John Dickson

Australian writer, speaker, and academic—public advocate for the Christian Faith

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Is Jesus Western culture's most influential figure?
ABC Myf Warhurst

September 2019

Whether you're a fan or not there's no denying the impact of Jesus of Nazareth on Western culture.

From our moral compass and what we think of as right and wrong, to our annual calendar of holidays, Jesus has left his mark.

In his latest book Is Jesus History, academic Dr John Dickson argues that knowledge of Jesus is important for everyone, non-believers and all.

 

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John Dickson 'totally awakened' to Australian Aid
Eternity News

April 2019

After a trip to Jordan and Lebanon looking at the role of Australian Aid, John Dickson is making no attempt to downplay the deep impact the experience had on him.


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Dickson appointment to train a new generation to promote Christ
Eternity News

March 2019

Ridley College has appointed historian and Christian apologist John Dickson to its faculty, to bring a “public Christianity twist” to its teaching.


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The Aussie Bible scholar taking Jesus to doubters
Premier Christian Radio

February 2019

John Dickson tells Justin Brierley about how he found faith, life in an an evangelistic rock band, helping Hillsong write their song 'The Creed', making the case for Jesus to sceptics, and his new film documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is Better and Worse Than You Ever Imagined

 

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If Australia Day must be January 26, let us lament before rejoicing
Sydney Morning Herald

January 2019

If Australia is to keep the date of Australia Day, John Dickson suggests the day must begin with national lament and thanksgiving for Indigenous Australians before celebrating the blessings that also flowed from 26 January 1788.


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Atheism may be on the wane in Britain
Eternity

January 2019

With atheism on the wane in Britain – according to a new survey – public advocate for the Christian faith, John Dickson, predicts that we may be entering an era when the number of people claiming to be atheists declines.


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Christianity and the Roman empire
Radio National Breakfast

December 2018

John Dickson examines early Christianity and its relationship to imperial power.

 

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Religion needs tough love
Spirit of Things

December 2018

John Dickson explains why he is interested in a generous, thoughtful Christianity that answers any questions the public has toward the faith.

 

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The Positive Contributions of People of Faith – Part 1
Real Faith

October 2018

Many people in secular society have an overwhelmingly negative view of the Christian faith. They are largely unaware of the many positive contributions that people of faith have made over the years. John helps set the record straight and shares many of the positive stories of Christianity.


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5 books on why Reading the Bible is Important
Bible Gateway blog

October 2018

John briefly discusses five books that encourage people to read the Bible.


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Australian Christian Book of the Year Shortlist announced
Books+Publishing

July 2018

John Dickson’s book ‘A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus’ was shortlisted for the 2018 Christian Book of the Year


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A fragment of Mark’s Gospel
Eternity

June 2018

A Greek papyrus discovered by the Egypt Exploration Society (EES) is likely to be the earliest fragment of the Gospel of Mark, dated from between AD 150-250. According to John Dickson, the discovery of any manuscript is important because it expands our collection of witnesses to the ‘original New Testament’. However, this fragment was of particular importance given its early dating.


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Exploring Christian History Part 2
Studio 10

June 2018

John Dickson talks to the panel about the documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is better and worse that you ever imagined.

 

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How Christian Humility Upended the World
ABC Religion and Ethics

June 2018

Humility came to be regarded as a virtue in Western culture as a consequence of Christianity's dismantling of the all-pervasive honour-shame paradigm of the ancient world.


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What would Jesus say to the Modern Church
Eternity

May 2018

John Dickson explains that Christians need to accept that they are spiritually and morally bankrupt – or “poor in spirit” – before they are able to accept Jesus’ other teachings.


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Exploring Christian History
Studio 10

May 2018

John Dickson talks to the panel about the documentary For the Love of God: How the Church is better and worse that you ever imagined.


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For the Love of God
The Drawing Room, Radio National Drive

May 2018

Patricia Karvelas grills Justine Toh and John Dickson on RN Drive about the best and worst of Christian history.


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A Doubters Guide To Jesus
Moody Radio

March 2018

The central question of Christianity is, “Who is Jesus?” But there’s a lot of doubt and confusion about him. John Dickson will answer that question from the earliest historical sources.


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‘I am a world-class doubter’
Eternity

March 2018

There is good news for doubters: you are not alone. Even Christian pastor, author and public speaker John Dickson says he has doubted pretty much everything he now believes is true.


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Jesus is not who you think he is
Eternity

January 2018

The Jesus that exists in the public imagination, and, it would seem, in the minds of many Christians, is markedly different from the figure we find in our earliest sources.


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A Triumph Over the Pharisees?
ABC Religion and Ethics

November 2017
Why Julia Baird is wrong about Christian support for same-sex marriage.


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The true meaning of Easter
The Daily Drive, Omny FM

April 2017
John Dickson chats to Nick Bennett on The Daily Drive about the true meaning of Easter.


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Bite size answers to big faith questions
hope 103.2

March 2017

“Is Science and God opposed? If God is real, why is there so much suffering? How can we trust the bible?”


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10 reasons why you can trust the Bible
Eternity

March 2017

Christianity's sacred texts, and especially those surrounding Jesus, pass the test of history with flying colours.


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Piercing the Sadness: How God resolves the world’s discord
ABC Religion and Ethics

December 2016

God intends to take all the discord and sadness and somehow weave it back into his eternal melody.


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Can we love our enemies in a godless world?
The Drum

May 2016

To suggest Jesus never told anyone what to believe in is not only historically wrong, it misses the essential connection between what we believe and how we treat others.


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Lift your spirits
Radio National

October 2015

A husband suddenly incapacitated, a wife struck down with depression challenge their partners to find ways to help them and not fall into depression themselves.


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Think Religion is Detrimental to Mental Health? Think Again
ABC Religion and Ethics

October 2015

If you genuinely think this temporal, material reality comes from a timeless immaterial Mind, all aspects of life are infused with added meaning.


Is there still a place for SRE in schools?  
Daily Telegraph

April 2015

John Dickson makes a case in the Daily Telegraph for the importance of teaching kids about the Christian faith as part of their cultural backstory.


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Minister urges for review into churches’ responses  
ABC The Drum

March 2015

John Dickson from the Centre for Public Christianity has called for an independent review into churches' responses to domestic violence. He talks with The Drum's Julia Baird.


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The church must confront domestic abuse  
ABC The Drum

March 2015

Conservative evangelical institutions should urgently consider commissioning a study into both the prevalence of domestic violence in churches and clergy responses to it, write Natasha Moore and John Dickson at The Drum.


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Why Stephen Fry’s Complaint Against God is Unconvincing - if You’re a Christian  
ABC Religion and Ethics

February 2015

A different take on evil, suffering, and faith: John Dickson walks us through the logic of the Christian position, at ABC Religion and Ethics.


Rising tide of cynicism towards the Bible  
Fox News

February 2015

John Dickson appeared on Fox News to discuss his new book, A Doubter's Guide to the Bible.


It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas ...  
ABC Religion and Ethics

December 2014

You can almost set your clock by it. Another article appears arguing Jesus never lived - so Christmas must be upon us. At ABC Religion and Ethics John Dickson responds to his former student, Raphael Lataster.