Unbelievable? – Details, episodes & analysis

Free Will Dilemmas: Determinism vs. Compatibilism Are we the masters of our fate or just dancing to the universe's tune? 🤔 This week on Premier Unbelievable, Ruth Jackson moderates a gripping debate on one of philosophy’s oldest questions: Do we truly have free will? Highlights: Freedom or Illusion? What does it really mean to act freely? Can science give us all the answers?Desire vs. Force: Are our choices genuinely our own, or just outcomes of external pressures?Responsibility: If free will is an illusion, how do we justify crime and punishment?Guest Spotlight: Dr. Alex Carter: A Cambridge philosopher who believes free will and determinism can coexist.Alex O'Connor (Cosmic Skeptic): A well-known advocate of determinism, arguing that our decisions are shaped by prior causes.Prepare to have your views challenged on freedom, responsibility, and human choice. 🎧✨ And stay tuned—Dr. Vince Vitale will soon offer a powerful rebuttal to these arguments! 👉 Join the conversation and get exclusive content at www.premierunbelievable.com 🎉📢 SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: https://twitter.com/unbelievablefe Facebook: / https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Instagram: / https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: / https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/courses • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Get ready for an electrifying round two on Unbelievable? Podcast. ⚡️ We’re thrilled to welcome back two dynamic debaters 🤩 Dr. Sharon Dirckx, a brain imaging scientist and author of several books on suffering, including Why? Looking at God, Evil, and Personal Suffering, and Stephen Woodford, better known as Rationality Rules, a prominent atheist YouTuber with a focus on debunking religious claims. Now, they’re back to challenge our thinking once more in a debate that took place earlier this summer at Aylesbury High School with Aylesbury Youth For Christ. What are your thoughts on the debate? Are there additional questions you want us to tackle? Get in touch at www.premierunbelievable.com For Sharon Dirckx: https://www.dirckx.org/ and her book on natural evil is available https://amzn.to/3T0k06S For Stephen Woodford: http://www.youtube.com/@rationalityrules • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/courses • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Ever find yourself asking tough questions of God? Struggling to see His goodness and wondering, "Are you really there, God?" 🤔🙏 Our 'No Question Off Limits' panels are here to tackle these tough questions head-on. We've teamed up with Spring Harvest and invited questions, especially from young people. In the hot seat were author and public theologian Amy Orr-Ewing, along with two Christian emergency room doctors, Ben Thomas and Ben Chang. We had an amazing time, and there are even more questions to come! 🚀💬 And check out our earlier two shows https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-sexuality-miracles-and-evolution-tackling-tough-questions-no-question-off-limits/17791.article https://www.premierunbelievable.com/unbelievable/unbelievable-no-question-off-limits-live-qanda-with-amy-orr-ewing-jesse-fellingham-ben-thomas-and-ruth-jackson/17728.article • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From February 2015: Joshua Ryan Butler, author of 'The Skeletons in God's Closet' discusses hell, judgement and holy war with Jeff Cook. They debate whether Old Testament warfare passages constitute divinely mandated genocide. For Joshua Butler: http://joshuaryanbutler.com For Jeff Cook: http://everythingnew.org/ • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://pod.link/267142101 • More shows, free eBook & newsletter: https://premierunbelievable.com • For live events: http://www.unbelievable.live • For online learning: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/training • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

As the world marks Darwin's bicentenary, Nick Spencer of Christian thinktank Theos and author of the book "Darwin & God" explains where Darwin actually stood in relation to belief in God. Although Darwin lost his Christian faith he was never an atheist. Atheist biologist Robert Stovold argues that Darwin's "Big Idea" paves the way to atheism. Denis Alexander of the Faraday Institute also contributes arguing that belief in God and Evolution are complementary.

Order " Darwin and God" (SPCK) by Nick Spencer

For more christian/non-Christian debate visit www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the podcast

If you enjoyed this programme you may also want to listen to:

29 Nov 2008 - Creation or Evolution - Do we have to choose?

21 Jun 2008 - Keith Ward on "The Big Questions in Science and Religion": Why Christians CAN believe in evolution.

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.

"The Atheist's Bible" (Duckworth & Co) has been a bestseller in the USA. It brings together a mass of quotes from atheists, agnostics and more. Its compiler Joan Konner speaks to Justin Brierley about why she put it together and her own thoughts on atheism. She interacts with Christian apologist Peter Williams whose own book "The Sceptic's Guide to Atheism" (Paternoster) has just been published.

Joan and Peter debate whether atheism has some fundamental faith assumptions of its own, as Peter argues that atheistic naturalism is a self-defeating notion. Joan argues that Christianity is arrogant in its exclusive claims.

For Joan Konner see: http://joanwkonner.com/

For Peter Williams see: http://www.arn.org/authors/williams.html

Check out the "Unbelievable?" web page to listen to more programmes and get the podcast www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable

For more Christian/atheist interactions check out - 25 Aug 2007 "Deluded by Dawkins?"; 3 Nov 2007 "The New Atheism"; 26 Jan 2008 "Do we need God to be good?"

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.

On this week's show (17 Jan 09) two New Testament scholars go head to head. Michael Bird is a believer, James Crossley is not. They have different conclusions about how the Christian faith began and have written a dialogue in their new book "How Did Christianity Begin - a believer and non-Believer examine the evidence".

In today's programme they debate whether Jesus himself beliived he was God, as revealed in the Gospels. They go onto discuss whether the bodily resurrection of Jesus is a plausible explanation for the birth of the early church.

"How did Christianity begin? A believer and non-believer examine the Evidence" is published by SPCK"

Order it online at www.premier.org.uk/shopping

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.

Justin is joined for the seond time by New Testament scholars Michael F Bird And James G Crossley.  Their book "How Did Christianity begin? A believer and non-believer examine the evidence" gives rival accounts of the cause of Christianity and its beliefs.  This week they debate whether Paul believed Jesus was God and whether we can trust the Gospel portrayals of him.

Order the book at www.premier.org.uk/shopping

For Bird see http://euangelizomai.blogspot.com/

For Crossley see http://earliestchristianhistory.blogspot.com/

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.

On the surface Christadelphians look very similar to Christians - they read the same Bible, go to church, believe Jesus died for our sins and rose again. So what's the difference between a Christian and a Christadelphian?

Justin finds out from Christadelphian Andrew Bramhill and Baptist pastor Ken Brownell. Find out why Christadelphians don't believe in the Trinity or Jesus as the Son of God in the same way that Christians do, and why they believe that baptism is a necessary part of being saved.

Interested in discussion between Christians and those of other sects? Check out 8 Sep 2007 - Mormonism & Christianity; 9 Feb 2008 - Bahai faith & Christianity.

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.

Bart Ehrman lost his faith altogether when he confronted the problem of how a loving, powerful God can allow suffering.  In his new book "God's Problem" he states that the Bible contains different and unconvincing explanations to the issue.

Richard Swinburne is a reknowned Christian philosopher.  He answers Bart's objections with arguments from his own book "Providence and the Problem of Evil".

To hear more discussions between Christians and non-Christians go to www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable. Join the discussion on the Premier Community www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable.