We return to the Bible this week, to the thorny topic of how we deal with difficult Bible verses, particularly verses about eternal punishment and divine vengeance. As our correspondent puts it, it's like Biblical whack-a-mole: you hammer one passage down, only to see new ones pop up. So we talk about the inadequacy of systematic theology, the need to recognise contradiction and mystery and how everybody, frankly, is whacking their moles. Most importantly, we consider how, despite the difficulties, we can continue to engage with and be inspired by the scriptures.

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Mentioned in this episode:

• Wicked
• Dune: Part One
• Dune: Part Two
• Nick Page, The Badly Behaved Bible
• Gregory Macdonald, The Evangelical Universalist
• Midrash

Happy new year (although, as we all know, the official Mid-faith Crisis New Year isn't until March). Anyway we're back, and in this episode we mark a special anniversary - 45 years since Nick became a Christian. So, what's changed? How did we understand 'conversion' back then and how do we understand it now? And how do we see our purpose today, all those years later?

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• Contact the podcast through your email machine
• Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page
• Nick's Blog

Mentioned in this episode:

• Discussing the new year in Episode 229 (Starts at 10:25)
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
• The Traitors
• Red One
• The Holdovers
• What is the good news? Nick’s version

Happy Christmas! In this festive episode we share – and then judge – our Christmas micro-sermons. Also we think about the practices that will nourish us this Christmas and reflect on how the darkness and worry of the nativity stories does not diminish the life and hope. Remember everyone – you're still alive, and that's a wonderful thing!

• Support the podcast
• Contact the podcast through your email machine
• Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page
• Nick's Blog

Mentioned in this episode:

• Strictly Come Dancing FInal
• Coldplay - ALL MY LOVE (Official Video)
• Coldplay - ALL MY LOVE (Official Video) (Directors' Cut)
• Conclave
• Winter solstice