Are empires ethical? with Lord Nigel Biggar - The Shape of Dialogue #47

About this episode

This episode explores the ethical implications of empires with Lord Nigel Biggar.

About Nigel Biggar: https://nigelbiggar.uk/about/ Nigel Biggar CBE is Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Pusey House, Oxford. He holds a B.A. in Modern History from Oxford and a Ph.D. in Christian Theology & Ethics from the University of Chicago. He was appointed C.B.E. “for services to Higher Education” in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The Treaty of Waitangi https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/treaty-waitangi/treaty-close/full-text-te-tiriti-o Chris Hipkins: How shared values can unite Aotearoa and not divide https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/chris-hipkins-how-shared-values-can-unite-aotearoa-and-not-divide/74ZQEKGFARAWZN7W5OHN27KY3A/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email David Seymour: Treaty should mean equal rights, not race-based policy https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/david-seymour-treaty-should-mean-equal-rights-not-race-based-policy/UBZ5PT56HNCJDCZZEJN6S4PHEU/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Music: Bach B Minor Mass Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Goldwater

Guest: Lord Nigel Biggar

Topics covered

• ethics
• empires
• moral theology
• shared values
• Treaty of Waitangi

Keywords

• empires
• ethics
• moral theology
• Treaty of Waitangi
• shared values

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Oxford, Pusey House

Books & works: Bach B Minor Mass

More episodes of The Shape of Dialogue

• What are the pillars of our civilisation? with Rafe Champion - The Shape of Dialogue #49 · March 29, 2026 · 1h 2m
• How do narratives shape our opinions? Ani O'Brien & Juliet Moses - The Shape of Dialogue #48 · March 26, 2026 · 1h 6m
• How should we educate our kids? with Katharine Birbalsingh - The Shape of Dialogue #46 · January 30, 2026 · 54 min
• Free Speech & Common Knowledge with Steven Pinker - The Shape of Dialogue #45 · January 6, 2026 · 34 min
• Why don’t we name it? with Brett Hall - The Shape of Dialogue #44 · December 27, 2025 · 1h 1m
• Narcissistic Transgression with Vaishnavi Sundar - The Shape of Dialogue #42 · December 7, 2025 · 27 min