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Is Christianity really experiencing a “quiet revival” in Britain? Tom Wright responds to reports of increased interest in church and asks what genuine spiritual revival should look like. Tom and Mike Bird also tackle the disturbing story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. Why were they struck dead for lying, and what does the passage tell us about holiness, judgement and the presence of God? Finally, they turn to Jesus’ prayer that his followers “may be one”. Tom reflects on decades of ecumenical conversation and explains why Christian unity is not an optional extra but central to the church’s witness.Plus: the decline of New Atheism, the “myth of decline”, Romans 14–15 and why Tom says Christianity is fundamentally “a team sport”.Send your question to Tom at askntwright.com. Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when two of evangelical Christianity's most influential theologians disagree about the very heart of the gospel? In this special bonus episode, Tom Wright revisits his theological disagreement with American pastor John Piper over justification by faith, revealing why Piper's 2007 critique prompted him to write a major response. Tom explains why he believes generations of Christians have been asking the wrong question about salvation, and why Paul's teaching in Romans and Galatians is about far more than how sinners get to heaven. He also reveals how the controversy affected his reputation, why he initially ignored Piper's book, and what he now wishes he had explained more clearly. Mike Bird shares his own journey through the debate and asks whether these two influential theological traditions can ever be reconciled. Thank you for supporting these special bonus conversations with Tom Wright and Mike Bird. Your subscription helps sustain the work of Premier Christian Media.

Can Christians challenge the decisions of historic church councils? What did Paul mean by the “righteousness of God”? And what actually happened when Jesus ascended into heaven?Tom Wright joins Mike Bird to explore three major questions from listeners.Tom explains why the great Christian creeds remain important while insisting that Scripture, not any theological system, has primary authority. He then unpacks the rich biblical meaning of righteousness, from Abraham and Phinehas to Romans and 2 Corinthians, and explains why no single English translation captures everything the biblical words convey.Finally, Tom tackles the physical reality of Jesus’ Ascension. Rather than imagining heaven simply as somewhere above the clouds, he argues that the Ascension points towards the biblical joining together of heaven and earth in Christ.Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Christianity inherit a distorted picture of Jesus, Judaism and the early Church? Tom Wright and Mike Bird explore the enormous influence of German theologian Adolf von Harnack and his claim that Jesus represented a pure spiritual religion which emerged from Judaism before the early Church complicated his message with Greek philosophy. Tom explains why he thinks that story gets both Jesus and Christian origins wrong. Jesus was deeply rooted in the Jewish hopes of his time, yet radically reshaped them around God’s kingdom, peace, enemy-love and the fulfilment of Israel’s scriptures. And why, Tom asks, would Jesus and Paul have caused such controversy if their message was simply about having “peace in your heart with God right now and go to heaven when you die”? A fascinating deep dive into Jesus, Paul and the story Christians tell about their origins. Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 ❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com 👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)

Is the Rapture really biblical? And if friends or family strongly believe in it, should you try to change their minds? Tom Wright and Mike Bird revisit one of the most debated ideas in modern Christian eschatology. Tom explains why he believes 1 Thessalonians 4 has often been misunderstood, and why the New Testament points instead towards the return of Jesus, resurrection, renewed creation and Christ coming “to rescue, to rule, to reign”. They also ask whether apostles and prophets still exist today, with Tom warning against spiritual authority becoming authoritarianism. Plus, does it matter whether Christians call baptism and communion “sacraments” or “ordinances”? Tom explores why these practices point towards the biblical hope of heaven and earth coming together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is the “eternal generation of the Son” really biblical, or did later Christian theology become too dependent on Greek philosophy? Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle one of Christianity’s most contested doctrines, exploring John 1, Colossians 1, Proverbs 8 and the way the earliest Christians understood Jesus within Jewish monotheism. Tom argues that later debates can sometimes lose sight of the vivid biblical world in which God acts within creation, keeps his promises to Israel and ultimately comes among his people in Jesus. Mike explains why the early church developed the doctrine in the first place, and why abandoning it too quickly may create new theological problems. A deep dive into Jesus, the Trinity and what happens when biblical theology meets later Christian philosophy. Bonus subscribers get exclusive deep-dive conversations like this with Tom Wright and Mike Bird. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts to unlock the full bonus series.

How can the God revealed in Jesus command acts of violence in the Old Testament? And what should Christians do with some of the Bible’s most troubling passages?Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three major biblical puzzles in today's episode. First, why does Mark’s Gospel appear to end so abruptly, with the women fleeing the empty tomb in fear? Tom explains why he believes Mark’s original ending — and perhaps even its original beginning — may have been lost.Then, what is the book of Acts actually for? Is it simply a history of the early church or a manual for mission and church planting? Tom argues that its real hero is the gospel itself, as the message of Jesus travels from Jerusalem all the way to Rome.Finally, they confront violence in the Old Testament. Tom considers divine judgment, Israel’s own failures and why these disturbing stories ultimately have to be read within the larger biblical story that reaches its climax in Jesus and the cross.Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this bonus episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird take a deep dive into the modern Feast of Christ the King. Originally instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1925 to confront rising secularism, fascism, and communism, this relatively new festival was later moved to the final Sunday before Advent and widely adopted by other traditions. Tom argues that the true biblical feast of Christ’s kingship is actually Ascension Day, when Jesus is enthroned as Lord of heaven and earth—and that shifting our focus to a “Christ the King Sunday” at the end of the church year subtly implies Jesus only becomes king at the end of history. Along the way, they explore how misunderstandings of Christ’s present reign leave a dangerous vacuum in our political imagination, opening the door to authoritarian leaders, Christian nationalism, and the deification of the state. They also reflect on “No Kings” protests, the presidency as quasi-monarchy, and why reclaiming the Ascension might be the most radical political act of Christian worship today. Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 ❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com 👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)

What does Jesus mean when he says we must be “born of water and Spirit”? Should Christians feel guilty if they pursue an ordinary career rather than full-time ministry? And why does Paul seem to blame Adam rather than Eve for the entrance of sin?In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird begin with John 3 and the relationship between baptism, the Holy Spirit and new birth. Tom places Jesus’ words within the wider biblical story of creation, Exodus and the renewal of God’s people. Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is Christian salvation really about escaping this world and going to heaven when we die? Tom Wright and Michael Bird explore how the Bible’s story of salvation stretches from the Old Testament through Jesus, the resurrection and the life of the Church. Tom explains why first-century Jewish hopes were focused not on leaving creation behind, but on God acting to rescue, renew and restore his world. Drawing from Tom Wright's latest book God's Homecoming https://amzn.to/4q0ae2i they discuss the influence of Greek philosophy on Western Christianity, why many believers struggle to connect the Old and New Testaments, and how Jesus transforms ideas of temple, land, Sabbath and the people of God. What changes when salvation is understood as God’s homecoming rather than humanity’s escape? Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 ❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com 👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)

Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle three big questions: Which Anglican tradition is most faithful? Does Genesis 1 leave room for the “gap theory”? And does 2 Peter really teach that the earth will be destroyed by fire?They explore church tradition and biblical faithfulness, creation and Genesis, and whether the Christian hope is the destruction or renewal of the world.You may also like: What happens at the End of the Age? https://www.premierunbelievable.com/ask-nt-wright-anything/what-happens-at-the-end-of-the-age/20167.article What’s the fine print on the Second Coming…https://www.premierunbelievable.com/ask-nt-wright-anything/whats-the-fine-print-on-the-second-coming-the-transfiguration-and-michael-heisers-unseen-realm/21128.article Should I use the word ‘heaven’? Will we know everything in the new creation? https://www.premierunbelievable.com/ask-nt-wright-anything/ask-nt-wright-anything-145-should-i-use-the-word-heaven-will-we-know-everything-in-the-new-creation/14366.article Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are Christians a “third race” - a new people distinct from both Jews and Gentiles? Mike Bird puts the provocative idea to Tom Wright, tracing it from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians to the earliest Christian writers. Tom explains why “race” is a dangerous and misleading term today, but argues that Paul really does see something radically new emerging through Jesus: a people rooted in Israel’s story, yet opened to every nation through the Messiah. This is not replacement theology, Wright insists, but “not supersession, but enlargement.” So what does this mean for Christians now? Tom turns to church unity, arguing that divisions of ethnicity, culture and denomination can obscure one of Christianity’s most startling claims: the Church is meant to embody a new, transcultural way of being human. Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 ❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com 👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)

Are people basically good, or fundamentally sinful? Did Jesus teach salvation by works in the Sermon on the Mount? In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird explore what the Bible really says about human nature, arguing that our primary identity is not simply "good" or "bad" but people created for God's vocation. They also examine one of the New Testament's enduring mysteries, the identity of the "beloved disciple" in John's Gospel, and ask whether we can know who he really was. Finally, Tom tackles a common misunderstanding of the Sermon on the Mount, explaining why Jesus' teaching is not legalism but a vision of what life looks like when God's kingdom breaks into the world.Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the Holy Spirit actually for? In this bonus episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird challenge two common assumptions: that the Spirit is simply a consolation while Christians wait for Jesus to return, or primarily a source of extraordinary spiritual experiences and gifts. Drawing on Romans 8, Acts 2 and Ephesians, Tom explains how the Spirit fits into God’s much bigger purpose of new creation. The Church, filled with God’s Spirit, is called to become a sign in the present of what God ultimately intends for the whole world. Tom and Mike explore Pentecost, spiritual gifts, mission, the Kingdom of God and why being “filled with the Spirit” is about much more than individual experience. What might this mean for the Church today? Support & Subscribe 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 ❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com 👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking here Follow us Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE)

What if you genuinely want to love God, but find yourself more excited by your work, hobbies or a good novel than by reading the Bible? Does that mean something is wrong with your faith?In this episode of Ask NT Wright Anything, Tom Wright and Mike Bird respond to a listener wrestling with fear, assurance and what it really means to desire God. Tom offers a refreshingly different way of thinking about prayer, Scripture and ordinary human passions — including why loving your vocation or even enjoying a crime novel need not compete with loving God.They also tackle the difficult ethical question of whether Christians can work in the defence industry, asking where personal conscience, national defence and responsibility for how our work is ultimately used should meet.Finally, they turn to the trial of Jesus: where exactly did Pontius Pilate judge him, how public would the proceedings have been, and could the Gospel accounts realistically preserve what happened during that extraordinary night?Support & Subscribe👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡❓Got a question for Tom? Go to askntwright.com👉 Refer a friend to become a subscriber → They can get 10% off by clicking hereFollow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: https://x.com/UnbelievableFE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices