Unbelievable?

What if hell isn't eternal torment? And what if Christians have misunderstood what Jesus actually taught? Christian thinker and Questioning Christianity host Dan Paterson joins John Nelson for a searching conversation about three of Christianity's most difficult questions: hell, divine hiddenness and the problem of evil. Dan explains why he changed his mind about eternal conscious punishment, explores whether everyone could ultimately be saved, and asks why a loving God sometimes seems absent from those who genuinely seek him. From C.S. Lewis and the teachings of Jesus to the suffering of innocent children and animals, this conversation confronts the...

In a culture of outrage, division and cancel culture, Dr Amy Orr-Ewing believes forgiveness may be one of the most radical ideas we have. But what happens when forgiveness is used to silence victims, excuse abuse or avoid justice? Joining Luke Martin on Unbelievable? The Interview, the bestselling author and public theologian discusses her new book, Forgiveness: Reclaiming Its Power in a Culture of Outrage and Fear. From the extraordinary story of a mother who forgave her daughter's murderer to the hardest questions about suffering, biblical violence and whether we can really trust the Gospels, Amy makes a compelling case...

What happens to those who never believe in Jesus? Could everyone eventually be saved — even after death? Dan Paterson and Matt Whiteley join John Nelson to explore Christian universalism, eternal judgment and whether salvation is possible without explicit faith in Christ. A thoughtful debate about the Bible, the justice of God and the ultimate fate of those we love. Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely...

The birth narratives of Jesus contain some of the most famous stories in Christianity: the virgin birth, angels and shepherds, the Magi, the star of Bethlehem and Herod’s massacre of the innocents. But did Matthew and Luke actually intend their readers to believe these events happened? Dr Caleb Friedeman joins John Nelson to challenge a widespread assumption in historical Jesus scholarship: that the infancy narratives can largely be sidelined because they belong more to the world of legend and theological storytelling than history. Drawing on his new book, Gospel Birth Narratives and Historiography: Reopening a Closed Case, Friedeman compares Ma...

Pat Allerton joins Luke Martin to explore the growing openness to Christianity, the search for meaning and why faith may be returning to the cultural conversation. From science and the resurrection to anxiety, healing and his own dramatic conversion, Pat makes the case for why Christianity still speaks to a searching generation. SOCIAL LINKS Twitter: https://twitter.com/unbelievablefe Facebook: / https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Instagram: / https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: / https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable 👉 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes—absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 🎉📢 • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: http...

Has Christian apologetics become too focused on winning? Mary Jo Sharp joins John Nelson to confront the darker side of defending the faith: pride, outrage, confirmation bias and the temptation to treat people as arguments to defeat. What if apologetics is meant to transform the Christian too? A conversation about truth, humility, suffering and one uncomfortable question: Does Christianity just make us right, or should it make us good? Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, upda...

What do we really know about Jesus before he began preaching? Professor Joan Taylor joins John Nelson to explore the missing years of Jesus, from Bethlehem and Egypt to Nazareth, his family, education and work. Could memories preserved in the Gospels reveal far more history than scholars have assumed? A fascinating investigation into the childhood, world and experiences that may have shaped Jesus. Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new...

After cancer and intensive chemotherapy, Tyler Staton says he came to know Jesus in a way he never had before: not simply as the victorious Saviour, but as the suffering servant. In this deeply personal conversation with Ruth Jackson, the Bridgetown Church pastor explores unanswered prayer, miraculous healing, anxiety, doubt and why suffering did not destroy his faith. He also reflects on America’s culture wars, Britain’s apparent spiritual revival, the coming age of AI and why beauty and story may increasingly speak to people more powerfully than traditional apologetic arguments. • Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast: https://www.premier.plus/un...

Does the apparent fine-tuning of our universe point to God, or are we drawing a theological conclusion from physics we don’t yet understand? Philosophers Miles Donahue and Alex Malpass go head-to-head on one of the most fascinating arguments for God’s existence. Miles argues that the extraordinary precision of the universe’s fundamental constants provides powerful evidence for theism. Alex pushes back: could fine-tuning simply expose gaps in our current physics rather than the fingerprints of a designer? An extended Unbelievable? conversation on one of the greatest debates of our time. Subscribe to Miles and Alex on YouTube: Miles: Miles...

Is Christianity really about going to heaven when we die? N.T. Wright thinks we have been telling the biblical story the wrong way round. Recorded at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, Wright joins John Nelson to explore the argument of his book God’s Homecoming: that the Bible’s great hope is not humanity escaping earth, but God coming to dwell with his renewed creation. They discuss the Kingdom of God, resurrection, Plato’s influence on Christianity, the Eucharist, Christian nationalism, evangelism, the soul and what happens after death. Recorded at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, as part of its New Renaissance Project, which...

Is prayer still relevant in a hyper-digital, secular age? Dr Johannes Hartl – Catholic philosopher, author, and founder of the Augsburg House of Prayer – thinks not only is it relevant, but it may also be the key to our future. In this wide–ranging conversation, Johannes and Luke explore: Why even non-believers “pray” more than they realiseHow prayer begins as attention, not just wordsThe problem of divine hiddenness and unanswered prayerWhy transactional prayer misses the heart of Christian spiritualityHow a 24/7 House of Prayer has logged over 100,000 hours of worshipDigital minimalism, smartphones, and why he goes on holiday without a phoneWhy Gen Z men are...

In this special extended episode of Unbelievable? two leading philosophers of religion go head-to-head over one of Christianity’s most fundamental doctrines: is the Trinity actually biblical - and is it truly orthodox? Recorded live debate from the Guild Church of St Katherine Cree in the City of London, hosted in partnership with the Unitarian Christian Alliance, Joshua Sijuwade and Dale Tuggy go head-to-head over the nature of God. With opening statements, rebuttals, moderated discussion and audience questions, this special extended edition goes deep into a question at the very heart of historic Christianity: Is the Trinity biblical? Subscribe & Support 👉 Suppo...

What if fairy tales reveal more about reality than facts alone? Storyteller, poet and author Amy Scott Robinson joins Luke Martin to explore how imagination, myth and metaphor can illuminate Christian faith. Drawing on C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Greek myth, biblical imagery and the enduring logic of fairy tales, Amy argues that stories help us recognise both the brokenness of human nature and our longing for rescue. She explains why art and faith belong together, how stories can carry truth without reducing it to a moral lesson, and why tears, wonder and longing may point beyond themselves. Amy...

Can evolution and Christianity really fit together – and does modern evolutionary science leave any room for purpose? Leading Cambridge evolutionary biologist Professor Simon Conway Morris joins scientist and philosopher of science Sam McKee to tackle Genesis, Intelligent Design, human uniqueness, animal suffering and the remarkable phenomenon of convergent evolution. They ask whether evolution might be more constrained than we once thought, whether Christians have misunderstood Genesis – and what discovering alien life would mean for belief in God.

What if fairy tales reveal more about reality than facts alone? Storyteller, poet and author Amy Scott Robinson joins Luke Martin to explore how imagination, myth and metaphor can illuminate Christian faith. Drawing on C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, Greek myth, biblical imagery and the enduring logic of fairy tales, Amy argues that stories help us recognise both the brokenness of human nature and our longing for rescue. She explains why art and faith belong together, how stories can carry truth without reducing it to a moral lesson, and why tears, wonder and longing may point beyond themselves. Amy...

What if Jesus’ atoning work wasn’t completed on the cross? Professor David Moffitt and Dr Jonathan Rowlands join John Nelson to rethink one of Christianity’s central doctrines: the atonement. Is penal substitution really the Bible’s main explanation of Calvary? Does sacrifice simply mean the killing of an animal? And what did the first Christians believe Jesus was doing after his resurrection and ascension? Drawing on Leviticus, Hebrews and Paul, Moffitt and Rowlands argue that the cross cannot be understood in isolation from Jesus’ resurrection, ascension and ongoing intercession before the Father. But that raises some big questions. Was Jesus’...

Will science and technology eventually make religion obsolete? Physicists Paul Heslop and Simon Walker-Samuel join host Sam McKee for a fascinating clash of worldviews on the future of faith. This debate took place in front of a group of teenage students from Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Aylesbury, UK, in partnership with Aylesbury Vale Youth for Christ. As artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, neuroscience and space exploration transform what it means to be human, will people still believe in God by 2100? Christian mathematical physicist Paul Heslop argues that science cannot answer the deepest questions of truth, meaning and existence. Humanist...

Peter Hitchens joins Luke Martin for a candid and confrontational conversation about Britain’s future, the collapse of its institutions and the loss of Christian conscience. He explains why he believes atheism is a choice, reflects on his journey from revolutionary Marxism to Christianity and speaks movingly about his late brother Christopher. They also discuss marriage, family, free speech, Islam, education, justice and whether Britain can still be renewed. For Luke Martin: follow on X: https://x.com/luke_s_martin   Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Sub...

Was C. S. Lewis a brilliant theologian, or did he sometimes misunderstand the Bible? John Nelson is joined by leading Lewis scholars Leslie Baynes and Jahdiel Perez for a lively reassessment of one of Christianity’s most influential writers. They explore Lewis’s conversion, his view of Scripture and the surprising theologian who shaped his thinking. Then the conversation turns to his famous “liar, lunatic or Lord” argument. Does it survive modern biblical scholarship, or did Lewis make claims about Jesus that the Gospels cannot support? Finally, they uncover the biblical imagination behind The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, explaini...

Is the universe fine-tuned for life, and if so, does that point to God? In this episode of Unbelievable John Nelson hosts a lively dialogue between Christian apologist Peter S. Williams and John Richards, President of Atheists UK. Peter argues that the fundamental constants, laws, and initial conditions of the universe appear strikingly calibrated for life, making design the best explanation. John pushes back, questioning whether “fine-tuning” is even the right category and insisting that claims about design need observable evidence, not philosophical speculation. Along the way, the conversation opens up bigger questions about what counts as evidence, whether metaphysics can...

Os Guinness joins Luke Martin to discuss why he believes the West is facing a profound civiliational moment. Speaking during his visit to London for ARC, Guinness reflects on his childhood in China, the death of his brothers during famine, his memories of Communist terror, and how C S Lewis and Francis Schaeffer shaped his Christian faith and public thought. He argues that Western freedom, human dignity and self-government cannot survive without their biblical foundations, but also warns against coercion, Christian nationalism and the corruption of power. From soft authoritarianism and secular ideologies to forgiveness, confession and cultural renewal, Guinness...

Does God exist, or is belief in God an unnecessary addition to our understanding of reality? In this special live event at the Royal Institution, philosopher William Lane Craig, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, physicist Sabine Hossenfelder and philosopher Slavoj Žižek debate the biggest question of all. Craig makes the case for God from the beginning of the universe, fine-tuning, morality and the resurrection of Jesus. Hossenfelder challenges whether science can ever justify such conclusions. Williams reflects on faith, humanity, suffering and religious practice, while Žižek offers his provocative vision of “Christian atheism” and the death of God. Hos...

Christians and Muslims both honour Jesus... but they disagree profoundly about who He really is. Was Jesus simply one of God's greatest prophets, as Islam teaches? Or is He God incarnate, whose death and resurrection changed history forever? In this thoughtful and respectful conversation, Imam Yasser Al Hanafi and Christian philosopher Dr Andy Bannister explore the biggest theological questions dividing Islam and Christianity. Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast at www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to ne...

Rahil Patel spent 20 years as a Hindu monk, pursuing God through prayer, fasting, pilgrimage and strict spiritual discipline. But beneath his success as a respected teacher, troubling questions remained. Then, after a series of unexpected encounters with Christianity, Rahil walked into a London church and experienced the moment that changed his life. He joins Luke Martin on the Unbelievable podcast to share his remarkable journey from Hindu monasticism to faith in Jesus, and why moving from karma and striving to grace proved so difficult. They also explore what Christians misunderstand about Hinduism, whether all religions are different paths to the...

Artificial intelligence is changing far more than the way we work. Is it quietly changing what it means to be human? As AI becomes our therapist, our teacher, our creative partner, even our romantic companion, are we handing over something uniquely human? Professor Nigel Crook, one of the UK's leading AI researchers, and theologian Brian Brock go head-to-head over the biggest questions surrounding artificial intelligence. In this conversation: Could AI ever become conscious? Are AI girlfriends replacing real relationships? Is Silicon Valley creating a new religion? Why are Christians uniquely equipped to resist the attention economy? Will AI make us...

Where did reality come from, where is it heading, and does any of it have meaning? In this live Unbelievable X Theora Media event, Jack Symes hosts a major conversation between four strikingly different thinkers: Christian philosopher William Lane Craig, Hindu scholar Jessica Frazier, philosopher Philip Goff and agnostic thinker Joe Folley. Craig argues that God is the best explanation for the universe, morality and human purpose. Folley questions whether meaning needs to be objective. Frazier challenges Western assumptions about God, matter and consciousness, while Goff reflects on mystical experience, psychedelics, suffering and his unexpected journey towards a form of...

What does Christianity really offer a world searching for God, meaning and moral clarity? In this episode of Unbelievable? The Interview, Luke Martin speaks with Dr Brian Brock, Professor of Theology at the University of Aberdeen, about some of the most urgent questions facing Christians today: should Christians seek political power? Is the idea of a “Christian nation” faithful to the gospel, or does it risk confusing the church with the state? How should Christians think about war, violence, just war theory and political enemies? Brock also brings the conversation into deeply personal territory, reflecting on his son Adam, who has...

Philip Pullman has called C.S. Lewis’s Narnia stories a “filthy lie” — but is that fair? In this episode of Unbelievable, John Nelson is joined by Christian writer Caleb Woodbridge and science-fiction critic Damien Walter to explore Narnia, His Dark Materials, myth, imagination and the search for meaning in a secular age. They discuss Pullman’s critique of Lewis, the “problem of Susan,” whether Christianity suppresses maturity or offers a deeper vision of reality, and why fantasy and science fiction continue to wrestle with God, goodness, suffering and hope. Can stories reveal truth? Is Christianity simply one myth among many — or, as...

Did Christianity build the modern West? From human rights and equality to science, secularism and democracy, many thinkers now argue that Christianity lies behind much of what modern Western societies value most. Popular historian Tom Holland helped revive this debate with his bestselling book Dominion, but how far can the argument really go? In this episode of Unbelievable?, John Nelson is joined by Mike Jones of Inspiring Philosophy and writer Matt Whitley to explore whether Christianity is truly the foundation of the modern West. Are ideas such as human rights, individual freedom and care for the vulnerable uniquely Christian? Did...

In this wide-ranging episode of Unbelievable? The Interview, host Luke Martin speaks with Christian apologist, author and Islam specialist Dr Andy Bannister about the big questions shaping our cultural moment. Andy reflects on the renewed curiosity about Christianity among young people, why questions of meaning and beauty may now be more compelling than classic debates about God’s existence, and how Christians can speak into a culture marked by anxiety and uncertainty. He also explores the growth of Islam in the UK, religious freedom and free speech, and how Christians should respond with both clarity and compassion. Finally, Luke and An...

What happens when a philosopher loses faith in God — and then unexpectedly finds it again? In this deeply personal and philosophical episode of Unbelievable?, host John Nelson sits down with philosophers Dr Shaun Stevenson and Dr Joshua Sijuwade to explore belief, doubt, suffering and the search for meaning. Shaun shares how he moved from Christianity into atheism after wrestling with judgmental church experiences, the problem of evil, and the terrifying possibility that loved ones might be eternally separated from God. Years later, however, he found himself drawn back toward Christianity through fatherhood, suffering, philosophy and a renewed understanding of grace. Jo...

What does evolution mean for Christian faith? In this episode of Unbelievable?, John Nelson hosts a thoughtful dialogue between molecular biologist Dr Denis Alexander and returning guest Ed Atkinson on one of the deepest questions in science and theology. Can evolution be reconciled with the character of God, or do millions of years of suffering count against belief? Denis argues that evolution can fit within a Christian vision of creation, purpose and resurrection. At the same time, Ed presses the moral problem of suffering, questioning whether such a costly process is compatible with a loving God. Along the way, they...

As Oxford mathematician and Christian apologist John Lennox prepares to appear on The Diary of a CEO, he joins Luke Martin on Unbelievable to reflect on his extraordinary life and the questions that have shaped a generation. From Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer to Alex O’Connor, AI, social media, suffering, marriage and Christian hope, Lennox looks back on the rise and fall of New Atheism and the renewed cultural interest in Christianity. He explains why thinkers such as Tom Holland and Iain McGilchrist are helping people reconsider the Christian story, why he finally decided to write his au...

What happens when one of the world’s leading geneticists sits down with one of the world’s most influential Christian theologians? In this special live episode of Unbelievable?, recorded at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in partnership with the Oxford Pastorate and BioLogos, Dr Francis Collins and N. T. Wright explore some of life’s biggest questions: Can science and faith truly coexist? Has evolution disproved Christianity? What do truth, evidence, morality and human nature tell us about reality? And does scientific discovery point away from God, or deeper towards him? Francis Collins, former Director of the Nation...

Do we truly have free will, or are our choices determined by biology, upbringing and brain chemistry? In this episode of Unbelievable?, John Nelson hosts a lively philosophical dialogue between Joe Folley, host of Unsolicited Advice, and Dr Nathan Hawkins, a Christian philosopher who teaches at Cambridge. Together they explore libertarian free will, compatibilism and determinism, asking whether neuroscience has disproved human freedom, whether our thoughts are “just brain states”, and whether moral responsibility survives if forces beyond our control shape our choices. Along the way, they discuss Sam Harris, Robert Sapolsky, Alex O’Connor, Libet experiments, Peter Tse, moral blame, ra...

Dr Joshua Sijuwade, teaching fellow in philosophy at the University of Birmingham, joins Luke Martin for a wide-ranging conversation on God, evil, the Trinity and the atonement. Joshua begins by explaining why he thinks the existence of God is the best explanation for a contingent, non-fundamental universe, and why he favours a fundamentality argument over some popular versions of the Kalam cosmological argument. He also reflects on his own dramatic conversion experience, his journey into theology and philosophy, and why apologetics still matters in a secular age. Later, Luke and Joshua discuss the problem of evil, the doctrine of the...

Filmed before a packed live audience at London’s Royal Institution in May 2026, this Unbelievable? x Panpsycast x Theora co-production brings William Lane Craig face-to-face with Unbelievable? regular Alex O’Connor for a gripping conversation on God, cosmology and suffering. Craig makes the case for Christian theism, drawing on the Kalam cosmological argument, fine-tuning, moral values and the resurrection of Jesus. O’Connor pushes back on whether the universe really had a beginning, pressing Craig on infinity, time, causation and the Big Bang. The discussion then turns to one of atheism’s most powerful objections: animal suffering. Could a loving God allo...

In this timely classic edition of the Unbelievable podcast Billy Hallowell hosts theologians Tom Wright and Preston Sprinkle for a timely conversation on faith, politics and the church’s public witness. For more Tom Wright subscribe to the new YouTube Channel for the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Drawing fromJesus and the Powers and Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire, they ask what it means to follow Jesus when political loyalties divide congregations, nations and families. Should Christians vote, protest, withdraw, or engage? How should the church respond to nationalism, race, abortion, immigration, war and empire? Wright and Spr...

William Lane Craig and Alex Malpass debate the Kalam cosmological argument: everything that begins to exist has a cause; the universe began to exist; therefore, the universe has a cause. Hosted by John Nelson, the discussion explores whether causation applies to the universe, whether an actual infinite can exist, Hilbert’s Hotel, successive addition, the Grim Reaper paradox, and whether the universe’s cause must be timeless, spaceless, powerful and personal. Craig defends the argument’s metaphysical force and the plausibility of a divine creator, while Malpass challenges its premises with philosophical logic, set theory, and alternative accounts of time and ca...

What if much of what Christians think they know about the devil is wrong? In this fascinating conversation, Luke Martin speaks with author and filmmaker Jared Brock about his provocative book A Devil Named Lucifer. Jared argues that “Lucifer” is not actually the devil’s proper name, explores what Scripture really says about Satan, demons and spiritual warfare, and challenges popular myths shaped more by culture than by the Bible. They discuss whether the devil is a literal being, how evil operates on both personal and systemic levels, and why Christians should keep their eyes fixed on Jesus rather than becomi...