Unbelievable?

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...

Did Jesus really rise from the dead, or is the resurrection best explained another way? In this gripping debate, Alex O'Connor and Trent Horn go head-to-head on one of history’s most controversial claims. Trent argues that the resurrection offers the best explanation for the historical evidence: the empty tomb, the transformation of the disciples, and early eyewitness testimony. Alex pushes back, questioning the reliability of the sources and offering alternative explanations from visionary experiences to parallels with other religious movements. Along the way, they tackle group hallucinations, the martyrdom of the apostles, and even surprising comparisons with Mormonism. Hosted by...

Live from Sir Henry Floyd Grammar school in Aylesbury, Nigel Crook and Andy Bannister discuss the promise and peril of artificial intelligence and what it could mean for the future of humanity. Hosted by biologist Sam McKee, and filmed in front of a live audience of teenagers in Aylesbury, UK, this conversation asks the big questions young people are already wrestling with. As AI systems grow more capable, are we heading towards unprecedented flourishing or an age of deepening dependence and control? Can machines genuinely understand, create, or even “think” and does that matter morally? Should advanced AI ever be gran...

What if the more we learn about the universe, the harder it is to explain without God? In this conversation, Dr Antony Latham, retired GP, former hospital doctor in East Africa, and Chair of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, joins Luke Martin to discuss his new book, When I Consider Your Heavens: How Science and Philosophy Lead Us to God. We explore how a life in medicine led him into big questions of cosmology, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. From the fine-tuning of the universe (and “maybe we just got lucky” objections), to the moral argument (including evolutionary debu...

Why do we suffer, and what, if anything, can make sense of it? Live from John Colet School in Wendover, Unbelievable? hosts a compelling debate on one of the hardest questions in philosophy and faith: the problem of suffering. Joining the conversation are Alonzo Paul, a philosopher of religion based in Oxford researching horrendous and seemingly meaningless suffering, and Harry Amos, an ex-Christian philosopher who sees suffering as one of the strongest objections to belief in God. Together they explore both the intellectual problem of evil and the felt reality of pain. Is suffering evidence against an all-powerful, all-good God...

In recent years, numerous high-profile Christian leaders have resigned following revelations of moral failure, including Carl Lentz, Jerry Falwell Jr., and Bill Hybels. Others have posthumously been subject to allegations of sexual misconduct, including Jean Vanier and Ravi Zacharias (an independent investigation is ongoing). Karen Swallow Prior, who resigned her position at Liberty University over the Falwell affair, and RC Sproul Jr, who has written about his own moral failures, discuss what’s gone wrong in evangelical leadership and whether we are forgetting the female victims in many cases. Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at ww...

In this Unbelievable conversation, host John Nelson tackles the “meaning crisis” that’s been bubbling up across the internet: the rise in loneliness, anxiety, addiction and a sense of cultural fragmentation and the growing hunger for depth, belonging and transcendence. John Vervaeke (University of Toronto) argues that modern life suffers from a “propositional tyranny”, over-privileging facts and analysis while neglecting other ways of knowing procedural, perspectival and participatory that bind us to reality, one another, and ourselves. Poet and priest Malcolm Guite agrees, tracing the crisis to modernity’s split between mind and world, and making a passionate case for imagination...

Luke Martin is joined by neurosurgeon, war veteran and author Dr Lee Warren for a powerful and deeply personal conversation on trauma, grief, the brain, and whether we can truly change how we think and live. After performing over 200 brain surgeries in a warzone in Iraq, Lee returned home carrying the unseen wounds of PTSD. Years later, following the devastating loss of his son, he found himself confronting not just suffering, but the limits of a purely material understanding of the mind. In this wide-ranging discussion, Lee explores the difference between brain and mind, why neuroscience alone may not explain...

In this conversation, we’re exploring one of the central claims of Christianity: the resurrection of Jesus. Joining us are two of the world’s leading New Testament scholars who approach the evidence from different angles. Dale Allison, former Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, is widely respected for his historical work on Jesus and early Christian belief, and is known for his careful, often cautious assessment of what historians can and cannot conclude about the resurrection. Read Dale's book here Dr Michael Licona, Professor of Biblical Studies at Houston Christian University, is a leading defe...

Physicists Paul Davies and Jeremy England tackle one of science’s hardest puzzles: how did lifeless matter spark into life? In this classic Big Conversation from Unbelievable podcast the question is whether we need a new theory for the origin of life in the universe. Davies argues that “software” (information) is as crucial as chemistry, hinting at undiscovered laws that bind hardware to code. England explains how open systems and thermodynamics can drive matter to organise, adapt and harvest energy—perhaps seeding pre-Darwinian evolution. They trade insights on RNA world hypotheses, entropy, agency, and why the universe is so uncannily intellig...

Can morality be objective without God? In this thought-provoking episode of Unbelievable, host John Nelson brings together Christian writer Caleb Woodbridge and Objectivist thinker Thomas Walker-Werth for a deep clash over reason, self-interest, human dignity and the basis of right and wrong. Is morality grounded in God’s nature, or can human reason alone discover universal moral truths? Drawing on Christian theology, Ayn Rand’s Objectivism, Aristotle, Pascal and questions of sacrifice, flourishing and human value, the conversation explores whether morality is something we receive, discover or construct. Along the way, they tackle original sin, rational self-interest, charity, suffering, obligation and...

In this episode, Luke Martin speaks to psychiatrist, neuroscientist and bestselling author Iain McGilchrist about the ideas that have made him one of the most influential thinkers of our age. Rod Dreher has said McGilchrist’s The Matter With Things “will come to be regarded as one of the seminal texts of the century”. In this conversation, McGilchrist explores the divided brain, the crisis of meaning in modern culture, the limits of reductionism, and the importance of recovering a deeper sense of the sacred. He also reflects personally on music, beauty, Christianity, suffering, AI, and the kind of attention needed to liv...

In this special episode of Unbelievable?, John Nelson speaks with Pastor Richmond Wandera in Kampala, Uganda. After his father was murdered, Richmond grew up in a slum community before his life was transformed through Compassion child sponsorship. Now leading New Life Baptist Church and equipping thousands of pastors across East Africa, Richmond shares what’s changed for vulnerable children since COVID, from rising poverty and disrupted schooling to trafficking and online exploitation. We also ask a difficult question: do international charities help or sometimes hinder? Richmond explains why partnerships through local churches can create lasting change for children and families. To...

In this replay we bring together Christian Philosopher & Theologian Keith Ward and atheist Professor of Philosophy from King's College London, David Papinaeu to unpack the question "Is our mind more than matter"? Ward believes that the brain is accompanied by an immaterial mind, while Papinaeu believes the brain and the mind to be one in the same - with nothing immaterial about it. What do you think? This episode originally aired on: 14 Jan 2012 ​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: https://www...

On Darwin Day, marking the birthday of Charles Darwin, we ask a question that continues to divide believers and sceptics alike: Does evolution point us toward God… or away from Him? In this special episode of Premier Unbelievable? hosted by Andy Kind, molecular biologist and theologian Dr Denis Alexander joins philosopher and sceptical thinker John Catt for a thoughtful and robust conversation on the worldview implications of evolutionary theory. Dr Alexander argues that evolutionary science is fully compatible with Christian faith and can be understood within a theistic framework. John Catt contends that Darwinian evolution has historically undercut traditional religious be...

Luke Martin's special guest this week is Glen Scrivener talking about the surprising new openness to Christianity in Britain and beyond. Drawing on themes from his book The Air We Breathe. Glen explores why younger generations may be less gripped by old atheism debates and more drawn to questions of meaning, identity, masculinity, community and cultural roots. The conversation looks at whether the West is rediscovering its Christian foundations, why church can feel newly plausible to sceptics, and how public figures such as Joe Rogan and Andrew Huberman may be shifting the cultural mood. Luke and Glen also discuss revival...