Richard Coles, an Anglican priest and presenter, passionately advocates for the New Testament in a lively debate. The discussion illuminates the contrasting literary styles of both Testaments, emphasizing the emotional depth of the Old Testament's narratives vs. the more straightforward messaging of the New. Coles dives into personal stories and theological insights, exploring how the New Testament fulfills prophetic traditions while drawing thoughtful connections between ancient texts and contemporary faith. Humor and engagement enrich this spirited exploration.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Baddiel's Jewish Identity
David Baddiel, despite being an atheist, identifies strongly with his Jewish heritage.
His grandfather, a rabbi, passed away recently at age 92.
insights INSIGHT
The Power of Curses
The Old Testament's curses, while harsh, offer literary inspiration and explore human dread.
They highlight consequences and the paradoxical pleasure in displeasure.
insights INSIGHT
Human Morality and Divine Will
The Old Testament delves into human struggles with morality and God's will.
The Abraham and Isaac story exemplifies this conflict between obedience and familial love.
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In 'Live a Little', Howard Jacobson crafts a tender and humorous tale of unlikely love between Beryl Dusinbery, a feisty nonagenarian struggling with memory loss, and Shimi Carmelli, a recluse with perfect recall. The novel explores themes of aging, memory, love, and the complexities of human relationships, all set against the backdrop of North London.
The Finkler question
Howard Jacobson
The Finkler Question is a tragic-comedic novel that delves into the complexities of Jewish identity, friendship, and belonging. It follows Julian Treslove, a non-Jewish man obsessed with Jewish culture, and his relationships with his Jewish friends, Sam Finkler and Libor Sevcik. The novel explores themes of anti-Semitism, Zionism, and the challenges of modern Jewishness.
The God Delusion
Richard Dawkins
In 'The God Delusion', Richard Dawkins argues that the belief in a supernatural creator, God, is almost certainly false and qualifies as a delusion. He examines God in various forms, from the Old Testament to the Celestial Watchmaker, and critiques the major arguments for religion. Dawkins discusses how religion fuels war, fosters bigotry, and abuses children, and he advocates for atheism as a morally and intellectually fulfilling worldview. The book also explores the relationship between religion and morality, suggesting that morality can exist independently of religion, and argues against the teaching of religion in schools as a form of indoctrination[2][3][4].
Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Moses and the Ten Commandments, the parting of the Red Sea. These are a few of the stories from the Old Testament. And then there’s the New Testament, with its account of the life of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, the raising of Lazarus and the feeding of the five thousand. Whatever our creed or background, these stories are embedded in our consciousness. They inform our everyday speech and much of our art, music and literature. But which of these books is the greater? For this archive episode, we gathered expert voices to consider the question including writer and broadcaster Anne Atkins, Booker Prize-winning novelist and journalist Howard Jacobson, Professor of Theology and Culture in the African Diaspora Robert Beckford, and Anglican priest and presenter the Rev. Richard Coles. Hosting the discussion is broadcaster, comedian and author David Baddiel.
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