God Forbid

Is racism about skin colour, colonialism or wealth? 17.07.2026 54min

Is racism about the colour of your skin, the history of colonialism, or the size of your bank account?

What does God expect of fathers? 10.07.2026 54min

The White House has a cage fight on the Whitehouse front lawn while, somewhere, a father rose at 3am to feed a crying baby. In 2026, what does it mean to be a good father, or a good man? Does God, or any religious tradition, see men as something distinct? Or is “be a good man” just “be a good person”? The manosphere claims religious sanction. Is that a corruption of these traditions, or an expression of them? Three fathers, three frameworks. What do you or can you actually hand onto your son? GUESTS: Rev Dr Michael Jensen is an Anglican minister, an Oxford theologian, and a father of four. He’ll tell you God has a design for men — but hear him out, because I reckon it’s not what you’re expecting. A/Prof Adis Duderija is a scholar of Islam and gender at Griffith University — an expert on how his own tradition understands the rights and responsibilities of manhood. That too is more nuanced than its given credit for. And a father to two teenagers. Zac Seidler is a psychologist who studies what young men actually watch online. He’s professor at Orygen, Australia's Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health. And, as of this year, a brand-new dad.

Why do animals matter? 03.07.2026 54min

Do to a dog what we do to a factory-farmed pig, and you’d be arrested. Do it to ten thousand pigs in a shed, and it’s breakfast. Most of us say cruelty to animals is wrong. And then most of us are happy to have them killed and eat them. Both our panellists think the way we treat animals is a moral catastrophe. But they get there by opposite roads. One says animals matter because they suffer. The other says they matter because they’re God’s creatures. GUESTS: Peter Singer Emeritus Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University. Host of the podcast Lives Well Lived. 50 years ago exactly, his book Animal Liberation launched the modern animal liberation movement as we know it. David Clough Professor of Theology and Applied Sciences, University of Aberdeen. Author of the two-volume work On Animals. He’s a Methodist Preacher and Co-founder of CreatureKind which aims to transform Christian attitudes and practices toward animals.

How old do you feel? 26.06.2026 53min

We are, it turns out, a species that refuses to believe its own birth certificate. Australia is ageing, fast. This is not new here, or in Europe and North America where the trend has existed for decades. But even in China and now India, the fertility rate has dropped below replacement levels – even the two most populous nations on earth are getting older. Yet we’ve built a world — our economies, our cities, our pension systems, our cultures — around the young and the productive. So, what happens when that's no longer who we are? GUESTS: Prof Paul Komesaroff is a philosopher at Monash University. And a practising endocrinologist. And Director of the Centre for Ethics in Medicine and Society. Dr Lee-Fay Low is Professor in Ageing and Health at University of Sydney. She’s also a registered psychologist and chairs the Sydney Dementia Network.

The pleasure we take in others' misfortune and what it says about us 19.06.2026 54min

You heard that someone had come unstuck. A rival. A bully. Someone overconfident, or two-faced, or just a bit too pleased with themselves. And something in you was glad. You won't say it out loud. You might barely admit it to yourself. But the Germans have a word for it. And it turns out, so did the ancient Greeks. Schadenfreude. The pleasure we take in others' misfortune. Is it a moral failing? A sign of deficient character? Or is it a window into what we actually believe about justice, equality — and each other? GUESTS: Tiffany Watt-Smith is a cultural historian and author of Schadenfreude: The Joy of Another's Misfortune. She joins us from London. Nick Haslam is Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne, and the man who's been thinking hard about Australia's national variant — tall poppy syndrome.

The ideas that inspired American Christian Zionism 12.06.2026 54min

Whether or not you believe in - or even know about "the Rapture", "the Tribulation", "the End Times", and "Armageddon", your life is influenced by the idea that Jesus Christ will not only return, he’ll go to Jerusalem, and from there, for exactly one thousand years, he’ll rule the world. Yet, this concept is not in the Bible...at least not directly. But a bible, published in America in 1909, and written by an American made it the most influential concepts in American Christian fundamentalism. The story of the Scofield Reference Bible is an extraordinary one. Not least because it lies at the heart of Christian Zionism which is more consequential today than ever. GUESTS: Professor Donald Akenson is from Queen's University in Ontario, his latest book The Americanization of the Apocalypse: Creating America's Own Bible. Dr Robyn Whitaker is Associate Professor of New Testament at Melbourne’s University of Divinity – among her titles Revelation for Normal People.

How should we view our relationship to work? 05.06.2026 54min

Most of us spend most of our waking hours working, paid and unpaid. From housework to paid work, most of our lives are dominated by work. It's so ingrained that losing our true selves in work can feel unavoidable. Yet, many also find purpose, value, and joy in work – even if it's not their dream job. Work is less a place and more a concept, the line between work and home can be blurred. And younger Gen-Z workers are repelled by the hustle culture and burnout that comes from increased casualisation, unpaid overtime and labour shortages. It’s why for Millennials, nearly 2 in 3 say work is a part of who they are. But for Gen Z, half say their job is not even a central part of their identity. So how, when and why do we work? GUESTS: Valerie Ling founded The Centre for Effective Serving, a psychology practice dedicated to alleviating burnout and other workplace problems. Kara Martin is Adjunct Professor at Boston's Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She's also the author of Workship: How to Use your Work to Worship God. Rabbi Zalman Kastel is founder of Together For Humanity which teaches intercultural understanding in schools and the community.

The seen and unseen: Belief in Jinns, Marian apparitions and Japanese yokai 29.05.2026 53min

Halloween, in the western Christian tradition, remembers the dead – saints, martyrs, and all the faithful departed. But why do so many believe the departed return? Regardless of the place on earth, or time in history, people say they see strange apparitions and ghostly figures. And as for things unseen, even more profess a belief in genies, spirits, angels and supernatural entities. All these ideas and feelings are traditionally laid bare in this realm of the supernatural, the boundaries of dark and light, good and evil, in our human imagination. That’s why God Forbid panellist Ali A. Olomi studies genies – or jinn as they’re known in the Muslim world. He's a popular podcaster and Assistant Professor of History at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Kristy Nabhan-Warren is Professor and Chair in Catholic Studies at the University of Iowa. She is an expert on Marian apparitions – the supernatural appearance of Mary, mother of Jesus. And in Seattle Washington, Zack Davisson is an award winning author, lecturer, and Japanese language translator – and expert in yokai, the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore.

Home economics: waking up from the Australian dream 22.05.2026 54min

The government has removed favourable tax settings for investors to make home ownership just a bit more achievable for Millennials and Gen Z’s priced out of the market. The Prime Minister has spoken about the importance of giving young people access to housing so they have “a stake in the economy” Is tinkering with, or even an overhaul, of the housing market really the only answer to growing wealth gaps in Australia? What if we can move towards a totally different economic structure that serves everyone? And what do some of Australia's faith communities say about what that model might look like? GUESTS: Dr Julie Macken Research and Project Officer of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney’s Justice and Peace Office, and author of Australia’s Schism in the soul: colonization, asylum seekers, and a nation’s failure to mourn Asad Ansari, a specialist in Islamic finance, with 25 years of experience across Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, and Co-founder of Amanah Islamic Finance Dr Jonathon Cornford runs Manna Gum, an independent Christian non-profit thinktank, and podcast host of Mannacast

Doomsday or just good planning? The ethics of prepping 15.05.2026 54min

From climate disasters to economic collapse, pandemics to political unrest — some people prepare for the worst long before it happens. But is prepping a sign of prudent foresight or a loss of faith in society? And how do ethics and religion shape ideas of survival? In this episode we explore the growing culture of preppers and survivalists, from community resilience to billionaire bunkers. Are preppers visionaries, doomsayers, or just realists? And in a crisis, what do we owe each other? GUESTS: Dr. Bradley Garrett – Social geographer and author of Bunker: What It Takes to Survive the Apocalypse. Dr. Tom Doig – Journalist and author of the upcoming book We Are All Preppers Now. John Scarinci – Secretary General of the Australian Peoples Survival League. Tracy Simmons – Journalist, religion reporter, and executive director of FāVS News, a religion news website in the Pacific Northwest. This episode of God Forbid was made on Gadigal land and in Meanjin. And was first broadcast March 2025.

Can we truly love AI? And can it love us back? 06.05.2026 54min

Falling in love with a machine is supposed to be the stuff of science-fiction. About a decade ago, Spike Jonze made the film Her, about a lonely man Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, falling in love with his operating system, Samantha. And the world renowned psychoanalyst Esther Perel recently counselled a man and his romantic partner, a chat bot! Is romantic love just in our hearts and heads, or does it require another human to be real? If an AI lover is always patient, understanding, never challenges you, and you never have to pick up after them, how could a human ever compete? Is AI the ultimate cure for human loneliness? Can AI fill the God-shaped hole in us? GUESTS: Professor Meghan Sullivan, Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. Also, the Founding Director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good Caragh OBrien, author of AnnieBot (written under the pen name Sierra Greer) a novel told from the perspective of a robot girlfriend for a man called Doug. AnnieBot won the 2025 Arthur C. Clarke award for UK science fiction book of the year. Professor Uri Gal, Professor of Business Information Systems at the University of Sydney Business School, whose research focuses on the organisational and ethical aspects of digital technologies - his recent article for the ABC is here.

Addiction, God, and the origin of the twelve steps 01.05.2026 54min

Since the Stone Age we’ve used, and abused, drugs and alcohol. And some cultures believed their mood-altering effects brought you closer to God. But if you go to an Alcoholics Anonymous or AA meeting today, you’ll be told that getting closer to God means getting away from the drink. AA also welcomes atheists, of course, as the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. But as part of the program, surrendering to a higher power is essential. Not necessarily God, but something outside of the bondage of self. But why does the twelve step program work brilliantly for some — and fail miserably for others? And what are the spiritual roots of the program? And it's not just alcoholism, there are twelve step programs for gamblers, social media and sex addicts, also overeaters and clutterers anonymous. GUESTS: Joanna Thyer, Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Coordinator at the University of Technology Sydney. She's also author of 12 Steps to Spiritual Freedom - Understanding the Christian Roots of Twelve Step Programs, and Steps to Life. Melinda Lake, psychologist and co-founder & CEO of Australian Recovery Centres in Northern NSW. She's also worked with AABCAP on Addiction in Buddhism and Psychotherapy. Amber Rules, Clinical psychotherapist and Director of Sydney Addictions Recovery in Sydney's inner west.

Christian leaders talk war, the Pope, getting arrested, courage and empathy 24.04.2026 54min

Pope Leo XIV has recently slammed the use of God's name to justify what he terms as the "absurd" pursuit of war, specifically challenging military leaders who describe operations in Iran as a holy war "in the name of Jesus Christ". Is a "holy war" antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ? Sister Brigid Arthur, Rev Tim Costello and Rev Michael Woolf certainly think so. All of them have been at the forefront of contemporary societal battles about some of the most pressing issues of our day: asylum seekers and refugees, gambling reform and homelessness. So, what can Christian leaders offer us in this context? Can they be holy warriors for our most pressing concerns? GUESTS: Rev Tim Costello is Chief Advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Member of the Order of Australia, Executive Director of Micah Australia. Rev Dr Michael Woolf is Senior Minister of Lake Street Church of Evanston in the US state of Illinois and Co-Associate Regional Minister with the American Baptist Church, and author of Sanctuary and Subjectivity: Thinking Theologically about Whiteness and Sanctuary Movements Sister Brigid Arthur is a Brigidine sister who coordinates the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, which advocates for asylum seekers, and helps them out with practical needs like housing, rent and utilities, friendship.

Why do adults still need fairytales? 17.04.2026 54min

Fairytales are among the oldest forms of human storytelling, with their roots in the oral traditions of pre-literate societies. Over centuries, these tales have been reworked to suit the religious, moral and political order of the day. They are instructive, entertaining and sometimes terrifying. Why is there this ongoing appeal – indeed a revival – of fairytales among young and old alike? Guests: Marguerite Johnson, classicist, historian and Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland. Tom Wright, theatre writer and Artistic Associate at Belvoir Street Theatre in Sydney Michelle Smith, Associate Professor in Literary Studies at Monash University This program first aired in March 2024

The Orthodox surge 10.04.2026 54min

It’s Eastern Orthodox Easter this weekend, where the faithful will announce to each other Christos Anesti. Christ is Risen. Also risen? The fortunes of Eastern Orthodoxy among men – though this is contested. Over the last 50 years, the numbers of people around the world identifying as religious have dropped. But the numbers of Christians seem to have stabilised, just in the last few years. Why?

Why are the Middle Ages are still relevant today? 03.04.2026 54min

If you go to the movies, or turn on your TV, you’ll find it hard to avoid the medieval fantasy genre. With its castles and fortresses, cloaks and crowns, and even dungeons and dragons. The stories are fantastical but of course, fictional in their portrayal of medieval Europe and the Islamic Golden Age. But how can a better understanding of what actually happened, in a rapidly changing Europe and Middle East, 500 to 1,000 years ago, help us navigate complexities in the world today? GUESTS: Dr Michael Barbezat, Research Fellow in Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the Australian Catholic University. Dr Miles Pattenden, Senior Research Fellow in Medieval Studies, also at ACU. Dr Mahsheed Ansari, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation, Charles Sturt University. This program was first broadcast in October 2023

Is your privacy sacred? 27.03.2026 54min

Evolving digital technologies have supercharged our anxieties about privacy and surveillance. These concerns may feel new, but they have always existed. Access to privacy is central to human dignity and intimacy - but it is also conditional in a society which values openness and accountability. So what should remain seen and unseen? When does surveillance become intrusive? And can privacy survive the digital age? Guests: Anita Allen, Professor of Law and Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Hugh Breakey, Professor of Philosophy, Griffith University David Vincent, Professor Emeritus, Open Universities UK, author of Privacy: A Short History

On judgement 20.03.2026 54min

"Don't judge me" is the unofficial commandment of our secular liberal society. We're told so long as you’re not hurting anyone, live however you want. But online, judgement is relentless and cruel. Have we lost the ability to wisely judge, and — eventually — forgive? Or did we never really have it in the first place?

Is the 21st century’s version of freedom liberating or a freedom trap? 13.03.2026 54min

These days, we want Rights, not religion. Choice, not Church. Pleasure, over prayer. In Australia, and the world increasingly, the market is the Messiah, and the self is the saviour. But, if we’re the freest people who’ve ever lived, to choose our partners, careers, genders, and Gods or no God, free to buy anything, stream anything, be anything...why then do we seem to be unravelling? In a world of loneliness, anxiety, extremism, polarisation, the more we chase freedom, the more it seems to slip away. Are we in a freedom trap? GUESTS: Priyan Max Jeganathan is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Christianity, author of The Freedom Trap. Alexander Lefebvre is Professor of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Sydney. He's the author of Liberalism as a Way of Life.

International Women's Day special 07.03.2026 54min

What is the state of women in Australia and globally in 2026? Mainstream social media is increasingly clogged with misogyny, there's the horrendous revelations around Jeffrey Epstein, a rise in women killed by their partners and online harassment of women is at a peak. Are we going backwards? Guests: Ginger Gorman is a journalist and author of Troll Hunting: Inside the World of Online Hate and its Human Fallout Nayomi Kannangara is CEO of the International Women's Development Agency.