Faith Under Fire: The Australian Martyrs of Papua New Guinea

During World War II, as Japanese forces occupied Papua New Guinea, missionaries and local Christian converts faced an impossible choice: flee to safety or remain faithful to their beliefs, knowing it could cost them everything. In this compelling episode, we explore the remarkable stories of both Australian missionaries and indigenous Papua New Guinean Christians who chose martyrdom over denial of their faith.

Join hosts Alex and Michael as they unpack the complex legacy of figures like Lucian Tapiedi, a Papua New Guinean teacher and evangelist who refused to renounce Christianity despite torture and the promise of freedom. These weren't accidental war casualties—these were individuals who had clear opportunities to escape death but chose faithfulness over safety.

This episode doesn't shy away from difficult questions. How do we honour genuine sacrifice while grappling with the colonial context of missionary work? What does an authentic witness look like when faith collides with political power? And what can these stories teach contemporary Christians about the true cost of conviction?

Recorded in commemoration of September 2nd, when these martyrs are remembered in the Anglican calendar, this episode challenges comfortable Christianity and explores what it truly means to take faith seriously. Their stories resist easy categorisation—simultaneously inspiring and troubling, heroic yet complicated by history—making them all the more valuable for our understanding of faith under pressure.

Content note: This episode discusses wartime persecution, torture, and execution in a historical and theological context.

Episode Length: 40 minutes
Themes: Martyrdom, colonial missions, wartime faith, Christian persecution, theological ethics

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