The ASK Podcast

This week we discuss music, the Beatles, John Denver, Van Morrison; James Kelman; Martin Luther King; Leonard Cohen; Art Galleries; The Tate Modern; the Letters of Tolkien; Marilyn Robinson; Gilead, Lila and Home; Frank Shead; the desacralisation of popular culture; Heaven and Hell;  CS Lewis; Inspector Morse; Religion and Politics; The Handmaids Tale; African Gospel Music; Riverdale;

Greg Sheridan and David discuss some aspects of Christ in popular culture - including portrayals of Catholics, Malik's 'a Hidden Life', Graham Green, Evelyn Waugh;  Why is it easier to portray evil?  A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood; and a lengthier discussion of Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings.  Plus the worst movie Greg has ever seen! 

This week Greg and I discuss the role of Christ and Christianity in popular culture. We look at specific examples as well as the general idea. Gilead - 'the greatest Christian novel of the 20th Century); Graham Greene; Willa Cather 'Death Comes to the Archbishop'; Bach; Terence Malik; Ross Douhart; How Green was my Valley; Leonard Cohen; It's a Wonderful Life; Noah's Ark and Russel Crowe; Tolkien biopic; Jane the Virgin; The Chosen; It's a Beautiful day in the Neighbourhood; the dullness of progressive ideology in the arts; why culture needs Christianity.  If you get half as much enjoyment and stimulation out of this,as I did - then you will be blessed.

Jack Hanrahan-Shirley is a young history student from Sydney.  His story is fascinating and moving.  We discuss the difficult circumstances of his birth, his Christianity, how the church treats disabled people, his love of history and Sydney Anglicanism.

This is a discussion that Greg Sheridan and I had outside Sydney cathedral - his voice is a wee bit quiet so you may need to turn it up - or just watch it on the YouTube channel...!  

We discuss with Greg Sheridan the wonderful topic of angels -  we discuss the theology, practicality, Billy Graham, Tolkien, Viktor Frankl, child abuse and Greg's own personal angelic experience!  

 

This weeks ASK podcast is part two of our interview with Gerald Bray.  In his 'History of Christianity in Britain and Ireland' there is a section entitled 'The Rivers of Babylon' which looks at the church since 1980 - and it's future. 

We discuss conversion therapy, SSM, transgenderism, the future threats to the church; false optimism; gospel solutions; the impact of covid; crusade evangelism; Thatcherism and the advance of secularism; Trump; the church and politics; the decline of Sunday as the Lord's Day; the lack of leadership in the church....

 

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....

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! 

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)