Forgiveness

In this GodPod, Graham, Jane and Mike start by looking at whether you can be a Christian but not a church goer in the modern world and then go on to look at why we have to wait for things from God.

Mike, Jane and Graham talk about why the New Testament writings are considered to be God’s Word and other early Christian writings of this time are not. They also discuss whether God forgives our sins against him or just against other people, and whether our imperfect memories are a result of our fallenness.

Turning off each other’s microphones, the home team hold the fort this week to discuss psychics, the paranormal and words of knowledge, the relationship between forgiveness and reconciliation, and unpack a question on death in the light of creation.

Which Creed best sums up the Christian faith? Graham, Mike, and Jane discuss the Nicene Creed and other ecumenical and confessional creeds of the church. And in the second part of the GodPod they address the sensitive issue of death: what happens to someone who dies who has not been baptised, or who has committed suicide?

God encompasses the vastness of the universe, but chooses to relate to humanity in a personal way, on this apparently trivial little planet. What is the place of humanity in the purposes of God? And if there is life on other planets, is Jesus’ incarnation, death, and resurrection valid for the whole cosmos? Secondly, what does Jesus mean when he says in Luke 10:18 that he “saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven,” and how do we interpret biblical language about the spiritual realm? And finally, should we, as individuals and as communities, respond to aggression by “turning the other cheek”?

How should the contemporary church engage with postmodernism? And what constitutes a successful church? Is there any encouragement for churches with small congregations and limited resources? Jane, Mike and Stephen discuss the church and mission, and also ask if there can ever be forgiveness without repentance.

Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford, joins the GodPod team this week. How might Christians approach debates about ethical issues, such as euthanasia and abortion, in the public square? And what about the place of forgiveness and reconciliation between communities in troubled areas like Northern Ireland?

What do we do when forgiveness is offered but not received? Might we still be able to fall into sin in the new creation? And do animals go to heaven? Graham, Mike and Jane get their teeth into a few meaty questions. 

Is God fair? Why does he seem to choose some people and not others? And if we can ‘just forgive’ each other, why can’t God just forgive us, without Jesus having had to die for our sins? Graham, Mike and Jane discuss the doctrines of election and atonement, and also talk about the Name of God.