Best The WADR Project Podcasts (2024)

1
Childlike Theology 58:22

9d ago58:22

58:22

Theology. It's a term often associated with old professors and dusty books. But theology is actually crucial for the church. So, why don't more Christians take an interest in it? Why has it become so .... stale? These are the questions our hosts (and resident theologians) grapple with. Speaking of childlike - Michael and Megan are joined this week …

1
Gendered Violence 56:06

25d ago56:06

56:06

This week, Megan and Michael look at the epidemic of gendered violence sweeping through both the church and society at large. Our hosts look at what the Bible has to say on the issue and are then joined by expert consultant Carolyn Cousins for a discussion about what the church can do to help stamp it out. They then turn their attention to the prog…

1
Grief 47:14

1M ago47:14

47:14

With All Due Respect returns for its ninth season with an episode especially brought to you by Living Hope Funerals. Grief is a universal experience. We all face it at some point in our lives. So, what's a Christian framework for walking through grief? How can we grieve well? Dr Kit Barker joins our hosts to tackle these questions. Our hosts then t…

1
Fandom 39:39

2M ago39:39

39:39

Welcome to another season of With All Due Respect! Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen embark on another series of podcasts tackling some potentially divisive elements of culture with nuance, grace, and - of course- respect! This week, our hosts look at the phenomena of fandom and ask - is it possible for fandom to go far? Can a Christian engag…

1
Generations 1:10:27

5M ago1:10:27

1:10:27

Welcome to the final episode of Season 8 of With All Due Respect! This week, Minister Jeri Jones Sparks and former Sydney Archbishop (and Michael's Dad!) Peter Jensen joins the show for a panel discussion on different church generations. The team look at the highs and lows of recent Australian church history, as well as what different generations o…

1
The Christian Org 57:57

5M ago57:57

57:57

This week, Michael and Megan are joined by Stephen Judd, the former CEO of HammondCare, to discuss how - if at all - an organisation can be "Christian". Our hosts then discuss whether the broader church is an organisation, and if ministers can gain anything from the world of corporate wisdom. Finally, they turn their attention to the hit drama Prop…

1
Peace in the Middle East 57:14

6M ago57:14

57:14

This week, Megan and Michael hash out one of the most controversial issues currently ruling the discourse; the conflict in the Israel and Gaza region. Our hosts think through how the Bible can guide Christians’ response to the conflict. A Palestinian Christian and peacemaker joins the show to discuss the challenges facing faith groups in the confli…

1
Lies and Statistics 51:47

6M ago51:47

51:47

Mark Twain once famously said, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, and statistics". Our hosts this week are chatting about this third lie - statistics. With the age of social media now dictating how people access statistical data, are we literate enough to understand what we are reading when it comes to statistics? How does this affect…

1
Reforming Evangelicalism 1:05:13

6M ago1:05:13

1:05:13

Michael and Megan are kicking off 2024 by checking in on the state of Evangelicalism. Karen Swallow Prior returns to the show to discuss her new book The Evangelical Imagination, which provocatively claims to take stock of a "culture in crisis". Our hosts then hash out the question: does Evangelicalism need another Reformation? Finally, the pair di…

1
Is There Something About Mary? 51:25

7M ago51:25

51:25

It's the 2023 Christmas episode of With All Due Respect, and we're talking all things Mary this year! New Testament scholar The Rev. Dr Sarah Harris joins the show to discuss the mother of Jesus, and makes some big calls about her place in theological history. Michael and Megan then discuss the place of Mary in Protestant tradition. Should the evan…

1
Is the Bible 'plain'? 57:40

7M ago57:40

57:40

It's the 100th episode of With All Due Respect! To mark their century our guests chat with Mike Bird, Academic Dean of Melbourne's Ridley College, discussing the question "Is the Bible clear in what it tells us?" They also discuss the differences in church tradition when it comes to interpreting scripture. Later, our hosts discuss Sarah Polley's co…

1
Home 57:29

8M ago57:29

57:29

Home - it’s an evocative word and one that has instant access to our emotions, whether that’s when Dorothy knocks together her shiny red heels and says there’s no place like home or when angelic children’s choirs sing I still call Australia home on a Qantas ad. The Bible culminates with an image of God at home with humanity. Home speaks to us of fa…

1
Civic Religion 43:34

8M ago43:34

43:34

This week, Megan and Michael discuss the place of "civic religion" in Australian society. Defined as the implicit "religious" values of a nation - expressed through public ceremony, symbols, and rituals - our hosts ask if Australia even has a civic religion in the first place. They then turn their eyes to the place of the Welcome to / Acknowledgeme…

1
Hope 49:34

9M ago49:34

49:34

Leisa Aitken joins Megan and Michael to discuss her dissertation on the psychology of Hope, and why the clinical definition of the word is missing the mark. On 'For Arguments Sake', our hosts discuss whether there may be a lack of hope within the church. Have Christians in the global west lost their eschatological hope? Finally, our hosts cast thei…

1
Only Human 49:08

9M ago49:08

49:08

In light of the Barbie movie phenomenon, our hosts take stock of Greta Gerwig's divisive blockbuster, ponder its themes on humanity, and whether it will become an essential existential text. Old Testament expert Dr George Athas then joins the show to discuss the film, its relationship to the book of Ecclesiastes, and how death plays a role in our u…

1
The Voice: Reconciliation 21:58

9M ago21:58

21:58

As the voting time for the referendum approaches, Michael and Megan are joined by Bundjalung woman Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia, and Peter Morris, General Manager of the Reconciliation Action Plan program of Reconciliation Australia. They talk through what a 'yes' vote might mean for Australian society, its citizens, and the churc…

1
The Voice: The Constitution 51:38

10M ago51:38

51:38

Welcome to season 8 of With All Due Respect! As Australians prepare to vote in a referendum on an Aboriginal Voice in parliament, Michael Jensen and (newly Reverend Dr) Megan Powell du Toit speak with constitutional law expert Dr Joel Harrison about what it might mean, legally speaking. They then discuss whether or not the church should be involved…

1
The Voice 51:14

1y ago51:14

51:14

In the season finale, Megan and Michael sit down with First Nations Christian leader Uncle Pastor Ray Minniecon to discuss the upcoming referendum in Australia concerning The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice (also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, or simply 'The Voice). Our hosts also sift through the responses from various gr…

1
Easter Special: Radical Grace 42:13

1+ y ago42:13

42:13

This week on WADR, our hosts are living up to the aim of the show (conversations with respect and grace) with an Easter special on ... GRACE! Grace is of course a concept strongly associated with the cross of Christ. It is a word Christians chuck around - but do we have a good understanding of what it means? And can grace even be immoral? 'The Secr…

1
The Adventure of Time 41:11

1+ y ago41:11

41:11

This week, Megan and Michael delve into the mystery of 'time', and ask the question ... is time cursed? And how are eternity and time-related? On 'Through the Wardrobe', the pair cast their critical eye over the now cancelled Amazon series Paper Girls, a time travelling adventure drama that looks at how we might feel if we met our future selves. Pl…

1
Sexual Gospel 11:47

1+ y ago11:47

11:47

On a special edition of 'For Argument's Sake', Michael and Megan dissect the fallout from The Gospel Coalitions' recent endorsement - and swift recant - of a controversial extract from Joshua Butler's new book Beautiful Union, which drew parallels between the saving work of Christ, and sexual intercourse between husband and wife. Our hosts then exp…

1
Finding Family 51:59

1+ y ago51:59

51:59

It's family week on WADR. Michael and Megan chat through different perspectives on family, and in particular, adoption. They work through the good and the bad, how it can heal - but also compound - trauma, and what the Bible has to say about it. UK-based broadcaster, author, social entrepreneur, and adoptive father Dr Krish Kandiah then joins the p…

1
Connecting with Catholics 46:25

1+ y ago46:25

46:25

This week, Megan and Michael deep dive into the often heated relationship between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism, examining what the recent death of former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI means for intra-church relations, and how Protestants and Roman Catholics can walk hand-in-hand in ministry (can they?). Catholic theologian Dr Elissa Roper joins…

1
We Are Free 35:50

1+ y ago35:50

35:50

Megan and Michael talk about all things freedom - does true freedom exist, and are we really free in the 21st century? From overthrowing the yoke of human slavery (Israel's Exodus from Egypt) to Jesus' promise that “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”, the concept of fre…

1
The hospitable heart 50:14

1+ y ago50:14

50:14

Hospitality is a word that conjures up images of wine glasses and silver cutlery. It's the word for the hotel trade or the type of entertaining that looks good on Instagram: themed dinner parties and pretty hand soaps for the guest toilet. Yet hospitality is also a word that occurs in the Bible. Famously, Hebrews 13:2 urges, "Do not forget to show …

1
Embodied humans 51:10

1+ y ago51:10

51:10

All of us as humans are embodied. We come into being through our bodies being formed in the womb, and when our bodies die, our lives in this world end. Christians have held different attitudes to the body over history - while the body has a central place in the Christian understanding of the life to come, at times the body has been seen as the sour…

1
Dark night of the soul 38:49

1+ y ago38:49

38:49

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen talk about the Dark Night of the Soul. It's a common phrase - one which describes someone going through a difficult time, particularly one in which God feels either absent or unloving. The WADR team investigates where it comes from, and then asks if it's as bad as it sounds? Then Megan and Mi…

1
Better sex 51:01

1+ y ago51:01

51:01

In this episode, the WADR team talk about how to have better sex. No, this is not Megan and Michael's opportunity to present the evangelical version of the karma sutra. Rather, they want to talk about the ways Christianity has got sex right - or a lot of the time wrong - and what can be done better for everyone's sake. First up, Megan and Michael i…

1
Census: the Gospel truth 48:19

1+ y ago48:19

48:19

In 2016, following trends in many Western countries, a majority of Australians identified as Christian 52.1%. Five years later, that was down to 43.9%. Christianity is still the most common religion in the country, but for the first time no longer in the majority. Moreover, 38.9% of people now identify themselves as having no religion - a jump of a…

1
Evangelicals After Billy 51:43

1+ y ago51:43

51:43

Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit ask: is evangelicalism fractured beyond repair? Or as Mark Twain might say, have reports of its death been grossly exaggerated? The WADR team are joined by Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today to talk about what happened to evangelical consensus. And then Michael and Megan finish with a look a…

1
Divine Comedy 42:35

2y ago42:35

42:35

In the final episode for this season, Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit are talking comedy. Their big question: does God have a sense of humour? When humans laugh, are we doing so as people made in the image of God? Or is this only a human response to the world? Or could laughter be a link to life in the next world? The WADR team tackle each …

1
A Christian Nation? 46:29

2y ago46:29

46:29

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen are talking about Christian Nationalism. Nationalism promotes the distinctiveness of the people of a nation. Christian nationalism goes one step further, defining a nation by its faith, and maintaining it should be protected by the state, enshrined in its laws, and actively maintained. But is…

1
The Loneliness Epidemic 46:08

2y ago46:08

46:08

While we have been dealing with a pandemic over the last couple of years, we have also been experiencing what some are calling a loneliness epidemic. Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen discuss how this new struggle has been reported across many countries, particularly in their home country. The Ending Loneliness Together report says that one i…

1
Evangelicals & Race 1:00:27

2y ago1:00:27

1:00:27

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen look at the vexed question of racism and the church. First up, they talk to African American pastor Thabiti Anaybwile about how he understands the way American evangelicalism has interacted with the question of racism. He has been a significant voice on this topic within conservative evangeli…

1
Fashion 45:31

2y ago45:31

45:31

Most of us wear clothes every day - Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit make a point of it! But as much as we might think we pay no attention to what we put on, most of us dress in accordance with the fashion of our day. And like it or not, what we wear communicates something about who we are. Very little thought is given over to Christian fash…

1
Re-creation 48:39

2y ago48:39

48:39

Creative acts - and creative people - have sometimes been given short shrift within evangelicalism. Creative work can be seen as less significant than the work of a pastor or evangelist. But on the other hand, the Bible begins with an act of creation - the first and greatest of all creative acts. So Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen ask, 'Is …

1
Show Me The Money 40:42

2y ago40:42

40:42

In the run-up to this weekend's federal election, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen get all economical. Jesus famously said, "You cannot serve both God and money," or wealth, depending on the translation. While Christian scandals often involve abuse of sex or power, love of money seems to be the sin we often tolerate. Is that because Christia…

1
How To Vote 41:14

2y ago41:14

41:14

Now that the Prime Minister has called for an election, Christians will be bombarded by people wanting to win or influence their vote. Some of that campaigning will be based on what people THINK influences a Christian vote. But despite the rhetoric, the Christian vote is more diverse than is often realised. What issues are on Christian minds and he…

1
The Leader's Ego 44:20

2y ago44:20

44:20

Several books have recently been released on the problem of narcissism in the church. When we mix this with some high-profile examples of pastors gone wrong, the ego-centric leader becomes an important issue to consider. While we may not have evidence of legions of diagnosed clinical narcissists in the church, we can all point to church leaders wit…

1
Black Sabbath 43:14

2+ y ago43:14

43:14

Black Sabbath - old-school heavy metal band or day in the Christian calendar? The Saturday just before Easter Sunday has been called various names but that hasn't kept it top of mind in religious circles. It tends to be ignored by many Protestants, stuck awkwardly between the mourning of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday. So Michael Jensen a…

1
Soul Searching 39:15

2+ y ago39:15

39:15

Soul. It's a word that continues to have a lot of resonance. We look for a soul mate, we say something is good for the soul, we engage in some soul searching and we bare our souls to each other. None of us wants to be soulless. But what is a soul? Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit discover that this is one subject even Christians, who are in …

1
The Lent Event 43:51

2+ y ago43:51

43:51

For the return of season 6, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen plunge listeners into the heart of a two-thousand-year-old tradition in their efforts to understand what it might have to contribute to spiritual growth today. Lent is a period of prayer and fasting in preparation for Easter that has been practiced since apostolic times. Until rece…

1
Costly conscience 40:14

2+ y ago40:14

40:14

In this episode, Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen ask about the cost of conscience. Conscience has been at the forefront in public discussions, as a new phase of the pandemic requires measures that have created an urgent set of ethical dilemmas. This has come at the same time as our politicians are debating bills about freedom of religion. T…

1
The new and the old of 2021 52:46

2+ y ago52:46

52:46

With All Due Respect's Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen are joined by The Centre for Public Christianity's Justine Toh to usher out the old year. Like 2020, 2021 has had its social highs and COVID lows but, on balance, what did WADR think of the year that was? First up, the team give each other what they think was the theme of the year. Then…

1
Christmas: Home and Away 36:44

2+ y ago36:44

36:44

As Australians have striven to get vaccination rates up and covid spread under control, one carrot held out to the long-suffering population has been the promise of a normal Christmas. Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit think we often associate Christmas with homecoming and family. For a start, it's a classic trope of Christmas movies - Christ…

1
Mental health and faithfulness 43:21

2+ y ago43:21

43:21

This episode hosts Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen question their mental stability. Mental health has been a key conversation during the COVID crisis. People have argued for and against various public health measures by referring to the mental health effects. There has been a widespread understanding that a viral pandemic will have mental h…

1
The Apologetic Church 36:05

2+ y ago36:05

36:05

In a world in which Christianity is losing its cultural dominance, and under fire for various reasons, should Christians strongly defend the church, or should they be apologetic about its wrongdoing? There seems to be a wide spectrum between those who want to claim western society will regret abandoning its Christian foundations, and those who are …

1
Faithful poetry 41:24

2+ y ago41:24

41:24

Some of the most beautiful poetry has Christian faith embedded within it, and yet some of the worst poetry we have experienced has been within the Christian community. A couple of episodes ago the WADR team looked at poet Christian Wiman and brought up his thought that faithful literature should be an ice axe for the frozen sea within you. As two p…

1
The Delta Mandate 44:15

2+ y ago44:15

44:15

Australia is gearing up to reach its 80% 16 plus vaccination rate, with some states ahead of others. The news has been dominated by both federal and state plans for what reopening will look like with COVID present in Australia. Within that, Christians have had particular concerns. What will be the rules around face-to-face church gatherings, and ho…

1
How to have an argument 34:26

3y ago34:26

34:26

As the ancient saying goes, you can't go to bed if someone is wrong on the internet. Social media can involve a lot of different communication types but it certainly does seem to have a lot of scope for arguing. In fact, it seems that one of social media's key contributions is polarisation and pitched debate. Megan Powell du Toit and Michael Jensen…

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