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Matters of Life and Death

Matters of Life and Death

By: Premier Unbelievable?
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Summary

 In each episode of Matters of Life and Death, brought to you by Premier Unbelievable?, John Wyatt and his son Tim discuss issues in healthcare, ethics, technology, science, faith and more. John is a doctor, professor of ethics, and writer and speaker on many of these topics, while Tim is a religion and social affairs journalist. We talk about how Christians can better engage with a particular question of life, death or something else in between.Premier Unbelievable? Science Spirituality
Episodes
  • The Biobank data leak: Privacy, knowledge and the humility of faith over sight

    The Biobank data leak: Privacy, knowledge and the humility of faith over sight
    May 6 2026
    Our discussion today begins with the concerning news that a world-leading database of medical records, the UK’s Biobank, has suffered an embarrassing leak after hundreds of thousands of confidential records were put up for sale on a Chinese website. Biobank is a pioneering collection of data from half a million Brits, who altruistically donated their records, blood, DNA and more for medical research. But how can we balance the competing demands of strict medical confidentiality with the growing need for big data for both cutting-edge research and thrusting commercial development? Is privacy a particularly Christian idea anyway? Should we be celebrating these altruistic souls for their service despite the personal risks of leaks? And what does the Biblical narrative and the limitations God places on his image-bearers have to say about our modern grasping for all-encompassing knowledge? • You can send in your questions for us to discuss on the podcast, or ideas for future episodes, to molad@premier.org.uk • Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 • If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com • Find some of Tim's journalism and sign up for free to his weekly church news newsletter The Critical Friend: https://tswyatt.com • For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com
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    53 mins
  • Does Jesus want to stop the boats? The immigration and asylum culture wars, with Krish Kandiah

    Does Jesus want to stop the boats? The immigration and asylum culture wars, with Krish Kandiah
    Apr 29 2026
    Much of the political conversation in the UK and the United States in recent years has been dominated by immigration and asylum. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have been competing to offer up ever tougher approaches to cut immigration, deport unauthorised migrants and deter illegal border crossings. There are Christians on all sides of the debate, so how do we discern a truly Christ-centred and ethical policy position? What can we draw from the teachings of Jesus to help us figure out where the church should stand on borders, identity and refugees? This week we’re joined by theologian, writer, charity founder and entrepreneur Krish Kandiah to think through these deeply contested questions. • You can send in your questions for us to discuss on the podcast, or ideas for future episodes, to molad@premier.org.uk • Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 • If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com • Find some of Tim's journalism and sign up for free to his weekly church news newsletter The Critical Friend: https://tswyatt.com • For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com
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    59 mins
  • The hollowed-out state: Can the church reinspire public service?

    The hollowed-out state: Can the church reinspire public service?
    Apr 22 2026
    Our conversation today begins with a report into the significant deterioration of healthcare systems across the Western world in the six years since the covid pandemic. Regardless of billions being poured into them, public satisfaction and health outcomes are steadily declining in hospitals around the world in the aftermath of the covid crisis, as a “doom loop” of waiting lists, more sick patients, and burned out staff cycles round. And it’s not just healthcare: large parts of the modern state seems fragile or crumbling under the strain prompted by our series of geopolitical shocks in recent years, from pandemics and trade wars to shooting wars and energy crises. We then reflect on why it might be harder to encourage people into working for their government or local council these days, and if the church has a role to reinspire interest in public service. Or has the church too become trapped in the hyper-individualism and grasping obsession with self-fulfilment which characterises 21st century culture? Read The Economist article which inspired our conversation here: https://www.economist.com/international/2026/04/09/hospitals-are-stuck-in-a-deadly-doom-loop • You can send in your questions for us to discuss on the podcast, or ideas for future episodes, to molad@premier.org.uk • Subscribe to the Matters of Life and Death podcast: https://pod.link/1509923173 • If you want to go deeper into some of the topics we discuss, visit John's website: http://www.johnwyatt.com • Find some of Tim's journalism and sign up for free to his weekly church news newsletter The Critical Friend: https://tswyatt.com • For more resources to help you explore faith and the big questions, visit: http://www.premierunbelievable.com
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    42 mins
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