With All Due Respect

This week, Michael and Megan tackle the difficult topic of church control. They discuss how much—if any—control churches should be allowed to have over members and how to safeguard against any misuse of power by leaders.Christian psychologist Kylie Walls then joins the show for a sobering discussion on spiritual abuse, before our hosts review the hit podcast Sons of Patriarchy, which deals with the hyper-conservative ministry of Douglas Wilson.If this episode has raised concerns for you, help is available. Call 1800 737 732, or head to the website 1800respect.org.au.(01:20) - - For Arguments Sake (18:42) - - Be Our Guest (51:05) - - Through The Wardrobe

The recent feature film ‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin' attracted controversy for its portrayal of Europe's most celebrated martyr of the 20th century.There are so many questions surrounding the life of Bonhoeffer - chief among them, how involved was he in the botched 20 July plot to kill Hitler?Our hosts this week share their thoughts on the film and are also joined by Center for Pastor Theologians President Dr. Joel Lawrence to discuss Bonhoeffer's life and work.Finally, Michael and Megan try to define a Christian hero and discuss whether the church should have any heroes aside from Jesus.(01:44) - - Through the Wardrobe (31:40) - - Be Our Guest (44:16) - - For Arguments Sake

John Mark Comer's Practicing the Way has become a Christian bestseller since its publication last year.It's part of a new wave of books focusing on the ‘spiritual disciplines'.This week, our hosts delve into what these disciplines are and how we can approach them in a biblical manner.Author Alex Sosler then joins the show to discuss modern approaches to discipleship, before our hosts review the hit Netflix docudrama Apple Cider Vinegar.

With an Australian federal election called for May, our hosts think about how Christians should approach the ballot box and whether there is a "right" way for a believer to vote.We then hear multiple Australian Christian leaders answering the question, "What should Christians consider when casting their vote this year at the Australian federal election?"You can find the full text of all their answers on the WADR webpage - head to https://undeceptions.com/wadr/the-election/Finally, Michael and Megan take a look at the 2024 documentary God and Country, a film that zeros in on the emergence of Christian nationalism in America.

Is a revival breaking out in the Western world? Or is the reappraisal of Christianity - leading intellectuals like Richard Dawkins and Jordan Peterson to proclaim themselves “cultural Christians” - just a passing fad? Evangelist Glen Scrivener joins the show to discuss, before our hosts turn their attention to the latest "Catholic political thriller", and one of the hit movies of the past year - Conclave. (00:00) - - Intro (01:20) - - For Arguments Sake (19:43) - - Be Our Guest (49:39) - - Through the Wardrobe

Last year, Australia introduced a law banning certain social media platforms for children under the age of 16 - the first of its kind in the world.This week, our hosts move the conversation offline and into real life, pondering the effects of social media and how the Bible can guide us in how to use it.Professor Andrew Campbell, Chair of the Cyberpsychology Research Group at the University of Sydney, then joins the show to discuss the proposed ban and the potential benefits of social media.Finally, Michael and Megan discuss appropriations of the 19th-century novel Vanity Fair and wonder how it might have anticipated some of the complexities of social media - two centuries ahead of time!(00:00) - - Intro (01:20) - - For Arguments Sake (17:36) - - Be Our Guest (49:10) - - Through the Wardrobe

Welcome back to another season of With All Due Respect, where your hosts, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen, tackle tricky topics with respect and grace.To kick things off, celebrated author Marilynne Robinson joins the show to discuss her new book Reading Genesis, which looks at God's covenant with humanity - despite how dark things get.Our hosts then share their thoughts on the first book of the Bible and look at other recent attempts to understand it - notably Jordan Peterson's musings in his latest work, We Who Wrestle With God.

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.In our season finale, our hosts answer questions from the audience and give their hot takes on some thorny issues.(01:36) - - Q&A Part 1 (22:47) - - Q&A Part 2 (39:32) - - Through The Wardrobe

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.In the aftermath of the 2024 Lausanne Congress - at which Megan was a delegate - our hosts take stock of what went on, review the Seoul Statement (and other alliterative faith declarations of past conferences), and mull over the insights of other attendees.They also discuss a documentary on the first Lausanne Congress, held way back in 1974.(01:50) - - Through The Wardrobe (15:55) - - What's Going On? (33:58) - - Be Our Guest

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.Is there a masculinity crisis? Or have we fundamentally misunderstood what being a man in the 21st century means?Our hosts spend some time discussing their understanding of masculinity, how they've seen it shift around them, and what a Christian vision of masculinity really looks like.Executive Director of the Centre for Public Christianity Simon Smart joins the show to discuss this tricky topic.  Finally, Michael and Megan turn their attention to the comedy-drama series Barry.  Help internally displaced people in Africa!Disasters and conflicts have led to a record number of over 75 million internally displaced people, or IDPs, around the world. IDPs are people who have been forced to flee their homes but have not crossed international borders.  Almost half of all IDPs - more than the population of Australia and New Zealand combined - are in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the displaced have left everything behind: their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. They urgently need food, shelter, clothing, and trauma counselling. So Anglican Aid has launched a Forced to Flee Emergency Appeal to provide essential aid to IDPs in Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond. This aid will be distributed by local churches, who are sacrificially providing for the needs of the displaced, and pointing them to the God who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  To find out more about this appeal and make a tax-deductible gift, visit anglicanaid.org.au/wadr. 

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.Do we live in a culture that thrives on offence? Is it ever okay to intentionally offend? Michael and Megan are joined this week by Presbyterian Minister and writer Nathan Campbell to think through these questions. Our hosts also discuss the theology behind offence, and what offends them.Finally, the 2022 Psychological Thriller Tar - starring Cate Blanchett - comes under the WADR microscope. It's a film all about the destructive consequences of offending. But is it any good?(00:09) - - Be Our Guest (36:43) - - For Arguments Sake (55:43) - - Through The Wardrobe Help internally displaced people in Africa!Disasters and conflicts have led to a record number of over 75 million internally displaced people, or IDPs, around the world. IDPs are people who have been forced to flee their homes but have not crossed international borders.  Almost half of all IDPs - more than the population of Australia and New Zealand combined - are in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the displaced have left everything behind: their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. They urgently need food, shelter, clothing, and trauma counselling. So Anglican Aid has launched a Forced to Flee Emergency Appeal to provide essential aid to IDPs in Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond. This aid will be distributed by local churches, who are sacrificially providing for the needs of the displaced, and pointing them to the God who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  To find out more about this appeal and make a tax-deductible gift, visit anglicanaid.org.au/wadr. 

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.This week, our hosts discuss the touchy topic of class. Does Christianity have an issue with class in Australia? What class do our hosts think they belong in?For 'Through the Wardrobe', Michael and Megan share their thoughts on the hit HBO drama The Gilded Age, a show dedicated to the world of the upstairs and downstairs world of 19th century America.(01:36) - - For Arguments Sake (20:03) - - The Secret Life of Us (34:31) - - Through the Wardrobe Help internally displaced people in Africa!Disasters and conflicts have led to a record number of over 75 million internally displaced people, or IDPs, around the world. IDPs are people who have been forced to flee their homes but have not crossed international borders.  Almost half of all IDPs - more than the population of Australia and New Zealand combined - are in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the displaced have left everything behind: their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. They urgently need food, shelter, clothing, and trauma counselling. So Anglican Aid has launched a Forced to Flee Emergency Appeal to provide essential aid to IDPs in Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond. This aid will be distributed by local churches, who are sacrificially providing for the needs of the displaced, and pointing them to the God who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  To find out more about this appeal and make a tax-deductible gift, visit anglicanaid.org.au/wadr. 

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. Your gift will strengthen churches and help transform communities. You can donate to With All Due Respect's featured causes here.This week, our hosts are grappling with the topic of sin. They discuss what sin is, and then ponder the relationship of desire to sin. In particular, is all sinful desire ... sinful? Michael and Megan don't entirely see eye to eye on this one!Writer and podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield, well-known as the host of The Sacred podcast, then joins the show for a wide-ranging discussion, including on her new book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times.Finally, our hosts discuss the confronting - and beautiful - film Manchester By The Sea (2016).(01:32) - - For Arguments Sake (22:19) - - Be Our Guest (47:50) - - Through The Wardrobe Help internally displaced people in Africa!Disasters and conflicts have led to a record number of over 75 million internally displaced people, or IDPs, around the world. IDPs are people who have been forced to flee their homes but have not crossed international borders.  Almost half of all IDPs - more than the population of Australia and New Zealand combined - are in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the displaced have left everything behind: their homes, belongings, and livelihoods. They urgently need food, shelter, clothing, and trauma counselling. So Anglican Aid has launched a Forced to Flee Emergency Appeal to provide essential aid to IDPs in Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond. This aid will be distributed by local churches, who are sacrificially providing for the needs of the displaced, and pointing them to the God who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  To find out more about this appeal and make a tax-deductible gift, visit anglicanaid.org.au/wadr. 

This week our hosts ponder the role of animals in creation. What is the standing of animals in comparison to humans in the created order? Is it ever ok to eat animals? Do they go to heaven? Ethicist and Professor of Animal Theology Clair Linzey then joins the show to ponder these questions further, before Michael and Megan turn their attention to the 2017 film The Zookeeper's Wife, which tells the true story of two brave zookeepers in Warsaw who resisted the invading Nazi forces. (01:44) - For Arguments Sake (22:59) - Be Our Guest (43:40) - Through The Wardrobe Interested in giving The Week At CPX a listen? You can subscribe to it here. And for more information, check out The Centre for Public Christianity website.If you'd like to help bring The First Hymn documentary into being, click here to find out all you need to know about contributing.

Humans are learning creatures. We spend our whole lives picking up new skills, improving them, and finding new areas of knowledge to explore. This week Michael and Megan think through the Biblical implications of this, and along the way are joined by Zeeshan LaalDin. Zeeshan is a Project Officer with Anglican Aid. He will be delivering a keynote address at the upcoming Common Knowledge Conference, which looks at the role of education in eradicating global poverty.Finally, our hosts watch the 2005 TV adaptation of Thomas Hughes' classic 1857 novel Tom Brown's School Days.(01:52) - For Arguments Sake (19:11) - Be Our Guest (42:22) - Through the Wardrobe   Interested in giving The Week At CPX a listen? You can subscribe to it here. And for more information, check out The Centre for Public Christianity website.If you'd like to help bring The First Hymn documentary into being, click here to find out all you need to know about contributing.

This week, our hosts hold up a mirror to themselves and discuss the role of the pastor. They ponder a range of questions, including the Biblical job description of a pastor and whether the modern church is equipping its pastors well enough for the job. Principal of Morling College Tim MacBride then joins the show to discuss the challenges facing the pastoral profession.Finally, Michael and Megan riff on the 2001 film Wit (starring Emma Thompson), a cinematic adaptation of the play of the same name, which chiefly focuses on ... death. Interested in giving The Week At CPX a listen? You can subscribe to it here. And for more information, check out The Centre for Public Christianity website.If you'd like to help bring The First Hymn documentary into being, click here to find out all you need to know about contributing.

Neurodiversity is a topic that has seen an upswing of awareness in recent years.With more visibility than ever before, our hosts discuss whether neurodivergence is a good, or "fallen" condition.Writer and scholar Kate Morris then joins the show to discuss her own experiences raising a neurodivergent child, as well as her substack aimed at helping Christians love their neurodivergent friends and family.Finally, Micahel and Megan cast an eye over the hit ABC show Austin, featuring Love on the Spectrum star Michael Teo.  Interested in giving The Week At CPX a listen? You can subscribe to it here. And for more information, check out The Centre for Public Christianity website.If you'd like to help bring The First Hymn documentary into being, click here to find out all you need to know about contributing.

Theology. It's a term often associated with old professors and dusty books. But theology is actually crucial for the church. So, why don't more Christians take an interest in it? Why has it become so .... stale? These are the questions our hosts (and resident theologians) grapple with. Speaking of childlike - Michael and Megan are joined this week by author Kaitlyn Scheiss, host of the Curiously Kaitlyn podcast where she fields questions about theology from children!Finally, our hosts cast an eye over the coming-of-age film adaptation of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

This week, Meghan and Michael look at the epidemic of gendered violence sweeping through both the church and society at large. Our hosts look at what the Bible has to say on the issue and are then joined by expert consultant Carolyn Cousins for a discussion about what the church can do to help stamp it out.They then turn their attention to the program Asking For It, a look at the impacts of gendered violence, hosted by journalist and author Jess Hill who wrote the seminal See What You Made Me Do. Interested in giving The Week At CPX a listen? You can subscribe to it here. And for more information, check out The Centre for Public Christianity website.If you'd like to pick up a copy of Michael's book Subjects and Citizens, find everything you want to know here.

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. You can donate to its Because He First Loved Us Appeal and show Jesus' love to children in need this end of financial year.Grief is a universal experience. We all face it at some point in our lives. So, what's a Christian framework for walking through grief? How can we grieve well? Dr Kit Barker joins our hosts to tackle these questions.Our hosts then turn their attention to the Apple TV comedy-drama Shrinking - a program that explores the variety of experiences people have when it comes to grief.

This episode is brought to you by Anglican Aid. You can donate to its Because He First Loved Us Appeal and show Jesus' love to children in need this end of financial year.Welcome to another season of With All Due Respect!Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen embark on another series of podcasts tackling some potentially divisive elements of culture with nuance, grace, and - of course- respect!This week, our hosts look at the phenomena of fandom and ask - is it possible for fandom to go far? Can a Christian engage in fandom in good faith?Both our hosts share what they're fans of (this episode is a judgment-free zone!) before casting their eye over Tabitha Carvan's book This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch, a work which explores how an ordinary person can become obsessed by a certain middle-aged British actor. 

Welcome to the final episode of Season 8 of With All Due Respect!This week, Minister Jeri Jones Sparks and former Sydney Archbishop (and Michael's Dad!) Peter Jensen joins the show for a panel discussion on different church generations. The team look at the highs and lows of recent Australian church history, as well as what different generations of Christians today can learn from one other.Our hosts then discuss the TV series Pachinko, a critically acclaimed show that follows the stories of four generations of a Korean Family, between 1915 and 1989.

This week, Michael and Megan are joined by Stephen Judd, the former CEO of HammondCare, to discuss how - if at all - an organisation can be "Christian".Our hosts then discuss whether the broader church is an organisation, and if ministers can gain anything from the world of corporate wisdom.Finally, they turn their attention to the hit drama Propser, a new show that follows a family as they build a super-powerful, super-wealthy megachurch.

This week, Megan and Michael hash out one of the most controversial issues currently ruling the discourse; the conflict in the Israel and Gaza region.Our hosts think through how the Bible can guide Christians' response to the conflict.A Palestinian Christian and peacemaker joins the show to discuss the challenges facing faith groups in the conflict zone.Finally, our hosts discuss the film Women in Sink, which documents conversations with women of different faiths in the region.

Mark Twain once famously said, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics".Our hosts this week are chatting about this third lie - statistics. With the age of social media now dictating how people access statistical data, are we literate enough to understand what we are reading when it comes to statistics? How does this affect trust in official information more broadly? And in a fallen world, where sin distorts everything, how much can we truly trust human knowledge?Statistician Alan Brnabic joins Michael and Megan to discuss these questions, and why we need statistics more broadly. Finally, our hosts cast their eye over Moneyball, a sports film that, against the odds, Megan quite enjoyed.

Michael and Megan are kicking off 2024 by checking in on the state of Evangelicalism.Karen Swallow Prior returns to the show to discuss her new book The Evangelical Imagination, which provocatively claims to take stock of a "culture in crisis".Our hosts then hash out the question: does Evangelicalism need another Reformation?Finally, the pair discuss the 17th-century classic The Pilgrim's Progress and take stock of its influence and legacy.

It's the 2023 Christmas episode of With All Due Respect, and we're talking all things Mary this year!New Testament scholar The Rev. Dr Sarah Harris joins the show to discuss the mother of Jesus, and makes some big calls about her place in theological history.Michael and Megan then discuss the place of Mary in Protestant tradition. Should the evangelical Christian church reclaim Mary? Is she in need of a "rediscovery?"Finally, our hosts turn their attention to the hit TV show The Chosen and discuss its portrayals of the Holy Matriarch.

It's the 100th episode of With All Due Respect!To mark their century our guests chat with Mike Bird, Academic Dean of Melbourne's Ridley College, discussing the question "Is the Bible clear in what it tells us?"They also discuss the differences in church tradition when it comes to interpreting scripture.Later, our hosts discuss Sarah Polley's confronting film Women Talking, which explores the consequences of misunderstanding - and abusing - The Bible.  

Home - it's an evocative word and one that has instant access to our emotions, whether that's when Dorothy knocks together her shiny red heels and says there's no place like home or when angelic children's choirs sing I still call Australia home on a Qantas ad. The Bible culminates with an image of God at home with humanity. Home speaks to us of familiarity, safety, welcome, love. Yet home doesn't just have positive associations. Some are home less while many have found their homes to be anything but safe. This episode Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen begin by discussing whether human beings are actually any good at making home for themselves or others. Then the WADR team speak to former NSW Liberal Minister and newly appointed chair of the Faith Housing Alliance, Rob Stokes about the current housing crisis. And to finish, continuing 'the whole vibe' of the episode, they hang out with the Kerrigans in The Castle.

This week, Megan and Michael discuss the place of "civic religion" in Australian society.Defined as the implicit "religious" values of a nation - expressed through public ceremony, symbols, and rituals - our hosts ask if Australia even has a civic religion in the first place.They then turn their eyes to the place of the Welcome to / Acknowledgement of Country in Australia: specifically in the church. What does it mean that some churches have pushed back against this now largely normal part of public procedure?Finally, they take stock of a recent episode of Bluey and discuss why a children's show (of all things) brought Michael to tears.

Leisa Aitken joins Megan and Michael to discuss her dissertation on the psychology of Hope, and why the clinical definition of the word is missing the mark. On 'For Arguments Sake', our hosts discuss whether there may be a lack of hope within the church. Have Christians in the global west lost their eschatological hope?Finally, our hosts cast their eye over Christopher Noaln's blockbuster Oppenheimer. In true WADR style, they don't necessarily see eye-to-eye on its message.

In light of the Barbie movie phenomenon, our hosts take stock of Greta Gerwig's divisive blockbuster, ponder its themes on humanity, and whether it will become an essential existential text.Old Testament expert Dr George Athas then joins the show to discuss the film, its relationship to the book of Ecclesiastes, and how death plays a role in our understanding of being human.

As the voting time for the referendum approaches, Michael and Megan are joined by Bundjalung woman Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia, and Peter Morris, General Manager of the Reconciliation Action Plan program of Reconciliation Australia.They talk through what a 'yes' vote might mean for Australian society, its citizens, and the church.

Welcome to season 8 of With All Due Respect!As Australians prepare to vote in a referendum on an Aboriginal Voice in parliament, Michael Jensen and (newly Reverend Dr) Megan Powell du Toit speak with constitutional law expert Dr Joel Harrison about what it might mean, legally speaking.They then discuss whether or not the church should be involved with politics at all  - a thorny issue that Michael has had some recent experience with.Finally on 'Through the Wardrobe', our hosts cast their eye over the controversy surrounding ABC journalist Annabel Crabb's Kitchen Cabinet program, and her decision to have some rather divisive guests on recent episodes.WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network. 

In the season finale, Megan and Michael sit down with First Nations Christian leader Uncle Pastor Ray Minniecon to discuss the upcoming referendum in Australia concerning The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, or simply 'The Voice).Our hosts also sift through the responses from various groups to The Voice, casting a spotlight on who has - and hasn't - voiced support.Finally, on 'Through The Wardrobe', Michael and Megan keep things political with a look back at the 2017 ABC documentary Counted, hosted by Stan Grant to commemorate the 1967 Referendum which saw Australian First Nations people counted as part of the Australian population. They compare this with an episode of Derry Girls, unpacking the complexities of referendum and nationhood.And, as promised, here is a link to the Christian denominational responses to the Voice to Parliament that the WADR team collected.

This week on WADR, our hosts are living up to the aim of the show (conversations with respect and grace) with an Easter special on ... GRACE!Grace is of course a concept strongly associated with the cross of Christ. It is a word Christians chuck around - but do we have a good understanding of what it means? And can grace even be immoral?'The Secret Life of Us' then makes a return, with Michael and Megan sharing episodes in their life when they had grace shown to them.Finally, on 'Through The Wardrobe' our hosts give their take on The Engish, a grizzly western reboot about an aristocrat bent on revenge in the new world. Can grace be shown to those who've taken everything from us?WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network.

This week, Megan and Michael delve into the mystery of 'time', and ask the question ... is time cursed? And how are eternity and time-related?On 'Through the Wardrobe', the pair cast their critical eye over the now cancelled Amazon series Paper Girls, a time travelling adventure drama that looks at how we might feel if we met our future selves. Plus, our hosts take some time to answer audience questions. Does pineapple belong on pizza? Do Michael and Megan actually disagree on anything? And what should we do with the work of now-disgraced theologians? Tune in to find out!WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network.

On a special edition of 'For Argument's Sake', Michael and Megan dissect the fallout from The Gospel Coalitions' recent endorsement - and swift recant -  of a controversial extract from Joshua Butler's new book Beautiful Union, which drew parallels between the saving work of Christ, and sexual intercourse between husband and wife. Our hosts then explore why the article was published, the dangers of applying such theology within marriage, and what structural and cultural shortcomings the saga has exposed within TGC.Numerous theologians and academics who lent their names to the book - and by extension the article -  have since withdrawn their endorsements, with some writing follow-up articles in the wake of the scandal.Joshua Butler has since resigned as a Gospel Coalition Centre fellow, and will not be involved with planned TGC events for 2023.Extra reading on the issue can be found below. LINKS:* TGC statement on the article* Check out Bethany Falker-Jones unpacking of the whole affair - 'Protestant Bodies, Protestant Bedrooms, and our furious need for a theology thereof'* Mikey Lynch, director of the Australian arm of TGC, has published a fascinating pushback on the original article - 'Don't Go Beyond What Is Written'

It's family week on WADR. Michael and Megan chat through different perspectives on family, and in particular, adoption. They work through the good and the bad, how it can heal - but also compound - trauma, and what the Bible has to say about it.   UK-based broadcaster, author, social entrepreneur, and adoptive father Dr Krish Kandiah then joins the podcast for a challenging discussion on fostering and adoption.Finally, on 'Through The Wardrobe', our hosts share their thoughts on the 2021 documentary Found, the moving story of three Chinese girls, adopted by American parents, who discover they are blood-related, and then return to their country of birth to uncover their origins.WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network.

This week, Megan and Michael deep dive into the often heated relationship between Protestantism and Catholicism, examining what the recent death of former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI means for intra-church relations, and how Christians and Catholics can walk hand-in-hand in ministry (can they?). Catholic theologian Dr Elissa Roper joins the podcast to discuss a range of issues, including what the late Pope's passing means, and what decade might hold for the Catholic Church.Then, on ‘Through The Wardrobe', Megan and Michael talk about Roland Joffe's 1986 cinematic masterpiece The Mission - a classic of the genre that Megan, unbelievably, hadn't seen before!WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network. 

Megan and Michael talk about all things freedom - does true freedom exist, and are we really free in the 21st century? From overthrowing the yoke of human slavery (Israel's Exodus from Egypt) to Jesus' promise that “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”, the concept of freedom is at the heart of the Biblical story.But what does it mean for our everyday lives to be free? Are we truly free if we still feel the weight of sin in our lives? Can we ever, truly have free will?On 'Through the wardrobe', Michael and Megan discuss last year's medieval comedy Catherine Called Birdy, and how this tale of a young Englishwoman navigating 13th-century society relates to the idea of being truly 'free'.Plus, in a brand new segment called 'You can't ask that' Michael confronts Megan on one of the most divisive issues in church history; what it means to be Arminian - and can you really call yourself a Christian and Arminian at the same time?WADR is hosted by Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen. It is part of the Undeceptions podcast network. 

Hospitality is a word that conjures up images of wine glasses and silver cutlery. It's the word for the hotel trade or the type of entertaining that looks good on Instagram: themed dinner parties and pretty hand soaps for the guest toilet. Yet hospitality is also a word that occurs in the Bible. Famously, Hebrews 13:2 urges, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." But exactly what are we being called to do? Is it an occasional drinks with the next-door neighbours or something more? Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen talk about who exactly are our neighbours when it comes to hospitality and what it might require of us. To help the WADR team out, Michael and Megan also talk to Jon Owen who has lived a remarkably hospitable life. And then they sing along with Come From Away, the musical about 7,000 unexpected guests.

All of us as humans are embodied. We come into being through our bodies being formed in the womb, and when our bodies die, our lives in this world end. Christians have held different attitudes to the body over history - while the body has a central place in the Christian understanding of the life to come, at times the body has been seen as the source of sin. Megan Powell due Toit and Michael Jensen talk about a significant Christian concept - the flesh - and what it means for how we relate to ourselves and others as embodied people. The WADR team then talk to the author Sam Allberry about his work on the body, and finish with a recent film that grapples with the Christian relationship with the body, The Wonder.

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen talk about the Dark Night of the Soul. It's a common phrase - one which describes someone going through a difficult time, particularly one in which God feels either absent or unloving. The WADR team investigates where it comes from, and then asks if it's as bad as it sounds?Then Megan and Michael talk to Dr Greg Clarke about two songwriters who have been known to include their honest struggle with faith in their songs - Nick Cave and Bono. And we finish by getting up close and personal with that most faithful and yet honest of poets, John Donne.

In this episode, the WADR team talk about how to have better sex. No, this is not Megan and Michael's opportunity to present the evangelical version of the karma sutra. Rather, they want to talk about the ways Christianity has got sex right - or a lot of the time wrong - and what can be done better for everyone's sake. First up, Megan and Michael invite on to the show the co-author of the influential Christian book The Great Sex Rescue, Sheila Wray Gregoire. Sheila shares what she and her co-authors discovered when they talked to 22,000 Christian women. Then the WADR duo talk about the Australian #metoo moment and what they think about consent education. Finally, we finish the show with the film Give Me Sex Jesus, a title that sells itself. And consider this your warning. This episode is talking about sex, so it is definitely for mature audiences.LINKSFollow this link to check out Sheila's book, The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You've Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended, by Sheila Wray Gregoire, psychology graduate Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach and epidemiologist and statistician Joanna Sawatsky.You can watch Give Me Sex Jesus for free on Vimeo - it's a Staff Pick!

In 2016, following trends in many Western countries, a majority of Australians identified as Christian 52.1%. Five years later, that was down to 43.9%. Christianity is still the most common religion in the country, but for the first time no longer in the majority. Moreover, 38.9% of people now identify themselves as having no religion - a jump of almost 10%. Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen ask what this really means. And, more particularly, what should Christians do about it? The WADR team talk to Prof Ruth Powell of National Church Life Survey Research, which has been doing research into Australians and faith. Then Megan and Michael discuss what this seismic shift in faith means for the gospel, before finishing up with a look at Brides of Christ, an Australian TV mini-series which looks at another time of change for faith in the 1960s.

Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit ask: is evangelicalism fractured beyond repair? Or as Mark Twain might say, have reports of its death been grossly exaggerated? The WADR team are joined by Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today to talk about what happened to evangelical consensus. And then Michael and Megan finish with a look at the spiritual themes in a tv series they basically think they had to do this season - Rings of Power. But don't tap off too soon! Michael and Megan finish with the announcement that they're starting a new crowd-sourced service that promises to 'fact check' Christianity.

In the final episode for this season, Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit are talking comedy. Their big question: does God have a sense of humour? When humans laugh, are we doing so as people made in the image of God? Or is this only a human response to the world? Or could laughter be a link to life in the next world?The WADR team tackle each of these questions together, then review a comedy whose central character Megan has often been compared with - can you guess which one? Finally, they finish up season 6 with a chat with a comedian who also happens to be an Anglican minister. It's a whole new take on second vocations that's a merry mile from St. Paul's tent-making.LINKSFind out more about comedian minister Howard Langmead on his website.If you'd like to help Michael and Megan continue to deliver With All Due Respect each fortnight, why not make a donation?With All Due Respect is the podcast for The WADR Project.

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen are talking about Christian Nationalism. Nationalism promotes the distinctiveness of the people of a nation. Christian nationalism goes one step further, defining a nation by its faith, and maintaining it should be protected by the state, enshrined in its laws, and actively maintained.But is this so? Is Christian Nationalism even compatible with the Christian faith? In a western society that is often spoken of as Post-Christian, the relationship between Christianity and the State has become an increasingly vexed issue. Michael and Megan start their investigation by reviewing a documentary that seeks to look at how this is playing out in US evangelicalism. Moving on, they discuss whether Christian Nationalism is a problem in an Australian context. Then it's your chance to shape the show - a question and answer session on Australian evangelicalism and what the WADR team think about where it is going.LINKSAfter the highly successful “In the footsteps of the Reformers” tour through the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Faith Journeys is launching its latest tour “In the footsteps of Saint Paul”, travelling across Turkey, Greece & Italy from 25th April – 9th May 2023. The tour starts in Istanbul and makes its way through to Greece before ending in Rome. Daily devotions, a pilgrimage handbook and study guide assist with exploring the works, teachings and journeys of St Paul while travelling with like-minded individuals. You also have a Tour Manager throughout who looks after all travel logistics with exclusive local tour guides who all work alongside Michael Jensen to create an immersive touring experience. If you're interested in joining Michael on his instructive tour of early church locations, then you can find out everything you need to know at www.faithjourneys.com.au or by emailing info@faithjourneys.com.au.If you'd like to help Michael and Megan continue to deliver With All Due Respect each fortnight, why not make a donation?With All Due Respect is the podcast for The WADR Project.

While we have been dealing with a pandemic over the last couple of years, we have also been experiencing what some are calling a loneliness epidemic.Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen discuss how this new struggle has been reported across many countries, particularly in their home country. The Ending Loneliness Together report says that one in four Australians are experiencing problematic levels of loneliness, with one in two Australians feeling lonelier due to the pandemic in 2020. Why is this so? Does it happen to Christians as much as anyone else, and how can we respond? Michael and Megan talk first about how loneliness might interact with faith, and then they invite Susan Mettes, behavioural scientist and author of The Loneliness Epidemic, on to the show to discuss how we can begin to deal with this challenge.Finally, the WADR team take a look at a comedy of loneliness, This Way Up. LINKSAfter the highly successful “In the footsteps of the Reformers” tour through the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Faith Journeys is launching its latest tour “In the footsteps of Saint Paul”, travelling across Turkey, Greece & Italy from 25th April – 9th May 2023. The tour starts in Istanbul and makes its way through to Greece before ending in Rome. Daily devotions, a pilgrimage handbook and study guide assist with exploring the works, teachings and journeys of St Paul while travelling with like-minded individuals. You also have a Tour Manager throughout who looks after all travel logistics with exclusive local tour guides who all work alongside Michael Jensen to create an immersive touring experience. If you're interested in joining Michael on his instructive tour of early church locations, then you can find out everything you need to know at www.faithjourneys.com.au or by emailing info@faithjourneys.com.au. This is where you can find Susan Mettes' book, The Loneliness Epidemic: Why So Many of Us Feel Alone - and How Leaders Can Respond.If you'd like to help Michael and Megan continue to deliver With All Due Respect each fortnight, why not make a donation?With All Due Respect is the podcast for The WADR Project.

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen look at the vexed question of racism and the church. First up, they talk to African American pastor Thabiti Anaybwile about how he understands the way American evangelicalism has interacted with the question of racism. He has been a significant voice on this topic within conservative evangelicalism in the US. Then the WADR team come back to their Australian context to speak with pastor Grace Lung and her experience as an Australian-born Chinese woman within Australian churches and society. Finally, Michael and Megan finish with a review of a film that examines the experience of Indigenous students in an elite Anglican school environment.LINKSYou can find out more about Grace Lung's ministry and track down resources for understanding and dealing with racism on her website.If you'd like to help Michael and Megan continue to deliver With All Due Respect each fortnight, why not make a donation?With All Due Respect is the podcast for The WADR Project.