PODCAST SERIES INDEX with BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS

SUFFERING: Episodes 232-235

We all suffer. It’s part of life in this age. This series addresses biblical reasons for our suffering by studying Job, Jesus, and the New Testament. We then move from biblical categories to theological formation and practical application. Along the way I offer pastoral advice, both to the suffering and to those rendering mercy. Let’s not only be more thoughtful in how we process pain, let’s be more truthful, more Christian.

THE AMERICAN FOUNDING: Episodes 229-231

Were the Founders committed Christians? Or were they nominal Deists? I did some historical digging and share that. Then there are two episodes wherein I interviewed Political Scientist Dr. Darren Guerra (Biola U.) to probe his expertise on the Founding, the brilliance of America’s Founding documents, the checks and balances (both obvious and tucked away) that the Founders built into our governmental institutions, and what is problematic about our bureaucratic heavy-handedness today.

WHAT COMPRISES A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW? Episodes 222-227

By working through huge themes presented in the Bible I present the basics of a Christian Worldview: reality, infection, agency, literacy, eternity, transcendence, life, justice, mercy, grace, God and his power. Along the way I display how those basics apply and unpack in life. This is a six (6) part series that is broader-still than either Theology 101 or Theology for PhDs. In other words, this is worldview framing for all confessing Christians, regardless of denominational affiliation.

KNOWLEDGE: POSTMODERN vs. CHRISTIAN: Episodes 215-220

Sparked by a fascinating podcast-conversation with famed Theologian Nancy Pearcey (Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions About Life and Sexuality; she formerly worked closely with Chuck Colson) I produced an entire six (6) part series on knowledge. The many culture wars we witness today? They’re about knowledge. The woke fissure that is not only rending America but splitting Evangelical churches? It’s about knowledge. Sadly, by the ten millions Christians are abandoning a Christian worldview and biblical morality for Postmodern commitments. Not surprisingly? They think less like disciples of Christ and more like free-floating secularists.

EXPLORING THE BIBLE: Episodes 210-212

Christians enjoy studying their bibles via particular slices and passages. This series contrastingly explores the Bible en toto by way of different reading methods, three major biblical literary genres, and the Divine-Human nature of Scripture. Why is the Bible unique? Why is it important to be good students of God’s word?

MYBODY, YOURBODY, WHATSaBODY? Episodes 206-209

Today’s cultural fights about personal rights, victim status, and sexual standards are inextricably tied to views about what it means to be embodied selves. I work through some of American history on sex and embodiedness, delve into foundational philosophic categories, and then further explore what embodiedness and sexuality mean in historic Christian categories. Along the way I repeat the refrain: whomever defines our humanity determines our freedoms and limitations. And so? We live in a terrifying era in Western history.

THOU SHALT NOT JUDGE, NOT: Episodes 195-196

Jesus’ most beloved words to a Postmodernist are, “thou shalt not judge.” In this brief but critical series I explore the academic-philosophical definition of bullshit, encourage believers to have their bullshit-o-meters turned on, and work through Jesus’ famed quotation about judgment in light of both its immediate context and the vast sweep of Scripture. What Jesus said? It hardly means what PoMos want it to mean.

SCIENCE-Y STUFF: Episodes 188-194

I love learning! In this seven (7) part series I explore Science through a Theological Lens: Panentheism and the earth’s core; Wisdom and the structure of cells; Providence and DNA; the German philosophy of das ding an zich and the Moon; the doctrine of creation ex nihilo and light; Thomas Aquinas’ 5 ways and the miracle of vision; and, THE form of life & Primus Humus. Do you love science? Then you’ll love this rich 7 part series.

ADVENT REFLECTIONS: Episodes 129-133 and 185-186

Christmas is my favorite season! It wounds me, then, that too many churches race through the Advent season. With these seven (7) episodes I unpack not only the four traditional Advent Sunday themes—Prophets, Bethlehem, Shepherds, and Angels—I also delve into the wonder of God’s coming in the man Jesus of Nazareth. Let’s pause, reflect, and soak in the beauteous wonder of the Incarnation!

IS GOD NICE? Episodes 177-179

The common human tendency is to fashion God in our own image. (BTW? The Bible calls that tendency idolatry.) But does nature show us that God is nice? And just what is nice, anyway? How do both insecurity and self-hatred drive our definitions of nice? Because of our historic era I ask, “why do we so emphasize our emotional states?” Along the way I tell three stories wherein my life was re-directed by doing, not feeling.

THE CULT OF THE NOW: Episodes 161-176

In Summer 2020 I watched as the religious-cult of Secular-Postmodernism burst full-force into the public consciousness. From the destruction of public statues, to urban rioting, to defunding the police, to stigmatizing caucasian people, to persuading for social justice, to altogether rewiring the educational system I explain Marxism, or better Neo-Marxism. What we are witnessing and experiencing is not merely a matter of varied opinions (my apologies to all non-thinking pastors), but the ascendancy of a full-fledged worldview—and a decidedly post-Christian and anti-Christian worldview, to boot.

What has Marxism done in the past that gives us cues for today? What does Neo-Marxism assume to be true about human nature? What’s it want for society? What does that all mean for both individual believers and the Church collective? This sixteen (16) part series represents the birth of the culturally subversive quality of my show. In light of godless worldview constructions, Jesus calls us to be subversive. Come think with me how to be a Christian subversive!

TRINITY: Episodes 154-160

Most churches have the Trinity in their statement of faith and most Christians know to confess God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But beyond that? Trinitarian doctrine takes us nowhere, has no meaning, barely informs a Christian’s life. Me? Trinity is not only my favorite Christian doctrine, it is the basis for how all of reality was constructed. In this seven (7) part series I explain why the doctrine arose in history, how Jesus’ identity was the seedbed for the doctrine, the genius of the ancient church to affirm Trinitarian theology, work through the Incarnation as God’s plan for the universe (you too!), study two famous paintings, share how the Trinity is the basis for all reality, and even declare how Trinitarian theology is the core for all Christian ethical configurations. Never thought about the Trinity? Then slice into this thick slab of juicy theological steak with me!

WAIT, WHAT? CHALLENGES TO CHRISTIAN FAITH: Episodes 137-147

Christianity is under assault by today’s culture. In this entertaining series—interrupted by a special spoof review of Disney’s Frozen 2 (#140) and my in-the-moment reflections on the Coronavirus hysteria (#146)—I work through some common challenges, ones that I watched wreck many college students’ faith. So I take up topics like science being “truer” than religion, religious pluralism and the ensuing confusion it births, how much faith is enough?, is beauty truly real or is it only in the beholder’s eye?, did Paul corrupt Jesus and construct “Christianity”?, is the New Testament reliable?, why doesn’t God answer our prayers, and why we reach a point where we no longer feel our faith? Perhaps this nine (9) part series could be framed as challenges to personal faith. I want you to know there are good answers to all the questions posed above.

THE CHRISTIAN GRACES: Episodes 120-129

Believers normally consider their faith through doctrine, piety, being salt n’ light (i.e., public impact) and evangelical mission. In this off-the-wall nine (9) part series I consider Christianity through oft-ignored categories like: truth, reason, ambiguity (a.k.a. space), work, law, peace, and sexuality. On the latter, law, I have a two-part interview with the famed Kristen Waggoner, attorney and General Counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, about how the legal system is one more way for Christians to be salt and light in the public square. Herself a committed believer (wait, there are attorneys who love Jesus?!) Waggoner helps us understand the militant transgender movement and what it intends to do with and to the Church.

THE COMMON GOOD: Episodes #113-119

Our callings and our responsibilities are first to bless and care for God’s own, the immediate body of Christ; second to those in the concentric rings outside but-in-proximity-to the body; and, third to care for the whole of humanity. That is the repeated inside-out biblical pattern. And so we learn, again from Scripture, that God cares for everyone. But what does that look like? In this seven (7) part series I work through issues like social media, nationalism, diversity, economics, majorities and the electoral college, and our diseased common language—all from a biblical-theological angle. How should Christians think about doing what is good for everyone? Here are some of my answers.

WHY WE MUST FAIL: Episodes 108-110

In their stellar book authors Lukianoff and Haidt pierce the dreck of American culture. Why are we so weak? Why are “safe spaces” suddenly all the rage? Why do some get triggered by mere words? Why are people so &%^# emotionally sensitive? Their constant answer: Americans have been made weak because we have been coddled for two generations. I take those scholars’ insights and apply them to our walk with the Lord. Surprisingly? It is good for us to fail. Failure makes us stronger. Failure helps us learn, builds our backbone, teaches us resilience. This short three (3) part series helped me to both understand who I had been teaching in college for twenty-five years and why the Church today is so weak. (And now that I think of it? Their book also explains much of the Covid hysteria.)

WHY IS THE CHURCH SICK? Episodes 100-107

You sense it every Sunday while you’re driving. It gnaws at the back of your soul during the week. The Church is brutally ineffectual. Why are millions of former believers just staying home on Sundays? Answer: Culture is forming Christians more than the Church is forming Christians! In this eight (8) part series I address Jesus’ enduring challenge, why we have sizzle but no steak, how we’ve created a black hole void of holiness, the role that both what and how we worship plays in forming people, and our constant (American) infatuation with the NEW. In the last two episodes I interview my own son to get his millennial view on churchly malaise.

Warning: this series cost me hundreds of regular listeners.

WHO IS JESUS? Episodes 86-99

More books have been written about Jesus than any other person who ever lived. More arguments have been had about Jesus than anyone who ever walked our planet. So what I delineate in this series isn’t enough. But my purpose in the series is to try to bear faithful witness to Jesus in his historical context, not to exhaust him as a topic. In this extensive fourteen (14) part series following the Gospel narratives I teach about his grand entrance, living conditions in the ancient world, how his coming was an invasion of Mordor, his toxic masculinity, how he used authority, who constitute his elect, whether he was a feminist, tradition vs. ritual in Jesus’ ministry, his use of the Old Testament law, the meaning of his Roman crucifixion, the doctrine of the resurrection, Jesus on family, and whether or not he opposed wealth. If you’re like me? The more you know about the apostolic-seen Jesus the more you will be in awe of him!

WORLD RELIGIONS: Episodes 71-79

We now live in a globalized world. Folks are exposed to religious diversity like never before in history. And since we’re exhorted, “all religions lead to the same mountain top called God,” and since it is commonly supposed that all religions are, at foundational levels the same, I explore different facets of the major Religions. Along the way I constantly compare and contrast them to Christianity. In this nine (9) part series I examine definitions of religion, Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism (Buddha in a wrestling match with Jesus), Judaism (and why the Jews have always taken it on the chin), Islam, Mormonism, and the new Post-Logical religion of the West. It is good to know our neighbors of varying religious persuasions.

HEAVEN and HELL: Episodes 51-65

Does Lucifer sit on a throne in hell? Is demonic possession a real thing? What happens at death to those who’ve never hear the Gospel? Or what happens when believers die? Does our soul fall to sleep? What do studies of those who’ve had near-death-experiences (NDEs) regularly teach us? If we get our new body once we go to heaven why does the end-of-history resurrection even matter? To encourage our hope and faith I take the time to work through fifteen (15) episodes that successively build on one another. We move from the Old Testament through the Inter-Testamental Jewish worldview shift and then into Jesus’ own day and how everything changed with respect to the afterlife with his coming, death, and resurrection.

When I was a young boy we heard regular sermons on the hope of heaven. Today? The churches are mute. And so it is no wonder that the afterlife takes a backseat to so many other concerns. The kingdom to come was constantly on the lips of Jesus. We do well to replicate him on that. This topic was one of my top-attended classes at college.

BEAUTY: Episodes 45-48

I confess: I am in love with beauty. Dostoyevsky said it eloquently, “beauty will save the world.” In this four (4) part series I introduce you to beauty, how she makes the Christian worldview resplendent, what the 16th Century Protestant Reformation did to a western perception of beauty, and the role and place of rituals in a Christian way of life. There’s so much bad philosophy about beauty today. I seek to remedy that by bathing your soul in beauty.

WORLDVIEW: INGREDIENTS, HISTORY, MISSIONAL CHALLENGES—HUMOROUS CONVERSATIONS with PROFESSOR GREG AUSTRING: Episodes 38-41

Not only do most believers not consider the worldview of those with whom they disagree, they don’t even consider Christianity as a worldview. But it’s impossible to do life apart from a worldview. With Dr. Greg Austring, Professor of Intercultural Studies and Theology in Southern California—himself having been a missionary to Central America for ten years—we work through worldview. He helps us understand the way worldviews shape and share in cultures. Together we also think critically about serving Christ in a pluralistic world and the opportunities and challenges that presents to twenty-first century Christians. I relish thinking about worldview and the three conversations are laughter filled.

SEXUALITY THROUGH BIBLICAL TEACHING: Episodes 27-36

Isn’t it remarkable how sexuality is shaping western culture? It used to be that what happened in the bedroom stayed in the bedroom. But today? The bedroom is becoming public policy! In this ten (10) part series I address human sexuality as it is created, framed, critiqued and ordered for us by God in holy Scripture. So, as a baseline, we establish the profound but mysterious teachings of Genesis, then move to the Old-Testament-echoing refrains of our Lord Jesus, then examine the Apostle Paul in his Gentile context and writings. From those we move into contemporary issues like homosexuality (contributing factors, pastoral suggestions), the strange academy-fraught tension between male and female, and the now-angry ideology of transgenderism. I finish off the series with an episode about love. How does the Bible portray and define love?

This is the kind of stuff the churches are terrified to address. And so believers by the millions wind up thinking like free-floating secularists instead of disciples of the risen one.

WHY DOES MORALITY MATTER? Episodes 20-24

Gobsmacked, I’ve actually heard non-denominational pastors say in public, “The Old Testament and its morality no longer apply. We’re New Testament believers!” Uhhhm, yeah, errr, but the New Testament sees itself as a continuation and fulfillment and completion of the Old. And the New Testament, from Jesus’ ministry onward, teaches that morality still matters to God’s heart, still matters for the formation of souls. Why? Well, in this four (4) part series I variously delineate why so much of the Old Testament concerns moral configurations, why Jesus himself was adamant about moral purity, and how it is that the telos—aim, end, goal, Omega—of Christ’s identity itself seeks to redeem and defend innocence through morality. Praise you holy and moral God!

FAITH versus REASON: Episodes 2-17

I like putting my cards on the table: why I believe what I believe. Hence this series explains how we westerners perceive the way we do, how history and philosophy have pre-wired us to naturally be doubters (it’s referred to as the Cartesian shift). And part of that narrative of doubt? It says that science is dogmatically true but religion is just an opinion, a preference, a cultural construction. Central to that doubt-narrative is knowledge, in philosophy it is called epistemology: how we know, how what we know is true, how what we know involves faith. And, through the series—following Physicist-turned-theist Philosopher Michael Polanyi—I explain how it is that science itself rests on faith. Indeed, for many science is their faith! (I produced this series in 2017. Several years later that science is the religion for millions is more true than ever!)

Why do I believe in God? What is the crux, the irreducible truth that grounds the entirety of whom I am? This extensive and foundational fifteen (15) part series lays the groundwork for the entire Uncensored Unprofessor podcast. Right off the bat I tackle a seminal topic, one increasingly more at issue than the year before: Faith versus Reason.