Who are we as kiwis? We have a definite set of values - but where did they come from? We also enjoy many freedoms and privileges (which many other Western nations also enjoy) that far-exceed those of most countries and cultures. Why do we have it so good?
The fact is, our history tells us a lot about who we are. The values we hold today came from our forefathers. This audio series illustrates what made us, us.
1. Education: A cure to the violence of the Germanic Goths
Hear a 4th Century effort, that is now recognized as one of the first times that someone bothered to set another culture’s language to writing - LISTEN NOW
2. Education: The translating of the Bible into common languages like ours
Hear how different the world was 600 years ago – and the activism of a few that sparked global change - LISTEN NOW
3. Education: A strange idea – education even for those who are not rich
Hear about an 8th Century French king, and what motivated him to do something that most around the globe would never yet have considered - LISTEN NOW
4. Education: Martin Luther – and the freedom of thought
Hear about a 16th Century monk who challenged the Empire in the name of truth, and free thinking - LISTEN NOW
5. Education: John Calvin – Education, even for the poor
Hear about how Luther’s ideas developed a few years later into the idea of educating even the poor – so they could read and consider the truths of religion for themselves - LISTEN NOW
6. Education: Education goes global
Hear about the global activism of Christian missionaries in the previous 4 centuries, who’s efforts established globally much of the thinking we have today about education, justice, healthcare, charity and more - LISTEN NOW
7. Education: A first NZ school – more radical than you’d think
Hear about New Zealand’s first school to teach reading and writing – and at a time when most Europeans had no regard for any ‘native’, and slavery was still in full swing globally - LISTEN NOW
8. Education: The big 19th Century shut-down for Maori
Hear about the effects of the colonial mindset in the late 1800s, as it squashed the earlier Maori and missionary mindset, leading to the closing of all Maori schools - LISTEN NOW
9. Education: New hope comes for 20th Century Maori
Hear a summary of how the shutdown of Maori education and identity came to be reversed, leading to the current era of bicultural restoration - LISTEN NOW
10. Education: What England was like at the time of New Zealand’s first school
Hear about the nation our early missionaries came from, to understand the radical activism that our nation benefitted from until shortly after the signing of Te Tiriti or Waitangi - LISTEN NOW
1. Slavery: The global norm
Gain a perspective on how widespread and ‘normal’ slavery has been in global history - LISTEN NOW
2. Slavery: Slavery in Rome
Hear how slaves were priced, and what they did - LISTEN NOW
3. Slavery: Jesus – the humanitarian activist
Gain a perspective on how radically different Jesus’ teachings and life were, when compared to the views of most cultures in history – including his own - LISTEN NOW
4. Slavery: Early Christians buying slaves
Hear a short insight into the remarkable changes in thinking that began to take place in the years following Jesus - LISTEN NOW
5. Slavery: Slavery’s first defeat in England
Hear a synopsis of the history within which views slowly changed, until the first end came to slavery in England following the Magna Carta in 1215 - LISTEN NOW
6. Slavery: Slavery makes a come-back
Hear about how successes in ending slavery were undone through the discovery of African peoples by the Portuguese and Spanish - LISTEN NOW
7. Slavery: William Wilberforce and a growing humanitarian vision
Hear about the changes in cultural thinking that followed the Clapham Groups successful campaign against the slave trade in the early 1800s - LISTEN NOW
8. Slavery: Colonisation – another form of slavery
Hear how radical Christian thinkers understood colonisation, and how they tried to stop it in New Zealand - LISTEN NOW
9. Slavery: The Treaty of Waitangi – an attempt to stop colonisation
Hear about the humanitarian activism of our early missionaries, as they and their friends in England attempted to stop the colonisation of New Zealand - LISTEN NOW
10. Slavery: The Darwin-effect in England
Hear the uncomfortable results of Darwinian theory upon the equality of the races - LISTEN NOW
11. Slavery: The Darwin-effect in Australia
Hear about the uncomfortable power of beliefs upon behaviour, as seen in the justification of racial prejudice and genocide in Australia - LISTEN NOW
12. Slavery: The Darwin-effect in South Africa
Hear about the uncomfortable power of beliefs upon behaviour, as seen in the justification of racial prejudice and genocide in South Africa - LISTEN NOW
13. Slavery: The Darwin-effect through wider-Europe
Hear about the uncomfortable power of beliefs upon behaviour, as seen in the justification of racial prejudice and genocide in America, Germany and Russia - LISTEN NOW
14. Slavery: Slavery among NZ Maori
Hear about the end of Slavery that took place among New Zealand Maori in the mid 1800s - LISTEN NOW
15. Slavery: Taumata-ā-Kura – an unexpected result of Maori slaves being freed
Hear about the significant changes in values that spread to Maori north of Gisborne following the release of a slave known as Taumata-ā-Kura - LISTEN NOW
16. Slavery: Minarapa – an unexpected result of Maori slaves being freed
Hear about the significant changes in values that spread throughout Taranaki and down to Wellington when the slave, Minarapa, was freed - LISTEN NOW
17. Slavery: Worse today than ever
Hear how the number of slaves has exploded with population growth, and the unavoidable conclusion that cruelty exists within human nature, and is only overcome in a broad way when logically consistent beliefs are adopted that can condemn it - LISTEN NOW
1. Charity: A comparison to the ancient world
Hear how global concepts of charity have not typically included care for the poor in the way we would esteem today – LISTEN NOW
2. Charity: The teachings of Jesus that changed the world
Hear how Jesus challenged the absence of true charity toward the poor and needy, while radically suggesting that all races were equal in a world where they were not – LISTEN NOW
3. Charity: Early Christians apply Jesus’ teachings
Hear how early followers of Jesus began to care for widows, orphans, the disabled, unemployed and imprisoned – even with the risk of death, in contrast to all around them – LISTEN NOW
4. Charity: Early Christians still apply Jesus’ teachings when persecuted
Hear how Christian charity in the first Century quite remarkably continued even when the Christian community was being persecuted and killed – LISTEN NOW
5. Charity: The first ‘social welfare’ system
Hear how the concept of Christian charity spread throughout the Roman Empire in a very short space of time following the conversion of Emperor Constantine (272-337AD) – LISTEN NOW
6. Charity: Christian charity during the abuses of church hierarchy
Hear how, through the darkest days of Church power-abuse in the Crusades and Inquisitions, Christian charity shone a light so bright that it drew the continued following of the people – LISTEN NOW
7. Charity: Generosity within Maori society
Hear about concepts of charity within Maori culture to their own people which displayed the same seeds of thought Christianity has suggests we apply to all people – LISTEN NOW
8. Charity: Helping the poor made fashionable again in ‘modern’ times
Hear about the rise of the Clapham Group in England, who spawned a new era in thinking on charity, with 233 charitable organisations established in a short time-frame, directly shaping the thinking and values of our society today - LISTEN NOW
9. Charity: Do religions promote generosity equally?
Hear a comparison of concepts of charity within world religions – in recognition that while all have a concept of charity, what they advocate for is significantly different – LISTEN NOW
10. Charity: The affect of beliefs in Karma on concepts of charity?
Hear Indian philosopher Vishal Mangalwade’s assessment of Hindu concepts of charity, with contrasts to those of ‘Christian’ society today – LISTEN NOW
11. Charity: The affect of core beliefs on the practice of charity?
Hear some of the similarities and difference between Buddhist concepts of charity and those of our own society today – LISTEN NOW
12. Charity: What motivates generosity? Some American statistics
Hear about the generosity levels of the world’s most generous nation – America, and of the connection between levels of generosity and religious belief – LISTEN NOW
13. Charity: What motivates generosity? Some global statistics
Hear the results of a study on the world’s most generous nations, and where New Zealand places in the list - LISTEN NOW
14 . Charity: What motivates generosity? Some New Zealand statistics
Hear the results of a Victory University of Wellington study that revealed the continuing connection religious beliefs have to levels of charity within our own nation today - LISTEN NOW
Human rights and freedoms, how did these become ours?
In this series we consider an overview of the history and process by which the freedoms we enjoy became ours – positioning us today as one of the most free, prosperous and equality based societies in the world, as also in all of human history.
What will stand out, yet again, is how significantly the teachings and values of Jesus (and the ancient Jewish practices) have been in the shaping of our cultural values and practices.
1. Human rights: The importance of history
How is culture preserved from one generation to the next – what happens when a generation fails to tell the story? - LISTEN NOW
2. Human rights: How did our society come to believe these rights are real?
Hear not only how amazing it is that we’ve built a culture that actually believes people have ‘human rights’ in the way it does, but also how rare this view of life has been in history. - LISTEN NOW
3. Human rights: Did our democratic ways come from the Greeks?
Hear about the ‘democracy of the elite’ found in Greece and Rome – and the contrast to the values our own democratic freedoms are built upon today. - LISTEN NOW
4. Human rights: Are European values European?
Hear the conclusion of secular historian Tom Holland about just who a European is - after decades of study of ancient European history. - LISTEN NOW
5. Human rights: A starting basis for human rights (>5000BC)
Hear the core idea that, in our own cultural history, seeded the idea that every human being might have intrinsic worth, and therefore also have rights that need protecting. - LISTEN NOW
6. Human rights: The Ten Commandments to define them (3400 BC) – Part I
Take a look at the 10 Commandments with new eyes – to consider not only what they tell us not to do, but what those prohibitions achieved within culture for the poor, weak and vulnerable. - LISTEN NOW
7. Human rights: The Ten Commandments to define them (3400 BC) – Part II
Take a look at two other of the 10 Commandments, to see how these seemingly simple prohibitions achieved profound and wide reaching results for the poor, weak and vulnerable. - LISTEN NOW
8. Human rights: A template for modern Democracy from the ancient world (3400BC)
Hear about a template for ‘modern democracy’ that has been overlooked in recent times, but which was well-known and studied by those who have worked to establish our freedoms in history. - LISTEN NOW
9. Human rights: Taxes to Caesar and a limitation on government powers (30AD)
Hear the simple teaching from Jesus that challenged the approach of nearly all Governments prior – laying a path for what we have today. - LISTEN NOW
10. Human rights: Early Church breaks protocols – to affirm equality (50AD)
Hear how a small group of radicals chose to live as if individual human worth (rights) were real - in contrast to the practices of an empire. - LISTEN NOW
11. Human rights: A brave pastors confronts the Roman Emperor (390AD)
Hear how ideas of a moral law that is above everyone , (and therefore the idea that people have inalienable rights irrespective of status) seeped even into Government – making a protection of the rights of even the common people a possibility! - LISTEN NOW
12. Human rights: Saint Patrick - A foundation for common law in Ireland (430AD)
Hear how and when an objective basis for believing in the rights and freedoms of the common people was established in Ireland – changing their history to this day. - LISTEN NOW
13. Human rights: King Alfred the Great - A foundation for common law in England (890AD)
Hear how and when an objective basis for believing in the rights and freedoms of the common people was established in England – shaping the history that followed, which ultimately affected us! - LISTEN NOW
14. Human rights: The Magna Carta – The Great Charter of Freedoms (1215AD)
Hear about a ‘charter for freedoms’ established in a crazy time achieved something profound – resulting in its later labelling as ‘the birthplace of modern democracy’! - LISTEN NOW
15. Human rights: John Calvin - Foundation stones of freedoms for Europe (1500s)
Hear how an objective basis for common law, and a belief in the rights and freedoms of common people came about in Geneva – affecting Europe so much that Calvin is widely recognised as the most influential thinker in the shaping of modern life in Europe! - LISTEN NOW
16. Human rights: John Knox - Religious freedom in Scotland (1500s)
Hear how these same freedoms became established in Scotland, resulting in confidence coming even to the commoners to stand up boldly vocally against the tyranny of powerful leaders! - LISTEN NOW
17. Human rights: The American battle for religious freedom (1775 to 1783)
Discover what the battle now celebrated as ‘Independence Day’ in America was about – while noting that this positioned them as plausibly as the most free nation, and certainly as the most generous nation, in all of human history! - LISTEN NOW
18. Human rights: New Zealand recognises the equal rights of the races (1840)
Hear how a radical Christian belief in human value, and therefore of equality and of human rights, enabled a Treaty that would never have been proposed or offered otherwise. - LISTEN NOW
19. Human rights: New Zealand recognises the equal rights for all religions (1840)
Hear where and when the idea of religious freedom was first agreed upon in New Zealand, and exactly where these freedoms are enshrined in law here today. - LISTEN NOW
20. Human rights: The New Zealand Parliament’s first debate (1854)
Hear about the unexpected topic of this first Parliamentary debate, to consider how they understood the connection of Christian religion to our values – with the comparative silence on this matter today in view. - LISTEN NOW
21. Human rights: Unexpected results in study on rise of democracy in Africa (2012)
Hear the conclusion of an in depth study that sought to discover what led a culture to eventually embrace democratic freedoms – as contrasted with the many nations that do not. - LISTEN NOW
22. Human rights: The Christian foundations of the UN Declaration of Human Rights
Hear something of the origins of the values found in this widely accepted declaration, as well as of the existence of alternative declarations from people who know this. - LISTEN NOW
23. Human rights: The rights of those with disabilities
See again how, without a basis for believing in individual human rights, those rights invariably become diminished, and then discarded by the common people. - LISTEN NOW
24. Human rights: Why capitalistic freedoms only last in partnership with charitable values
Consider the values that are necessary to constrain capitalistic freedoms – which enable the wealth of a society, from the greed that otherwise takes over, leading to a failure in the system, and a loss of prosperity for all. - LISTEN NOW
25. Human rights: Freedoms can be lost
Hear about the unimaginable suffering that resulted from people who believed themselves to be doing good, but whose core ideas rejected the basis from which the value of every human life can be argued. The end therefore now justified the means. By pulling down instead of building up they ruined their own freedoms and prosperity. The sobering reality is that this has happened many times in recent history – with almost 70 examples of socialism in the history books applied to gain power by people carrying the ideals of fascism or communism in the past 100 years alone. - LISTEN NOW
1. Equality of genders: How remarkable our society is
Hear how remarkable and recent our cultural views on the equality of women to men are, and what triggered our ‘recent’ change in perspective – LISTEN NOW
2. Equality of genders: The Ancient World
Hear how women were viewed in the ancient world, as supported by their philosophers, prior to the teachings Jesus and his followers brought - LISTEN NOW
3. Equality of genders: Abortion in Rome
Hear of the extent of prejudice that has existed against women in the ancient world, leading to abuse and death of women and girls, and how it continues today – LISTEN NOW
4. Equality of genders: Why it waited for Christ for things to change
Hear about the unique basis for equality between women and men found in the Bible, which gave birth to our society’s views on equality today – LISTEN NOW
5. Equality of genders: Why male dominance is a curse, not the plan
Hear the Christian explanation for male dominance, which empowered our culture-wide movement against that dominance – LISTEN NOW
6. Equality of genders: The specifically Christian motivations of the women’s movement in New Zealand
Hear the motivations of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union here in New Zealand, despite opposition – LISTEN NOW
7. Equality of genders: How Jesus challenged male dominance
Hear an example of Jesus radically challenging cultural injustices against women through advocating for the rights of women within marriage – LISTEN NOW
8. Equality of genders: How Jesus advocated for women’s education
Hear an example of Jesus radically challenging a cultural injustices against women through advocating for the rights of women to education – LISTEN NOW
9. Equality of genders: The Apostle Paul’s world-changing equality statement
Hear the most noteworthy statement from the early Christian leader, Paul, where in one single sentence he summarised the new Christian views on equality irrespective of race, social status or gender – LISTEN NOW
10. Equality of genders: The Apostle Pauls challenge to male dominance
Hear an example of the Apostle Paul radically challenging the idea of male dominance within marriage, as contrasted with the common views at that time – LISTEN NOW
11. Equality of genders: First Century Christians improve the status of women
Hear of the radical actions of early Christians in serving the rights and interests of women and girls, in direct contrast to the views of Grecco-Roman philosophers at that time – LISTEN NOW
12. Equality of genders: First Century Christians improve protections for women
Hear a comment by Philosopher Rodney Stark that explains the remarkable difference in rights that quickly came to exist between women in the Roman Empire, and those who had embraced the Christian faith – LISTEN NOW
13. Equality of genders: The middle ages
Hear how monastic orders in the middle ages empowered women with education and into leadership roles in society at a time when this was not happening - LISTEN NOW
14. Equality of genders: A global movement for women spawned
Hear how the mission movement of the past 200 years naturally became the leading movement to work in defence of women’s rights in places others would never think to go – LISTEN NOW
15. Equality of genders: Bias in the current analysis of history
Hear how culturally-affected current views on the connection between religion and women’s rights can be, or not be – LISTEN NOW
16. Equality of genders: Suffrage: The status of women in early colonial New Zealand
Hear how our society’s environment became suited for a movement to arise that would address long-existing cultural injustices against women – LISTEN NOW
17. Equality of genders: Tough pre-colonial New Zealand women
Hear the story of one our bicultural nation’s toughest early women leaders – LISTEN NOW
18. Equality of genders: Suffrage: Why Christian activism invariably led to Christian feminism
Hear why America instead of Britain seeded our New Zealand women’s rights movement - LISTEN NOW
19. Equality of genders: Pre-colonial Maori women better off
Hear of the difference that existed between the rights and status of women in pre-colonial New Zealand Maori society as compared to British and wider-European society – LISTEN NOW
20. Equality of genders: Suffrage: The Women’s Christian Temperance Union
Hear of the initial issues that motivated the organisation in New Zealand – LISTEN NOW
21. Equality of genders: Suffrage: Kate Sheppard takes a leading role
Hear words and motivations of Kate Sheppard, who became a leading figure in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in New Zealand – LISTEN NOW
22. Equality of genders: Suffrage: Did Christian men support their Christian women?
Hear of the division that took place within the Christian community in the early days of what was also a national divide on this topic – LISTEN NOW
23. Equality of genders: Suffrage: Mary Colcough’s speech to a divided Auckland
Hear words from a stirring speech given to a strongly divided Auckland community – LISTEN NOW
24. Equality of genders: Suffrage: WCTU presses Parliament
Hear how the Women’s Christian Temperance Union worked to press Parliament toward a landmark decision for women - LISTEN NOW
25. Equality of genders: Suffrage: New Zealand first nation for women to get the vote
Hear of the final history and tensions leading up to our nation’s landmark decision to allow women a vote and voice in politics - LISTEN NOW
26. Equality of genders: The modern women’s movement’s ironic divorce from Christian roots
Hear a detail-filled summary of the journey from 1893 (women getting the vote) through to today, explaining why some no longer consider the Christian faith a part of the women’s movement – LISTEN NOW
27. Equality of genders: The failure of the equality movement to protect women
Hear a reflection on the failure of the equality movement to protect women from abuse, because the law is an inadequate tool to change the heart – LISTEN NOW
28. Equality of genders: A never-ending Christian battle
Hear why the roots of the equality movement within Christianity might need further consideration for the movement to succeed in bringing about better outcomes for women – LISTEN NOW
29. Equality of genders: Doesn’t the Bible say men are the ‘head’?
Hear the common understanding on an otherwise awkward Bible verse which states men are the head of their households - LISTEN NOW
30. Equality of genders: Continuing Christian efforts from Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Hear of the unique and amazing efforts Christian workers from our nation continue to pioneer to advocate for and protect the rights of women around the globe where few others would think to look or care – LISTEN NOW
1. Bicultural History: A tribute to Patuone
Hear a 2.5 minute tribute to Ngapuhi Rangatira, Patuone, who not only saw Captain Cook on his first visit in 1770, and signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840, but also lived to see the landwards and their end in 1872 - LISTEN NOW
2. Bicultural History: Two Ngāti Ruanui men give their lives for peace – Part I
Hear how the discovery of the idea of unconditional love from above caused two men to bravely travel to make and share peace with their tribes long-time enemies. - LISTEN NOW
3. Bicultural History: Two Ngāti Ruanui men give their lives for peace – Part II
Hear how when two men who had travelled to share a message of unconditional love with their enemies were killed, their tribe decided to break with hundreds of years of protocol and forgive. - LISTEN NOW
4. Bicultural History: Two Ngāti Ruanui men give their lives for peace – Part III
Hear a story of profound peace-making in which a chief responsible for the killing of two men who came in peace, upon his own embrace of their message of forgiveness not only built a first church in their region, but then invited the son of the chief of their enemy to be their pastor. - LISTEN NOW
5. Bicultural History: Hēni te Kirikaramu – woman warrior – Part I
In a four-part series, hear about the formative years which explain how Hēni came to hold her Christian values so strongly – while also becoming uniquely qualified for a life of impact in difficult times – born in slavery, escaping war, choosing to forgive, embracing education. - LISTEN NOW or VIEW HERE
6. Bicultural History: Hēni te Kirikaramu – woman warrior – Part II
Hear how and why Hēni became involved in the land wars, and of the source of her later fame – an act of unexpected chivalry in which she applied Jesus’ teachings to ‘love your enemies’ by choosing to help wounded enemy troops during a battle! - LISTEN NOW or VIEW HERE
7. Bicultural History: Hēni te Kirikaramu – woman warrior – Part III
Hear how, following her fame at the battle of Gate Pa, Hēni then lived out that same faith and it’s values in an entirely different context – family life as part of a pioneering rural farming community. - LISTEN NOW or VIEW HERE
8. Bicultural History: Hēni te Kirikaramu – woman warrior – Part IV
Hear how, following a season of learning, then one of fame at the battle of Gate Pa – and then another a committed community member near Katikati - Hēni started yet another 33 year long season of life, making an entirely different set of remarkable contributions to the lives of others. How much good can one person do in one lifetime? Hēni’s example is remarkable! - LISTEN NOW or VIEW HERE
Why does our society care like it does? We consider basic health care a personal right – while in most places on earth have no medical options like we do. How did we come to have it so good? LISTEN NOW
1. Healthcare: A world without hospitals
Hear about the lack of healthcare for the poor that existed from a charitable motivation prior to the time of Jesus – and how a change in viewpoint was triggered - LISTEN NOW
2. Healthcare: The idea of hospitals
Hear the argument that led to an acceptance of the idea that the first ever hospitals to care for the poor were needed - LISTEN NOW
3. Healthcare: The first hospitals (300s)
Hear how the first hospitals in the Middle East, and then in Europe, came about - LISTEN NOW
4. Healthcare: The Red Cross
Labelled one of the greatest humanitarian movements in history, hear about how this amazing organisation came into being - LISTEN NOW
5. Healthcare: The first medial nurses (1500s)
Hear about a radical movement who’s charity and love mobilised the first known mobile medical workers - LISTEN NOW
6. Healthcare: When nursing became a profession (1800s)
Hear about the motivations and history that led Florence Nightingale to train thousands to care for the sick and wounded, establish the career of the ‘nurse’ in the way we understand it today - LISTEN NOW
7. Healthcare: Overcoming the bugs that kill
Hear what motivated Louis Pasteur to engage in scientific study with discipline and rationality, from which new discoveries of bacteria and vaccines came about, saving millions of lives since - LISTEN NOW
8. Healthcare: Semmelweis and antiseptic measures
Find out who you have to blame every time your mother tells you to wash your hands - and the difference his discovery made - LISTEN NOW
9. Healthcare: Edward Jenner and the smallpox vaccination
Hear about the motivations and resulting discoveries of another man whose work stopped a sickness that consistently killed 20% of the population prior to him - LISTEN NOW
10. Healthcare: Healthcare goes global (1800s+)
Hear about the specific movement credited with taking medical care to people in need globally who would never have had it otherwise - LISTEN NOW
11. Healthcare: Henare Taratoa - the man
Hear about the formative years of Taratoa’s life, which positioned him for greatness - LISTEN NOW
12. Healthcare: Henare Taratoa - just war
Hear how and why Taratoa – a noted Christian teacher and highly moral man, left his Christian teaching position to pick up a weapon and fight the British - LISTEN NOW
13. Healthcare: Henare Taratoa - rules for war
Hear about the amazing rules Taratoa’s faith lead him to bring to war in New Zealand, affecting both inter-tribal wars and well-known battles between the British and Maori - LISTEN NOW
14. Healthcare: Henare Taratoa - water for enemy troops
Hear about the radical love Taratoa and others demonstrated for enemy soldiers – beyond all imagination - LISTEN NOW
15. Healthcare: Henare Taratoa - an unjust end
Hear about not only Taratoa’s end, but also what was found on his body, revealing the character of the man - LISTEN NOW
16. Healthcare: Christian charity - unique
Hear how unique the Christian values of our nation are, which have produced integrity in our society – which has enabled the kinds of charity and care we so value - LISTEN NOW
17. Healthcare: Christianity – a unique role to play
Hear why it has been left to Christianity to bring the kind of charity we enjoy to the world, because of the way it brings a unique basis for believing human rights actually exist - LISTEN NOW
