Holy Spirit

In this one, Graham Mike and Jane have fancy new microphones (so a better audio experience for all). They talk about the Prosperity Gospel, whether the fall is an event or a process, and whether the Holy Spirit is a person, a force or a thing.

This one involves two special guests - Professor Miroslav Volf from Yale University and Professor David Ford from Cambridge University, in conversation with the usuals - Graham, Jane and Mike, recorded at the Holy Spirit in the World Today conference.

Mike, Jane and Chris explore the strengths and weaknesses of different translations of the Bible, including the King James Version, the New International Version, and The Message. The team also addresses the question of what we are to make of apparent contradictions in the Bible. Can all such passages be reconciled with one another? Or are they reflections of the different concerns of their authors? And, finally, did the Holy Spirit reveal truths to the Church Fathers that hadn't been revealed earlier to the apostles? [Recorded 21 May 2009]

Why didn’t Jesus write his own Gospel? Chris Tilling joins Graham, Mike, and Jane again to discuss the legacy of Jesus in the writing of the New Testament, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the institution of the sacraments. And can God answer the prayers of people who wouldn’t consider themselves Christians, or who follow other faiths? How might we think about the intercession of saints?

Andrew Walker, Professor of Theology and Education at King’s College London, joins Graham, Mike, and Jane to discuss ecumenicism and the Holy Spirit. Taking us through the debates and councils of the early church, Andrew explains the background to the different understandings of the nature of the Holy Spirit between the eastern and western churches. He also adds a personal note, talking about his own journey of faith and his membership of the Orthodox Church.

Our three theologians grapple with the doctrine of the Trinity and its relation to the cross. In Mark’s gospel, Jesus cries out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). What does this cry of dereliction tell us about the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Can God suffer? Can he change? Is God’s action sometimes ‘hidden’, as Pascal suggested? Graham, Mike, and Jane go on to consider the relationship between prayer and time and the nature of human participation in the work of God.