Did God use Mary as a surrogate?
Playback speed
American pop star Meghan Trainor recently faced fierce backlash after posting a photo with her newborn, praising her “superwoman surrogate.” But what does the Bible have to say? And was Jesus technically born via a surrogate? Esther spoke to Dr Susan Marriott from the Christian Medical Fellowship, Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern, and Dr Pia Matthews, senior lecturer at St Mary’s University, Twickenham.
Released on 17 Feb 2026
Coming up next
Tom Wright: We've got Heaven all wrong!
Heaven is something most people believe in, even if they’re not Christians. It’s often imagined as a place up in the sky, somewhere beyond the clouds. But what if that’s where we’ve gone wrong? According to theologian Tom (N. T.) Wright, heaven isn’t simply a place we go to when we die, it's much, much more. He joined Esther to share more about it and his new book on the subject.
Was this Olympian wise to confess his sins in public?
Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid caused a storm on the slopes last week when he publicly apologised for having an affair. But was such openness wise? Speaker and entrepreneur Kika Ashanike and Jack Valero, founder of Catholic Voices, joined Esther Higham to unpack the Sacrament of Confession, public vs private apologies, and why we can't live without forgiveness.
Ash Wednesday: Why the cross on the forehead?
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, but unlike Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday, it often passes us by. So what’s it all about, and what could we be missing? Sister Gemma Simmonds, theologian and spiritual director, joined Esther with a quick “Bluffer’s Guide” to the season, fresh from her early-morning Ash Wednesday service.
