The Queen's state funeral was watched by billions of people and marked by deep Christian symbolism. However, during the ceremony, atheist journalist Ian Dunt tweeted that he found it "empty and platitudinous, a cardboard shield against existential despair".   Ian engages with Christian thinker Andy Bannister who wrote a response article to Ian's tweet. They discuss the royal funeral, meaning, purpose and what death means to an atheist and a Christian.   For Ian Dunt: https://twitter.com/iandunt For Andy Bannister: https://www.andybannister.net/ For Andy's article: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/articles/atheist-says-queens-funeral-was-empty-and-platitudinous-i-disagree/13915.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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From Nov 2012. Were the concentration camps of the Holocaust absolutely evil, or simply something that goes against people's tastes today?  Canon Angus Ritchie is the author of "From Morality to Metaphysics" in which he argues that God is the best explanation of moral realism (that there are objective moral facts). Kile Jones is an atheist who was studying for a PhD.  He argued that God is an unecessary entity when it comes to explaining why there may be a realm of objective morality.   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

How should we understand Old Testament accounts of warfare and violence where God seems to command the slaughter of men, women and children?   Paul Copan, author of 'Is God A Vindictive Bully?' aims to show why the Old Testament accounts, severe as they may seem, are not incompatible with Jesus in the New Testament. Randal Rauser, author of 'Jesus Loves Canaanites', says that too many 'apologists for genocide' are defending the indefensible and argues for an alternative reading of scripture.   They discuss whether the warfare passages are hyperbolic, whether non-combatants would have been killed, and whether the term 'genocide' is appropriate.   For 'Is God a Vindictive Bully?' by Paul Copan: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/is-god-a-vindictive-bully/408700 For 'Jesus Loves Canaanites' by Randal Rauser: https://randalrauser.com/book/jesus-loves-canaanites/ For Paul Copan's debate with Greg Boyd in 2018: Part 1 & Part 2   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From Nov 2012, the second of two shows where Justin was joined by Tim Mawson, the Oxford philosopher whose paper "Praying to Stop Being an Atheist" inspired the Atheist Prayer Experiment. 71 atheists and agnostics signed up for the experiment, committing to pray for God to reveal himself to them over 40 days. Did anyone end up believing in God?   • 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-and-events • 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 global pandemic subsides, the way the Covid lockdowns were implemented in churches still divides Christians. The Frankfurt Declaration has been signed by church leaders who are concerned that civil and religious liberties are being eroded by Government overreach.   One of the signatories is Anglican priest Jamie Franklin, a co-host of the Irreverend podcast. He has been critical of the church's handling of Covid saying it fell into line with restrictions too readily. He discusses the issues with John Stevens of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) who believes that the government mandates were appropriate for what was known at the time.   For Jamie Franklin: https://irreverendpod.com/ For John Stevens: https://fiec.org.uk/   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

From Nov 2012. The first of two shows where Justin was joined by Tim Mawson, the Oxford philosopher whose paper "Praying to Stop Being an Atheist" inspired the Atheist Prayer Experiment. 71 atheists and agnostics signed up to the experiment, comitting to pray for God to reveal himself to them over 40 days. Did anyone end up believing in God? We revealed the results and heard from a variety of people who took part, including Andrew, Kendra, Laura, Cang & Freki as well as exploring questions that arose.  Was this really an 'experiment'? What does an atheist pray? Does it matter which god is being prayed to? Do the results have any bearing on the question of God's existence?   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Justin Brierley was joined by four guests and hundreds of attendees for a live webinar event 'Falling From Grace: Addressing power, leadership and abuse in the church'.   Panellists: Abuse survivor and advocate Rachael Denhollander; author, theologian and former RZIM vice-president Amy Orr-Ewing; Rise And Fall Of Mars Hill Podcast presenter Mike Cosper; and trauma and abuse specialist Diane Langberg. Justin Humphreys of the leading independent Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight also joins the conversation.   For the resources from Thirtyone:eight: https://thirtyoneeight.org/unbelievable Rachael Denhollander: https://rachaeldenhollander.com/ Amy Orr-Ewing: https://www.amyorr-ewing.com/ Mike Cosper: https://mikecosper.net/podcasts/rise-and-fall Diane Langberg: https://www.dianelangberg.com/   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate

Marcus Brigstocke is a well-known comedian on UK radio and TV. An atheist, he wrote the book "God Collar" about his problems with religion, but also why he wants to believe in God. He chatted with David Robertson, who at the time led Solas, the Centre for Public Christianity.  They talked about UK comedy's atheist leanings, Marcus' criticisms of both religion and new atheism, the problem of evil, the Old Testament and more besides.   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow

From rapturous joy to inexplicable terror, angelic encounters to near death experiences, New Testament scholar Dale Allison has researched a wide range of phenomena in his new book 'Encountering Mystery: Religious Experience in a Secular Age'. He tells of his own experiences and explains why they are more common than many people realise, and why skeptics shouldn't dismiss them out of hand. Justin also brings listener questions from atheists and believers.   For Dale's book 'Encountering Mystery': https://www.eerdmans.com/Products/8188/encountering-mystery.aspx   • 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-and-events • 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 the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Justin Brierley presents a special edition of Unbelievable? speaking to New Testament scholar NT Wright about his memories of the queen when he preached for her as Bishop of Durham. Former chaplain to the queen Gavin Ashenden asks whether the end of her reign marks the end of Christendom in the UK, and Ruth Jackson reflects on the hope that comes with grief.   For Ruth Jackson's article: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/articles/we-mourn-the-queen-but-not-as-those-without-hope/13812.article To offer prayers and tributes: https://www.premier.org.uk/prayers-of-thanksgiving-for-the-queen/   • 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-and-events • Support us in the USA: http://www.premierinsight.org/unbelievableshow • Support us in the rest of the world: https://www.premierunbelievable.com/donate