188. The Pagans

Can we really trust that the New Testament we read today matches what was originally written 2,000 years ago?In this episode, textual critic Dirk Jongkind dives into the fascinating world of ancient manuscripts, scribal errors, and how we trace the history of the Bible.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Undeceptions. Look Deeper.

The question of whether the universe has a beginning – or, more properly, a ‘foundation’ – and what that origin might be, has been the bread and butter of philosophers since the beginning of philosophy. The search for a ‘first cause’ is not necessarily a purely religious one.We’re tracing this big idea from Plato and Aristotle through early Christian scholars like John Philoponus, Islamic thinkers, and Thomas Aquinas, up to modern physics. And we’re asking one of the biggest questions there is: “Why is there something rather than nothing?”

The modern world was supposed to leave magic behind. But a new generation is searching for enchantment in paganism, folklore, and the supernatural. What’s driving this spiritual interest? Is it a doorway to darker practices, or could it lead somewhere unexpected — even back to Christianity?

What in the world do we do about slavery in the Bible?We shouldn’t rush to William Wilberforce and the Christian abolitionists so quickly that we gloss over an uncomfortable fact: Christians really did use the Bible to keep slaves in their place.Secular thinkers defended slavery using science, philosophy, politics, economics, and pragmatism. But there’s no doubt many Christians provided moral cover by quoting passages from the Old Testament that seem to endorse slavery, and passages from the New Testament that, at the very least, seem to put up with it.Professor Esau McCaulley and our friends at International Justice Mission join us for this last Undeceptions episode of the season to try and untangle this tricky topic.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

What do we do when we discover our so-called ‘Christian heroes’ did abhorrent things? What’s the difference between the soul and the spirit? Where does the idea of being a ‘missionary’ come from? Is the God of the Old Testament just a conglomeration of the gods from other cultures that came before? It’s our seasonal Q&A, and John Dickson is in the hot seat answering your questions. FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

We have a troubled relationship with disability. Even the term ‘disability’ is contested.Perhaps disability is something to inspire us. Or something that calls for our compassion. Or simply something to accept and let be.How should we think about disability? Should we be trying to cure it? And what about disability in Heaven?In this episode of Undeceptions, we’re unpacking our assumptions about disability, dignity, suffering and difference—and asking what it means to be fully human.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity has a bit to say about ‘forgiveness’, both on a theological and a sociological level.In short, God forgives us, and Christians are therefore called to extend this forgiveness to those who’ve wronged them.But this raises a lot of questions.What does forgiveness actually mean? How does it work? Does it involve forgetting wrongs? Can you forgive someone who isn't sorry? What about profound abuse and injustice?The Christian emphasis on forgiveness has shaped our civilisation. But does it still make sense?FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

John Lennox is one of Christianity’s greatest living “Undeceivers”. His Irish charm, kindness, and general approachability defuse even the most intense debates - and he’s had many intense debates in his lifetime (Dawkins! Hitchens!)Through it all, Lennox has had one great aim … and it’s the aim of our podcast … to uncover the truth and beauty of Christianity in a world that doesn’t know what to make of it.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Bible is full of tough texts that can be off-putting to the curious sceptic.But at its best, Christianity stands smiling in the ring of history, science, culture, ethics, and all the rest, and invites anyone to take a swing.Don’t let these tough texts put you off; treat them as an entry point to the Bible and, just maybe, you’ll be surprised by what else you find.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Almost everyone can remember the exact moment they gave up on mathematics.But for those who persist, many don’t just find maths useful; they find it beautiful.Some even go so far as to claim that mathematics is the ‘language of God’.FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERECREDITSUndeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed and edited by Mark Hadley. Sophie Hawkshaw is on socials and membership.Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher. Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.