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© Barnabas Aspray and Austin Stevenson
Description
A podcast that confronts challenges to the Christian faith with hope. Hosted by Dr Barnabas Aspray & Dr Austin Stevenson.
Current series: Faith and the Challenges of History
Previous series: Refugees, Climate Change, Science & Religion, Faith & Economics.
Anticipated future series:
- Religious pluralism
- Christianity & Racism
- The problem of evil/suffering
- Exvangelicalism
- Violence in the Bible
Current series: Faith and the Challenges of History
Previous series: Refugees, Climate Change, Science & Religion, Faith & Economics.
Anticipated future series:
- Religious pluralism
- Christianity & Racism
- The problem of evil/suffering
- Exvangelicalism
- Violence in the Bible
88 Episodes
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The power of the cross is weakness, according to the apostle Paul. How does that idea translate into the dog-eat-dog world of politics? In this episode we interview Dr. Mike Gorman, Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University. He shares the content of a forthcoming book which explores, among other things, what the apostle Paul might say to the christian nationalist movement. This is a link to the article by Barney mentioned in the episode:Love is Not an Executive Order.Thanks for listening!
What is the difference between patriotism and nationalism? Is one of them acceptable (even desirable) from a Christian point of view? In this episode we interview James Walters, Professor at the London School of Economics. As an ordained priest in the Church of England, he is the first person we've interviewed who belongs to an established state church. This gives him a perspective somewhat different from the American one in which separation of church and state is the assumed norm.
Not every Christian agrees on what a “Christian government” should look like. Whoever is in power will have to decide what form of Christianity to implement, and they are likely to claim it is the only valid kind. In this episode we chat with Elizabeth Bruenig, journalist for The Atlantic, on Christian Nationalism in the US. Does it really represent the values shared by all Christians? Does it have the right to speak in the name of “Christianity”? Thanks to Jamie Maule for sound engineering!
Barney interviews Pastor Alton Bell about his experiences persuading his church congregation to take the Covid vaccine. This episode digs into the history of black peoples' engagement with white medicine, and is not always easy listening. But its message is important: science is always communicated by someone, and if that someone is the government, there are political issues at play. Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering!
How can scientists enrich and enliven their local church communities? We’ve invited Professor David Wilkinson, Petra Crofton, and Deb Fozzard to explore the impact of the Scientists in Congregations project that shows just how much scientists can do. If you want to learn more, check out these free science and faith resources for schools and (church) children’s workers: Wild and Wonderful UK.Also take a look at these children's books on science by Petra Crofton: Science Geek Sam and His Secret Logbook Science Geek Christy and Her Eco-Logbook Finally, take a look at Petra Crofton's top book recommendation: Francis Collins, The Language of God.As always, thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering!
What do Charismatic/Pentecostal Christians think of science? Two of their number discuss the distinctives of their tradition on this question:Chris Done, Professor of astrophysics at Durham UniversitySimo Frestadius, executive director of the institute for Pentecostal theologyAmong their many insights are that:Charismatics place a lot of emphasis on experience and experiment - not so different to scientists! Charismatics are keen to ‘demythologise’ the Bible - but not the same way Bultmann did! Enjoy listening! Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering!
It may sound like a strange idea to teach science in seminaries. But after recording this episode, it made much more sense to the hosts! Lucas Mix (ECLAS) and Katy Hinman (AAAS) help run help run ECLAS’ ‘Science for Seminaries’ programme, in which future pastors, priests, and church leaders get to learn what it’s like to engage in science and with scientists. We discuss questions like: Why do people turn to their religious leaders for advice on scientific questions? Why has there been justified suspicion of science from minority ethnic groups, and what do we do about it? What might Science for Seminaries look like in the future?If you’re interested to learn more, check out: The Science for Seminaries main page. The Science for Seminaries page on ECLAS' website. The resource website for DoSER (Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion).Thanks to Jamie Maule for his audio editing!
What is really at stake in seeing faith & science as in conflict with each other? What are the origins of this conflict narrative and what were the theological motivations behind it? These questions and others are the driving force behind today's episode, the first in our ECLAS series. We interview David Hutchings and Dr Amanda Rees for their perspective - both practical and academic - on the common perception of a conflict. Note this episode was recorded shortly before the passing of Tom McLeish, who is mentioned near the beginning. Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering!
News from Faith at the Frontiers:
We’re at the end of the Faith & Economics series. What a thought-provoking series it was!
Goodbye to Carmody! She has had to step down because she was too busy to keep it up. A new co-host will be joining us in the series after next.
Introducing the next series: in partnership with Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS), we are running a second series on science & religion, much more practically oriented than the last. First episode will be out next week!
Carmody & Barney interview Edward Hadas, research fellow in moral economics at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford. He tells us what he thinks is wrong with the current way of debating economics and offers a whole new paradigm to help us imagine our labour and consumption differently.
Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound editing!
In this final episode of the Science & Religion series, Barney & Emily discuss highlights, unanswered questions, and key takeaways about the whole debate.
This episode combines themes from two series: climate change and science/religion. Our interviewee, Tim Middleton, looks at climate change through the lens of trauma. Is the earth traumatised? What would that mean? What sort of call to action does it lead to? Join us to find a powerful new way of looking at our relationship to the planet!
Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering skills!
This episode is produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
What is ‘Christian Platonism’ and why is it the best theological position for engaging with science? This episode is all about these two questions. Emily & Barney interview Prof. Andrew Davison, who was formerly the Starbridge Associate Professor in Theology and the Natural Sciences at Cambridge University. We ask him tough and challenging questions like:Isn’t it better to be just a Christian than a Christian Platonist? Doesn’t Platonism inhibit scientific research? Why can’t an apple also be an orange? Why can a piece of paper also be a love letter?Check out Dr Davison’s book, Participation in God, which we talk about in the episode. Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound editing! This episode is produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Barney and Bethany interview Emily on the ‘many worlds’ interpretation of quantum physics. If there are thousands or millions of versions of you and me in other worlds, each living ever-so-slightly different lives, what does that imply for theology? What does it mean about who God is?
Emily and Barney interview Bethany, who has researched the problem of death and suffering from an evolutionary point of view and how that affects our understanding of creation and fall in the book of Genesis. Did God create death? Is death necessary for life? Does this idea conflict with the biblical picture? Did God guide evolution or did animals have a certain freedom in how they evolved? Join us for this episode to discuss these questions and more!
Introducing a new series on science & religion, hosted by Barney and Emily Qureshi-Hurst.
Science & religion is one of the greatest frontier challenges in today's world. Are they compatible? Do they overlap? What happens when they come into conflict, as with the most famous example of evolution and Genesis 1? What does science reveal about ourselves and our world that Christianity needs to engage with?
This series will feature interviews with Alister McGrath, Bethany Sollereder, Beth Singler, Carmody Grey, and others.
This episode produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Thanks to Jamie Maule for sound engineering!
Is Western culture relativistic? Has it ever been relativistic? We were raised with the answer ‘yes’, but now Carmody, Bethany, and I are doubting this claim. The Ukraine War seems to have evoked a strong reaction from everyone that points in the direction of universal moral principles, whether one agrees with them or not.
What do you think? Share your views using the Spotify poll, or tweeting us @atthefrontiers, or emailing us.
This episode is produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound engineering!
Barney, Carmody, and Bethany are back for an episode on the Ukraine War. We discuss questions like:
What are Putin's real reasons for attacking Ukraine? Are they religious or political?
Why is the media not discussing these reasons?
Why does Bethany know how to do Ukrainian dancing?
Why does Barney have an icon in his house that came from Putin's confessor?
The article from The Tablet that we refer to is here. Tune in to join the conversation!
Thanks to Jamie Maule for his sound editing.
This episode produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Barney, Carmody, and Bethany are back for a third episode on how we conceptualize climate change. We address questions like:
Why is there so much resistance to welcoming migrants?
Why do we feel that things are getting worse all the time?
Do we expect more comfort and security than we ought?
Is climate change a punishment for greed and negligence?
Join us for a rollicking ride through these questions!
This episode is produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Thanks to Jamie Maule for sound engineering!
Why is it so hard to believe that our daily actions cause changes to the climate?
Why is it so hard to act in ways that are environmentally responsible?
How much responsibility do we have as individuals to make ecological choices?
These questions and others are discussed by Carmody, Bethany, and Barney in a follow-up to the previous episode.
This episode is produced in collaboration with The Tablet.
Thanks to Jamie Maule for the sound editing!
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