In this episode Dan and Paul embark on an exploration of John's Gospel, unraveling its sense of majesty and mystery right from the opening verses. They discuss the unique structure and content of John's Gospel, comparing it to the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—highlighting its distinct opening, key themes, and the explicit purpose stated in John's narrative. They delve into the significance of belief, the role of witnessing, and the powerful symbolism of water and blood, offering a compelling argument for understanding John’s Gospel as a carefully selected collection of events aimed at strengthening the reader's faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
John's gospel climaxes when a series of people come to belief in Jesus. What’s fascinating is the different stages of belief that each individual represents - from scepticism to an embracing conviction and everything in between.
This episode is all about the new book “Founding a Faith” by Tom Gaston. Dan Weatherall asks Tom about some of the concepts explored in the book, such as whether we should build our faith like a tower with a foundation or as a flexible web of interconnected ideas – which is more resilient?
Is faith a simplistic, blind belief in something? Is it a gift that some people have and so are able to trust in something without question or doubt? Or does it require evidence which is open to doubt, questions, even confusion? Josh Dean and Paul Davenport discuss some Biblical examples of faith and find that it really is not so simple after all.