Unbelievable?

Premier Unbelievable host John Nelson gathers a lively roundtable to ask a timely question: what’s the current state of Christian apologetics—and where should it go next? Scientist and historian of science Sam McKee (University of Reading / Manchester Metropolitan) argues that apologetics often lags decades behind today’s life sciences, too easily dominated by creationist “marketing machines”, and too quick to platform non-experts as authorities.
Joining him are Northern Irish apologist and civil servant Gareth Black, OCCA speaker and war studies postgraduate Sara Stevenson, and US-based YouTuber Mike Jones (Inspiring Philosophy). Together they wrestle with expertise, overreach, and epistemic humility—alongside the promise of friendship, local church discipleship, and better science communication.
Is the “conflict” narrative between science and faith finally fading? And what might a more relational, Bible-shaped apologetics look like in 2026?

0:00 – Apologetics After New Atheism
0:46 – Meet the Panel (Science + Faith)
4:06 – Science Problem in Christian Apologetics
5:12 – Genetics & Biology Revolution (CRISPR, AlphaFold)
7:43 – Creationism vs Science: Why It Hurts Faith
8:33 – Why Students Leave Church (Science vs Faith)
9:44 – Faraday Institute: Elite Christian Scientists
11:10 – Stop Platforming Non-Experts
13:16 – Genesis 1: Literalism vs Context
15:47 – Science vs Religion “War” Myth
18:45 – Social Media Apologetics: Pros & Cons
21:18 – Flat Earth Theology & Conspiracy Drift
28:02 – C.S. Lewis: “Christianity Latent”
31:06 – Apologetics Echo Chamber (Same Arguments)
35:41 – Elite Apologists vs Everyday Christians
39:49 – Christianity Built Civilization (Sociology)
46:40 – Friendship Model Apologetics (Community)
52:54 – Debates, Revival & Future Strategy


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In a world riddled with conflict, where headlines scream of violence and unrest, the age-old question resurfaces: Is war ever justified, or should Christians wholeheartedly embrace pacifism? Join esteemed scholars Nigel Biggar and Stanley Hauerwas as they delve into the moral complexities of war and peace from a Christian perspective in this classic replay episode.

Nigel Biggar, renowned theologian and ethicist, brings his nuanced understanding of just war theory, exploring the conditions under which Christians might find themselves compelled to engage in warfare.

Stanley Hauerwas, also a leading voice in Christian ethics, advocates for a radical alternative: pacifism. Hauerwas challenges listeners to reconsider conventional notions of power and violence, urging a transformative approach rooted in love and nonviolence.

This episode originally aired on: 8 November 2014

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Recorded in Premier’s new London studios, John Nelson welcomes Rod Dreher for a wide-ranging conversation about freedom, faith, and the West’s growing spiritual hunger.
Drawing on his bestselling book Live Not By Lies, Dreher argues that today’s greatest threat is not Orwell-style tyranny but Huxley’s “soft totalitarianism” a culture that trades liberty for comfort, safety, and approval. Together, they explore the cost of discipleship, why suffering still matters (from Solzhenitsyn to Bonhoeffer), and how “therapeutic” Christianity leaves believers unprepared for pressure and loss.
Dreher also reflects on meeting Nick Cave, the search for transcendence, and why many young adults are moving from scepticism to spirituality sometimes via the occult. He concludes by introducing themes from his new book Living in Wonder, calling Christians to recover beauty, liturgy, prayer, and a hopeful (not naïve) vision for the future.

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Malcolm Guite joins Luke Martin for a wide-ranging Unbelievable: The Interview conversation on poetry, faith, and the power of imagination. Known as a poet, priest, and academic (and former chaplain of Girton College, Cambridge), Guite reflects on the writers who shaped him from Augustine to Coleridge, and especially C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. Why does imagination matter for truth, not just feelings? And what happens to a culture when “reason” becomes narrow, utilitarian, and disenchanted? Guite engages the modern hunger for beauty, tradition, and meaning, arguing we don’t need to “re-enchant” the world so much as un-disenchant ourselves. He also shares what he’s writing next: an epic poetic retelling of the Arthurian cycle Galahad and the Grail: Merlin’s Isle (Volume 1), out in March 2026 - a retelling restoring the Christian bedrock of the Arthurian legend and the Holy Grail, inspired by the Inklings.

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Can Christian faith survive a scientific age—or even thrive in it?
Andy Kind explores physics, faith, and meaning with Cambridge philosopher Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst and scientist Sam McKee.
Drawing on Emily’s new book Decoding the Cosmos, the conversation tackles cosmic fine-tuning, design arguments, the multiverse, the limits of physics, and whether science could ever deliver a true “theory of everything”.
Emily explains why she is an atheist who rejects New Atheism, while Sam reflects on why Christianity remains the most coherent model of reality for him as a scientist. The discussion then moves into deeper territory—time, salvation, incarnation, and even the theological implications of alien life—raising profound questions about human uniqueness, divine action, and cosmic hope.
A thoughtful, warm, and often surprising conversation for anyone curious about science, philosophy, and faith.

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