Undeceptions with John Dickson

Latest Episodes:

135. Intelligible Universe Aug 26, 2024

Show notes

Famed Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once (well, several times actually) claimed Christianity was irreconcilable with the science of the Universe.

But there's plenty of scholars who beg to differ.

Recorded live in Brisbane at the State Library of Queensland.

(01:08) - Show begins
(05:42) - Introducing Peter Harrison
(08:41) - Did we used to have more Christian scientists?
(21:30) - Introducing Sarah Sweet and Luke Barnes
(23:23) - Is there room for the supernatural in science?
(36:25) - 5 Minute Jesus
(46:02) - Do we live in a finely tuned universe?
(53:33) - What we've learned - and unlearnt - from science recently
(01:00:02) - How far could science take us?

134. History Wars Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

Is history under threat?

Increasingly, the modern, individualistic global West is coming to see history as a discipline that's irrelevant, harmful, and divisive.

Some are worried that we're becoming increasingly disconnected from a broader story.

Can the past help us navigate our modern world? Or is it better if we let it fade into a "dark age"?

(00:11) - What do you call a collective of historians?
(05:40) - Why does history matter?
(08:12) - What makes a good historian?
(10:49) - Historical culture wars
(14:32) - An Ahistoric Age
(16:44) - Is history irrelevant?
(18:59) - Historical ignorance
(24:46) - Recovering facts from framing
(30:11) - Looking back but moving forward
(33:41) - Priests of History
(35:56) - Sarah encounters rational faith
(44:24) - The perks of Biblical meditation
(47:02) - Make tradition cool again
(47:52) - 5 Minute Jesus
(54:07) - Why take history seriously in 2024?
(58:19) - The good guys of history's bad Empires

133. Why Trust? Aug 12, 2024

Show notes

Trust is everywhere. It underpins our institutions, our health, and our relationships. However, experts are worried that the world is facing a trust crisis. If so much of our lives depend on it, what could happen if trust starts to break?

In this episode, we spend some time talking about institutional church abuse. Check the time codes below if it would be helpful to skip past this section.

39:15 - Section begins
42:23 - Regular interview resumes

132. True Crime Aug 05, 2024

Show notes

True Crime is one of the most popular genres of film, podcasting, literature, and TV worldwide.

We are obsessed with tales of the morbid, dark, and most importantly, true.

As one cold-case detective believes, we can't get enough true crime because of what it teaches us about our human nature.

But that same detective found that these lessons on humanity could also be found in - what was for him - the unlikeliest place: The Bible.

131. English Language Jul 29, 2024

Show notes

Half a billion people alive today speak English as their first language. But how you speak English depends on where you live, where you come from, and how it was taught to you. It's truly a universal language. So - what's its history? If this is the language that has done the most to spread Christianity (as some claim), how have its quirks influenced our understanding of the Bible?

130. On Augustine Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

There's a reason our guests have mentioned Augustine more than any other theologian or philosopher. St Augustine of Hippo was an intellectual giant whose shadow still hangs over Christianity and the Western philosophical tradition. But not everyone loves him. To some, he's a misogynistic pessimist whose work we're better off without. So - what's the truth? It's finally time for Undeceptions to take a deep dive into Augustine.

SINGLE: On Persuasion Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Reasoning can take us to almost any conclusion we want. We ask "Can I believe?" if we want to believe, or "Must I believe?" if we don't. We can persuade ourselves easily. Only through humility do we stand a chance of approaching something more in line with the truth.

SINGLE: Jazz Church Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Jazz is a genre of music steeped in tradition, culture, and most importantly, improvisation. According to some, the church can learn a few lessons from this wonderful art form.

129. American Evangelical May 27, 2024

Show notes

Evangelicalism has always been a politically loaded word - but especially since the turn of the century.

This is especially true of American evangelicalism.

But if we strip away all the nationalistic and political weight, what is evangelicalism? What makes the American strain of evangelicalism particularly unique? How does it compare to other types of evangelicalism?

128. Question Answer XI May 20, 2024

Show notes

John faces down some of our most diverse - and controversial - questions yet. What's the deal with circumcision? Why does John hate the term apologetics so much? Is Director Mark sick of John picking on him all the time?

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