Unbelievable

The Common English Bible is a recently released new translation of Scripture.  An interdenominational team of Bible scholars worked on the project, with thousands of people involved in test readings.  The aim was to produce an accurate, but jargon-free Bible, aimed at today's English reader. Joel B Green, Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary headed the team of NT translators. He discusses some of the unusual choices of phraseology and interpretation with NIV Bible scholar David Instone-Brewer of Tyndale House, Cambridge. Do we need another English translation? Why "Human One" instead of "Son of Man"? Is gender neutral language helpful? Have passages such as 1 Tim 2 been translated to favour an egalitarian theology? Plus questions from listeners. For the Common English Bible http://www.commonenglishbible.com/ Enter the draw for a copy by emailing unbelievable@premier.org.uk  For Joel B Green http://www.fuller.edu/academics/faculty/joel-green.aspx For David Instone-Brewer http://www.tyndale.cam.ac.uk/index.php?page=david-instone-brewer 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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy:   Unbelievable? 22 Jan 2011 - Which Translation should we Trust?   Unbelievable? 13 Feb 2010 - Two views on Divorce and Remarriage - David Instone-Brewer & Andrew Corn   Unbelievable? 14 May 2011 - Should women be church leaders?With Christina Rees & John Richardson   Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Atheism 2.0 is the logical next step for non-believers according to cultural philosopher Alain de Botton.  He outlines why atheists should borrow from the art, architecture, community, and contemplative traditions of religion without the supernatural beliefs.  The book "Religion for atheists" drew criticism from Richard Dawkins and others after De Botton apparently suggested that there should be "temples for atheism". De Botton responds and also gives his opinion on AC Grayling's "The Good Book" and Terry Eagleton's unfavourable review in The Guardian. Recorded in De Botton's home, he chats with James Orr, a Christian convert studying for a PhD in the History of Ideas at Cambridge University. They discuss whether the trappings of religion make sense without the kernel of faith. For Alain de Botton http://www.alaindebotton.com/ Buy "Religion for Atheists" http://amzn.to/rsrtAe The TED Talk http://blog.ted.com/2012/01/17/atheism-2-0-alain-de-botton-on-ted-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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy:   Unbelievable? 17 Dec 2011 Believing Bulls**t - Is Christianity an intellectual blackhole? Stephen Law & James Orr   Unbelievable? 26 Oct 2011 - William Lane Craig vs Peter Millican - Does God exist?   Unbelievable? 2 Apr 2011 - Is it best to be agnostic? Mark Vernon & David Robertson   Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Chris Sinkinson is a pastor and tutor at Moorlands Bible College. His new book 'Confident Christianity' aims to equip the believer with an overview of apologetics and how it can be used to make a rational defense of the Christian faith. James Croft is an atheist Brit studying at Harvard University and director of 'Temple of the Future'. He has read and debated with apologists - he says that all the apologetic arguments he has heard are incapable of convincing him. They debate what constitutes faith and evidence and whether it's irrational to believe in miracles such as the resurrection. We have 5 copies of Confident Christianity to give away - get in touch telling me "what makes you believe" and you may win one! email unbelievable@premier.org.uk To buy Confident Christianity http://amzn.to/ACKJH5 For Chris Sinkinson http://www.moorlands.ac.uk/home/about-us/staff-profiles.php For James Croft http://www.templeofthefuture.net/about 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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy:   Unbelievable? 29 October 2011 - Gary Habermas & Geoff Campos Belief in Miracles.Unbelievable? 11 June 2011 - Unbelievable? The Conference - John Lennox & GuestsUnbelievable? 21 Aug 2010 - Debating Apologetics Online Christians Todd Pitner & Richard Morgan with atheist Paul Baird   Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Three Christians of different theological persuasion discuss the existence of demons. John Tancock (JT) is involved in Charismatic Church leadership. He believes demons are real. As well as pursuing apologetics, he is involved in deliverance ministry and had regularly prayed for demons to be cast out of people. Will Van Der Hart is a vicar in the Church Of England and a founder of Mind and Soul - helping Churches to understand mental health issues.  He believes in a negative spiritual realm but wants to stop the stigmatisation of people with mental health issues as "demonised". Jonathan Clatworthy is General Secretary of Modern Church - promoting liberal theology. He believes that demons don't exist and modern day deliverance ministry can do more harm than good. John Tancock http://jtsblogspot.blogspot.com/ or http://www.youtube.com/user/reachout/search?query=deliverance Will Van Der Hart http://www.mindandsoul.info/ Jonathan Clatworthy http://www.clatworthy.org/ 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 If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 10 Jul 2010 - Was Saint Paul mentally ill & the proponent of a hoax religion?'B. Strong' & Christian John Tancock debate Unbelievable? 10 May 2008 The gift of tongues - faith or fake? Gerald Coates, Mark Johnston & Stephen Pilcher discuss. Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Angels have been reported for thousands of years across different cultures. What is the evidence of their existence? Three guests examine Biblical and contemporary accounts of angelic visitation. Peter S Williams is a Christian Philosopher and author of the book "The Case for Angels". He say that there is philosophical, biblical and experiential evidence for the existence of angels. Lee Warren is a magician by trade. As an atheist and sceptic he says the mind is capable of making people believe unusual things, but a natural explanation always lies behind accounts of supernatural beings. Roger Harper is an Anglican Vicar who has researched Christian accounts of modern-day angelic visitations. For Peter S Williams http://idpluspeterswilliams.blogspot.com/ His Books "The Case for Angels" http://tinyurl.com/79xjm3g and "Understanding Jesus" http://tinyurl.com/7ljghdf For Lee Warren http://www.leewarrenmagic.co.uk/ For Roger Harper http://rogerharper.wordpress.com/ More Resources: Emma Heathcote-Jones Seeing Angels and Pastor Roland Buck's Angelic Experiences http://www.angelsonassignment.org/ 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 If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy: Demons: Do they exist? Different Christian views - Unbelievable? 28 Jan 2012 Unbelievable? 25 Jul 2009 - Michael Shermer debates "Miracles" Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Justin Brierley interviews Grace & Mark Driscoll on their book Real Marriage and on Mark's ministry as pastor of Mars Hill Church Seattle.   The interview, which was recorded for Christianity Magazine, was criticised by Driscoll in a blog post http://pastormark.tv/2012/01/12/a-blog-for-the-brits     Justin Brierley responds to Mark's criticisms in the introduction to the interview.   For Christianity Magazine's response see http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/markdriscoll   For a free copy of Christianity Magazine http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/freesample.aspx   For Justin Brierley's weekly faith debate radio show & podcast Unbelievable? http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable

Continuing our Mind, Body and Soul month of programming on Premier, Justin is joined by a Christian and an atheist as they discuss whether people's religious experiences can be explained by brain activity alone. Revd Dr Aladair Coles is an academice neurologist in Cambridge and part of the Faraday Institute's Test of Faith initiative. He says that even though neuroscience has helped us understand the brain activity of religious people, atheist scientists such as Sam Harris have not thereby disproved God. Martyn Frame is a psychological therapist and atheist. He believes that people's brain states fully explain their religious experiences and, in any case, the Christian God would not have given us the brains we have if He existed. For Premier's Mind, Body & Soul resources http://www.premier.org.uk/mind For Alasdair Coles http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/Biography.php?ID=60 For Test of Faith lectures by Alasdair http://www.testoffaith.com/resources/resources.aspx?resourceByTag=true&tagid=24 For Martyn Frame see http://www.freeoffaith.net 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 If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 24 Jul 2010 - Psychology of Religion "Is religious belief a trick of the mind?" Atheist Martyn Frame & Christian Joanna Collicut McGrath Unbelievable? 24 Jul 2010 - Wired for God? The Biology of Spiritual Experience Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

A show marking January's Feast of the Epiphany which marks the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Various astronomical theories have been put forward for what might have constituted the "Star of Bethlehem" that guided the Magi as recorded in Matthew 2. Christian Astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink of Reasons To Believe join Justin. Agnostic Astronomer Mark Kidger who works for the European Space Agency also joins the conversation. The firmly sceptical side is catered for by Norman Bacrac of the Ethical Society. Hugh, Jeff and Mark outline the conclusion their work has drawn on the Star of Bethlehem most likely being a recurring nova, witnessed by other astronomers in 5 BC. Norman expresses scepticism at the idea a celestial object could have led the Magi to a specific location and the astronomers respond. For Reasons to Believe resources on The Star http://www.reasons.org/christmasstar For Mark Kidger's book The Star of Bethlehem http://amzn.to/wNklg2 For the Ethical Society http://www.ethicalsoc.org.uk 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 If you enjoyed this show you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 26 Dec 2009 - Are the two Christmas accounts contradictory? Christian Charles Foster vs. Atheist Robert Stovold Unbelievable? 22 Dec 2007 - Did Christians steal Christmas? Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Is our physical brain one and the same with the consciousness, thoughts and perceptions we experience? Is matter all there is ultimately? Keith Ward is a prominent Christian Philosopher & Theologian.  The Former Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University. He believes in an immaterial mind, as well as the phsical brain. David Papineau is Professor of Philosophy of Science at Kings College London.  As an atheist & physicalist he believes that the mind is one and the same with the brain - there is nothing immaterial about it. For Keith Ward see http://www.keithward.org.uk/ For David Papineau http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/philosophy/people/staff/academic/papineau/index.aspx 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 Unbelievable? 23 Aug 2008 Why there IS a God - Keith Ward  Keith Ward and Robert Stovold Unbelievable? 21 Jun 2008 A Case for theistic evolution - Keith Ward Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

  A festive edition of the show in which we investigate some of the common Old Testament prophecies associated with Christmas. Isaiah 7:14 "The virgin will conceive" and Micah 5:2 "But you Bethlehem..." Do such prophecies supernaturally predict the coming of Christ? Dr Michael Brown is a Messianic Jew who believes there is overwhelming evidence for Jesus fulfiling the prophecies of the Old Testament.  Andrew Hindmarch is an atheist who denies that any kind of prophecy can be show to be valid. Dr Michael Brown http://www.askdrbrown.org/ The Reasonable Faith Tour Video page http://www.premier.org.uk/craig 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 If you enjoyed this programme you may also enjoy Unbelievable? 24 May 2008 Jesus & Jewishness Jesus & Jewishness: are they compatible? Rabbi Shmuley Boteach & Michael Brown debate Unbelievable? 20 Dec 2008 The Virgin Birth - for & against The Virgin Birth: Fact or Fiction? Revd Michael Sayward debates Unitarian Sarah Tinker Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

A varied New Year's Eve show with contributions from Revd David Robertson on his life-threatening illness. Reflections on the passing away of Christopher Hitchens from listeners and debate oppponent Prof John Lennox.  Humorous "Praxman &..." sketches.  An extract from a forthcoming interview with sometimes controversial US pastor Mark Driscoll. Audio from the Reasonable Faith Tour in Cambridge and more... For Praxman sketches see http://youtu.be/fywHc4M7LdA http://youtu.be/Ki-TdFv7IVE http://youtu.be/LgafS_jfQMc or http://www.premier.tv/sketches For Mark Driscoll interview in Feb edition of Christianity Magazine check back at http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/ For Reasonable Faith Tour videos http://www.premier.org.uk/craig 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 Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Stephen Law is senior lecturer in philosophy at Heythrop College, London and director of the Centre For Inquiry UK. He joins Justin to reflect on his debate with William Lane Craig during the UK Reasonable Faith Tour where he defended atheism. Glenn Peoples is a Christian Philosopher from New Zealand.  He discusses Stephen's central argument against God - The Evil God Challenge and why he believes that the Moral Argument is the solution to it. For Stephen Law http://stephenlaw.blogspot.com/ For Glenn Peoples http://www.beretta-online.com/ For Unbelievable? the Conference on DVD 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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy:   Unbelievable? 18 October 2011 - William Lane Craig vs Stephen Law - Does God Exist?   Unbelievable? 16 Oct 2010 - The Moral argument for God Philosophers Arif Ahmed and Glenn People debate   http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Stephen Law is an atheist and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Heythrop College and director of the Centre for Inquiry UK. His latest book "Believing Bulls**t: how not to get sucked into an intellectual black hole" looks at the reasons people are persuaded into believing irrational things. Jame Orr is a Christian convert studying for a Doctorate in philosophy at Cambridge University. He engages Stephen on whether the criteria for recognising "intellectual black holes" applies to the claims of Christianity, including The Resurrection. For Stephen Law http://stephenlaw.blogspot.com/ Get the Book http://amzn.to/vNX92y 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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 5 Feb 2011 - Alister McGrath & Stephen Law - Why Won't God Go Away?   Unbelievable? 13 Nov 2010 - The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism Alvin Plantinga vs Stephen Law   Join the conversation at http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

Edgar Andrews is Emeritus Professor of Materials at the University of London and the author of "Who Made God?" He returns to support the view that only God explains the ability of science to make sense of the world around us. Lewis Wolpert is Emeritus Professor of Biology at University College London, he is an atheist and Vice President of the British Humanist Association. He argues tht belief in God is purely a result of evolution. They debate what constitutes "evidence" for God, and whether science is the only admissible type of evidence. For "Who made God?" http://whomadegod.org/ Order the book: http://www.epbooks.org/who-made-god-p-2170.html For Lewis Wolpert http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cdb/research/wolpert For Unbelievable? the Conference on DVD 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   If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 19 Dec 2009 - What does science tell us about God? Atheist scientist Lewis Wolpert debates believing scientist Russell Cowburn   Unbelievable? 1 May 2010 - Test of Faith: Do we need God, now that we have science? Christian Denis Alexander vs Atheist Stephen Law   http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter

William Lane Craig is research professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, La Mirada, California. As part of the Reasonable Faith Tour in October 2011 he visited Oxford.  As well as delivering a public lecture in the evening, Craig also addressed invited students about apologetics at a lunchtime gathering. This recording of elements of the Q&A includes Bill addressing questions such as "What if all your arguments were refuted?" "Are debates the best way of doing apologetics?" and "What do you think of the young, restless and reformed movement?" For videos from the Reasonable Faith Tour sponsored by UCCF, Damaris and Premier Radio http://www.premier.org.uk/craig For Bill's latest apologetics training book "On Guard" http://amzn.to/u3Bid3 For Unbelievable? the Conference on DVD 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 If you enjoyed this progamme you may also enjoy: Unbelievable? 5 Nov 2011 - Is God a Delusion? William Lane Craig in Oxford William Lane Craig Profile Interview with Justin Brierley http://bit.ly/vF772O Join the discussion at the Premier Community http://www.premiercommunity.org.uk/group/unbelievable and via Facebook and Twitter