November 30, 2021
This week we discuss chapter 4 of Greg's book "Christians". For me this was a really thoughtful and stimulating discussion on the role of Mary - as the Theotokos (Mother of God). We navigate between two extremes - those who regard Mary as being the sinless virgin - and those who downplay her role in salvation. The Catholic journalist and the Protestant preacher discuss whether we should pray to Mary, her Magnificate, how did Luke get his information about her? What does she tell us about God's attitude to the poor? And more....
November 22, 2021
This is the first part of a two part interview I did with Gerald Bray about his new book - The History of Christianity in Britain and Ireland. It is superb and I found this conversation fascination. No one can understand modern Britain without grasping the history of Christianity - enjoy this taster!
November 16, 2021
ASK 5 - We continue discussing with Greg Sheridan his latest book - Christians - the urgent case for Jesus in our World. This week we look at chapter 3 - where we look at the Gospel of John, Kanishka Raffels - including how Christianity frees women, abortion, Pope Benedict, the new Atheists, the Goodness of God, the revelation of Christ, Evil and the journalistic genius of John. You can also watch it on my YouTube channel (see www.theweeflea.com)
November 4, 2021
The Australian newspaper had a real hatchet piece on Bishop Rod Chiswell of Armidale - or at least that is how I saw it - so I wrote this piece https://theweeflea.com/2021/10/16/the-final-stone-a-response-in-defence-of-bishop-rod-chiswell-ap/
and then Rod and I had this discussion. This is the first time we have spoken. I hope you find it as enlightening and helpful as I did. I found him to be a lovely and gracious man - the polar opposite of the impression given from the newspaper article. As he observed what happened to him is a prime example of what Steve McAlpine writes about in his book 'Being the Bad Guys'. Hence the title of this podcast. There is also a YouTube here...https://youtu.be/bCTFxFFeYuI
October 27, 2021
We continue our discussion on Greg's book "Christians: the Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World". We look at the influence of the Bible on the West - is the Bible historical? What about biblical 'scholarship' which denies what the Bible says? "Once you accept that the New Testament is the work of eyewitnesses, and reporters who spoke to eyewitnesses, then Jesus becomes the most richly documented figure of the ancient world." "But there is nothing in history to convince the believer, or indeed just the fair-minded inquirer, that the Gospels are not true" Enjoy, comment, question, read, listen, pray and pass on!
October 20, 2021
In our second episode, we discuss with Greg Sheridan his chapter on the death of Christ. Why begin the book with this? What does it mean? Was CS Lewis right about the atonement? Do you believe in the Virgin Birth? What about miracles? Historical evidence? Biblical scholarship? Why did Jesus die? Including Evelyn Waugh, GK Chesterton, Barth, Aquinas, Covid and the Cross; evangelical Catholicism, and more....
October 11, 2021
This is the first of a series with Greg Sheridan, one of Australia's most respected journalists - whose recent book "Christians - The Urgent Case for Jesus in our World" is fascinating. We hope you will enjoy a Scottish Presbyterian discussion with an Australian Catholic! In episode one we discuss why Greg 'came out' as a Christian, his background, and experience of atheism, journalism, politics and the Bible.
