Laurence and Dan continue their exploration of the Gospel of Matthew. This time they take a journey into the wilderness and, through the text of Matthew 4, they witness a strange encounter between the newly baptised Jesus and "the devil", the tempter, or satan. Who or what is this character? Is it a person or a being of some sort? As they explore the text they discover a number of 'flags' which indicate that all is not as it may seem at first sight. Intrigued?! Listen in to hear how their enquiries lead to a compelling explanation!
The legacy of Jesus of Nazareth is felt today in all kinds of ways, in religion, in culture, music and art. But what about the question that Christians and others have been asking and debating for centuries – Did Jesus pre-exist? Was he alive in some sense before being born into a quiet small town in Israel about 2000 years ago? And if that question is answered with a yes or with a no, does it change anything for Christians?
Laurence Davenport and Dan Weatherall continue delving into the gospel of Matthew. The focus this time is how well structured the book is around major themes that are developed throughout the book. Jesus is presented as someone with authority and he is given that curious name, Immanuel. What does that mean? And how would the first readers of Matthew have understood God to be with them?
We begin a new series in which we explore the deep questions around the relationship between God and Jesus, the Son of God. In this episode Josh Dean and Paul Davenport look at how Unitarians and Trinitarians both look at the same scriptural ‘raw materials’ but come to different conclusions. Why is that? How should we evaluate whether one view is more appropriate than the other? Are they both truly Christian perspectives?
Famous names and outsider characters – they’re all in the family tree of Jesus right at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel! Laurence Davenport and Dan Weatherall start a series of episodes that explores this book in greater detail to discover the real Jesus. Listen in to find out why some apparently dubious (but actually faithful) women feature in the opening verses of this Gospel and what that helps us to discover about Jesus!
Becky Lewis discusses with Paul Davenport whether it’s right to think of God as distant and unfeeling, as is often the portrayal in popular culture. By drawing from the Bible from the creation narrative through to how Jesus treated people and on through to the final chapters of Revelation, we find God revealed as deeply invested in seeking close relationships with people and indeed connecting people together in a family.
For our final podcast of 2020, we’re bringing you a discussion we recorded when lockdown started in the UK in March 2020. The subject is "Why read the Bible?" which seems just as relevant as we go into a new year in a world very much still in the grip of uncertainty. And so, whatever 2020 has been like for you, whether it's given you sadness or joy or additional stress and strain, perhaps it's comforting to know that the still small voice of the divine, revealed through an ancient text, will always be there waiting for us to listen.
This episode is all about the new book “Founding a Faith” by Tom Gaston. Dan Weatherall asks Tom about some of the concepts explored in the book, such as whether we should build our faith like a tower with a foundation or as a flexible web of interconnected ideas – which is more resilient?
This conversation asks another big question – what is human nature really like? Dan Weatherall and Stephen Blake, a professional counsellor, explore this topic and find that, although the Bible starts with the ideal of humans reflecting God’s image, it more often paints a picture of struggle and failure. Why is that and can anything be done about it?
The question that lies at the foundation of everything else that we talk about at Bible Feed – Is there a God? Paul Davenport and Sam Day explore three of the classic arguments for the existence of God and the common objections to them. Do you find them compelling? Which do you think is the most powerful?