Undeceptions with John Dickson

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?CREDITSUndeceptions 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.(00:00) - - Intro (04:18) - - What's the appeal of Mary Magdalene? (06:32) - - Seven Marys (10:16) - - Was Mary Jesus' wife? (28:52) - - Seven demons (34:17) - - Jesus' female disciples (40:34) - - Mary at the cross and the tomb (50:25) - - Did Mary Magdalene travel to France? (58:07) - - The Apostle to the Apostles (01:02:32) - - Five Minute Jesus (01:06:26) - - Mary Magdalene for us today

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?(00:00) - - Intro (05:33) - - Gospel anti-Semitism? (07:45) - - Judea and Galilee (12:54) - - Pontius Pilate (26:02) - - The Sanhedrin (33:30) - - Judean trials (36:37) - - Jesus in Jerusalem (49:13) - - Jesus' final night (51:16) - - The Jewish trial (54:46) - - The Roman trial (01:02:11) - - King of the Jews (01:10:03) - - Five-Minute Jesus (01:13:13) - - Are the trials historically plausible? (01:21:29) - - Why was Jesus crucified?

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 (22:25) - - Collaboration (25:53) - - Tomlin and Fielding exchange musical ideas (31:17) - - John hears 'The First Hymn' for the first time (38:59) - - St Ephrem - one of the first hymn writers (43:25) - - The history of worship music (46:19) - Five-Minute Jesus (51:34) - - Who was the original composer of The First Hymn? (54:40) - - 'The First Hymn' for a secular world (58:17) - - Bringing the hymn to life in an arena 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. 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 (34:35) - - E.E. Evans Pritchard (41:52) - - Mary Douglas (49:03) - - How Christine became a Christian anthropologist (52:39) - - What is the "good life"? (54:31) - - Victor and Edith Turner (58:59) - - Cultural relativism (01:02:41) - - Five-Minute Jesus (01:09:34) - - Good God, good anthropology

The cliche: ‘faith' is the antithesis of knowledge, of wisdom and therefore “Christian philosophy” is an oxymoron, right? For this Undeceptions rewind, we speak to two Christian philosophers who explain why that's not the case. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts. If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 57 'Jesus Philosopher'.

Why are Christians such god-botherers? Is it possible to share your belief system with someone who doesn't accept it without being a jerk? In this Undeceptions rewind, we revisit a conversation about why Christians are so committed to sharing their faith with others - and why, if done right, it can be life changing. If you like what you hear, listen to the episode in full: Episode 33 'Danger: Proselytising'. 

Words can change lives – whether on paper, on screen, or spoken down a phone line.A library has an abundance of words – and an abundance of opportunities to change a life.After a long break, Laurel Moffatt returns with season 4 of Small Wonders!Undeceptions is pleased to introduce our listeners to this podcast in our network. Each episode of Small Wonders offers a brief but piercing look into a topic. The clarity the desert brings. Hurricanes and hard relationships. Finding reason in the middle of a ruin.These quiet but profound observations about life uncovers lessons learned. Lessons from broken and beautiful things that are polished to perfection and set in rich audio landscapes for your consideration.Subscribe to Small Wonders wherever you get your podcasts. 

Hell is one of the most difficult parts of Christian belief - but of all the characters in the Bible, no one comes close to using the word "Hell" as much as Jesus does.So, what did he mean, how is it plausible, and what does it matter?

As we gear up for a special episode on the difficult topic of Hell, we first bring you this Undeceptions Rewind looking at what the Bible says about Heaven. This rewind is from episode 64 'Kingdom Come'

Is Christianity an offshoot of an ancient fertility cult? Why do the Gospels only talk about Jesus' genealogy in connection to Joseph? Is there a place for Christian patriotism?John answers all these and more in our Season XIII Q&A!(00:00) - - Intro (04:16) - - Missionaries (12:02) - - Anglicanism (16:06) - - Resurrection science (25:42) - - Intellectuals who don't convert (31:41) - - Jesus' genealogies (35:39) - - Christian fertility cult (44:28) - - Biblical patriotism (54:00) - - Just war

The Acts of the Apostles is the epic sequel to Luke's Gospel. It follows the dramatic events immediately after the resurrection of Jesus, and follows how the first Christians - led by perhaps the most unlikely person - took the news of the Messiah to the edges of the Roman Empire - and beyond. (00:10) - - A Biblical sequel (04:50) - - The genre of Acts (10:33) - - Luke (21:36) - - Gallio (27:28) - - A Roman World (33:38) - - The first evangelists (38:05) - - Acts 17 (48:35) - - Five Minute Jesus (51:08) - - The true myth (01:00:11) - - How did Christianity spread? (01:07:42) - - Imperial faith (01:13:14) - - The end of Acts (01:18:08) - - The meaning of it all

If we're talking only about liquids you drink—because the water in the Bible is washed in, crossed over, and even walked on once—wine is no.1.Wine appears more than 200 times in the Bible. And almost all of them are positive references—not critiques. Christianity has a long, rich history with wine. But oftentimes, we've made it much more complicated and, at times, harmful.(00:00) - Chapter 1 (02:36) - - Wine in the Bible (04:52) - - Meeting Gisela (09:16) - - Different drinking cultures (13:32) - - Alcohol in America (17:54) - - Wine in the Old Testament (24:38) - - Jesus and the wedding of Cana (28:32) - - 5 Minute Jesus (36:21) - - Early Christianity and wine (41:59) - - Monks, nuns, and booze (49:27) - - When to stop drinking (52:14) - - Drinking as a sin (58:10) - - Holy tipsiness (01:02:19) - - Alcoholism (01:05:23) - - The Godliness of wine

There's just something about the Virgin Mary. She stirs up big feelings - she has for millennia. Some have perhaps given her more prominence than she would feel comfortable with.Others have hacked down her statues in reforming zeal. Others never think about her, except when they come across a nativity scene in a shopping mall (and even that's becoming a rarity).So, it's time we met Mary properly this Christmas. (06:10) - - Mary in the New Testament (08:50) - - Daily life for Mary (13:46) - - The conception of Jesus (18:42) - - Science vs. the Virgin Birth (24:54) - - The Incarnation (32:24) - - Was Mary always a virgin? (42:14) - - Mary as mother (44:43) - - The Magnificat (50:41) - - Mary the prophet (53:15) - - Mary, after the Bible (54:26) - - The Assumption (59:53) - - Can Mary hear our prayers? (01:06:50) - - Have we sidelined Mary? (01:10:35) - - Mary for the modern church (01:13:23) - - Christianity and sexism

In the 3rd century, in the Ancient Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus, a group of Christians composed a song of praise set to the pagan music of the time. Now, 1800 years later, John Dickson is working with two of the world's best songwriters to bring this lost song - this First Hymn - back to life. Along the way, they make some incredible discoveries about early church music, shedding light on what the earliest Christians believed. This is the first in a three-part podcast series on The First Hymn Project - taking its name from the forthcoming Undeceptions documentary, to be released at Easter 2025. (00:10) - - Singing the First Hymn (06:31) - - How the project began (09:10) - - Music in the ancient world (16:20) - - Christian music in the ancient world (20:22) - - Egyptian Christianity (24:02) - - The Oxyrhynchus discovery (29:24) - - The music of the First Hymn (37:58) - - The message of the First Hymn (46:08) - - Hymns throughout the New Testament (52:33) - - 5 Minute Jesus (58:33) - - The purpose of hymns (01:00:30) - - The First Hymn performed by the Wheaton Choir (01:02:04) - - Connecting Christians through history (01:03:22) - - Chris Tomlin, Ben Fielding, and the First Hymn

With 66 different books composed across literally thousands of years, it's fair to say the Bible is a complex read. But it doesn't have to be. The key to understanding the Bible is understanding the different literary genres. 

The great project of the Enlightenment was to bring reason to the forefront. No more would humans be held back by superstitions: the power of the mind was all that was needed for advancement. Three centuries on though, and some people are beginning to think the pendulum has swung too far.Celebrated journalist and public intellectual Stan Grant joined John onstage in Sydney for a live recording of Undeceptions to discuss this new disenchanted age.(02:19) - - Introduction: Everything we wished for is here, and that's a problem (07:55) - - Stan Grant arrives (08:56) - - The Voice to Parliament (14:38) - - Stan on St Augustine (16:43) - - Stan's early life (19:48) - - Beginning a career in journalism (33:45) - - What makes you 'Australian'? (37:04) - - Deconstructing the Enlightenment (43:52) - - Truth-telling (45:35) - - Stan's theological journey (53:58) - - Reflections of suffering (01:00:16) - - 5 Minute Jesus (01:04:17) - - Hasn't Christianity done terrible damage to Indigenous cultures?  

A new movie has been released this week about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who was killed by the Nazis for his involvement in a plot to kill Hitler. Bonhoeffer's fame has ballooned into a kind of mythology that has seen people of all stripes "claim" him as their own. But our guest for this episode says that if we only think of him as a “hero” for our cause, we may miss important pieces of Bonhoeffer's complex life and thinking. So, who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer and why does he still matter?(04:47) - - Bonhoeffer's Germany (13:13) - - The Nazi Church (22:59) - - Bonhoeffer's career begins (30:36) - - Bonhoeffer begins to speak out (40:20) - - Bonhoeffer joins a resistence (46:55) - - The plot to kill Hitler (50:51) - - Bonhoeffer's ethical theory: how he might have justified killing Hitler (58:09) - - Imprisoned by the Nazis (01:00:21) - - Bonhoeffer is executed (01:04:59) - - What we get wrong about Bonhoeffer (01:08:11) - - Jesus: the man for others  

Sam Allberry was involved in environmental activism when he became a Christian - a development that his activist friends saw as bad news. After all, why would a follower of a religion that looks forward to the coming of a new Earth be concerned with the state of the current world? For Sam though, becoming a Christian led him to a very different conclusion. 

The Old Testament is sacred not just to the Christian but also to the Jewish religion. Its 39 books cover thousands of years with an array of literary genres including poetry, history, creation myth, apocalyptic, and song. It can be confusing and overwhelming - but luckily, John happens to work in the same building as a leading expert on it all who gives us a quick rundown in this special Single. 

The 21st century has seen—and will continue to see—the rise of Christianity in the ‘Global South', with surging conversion numbers in Asia and Africa. That's according to Gina Zurlo, a leading authority on Christian demographics, and our guest on episode 75, ‘Global Christianity'. According to Gina, while the Western world is grappling with secularism, a new spiritual awakening of sorts is taking hold in the world's two most populous nations, China and India. This is our next Undeceptions Rewind, where we resurface some of the best bits of our older episodes that might have been mostly forgotten (but hopefully not misunderstood!) In this episode, we feature snippets of both Episode 17 'Hindu Priest', and Episode 75 'Global Christianity'. 

We interviewed Tom Holland, historian and co-host of the extraordinarily popular podcast The Rest is History, back in 2021 for episode 45, Christian Revolution.At the time Tom wouldn't have called himself a Christian (and we won't speak for him now), but he was adamant that not only is Christianity good, but our very sense of what good is comes from Christianity. Check out our first Undeceptions Rewind, where we resurface some of the best bits of our older episodes that might have been mostly forgotten (but hopefully not misunderstood!)

Artists have used their tools not just to capture beauty and transcendence, but also the essence of what it means to be human. In this episode, we learn from history's greatest artists about loss, hope, the ugly, and the sublime.What lessons can we take from these broken artists? What might their observations about the world tell us about God?(04:39) - - Creations and experiences (12:55) - - Albert Bierstadat (16:09) - - Artemisia Gentileschi (23:00) - - Vincent Van Gogh (33:15) - - The Yellow House and the Ear episode (41:37) - - Van Gogh and faith (49:23) - - Five Minute Jesus (54:11) - - Transcendence

Is there a "right" way to read The Bible?Millennia of Ink has been split trying to answer that question.Surely if The Bible is God's word it should be easier to understand, right?Well, some experts think there is a right way to read scripture. What we need is a key to unlock The Bible for us.(00:48) - - The Rossetta Stone (05:02) - - Reading theologically (07:43) - - What are hermeneutics? (13:28) - - The three laws of hermeneutical motion (17:16) - - Reading cultures (19:16) - - Frames of reference (23:33) - - Our spiritual baggage (26:31) - - Reading The Bible above our own interests (30:28) - - Hermeneutics in The Enlightenment (33:32) - - Five Minute Jesus (39:36) - - The Transfiguration (46:36) - - The key to unlocking The Bible (53:36) - - Where to start when reading The Bible (58:08) - - Why is Kevin struck by The Bible?

Why did God make the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Can Christians smoke weed? Why does God allow natural disasters to happen? John Dickson tackles your questions in one of our best Q&A episodes yet!

Famed Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once (well, several times actually) claimed Christianity was irreconcilable with the science of the Universe. But there's plenty of scholars who beg to differ.Recorded live in Brisbane at the State Library of Queensland.(01:08) - Show begins (05:42) - Introducing Peter Harrison (08:41) - Did we used to have more Christian scientists? (23:12) - Introducing Sarah Sweet and Luke Barnes (25:05) - Is there room for the supernatural in science? (38:07) - 5 Minute Jesus (49:03) - Do we live in a finely tuned universe? (56:34) - What we've learned - and unlearnt - from science recently (01:03:03) - How far could science take us?

Is history under threat? Increasingly, the modern, individualistic global West is coming to see history as a discipline that's irrelevant, harmful, and divisive. Some are worried that we're becoming increasingly disconnected from a broader story. Can the past help us navigate our modern world? Or is it better if we let it fade into a "dark age"?(00:11) - What do you call a collective of historians? (05:40) - Why does history matter? (08:12) - What makes a good historian? (10:49) - Historical culture wars (14:32) - An Ahistoric Age (16:44) - Is history irrelevant? (18:59) - Historical ignorance (24:46) - Recovering facts from framing (30:11) - Looking back but moving forward (35:23) - Priests of History (37:38) - Sarah encounters rational faith (46:06) - The perks of Biblical meditation (48:44) - Make tradition cool again (49:34) - 5 Minute Jesus (57:08) - Why take history seriously in 2024? (01:01:20) - The good guys of history's bad Empires

Trust is everywhere. It underpins our institutions, our health, and our relationships. However, experts are worried that the world is facing a trust crisis. If so much of our lives depend on it, what could happen if trust starts to break?(37:08) - WARNING: Editorial about institutional abuse begins here (42:15) - Regular interview resumes

True Crime is one of the most popular genres of film, podcasting, literature, and TV worldwide. We are obsessed with tales of the morbid, dark, and most importantly, true. As one cold-case detective believes, we can't get enough true crime because of what it teaches us about our human nature. But that same detective found that these lessons on humanity could also be found in - what was for him -  the unlikeliest place: The Bible.

Half a billion people alive today speak English as their first language. But how you speak English depends on where you live, where you come from, and how it was taught to you. It's truly a universal language. So - what's its history? If this is the language that has done the most to spread Christianity (as some claim), how have its quirks influenced our understanding of the Bible?

There's a reason our guests have mentioned Augustine more than any other theologian or philosopher. St Augustine of Hippo was an intellectual giant whose shadow still hangs over Christianity and the Western philosophical tradition. But not everyone loves him. To some, he's a misogynistic pessimist whose work we're better off without. So - what's the truth? It's finally time for Undeceptions to take a deep dive into Augustine.

Reasoning can take us to almost any conclusion we want. We ask "Can I believe?" if we want to believe, or "Must I believe?" if we don't. We can persuade ourselves easily. Only through humility do we stand a chance of approaching something more in line with the truth.

Jazz is a genre of music steeped in tradition, culture, and most importantly, improvisation. According to some, the church can learn a few lessons from this wonderful art form.

Evangelicalism has always been a politically loaded word - but especially since the turn of the century. This is especially true of American evangelicalism. But if we strip away all the nationalistic and political weight, what is evangelicalism? What makes the American strain of evangelicalism particularly unique? How does it compare to other types of evangelicalism?

John faces down some of our most diverse - and controversial - questions yet. What's the deal with circumcision? Why does John hate the term apologetics so much? Is Director Mark sick of John picking on him all the time? 

If Christianity is one big conspiracy, we wouldn't find so many mistakes and inconsistencies in the Gospels! Surely if the faith was one big lie, the Gospels would have some uniformity to them, united to deceive readers.Well, that's one side of the argument. Others might point to the Gospel contradictions as proof the entire thing is made up.So, why are there contradictions in the Gospels? Does this undermine their credibility?

You can make a pretty good case that the Gospels are the four most influential - and controversial - books of all time. But who were the authors? How do we know who wrote them? And why was it that these four books were selected, and not others? 

In this special Undeceptions Single, Stan Grant shares his reflections on God and suffering in the wake of the Bondi Junction attacks that occurred on April 13 in Sydney, Australia.

From the mid-1990s to the 2010s, 'New Atheism' dominated the intellectual space. A virulent, attacking form of godless evangelism, it saw people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens top best-seller lists, and draw huge crowds to their lectures. Justin Brierley was in the middle of it all as New Atheism rose - and then collapsed. In its wake, Justin says he is seeing a new openness to theism - but where that might lead is anyone's guess.

Theology: It's a dry term that conjures images of old academics writing dusty books that will never be read. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The study of theology is the study of who we are as humans, and how we can make sense of both God and the complexities of the world.So, who are the theologians we should all know about?

Science is a relatively new term. Chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy - all have only existed as defined, singular fields for the last century and a half. Before that was the mysterious world of natural philosophy - an ancient tradition that saw the natural world as one, combined entity. Our guest, Professor Alister McGrath, argues that this old way is a path to a new kind of appreciation of the world and each other. 

The Apostle Paul writes that Christians must battle against "powers and principalities". But what are they? What does the Bible say about political power?Special thanks to our season sponsor Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptionsCheck out more of N.T. Wright's work - including his writing, and Bible studies - here.A transcript of this episode is available here. Please note, that due to software not all exchanges between guests will be completely accurate.For the full episode shownotes, head to undeceptions.com

There are sophisticated, academic arguments for the resurrection of Jesus. It's not just a matter of accepting on the basis of faith. The modern industry of Christian apologetics doesn't get us much closer to the historical reality of Jesus' resurrection - but there are solid, investigative ways of examining this seemingly miraculous event.

The pursuit of celibacy is seen as strange, taboo, and repressive in modern society. But that's what David Bennett, a gay man, decided, after becoming a Christian during a night out in Sydney's gay quarter. Since then, he's become a scholar of "holy virginity", and the queerness of his Lord, Jesus. This is his story.  

At the heart of cancel culture is a desire to combat injustice, and expose flaws within society. This is a good thing ... but as recent history has shown, there is a lack of forgiveness at the heart of the movement. This is where Christianity can help.

For the final episode of season X, we're taking a deep dive into the global centre of Atheism - France. How did this once-Christian nation become such a lightning rod for the belief that there is no God? And how are the "French" ways of thinking drawing some people back to belief in Christianity? 

Aliens, more Old Testament violence, and ... The Devil. Our tenth question-and-answer episode was one of the toughest yet for John. Make sure you head to our website to ask a question yourself if you want to pick Johns brain on air!

The story of Christianity is full of wonderful highs and terrible lows. It's truly an epic - and it takes an epic round-the-world adventure to tell its story properly. Thankfully, we have a man who's done just that. This is the story of Christianity, from the crucifixion to the modern day, told through 12 key objects.

Christianity wasn't always its own religion - the first Christians were, in fact, Jewish ...  because Jesus was Jewish! How do we then understand the Jewishness of Jesus? How was his movement different to other Jewish movements?

Angels are everywhere in history. From winged guardians in Sumerian mythology to the messengers of the Gods in Ancient Greece, to new-age guardian angels, humanity has always been fascinated by these celestial beings. But what does the Bible say about them?Our guest on this episode is Graham A. Cole. He was dean emeritus and professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, before his retirement. He formerly worked as the dean of Ridley College in Melbourne. His book Against the Darkness: The Doctrine of Angels, Satan, and Demons is out now.For extended show notes and transcripts, head to our website.

J.R.R. Tolkien needs no introduction. The Oxford Philology Professor who would go on to create the world of Middle Earth is rightly hailed as one of the greatest writers of all time. In this episode, we unpack the inspiration behind his work, meet the people who helped him along the way, and examine the faith that drove him to create the world of The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and more.

The Middle Ages saw an explosion of literature, art, and thought around the personhood of Jesus. What can we learn from these centuries-old understandings of the central figure of the Bible?This season of Undeceptions is sponsored by Zondervan Academic. Get discounts on MasterLectures video courses and exclusive samples of their books at zondervanacademic.com/undeceptionsVisit undeceptions.com for more content, including the full show notes for this episode.Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter and InstagramEmail the show with your comments/feedback: admin@undeceptions.comUndeceptions is the flagship podcast of Undeceptions.com: Letting the truth out.Theme music: JS Bach's Cello Suites, Prelude, performed by the Undeceptions Band. Hosted by John DicksonProduced by Kaley Payne Directed by Mark Hadley Audio Editing by Richard HamwiSocial Media by Sophie HawkshawAdministration by Lyndie LevistonWriter and researcher: Alasdair BellingOnline Librarian: Siobhan McGuinnessCopyright Undeceptions Ltd 2023