Life & Faith

We discuss two myths of the modern age: a reliance upon pop evolutionary psychology that seeks to account for human behaviour via an appeal to our evolutionary past, and the ‘sex myth’ that links our individual worth and value to our bedroom antics.

Our first Life & Faith podcast for 2016 gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into CPX’s new documentary about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Christian history. It’s called For the Love of God: How the Church is better and worse than you ever imagined. 

In light of a Church of England survey that found that as many as 4 in 10 British people don’t believe Jesus was a real person, historian John Dickson explains why the academy is in no such doubt that Jesus existed. We also discuss the meaning and significance of the Christmas story today – and why it absolutely matters that there was a baby in the manger.

If stories in the American news media are anything to go by, free speech is under assault on American college campuses. On this Life & Faith, we discuss this recent trend, as well as the banning of the Lord’s Prayer from UK cinemas, and explore the implications of excluding certain ideas from discussion.

Domestic abuse within the church dominated headlines early in 2015. On this Life & Faith we speak with Sandy Grant, who is heading up the Task Force to address Domestic Abuse within the Sydney Anglican Diocese, and speak with Barbara Roberts, survivor of domestic abuse, victim advocate, and author of a book on abuse and divorce within the church. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, we urge you to please seek help. Australian resources: If you are in immediate danger, ring 000. Ring the Respect Line for counselling, information and support 1800 737 732 or see www.1800respect.org.au You can also visit Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre online at www.safesteps.org.au or call 1800 015 188 Visit Barbara Roberts’ blog A Cry for Justice for information, education, and stories particularly relevant to a Christian context www.cryingoutforjustice.com

On the occasion of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, we talk about modern slavery with Jenny Stanger, National Manager of the Salvation Army’s initiative The Freedom Partnership, and explore slavery in the biblical context with John Dickson, historian and co-founder of the Centre for Public Christianity. For more information on The Freedom Partnership, see endslavery.salvos.org.au    

In The Life of I: The New Culture of Narcissism Anne Manne has written a sobering, and at times depressing, account of the way that our hypercompetitive, capitalist culture is making us more narcissistic: eager to seek our own interests at the expense of others. In this podcast she talks about what narcissism is, its negative effects, and what role religion and politics might have to play in producing empathy—what she regards as the antidote to narcissism. 

Awarding winning journalist Michael Ware talks to CPX about his film “Only the Dead.” This documentary recounts Ware’s many years reporting on the very front lines of the war in Iraq and describes being confronted not only with human darkness in those he filmed but that within himself as well. Ware saw some of the best and also the worst that human beings are capable of. Despite coming very close to losing his life many times and suffering the associated trauma of war, Michael Ware has managed to return home to build a life in Australia. He is forever changed, but able more than most, to recount the layers of complexity and tragedy that is the Iraqi war and its ongoing consequences.

In Captains of the Soul: A history of Australia’s army chaplains, Michael Gladwin tracks the role of chaplains as they’ve served and supported countless troops in every campaign where Australia has served abroad. He provides a fascinating insight into how chaplains went about their work providing spiritual and pastoral care to the soldiers in their charge. Michael’s book recently won the 2015 Australian Christian Book of the Year Award.

Trevor Hart speaks to Simon Smart about art, theology, and imagination, covering the relationship between art and the Church, the idea of God as an artist, human creativity, and the way art points us to the divine.