Explore every episode of the podcast Undeceptions with John Dickson

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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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 HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions 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.

It’s high time for an episode on the fabulous Hildegard of Bingen.

This remarkable 12th-century nun’s work covered a vast amount of ground: she wrote about ecclesiastical history, science, medicine, botany, mineralogy and petrology, zoology and theology, mysticism, music, painting, and monastic architecture.

She was also a travelling preacher, visionary, and geopolitical manoeuvrer.

She’s now revered as a ‘Doctor of the Church’ - one of only 38 people awarded the title for their profound and lasting impact on Christian teaching.

Other Doctors include Augustine of Hippo, Gregory the Great, and the Venerable Bede. So, Hildegard is in good company.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

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. 

Our voice actors for this episode were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

The West might be becoming less ‘religious’, but according to many it’s becoming a lot more ’spiritual’.

In fact, “spiritual but not religious” is described as a “rapidly growing faith group” in America, with as many as 20 per cent of people falling into the category.

And yet, there’s nothing new about being spiritual but not religious; it’s been Christianity’s dancing partner – or maybe sparring partner - for thousands of years.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

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 is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

High performers - athletes, business professionals, artists, and the like - inspire and motivate us. They give us benchmarks to strive for and show us what sort of life we might lead if we were the “greatest of all time” in a given field.

But is striving to be the “greatest” actually good for us? Or does it do more harm than good?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

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CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, directed and edited by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

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 is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

Africa is home to over 1.5 billion people and some of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but it still faces vast challenges.

Thousands of missionaries have moved to Africa and made it their life’s work to help bring about change.

John speaks with one of them.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

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 is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com – letting the truth out.

War is a horror – so how has Christianity, in its classical tradition, approached the human reality of war? Can it ever be justified on spiritual grounds?

We looked at these questions in episode 55, ‘Just War’, back in 2021 - and given recent events, we thought now was a good time to revisit that episode.

Wes Huff has made the historical case for Christianity to an audience of millions on some of the biggest podcasts in the world, including the Joe Rogan Experience and Diary of a CEO. 

It’s fair to say he’s having a bit of a moment.

But is all this big-name podcast interest in Christianity evidence of something deeper? Is Christianity itself having more than just a moment?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Is it ok for a Christian to enjoy secular music?

Why did Jesus have to get baptised?

And how does the church’s teaching on money compare to what the Bible actually teaches about it?

It’s Q&A time again at Undeceptions!

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry, Producer Kaley, and Director Mark. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Oxford English Dictionary describes the Bible as a “library,” not a single work.

But this library has been the most sold book in the world for millennia!

So should we call this ultimate best-seller “literature”?

There are many ways to read the Bible. But reading it as literature may help us see something easily missed: the Bible isn’t just a collection of texts any more than a symphony is just a collection of notes.

The literary approach asks a simple question: how might the Bible’s story work on us?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reads: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.

This seems obvious to us today, but many people throughout history didn’t believe in these ideals.

Many would wonder how it could be that every human being, regardless of capacity or usefulness, could be considered equally valuable.

Truth be told, it's hard to find the logic behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights anywhere in historical literature … apart from the Bible.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - CLICK HERE

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains my wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative.

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

It’s hard to get a clear picture of the historical Jesus without projecting cultural tropes onto Him.

Jesus - perhaps more than anyone in history - is often co-opted to fit either personal or political agendas.

So this Easter, we’re trying to untangle the cultural Jesus from the real historical Jesus - by zeroing in on his famous last few days.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actorS today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

There’s a certain collection of Greek and Roman writings - from roughly 800 BC to AD 200 - which, apart from the Bible, has shaped the Western world more than any other intellectual tradition.

Today, we call them the Classics.

Many are familiar with the names behind these ancient texts: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Livy … the list goes on.

But just because these works have a legacy doesn’t mean that people today actually like them.

For starters, they’re hard work. Mark Twain once described a Classic as “something that everybody wants to have read, and nobody wants to read”.

Others dislike the very concept of the Classics because they privilege the writings of (presumably) white men over other rich, non-Western traditions.

But like it or not, the Classics still matter in their own right today - especially if you’re interested in Christianity.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The First Hymn is coming to the big screens on both sides of the Atlantic!

Find tickets here.

The cultural hangovers of Christianity are well attested.

Recently, people who were once describing themselves as ‘New Atheists’ have gone as far as to call themselves ‘Cultural Christians’, due to the prevalence of Christian thought in modern ethics.

But what if the great dream of the New Atheists eventually succeeded?

What would a world where God was actually dead look like?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Since Charles Darwin’s 1859 book On the Origin of Species, evolution has been considered by many to be the final nail in the coffin of religion.

Because evolution is supposedly random - or indeed, blind - the argument follows that there is no design.

But recently, a quiet revolution has been raging among the top tier of evolutionary scientists.

The apparent randomness of evolution has come into question, and some experts now suggest there may be patterns, agency, and even intention behind it all.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - click here.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

A popular myth is that when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, he forced everyone else to embrace the faith - or else face deadly consequences.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

It was under Constantine that the very modern-sounding ideas of freedom of religion and “justice for all” were first instituted.

These were revolutionary ideals, and they came from a very smart, learned Christian in the Emperor's inner circle.

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES - https://undeceptions.com/podcast/against-coercion/

• (00:00) - - One of history's great persuaders
• (06:17) - - Persecution and the Crisis of the Third Century
• (09:52) - - Christianity and Neoplatonism
• (17:44) - - Lactantius: The Christian Cicero
• (29:42) - - Lactantius and Constantine
• (37:58) - - Constantine and religious tolerance
• (46:38) - - Arguing Christian ethics from pagan philosophy
• (50:13) - - Freedom of religion and Thomas Jefferson
• (54:56) - - Lactantius and justice
• (01:03:29) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (01:07:58) - - Lactantius' legacy

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative and a point of contact for church pastors interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

In pop culture, we often enjoy watching - or reading - vice and virtue play out, with the former often far more exciting than the latter.

But what about real life? Do we still find vice “sizzling” (as one writer described it), and virtue stale?

At the heart of this lies a much deeper question: What good is there in pursuing the good?

FOR FULL SHOW NOTES: https://undeceptions.com/podcast/virtue-vice/

• (00:08) - - Is virtue boring?
• (05:18) - - What is virtue?
• (11:14) - - What's valuable about the Middle Ages?
• (15:23) - - Aristotle and the virtues
• (18:10) - - Vice vs. Virtue
• (28:02) - - The root of all evil
• (31:58) - - The root of all good
• (39:16) - - Rapid Fire Round: Virtue/Vice pairs
• (46:13) - - Cultivating virtue
• (55:14) - - Why pursue Christian virtue?
• (58:55) - - Five Minute Jesus

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Peter Kozushko is our North American representative, a contact point for church pastors who are interested in engaging with our work here at Undeceptions.  

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out

The Reformation remains a pivotal moment not just for the church, but for global history. 

It 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 secularisation of the West.

When it came to covering the topic on Undeceptions, there was so much to talk about that we needed two episodes just to scratch the surface.

In this Rewind, we’re revisiting some highlights of those episodes.

On November 2, 2024, Chris Tomlin performed the world premiere of The First Hymn at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Ben Fielding joined him onstage that night to help gift this 1800-year-old song back to the world.

In this special, shorter episode, you get a front row seat to a fireside chat with Chris as he introduces the new First Hymn to the world, for the first time. 

We attempt to make sense of the silly season, to explain why there really is “more to life”, and why the traditional Christmas story still holds the answers.

• (00:00) - - Unwanted Christmas cards
• (04:41) - - Diagnosing our festive illness
• (08:49) - - Happiness or peace?
• (10:35) - - Jesus the umpire
• (13:10) - - The Prince of Peace
• (18:55) - - Christmas and the Gulag Archipelago
• (22:56) - - Christmas is good enough without Jesus, right?
• (30:39) - - Jesus turns his face towards us

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer and researcher.

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. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were the Undeceptions Team - wishing you a happy Christmas!

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

It’s probably the most significant of all church history’s debates: Was Jesus fully human, fully divine, or a hybrid of some sort?

1700 years ago, bishops from across the Christian world gathered in the city of Nicaea to settle this once and for all.

The outcome was three paragraphs which went on to represent the core of Christianity, and spell out who Jesus is - and who he isn’t.

• (00:00) - - Jesus: Man or something else?
• (08:44) - - Why did the Creed happen?
• (12:19) - - Constantine's influence
• (17:18) - - The key players at the council
• (29:45) - - The Arian controversy
• (42:02) - - The Trinity
• (56:49) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (01:01:23) - - Faith and the Creed
• (01:04:19) - - Why does the Creed matter?

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley.
 

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. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

The first-century historian Flavius Josephus is the oldest source we have for the historical Jesus outside of the Bible.

His 90-word paragraph about Jesus - where he calls Jesus “the Christ”, and says Jesus “appeared to them [the disciples] alive again on the third day", spending a third day restored to life - has sparked centuries of debate.

Most experts think this paragraph has an authentic core, but has been embellished by a later Christian scribe.

But new scholarly evidence has emerged that might turn our understanding of Josephus - and what he wrote about Jesus - on its head.

• (00:00) - - 90 Words
• (10:39) - - Flavius Josephus
• (14:20) - - Traitor or pragmatist?
• (22:09) - - Josephus and James
• (26:22) - - Testamonium Flavianum
• (41:43) - - "Would Josephus really write that?"
• (55:43) - - Josephus' networks
• (01:08:41) - - What did Josephus really say about Jesus?
• (01:13:42) - - What did Josephus really think about Jesus?
• (01:15:49) - - Rethinking history

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is online librarian.
 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Why don’t Christians still follow the Laws of the Old Testament? Why did God create humans if so many are apparently destined for Hell? Is the ‘Golden Rule’ actually a Christian idea? John answers all these - and more - for our Season XV Q&A!

• (00:00) - - Intro
• (05:12) - - Why don't Christians still follow the Old Testament Law?
• (14:49) - - Deep reading for non-readers
• (19:41) - - Are Christians allowed to practise Old Testament laments post-Jesus?
• (23:31) - - Why would God create a species destined for Hell?
• (32:42) - - Why does the modern church look so different compared to the first-century church?
• (38:47) - - Why did Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem?
• (49:55) - - The Golden Rule

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne, and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is the online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity no longer has the cultural sway it once held. But there’s always been a long tradition of Christians being flexible in engaging their culture—whether in ancient Rome, Viking Scandinavia, or modern America. So what does a ‘relevant’ Christianity look like in the 21st century?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

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. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors for this episode were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Back in 2020, John caught up with author and journalist Greg Sheridan to talk about Christianity’s struggles in both Australia, and the global West more broadly. However, Greg wasn’t so glum on the future of the faith in a post-Christian world. Ahead of an upcoming episode on how the gospel applies to a post-Christian world, we thought now was the time to look back at what Greg had to say.

In his Divine Comedy, Dante isn’t claiming to offer us a vision of what hell and heaven are actually like.

It might be set in the afterlife, but it’s really about how we live life here and now.

Even if you’ve never read one line of the epic poem, you’ve been influenced by The Divine Comedy. 

It’s time we learned more about one of Western literature’s greatest works … and how it might just change our lives. 

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

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. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception's episode possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Some claim Christian persecution is on the rise, while others find the idea of a modern persecution implausible. So, what’s the truth? It’s complex … 

• (00:00) - - John Dickson's persecution complex
• (08:56) - - The myth of persecution
• (13:24) - - The first Christian persecutions
• (21:29) - - The third-century persecutions
• (32:25) - - The Emperor Diocletian comes to power
• (38:32) - - The Great Persecution
• (48:04) - - The persecutions end
• (53:10) - - Haroon's story
• (01:02:53) - - Smash and squeeze persecution
• (01:15:33) - - Five Minute Jesus

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

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. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor today was Yannick Lawry.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Jane Austen’s words and books are well known. But what do we know of Jane herself - what she was like, and what she believed? What did she think of society and class, ethics, literature, romance, and faith?

• (00:00) - - Jane behind the text
• (05:51) - - Jane's world
• (10:35) - - Jane the novelist
• (19:31) - - The author and the characters
• (32:39) - - Romance, satire, or something else?
• (39:50) - - Jane's 'undeceptions'
• (41:34) - - Jane and the church
• (50:50) - - Ethics and virtues
• (55:47) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (01:00:31) - - Silence on slavery
• (01:06:26) - - Jane's legacy

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Christianity is sometimes branded as anti-intellectual, and its followers labelled unteachable. But in an increasingly divided age, the church - with its rich history of learning - might be able to help the world recover what it means to have a teachable spirit … and to know who to learn from.

• (00:00) - - How we learn
• (04:17) - - Teachability
• (10:44) - - Humility in learning
• (16:00) - - Is faith a block to thinking critically?
• (20:58) - - Combating fear with knowledge
• (26:51) - - Learning from strangers
• (31:25) - - Learning from the dead
• (43:33) - - Learning from our enemies
• (53:40) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (01:01:03) - - Why learn from Christians?

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actor for this episode was Suzanne Ellis.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

African Christianity is almost as old as Christianity itself. Many of the early church's theological giants came from Africa, and today, Christianity is exploding across the continent. In this episode, we look at Jesus through African eyes.

• (00:09) - - The Tortoise and the Hare: A different perspective
• (08:15) - - Why look at Jesus through African eyes?
• (11:26) - - Africa in the Bible
• (15:26) - - Diversity in Christianity
• (18:19) - - Hermeneutics - African style!
• (23:30) - - The African church
• (30:39) - - Syncretism
• (36:41) - - Scripture through different lenses
• (43:32) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (51:04) - - Hannah's prayer
• (57:12) - - Can we see Jesus however we want?

As the West undergoes a ‘de-churching,’ some are starting to wonder about the unintended consequences of a society with fewer believers.

After all, some of history’s greatest humanitarians all had one thing in common: a Christian faith.

• (00:00) - - Intro
• (00:00) - Chapter 2
• (04:32) - - The power of faith communities
• (08:21) - - Faith and politics
• (15:20) - - Navigating tragedy in a faith community
• (18:11) - - The Charleston shooting
• (24:35) - - Measuring the 'good life'
• (32:14) - - The great de-churching
• (40:06) - - The happiness 'miracle drug'
• (43:06) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (47:25) - - Why join the faith?

Season 15 of Undeceptions is coming really soon! And our latest REWIND will help you brush up on some of the issues we’ll be discussing in our first full episode of next season.

There’s a growing body of research – authoritative, real-life, peer-reviewed research – that reports a significant benefit to wellbeing if you are religious. And not just religious, but part of a faith community.

Are our dreams full of messages and warnings? 
John was sceptical, but for most of human history, that’s been the common view. In this Undeceptions REWIND, we take a closer look. 

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 105 'Decoding Dreams'.

The 18th-century philosopher David Hume famously predicted that, as the world grew more rational and scientific, people would stop having supernatural encounters.

But that’s not what has played out.

We might live in a secular age, but we continue to have seemingly divine experiences.

Lots of people now describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious”, but taking that next step - that leap of faith - into a formal belief system might actually be more rational than not.

• (00:00) - - Intro
• (00:09) - - Modern miracles
• (05:14) - - Ross Douthat: Columnist and podcaster
• (06:28) - - The Decadent Society
• (11:29) - - Secular regrets
• (18:51) - - The Logos of creation
• (36:13) - - The Pathos of near-death experiences
• (42:39) - - Buff Dickson's near-death experience
• (48:06) - - More miracles
• (56:21) - - Join a religion - any religion!
• (01:07:35) - - The three problems with religion
• (01:13:35) - - Why believe in Jesus?

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today was Yannick Lawry. 

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Why does the church meet on a Sunday? How far is too far when it comes to self-defence, biblically speaking? Is it possible that Hell is temporary?

John tackles these questions and more in this, our season XIV Q&A!

The world’s attention has recently been on the Vatican, and the election of the new Pope Leo XIV.

But what’s the history behind the office of the Bishop of Rome? What makes a good pope?

By looking at the extraordinary career of John Dickson’s favourite pontiff, we attempt to answer those questions.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John Dickson's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

• (00:00) - Chapter 1
• (01:08) - - Intro
• (07:19) - - Where did the papacy come from?
• (11:18) - - The Roman Empire is falling
• (16:20) - - Gregory's early life
• (23:55) - - Constantinople: The heart of the ancient world
• (27:52) - - Gregory becomes pope
• (31:33) - - A reluctant pontiff
• (40:33) - - A job description of an ancient pope
• (46:02) - - Was Gregory drunk on power?
• (47:23) - - The Pastoral Rule
• (55:15) - - Five Minute Jesus
• (01:01:12) - - Humility and leadership
• (01:04:15) - - John Dickson's favourite pope

Some think we might not be too far away from Artificial Intelligence actually having feelings. If it does happen, what will it mean? Might it mean we humans are, in the end, just machines? We look back at that question - and more - in this Undeceptions Rewind!

If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 71 'Emotional Intelligence'.

The Gospels tell us about Jesus’ adult life, with scant references to his childhood.

We can catch glimpses of the younger Jesus' life, but there’s so much we don’t know.

But if we move beyond the Bible, we can learn about the world the younger Jesus lived in.

Growing up a refugee, in a land under foreign occupation, and a region full of militia groups, it’s worth asking: How did the turbulent background of the boy Jesus affect His message … and the whole of Christianity?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

According to the data, chemistry is the scientific discipline with the highest number of ”theists”.

Perhaps it’s not that surprising: Chemistry grew out of alchemy, a mysterious science that attempted to uncover the secrets of nature, with goals some would consider supernatural.

Modern chemists are also working to uncover the secrets of nature. 

For some, seeing just how ordered the world is has led them to wonder whether there might be more going on behind the scenes than mere chemistry.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Like it or not, life will let us down. We all face disappointment.

Despite this, people spend their entire lives trying to avoid and outrun disappointment.

But the Bible offers a different solution.

It gives us the tools to feel and express disappointment. Tools to grieve well. Tools to lament.

But it doesn’t stop there.

In the Bible, we also find a God who sits with us in our grief and shares our disappointment.

We find a God who laments.

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Mary Magdalene has played many roles throughout history. 

She’s been a prostitute, a temptation, Jesus’ wife, Jesus’ lover, a cave-dwelling mystic, a devoted follower, a revolutionary, and a penitent.

The supposed sinner-turned-saint comes to us in a multiplicity of earthly, perhaps even scandalous, portraits that surprise and inspire.

So what can we know about this woman for sure?

CREDITS

Undeceptions is hosted by John Dickson, produced by Kaley Payne and directed by Mark Hadley. 

Alasdair Belling is a writer-researcher.

Siobhan McGuiness is our online librarian. 

Lyndie Leviston remains John's wonderful assistant. 

Santino Dimarco is the Chief Finance and Operations Consultant. 

Editing by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

Special thanks to our series sponsor Zondervan for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

This week, leading up to Easter, we’re looking at the most famous trial of all time: the trial of Jesus. It’s a courtroom drama like no other, and its outcome changed everything.

But what do we actually know about the trial and conviction of Jesus? Was it fair? Was it real?

When John Dickson convinced top Christian songwriters Ben Fielding and Chris Tomlin to have a go at transforming an 1800-year-old hymn into a tune for our times, they felt the weight of responsibility.

This is part two of our mini-series on how the song 'The First Hymn' came to life, with a full documentary soon to follow, which will track the hymn's journey from the deserts of Egypt to the middle of a sold-out stadium arena in the heart of America in the 21st century.

This episode takes you behind the scenes: how Ben Fielding and Chris Tomlin resurrected The First Hymn and made it ours.

• (00:00) - - Intro
• (05:21) - - Ben Fielding joins The First Hymn Project
• (08:21) - - Creating something modern from something ancient
• (13:21) - - The songwriting process
• (16:15) - - Chris Tomlin joins The First Hymn Project
• (21:02) - - Collaboration
• (24:30) - - Tomlin and Fielding exchange musical ideas
• (29:54) - - John hears 'The First Hymn' for the first time
• (36:20) - - St Ephrem - one of the first hymn writers
• (40:46) - - The history of worship music
• (43:40) - Five-Minute Jesus
• (48:55) - - Who was the original composer of The First Hymn?
• (52:01) - - 'The First Hymn' for a secular world
• (55:38) - - Bringing the hymn to life in an arena

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. 

Edited by Richard Hamwi.

Our voice actors today were Yannick Lawry and Dakotah Love.

A big thank you to Michael Wilder at Wheaton College, and Tony Payne for his arrangement of the original First Hymn, and the 50-person choir led by John Trotter that brought this work to life.

Special thanks to our series sponsor, Zondervan, for making this Undeception possible. 

Undeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com - letting the truth out.

Welcome to season XIV of Undeceptions!

Anthropology has a reputation for being the most “godless” of all the sciences. 

The so-called Father of Anthropology, Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, abandoned his faith as an anthropologist, declaring religion was “animalistic”. 

But religion hasn’t gone away - and many anthropologists are now realising there might be something to belief after all …

• (00:00) - - Coffee and anthropology
• (09:08) - - What is anthropology?
• (14:25) - - Edward Tylor, the 'Father of Anthropology'
• (19:28) - - Why is anthropology so godless?
• (21:25) - - James Frazer
• (33:12) - - E.E. Evans Pritchard
• (40:29) - - Mary Douglas
• (46:24) - - How Christine became a Christian anthropologist
• (50:00) - - What is the "good life"?
• (51:52) - - Victor and Edith Turner
• (56:20) - - Cultural relativism
• (01:00:02) - - Five-Minute Jesus
• (01:06:55) - - Good God, good anthropology