Pod of the Gaps: Recent Episodes
Pod of the Gaps
An occasional podcast featuring Aaron Edwards and Andy Bannister. Each episode sees the two friends take a contemporary issue in culture and explore it from a Christian perspective.
Featuring banter, philosophy, culture, theology, bad jokes, apologetics, and more — the podcast aims to help Christians think wisely about the challenges of living in the 21st century.
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Theological and Political Disclaimer
The content of this podcast does not represent the views of any institutions, colleges, networks, churches, or secret government organisations with which we are affiliated or employed."
... and this includes podcasts too!After half a decade of plugging the gaps between the Church and the culture, Andy and Aaron are finally calling time on Pod of the Gaps. In this final swansong episode they reflect upon some of the key themes of the podcast over the last five years, the way public opinion has shifted over this time, the cultural impact of podcasts in general, and some of the key trajectories for the Church's relationship to the culture going forward.Thankyou to all our listeners over the years. We have appreciated all your engagement and feedback, and we're glad you've found our discussions stimulating and encouraging.Feel free to keep following Aaron and Andy on their Substacks for more of their content (see links below). In the meantime, so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye!www.andybannister.nethttp://thatgoodfight.substack.com
at the issues in the coming year. As always, Aaron and Andy will each live-reveal their three respective challenges for the Church, and discuss each together.If you're interested and/or perplexed about how churches should respond to the challenges at its gates, you won't want to miss this one!Follow Andy and Aaron on Substack:www.andybannister.nethttp://thatgoodfight.substack.com
Well, it's that time of year again when Andy and Aaron discuss Christmassy things. Tune in to hear them each discuss their favourite Christmas tradition, Christmas movie, and Christmas movie. The podly duo draw out from their choices various theological and cultural insights about the meaning and application of Christmas in today's world. And as ever, they also have a good bit of fun along the way. Enjoy!Follow Andy and Aaron on Substack:www.andybannister.nethttp://thatgoodfight.substack.com
, the BBC and penal substitution, whether Christians should seek to take over entire boroughs, whether Andy and Aaron should move to America, and who from church history they would choose as part of their dream line up in a football match.All this and more on this jam-packed episode of Pod of the Gaps! We saved some even more interesting questions for our Patreon supporters, so head over to https://www.patreon.com/wkop and sign up to hear us (and see us!) answer exclusive questions on Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, polygamy, spiritual practices, and what the UK will look like in 50 years' time! Enjoy... And the Pod of the Gaps mug has returned for a limited time only: https://bit.ly/3XN1lNS *
The assassination of the Christian apologist and debater, Charlie Kirk, has shaken western civilisation to its core. Even many who opposed his views have come to recognise that the moment had unusual significance not only for freedom of speech but also for Christian engagement in politics.What lessons can be learned from the aftermath? Are there things we need to realise about left-wing ideology and its connection to violent change? If a winsome debater like Kirk is seen as a threat because he successfully challenged secular ideologies, what does that say about the grounds of reasonable debate going forward? Is this a moment for Christians to become quieter about the socio-political implications of Christianity, or bolder? And how should the Gospel shape our response? Andy and Aaron deal with all this and much more in another jam-packed episode of Pod of the Gaps!Resources ...* Charlie's website: https://www.charliekirk.comRather than ask for support for Pod of the Gaps, if you'd like to support Turning Point, the organisation Charlie founded, you can do so here: https://tpusa.com
Immigration continues to be one of the most important socio-political talking points in western societies today. This is especially so in Britain, where various controversial events in recent times highlight the growing concerns of the populace.Too often, genuine conversation about the problems of mass immigration are shut down without due reflection even on the numbers, let alone more particular issues around the influx of hugely divergent cultural norms into very different societies. The assumption that westerners cannot care about the preservation of their own peoples or cultures without incurring the charge of being racist or xenophobic only tends to make the tensions worse.How should Christians think and speak about these issues? What does loving our migrant neighbour look like in the context of national decline? How can we reach the asylum seeker in front of us whilst questioning or critiquing current immigration policies? And with the growing profusion of British flags appearing in public spaces, what Gospel opportunities does this open up for Christians to speak about where our true identity is found? Andy and Aaron fly the flag on this issue in their usual style, seeking to tread that fine line between inspiration and cancellation for your listening enjoyment!
of this world?In this special live episode recorded at Cedarwood Festival, Andy and Aaron are joined by Rev. Mark Greenwood, evangelism director for Elim Pentecostal Church, to wrestle through these questions. Mark shares some of his testimony, how it continues to inspire his approach to evangelism today, and how we can think through the challenges of evangelism on a more practical level.Get your Pod of the Gaps mug here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitsCraftyCornerUKSupport Pod of the Gaps and help the show keep going here: https://www.patreon.com/c/wkop
at the 2025 Cedarwood Festival. They reflect here that what may appear to be opposing perspectives can actually be complementary, challenging us to overcome cowardice whilst making the best use of our witness, ever mindful of what God can do even in the midst of our most feeble efforts.Get your Pod of the Gaps mug designed by Andy's daughter here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitsCraftyCornerUKSupport Pod of the Gaps here: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast
What’s so special about the Sabbath? Many modern Christians don’t quite know what to do with it, and often end up practising elements of it inconsistently—or avoiding it altogether. But whatever we do (or don’t do) will have wider consequences somewhere down the line.Should Christians keep a day dedicated to rest “unto the Lord”? What does that look like? Where does modern Sabbath-keeping (or Sabbath avoidance) go wrong? What are the wider societal implications of Sabbath-keeping within a nation? And how can families and churches navigate the challenge of hectic, chaotic work schedules—and show the world a different way, rooted in peace and faith in the Lord?Andy and Aaron dig into these questions, reflect on some of their recent travels (some more “Sabbath-like” than others!), and explore what a thoughtful approach to Sabbath might look like today.And get your Pod of the Gaps mug here — https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaitsCraftyCornerUK — courtesy of Andy's 12 year-old-daughter, Caitriona! Every mug bought helps keep Pod of the Gaps going :-)
Today’s culture celebrates tolerance of other faiths, but for Christians, engaging neighbours of different religions while opposing what they believe can be tough. How do we do this robustly, truthfully, and lovingly? Aaron and Andy dive into this complex issue, share personal stories—including Aaron’s recent visit to Iraq—and discuss how Christians can build meaningful bridges to those of other beliefs as a pathway to Christ. Much depends, of course, on why such bridges are built—and how much we expect them to carry.Enjoy Pod of the Gaps? Help us keep the show going ... https://patreon.com/wkopThe book Aaron mentioned:Austen Henry Layard, "Nineveh and its remains" - online at https://archive.org/details/ninevehanditsre03layagoog
As the UK government continues to float the "Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill" through parliament, it could have a significant impact on the freedom of Christians to homeschool their children in future. While some aspects of the bill will seem like common sense, others raise red flags over government intrusiveness into families, signalling the thin end of the wedge towards effective state control over home education.In this episode Andy and Aaron discuss numerous questions surrounding this. What right does the government have to speak into the education of your children? What is statism, and why is it especially dangerous in a secular climate? Why is bureaucracy a particular danger in education legislation? What strategies can Christians employ to challenge state incursions with both winsomeness and integrity? ENJOY POD OF THE GAPS? Why support the podcast; just a small donation helps us keep making these episodes: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast RESOURCES:- https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3909- https://www.homeschoolnetwork.org.uk- Christian Home Education Support Service (CHESS) ... https://chessuk.org- https://education.christianconcern.com/home-education/- Anthony Forsyth, Caesar and the Church (2022). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caesar-Church-Biblical-Study-Government/dp/1934952729- Aaron Edwards, "The Violence of Bureaucracy and the Gospel of Peace" https://brill.com/view/journals/ijpt/12/2/article-p195_4.xml
The advances in AI have skyrocketed, with more and more people beginning to make use of it in everyday life. In time, AI will have a monumental effect on society at virtually every level. As such, questions about the ethics and theology of artificial intelligence. are no longer speculative, but are right here on our doorstep.How should Christians respond? What positives are there in AI? Where can it help relieve unnecessary burdens? Where are the increasing dangers too? As AI gets smarter, do we get dumber? How do think theologically about AI? How does sin factor into AI? If we create AI in the image of sinful humans, are we unleashing something capable of ever greater destruction? Could AI become "self-aware" at some point? If so, how would we categorise it? Is AI capable of "good" or "bad" moral actions?Questions truly do abound! We address many of them, and more, in this jam-packed episode of Pod of the Gaps!* RESOURCES MENTIONED AI Tools: ChatGPT (from OpenAI): https://claude.ai Claude (from Anthropic): https://claude.ai Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai Matthew Berman, 'OpenAI's New o1 Is LYING ON PURPOSE?! (Thinking For Itself)', https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlZfndaO01c George M. Coghill, ‘Artificial Intelligence (and Christianity): Who? What? Where? When? Why? sand How?' Studies in Christian Ethic’. Studies in Christian Ethics 36.3 (2023) 604-619 (online at https://doi.org/10.1177/09539468231169462) Ethan Mollick, "Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI" (London: WH Allen, 2024) Alan M. Turing, ‘Computing Machinery and Intelligence’. Mind LIX.236 (1950) 433-460* C. R. Wiley, 'Discerning the Spirits, Part 1: When it comes to AI, nobody's home--except you" https://crwiley.substack.com/p/discerning-the-spirits-part-1
The history of humanity is replete with examples of trailblazers able to think outside the box, disrupt existing conventions, pioneer new ways of thinking, and advance into new territory. We might think of great geniuses of the past like Thomas Edison, or perhaps the more recent technological pioneers like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Such people have often had the ability to lead and advance with extraordinary creativity, conviction, and courage, and have achieved significant things.Why are there now so few of these kinds of leaders in the Church? Does the pioneer's aggressive and disruptive approach to convention inevitably jar with Christian virtues like humility, love, and sacrifice? Or is it rather that we have excluded entrepreneurial courage, creativity, and confrontation from Christian values? Does our fear of the abuse of power end up stifling the necessary freedom of pioneer leadership? Are we often in danger of overplaying Christ's servant-hearted qualities at the expense of his aggressive and confrontational decision-making? How might church leaders encourage more business entrepreneurs in the Church to succeed and advance the kingdom in a wholly Christlike manner? ENJOY POD OF THE GAPS? Why not make a 2025 resolution and support the podcast; just a small donation helps us keep making these episodes: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast Resources:- Walter Isaacson, Elon Musk (2024). https://www.waterstones.com/book/elon-musk/walter-isaacson/9781398536418- Deborah Cadbury, Chocolate Wars (2011). https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chocolate-Wars-150-Year-Rivalry-Greatest/dp/1610390512- Aaron Edwards, "Apostolic Leadership and the Spectre of Spiritual AbuseSuspicions of Pioneer Authority as Hindrances to Pioneer Mission" Eucharisma 1 (Spring 2024). https://eucharisma.co.uk/apostolic-leadership-and-the-spectre-of-spiritual-abuse/#32990516-3f6b-4dbe-950b-82dfd2074bfc-link
Pod of the Gaps returns for another year, kicking off with our annual New Year live-reveal of Aaron and Andy's six key challenges for the Church in the year ahead (three each!) as we seek to meet this cultural moment wisely and faithfully in light of the Word of God. As always, if you care about the direction of the Church in the challenging times ahead, you'll want to listen to this one!
Christmas comes but once a year, but over the years we each tend to build up a collection of favourite and not-so-favourite parts of it. In this special festive episode, Aaron and Andy each reveal their best and worst from the ghosts of Christmas past, from six categories including everything from movies to traditions to carols to evangelism, and more!They also talk through once again why Christmas truly matters, and why and how evangelicals really should make the most of this unique time of year to be joyful, generous, and bold in proclaiming Christ and living out the message of Christmas in our lives, trappings and all. ENJOY POD OF THE GAPS? Why not make a 2025 resolution and support the podcast; just a small donation helps us keep making these episodes: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast THINGS WE MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE "Have You Ever Wondered?" >> https://www.solas-cpc.org/hyew-book/
The resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, made headline news across the UK and the wider world. This itself points to the ongoing public significance of the CofE and the knock-on effects for the wider church.Why did Welby choose to resign after pressure of public disrepute from external liberal media and government, rather than after the pressure from faithful Christians over his handling of LGBT+ issues or his support for other-religious festivals? What does this tell us about the priorities not only of his own leadership, but of the institution more broadly?How did Welby's evangelical convictions erode during his time in office? Was the authority of Scripture subtly replaced by a vague sense of "theological reflection"? What lessons can be learned for leaders and institutions going forward regarding "reputation"?Andy and Aaron cover all this and more in the latest episode of Pod of the Gaps. SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS HERE: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast RESOURCES:- Welby Resignation statement https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/statement-archbishop-canterbury-0- Lambeth Statement on LLF https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/news/news-and-statements/lambeth-palace-statement-living-love-and-faith- 'How church attendance crumbled under Justin Welby' https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/12/church-attendance-falls-justin-welby-archbishop-canterbury/- 'Diwali, the Gospel, and AoC Welby' https://virtueonline.org/diwali-gospel-and-archbishop-justin-welby
Euthanasia (or "good death") often returns to the front line of political, ethical, and religious debate, most recently with the "Assisted Dying" bill brought before the British parliament. The language used to describe euthanasia (as with abortion) is often very reasonable-sounding and compassionate. But does it conceal? How does such language subtly change our response to what is really going onWhat is the danger of instituting laws which change the way we view the value of human life within society? How should Christians respond to the complexities of this topic sensitively and wisely? Join Aaron and Andy once more as they dive into another vitally important topic for our times. SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS HERE: https://soundcloud.com/wkop-podcast SOME OF THE RESOURCES WE MENTIONED ...Douglas Murray, 'The West’s uncivilised euthanasia policy', The Spectator, https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-wests-uncivilised-euthanasia-policy/Kevil Yuill, 'The inhumanity of ‘assisted dying', Spiked, https://www.spiked-online.com/2024/04/03/the-inhumanity-of-assisted-dying/Christian Medical Fellowship: https://bit.ly/3A3by0JJohn Patrick: https://johnpatrick.ca
Why do many historic church institutions often end up undermining the very reason they are meant to exist? There have been many movements and institutions in the history of the Church. Some last longer than others. But over time, they always become more complex, more unwieldy, more difficult to “manage”. Why do the inheritors of incredible legacies of vibrant Christian faith often act so differently from those who left the legacy itself? What is behind the desire of a leader or group to protect an institution’s traditions, processes, and reputation at the expense of their Biblical and missional principles? What makes Christian institutions especially prone to “ossification”? How can churches and movements ensure they don’t allow their pre-existing expectations and challenges to deceive them in how they discern the shape of their future without cutting themselves off from their past?Join Andy and Aaron as they discuss all this and more on the latest episode of Pod of the Gaps.RESOURCES MENTIONED ... V. Raymond Edman, 'They Found the Secret' (Zondervan, 1984)PLEASE HELP POD OF THE GAPSPod of the Gaps needs your help to keep going! If you enjoy our adventures in culture and theology, please consider a small monthly tip to keep us recording: www.patreon.com/wkop
Despite the obvious anti-Christian trajectory of Western society, a growing number of influencers are beginning to see the moral and cultural benefits of Christianity. It could even be said that Christianity is becoming "cool" again! But is there a danger that people misunderstand Christianity by merely seeing its general moral value? Are such people merely becoming inoculated to true Christianity, ignoring the parts they don't like? How did Christian nations like Britain come about? What might it take to bring them about again? How can churches respond well to this strange cultural moment?Join Aaron and Andy for another long-awaited episode of Pod of the Gaps!RESOURCES MENTIONED:- Justin Brierley, "The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God"- Kisin, Konstantin, "An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the West"- "The Unravelling of the West, with Melanie Phillips", The Brendan O'Neill Show, https://bit.ly/3TELcZa- "In Defence of Christian Britain". https://thatgoodfight.substack.com/p/in-defence-of-christian-britain- "Christian Britain has always been imaginary". https://theconversation.com/christian-britain-has-always-been-imaginary-its-time-to-teach-children-that-28696- "Christian preacher assaulted by Islamic mob chanting ‘Allahu Akbar...". https://christianconcern.com/ccpressreleases/christian-preacher-assaulted-by-islamic-mob-chanting-allahu-akbar-wins-10000-pay-out-after-false-arrest-at-speakers-corner/
They say "you are what you read!" We read all sorts of things in life but rarely do we think all that much about reading as we struggle to keep up with the many words and authors that cross our path.In this special episode, Andy and Aaron met up in Oxford to talk about the books they've been reading of late, and how these books relate to life, the universe, and everything. They discuss numerous things, from reading Tolkien's letters whilst walking through Magdalen College, to books by atheist comedians, to Wind in the Willows!Somehow they still manage to talk about numerous themes relating to church, politics, secularism, beauty, culture, apologetics, and the kingdom of God. They even manage to get interrupted mid-episode by the cast of an outdoor Shakespeare play ... enjoy!
Given the fractious political climate of the last decade, and the lack of consistently good candidates and policies on offer, it's understandable that many Christians might be unsure of who to vote for, or even whether to vote at all! But even if there may be no perfect party on offer, Christians have a duty to be salt and light in whatever way they can. What principles ought to guide the way we think, pray, and act out our political responsibilities in a democratic society?How can our vote help the common good within our culture over the long haul? What are the key issues and policies to think about relative to the public expression of Christian values? Why are British people often reticent to talk about who they vote for? Why do some Christians become more active in proclaiming their chosen political party than proclaiming Christ? And most importantly, who are Aaron and Andy voting for, and why...? All will be revealed in this special episode of Pod of the Gaps...RESOURCES:- https://christianconcern.com/resource/vote-pray-and-think-christianly-about-the-election/- Pod of the Gaps Episode 59: 'Should the Church Get Out of Politics?' https://open.spotify.com/episode/2rtyjLb9UOYtBA237OvjD1LOVE POD OF THE GAPS? PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US ...Pod of the Gaps needs your help to keep going! If you enjoy our adventures in culture and theology, please consider a small monthly tip to keep us recording: www.patreon.com/wkop
Punishment is an easily avoidable topic for modern Christians. We tend to leave it for the “experts” beyond the Church. But what if the increasing injustice in criminal prosecution and punishment in wider society infiltrates our thinking as Christians? Does our squeamishness over things like the death penalty mean we become squeamish about the Bible too? What does it mean, for example, that the God of grace is also a God of justice who punishes evildoing? If we see the death penalty as always “barbaric”, what does that do to our understanding of Christ’s penal substitution at the Cross? What Biblical wisdom is there for those seeking greater justice in society when penalties have been too harshly (or too leniently) applied?In this packed episode of Pod of the Gaps, Andy and Aaron dive into this complex topic with their usual mix of wit and wisdom, banter and the Bible.LOVE POD OF THE GAPS? PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US ...Pod of the Gaps needs your help to keep going! If you enjoy our adventures in culture and theology, please consider a small monthly tip to keep us recording: www.patreon.com/wkop
Over the last decade and a half, the pervasive use of smartphones has become the norm across the western world. Yet we’re still unaware of the precise long-term consequences. For those brought up without smartphones (or without the internet!) we may not even be in a position to know the full extent of the most negative effects upon child development and socialisation. As politicians consider banning smartphones from schools, is there also some drastic reflection the Church needs to do too? How can Christians encourage parents to make wise choices to help their children thrive against the technological tide? If, as some authors suggest, smartphones have made children more anxious and lonely, how might Christians show them a better way?RESOURCES:- Jonathan Haidt, "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" (Penguin, 2024)- Rod Liddle, ‘Kids and Smartphones: An Inconvenient Truth’, The Spectator (24th Feb 2024)- Tony Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You (Crossway, 2017)- Anthony Esolen, 10 Ways To Destroy the Imagination of Your Child (ISI Books, 2013)
Many Christians are naïve about the ways Islam has gained much ground within western society in recent years, influencing numerous spheres of culture, politics, and law. The vision of Islamic beliefs ruling all spheres of society (‘Islamism’) may not be adopted by all western Muslims, but it is a belief entirely consistent with Islamic tradition. Where Muslims are often very bullish about defending their values and public symbols, Christians often happily give away such cultural ground, fearing the accusation of ‘Islamophobia’. What are the implications of allowing elements of Shariah Law to be imposed within western societies today? What can Christians draw upon to think through and respond to these challenges with love, confidence, and clarity?In this special episode in our mini-series on Islam, Andy and Aaron are joined by Tim Dieppe (Christian Concern), a regular media commentator on Christianity and Islam in British public life, to talk through these important issues.LOVE POD OF THE GAPS? PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US ...Pod of the Gaps needs your help to keep going! If you enjoy our adventures in culture and theology, please consider a small monthly tip to keep us recording: www.patreon.com/wkopRESOURCES:- Tim Dieppe, “What’s Wrong With Islamic Finance?” (2018) https://christianconcern.com/resource/whats-wrong-islamic-finance/- Christian Concern resources on Islam. https://christianconcern.com/ccissues/islam/- Andy Bannister, “Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?” (2021)- Rodney Stark, “God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades” (2010)- Raymond Ibrahim, “Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam” (2022)
More and more Christians in western society today see the ever-increasing need to reach Muslims with the Gospel. The problem is: how? In this special episode, Aaron is joined by Bob of Speaker’s Corner to talk through challenges, strategies, and related issues that come with taking seriously the Muslim mission field before us. Bob is known especially for his confrontational mode of engagement in such mission, which some Christians disagree with. Is this because we’re overly influenced by “middle class churchianity”? In what ways can a more direct approach be more fruitful in reaching Muslims today? How does our wider progressive political culture affect our ability to challenge the beliefs of Muslims publically? What are the risks involved, and how can we navigate them with both wisdom and courage?All this and more, on this jam-packed episode of Pod of the Gaps.Useful Links:- https://www.youtube.com/@SocoFilms- 'Dawa Clowns Interrupting Conversation' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eodk1A7x14&t=973s- https://twitter.com/btbsoco- Andy Bannister, "Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?" (London: IVP, 2021)
We've come to expect the politically correct and increasingly “woke” posture of many of the Church of England’s official statements and policies in recent years. Recent announcements on issues such as race, Islam, sexuality, and even evangelism, showcase a desire to “play nice” with the secular and multicultural political establishment rather than offering a genuinely prophetic voice. But is the CofE’s descent into ever more progressive viewpoints is inevitable? What about those who seek to reform Anglicanism from within, restoring its evangelical roots? Is there a case for disestablishing the Church of England altogether? What would we lose (or gain) if we did?Andy (a reluctant Anglican) and Aaron (a Methodist exile) dive into this entirely non-controversial topic with the usual mix of wit, wisdom, and insight.RESOURCES ETC MENTIONED IN THE SHOW CofE Press Release: https://bit.ly/48XQiEF CofE "Healing, Repair and Justice" report (see clause 32): https://bit.ly/49Pnj7u Justin Welby's Ramadan video: https://bit.ly/3PjxqJt ChatGPT's attempt at impersonating the Archbishop of Canterbury: https://bit.ly/4c9ZkBt Michael Hampson, "Last Rites: The End of the Church of England " (Granta, 2006) Ben Merkle, "The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great" (Thomas Nelson. 2009)
What are Christians supposed to do about the erosion of the Christian foundations of Western culture? Sometimes evangelicals have reacted by retreating from the call to be salt and light in the world, withdrawing into a narrow vision for the Gospel which limits its wider societal impact.But isn't trying to change the world something that liberals tend to focus on? Does working for social change risk watering down the gospel? Should we be seeking a new version of “Christendom” today, or is this too unrealistic an aim for the modern Church?Andy and Aaron explore all this ground, as well as thinking about what we can learn from evangelical missionaries who brought Christianity to other cultures.Please Help ...Pod of the Gaps needs your help to keep going! If you enjoy our adventures in culture and theology, please consider a small monthly tip to keep us recording: https://www.patreon.com/wkopResources Related to this Episode ...Janet & Geoff Benge, "Mary Slessor: Forward into Calabar" (YWAM Publishing)Corrie Ten Boom, "The Hiding Place" (Tyndale House Publishing)
Week after week, year after year, churches spend inordinate amounts of time producing, presenting, and discussing sermons. Yet sermons are far less influential upon the average Christian’s life, faith, and beliefs than ever before. Why? The loss of pulpit authority? The loss of creativity in communication? The encroaching pressure of secular beliefs? The rise of podcasts and other digital media?Many wonder whether “the sermon” is past its sell-by date. But what if the lacklustre impact of preaching has as much to do with cultural assimilation and theological erosion as unimaginative communication? Aaron and Andy dig into all these questions and more!
In keeping with the now ancient Pod of the Gaps tradition, Andy and Aaron kick off the new year by identifying their collective key challenges for the Church to face up to as it seeks to meet this cultural moment in light of the Word of God. As they reflect on what the Church has already been facing and look forward to some of the more significant implications lying ahead in the near future, they each live-reveal their "3 challenges" (without conferring!) and see whether they end up more in harmony than cacophony! If you care about the direction of the Church in the challenging times ahead, you'll want to listen to this one!* Please help keep Pod of the Gaps by supporting us on Patreon. It really does make a huge difference and is massively appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/wkop *RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:Meic Pearse, "Why the Rest Hates the West"Corrie Ten Boom, "The Hiding Place"- https://davenantinstitute.org/uk-convivium-2024/
Evangelicals are renowned for using crazy-sounding adjectives to highlight the outlandish nature of God’s grace. This is often appropriate when speaking of God's love, but an overuse of such language potentially opens Christians up to progressive infiltration of the Gospel. Under the auspices of God’s grace being so “outrageous” that it overcomes all prior categories, some professing “evangelicals” are now saying repentance is simply “optional” and that some sin is not actually sin, after all. Might this actually devalue the outrageousness of grace by undermining the power of the Incarnation and the Cross? Whilst relishing God’s wonderful grace remains key, how do we stop this emphasis from condoning sin on our terms? RESOURCES:- https://www.terryvirgo.org/series/gods-lavish-grace/- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (1937)- John Stott, The Cross of Christ (1986)- https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/why-sex-outside-marriage-is-not-a-salvation-issue/16880.article- https://www.premierchristianity.com/apologetics/from-islam-to-atheism-to-christianity-the-unlikely-conversion-of-ayaan-hirsi-ali/16741.articleCLOSING MUSIC- "Little Town of Bethlehem" by Kate Rusby, from her album "While Mortals Sleep"
In these secular times, Christmas is ever in danger of being hijacked by the fairy-lit glitz of advertising and consumerism. Christians often find themselves dragged into alternative versions of Christmas which bear little connection to the Christian story. But while Christians rightly lament the problem of worldly materialism, are there also dangers that we also miss something vital about the “material” nature of what Christmas actually is, at heart? How might we remain both holy and merry at Christmas? How might we enjoy good gifts with gratitude without being sucked into a self-indulgent vortex? And what does Andy Bannister refuse to have in his lounge …? Find out in this special episode of Pod of the Gaps!RESOURCES:- C.S. Lewis, “Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter From Herodotus” (1954)- Douglas Wilson, "God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas Is the Foundation for Everything" (2012)- Andrew Isker, "The Boniface Option: A Strategy for Christian Counter-Offensive in a Post-Christian Nation" (2023)* Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs. Your support helps cover our hosting fees, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop *
In this wide-ranging special episode of Pod of the Gaps we cover a number of vital issues in/around the challenges of leadership, mission, apologetics, and ministry. In particular, Andy Bannister and Joe Boot both reflect on their similar experiences of working as directors for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. These reflections include the problematic patterns they noticed in the organization long before the worst came became visible; the dilemmas of working for “family-run” organizations where asking questions is discouraged; the ways making/keeping money can corrupt vision and principles longer term. They reflect not only on what went wrong, but also on what lessons can be learned for the future in all sorts of ways. We also talk about Joe Boot’s insightful book, "Ruler of Kings", which seeks to reclaim a robust vision of the kingdom in all spheres of life, society, education, and politics. We discuss the different approaches that may be taken in advancing the vital course of mission in these troubled times for the Church in the West.NOTES:- Joe’s book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ruler-Kings-Toward-Christian-Government/dp/1916121136- Aaron’s review of Joe’s book: https://americanreformer.org/2023/09/the-return-of-the-kingdom/- Ezra Centre: www.ezrainstitute.com- Solas Centre: https://www.solas-cpc.org/about/
The Israel / Gaza conflict generates all sorts of political and religious opinions in recent times, with many Christian leaders (including the Archbishop of Canterbury) seeming to follow the popular left-wing consensus of calling for an immediate ceasefire. Whilst this might seem the obvious course of action, is it really the best option? Whilst all wars bring tragedy, are all wars avoidable? When does peacekeeping maintain conflict in other ways? And how does this "ceasefire" approach to conflict mirror the recent events of the Anglican Synod as it pushes through its controversial plans to bless same-sex relationships? What are the consequences of churches “surrendering” churches to the cultural Zeitgeist? And how might Christians prepare themselves for when they find they can bear the compromises in their denomination no longer?* Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs — neither Andy nor Aaron is paid to do the show, it's a labour of love. Your support helps cover our hosting costs, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop NOTES Allison, C. FitzSimons, "The Cruelty of Heresy: An Affirmation of Christian Orthodoxy" (London: SPCK, 1994) https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/britain-should-back-a-ceasefire/ https://thatgoodfight.substack.com/p/but-we-both-believe-the-bible
In recent years forces have been gathering to stand up and push back against the progressive (“Woke”) revolution in the modern West. The infamous Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson has been at the heart of this, recently launching the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC). In this special episode, we engage with one of his viral speeches from the inaugural ARC conference and dissect it piece by piece. Whilst there is much to rejoice in about such conversations happening today, there are also hidden problems, including the move towards deism and religious pluralism. How should Christians be thinking about these perspectives? How can we encourage one another to take more responsibility without losing the heart of the Gospel in the process?* Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs — neither Andy nor Aaron is paid to do the show, it's a labour of love. Your support helps cover our hosting costs, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop RESOURCES Jordan Peterson's full talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84kKxtZI0l0* Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC): https://www.arcforum.com
For many Westerners today it would be “unthinkable” to not have a legal right to abortion. But for Christians, shouldn’t abortion itself be as “unthinkable” as chattel slavery? What can churches and pro-life organisations do to change public opinion on abortion? In this special episode of Pod of the Gaps we’re joined by John Deighan, CEO of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children to discuss current visions, challenges, and strategies within the pro-life movement. In what ways might we challenge abortion not just rationally and politically, but also emotionally and imaginatively?Resources/LinksNathan Hitchen, "You've Been Framed: A New Primer for the Marriage Debate": https://bit.ly/46BYXwrChris Rose, "What Makes People Tick – The Three Hidden Worlds of Settlers, Prospectors and Pioneers" (Matador, 2011)SPUC: https://www.spuc.org.uk
An age-old tension within many churches is the extent to which they can or should join in with the reams of "para-church" organizations, mission agencies, charities, and evangelistic enterprises that do not fall under the governance of the Church but often seem to be far more fruitful in mission. Whilst the answer may seem obvious, it brings up far more questions and connects to numerous related issues. What is a church? Is it any group of faithful believers who happen to be on mission together within a given context? Do we even have a Biblical precedent for para-church? If we give our best energies to organizations beyond the Church, does this not undermine the local church's missional purpose? How can para-church enthusiasts retain a genuine love for and commitment to the local church whilst pioneering new ventures beyond it? Can local churches do more to support para-churches too? How might church leaders be challenged to be less territorial, recovering the apostolic heart for mission both within and beyond their local context?All this and more on this packed episode of Pod of the Gaps!RESOURCES:- Terry Virgo, Restoration in the Church (Kingsway, 1985)- Rhys Laverty, "Pastors all the Way Down" The New Albion Pastors All the Way Down? - by Rhys Laverty (substack.com)- Jon Bloom, "What is a Parachurch Ministry?" https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-a-parachurch-ministry- https://www.solas-cpc.org/about/- https://www.spuc.org.uk/About-Us/What-We-Do
One of the most defining things about Christians is that we sing songs together. The kind of songs we sing, and the way we sing them, has an incredible impact on a Christian's life, faith, and theology. Contemporary band-led worship services often result in a set of expectations for what can or can't be sung, similarly to the older tradition of a particular order of hymn-singing. There is, however, a far broader range of worship expression to be found throughout Scripture and church history, with not only a deeper theological focus, but numerous challenging themes we often ignore, such as divine triumph, judgement, lament, and exuberance. What can individuals, families, and congregations do to aid our times of worship together? Should we be singing different kinds of songs? Are there patterns we ought to avoid ... or rediscover? What about the relationship between the spiritual and the aesthetic, and the Word and the Spirit? And what about when we just don't feel like singing at all?
When speaking about fatherhood, it is common to neutralise the role played by fathers within a household. Due to various societal and ecclesial differences of opinion we tend to equivocate over precisely what fathers are for, and what they are supposed to do. Following on from the previous episode which discussed the loss of fatherhood in general, this episode sees Andy and Aaron each live-reveal to one another three key points each on what they believe is crucial for what fathers are for, and unpack a little about how fatherhood plays out in practice.
RESOURCES: Warren Farrell, "The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It" Nancy Pearcey, "The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes" Doug Wilson, "Father Hunger: Why God Calls Men to Love and Lead Their Families"
In our society, fatherhood is under attack. The crisis of masculinity leads many fathers to abdicate their responsibility for their children, and for those around them. Men are regularly condemned for aspiring to the virtues that once inspired good men to be good fathers. What do we lose when fatherhood is reviled? What is the impact of feminism on how fatherhood is seen today? How can churches encourage and teach fathers to model good fatherhood well?
RESOURCES: Warren Farrell, "The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys Are Struggling and What We Can Do About It" Nancy Pearcey, "The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes" Doug Wilson, "Father Hunger: Why God Calls Men to Love and Lead Their Families"
* Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs — neither Andy nor Aaron is paid to do the show, it's a labour of love. Your support helps cover our hosting costs, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop *
Some Christians (including some prominent leaders!) have begun to desscribe the Biblical depiction of God the Father as "problematic". Whilst there are many who find the idea of God's fatherhood difficult to accept due to their own negative experiences of human fatherhood, what do we risk by projecting those negative experiences onto Scripture?
Is it now inescapably difficult to accept God's fatherhood because of its connection to "patriarchy"? Can God be seen just as much as our mother as our father? Would it matter if we dispensed with God's male pronoun and began describing Him as a "She" or an "It"? What is the wider impact of all of these questions upon how we interpret the authority of Scripture in the life of the Church today?
Join Andy Bannister and Aaron Edwards as they dive into this issue with their usual mix of wit and wisdom, the Bible and banter.
The cover image for this episode is the oil painting "The Return of the Prodigal" by Rembrandt
A shift seems to have begun to occur in recent years regarding religion. As many public intellectuals have seen the philosophical and moral foundations of western society crumbling away, a new yearning has begun to arise for a greater, more transcendent story to make sense of life. This trend is increasingly leading people to reconsider Christianity.
On this special episode of Pod of the Gaps, we interview well known Christian broadcaster and author, Justin Brierley, about his new book, "The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God". Justin has been discussing these topics on his show with atheists, agnostics, and Christians for almost two decades. Over the years he has interviewed high profile guests including Richard Dawkins, Douglas Murray, Louise Perry, Tom Holland, and Jordan Peterson, each of whom contribute fascinating perspectives on religion, and on the surprising appeal of Christianity in our time.
Find out all about Justin's new book, including how to pre-order it, at: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/
* Pod of the Gaps depends wholly on the support of its listeners to pay the costs of the podcast! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop *
Amidst a flurry of new developments within the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) many are wondering about the future effects of this kind of technology upon our societies. There are ongoing concerns about negative effects upon people's jobs as well as deeper issues around human identity itself, and even our survival. Whilst there are many efficiency benefits to AI programmes such as ChatGPT, are we sufficiently aware of the disadvantages? What do we lose, for example, when we allow machine learning to do our writing, speaking, and thinking for us? Whilst tech companies continue spending billions on AI development, are they receiving enough theological or ethical pushback in the process? Can we trust the secular values which often lie behind these brave new worlds being "created" before us? Have we so elevated the life of the mind and the life of the spirit that we've lost sight of the importance of our embodiment as humans? How might the Church speak into the inevitable shortcomings of AI to overcome the deepest challenges we face as human beings? All this and more on our latest episode!
SOURCES - Sherry Turkle: https://www.sherryturkle.com - Nick Bostrom, "Superintelligence" (2014) - https://paulkingsnorth.substack.com/ - Paul Kingsnorth, Alexandria: A Novel (Graywolf Press, 2020) - David Noble, "The Religion of Technology: The Divinity of Man and the Spirit of Invention" (Penguin, 1997) - C. S. Lewis, "The Great Divorce" (1946) - https://a16z.com/2023/06/06/ai-will-save-the-world/ - https://slaynews.com/news/wef-ai-rewrite-bible-create-religions-actually-correct/
At a time of significant socio-political unrest across the western world, many Christians today are asking the question about the extent to which Christians should or shouldn't be involved or invested in political issues. A recent (and somewhat controversial) political conference on small-c "conservativism" in the UK has sparked fresh debates about the role Christianity has in helping to address the key political challenges facing western civilisation. But what is the Church's actual role in this supposed to look like? Isn't it dangerous when churches wade too far into politics? Where can it go wrong? Equally, given that the public square is never "neutral", what happens if Christians stay out of politics altogether? What about the likes of William Wilberforce and others, whose faith informed their politics and radically transformed society? How can we allow the Gospel to speak into complex political issues without losing our way in the process?=====For Andy's new book, mentioned at the start of the episode, see: http://solas-cpc.org/httaj
As the Church in the West faces some of the most fundamental ideological assaults on its beliefs in centuries, Christian colleges and institutions have become increasingly impotent to challenge them. Whilst universities have been on a progressive slide for decades, recently even evangelical "Bible" colleges have begun to distance themselves from Biblical perspectives on many key issues. What's gone wrong? How did we get here? Has the need for validation, accreditation, and academic reputation hindered the kind of theological and missional the Church needs in the years ahead? Are there alternative ways of thinking about theological education that might offer something better for the future?
How should Christians defend their faith when their beliefs are under attack? What counts as an "appropriate" or "inappropriate" way for Christians to engage in discussions or debates? Too often Western Christians have decided that being "winsome" is the only correct posture, as if there were an authorised code of conduct for all. Many prominent and famous apologists in recent years have emphasised the need for a softer, less direct, story-based approach to public engagement at the expense of the contending for the faith with clear conviction. But have we reached a time in which Christians need to become more confrontational? Are there some groups, such as Muslims, for whom confrontation and conviction might actually be more "winsome"? Is our motivation to be "gentle" really just a desire to please people and be liked? How can we recover a more holistically Biblical stance to the way we talk, engage, discuss, and defend the Christian faith today?RESOURCES:- 'Dawah Clowns Interrupting Conversation, The Siraj Circus Comes To Bob' (2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eodk1A7x14- Rod Dreher, Live Not By Lies (2020)- https://www.bethinking.org/author/jay-smith/page/all- https://www.solas-cpc.org/category/video/shortanswers/
What is "revival"? This term has been making the headlines in recent times, sparking fresh interest in what it does (or does not) mean, and why it may (or may not) matter. After the remarkable events at Asbury University in the US, many flocked from around the world to get a taste of what was happening, whilst many more wondered what the wider implications of such events might be. At a time in which many historic western denominations are capitulating on holiness issues left, right, and centre, arguably it's not a bad time for a manifest experience of God's holiness. But it's also true that "revival" can be easily misunderstood or misused. How do we interpret such events wisely? What can we learn from previous revivals and those who've sought to understand them? Is there a danger that we overcomplicate or over-categorise extraordinary moves of God? And how can we delight in what God is doing in places around the world whilst praying for similar moves of the Spirit wherever we happen to be? RESOURCES:- Jonathan Edwards, "On Revival" (Banner of Truth, 1965)- Stuart Piggin, "Firestorm of the Lord: The History and Prospects for Revival in the Church and the World" (Paternoster, 2000)- Ben Pugh, "Bold Faith: A Closer Look at the Five Key Ideas of Charismatic Christianity" (Wipf & Stock, 2017)- https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/courses/pathway/leadership-mission-ministry-lmm
The wonders of modern technology mean many men now spend most of their working lives sat at desks or screens, exerting very little physical energy. We now pay money to do the kind of labour for which our forebears were themselves paid. What are the hidden costs of this today? Have we become less active, less fulfilled, and less purposeful in the world as a result?The "Muscular Christianity" movement in the 19th century saw these problems well in advance. At a time where Christianity, for many men, was becoming overly intellectual and impractical, the Muscular Christians exhorted men to rediscover the positive use of their bodies as a spiritual and theological imperative. Although this led some towards a more "social gospel", the movement grasped key aspects of the Christian faith which have again been neglected today, such as the cultivation of character through brotherhood and sport, the significance of distinctly male and female bodies, and the need for virtuous men who can use their strength to protect (rather than abuse) those weaker than men. What might a revival of a more "muscular" Christianity look like in our own time?** Please help Pod of the Gaps by ...- Liking us and/or leaving a review on your podcast provider- Sharing an episode with a friend (or two or three)- Supporting us (https://www.patreon.com/wkop)RESOURCES:- https://twitter.com/MrT — for our cover image this episode- Greg Morse, 'The Search for Manly Men of God: A History of Muscular Christianity' (2022) https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-search-for-manly-men-of-god- Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's Schooldays (1857)- W. M. Eager, Making Men: The History of Boys' Clubs and Related Movements in Great Britain (1953)- Norman Vance, The Sinews of the Spirit: The Ideal of Christian Manliness in Victorian Literature and Religious Thought (1985)- Anthony Esolen, No Apologies: Why Civilisation Depends Upon the Strength of Men (2022)
Immigration has been a political hot potato for at least half a century. As is often the case, the loudest and most extreme voices at either end tend to shape the perception of the key issues in the debate. This leaves a vast majority of people in the middle who don't quite know what to think, nor who to believe on either side of them. It has become a difficult issue to even talk about publically unless you agree with whatever the polular media Zeitgeist view happens to be. How can Christians think and speak about immigration both wisely and lovingly? Are we too easily swayed by voices who say that being loving means accepting everyone regardless of the greater societal consequences? Are there ways of welcoming our neighbours from other cultures without enabling greater unforeseen problems for our society and theirs longer term? Andy and Aaron delve into the mire of yet another controversial issue to see if they can bring some clarity to the fog.Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please keep sharing the podcast with friends or leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts from. You can also help us keep going and growing by supporting us at www.patreon.com/wkop. Even a gift of £1 a month is a tremendous help!
Given the general craziness of the times, last year on Pod of the Gaps we identified six key challenges for the Church to face up to as it seeks to interpret and speak into our cultural moment. So at the beginning of yet another year, we thought we'd do it again! Andy and Aaron start off by reviewing last year's challenges, before again doing the all-important live-reveal (unbeknownst to each other) and see what comes out. It's all very exciting ... Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please keep sharing the podcast with friends or leave us a review at wherever you get your podcasts from. You can also help us keep going and growing by supporting us at www.patreon.com/wkop. Look out for a new website coming soon too!
Ho! Ho! Ho! In our secular and pluralistic society, the debate rages each year about de-Christianising Christmas to make it more "inclusive". What's at stake when Christians stop fighting for Christian Christmas? Can you strip away the Christian virtues behind Christmas without losing the light, love, joy, peace, and goodwill at its heart? Are there even ways to "re-Christianise" some of the cultural elements around Christmas traditions which many still enjoy? And what are the unique evangelistic opportunities Christmas still offers, even to those who've long forgotten its Christian origins? Andy and Aaron discuss all these questions and more in our festive special episode!RESOURCES: Douglas Wilson, God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything (Canon Press, 2012) G. K. Chesterton, The Spirit of Christmas (Xanadu, 1984)* C.S. 'Xmas and Christmas: A Lost chapter from Herodotus' (1954)
Recent census data from England and Wales found that, for the first time ever, less than half of British people identify as "Christian". This correlates with a large statistical rise both the Muslim population in Britain as well as in people who identify as "non-religious". What do these trends tell us? What are the long-term implications of the erosion of Christian influence within western society? Is "Christian nationalism" an inherently bad idea, or are there better or worse ways to think about it?Aaron and Andy explore all these issues (and more) with the usual mix of wit and wisdom, the Bible and banter.
A spate of evangelicals have been leaving their churches in recent years. Some do so after experiences of hurt by leaders or institutions. Some end up deconstructing their faith and calling others to follow them. Others who remain in their churches can end up confused and distrustful of their leaders and beliefs.
How can Christians ask honest questions without falling down rabbit-holes of unbelief or despair? Are there better ways to live out our faith authentically without undermining the foundations? Aaron and Andy — no strangers to arguing about belief — discuss this challenging topic in the hope of bringing some clarity to the fog.
=== HELP SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS ===
We're planning to make Pod of the Gaps a weekly show from 2023 but we need your help to make this happen. If you already support the show, thank you! If you don't, please consider a small monthly donation to help us with our production costs: patreon.com/wkop
With some Anglican bishops publicly changing their stance on same-sex marriage, the Church faces fresh calls to realign itself with contemporary society on LGBT+ issues. Some point to the urgent need for same-sex blessings because of the experiences of gay people who feel hurt by the Church. How should our "experience" shape our reading of Scripture? How do we keep it from essentially replacing Scriptural authority? What are the wider implications here on societal pressures for the Church to conform to the culture? Andy and Aaron explore all these questions and more in this packed episode.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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Helen Collins, "Reordering Theological Education: Starting with Scripture" (SCM, 2020)
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Steven Croft, "Together in Love and Faith Personal Reflections and Next Steps for the Church (Diocese of Oxford, 2022)
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Ian Paul, 'What is the bishop of Oxford thinking?' (2022) https://www.psephizo.com/sexuality-2/what-is-the-bishop-of-oxford-thinking/
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Vaughan Roberts, "Together in Love and Faith?: Should the Church Bless Same-Sex Partnerships? A Response to the Bishop of Oxford" (Latimer Trust, 2022) (Free download @ https://www.latimertrust.org)
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The Living Out website (https://www.livingout.org)
Despite frequent doom projections about "overpopulation", most developed societies today are experiencing a growing crisis of low birth rates, with many prominent nations facing the prospect of being unable to replace their populations long-term. This problem is due not only to rising infertility rates but also to the preference of many modern couples to remain "child-free" by choice or to severely limit the number of children they think they could have.
What do such attitudes tell us about the deeper roots of individualism and consumerism within our culture? What should Christians be thinking and saying about this problem? Sadly, instead of speaking up, many churches have swallowed the worldly notion that children are to be seen more as a burden than a blessing. How do we uphold the Biblical significance of child-rearing without making an idol out of parenting? How do we bear witness to godly notions of family at a time when the very concept of Christian family is being eroded?
Join Andy and Aaron as (dad jokes in hand) they dive into this contentious, topical, and crucial issue with a mixture of wit and wisdom.
RESOURCES:
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Carle C. Zimmerman, Family and Civilization (1947)
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Kevin De Young, 'The Case for Kids', First Things (Oct 2022) https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/11/the-case-for-kids
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Rosa Silverman, 'Child-free by choice: The birth rate crisis gripping the West', The Telegraph (2022) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/child-free-choice-birth-rate-crisis-gripping-west/?fbclid=IwAR2fgK-W1R_gLy7vjannBFPkCQxYlGbeLia00CssBlqVgPLGRh_T3AF4V5g
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Tom Woodman, 'Having a Child is the Grandest act of Climate Destruction', The Spectator (2021) https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/having-a-child-is-the-grandest-act-of-climate-destruction
Why does the work of the English author, J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) resonate so well with the modern imagination? Why are there often so many "battles" over his legacy and how his ideas are interpreted or depicted today? What is the significance of Tolkien's Christianity to what he wrote? How important might his work be today for how we think about contemporary issues like race, nationalism, multiculturalism and more.
Aaron and Andy discuss all this and more, connecting the dots between different aspects of Tolkien's life and work, and showing why he remains as relevant as ever.
=== HELP SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS ===
We're planning to make Pod of the Gaps a weekly show from 2023 but we need your help to make this happen. If you already support the show, thank you! If you don't, please consider a small monthly donation to help us with our production costs: http://patreon.com/wkop
=== BOOKS/RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE ===
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Bannister, Andy, "Have You Ever Wondered Why the Best Stories Are About Good and Evil?" (Solas Website) https://www.solas-cpc.org/have-you-ever-wondered-why-the-best-stories-are-about-good-and-evil/
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Carpenter, Humphrey, "The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien" (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000)
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Carpenter, Humphrey, "J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography" (London: HarperCollins, 2016 [1977])
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Loconte, Joseph, "A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918" (Nashville: Nelson, 2015)
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Shippey, Tom, "J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" (London: HarperCollins, 2000)
A defining feature of early 21st-century society was the rise of the "New Atheism" movement, led by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, et al. This had a huge impact on western attitudes to religion at the time, often inspiring an ironically "religious" faith in its followers. But where did it all end up? Why has it lost appeal today? And what are its ongoing "fruits" in today's culture? Andy and Aaron share their experiences of interacting with atheists and discuss how we might think and respond well to the ongoing "afterlife" of the New Atheism in our own time.
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported show — a big thank you to all those who help us keep making these episodes, by donating a small monthly amount. If you'd like to help us then visit https://www.patreon.com/wkop and for as little as £1 a month, you can help Pod of the Gaps keep going and growing!
RESOURCES: - https://thecritic.co.uk/the-strange-afterlife-of-new-atheism/
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Andy Bannister, "The Atheist Who Didn't Exist" [Andy's best selling and very funny book debunking the new atheism] (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheist-Who-Didnt-Exist-consequences/dp/0857216104)
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Collision: Christopher Hitchens vs. Douglas Wilson (https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=EB90FCNU)
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Larry Taunton, The Faith of Christopher Hitchens (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faith-Christopher-Hitchens-Larry-Taunton/dp/0718091493)
The death of Queen Elizabeth II catalysed worldwide mourning and reflection, with tributes pouring in from people from all walks of life right across the globe. Yet in individualistic western nations like Britain, some may have surprised themselves by realising with a shock how much the Queen actually meant to them. What does this tell us about the yearning for nobility and virtue in our times? How should Christians think about the monarchy? Are there ways we can honour its virtues without falling prey to political idolatry? In this special episode, Aaron and Andy explore these questions, and more.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Servant-Queen-King-serves-Paperback/dp/0957559828 - https://spckpublishing.co.uk/the-evolution-of-the-west - https://thecritic.co.uk/god-save-the-queen/ - https://thatgoodfight.com/the-death-of-a-queen-and-the-death-of-a-culture/
We live in an age where it's never been easier to be a writer! Resources, opportunities, and platforms now abound for people to make an impact through the written word. How might creative writing offer fresh and interesting approaches to mission in our time? What can we learn from previous writers about the use of story? And how can we embrace these approaches whilst staying faithful to the Gospel? In this episode, Aaron and Andy, who both recently published books, discuss what inspires them to write, what tips they've picked up along the way, and how you too might begin to influence others through your use of words, whether or not you'd call yourself "a writer".
Please consider supporting Pod of the Gaps: http://patreon.com/wkop
RESOURCES:
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Anne Lammott, 'Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life' (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 1995)
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Andrew Peterson, 'Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making' (B&H Books, 2019)
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Douglas Wilson, 'Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life' (Canon Press, 2011)
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https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/courses/pathway/literature-theology-culture-ltc
Why is family worship less prominent than it used to be? Are we somehow more mature than previous generations? Has digital technology replaced the need to come together regularly in prayer, song, and Scripture? The absence of these important practices is more significant than many realise, within and beyond the Church. Biblically, it is clear that parents (especially fathers) have a key role to play in seeing their children raised in the training and instruction of the Lord. But there are many ways this can happen, and also many ways it can go wrong. In this episode we discuss some of the the pitfalls and the joys of family worship. We also recommend some key resources which have helped us along the way.
Please consider supporting Pod of the Gaps: http://patreon.com/wkop
RESOURCES:
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Randall Goodgame, 'Sing the Bible', https://slugsandbugs.com/
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Marty Machowski, 'Old Story New: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God' (New Growth Press, 2012)
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Michael J. Tinker, 'The Greatest Rescue Ever' https://michaeljtinker.com/
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Jamie Soles, https://solmusic.ca/
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"Devotional Dippers" (5 minute Bible discussion starters for kids): https://www.10ofthose.com/uk/products/24362/devotional-dippers-3-pack
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https://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/families/
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Tim Hawkins on Noah's ark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVxRddVYYig
Why is Christianity seen as irrelevant in the modern world? How did our message get so diluted that it now appears bland? What are the causes of our compromise with culture? How can we recover the radical implications of the Gospel? And are we ready to pay the price of persecution for doing so?
Our first ever LIVE recording of Pod of the Gaps sees us team up with entrepreneur, David Stretton-Downes at Cedarwood Festival. We discuss this vital theme on the mission of the Church, appropriately enough, in the presence of an aeroplane! We also take questions from the audience, and discuss the number one thing that excites us about the challenges that lie ahead.
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS
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Here are some of the resources and other things mentioned in the episode:
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https://cedarwoodfestival.com/
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https://www.bobbiesbrownies.com/collections/brownies
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https://www.mission24.co.uk/
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https://thatgoodfight.com/fighting-with-lions/
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https://www.ywampublishing.com/p-470-christian-heroes-then-nowbrcomplete-set-books-1-50.aspx
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https://www.solas-cpc.org/category/video/shortanswers/
Why has the Church failed to find a place for men? What can we do to bring them back? This episode further unpacks the issue of men, masculinity, and mission, discussing Jordan Peterson's controversial "Message to the Christian Churches". We talk about what it means, what it doesn't mean, and what we should do about it. This also feeds into another theme from a previous episode, on the need for men to take a courageous stand on issues like abortion, particularly in the UK where there is set to be a backlash against the overturning of Roe vs Wade.
RESOURCES: - Douglas Wilson, Future Men: Raising Boys to Fight Giants (Canon Press, 2016) - Dave Murrow, Why Men Hate Going to Church (Thomas Nelson, 2011) - https://thatgoodfight.com/masculinity-the-church-and-jordan-peterson/ - Save the Storks :https://savethestorks.com
Why do many men feel alienated within modern western society? What draws young men in particular to search for male role models beyond the Church? What are the consequences of the Church failing to to reach men within this climate? Sadly, many churches today are so busy apologising for masculinity that they're unable to even define what men (or women) are, let alone show them the best way to be who they are. Andy and Aaron discuss why this is no "fringe" issue but something right at the heart of the Church's mission in this world.
Catch Pod of the Gaps live at Cedarwood Festival: https://cedarwoodfestival.com
Please help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/wkop
Some of the resources we mentioned in this episode ...
Mary Eberstadt, "Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics" (Templeton Press, 2019)
Louise Perry, "The Case Against the Sexual Revolution: A New Guide to Sex in the 21st Century" (Polity Press, 2022)
Wendy Shalit, "A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue" (Free Press, 2014)
Gabriella Swerling, "Church of England: There is ‘no official definition’ of a woman", The Telegraph, 10 July 2022, https://bit.ly/3PiYshC
The influence of LGBT+ has grown astronomically in recent times, not least in “Pride Month”. Those refusing to be active allies of the movement are swiftly labelled heteronormative bigots.
Have parts of the LGBT+ movement become effectively a religion? How was such mass opinion-change achieved in so short a time? Was it natural, or the product of a long-term PR strategy? Should Christians speak out against Pride, even if risking accusations of homophobia? What is at stake when we let sexual immorality run riot in culture? In what ways does it seep into the Church? How can the Gospel bring us back to reality? Aaron and Andy discuss, and somehow end up talking a good deal about Nazis and Vikings too!
Don't forget if you live in driving distance to get yourself along to Cedarwood Festival and listen to an episode of Pod of the Gaps being recorded live —https://cedarwoodfestival.com
Some people try to be so nice they avoid all confrontation just to keep the peace. Others create quarrels over the tiniest issues with little regard for unity. As Christians, how do we get the balance right? Can we stand up for our convictions without alienating other brothers and sisters unnecessarily? How did disagreements work in the early church? Are there ever times we should part ways with other Christians? What's worth disagreeing about today and how should we go about it?
EXCITING NEWS: POD OF THE GAPS WILL BE LIVE AT THE CEDARWOOD FESTIVAL IN THE UK IN JULY Find out more here: https://cedarwoodfestival.com It's a brilliant festival so why not get yourself along — and come and hear (and ask questions) at the live episode recording.
It's no surprise to realise that Christians don't always agree on everything they believe. There has always been a wide variety of expression across the global Church on all sorts of issues and doctrines. But at what point does doctrinal "diversity" become a problem? When does a celebration of varied beliefs become unfaithful to God's Word? Should Christians ever consider leaving their church or denomination, and why? Is there ever a basis on which we should stop working with other Christians? How should Christians think about doctrinal division in light of the Biblical call for church unity? And what are the implications of some of the hot topic issues causing tension across the Church today?
Given that abortion is probably the most significant ethical issue in modern western society, why are so many western Christians so silent about it? Does the political furore often surrounding the issue make us reticent? Or are we too concerned about backlash from those who see it as a matter of "bodily autonomy"?
Too often clear, courageous, and compassionate debate on the issue from a Christian perspective is severely lacking and this is a significant problem, especially for those who claim to care about justice. Aaron and Andy discuss this urgent need to speak loud and clear about abortion both prophetically and pastorally, displaying the power of the Gospel both to victims and perpetrators, whoever they happen to be.
We don't tend to use the word "heresy" these days. But it could be said that heresy is alive and well today not only within the Church, but in the socio-political climate, where saying the "wrong" thing according to the prevailing Zeitgeist may get you into all sorts of trouble. As Christians, how do we recover the importance of responding to the problem of heresy without resorting to doctrinal nit-picking, suspicion, or cancellation?
Many like to think of unorthodox doctrine as merely a difference of opinion, but the reason false teaching was considered such a big issue in church history is precisely because unfaithfulness to the Word of God is unhealthy for the body of Christ, as well as having tremendous pastoral implications.
Aaron and Andy (no strangers to being called all sorts of names for what they believe) try to bring this issue into the open without being burned at the stake as a result!
Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please help us keep going and growing (and enjoy some supporter-only-special perks!) at www.patreon.com/wkop
Are we made of more than mere "stuff"? Despite the prevailing "postmodern" culture where all truths are seen as relative, many non-Christians in the West today remain caught in the modern scientific worldview of materialism: the belief that humans are little more than complex bundles of soulless atoms, whereby only what can be touched, felt, tasted, etc. is "real". At the same time, the very same people often believe the precise opposite on ethical issues such as transgender, where we see a swapping of bodily reality for "transcendent" beliefs about gender identity.
How can Christians fight well on both these fronts simultaneously? What does it mean that God is both beyond this world and yet entered into it in physical body? How can we seek to confront the meaninglessness of the materialist worldview with both courage and compassion? Aaron and Andy bat around this important issue with the usual mix of cultural analysis, theology, and banter, including --- among highlights --- Andy's fascinating story about his near-death experience with a coconut!
Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please help us keep going and growing (and enjoy some supporter-only-special perks!) at www.patreon.com/wkop
During times of great cultural crisis, humour has often been an important means of coping with (and even challenging) oppressive political regimes or social conventions.
But Christians have something of a love-hate relationship to comedy. On the one hand, there's the call to not be frivolous about important things, and to be pastorally and culturally sensitive. On the other hand, there are plenty of examples in the Bible (particularly Jesus himself!) where humour is used to great effect in opposing enemies and making a polemical point or two!
Yet today, Christians are often the first to take offence with each other, failing to see others with the charity and openness embedded in the Gospel. How can we avoid falling prey to a "cancel culture" mentality and embrace humour as a vital aspect of our mission to engage with the world effectively?
Join Aaron and Andy as they dive into all this, with puns in hand.
The Russian war on Ukraine brings to light many of the wider social and political issues which have been bubbling away under the surface of western culture for the last decade. Our immersion in dramatic media hype has made many of us accustomed to widespread panic and anxiety over a range of issues. But the reality and severity of the conflict puts many of those concerns under the spotlight. How are we to think about this war within such a climate of fear? What do the initial responses in the West tell us about ourselves, and the things we do (or don't) hold dear? And what theological and missional concerns are raised here? How should the Church be praying within a conflict like this? If we pray for one side to "win", do we really know what we're asking God to "do"? Andy and Aaron discuss all this and more in another packed episode.
(Apologies for the minor sound issues in a couple of places in this episode; we were fighting technical gremlins whilst recording!)
We live in an age where grief is handled in bizarre ways, from sentimental cliches with little basis in reality to cold-hearted approaches that effectively see the passing away of a person as little more than the discarding of litter. Many people are caught in the tension between the implications of their own "secular" worldview and their innate desire for some form of religious hope in the face of death. How can Christians think, feel, and speak into this condition well? How can we offer words of comfort and challenge which don't just affirm the empty sentiments of our culture, but feel the real pain of loss whilst also pointing to the only true hope?
A new year often brings with a raft new intentions, motivations, and resolutions. In a secular culture, this always looks suspiciously "religious". What lies behind our continuous need to mark our time on this earth, to plan towards the future, and to make great resolutions for self-improvement (however quickly such resolutions are forgotten...)?
What kind of "resolutions" should the Church be making this year? What do we need to be especially aware of in light of the disruptions and/or madness of the last two years within western society? This episode, Andy and Aaron each do a live-reveal of their "top three" (without conferring!) and see if they can put them all together. Sounds like a challenge...
Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please help us keep going and growing (and enjoy some supporter-only-special perks!) at www.patreon.com/wkop
Climate change has dominated the headlines for a good while, particularly in light of the COP26 summit. There are clearly many serious issues to address on it, but are there also problems in how it's talked about? Secular activists tend to speak of the future of the planet in drastically apocalyptic terms, piling pressure on politicians and other leaders with a religious fervour not unlike that of Old Testament prophets.
As with many social issues in recent years, prominent Christian leaders often tend to parrot the perspectives already put forth in the mainstream media and political sphere. But given that we worship a God who is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of the universe, shouldn't Christians have something a little more distinctive to say?
Aaron, Michael, and Andy wade into all this with their usual blend of cultural analysis, theology, and banter, with an environmentally friendly conversation on a topic that so often produces hot air!
Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please help us keep going and growing (and enjoy some supporter-only-special perks!) at www.patreon.com/wkop
It is popular today to suggest that men and women are fundamentally the same. Yet while this view may be popular among sociologists it is being challenged by some biologists who suggest there are real differences that cannot be explained simply by societal factors. We consider the arguments for this, ask what those differences might be and ask why it matters.
Join Aaron, Andy and Michael as they kickoff a mini series on the issue of gender by asking: how different are men and women?
How does the dominance of secularism affect how human beings understand death? With little hope beyond the grave, many Westerners often spend much of their lives merely trying to stay alive for as long as possible. Are there better ways to live life in light of death? In what ways might Christians speak into the social awkwardness around death with something beyond cliches and escapism?
Join Aaron, Andy, and Michael as they dive into this somewhat macabre topic with their usual candour and good humour.
Enjoying Pod of the Gaps? Please help us keep going and growing (and enjoy some supporter-only-special perks!) at www.patreon.com/wkop
Has our culture become too risk-averse? So much of our decision-making today (whether about public health, education, parenting, and virtually everything else) now seems to be filtered through the lens of "safety".
What's behind this trend in culture to try to eliminate any chance of risk, no matter how small? And in what ways has risk-averseness infiltrated the Church too? Isn't the Christian faith, at root, an inherently risky enterprise? After all, Jesus asks us to carry our cross, and nowhere suggests we ought to fill out a series of forms before we do so.
Andy, Michael, and Aaron take the risk of diving into this crucial topic to explore it in the usual Pod of the Gaps style. Join them for a fast-paced mix of insight, discussion, wit, wisdom, and banter.
Please help us keep Pod of the Gaps going and growing by supporting the show. Visit www.patreon.com/wkop to find out how you can do that, and get some great bonus content as a thank you.
This was the book Andy mentioned about parenting:
Lenore Skenazy, "Free Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts With Worry")( San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010)
The latest James Bond movie, "No Time To Die" has deeply divided audiences given its controversial interpretation of the globe-trotting super spy. Fresh from the cinema, still smelling of popcorn, Andy, Aaron and Michael use the 25th episode of Pod of the Gaps to explore the deeper cultural issues raised by the 25th Bond movie: from toxic masculinity to gender confusion, from nihilism and the absence of hope to the rewriting of history. Join our three intrepid podcasters for the usual mix of culture, theology, banter in a podcast that will leave you shaken and stirred.
Warning: the episode does contain some spoilers about "No Time to Die". You may want to watch it after you've seen the movie; or just put your fingers in your ears and sing the Bond theme at the appropriate point in the episode!
PS, the book that Michael mentioned towards the end of the episode was:
Tom Shippey, "J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" (London: HarperCollins, 2000)
** SPECIAL BONUS ***
After we recorded this episode 25 we thought we'd set ourselves a challenge. Could we go through all 25 Bond movie titles and find a link between each of them and some aspect of the Bible? Well, it was 1am, so high on caffeine and sleep deprivation we gave it a go.
A special treat for Pod of the Gaps supporters, "The Bible in 25 Bond Movie Titles" (or sign up to support the podcast for as little as £1/$1 a month) is available here: https://www.patreon.com/wkop
We live in an age of unprecedented access to interesting things to read. Millions of books, blogs, and streaming articles lie a click away. Most people are barely able to sift through the very latest stuff, let alone to read anything from previous generations. The temptation can therefore be to only try to keep up with the latest ideas, cutting us off from the time-tested wisdom from the past.
What do we miss by overlooking important books from before our time? How might our reading of authors of different eras help to diagnose the problematic ways of thinking which we find it harder to spot in our own time? Is it possible that reading old books might actually help us to read new books better?
As always, Aaron, Michael, and Andy discuss these important issues with their unique blend of cultural, theological, and missional insight, served up with lashings of healthy banter. They also offer up three recommendations each of old books that might be worth a read!
Please remember that Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported show — so a big thank you to the small group of folks who've got behind us. If you love the podcast, please consider supporting us — as little as £1 or $1 a month all helps us keep it going. Find out how to help at https://www.patreon.com/wkop
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Here are the book choices mentioned at the end:
Boreham, F. W., "Mushrooms on the Moor"
Chesterton, G. K., "Orthodoxy"
Irenaeus, "Against Heresies"
Lewis, C. S., "The Abolition of Man"
Luther, Martin, "The Bondage of the Will"
Macdonald, George, "The Princess and the Goblin"
Orwell, George, "Politics and the English Language"
Roseveare, Helen, "Count It All Joy"
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr, "The Gulag Archipelago: 1918-1956"
Homeschooling is often seen as being more than a little bit weird. Many instinctively object to it as a slightly cultish pastime that results in naive and geeky young people who are sheltered from the real world. For Christians in particular, doesn’t school present a better way for our kids to be missional? And how can families afford to homeschool when both parents have to work?
But could there be a case to make for the benefits of choosing homeschooling, especially in the light of how many schools have become hotbeds of political indoctrination?
In this episode, Andy, Aaron and Michael re-examine the case for homeschooling and explore why, whatever option we ultimately choose, we need to think more deeply about the educational choices we make for our kids given the challenges of our current culture.
Please remember that Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported show — a big thank you to the small group of folks who've got behind us. If you love the show, please do consider joining them and supporting the show — as little as £1 or $1 a month all helps us keep it going. Find out how to help at https://www.patreon.com/wkop
In recent years many have started to see the cracks of decline in Western civilisation. The "Woke Revolution" continues to sweep through education, government, and the arts, undermining confidence in the foundations of key Western ideals, and producing dramatic cultural changes in beliefs, values, and tastes. Simultaneously, geopolitical events and technological advances beyond the West threaten a very uncertain future from the one we thought we might be inheriting.
Is the decline of the West a problem for Christians? Should Christians be happy to let Western culture erode? How do we seek to preserve and proclaim cultural values without confusing earthly cultures with the kingdom of God? With Michael away in the wilds of Scotland, Andy and Aaron wrestle through these important issues with theology, cultural insight, and humour, whilst opening and re-opening various rabbit-holes!
Please remember that Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported show — a big thank you to the small group of folks who've got behind us. If you love the show, please do consider joining them and supporting the show — as little as £1 or $1 a month all helps us keep it going. Find out how to help at https://www.patreon.com/wkop
Among the many resources we mentioned in the show:
Allister Heath, 'Four mega-trends that condemn the West to irreversible decline', The Telegraph, 25 August 2021 — https://bit.ly/3kz4ZXU
Meic Pearse, "Why the Rest Hates the West" (SPCK, 2003)
Francis Schaeffer, "How Then Should We Live?" (Crossway Books, 2005)
Richard Weaver, "Ideas Have Consequences" [Expanded Edition] (University of Chicago Press, 2003)
The catastrophic scenes that followed the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan created many big questions. But could one of the more basic problems be that many in the West fundamentally misunderstand Islam? Do our failed attempts to impose Western style democracy on predominantly Islamic nations show that we understand neither Islam nor where our democracy has come from in the first place?
How should Christians respond to all this? How can we learn to rightly criticise Islam while also loving our Muslim neighbours and pointing them to the one in whom true peace is found? We discuss all the questions and more in this latest episode of Pod of the Gaps.
Please help support Pod of the Gaps: https://www.patreon.com/wkop *
Among the resources mentioned in the show were:
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Andy Bannister, "Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?" (London: IVP, 2021) [Read or listen to the first chapter for free: https://www.solas-cpc.org/dmacwtsg/]
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Nabeel Qureshi, "Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward" (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016)
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Open Doors (https://www.opendoorsuk.org)
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The Barnabas Fund (https://barnabasfund.org)
It's been a common theme in recent decades for some evangelical leaders in the UK and the US to make a doctrinal "progressive slide". Often this involves the embrace of a more culture-friendly or seeker-sensitive message, or the gravitation to social issues over and above the Gospel or the authority of Scripture. Sometimes these shifts happen subtly, almost without the person or their followers realising before it's too late. The effects can be deadening to the faithfulness and missional potency of the Church, as the leader becomes virtually indistinguishable from the world around them.
What are the telltale signs of this problem, and how can we mitigate against it? What's at stake when leaders choose social affirmation over and above the God they claim to serve and glorify?
Join Aaron, Andy, and Michael as they dive into this crucial topic with their usual mix of wit, wisdom, and insight.
Increasing numbers of people in our society are starting to become aware of the real dangers of pornography – not just for the users of it, but also for the women who are often enslaved within the industry. Yet why are so few speaking up about it? In culture that is often passionate about justice issues why does this not get the attention it should?
In this episode of Pod of the Gaps, Aaron, Andy and Michael seek to address that gap by taking an honest look at this issue. How can Christians speak out without sounding prudish or anti-sex? And how can we best help those enslaved by it (the ‘users’ and the ‘used’)? As ever, we explore this pressing cultural issue with the usual mix of theology, wit, and wisdom.
Some of the resources mentioned on the show:
Nicholas Kristof, 'The Children of Pornhub', New York Times (4 December 2020) — online at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/04/opinion/sunday/pornhub-rape-trafficking.html
Abigail Shrier, "Irreversible Damage: Teenage Girls and the Transgender Craze" (London: Swift Press, 2021 [2020])
William Struthers,"Wired for Intimacy: How Pornography Hijacks the Male Brain" (London: IVP, 2009)
Issues of race seem to be everywhere. On campuses, on social media, in supermarket queues, major issues in society and politics are now viewed through the lens of race. Accusations of systemic racism are levelled at groups in various ways, leaving many increasingly worried about what they're allowed to say, do, or even think. The result of all this is that it makes it even more difficult for different groups to actually hear one another.
How should Christians respond to all this? How can we balance compassion and honesty, truth and justice? And what insights does the Gospel have to offer reconciliation in the face of seemingly insurmountable racial tensions and divisions?
These are not easy questions, but as ever, Aaron, Michael and Andy attempt to tackle them with their usual blend of wit and wisdom. Whether you agree with our conclusions or not, we hope the conversation proves thought-provoking, insightful, and Jesus-centred.
In recent times there have been staggering societal shifts in the practice and definition of marriage, with some noting that marriage has changed more in the last few decades than in the last few thousand years. These radical shifts have not been limited to society but also within the Church too, with a number of major historic denominations now debating or even accepting the validity of same-sex marriage.
This raises all sorts of questions around what marriage is, who gets to define it, and how Christians ought to respond. Is same-sex marriage easily comparable to traditional heterosexual marriage? Is there actually something about male and female that makes marriage unique? And what other expressions of marriage might now be opened up as a result of same-sex marriage?
Andy Bannister, Michael Ots, and Aaron Edwards wade into this forest of thorns with their usual blend of theology, cultural analysis, and banter, in the hopes of bringing further clarity and insight.
Please remember that Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported-podcast. We really, really need your help to keep these episodes coming: please consider supporting us with a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/wkop
In the show, we mentioned a couple of resources:
Eberstadt, Mary, "Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics" (West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press, 2019)
Shaw, Ed, "Purposeful Sexuality" (London: IVP, 2021)
And as a bonus, if you thought we were making up "Woman Marries Bridge", sometimes real life beats satire:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jodi-rose-marries-bridge-_n_3542775
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/9125439/woman-celebrates-wedding-anniversary-to-french-bridge-six-years-after-marrying-the-handsome-stone-structure/
Over the last few years, a growing number of mainstream Christian denominations have begun to depart from the historic Christian understanding of sex and marriage. While this may have been done in an effort to make gospel more appealing to the wider culture, could it actually have the opposite effect?
If denominations are destroying themselves then who is to blame? Is it the liberal progressives pushing for a redefinition of the Bible’s teaching or the evangelicals who are not willing to let this go as a secondary issue? And what are we to make of the vast number of Christians in the majority world who don’t support these changes? Do they need to get with the program or are we in danger of ignoring the voices of Christians outside of the West?
As ever, Andy, Aaron and Michael discuss all these meaty questions and more in this provocative and thought provoking episode.
Please remember that Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported-podcast. We really, really need your help to keep these episodes coming: please consider supporting us with a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/wkop
In the show, we mentioned a couple of resources:
Douglas Murray's conversation with Tom Wright: https://www.thebigconversation.show/mythmiraclesandidentity
Research on which churches are growing: Haskell, D.M., Flatt, K., Burgoyne, S. (2016). "Theology Matters: Comparing the Traits of Growing and Declining Mainline Protestant Church Attendees and Clergy". Review of Religious Research, 58(4) pp. 515-541 — online @ http://rdcu.be/nyf5
The transgender issue is everywhere. Hardly a day goes by without some new transgender related story in the news, whether it's former men competing in women's sports, somebody being fired for daring to suggest that biology really matters, or hospitals replacing words like "mother" and "breast-feeding" with gender neutral alternatives. For all the talk of LGBT, it seems that "T" is rapidly eating up every other letter of the alphabet.
This episode of Pod of the Gaps wades into this hugely contested territory and tries to shed some light. What is driving the transgender agenda in culture? What are some of the bigger questions that aren't often asked? What should Christians think of transgender — and how should we respond to those caught up in the movement with both honesty and grace, truth and love?
Join Andy Bannister (self-identifies as a tea drinker), Michael Ots (self-identifies as a baker), and Aaron Edwards (self-identifies as a lover of long theological words) as they explore this important issue with their usual mix of wit, wisdom, and insight.
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We mentioned several important books in the episode. Here are the details of each of them; they're all available from any good online or real-world bookstore:
Abigail Shrier,"Irreversible Damage: Teenage Girls and the Transgender Craze" (London: Swift Press, 2021)
Douglas Murray, "The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity" (London: Bloomsbury, 2019)
Helen Pluckrose & James Lindsay, "Cynical Theories: How Universities Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - and Why This Harms Everybody" (London: Swift Press, 2020)
Preston Sprinkle, "Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say" (Colorado Springs: David. C. Cook, 2021)
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Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and growing by giving a small donation at www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you!
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Human society has always been gripped by a love of sport. This is never more obvious than at major international tournaments, where the carnival atmosphere of supporting your country seems to grow to epic levels. But what, really, is the point of all that investment of time, money, and emotion into something that ultimately comes to nothing in the end? This seems to become a bigger deal within secular society, which often leans on the "meaning" of sport as a replacement for religion.
As Christians, how should we think about these things? Do we tend to enjoy sport "guiltily", or are there better ways to think theologically and missionally about it? How can Christians enjoy sport whilst also critiquing idolatry? And is our love of sport purely idolatrous, or might it be connected to the God who created us? Might we even learn to love God in and through our love of sport?
As always, Aaron, Andy, and Michael discuss these important questions with their usual blend of cultural insight, missional zeal, and hopelessly British humour.
The topic of gay conversion therapy divides opinion today. But what actually is it? Are there different kinds? Should they all be illegal? Are they all as offensive as LGBT+ lobby-groups would have us believe? The term itself covers an extraordinary range of practices, from the outright abusive and homophobic to the genuinely pastoral, such as offering consensual prayer.
Should the Church be condemning or defending these things? Should a pastor be arrested for responding to a prayer request? This issue raises all sorts of other concerns beyond homosexuality too, such as discrimination against personal and religious freedoms, and even issues of backdoor racism via the marginalisation of West African Pentecostal churches in the West.
Aaron, Andy, and Michael dive into this hugely controversial topic, hoping to offer some insight on this issue, all whilst attempting to avoid getting cancelled themselves.
Christians are in a tricky situation on social media today. On the one hand, they risk getting into trouble for sharing views which are now deemed out of step with contemporary society. As anyone who's been "beaten up" by a Twitter mob knows, controversial debates not only waste lots of time, but might also put your reputation, or even your livelihood, on the line as a result. Yet on the other hand, retreating from speaking up on controversial issues may gives away more ground in the public sphere. If Christians don't put up some kind of a fight on certain issues, it may come back to haunt them in more ways than they know.
Aaron, Andy, and Michael dive into this topic, asking: How can we fight well on social media? What are the issues worth fighting over, and which ones should we leave alone? How could we support other Christians in their online skirmishes, and how can we guard our own hearts along the way?
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and growing by giving a small donation at www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you!
Nationalism seems to be on the rise, whether it's in America, Europe, or in Scotland. How should Christians respond to this worrying political trend? Can a Christian ever be a "nationalist", or is nationalism inherently dangerous, divisive, and idolatrous? Is there a difference between 'nationalism' and 'patriotism'? And if the gospel is intended to break down barriers between peoples, how should Christians respond to those who want to use racial, geographic, or other identities to turn people against one other?
Join Andy Bannister, Aaron Edwards, and Michael Ots for another packed episode of insightful commentary, groan-inducing puns, fast moving banter, and entirely non-controversial discussion of another hot cultural potato.
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and growing by giving a small donation at www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you!
Are we heading for totalitarianism in the West? Many today already fear the creeping pressures of "soft totalitarian" upon everyday life. Whether it's the requirement to fly a flag, bend a knee, speak up for certain groups, or stay silent on unpopular thoughts, people are starting to realise how ordinary freedoms have begun to ebb away, at a time in which technology is able to "observe" our behaviour like never before.
This episode tackles these vital issues through discussing Rod Dreher's important book, "Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents". How should Christians respond to societal pressures about what they believe? Which battles should we be fighting? And how can we show solidarity with others, to face this uncertain future without fear but with hope and courage?
As always, Michael Ots, Andy Bannister, and Aaron Edwards discuss all these things with their usual brand of wisdom, British humour, semi-professional gaffes, and Christian insights.
Find out more or buy a copy of Rod Dreher's book from Eden Christian books: https://bit.ly/3eNWR2z
A growing number of influential public figures have raised concerns about threats to our freedom of speech. In an age of ‘no platforming’ and ‘cancel culture’, is freedom of speech a thing of the past?
Where does the idea of freedom of speech come from? Why are more and more people opposed to it? Why is it so important?
Aaron, Andy and Michael discuss these timely and important questions with the usual blend of theology, apologetics and cultural insight. All of this with a sense of humour that’s a cheesy as a fromagerie.
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and growing by giving a small donation at www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you!
We live in a world in which the reading of books is simultaneously more possible and more threatened than ever before. Books are readily accessible in a variety of formats to billions of people, and yet trends like "Cancel Culture" are subtly reintroducing new forms of "book burning".
In this episode, Aaron, Michael, and Andy consider this tension, asking: Why does reading matter? How can we be challenged by what (and how) we read? Are there situations where we should encourage people not to read some authors? And how does technology shape our reading in helpful (or not-so-helpful) ways?
We consider these things with the usual mix of theology and cultural engagement, all whilst hearing about such things as Michael's new experiment in homemade pork pies, Andy's newfound love of wood-chopping, and other things that may or may not change the world.
In a world of 24/7 news, endless information, multiple channels, fake news, sponsored news, competing voices, and little space for reflection, how should we think about the news media? How can we be informed but not overwhelmed? How do we discern what is true, what is right, and what is helpful? To what extent does the news shape us — and how we can make sure we're shaped by the right thing?
Join the entirely newsworthy and totally media-unsavvy Andy Bannister, Aaron Edwards, and Michael Ots as they explore all these questions and more, with the usual mix of wit and wisdom.
The book that Andy mentions in the show a few times is Neil Postman's "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business". First published in 1985 and reprinted many times since, it's an incredibly sobering (and prophetic) look at what the media is doing to our minds and souls. You can find it at any good bookseller.
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and growing by giving a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you!
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
In this episode Aaron, Andy and Michael discuss the challenges of using social media. Over the last decade a growing number of people have started to raise awareness of the dangers of social media usage, including some who were the pioneers of these platforms. These concerns have been given more prominence through the recent Netflix documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’.
As well as discussing these concerns, we think about how we can respond to them. Should we simply delete our accounts? Or is there another way to engage constructively and positively so that we can stay ‘users’ without being ‘used’? And how does the Christian faith equip us to engage differently in this world?
We discuss all these questions with the usual mixture of cultural comment, theological insight, apologetic reflection and banter.
Pod of the Gaps is a listener-supported podcast. Please help us keep going and keep growing by giving a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/wkop — thank you
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, the age of the influencer, where "being famous" has become the aspiration of over 50% of teens. How can Christians respond to the shallowness that often goes along with celebrity culture? Are Christians equally guilty of uncritically putting people on pedestals? How should Christians think and act wisely in terms of the need to build 'platform'? And can we use the cult of celebrity as a bridge to the deeper truths of the gospel?
Join the entirely non-famous (indeed possibly infamous) and definitely at least Z-list celebrities, Aaron Edwards, Andy Bannister, and Michael Ots as they explore all these issues and more alongside the usual heady mix of banter, theology, and comedy.
This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop
And for more info on Andy's new book, mentioned in this episode, visit https://www.solas-cpc.org/new-book/
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
Our fourth episode tackles the thorny issue of what we do when Christian leaders fail. We consider, in particular, the fallout of the Ravi Zacharias scandal, what our responses have been, and what we can learn from it more broadly. In light of the many cases of prominent Christian leaders going awry in recent years, how do we continue to encourage strong, accountable, Christian leadership today? What do we do with the legacy of a fallen leader? Should we get rid of all their books? If so, are we being consistent in how we do that with the legacies of other leaders, within and beyond the Church?
Aaron, Andy, and Michael consider these various cans of worms alongside the usual healthy diet of banter, theology, and perpetual speculation about the as-yet-decided name of the podcast.
This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ https://www.patreon.com/wkop
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
In this third episode we discuss the relationship between church and culture. How can we avoid the two opposite pitfalls of simply being shaped by the culture around us or, on the other hand, ignoring it all together? How can the Church be truth and light in our culture and offer a unique and distinct voice into some of today’s culture wars?
Aaron, Andy, and Michael dig into these questions with the usual mix of theology, apologetics, banter, and bad jokes.
This is a listener-supported podcast: if you'd like to help us to continue recording these shows, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/wkop.
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
In this second episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore another massive question raised by the COVID lockdown — how do the Church and State relate? Can the State tell the Church what to do? Is Romans 13 the sum total of what the Bible has to say about how Christians should relate to their government? How do we know when the State has crossed a line and the Church should say "this far and no further?"
This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps
In this first pilot episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore one of the big questions raised by the COVID lockdown — what is church? Is it the kind of thing that can happen online, or is there an essential "in person" element? And what have been the challenges (and opportunities) for the Church in the pandemic?
This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop
Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps