History's Last Stand

Premier Unbelievable?
Premier Unbelievable?
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Christianity
  • Weekly

History is under siege. In History’s Last Stand, Michael Bird brings leading historians into lively, accessible conversations about the people, events and ideas that shaped our world. From ancient empires, biblical and Church history, Rome, the Crusades and the Reformation to revolutions, wars and modern history, the series asks what really happened, why it matters and how the past still shapes the present. Michael Bird is an Australian theologian, historian and author based at Ridley College in Melbourne. Premier audiences will already know him as the co-host of Ask NT Wright Anything podcast with Tom Wright.

  1. 2d ago

    1776 Part 2: How Christianity, Wealth and ‘Follow Your Heart’ Changed the West | Andrew Wilson

    Why do we believe that following our hearts will lead to happiness? And why did Western nations become so extraordinarily wealthy?In the second part of his conversation with Michael F. Bird, author and theologian Andrew Wilson explores the revolutionary ideas that emerged around 1776 and continue to shape modern society.Drawing on his acclaimed book Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West, Wilson examines the rise of Romanticism, the modern obsession with authenticity and the profound influence of thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau.The conversation then turns to the Great Enrichment, exploring competing explanations for Western prosperity, including Christianity, Protestant innovation, capitalism, colonial exploitation and geography.From the French Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, discover why understanding 1776 may be essential to understanding ourselves.History’s Last Stand, hosted by Dr Michael F. Bird, explores the extraordinary people, events and ideas that shaped our world.Subscribe & Support👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the History's Last Stand podcast at https://www.premier.plus/historys-last-stand-with-michael-bird🎙️🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com/ 📢 Follow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. 2d ago

    1776 Part 1: Did Christianity Create the Modern West? Andrew Wilson

    Was 1776 the most important year in modern history? And how much of today's supposedly secular Western world still owes its values to Christianity?In this episode of History’s Last Stand, Dr Michael F. Bird welcomes Andrew Wilson, author of Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West, for a fascinating exploration of the year that changed everything.From the American Declaration of Independence and Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations to the Industrial Revolution and the rise of atheism, Wilson reveals how seven extraordinary transformations converged to create the modern world.But the conversation goes deeper. Were universal human rights really self-evident? What did Benjamin Franklin change in Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence? And did Christianity leave such a profound imprint on Western civilisation that even its critics continue to think in Christian categories?The conversation also explores the emergence of modern unbelief, the influence of Voltaire, David Hume and the Marquis de Sade, and the surprising relationship between Protestantism and paganism in contemporary culture.Discover why understanding 1776 may be the key to understanding the modern West.History’s Last Stand, hosted by Dr Michael F. Bird, brings the extraordinary events, personalities and ideas of history to life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Oct 29

    The Queen Who Defied Rome | Nathaniel Andrade & Mike Bird

    Was Queen Zenobia of Palmyra greater than Cleopatra? She built an empire stretching across the Roman East, but her extraordinary reign came to a dramatic end when Emperor Aurelian marched against her.In Part 2, Dr Michael F. Bird and historian Dr Nathaniel Andrade uncover the battles that destroyed Zenobia's ambitions, her capture and the mystery surrounding her ultimate fate.They also explore the surprising role of early Christianity in Zenobia's empire, the prejudices she faced as a female ruler and a fascinating historical question: could the survival of Palmyra have changed the future of the Middle East?A remarkable story of power, ambition and a forgotten queen who deserves to be as famous as Cleopatra.Featuring Dr Nathaniel Andrade, author of Zenobia: Shooting Star of Palmyra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Oct 21

    Queen Zenobia: The Forgotten Woman Who Challenged Rome | Dr Nathanael Andrade (Part 1)

    Was Queen Zenobia more successful than Cleopatra?In the third century AD, as Rome struggled against invasion, political chaos and a devastating military defeat, an extraordinary woman emerged from the Syrian desert to build an empire.Mike Bird is joined by historian Dr Nathanael Andrade, author of Zenobia: Shooting Star of Palmyra, to explore the dramatic rise of Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra.From the assassination of her husband to her remarkable military expansion across the Roman East, discover how Zenobia seized power, protected her young son and challenged the might of Rome itself.Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Subscribe to History's Last Stand to discover what happened when Rome finally fought back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Oct 14

    The stolen Gospel scandal: An Oxford professor and First Century Mark w/ Stephen Carlson

    Was a sensational discovery of the earliest Gospel of Mark too good to be true?When rumours emerged of a first-century fragment of Mark's Gospel, biblical scholars and Christian apologists were electrified. Such a discovery could bring us astonishingly close to the original New Testament writings. But the manuscript's story took an extraordinary turn.Dr. Mike Bird is joined by Dr Stephen Carlson of Australian Catholic University to investigate the First Century Mark controversy, involving a renowned Oxford papyrologist, American manuscript collectors, allegations of stolen antiquities and a multimillion-dollar legal dispute.From the dating of ancient papyrus to the ethics of the antiquities trade, they explore how a genuine and important manuscript became the centre of a scandal, and what it reveals about the search for the earliest Christian texts.History's Last Stand with Michael Bird explores the extraordinary, controversial and sometimes unbelievable stories that shaped our world. Subscribe for a new episode every Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Oct 7

    The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife: How a biblical forgery fooled the experts

    Did Jesus have a wife? For a brief moment, a tiny piece of ancient-looking papyrus appeared to offer extraordinary new evidence. The so-called Gospel of Jesus’ Wife was unveiled by a Harvard scholar and made headlines around the world. But there was a problem: the fragment was almost certainly a modern forgery. New Testament scholar Stephen Carlson joins Mike Bird to uncover the extraordinary story behind the papyrus. How did suspicious Coptic, material copied from the internet and a mysterious collector eventually expose the hoax? And what does the scandal reveal about money, academic ambition and confirmation bias? Carlson and Bird explore why even experts can be vulnerable when a discovery appears to confirm exactly what they hoped to find. History’s Last Stand with Mike Bird. Subscribe & Support 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the History's Last Stand podcast at History's Last Stand with Michael Bird - Premier Plus🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com/ 📢 Instagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Facebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable X: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Follow us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Oct 1

    The Secret Gospel of Mark: Christianity’s Greatest Hoax?

    A lost gospel. A missing manuscript. And an extraordinary accusation of forgery.Mike Bird talks to New Testament scholar Stephen Carlson about the Secret Gospel of Mark, the sensational text discovered by Morton Smith in 1958.Was it an authentic window into early Christianity, an ancient fake, or an elaborate modern hoax?Carlson reveals the linguistic clues, anachronisms and apparent “Easter eggs” that led him to make the case against one of biblical scholarship’s most controversial discoveries.Subscribe & Support👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the History's Last Stand podcast at https://www.premier.plus/historys-last-stand-with-michael-bird🎙️🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com/ 📢 Follow usInstagram: https://instagram.com/premierunbelievableFacebook: https://facebook.com/premierunbelievableTik Tok: https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievableX: Premier Unbelievable? (@UnbelievableFE) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Sep 23

    Artemis, Paul and “saved through childbearing” | Sandra Glahn

    Why does Paul say women will be “saved through childbearing”? Mike Bird is joined by Dr Sandra Glahn, author of Nobody’s Mother, to explore Artemis of Ephesus, one of the ancient world’s most powerful goddesses. They uncover a cult intertwined with childbirth, magic, wealth and civic life, and ask how understanding Artemis changes the way we read Acts 19 and 1 Timothy. Was Paul’s controversial teaching about women understood very differently by its first-century audience? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

History is under siege. In History’s Last Stand, Michael Bird brings leading historians into lively, accessible conversations about the people, events and ideas that shaped our world. From ancient empires, biblical and Church history, Rome, the Crusades and the Reformation to revolutions, wars and modern history, the series asks what really happened, why it matters and how the past still shapes the present. Michael Bird is an Australian theologian, historian and author based at Ridley College in Melbourne. Premier audiences will already know him as the co-host of Ask NT Wright Anything podcast with Tom Wright.

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