In this—my 200th public—episode I reflect on the state of my show and what it was like to leave a tenured professorship. I also carefully reflect on the nature of the Great Washout we are experiencing. How is it different from previous washouts? How is the clamor for diversity more truthfully a push for a monochrome uniformity? What does all this mean for the Church? Come laugh and think with me!
The battle to topple traditional American, and Judeo-Christian, culture is raging today through a dynamic I'm calling "disproportionate engagement." I offer some examples of how this is so: an unwitting tv Christian family gets played, confessions of a former Antifa member, the unabashed educational indoctrination system, and how even cartoons are being cancelled. At the show's conclusion I also offer four steps believers should be taking. Come laugh and think with me!
Who's against compassion? Not me. Out of compassion God sent his Son. The Bible shows God is constantly looking to extend compassion towards us. But today's PoMo culture over-burdens millions, they are taught they need to "own" and solve all the world's problems, by themselves. How might you check to see whether your compassion pendulum has swung too far? Also in this episode: why I go to church.
A common adage, "the church always does better when she's persecuted," stems from Tertullian, "the blood of the martyrs is the seeds of the church." Yet, if we study history is that even true? Was that true under the Romans? Under Muslims? Under Soviet Marxists? And then, why? Why do I care? Or why do I prefer to say to those in favor of Christian suffering, "you first!"?
We now live in an era characterized by B.S. In this episode I define what, technically, is B.S. and talk about how to set your B.S.-o-meter. On what basis did Jesus positively teach us to judge? What things did he say that implied our need to judge? What kinds of daily decisions require judgment? What qualities are helpful for growing healthy Christian discernment?
We are told, incessantly, that Jesus commanded, "Do Not Judge." But is that really all that should be said on the matter? How does Jesus compare to ancient Judaism on judgment? What was Jesus saying in his own context about judging? When it comes to judging what can God see that we cannot? And, why does the WorldSpirit love to argue that Jesus forbad all judging?
All artists design based on an idea, a pattern—however unformed—in their minds. If that holds, what blueprint did God use when he created? To what end did he create? Or more narrowly, how did the END shape the beginning? Building from that I think with you about what it means to be human, at the most basic level. Come and relish with me the beauty of the Christian way. Only Christianity promotes caritas with practical applications.
Tomas d'Aquino, following Aristotle, proposed five ways (arguments) for the existence of God. I work through those five ways and relish in the miracle of existence and vision. We then explore just how eye-sight works, unpacking how complicated it is in order to perceive what a loving gift it is. I also challenge Christians—following Old Testament prophets and Jesus himself—to embrace a public confession of faith.
How does the Bible compare to other explanations of the origins of the universe? Was the Bible aware of other such explanations? Why is the Bible's explanation truly logical and with what famous scientific theory does that align? And then, what is light? How fast does it travel? What does its dual nature suggest to us about reality, about ethics? What lessons cannot be inferred from studies about light? Come and wonder with me about the magic of our universe.
Culture teaches us to perceive reality in utilitarian terms: what does it do for ME? Or how does that benefit ME? But viewing life through Christic eyes involves wonder. And so I suggest a couple of ways to perceive with gratitude and wonder the realities—things like Luna, the moon—that present themselves to us. I also reflect on our culture's ongoing pursuit of dissociation what that means for the future.
By his providence God deemed that the building blocks for life would be DNA. So, what is providence? Is it fate or mother-nature or blind chance or determinism? What is DNA? Mere energy? Simple matter? Herein I tell how my Mom was providentially blessed and why wildfires serve the long-term good of forests. Enjoy this peanut butter and jelly sandwich of theology and science!
What elements comprise a cell? How many human cells are there? What does the complexity of a cell suggest about the origins of life on earth? How many scientific articles explain life's beginnings from a bio-molecular level? What does Scripture say about wisdom and creation? Is God an artistic show off? In this episode I weave together biblical wisdom and scientific evidence to help explore the wonders of life itself. Come laugh and pray with me!
The universe is woven together with magic, especially for those who have eyes to see! What was the Holy Spirit's role in creation? What is the Spirit's role in sustaining life? I share a couple personal stories wherein the Spirit was vibrating with life. Then we explore the mysteries of the earth's crust and core. What about the earth makes it capable of sustaining life?
2020 will go down in infamy. What on earth is going on? I work through 47 frequently-humorous ironies from 2020 to point out how absurd life is becoming in America. In the show's beginning I also mention why I left a tenured professor position and whether I buy the "great global reset" conspiracy theories. What do the forces of darkness want out of all this?
What does the New Testament teach us about the virginal conception of Jesus? Was the event God-initiated or Mary-initiated? What are some theological ramifications of his birth, especially for being human? What did the very first Christians believe about all of that? Why does it matter today? And what, especially, seems to prevent belief in Jesus' birth today?
The Patristic world was both less opposed and less cut off from the supernatural world. MA student Michael Bozmarov shares with me the insights he learned writing a sizable paper on Ambrose of Milan's reflections. How are angels greater than us? In what ways are we greater than them? Why does God use angels? What can we learn from philosophy about angels? Come think with us about angels during Advent season!
This episode: my reflections on the state of the election; ancient Jewish wisdom about friendships; and how most things in life change. On the latter I explore incrementalism regarding ourselves as individuals and then about families and nations. We tend to assess the big events and ignore the little ones, when it is the small things that really add up.
Spirituality means a kazillion diverse things today. But in the bible there are specific ways of framing what spirituality means. Variously the doctrines of creation, eschatology, and incarnation reveal what spirituality looks like through godly lenses. It's time for believers to process more biblically and less Gnostically on this important topic.
Beauty is not in a fight with reason, but transcends reason. Beauty flows from the character and being of God himself. So why do Protestants so miss out on God's beauty? How might we recover a sense of beauty? How might beauty be used as a conversation starter in our relationships? All those topics and questions are addressed in my conversation with PhD student, pastor Michael David Mitchell. Come laugh and think with us!
The mantras in bumper-stickerish Christian-ese are that Christians should always turn the other cheek, always be pacifistic, always defer, never upset anyone. But sometimes, out of the constricts Christ places upon us, we are required to take a stand, to draw a line in the sand. When should we do that? How should we do that?
