Trailer
Is it reasonable to be a person of faith? How can we deal with issues of suffering, science, violence, abuse and the supernatural in our consideration of God? Towards Belief is a series that set out to provide responses to these big questions – questions that our research found blocks people from considering faith and belief.
2 mins
Episode 01 - Suffering
The issue of how to reconcile human pain and suffering with the idea of a good God is a universal question. Many people have identified suffering as the reason why they can’t believe in God. How can Christians believe in an all-powerful God who allows suffering? Does the fact of suffering mean that God is not a God of love? Or does it mean God is impotent—unable to stop the suffering? Or does suffering prove there is no God?
28 mins
Episode 02 - The Bible
Critics of Christianity say that the decision to base one’s life on the teachings of the Bible, an ancient, archaic text, is foolhardy. The Bible’s historical reliability is questioned, as is any mention of the supernatural in the text. Also, some of the Bible’s teachings, particularly those from the Old Testament, appear irrelevant to modern life. The following episode explores some of these questions: Should we take the Bible literally? Is it a trustworthy and reliable document, or a work of fiction? How do we apply its teaching to today’s world? Is it simply foolish to stake our lives on this book?
28 mins
Episode 03 - Supernatural
Christians believe in the supernatural. The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, contain extraordinary accounts of miraculous interventions by God, including the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In a secular, ‘scientific’ age, some people cite the supernatural elements of the biblical narrative as a reason not to take Christianity seriously. Is it reasonable to believe in the supernatural? Or is it a fairy tale for weak-minded people?
28 mins
Episode 04 - Religious Violence
Christopher Hitchens’ book God Is Not Great is subtitled, “How religion poisons everything”. The New Atheists (as Hitchens and other writers have been labelled) are vocal in their claim that religion is not good for the world but is instead “the root of all evil”. In Christianity’s case, terrible events from Christian history are used to show that great evils have been done in Christ’s name. The Bible, particularly the Old Testament, also comes under attack, as an ancient out-of-date text that encourages atrocities and condones violent practices. Is this a reasonable position to hold? Does religion cause violence? Would the world be less violent without religion? Does the Bible condone violence? We attempt to unpack these questions in this episode.
28 mins
Episode 05 - Exclusive Faith
Christians claim that only a trust in Jesus can put a person in a right relationship with God. In an increasingly pluralistic world the idea of an absolute truth is out of vogue, and therefore the exclusivity of Christianity’s claim is confronting. This claim appears intolerant or even bigoted because it necessarily assumes that all other religions and worldviews are wrong. Are the exclusive claims of Christianity reasonable, ridiculous or even dangerous? And what does this mean for other worldviews?
28 mins
Episode 06 - Church Abuse
In countries like Australia, Ireland and the USA sexual abuse scandals, particularly where they have involved the abuse of children, have rocked the Church and led many people to feel they can no longer trust the institution. The Church has understandably been called hypocritical because such abuse is against its own moral teaching and because instances of cover-ups have emerged in the very institution that should be protecting the vulnerable people in its care. Why has this happened and what is the Church doing about this? Can we trust Church leadership in the future? Do the failings of individual Christians count against the faith itself? Can we have any faith in Christianity when some of its leaders have acted so badly? These are the topics for this important episode.
28 mins
Episode 07 - Science and God
We live in a ‘scientific age’ and in our modern world the scientific mindset is one that is honoured and elevated. For many, science represents that which is logical and verifiable, whereas religion is seen as superstitious and irrational. Richard Dawkins and the New Atheists claim that science and religion are diametrically opposed and that science has removed the need for God. Do science and faith go together or are they natural enemies?
28 mins
Episode 08 - Homosexuality
Since the 1960’s sexual revolution, there has been significant change in the morals of Western nations around sexual morality. This has led to changes in what our community views as reasonable and acceptable sexual behaviour. In modern Western society, an active homosexual lifestyle is increasingly accepted and celebrated as an expression of human sexuality. The push for gay marriage has gained momentum and has been successful in some parts of the West. By and large the Church teaches that homosexual sex is contrary to Biblical teaching and so this issue places Christians significantly out of step with much of the rest of society. So, is the Church just being homophobic? Is it on the wrong side of history and soon to be laughed at by future generations?
28 mins
Episode 09 - The Church
In the eyes of some people today, Christianity is virtually irrelevant and the institution of the Church hopelessly outdated. The decline of the Church in the West in the last 60 years has been steep and dramatic. In the UK regular church attendance - which stood at around 50 per cent in the middle of the 19th century - had, by 2005, declined to 6.3 per cent of the population. Similar patterns are found in other parts of the Western world. In France, only 5 per cent go to church on a weekend and only 10 per cent think religion is important. Australia had a church attendance rate of 44 per cent in 1950. Today it is 17 per cent. So what is the future of the Church? Will it find a place in a contemporary, fast-paced and technological environment? Does Christianity still have something to offer the 21st Century? That’s what we’ll be asking in this episode.
28 mins
Episode 10 - Towards Belief
The past nine episodes have highlighted the faith of a diverse group of people - men and women from across the world who have staked their lives on the claims of the Bible. Their stories recount different experiences on a journey towards belief. Some came to follow Jesus reluctantly, others slowly, while others experienced a dramatic and radical change of direction. What does it mean to take a step of faith? What does it involve? And what do we do with our doubts about God?
28 mins
Is it reasonable to be a person of faith? How can we deal with issues of suffering, science, violence, abuse and the supernatural in our consideration of God? Towards Belief is a series that set out to provide responses to these big questions – questions that our research found blocks people from considering faith and belief.
In 2011, Richard Dawkins appeared on the Australian TV program “Q&A”, and in the ensuing discussion on science verses faith, Dawkins was asked why they can’t co-exist. His reply, in relation to Christianity, was that “… it’s not true!” The statement, made by this outspoken atheist, prompted Karl Faase to find out what the average person in Australia really thinks about Christian faith.
Olive Tree Media commissioned social researchers, McCrindle Research, to look into the religious and spiritual beliefs of modern Australians and specifically what issues turned people away from Christianity and the Church. The methodology involved a quantitative survey that was deployed to a representative national panel with 1,094 participants. To further explore the results, three focus groups were conducted to gain insights into attitudes and perceptions underlying “belief blockers” – those objections that blocked people from having confidence in the Christian faith and its message. The results have been published in the Australian Communities Report.
These belief blockers became the framework for the ten episodes of Towards Belief.
Amy Orr-Ewing
Amy Orr-Ewing is passionate about apologetics, presenting and defending the Christian faith in a way that engages with culture. She is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and the Europe, Middle East and Africa Director of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), regularly speaking and writing in those roles.
Ard Louis
Ard Louis is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford, where he leads an interdisciplinary research group studying problems on the border between chemistry, physics and biology, and is also director of graduate studies in Theoretical Physics.
Craig Keener
Craig Keener is the F.M and Ada Thompson Professor of the New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. He holds a PHD from Duke University and is known for his commentaries on contextualising the New Testament in its early Jewish and Greco-Roman setting. He has authored numerous books and journals and has taught in every continent except Antarctica. Craig’s wife Medine was a Congolese refugee during the Second Congo War, and their amazing story is told in Impossible Love: The True Story of an African Civil War, Miracles and Hope Against All Odds.
Erwin McManus
Erwin Raphael McManus is an author, futurist, filmmaker, and fashion designer. He is the lead pastor of Mosaic, a megachurch based in Los Angeles. Erwin is a speaker on issues related to postmodernism and postmodern Christianity.
Frank Brennan
Frank Brennan is a Jesuit priest, professor of law at the Australian Catholic University, and adjunct professor at the College of Law and the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Australian National University. He has written a number of books on indigenous issues and civil liberties.
Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Robertson AO, QC is a human rights barrister, academic, author and broadcaster. He holds dual Australian and British citizenship. Robertson is a founder and joint head of Doughty Street Chambers.
Greg Clarke
Greg Clarke is the former CEO of Bible Society Australia
Joel A-Bell
Joel A-Bell is an Australian Pastor who lead with Hillsong Church for 20 years. In 2018 he moved on to plant a church in Southern Sydney before transitioning to other ministry roles.
John Dickson
John Dickson is a writer, speaker, historian of religion, media presenter, Anglican minister, and director of a multi-media think tank. John is also an Honorary Fellow of the Department of Ancient History (Macquarie), and teaches a course on the Historical Jesus at the University of Sydney. He is committed to delivering creative, engaging content grounded in careful thought. John has published over a dozen titles, including the award-winning Simply Christianity: Beyond Religion, and A Spectator’s Guide to World Religions, as well as various academic books and articles. His book The Christ Files was made into a four-part documentary which aired nationally in 2008. His more recent Life of Jesus aired in 2009. John is also a founding director of the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX), an independent research and media company promoting informed discussion about social, ethical and religious issues in modern life.
John Lennox
John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, is an internationally renowned speaker on the interface of science, philosophy and religion. He has written a series of books exploring the relationship between science and Christianity.
John Polkinghorne
The Reverend Canon John Polkinghorne (KBE FRS) is an English theoretical physicist, theologian, writer, and Anglican priest. He is known for being a prominent and leading voice explaining the relationship between science and religion.
Keith Condie
Rev. Dr. Keith Condie is Co-Director/Founder with his wife Sarah of the Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute at Anglican Deaconess Ministries. He has degrees in psychology, theology and history, and for his PhD, he looked at meditation in the thought of a seventeenth-century Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter.
Lynn Cohick
Lynn Cohick is the Provost Dean at Denver Seminary in Colorado. She is a professor, teacher and speaker, and has taught in numerous cities and countries, including Australia and Kenya. Lynn received her PHD in New Testament and Christian Origins from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Her written works include ‘Christian Women in the Patristic World’, and a commentary on the book of the Bible, Phillipians.
Michael Jensen
Rev Dr Michael Jensen. Pastor, theologian, author and social commentator. Michael is an Australian clergyman, author, and lecturer. He has served as the rector in the Anglican parish of St Mark’s Church, Darling Point since 2013; and was formerly a professor of theology at Moore College, Sydney. He completed a doctorate in Moral Theology at Oxford University in 2008
Michael Ramsden
Michael Ramsden has been the European Director of RZIM Zacharias Trust since its foundation in 1997. Michael is a passionate evangelist and apologist for RZIM Zacharias Trust, and is also Lecturer in Christian Apologetics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, where his main involvement is with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.
Michael Willesee
Michael Willesee AO was an Australian television journalist, interviewer and presenter. He died of cancer in 2019.
Michelle Tepper
Michelle Tepper is an itinerant speaker in the US, teaching worldwide on a number of subjects, including the problem of pain, God’s character, sex, relationships, and love. Michelle is a former graduate and now an Associate of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and a gifted communicator and Christian apologist. Michelle engages on a variety of faith issues in various forums around the UK, as well as across Canada and North America. She spent six years as a full-time Student Pastor at St. Aldates, a thriving student church located in the heart of Oxford, before relocating to the US. Michelle is currently writing about changing attitudes towards.
Neil Robinson
Neil Robinson is the Library and Research Manager at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. He is a cricket writer and is the author of, ‘Long Shot Summer: The Year of Four England Cricket Captains 1988’.
Nicky Gumbel
Nicky Gumbel is the pioneer of Alpha and Vicar of HTB in London, one of the largest Church of England churches in the UK. He is the author of many evangelical and charismatic books.
Os Guinness
Os Guinness is an author and social critic. Born in 1941 in China, to medical missionaries, he completed his schooling in England and obtained his doctor of philosophy from Oriel college in Oxford. He has written or edited over 30 books that offer valuable insight into the cultural, political, and social contexts in which we all live, including the new, ‘Carpe Diem Redeemed: Seizing the Day, Discerning the Times’. Os also continues to speak at universities, and political and business conferences around the world.
Patricia Weerakoon
Dr Patricia Weerakoon is an Australian Christian sexologist. Dr Weerakoon was born in a Tamil Christian family in Sri Lanka, and grew up on a tea plantation. She is married to Vasantha and they have a son, Kamal, who is a Presbyterian minister.
Patrick Parkinson
Patrick Parkinson is the head of TC Beirne School of Law in Queensland Australia. He is the chairman of thinktank Freedom of Faith.
Richard Swinburne
Richard Swinburne is an English philosopher. He is an Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford. Over the last 50 years Swinburne has been an influential proponent of philosophical arguments for the existence of God.
Sean George
Dr. Sean George is a Kuwait born Australian, of Indian ethnicity.
Sharon Dirckx
Sharon Dirckx is a Senior Tutor at OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Originally from a scientific background, she has a PhD in brain imaging from the University of Cambridge and has held research positions at the University of Oxford, UK, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, USA.
Stanley Hauerwas
Stanley Hauerwas, a theologian and Christian ethicist, is professor emeritus of theological ethics and of law at Duke University. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books, including Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony (1989), which he co-authored with William H. Willimon.
Todd Proctor
Todd Proctor is lead pastor and primary worship leader of Rockharbor, a growing church of approximately 2,500 in Costa Mesa, CA.
Vince Vitale
Dr. Vince Vitale is Senior Tutor at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA), Tutor in Philosophy and Mission at Wycliffe Hall, a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford, and a speaker for RZIM Europe. He holds a DPhil in Philosophy and an MPhil in Theology, both from the University of Oxford.