodly”? (Check out our two episodes on music from Season 3: Creation's Music and Discordant Religion). Are there d...
Everyday Sacred
August 01, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 140 MBJust when you imagine Christians are all so heavenly minded they’re of no earthly use … the Bible itself brings us back to the earth. That’s where the action is. In fact, the final great scene of the Bible doesn’t have us all floating up to heaven. It has heaven coming down to earth. Down … to … earth. There’s a lot in that phrase. As far as religions go, Christianity is arguably the most down-to-earth perspective you could imagine. LINKS Winnie The Pooh loves honey in the bo...
The Exodus
July 25, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 151 MBThe parting of the red sea is legendary today … and most people treat it as just that … legend. Like many things in the Bible, the exodus from Egypt (recorded in the book Old Testament book of Exodus) is looked on with great scepticism by secular scholars - and some Christian scholars even. It’s understandable. The existence of Moses, mighty prophet and prince of Egypt. The ten plagues that devastated that ancient civilisation. The blood of the passover lamb protecting the house...
Christian Revolution
July 18, 2021 19:00 - 56 minutes - 130 MBWe all know Christianity thrives on ignorance, sunk us all into the dark ages, and has resisted human rights and equality for most of its 1500 year reign. What have the Christians ever done for us? Our guest today - who says he’s not a believing Christian - reckons many of us have things completely back to front. It’s Christianity, he insists, that gave us many of the secular humanitarian ideals we hold so dear. LINKS This episode was sponsored by Zondervan's new book Person of ...
The best of Remembering Women
July 11, 2021 14:01 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBJohn Dickson is taking a bit of a break to grieve the passing of his friend, Ben Shaw. So, in the interim, Producer Kaley and Director Mark have decided to choose their favourite Undeceptions episodes to drop into your podcast feed for two weeks. Week number two is brought to you by Director Mark. He has chosen to re-share the Remembering Women episode. John visits Dr. Lynne Cohick to chat about how early Christians valued and celebrated women in the first centuries of the church....
The best of Old Papers
July 04, 2021 14:01 - 43 minutes - 59.7 MBJohn Dickson is taking a bit of a break to grieve the passing of his friend, Ben Shaw. So, in the interim, Producer Kaley and Director Mark have decided to choose their favourite Undeceptions episodes to drop into your podcast feed in the next two weeks. Producer Kaley's favourite is the very first episode of Undeceptions, called ‘Old Papers’. It harks back to a time when we were allowed to travel overseas, and John visited the University of Michigan’s Papyrology department to get...
Facing Death Single
June 27, 2021 14:01 - 14 minutes - 20.5 MBBen Shaw and John Dickson were friends since childhood, became Christians together in their teens, formed a rock and roll band in their 20s, and went on to study theology and minister in the fields God opened up to them. The death of Ben Shaw has provided John with an opportunity to reflect on the sort of book his best friend felt was worth using his last months to write, and the spiritual lessons he has learned from decades of standing beside him.
Unhealthy Anger Single
June 20, 2021 14:01 - 13 minutes - 18.1 MBJohn Dickson invites solicitor and social commentator Stephanie Kate Judd to offer an opinion on the sexism that simultaneously abuses and silences women. Outrage, she says, is an appropriate response to significant wrongdoing, but unchecked rage can corrode the very hearts that feel that injustice most keenly. Instead, Stephanie suggests a way in which we can confront a problem but still keep our anger healthy.
Teenage Jesus
June 13, 2021 19:00 - 44 minutes - 103 MBJesus was once a teenage boy, right? Was he a rascal? Who did he hang out with? Was he considered the ancient equivalent of a jock, a cool kid, a nerd, or something else? And how on earth did he get through the normal teenage years of angst and still be … the perfect incarnation of God? There’s a bit of speculation about teenage Jesus. And we promise to cover all the evidence for it in this episode. LINKS This episode is brought to you by Zondervan's new Bible commentary on the...
Big Porn
June 06, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 84 MBFor every voice decrying the evils of pornography, there’s another that says it’s healthy, part of our freedom of expression, “sex positive”! So, which is it? LINKS This epidoe of Undeceptions is brought to you by Zondervan’s new commentary on the book of Exodus by Christopher Wright. Meet our guest, Melinda Tankard Reist, and find out more about the Collective Shout Movement that she founded. Meet our other guests, Professor William Struthers and Simon Camilleri Read more on ...
God's War II
May 30, 2021 18:00 - 46 minutes - 63.7 MBThis is the second part of our two-part series on the Crusades. For Part One, click here. A brutal slaughter at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem marked the end of the first crusade. The Crusaders had recaptured Jerusalem and the Holy Lands. They had regained control and care of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, probably medieval Christianity’s most sacred site, built over what was believed to be Jesus’ empty tomb. Their job was done and most of the crusaders packed up and went hom...
God's War I
May 23, 2021 18:00 - 46 minutes - 63.6 MBThis is the first of a two part episode on The Crusades. Over nine hundred years after the launch of the first Crusade, world leaders are still invoking their memory to explain ongoing conflict. But how plausible is that? Chances are, whether you're a Christian or a skeptic, what you think you know about the Crusades is wrong. Or so says our guest for this episode. What were the Crusades? How did they start? What did they achieve? Why did they stop? And does their shadow real...
Religious Freedom
May 16, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 84.9 MBLINKS Get to know our guest Professor Robert Wilken This episode is sponsored by Zondervan's new book, The Problem of Jesus by Mark Clark Read Robert Wilken's latest book Liberty in the Things of God: The Christian Origins of Religious Freedom More on the Edict of Milan, in which Constantine declared: “Freedom and full liberty has been granted in accordance with the peace of our times to exercise free choice in worshipping as each one has seen fit. This has been done by us so th...
Guilty Conscience
May 09, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBGuilt is a big topic - there is so much to say. Like the feeling of guilt itself, it is layered. We deal with guilt on an individual level and on a societal one. “Guilt is a religious problem which interests theologians, a social problem which interests sociologists and a psychological problem which interests psychologists,” wrote psychotherapist and theologian, Paul Tournier, in his book Guilt and Grace. People sometimes speak of ‘religious guilt’ or ‘Catholic guilt’ and it’...
Mental Health
May 02, 2021 19:00 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MBPerhaps you’ve heard it before - religion is bad for your mental health. It triggers feelings of guilt, self-loathing and bigotry. But, actually, there are many ways in which the opposite is true. Karen Pang's story is testament to that, which you'll hear in this episode. There’s also a growing body of research - authoritative, real-life, peer-reviewed research - that reports a significant benefit to wellbeing if you are religious. That’s right. You are more healthy if you are ...
Unknown Soldier Single
April 25, 2021 14:01 - 12 minutes - 16.7 MBIt is the day after ANZAC Day, that occasion when Australians and New Zealanders commemorate those who died in the defence of our country. At a time like this, it is worth considering the inscription bourne by many military tombstones across the world - 'Unknown Soldier - Known Unto God'. This is not just a way of saying, "We don't know who he is; I guess God does." It has a profound meaning about the peculiar way in which God knows His creatures.
The Troubles Single
April 18, 2021 14:01 - 13 minutes - 18.5 MBCritics of Christianity have often pointed to The Troubles in Northern Ireland as proof that, "Religion ruins everything." But how accurate is the statement? How accurate is it to even label The Troubles a religious conflict? John Dickson shares a chapter of his upcoming book, Bullies And Saints, on how the Troubles got started and how Christianity helped to bring them to an end. Click here to order a copy of John Dickson's Bullies and Saints.
Western Fundamentalism Single
April 11, 2021 23:02 - 16 minutes - 22.2 MBGordon Menzies advised the federal government on the deregulation of the Australian dollar, underlining his credentials when it came to liberalism. However, his new book titled 'Western Fundamentalism' suggests a more conservative way of seeing the world. He tells John Dickson, though, that a Christian is capable of rejecting definitions of both left and right to forge a distinctly different path.
American Soul Single
April 04, 2021 14:01 - 11 minutes - 15.5 MBDr. Laurel Moffatt rejoins the Undeceptions team to consider the state of the American soul. Researchers have revealed that this nation of the bold and the free is now united more by the things that its citizens hate than those they love. Is there any way out of this emotional and moral quagmire? Dr. Moffatt thinks so.
Still Cancer Single
March 28, 2021 13:01 - 20 minutes - 27.8 MBHow do you face the rapidly approaching end of a battle with cancer? In Series 2, Episode 13 of Undeceptions, John Dickson met up with his friend Ben Shaw to discuss his recent diagnosis of that dreaded disease. The It's Cancer episode raised serious questions about what place pain has in a world created by a good God. Now, in the run-up to Easter, John returns to ask Ben if the call to face cancer has brought on new spiritual insights.
Racist Church
January 10, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBSome would argue that Christianity itself is racist. Given the sweep of history, this is a charge that has to be confronted. So we’re going to speak to a couple of people who, despite all the things the church has done wrong -- and continues to do wrong -- and despite all the things the church should be doing but just isn’t - still see Christ as Lord. They are still part of the church. They still think Christianity is beautiful, even if parts of the church are not. You as listen...
100 Pages
January 03, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 95.7 MBPerhaps you’re sceptical, perhaps you’re just undecided - our challenge for you for 2021 is: read at least 100 pages of the Bible. This book has shaped much of our world. It would be great to think that you’ve got your head around at least 100 pages, as an adult, with all your grownup questions activated. Yes, the Bible is weird. It’s got wars, bizarre laws, talking snakes, perhaps even a unicorn or two, slavery, misogyny, and much more. But there is way to read this stuff, and ...
Ask Anything III
December 27, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBYou 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 Good Place, TV show: how points are scored in life The Rebel, by Albert Camus QUESTIONS ...
World's End
December 20, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 97.7 MBChristianity 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 us are more interested than ever - especially this year! - in how the world will end. ...
Danger: Proselytising
December 13, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 87.8 MBProselytise: 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 Zondervan's MasterLecture Series. LINKS Find out more about our guest, Dr Sam Chan A...
Homo Deus
December 06, 2020 18:00 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MBTranshumanism 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 being THAT guy by Sam Chan. LINKS Meet Professor John Lennox Get Professor Lennox’s ...
Artificial Intelligence
November 29, 2020 18:00 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MB"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, a step towards our own destruction. This episode, with the help of the great John L...
Canon Fodder
November 22, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 89.8 MBHow 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 the bottom of how it was created. This episode of Undeceptions is brought to you by...
Childish God
November 15, 2020 18:00 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBFor 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 argue. Research from the last 20 years indicates that thoughts about God aren’t by-prod...
Discordant Religion
November 08, 2020 18:00 - 58 minutes - 80.4 MBIn 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 How to Talk about Jesus (without being that guy) by Sam Chan. LINKS: Find out more ...
Creation's Music
November 01, 2020 13:02 - 54 minutes - 126 MBWhat 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 Theology by Michael F Bird. LINKS: Find out more about our guest Professor Dr Jeremy...
Good Earth
October 25, 2020 18:00 - 58 minutes - 133 MBWhether 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 thanks to Zondervan Academic, our show sponsor, publishers of How To Fight Racism by J...
Bible Mistakes
October 19, 2020 01:38 - 56 minutes - 129 MBIn 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 they were written by. Or claim that many of the letters written by Paul that appear in...
Introducing Season 3 of Undeceptions
October 14, 2020 03:47 - 4 minutes - 4.49 MBWe'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 the world.
Tax Free Single
October 04, 2020 13:01 - 13 minutes - 19.1 MBJohn 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 find out.
Confederate Statues Single
September 27, 2020 14:01 - 10 minutes - 14.1 MBDr. 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 still standing?
Indigenous Slaves Single
September 20, 2020 14:01 - 11 minutes - 15.9 MBMatt 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.
Medieval Manumission Single
September 13, 2020 14:01 - 10 minutes - 14.2 MBEligius 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 concerned for the slaves around him, that his finery became the means for setting them free. ...
Freeing Slaves Single
September 06, 2020 14:01 - 9 minutes - 13.3 MBSt. 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 through a first hand account of what early Christians risked to save less fortunate men and...
First Abolitionist Single
August 30, 2020 14:01 - 7 minutes - 10.8 MBThe 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.
Swing Low Single
August 16, 2020 14:01 - 12 minutes - 17.4 MBJohn 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 clearly have done a lot more, a lot sooner.
Paddling Through Single
July 26, 2020 14:01 - 9 minutes - 13.5 MBDr. 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 can become your safest place.
Eternal Adieu Single
June 25, 2020 04:30 - 9 minutes - 13.3 MBA 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 stories of repentance Australia's colonial history has to offer, as well as a pointer...
LGBTI Christian
May 31, 2020 14:00 - 54 minutes - 124 MBRachel 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 is not her story. Rachel discovered that it was possible to walk a round that led betw...
Ask Anything II
May 24, 2020 23:00 - 55 minutes - 128 MBThe 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 and literalistic creationists want you to read Genesis the same way, but is there a ...
Remembering Women
May 17, 2020 14:00 - 59 minutes - 136 MBThis 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 Hughes) and Women in the World of the Earliest Christians. She paints a vivid picture for ...