Unbelievable?

Leading UK evangelical Steve Chalke has written an article for Christianity magazine on why he now affirms committed, faithful gay relationships. Justin Brierley talks to Steve about why he's changed his mind while theologian Greg Downes offers a defence of the traditional evangelical understanding of sexuality. We also hear the responses and reflections of church leaders including Steve Clifford of the Evangelical Alliance, Lord Richard Harries former Bishop of Oxford, Faith Forster of Ichthus Christian fellowship and more. For Christianity Magazine's coverage http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk For Steve Chalke http://www.oasisuk.org/inclusionresources For Greg Downes http://www.cml.uk.net/staff/director Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 21 April 2012 - The Gay Marriage Debate - Peter Tatchell vs Peter D Williams Unbelievable? 6 Nov 2010 - Ex-Gay and Gay-Affirming approaches to homosexuality "Two different approaches to supporting gay Christians" Jonathan Berry & Jeremy Marks Join the conversation via Facebook and Twitter

In Jan 2013 a new church began in London - with singing, a sermon and a great sense of community - but its for godless people.  Atheist stand up comedian Sanderson Jones who co-founded "the Sunday Assembly" talks about its first meeting and why it exists. Scottish church minister David Robertson asks questions about whether an "atheist church" makes sense and what Christians could learn from it. Justin is also joined by two of those who attended the first service, Rory Fenton and Simon Jenkins. For more info on The Sunday Assembly www.sundayassembly.com For David Robertson http://solas-cpc.org For Rory Fenton http://roryfenton.com for Simon Jenkins http://simonjenkins.com Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 11 February 2012 - Should atheists be more religious? Alain de Botton & James Orr Unbelievable? 8th December 2012 - Does Christianity make emotional sense? Francis Spufford & Philip Pullman Join the conversation via Facebook and Twitter

1 Samuel Chapter 15 may be one of the hardest passages in the Bible to reconcile with a God of love.  It describes God apparently commanding  the slaughter of men, women and children in the Amalekite tribe.   How can Christians who take OT passages on warfare seriously reconcile it with the God of love shown in Jesus?  Is God Evil?   John Allister is the vicar of St. Jude's Church, Nottingham. He argues that the passage needs to be understood in its context.   Justin Schieber is co host of the atheist podcast Reasonable Doubt. He argues that the story cannot be reconciled with a good God.   For John Allister http://custardy.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-amalekites.html and his paper on the Amalekites http://www.churchsociety.org/churchman/documents/Cman_124_3_Allister.pdf   For Justin Schieber http://freethoughtblogs.com/reasonabledoubts/ Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 9 April 2011 - "Is God a Moral Monster?" Paul Copan & Norman Bacrac Unbelievable? 8 Oct 2011 - Old Testament Grill-a-Christian with Peter J Williams Join the conversation via Facebook and Twitter

In the first show of 2013, three 'Unbelievable?' listeners join Justin Brierley to discuss their views of atheism. Calum Miller is a Christian medical student at Oxford with an interest in philosophy.  He chats with atheist Paul Orton and agnostic Steve (aka Non Stamp Collector). They both define their atheism as a mere "lack of belief in God" rather than a positive belief that "there is no God".  Why the distinction? Find out as we ask questions about where the burden of proof lies, the difference between agnosticism and atheism, and the God of the Bible. For Calum Miller http://dovetheology.com http://www.twitter.com/dovetheology For Paul Orton http://www.missinggodgene.com http://www.skepticule.com For Non Stamp Collector http://www.nonstampcollector.com/ http://www.youtube.com/user/NonStampCollector Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 20 August 2011 – Dialogue with an ex-Christian Rebekah Bennetch & Sheridan Voysey Unbelievable? 11 February 2012 - Should atheists be more religious? Alain de Botton & James Orr Join the conversation via Facebook and Twitter and http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable

Matthew and Luke both tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The stories share some details in common but also vary in others.  Where did they get their information from, and should we regard them as historical or merely "theological"? Stephen Thornton is a liberal Bible tutor who believes that none of the details of the Christmas story are historically true. Rather, stories of the virgin conception, the shepherds, the wise men etc contain "deeper meanings" that were written down as a "teaching aid" to the early church. Ben Witherington III is New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary.  He says that the Christmas stories certainly contain deep meaning, but only because they have a basis in historical events, and that Stephen's approach is out of date. For Ben Witherington www.benwitherington.com You can email Stephen Thornton smthornton@ntlworld.com Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 9th January 2012 - Is there scientific evidence for the star of Bethlehem? Hugh Ross, Jeff Zweerink, Mark Kidger and Norman Bacrac Unbelievable? 22 Dec 2007 - Did Christians steal Christmas? Did Christians steal Christmas? Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

As videos from 2011's Bethinking Conference are made available on Youtube we hear the talk that leading Christian philosopher William Lane Craig gave to those gathered on the apologetic task of reaching the UK. Includes audience Q&A.  Plus we hear you suggestions for show topics in the new year and some advance details of Unbelievable? The Conference 2013. For The Bethinking Conference videos www.youtube.com/reasonablefaithtour For Bethinking www.bethinking.org Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 9th June 2012 - Unbelievable? The Conference 2012 Michael Green & guests Unbelievable? 18 Oct 2011 - William Lane Craig vs Stephen Law - Does God exist? Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Richard Carrier is the world's foremost proponent of the "mythicist" view of Jesus - that he never actually existed as a historical person. He explains his theory that St. Paul only ever spoke of Jesus in the spiritual realm and that the Gospels are "extended parables". Mark Goodacre is NT professor at Duke University. He contends that Carrier's mythicist view is extrememly far fetched and the evidence for the historical Jesus is beyond reasonable doubt. For Richard Carrier http://www.richardcarrier.info/ For Mark Goodacre http://podacre.blogspot.co.uk/ Watch the video promo for Unbelievable? the Conference 2012 DVD http://youtu.be/6g-5jTMeZew Order it at http://www.premier.org.uk/dvd For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 18 August 2012 Did Jesus Exist? Bart Ehrman Q&A Unbelievable? 29 Aug 2009 - Richard Bauckham on the Gospels - pt 1 Jesus and the Eyewitnesses part 1 : Richard Bauckham and James Crossley. Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Francis Spufford is a prize-winning author who returned to faith as an adult after years as an atheist. His latest book is "Unapologetic: Why despite everything Christianity can still make surprising emotional sense".  He says he didn't write it to try to give an objective argument for Christianity, but to show why its concepts, doctrines and beliefs help those who believe it make emotional sense of the world. He chats with renowned author Philip Pullman who is an atheist.  They talk about new atheism, the atheist bus campaign, the concept of sin, the person of Jesus and more. For Unapologetic http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unapologetic-everything-Christianity-surprising-emotional/dp/0571225217 For Philip Pullman http://www.philip-pullman.com/ For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 8 May 2010 - "The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ" This is the latest book from the pen of prominent atheist author Philip Pullman. With Christian journalist Martin Saunders and Bible Scholar Anthony McRoy. Unbelievable? 12th March 2011 - Music & God Christian David Robertson and atheist musician Gordon Livesey discuss whether music can have soul if you don't believe in the soul. Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

A podcast special airing the Student-Alumni debate that took place at Christ Church, Oxford University in November. The Proposition: Peter Hitchens, columnist for The Mail on Sunday, foreign correspondent and author. The Opposition: Alex Gabriel, former president of Oxford Atheists, Secularists and Humanists Society (OxASH) and writer for The Heresy Club. For Premier's Extending Hope appeal www.premier.org.uk/extendinghope For Peter Hitchens http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/ For Alex Gabriel http://heresyclub.com/ For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Is God Worth Believing In? Unbelievable? Jeff Cook & Alex Gabriel Unbelievable? 15 May 2010 - Peter Hitchens "The Rage Against God" He debates with atheist Adam Rutherford Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

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 studying for a PhD.  He argues that God is an unecessary entity when it comes to explaining why there may be a realm of objective morality. For Angus Ritchie www.theology-centre.org.uk For Kile Jones http://claremontlincoln.academia.edu/KileJones For more Christian/non-Christian debate visit http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable or get the MP3 podcast http://ondemand.premier.org.uk/unbelievable/AudioFeed.aspx or Via Itunes You may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 13 Jun 2009 The Moral Argument for God The Moral Argument For God - Atheist Paul Orton & Christian David Robertson Unbelievable? 16 Oct 2010 - The Moral argument for God Philosophers Arif Ahmed and Glenn People debate Join the conversation: http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter