Recently Published

Puzzling Further About Lot and his Daughters

September 18, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss further curious details of the perplexing story of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19, following up my earlier episode: https://adversariapodcast.com/2019/09/15/lots-daughters-revisited/ M

Onsi Kamel on Conversion to Catholicism

September 17, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Onsi Kamel recently wrote an article for First Things, 'Catholicism Made Me Protestant', which I discuss with him in this episode. The following are links to several books and articles which we menti

Q&A#150 The Typology of the Beheading of John the Baptist

September 16, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Is there an ironic twist in Herod’s niece getting John the Baptist beheaded? An upside down protoevangelium?" My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapo

Q&A#149 Lot's Daughters Revisited

September 15, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What is the significance of Lot's daughters sleeping with their father after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? It is clear to me that this is not presented as commendable, but

Q&A#148 What Makes Gathered Worship Different?

September 13, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "A brother challenged me after reading my book, where I talk about how sacred space and time are transformed through the Lord Jesus from being temple- and sabbath-oriented, to being

Davenant Hall Wisdom Course

September 12, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I will be teaching a course on Biblical Wisdom for the newly established Davenant Hall (https://davenantinstitute.org/davenant-hall). There are ten days to apply for the course, which will only cost $

Can Faith & Science Coexist? | Dr. Ian Hutchinson

September 12, 2019

The Veritas Forum - The Veritas Forum

Dr. Ian Hutchinson, a nuclear scientist at MIT, takes to the stage at the University of Virginia to discuss the sometimes tense relationship between faith and science while challenging scientism; the

Q&A#147 New Wineskins, New Covenant

September 11, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "How should the illustrations of wineskins and garments in Mark 2 inform our understanding of the relationship between the old and new covenants?" My blog for my podcasts and video

S3E8 - Season Finale

September 11, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

Dr. Mike Licona and Kurt Jaros review the topics covered in season 3 as well as come of Mike's personal confessions and reflections after finishing his book, "The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historio

#21 Free will and the problem of evil

September 11, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

An atheist listener asks a question about free will and the problem of evil. Will it be possible for there to be another ‘fall’ in the new creation? And the hosts of the Libertarian Christian Podcast

John Higgins on the Bible as Art

September 7, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today I am joined by John Higgins of The Bible is Art YouTube channel to discuss his work, the literary character of Scripture, and the book of Proverbs. To see more of John's work, visit his channel

What Makes Humans Special? | Dr. David Lahti & Dr. Andrew Berry

September 5, 2019

The Veritas Forum - The Veritas Forum

Dr. David Lahti, Evolutionary Biologist of Queens College at the City University of New York and Dr. Andrew Berry, Evolutionary Biologist of Harvard University discuss the biological developments that

S3E7 - The Postmodern Historian | Risen Jesus Podcast

September 4, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

Postmodernism presents many ideas that clash with the practice of studying history. Dr Licona discusses how one with a postmodernist perspective might view historical fact and research. What are the s

Q&A#146 Did the Mosaic Covenant End at the Battle of Aphek?

September 3, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "In Peter Leithart’s A House For My Name, he says that the mosaic covenant comes to an end when the ark is taken by the philistines in 1 Samuel. Is this correct to say the covenant h

The White Stone of Pergamum (Revelation 2:17)

September 2, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss the significance of the white stone promised to the one who overcomes in Revelation 2:17 in the letter to the angel of the church of Pergamum. The books I recommend are as follows: Peter Le

Q&A#145 Who Are James Jordan's Influences?

September 1, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Who are Jim Jordan's sources? It would obviously be fair to describe him as "innovative", but it seems very much that there's a chain where you have followed on from Peter Leithart

Q&A#144 Men as Trees Walking (Mark 8)

August 31, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What do you think about the vision of walking trees in Mark 8:24? I know that trees are symbol of men in typology. But why they are walking? What does that mean?" My blog for my p

S3E6 - Arguments to the Best Explanation

August 28, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

When discussing a candidate for "best explanation" there are several factors we should take into consideration (explanatory scope, plausibility, etc). Dr. Licona discusses what the various criteria ar

Jesus and the Water in the Wilderness

August 27, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Following up on my earlier discussion of Miriam's provision of water in the wilderness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAEpcarR9MA), I discuss the New Testament's use of the Exodus water stories. My

#20 Israel, Christian Zionism and the return of Jesus

August 27, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

How should Christians think about the place of Israel today? Do the Jewish people still have a distinct role in God’s purposes? The Bible says Jesus will return ‘soon’, so why hasn’t he? These and mor

Miriam, Deliverer of Her People

August 26, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss the significance of Miriam in the story of the Exodus, suggesting that she is much more important than commonly recognized. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversa

Q&A#143 The Creation Days and the Seven Signs of John

August 25, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Is there a legitimate connection between Jesus' 7 signs in John 1-11 and the creation week in Gen 1-3?" I reference my earlier episodes on the creation days of John 1-2 (https://ad

Q&A#142 Sola Scriptura, Roman Catholicism, and the Quest for Certainty

August 23, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "I have been having some struggles with the doctrine of sola scriptura & private interpretation. The issue I'm running into is whether the Bible alone is actually sufficient to come

Q&A#141 Why Does Revelation Use So Much Symbolism?

August 22, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Why does the Book of Revelation use so much symbolism? Some reasons might perhaps include: to hide its meaning from outsiders, to describe the ineffable, to point out the inner real

Q&A#140 Daily Quiet Time

August 21, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Evangelicals have been enamored with the “quiet time” of daily Bible reading and prayer, but it often seems to be focused on reading a chapter quickly, avoiding eisegesis as best as

S3E5 - Methods of Approaching Ancient Text

August 21, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

In this episode, Dr. Licona discusses various ways we can approach ancient texts when studying history. Is history classified as "science"? How does probability factor into our view of history? The R

Joseph Minich on Work

August 17, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today I am joined by Joseph Minich, who has just written a very short booklet on the subject of work for the Davenant Institute (get a copy here: https://davenantinstitute.org/davenant-digests). My b

S3E4 - The Uncertainty of Historical Knowledge

August 14, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

How much certainty is required to believe a fact? What is a fact? Can we have absolute certainty? Dr. Licona explains how to navigate the spectrum of certainty and how it applies to history. The Rise

S3E3 - Transcending Horizons

August 7, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

While it's important for us to understand our horizons, the next step is learning how to detach from them. Dr. Licona walks through the methodology of doing history apart from our biases and what it m

S3E2 - Horizons | Risen Jesus Podcast

July 31, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

According to Dr. Licona we all look at the world through the lens of "horizons" - even the best historians. What are horizons? Does it affect the way we practice history and view texts like the Bible?

#19 Doctrine questions about the Trinity and Baptism

July 30, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

How does the doctrine of the Trinity work? Do you have to believe it to be a Christian? Where do you find it in the Bible? What does Tom think about the doctrine of baptism? These and more listener qu

Saul Versus Bar-Jesus

July 27, 2019

Alastair Roberts

In Acts 13, Saul conflicts with the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus and is called by the name Paul for the first time. I explore the literary dynamics of this account a bit more closely. I've previous

S3E1 - What is History?

July 24, 2019

Risen Jesus - Mike Licona

In the season 3 premiere, Dr. Mike Licona addresses the concepts of History from his book, "The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach". What is History exactly? Who do we trust? Why

Q&A#139 What Spiritual Nutrients are in the Tops and Tails of Paul's Letters?

July 20, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "Do you have any broader comments on the personal greetings and instructions at the end of Paul’s letters and their significance? Of course each one is unique, but I wondered if ther

Saul, Saul, Why Do You Persecute Me?

July 19, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss the connections between Saul of Tarsus and King Saul. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my videos here: https://ad

#18 Hell and Heaven

July 18, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

What is the nature of hell and what does Tom believe about it? What about annihilationist or universalist views? Can we be happy in heaven if we know that loved ones won’t be there? These and more lis

Q&A#138 The Troubling Absence of Consent in OT Law and Narrative

July 17, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "The issue of consent has been much discussed in the wake of, among other things, the #MeToo movement, and I was wondering how we can relate that to the types of marriage practices t

Jake Meador, 'In Search of the Common Good'

July 16, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Jake Meador joins me to discuss his new book, 'In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World' (https://www.ivpress.com/in-search-of-the-common-good). My blog for my podcasts a

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

July 13, 2019

Alastair Roberts

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is much richer than many suppose. Paying attention to biblical echoes and parallels, both within and without the Lukan corpus, will alert us to much that we might oth

Q&A#137 Jesus: A New Nebuchadnezzar?

July 11, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "There are numerous typological dimensions of Old Testament echoes at play in each of the Gospel accounts of Christ’s baptism (Creation, Noah’s dove coming to rest, Israel’s Red Sea

#17 Other religions, the New Age and Islam

July 2, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

What happens to those who don’t believe in Jesus? What can I say to my New Age sister? My Muslim friend gets so much comfort from her faith... do I need to evangelise her?   These and more listener qu

#16 Tom answers questions on prayer

June 18, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

What’s the point of prayer if God knows our needs? Can we claim ‘anything’ by faith in Jesus name? What do Tom’s prayer habits look like? These and more listener questions get addressed by Tom Wright

#15 A pastor losing his faith writes in. Tom responds to personal questions

June 7, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

In a special pastoral Q&A edition Tom responds to various questions on difficult family situations, unforgiveness and a church pastor who doesn’t know if he believes any more.  Plus,Tom whips out the

Q&A#136 John 7—Is it ever OK to Lie?

May 23, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "In John 7, Jesus' brothers urge him to go to the feast in Judaea. He declines, stating he will not go. His brothers set off without him. But then Jesus *does* go. Secretly. Halfway

Q&A#135 Symbolism and Allegory

May 22, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What’s the difference between symbolism and allegory?" My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my videos here:

Parsing the Law—How to Keep the Sabbath

May 21, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Within this episode I offer some follow-up thoughts to my discussion of the ritual and the moral Law in my previous episode: https://adversariapodcast.com/2019/05/20/ritual-and-moral-law/. In particul

#14 The Church, worship and unity

May 21, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

Do you have to go to church to be a Christian? What should our theology of worship be? How do we know we are in the ‘correct’ denomination? Tom Wright answers these and more questions from listeners,

Q&A#134 Ritual and Moral Law

May 20, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today, I discuss the distinction between the moral and the ritual law, the threefold division of the Law, and natural and positive law. Within the episode, I mention the Davenant Institute's continui

Q&A#133 Clean and Unclean Animals

May 18, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What should we make of the distinction between clean and unclean animals? Is there some deeper reason that some animals are considered clean and others unclean?" My blog for my pod

The Family of Abraham: Part 42—Our Story?

May 17, 2019

Alastair Roberts

In this, the final part of my series on the story of the family of Abraham, I discuss what relevance it might have for us today. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapo

The Family of Abraham: Part 41—The Continuing Adventures

May 15, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today, I discuss a few of the echoes of the Genesis narrative in later stories in Scripture. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts

The Family of Abraham: Part 40—Disposing of the Bodies

May 14, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Chapter 50 of Genesis gives a lot of attention to the embalming and burial of bodies. Within this episode I explore why this is. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapo

The Family of Abraham: Part 39—The Testament of Jacob

May 13, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss Genesis 49 and Israel's prophetic statements concerning his twelve tribes. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my vi

Q&A#132 David and Jonathan

May 12, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "What’s the significance of David and Jonathan’s friendship? Is there something more significant in terms of redemptive history or biblical theology that warrants it being highlighte

Q&A#131 Clickbait?

May 11, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Today's question: "In today's world, where there seems to be an overflow of information, is clickbaiting justified?" Within this episode, I recommend the work of The Bible is Art YouTube channel: htt

Q&A#130 Tips for Daily Bible Reading

May 10, 2019

Alastair Roberts

Tips on daily Bible reading for laypeople. Within this episode I recommend the following Bibles, books, and resources: ESV Reader's Bible: https://amzn.to/307w1ug Bibliotheca Reader's Bible: https:/

#13 Christian sexual ethics, homosexuality and transgender

May 10, 2019

Ask NT Wright Anything - Premier

In this edition of the podcast Tom answers listener questions on how to have better conversations on sexuality in the church, co-habitation, whether the New Testament understanding of homosexuality wa

The Family of Abraham: Part 38—The Blessing of Joseph's Sons

May 9, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss Genesis 48 and Jacob's faith in blessing the sons of Joseph. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my videos here: htt

The Family of Abraham: Part 37—The Continuing Famine and Joseph's Promise to His Father

May 8, 2019

Alastair Roberts

I discuss Genesis 47, as Joseph introduces Pharaoh to his brothers and father, we hear the continued events of the famine, and Joseph promises to bury Jacob in Canaan. My blog for my podcasts and vid

The Family of Abraham: Part 36—Jacob's Descent into Egypt

May 7, 2019

Alastair Roberts

James Bejon and I discuss Genesis 46 and the descent of Jacob into Egypt. My blog for my podcasts and videos is found here: https://adversariapodcast.com/. You can see transcripts of my videos here:

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