Reasoned Hope

A popular objection to Christianity is that there are hypocrites in the church. What is involved in this objection to Christianity? Is it a good one? I argue that, contrary to what many perceive, the moral presuppositions of this objection are consistent with Christianity.

Christmastime provides an opportunity to reflect on what we believe about the most important questions. We are confronted with the person of Jesus Christ and the gospel message. Despite this reality, many do not take Jesus seriously or think He is relevant to their lives. The result is that the Christmas season becomes spiritually shallow. In this episode, I discuss how both intellectual apathy and distraction function as spiritual barriers for many people. In addition, I explain how the gospel provides an antidote to these vices.

Was Jesus a social justice warrior? Is the Kingdom of God advanced through social and political activism? Many voices tell us this is the right way to think about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. But is this accurate to the teaching of the Bible? In this episode, I distinguish between the social justice gospel and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I argue these are very different messages and that the social justice gospel is a false gospel not taught in the Bible.

In this episode, I consider the centrality of Jesus' resurrection to Christianity and discuss what makes belief in it plausible and implausible. I also present and critique a popular line of argument against the resurrection.

There is a lot in the Bible about worshiping and praising God. Do the commands and passages that refer to this mean that God is arrogant, self-absorbed, or even needy? While the commands to worship and praise God are often taken for granted by Christians, they raise good questions that help us clarify what this means. In this episode, I look at some things CS Lewis had to say about the worship of God.

Is humanity in a position to know if God exists? If not, this means that claims to know that God exists are groundless. Agnosticism, in its strong form, says that we are unable to have knowledge of God. What does this view involve and is it a credible objection to belief in God?

Christmas is a celebration of the Incarnation, when God entered our world as a human being in Jesus Christ. But why was this necessary and what significance does the Incarnation have for Christian theology? What implications does this have for our lives today?

The Christian worldview involves supernatural events, but many reject the supernatural as rationally credible. One reason given is that such events cannot be empirically tested and are outside the scope of scientific investigation. But is this true? And is it a good reason to reject belief in the supernatural? In this episode, I discuss these questions and argue this idea makes serious philosophical mistakes about science and knowledge.

Greg Koukl returns as a guest on the podcast to discuss his latest book, Street Smarts. Greg and I discuss how the book aids Christians in dialoguing with people about Christianity as well as the many contentious issues of our time.

A common critique of arguments for God's existence is they are based on a "God of the gaps" fallacy. In essence, this says that such arguments are fundamentally based on ignorance. They use God as an explanation to fill a gap in knowledge. When this is done, skeptics argue, belief in God is shown to be based upon ignorance instead of knowledge. But is this true? In this episode, I aim to show why the God of the gaps objection fails as a critique of arguments for God.

Beauty is all around us and it permeates our universe. The existence of beauty is confirmed in the natural world and in works of human creation such as music and art. But what is beauty and how do we best explain it? In this episode, I argue that beauty is objective and that it requires a transcendent explanation. In this way, the existence of a personal God best explains beauty.

Skeptics claim belief in God's existence is irrational. Furthermore, they claim their position (most often, atheism) is based upon careful reasoning and evidence. But the argument from reason calls into question the very ability of atheism to provide a grounding for our rational faculties. Furthermore, it shows that pantheism (the worldview of most Eastern religions) also fails to provide a foundation for human reason. In this episode, I explain and defend the argument from reason and show how reason itself provides evidence for God.

True happiness. Lasting peace. Contentment. Something more. While people may differ on the details of what provides these things, every person alive is in pursuit of them. It seems there is an innate desire for the transcendent that we possess. How does such a desire function as evidence for God's existence? What exactly is a desire for the transcendent and where do we encounter it? Is this just an exercise in wishful thinking? In this episode, I explain what the Argument from Desire is, show how it provides evidence for God's existence, and respond to objections.

"I can't believe in a God of wrath, I believe in a God of love. After all, doesn't the Bible say 'God is love'"? This statement expresses what many feel to be a plausible account of the nature of God. It seems that if God is a loving God, then He would not be a wrathful God who brings punishment upon people. Is this true? What is the relationship between the love of God and the wrath of God? What does it mean for God to be loving and are human beings deserving of His wrath? In this episode, I explore these questions and show why it is crucial to understand the attributes of God according to the Bible's teaching.

Religious experience claims are innumerable, but what are they and do they provide evidence for God's existence? Can they be explained away as a result of physical processes in the brain or psychological illusions? What about religious experiences in other religions? And aren't these experiences subjective? How can they be trusted? In this episode, I discuss the nature of religious experience, show how it contributes to the case for God's existence, and respond to objections.

Every human being faces the question of life's meaning in one form or another. This is a question we encounter off and on and in different levels of intensity throughout our lives. But does it have an answer? And what is the nature of this "meaning"? In this episode, I survey three answers to the question of life's meaning. Along the way, I explain the deficiencies of atheism in this area and how Christianity provides a foundation for meaning in life.

In this episode of the podcast, I interview Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason. We discuss the moral argument for God's existence and how it contributes significantly to the case for God in general and Christianity in particular. To find out more about Greg and Stand to Reason, visit str.org

Christmastime provides more frequent exposure to the person of Jesus than at other points in the year. But there are two main temptations we can face in regards to Jesus during Christmas. I discuss these temptations and explain why I think they should be resisted as well as what a right response to Jesus looks like.

Many today think that religious and moral truths are completely subjective, being determined by our desires and preferences alone. Phrases such as "you do you", "live my truth", or the idea that a given religion "does not work for me" capture this perspective. But the view that religious and moral truths have no connection to facts is mistaken. In this episode, I explain why this is the case and argue that religious and moral truths are objective facts about the world that we all should take seriously.

Do miracles occur today? Can we rationally believe in them? In this episode, I address these questions as well as objections to belief in miracles. I then show why they support a case for the existence of God.

In this second episode of the series on God's existence, I discuss the nature of morality and how it points towards God. I look at various secular ethical theories and explain why I think they fail to provide an adequate foundation for morality.

Is there evidence for God's existence? If so, what kind of evidence is this? In this episode, I begin a series on evidence for God's existence to try and answer these important questions.

The phrase "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" is popular with many skeptics when discussing miracle claims. In many cases, it is used to dismiss belief in miracles as irrational. But is this move justified? Is it really irrational to believe in miracles?

The existence of evil and suffering in the world is an obvious fact about our universe. Skeptics argue against God's existence on the basis of evil. However, they frequently miss the reality that they also must give an account of the nature of evil. In fact, every person (and therefore every worldview that persons hold) must have some explanation for the existence and nature of evil. Which worldview provides the best explanation for evil?

Thinkers in the disciplines of Psychology and Sociology have provided various theories of religion. For some people, these theories amount to complete explanations for religious belief and show that such beliefs are delusions. But what are these theories and do they actually show that religious beliefs are delusions?

When we read the Bible, is the meaning of the text "all a matter of interpretation"? In other words, is the meaning of the Bible's text completely subjective? Or is it possible for us to understand an objective meaning in the text?

What is one crucial difference between Christianity and other religions? In this episode, I discuss what this difference is and why it is vital to understand.

In this episode, I review the last section of the book Faith Deconstruction 101. In this last section, the author of the book explains "what comes after" the process of deconstruction.

In this episode, I discuss the next section in the book Faith Deconstruction 101. The next section focuses on the question of "What Comes After?" the phase of deconstruction.

In this episode, I examine the first parts of a book called Faith Deconstruction 101. This book was written by a proponent of the deconstruction movement with the goal of teaching Christians "how to deconstruct your faith without losing it." What does this book teach and should Christians follow what it says?

A growing number of public Christian figures have stated they are "deconstructing" their faith. Such statements have left many Christians confused. What does this mean and why do some feel the need to engage in it? In this episode, I provide an overview of this movement, examining good aspects of it as well as problematic elements.

It is common to hear the claim that belief in God and the practice of science are opposed to one another. To do good science and to therefore, be a good scientist, you must jettison belief in God as a primitive superstitious idea. Or so the claim goes. Is this a sound way to think about the relationship between belief in God and modern science? In this episode I explain why I think it is not and that, contrary to this idea, it was belief in God which inspired modern science.

What significance does the coming of Jesus into human history over 2,000 years ago have for us today? In this episode, I take a look at the beginning of the gospel of John (John 1:1-18) and explore what it says about God, about ourselves, and about our world.

Some scholars say that you cannot make a case from history for the resurrection of Jesus since it is a miraculous event. According to them, miracles are by definition events which cannot be supported from historical evidence. It is an interesting argument, but is it right? In this episode, I will consider this objection as given by Bart Ehrman.

Not every New Testament scholar believes that the resurrection of Jesus was an actual historical event. What are the alternative explanations which scholars have offered to try to explain the historical facts surrounding Jesus' life and death? In this episode, I discuss common attempts to explain away the resurrection and show why I think they all fail to make their case.

In this episode, I argue that the belief in Jesus' resurrection and the spread of Christianity in the context of the first century provide powerful evidence for the truth of the resurrection.

In this episode, I examine some historical evidence for the post-mortem appearances of Jesus to His disciples. I seek to provide an answer to the question: "Are there good reasons to believe that Jesus appeared alive to His disciples three days after His death and burial?"

In this second episode in the series on the resurrection of Jesus, I look at the historical evidence for the empty tomb. If Jesus' tomb was indeed found empty on that third morning after his death, this supports the claim that he really was raised from the dead.

Is there any historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection? In this episode, I begin a series to provide an answer to this question. I focus on providing an outline for a historical argument for Jesus' resurrection and then look at evidence for both Jesus' death by crucifixion as well as his burial.

Some will argue that the sciences provide the only path to real knowledge of the world and that religious beliefs are mere expressions of blind faith, feelings, and cultural upbringing. But is this a good way to think about science, knowledge, and religious beliefs?

While many atheist evangelists promote atheism as the liberator of the human self, I argue that the true implications of an atheistic worldview paint a bleak picture of the universe that is often not taken seriously.

What does Christianity have to say about the human condition and our human experience? What worldview best makes sense of the human capacity for greatness as well as the human capacity for wickedness?

I briefly explain a change in the episode format.

Philosophy has a tendency to be misunderstood (and even feared) by many Christians. Does it have any place in the Christian life? Is it largely irrelevant or even something to be avoided? In this episode, I explain why I think philosophy is vital for a vibrant Christian life and seek to clear up some misconceptions about it.

In this episode I discuss the resurrection of Jesus and why it matters for Christianity. It is the central event of the Christian faith and without it, the Christian hope is without any basis.

A somewhat popular notion says that religious beliefs are an "accident of birth". This idea is usually expressed in the following line of thought: "If you are a Christian, you only believe in Christianity because you were raised to believe it or perhaps because you were born in a part of the world where it is taught and practiced. But, if you had been born in the Middle East, you would probably be a Muslim. If you were born in Japan, you would probably be Buddhist or Shinto." To some, this idea seems to discredit the Christian faith. At the very least, it seems to make the idea that Christianity can be objectively true implausible. How should we understand this idea about religious beliefs? Is there any credibility to it? What does it mean for the truthfulness of Christianity?

There are a bewildering variety of religious beliefs in the world. People on all sides think their particular religious perspective is true. What implications does this have for religion as a whole? Some have seen such disagreement amongst religions as evidence that no religion is true or that, at best, we should suspend judgment about whether any one of them is true. In this episode, I try to show why I think religious disagreement can actually help us pursue what is true.

In this episode I discuss a common tactic some atheists use when engaged in discussions with believers in God. This strategy rests upon a redefinition of atheism as merely a lack of a belief in God. But is this redefinition legitimate? What is the purpose of this redefinition? Do atheists have to make a rational case for their position or is this something only believers in God must do?

In the second episode of the series on doubt, I discuss some common misunderstandings of the nature of doubt. This is in the attempt to provide more clarity on the topic so that Christians will be better prepared when they encounter doubt in their own walks with God. It also aims to help non-Christians think about doubt when it comes to their own beliefs.

In this episode, I aim to provide an introduction to the subject of religious doubt. Doubt is something that is not foreign to the Christian faith and we can find many examples in the Bible of those who struggled with doubts of their own. Doubt is also something that everyone experiences, regardless of what they believe.

I discuss the central hope of Christmas which is found in the idea that Jesus Christ is God Incarnate. I explain what the Incarnation is and why a correct understanding of it is vital to Christian hope.