Matters of Life and Death

Creation. Fall. Redemption. New Creation. Our series on the theological foundations of Christian ethics and the grand narrative of the Bible has reached the third chapter – redemption. How is the story of what Christ accomplished on the cross a uniquely Christian approach to the problem of evil, and what light does it shed on our approach to everything from artificial intelligence to reproductive medicine? In this episode we discuss the mysteries of the cosmic universal story of redemption – with a lamb slain from the foundation of the world alongside a real historical man dying in a real place and time once and for all. And we try to think through why this redemption story seems to be retold time and time again across our secular culture, from Marvel superhero films to Harry Potter, and why it remains so compelling and yet also strangely impossibly optimistic. • Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 • If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com • For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

John’s on holiday this week so we’re bringing you a classic episode from the Matters of Life and Death vault. A couple of years ago we interviewed Sarah Foot, a Christian palliative care doctor. She spoke about how she treats the physical, mental, social and even spiritual needs of those who are dying, the Christian foundations of the discipline, and what impact her profession has on her. We also discussed the renewed movement to legalise assisted suicide in Britain and other countries, how her colleagues viewed this, the ignorance which lies behind many of the arguments for changing the law, and the implications for palliative care should assisted dying be imposed upon it. - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

In this podcast, they discuss the alarming increase in child mortality rates among deprived communities and the lack of awareness around it. They also explore the rise of AI girlfriends and its effects on real-world relationships, including concerns about unrealistic beauty standards. The impact of online porn and artificial intelligence on young men's expectations of relationships is discussed, as well as the importance of promoting real-world connections. They also delve into the church's response to techno-nosticism and the potential divide within the church regarding AI technology.

Explore the myth of conflict between science and religion with Nick Spencer. Learn about the intertwined histories of science and faith, the relationship between epistemic humility, and the surprising religious lives of history's greatest scientists.

This week we dip back into the postbag to look at some more listener questions. First up we return to our episode looking at recent shifts in abortion rates – is the narrative of ‘it’s my body and I’ll do what I want’ what is truly driving increases in abortion figures in recent years, or is that a bit of a myth? We also take a closer look into recent reports that expose how cutting-edge artificial intelligence models are being trained by incredibly underpaid and exploited workers in the developing world. How should we as Christians respond to what is being claimed as the exploitation of workers around the globe in the name of technological advancement that seeks to benefit humanity? Should governments moderate this kind of employment or is there an argument that digital technology is actually positively transforming economic outlook in the third world? Finally we wrap up today’s episode considering if the UK government’s recent AI Safety Summit is meaningless ‘motherhood and apple pie’ platitudes and, if so, how can we actually push for meaningful regulation? - The WIRED article on the underpaid workers from poorer nations helping train AI data sets https://www.wired.com/story/millions-of-workers-are-training-ai-models-for-pennies/ - The UK government’s Bletchley Declaration on AI safety https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-safety-summit-2023-the-bletchley-declaration/the-bletchley-declaration-by-countries-attending-the-ai-safety-summit-1-2-november-2023 - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

We last tackled the idea of friendship when we explored the so-called ‘hermeneutic of suspicion’ – that cloud of concern that today hangs over any close relationship between two people. But friendship in the Bible was not inevitably corrupted by sex, coercion, or power plays. Today we pick up some other themes from John’s new book Transforming Friendship to look at paradigmatic friendships in Scripture – Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, Jesus and Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and Paul and Timothy. What do these friendships teach us about the wonderful intimate friendship with God we are invited into by Jesus? Why do we miss the earth-shattering importance of Jesus declaring his disciples will no longer be his servants but his friends? And how can we bring these ideas of faithful, covenant loyalty and vulnerable love into our 21st century friendships? - Find out more about John’s new book Transforming Friendship and how to pre-order your copy: https://www.johnwyatt.com/transforming-friendship/ - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

Exploring the origins of evil and human nature. The concept of original sin and behaviors of children. The Christian perspective on sin, suffering, and evil. The paradoxical approach towards evil.

We spoke last week about the hugely welcome shift in how society talks about miscarriage and cares for women (and men) who have experienced it. And yet at the same time in Britain, we desperately avoid using the same language and narrative established in baby loss services when we are in the abortion zone. Now, the fetus is not a much loved, named human baby who is irreplaceable and whose death is a deep bereavement for both parents. Now it is simply a clump of cells inside the woman’s body who can choose for any reason to rid herself of it with no lasting consequences. How have these two mutually contradictory stories about the unborn child developed side by side? Why are abortions – especially medical ones now available at home via the ‘pills by post’ option – increasing in number in the UK? And would it be wrong for pro-life Christians to highlight the incoherent narratives around baby loss in advocacy and campaigning? - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

We have just finished Baby Loss Awareness Week here in the UK. While the event is not hugely well known, it is indicative of an enormous cultural shift in recent decades around how society talks about miscarriage and stillbirth. Today, the messaging is much more compassionate and empathetic, acknowledging the reality of the baby who has died and the grief their parents will be feeling. What has prompted this sea change in thought? What do we now know about how losing a baby before birth affects both mothers and fathers? And how can Christians welcome this shift in emphasis and language, and bring it into the church context as well? - Find out more about Baby Loss Awareness Week, including lots of first-hand true stories from women, here: https://babyloss-awareness.org/ - You can read the government’s Pregnancy Loss Review here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1172417/Pregnancy-Loss-Review-web-accessible.pdf - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com

Christianity is sometimes described as ‘bad news for women’. Clearly we would all disagree with this epithet, but why does it have cultural currency right now for a growing number of particularly younger women? In this episode we’re joined by Ellidh Cook, a student worker in central London whose theological studies focused on violence against women in the Old Testament, to discuss how she goes about showing women our faith is actually lifegiving for both sexes. Where might the church have gone wrong in its efforts to put Biblical teaching into practice? Should believers be feminists? What does that word even mean today? And what hope can the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ offer the stressed, anxious, confused and exploited young women of our 21st century societies? - Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 - If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com - For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com