Podcasts about Christian Research Institute

Does the West need a religious revival? This was the subject of a debate hosted by The Free Press at the Paramount Theater in Austin Texas on February 27th. The debate pitted two religious advocates—Ayan Hirsi Ali and Ross Douthat—against two avowed atheists—Michael Shermer and Adam Carolla—in search of an answer. The scene of current affairs in the West was set by The Free Press as follows:“The West has experienced a rapid erosion of our shared culture. Political polarization, loneliness, depression and addiction have surged, while marriage and birthrates have plummeted. There's a crisis of meaning, and a growing chorus of intellectuals are pointing to secularism as the cause. Studies show that religious service attendance correlates with lower rates of depression, suicide and substance abuse. Religious individuals are also more likely to marry, stay married, and have children. For the first time in U.S. history, church membership among Americans has fallen below 50%. Less than a fifth of Western Europeans attend church regularly. In Sweden, over 75% of young people claim no religion at all. So, is the decline of religion to blame for our social unraveling? Or are rapid technological changes, growing economic inequality, and other social disruptions the culprit? And would empowering religious institutions, which have historically abused their power to stifle scientific progress, fuel war, and discriminate against perceived enemies be a mistake? In short, would a return to faith restore order, or simply revive old divisions?”David Hanegraaff traveled to Austin, Texas to cover the event—you can find his review and response here. [Coming Soon!]  He joins his father Hank Hanegraaff on this edition of Hank Unplugged to discuss the debate, his role at the Christian Research Institute and much more.  Topics discussed include: The Free Press organized a debate about religion that was unique for our time—secularism was not regarded as the default, but forced to defend itself (2:15)Who were the debate participants? (4:45)Why is the perspective of Ayaan Hirsi Ali so important? (6:30)Is a religious revival on the horizon? (8:00)What are the detrimental impacts of secularization on society? (12:25)Were the arguments made by the atheists—Adam Carolla and Michael Shermer—convincing?  (14:00)New atheists, same old, tired arguments (16:50)Richard Dawkins claims to be a cultural Christian (18:15)The consequences of an unexamined life—worldviews matter (20:50)The role of technology in our world today (25:50)Why was this debate significant? (27:00)The importance of localism (30:25)The transformational nature of a Christianity lived out in practice (33:20)What was it like growing up as the son of the Bible Answer Man? (37:05)The legacy of Johannis Hanegraaff (40:00)The importance of apologetics (42:30)The sign of the cross (49:30)The importance of being equally yoked (53:30)Church and life are inextricably woven for Christians (55:15)The detrimental impact of bad theology (58:25)The joy of parenthood (1:02:20)Meeting Jay Richards in Greece—a favorite Hank Unplugged guest (1:07:15)Traveling to the monastic community at Mt. Athos (1:10:45)The joy of having your children in the Church (1:14:45)Why David Hanegraaff loves the Republic of Georgia—aggressive hospitality (1:20:00)A boy named Grace—why? (1:23:20)The importance of reading and the role books play on the Hank Unplugged podcast (1:26:00)Listen to Hank's podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are  on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

This year was a reminder of the ephemeral reality of our earthly experience. Last Christmas we sent out a Christmas card featuring a joyful photo of Hank from a trip to India—a trip with his dear Friend K.P. Yohannan where they witnessed firsthand our ongoing Going Global efforts in the 10-40 window and excitedly discussed plans to continue to carry out the great commission as commanded by our Lord. https://www.equip.org/product/going-global-10-40-window-training-support/ This Christmas season, K. P. is absent the body, present with the Lord. But we are still here! Here — as yet — to make a difference for time and for eternity. Moreover, a reminder of “Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.” As Hank approaches three quarters of a century in age, he is acutely aware of the reality of being in the fourth quarter of his life. A life motivated by the apostle Paul's admonition to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ­fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–2). On behalf of the entire team here at the Christian Research Institute, we would like to thank you for being a co-laborer in Christ in the battle for life and truth. We are excited for you to listen—or re-listen—to this encore edition of the Hank Unplugged podcasting featuring a conversation with K P Yohannan—a generational disciple of the Lord.  May the conversation you are about to hear inspire you to join the abundant harvest to be found in Christ Jesus our Lord—that you might develop a passion for proclaiming his very name to the billions around that globe who have yet to hear His holy name.   “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:36-38). *If you aren't already subscribed to the mailing list and email updates, simply go to the web at www.equip.org  and go sign up for one of both our our email lists here. https://www.equip.org/master-series/

I am five years removed from a stem-cell transplant that saved my life. And seven years removed from an initial cancer diagnosis of stage four mantle cell lymphoma. I greet you with a heart of gratitude but also a spirit of resolve. Resolve to remember that life is fleeting. Resolve captured by the words, “Only one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.”During the past twelve months, users have accessed our website equip.org from more than 230 countries—benefiting from our vast reservoir of unrestricted resources, such as the Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank Unplugged podcast, Bible Answer Man YouTube Channel, Daily e-Truths, and Christian Research Journal online, available to anyone with Internet access anywhere in the world.I am deeply grateful to all who answer by your continued support of the many outreaches of the Christian Research Institute. I am sincerely grateful for all you do to strengthen our 24/7 outreaches. Outreaches making a strategic difference at home and around the globe.As I approach three quarters of a century in age, I am acutely aware of the reality of being in the fourth quarter of my life. A life motivated by the apostle Paul's admonition to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–2).In closing,  I've provided a link to our Website here. Thank you for the vital difference your year-end gift will make in so many lives. https://www.equip.org/product/year-end-gift-2024-hup/ Listen to Hank's podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are  on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with JOURNAL author Anne Kennedy about her online article, which is part of her ongoing Column Series, Theological Trends ,  entitled “Blessings and Liberty: The Politics and Religion of David French”.  This particular article is also a Viewpoint article. Viewpoint articles address relevant contemporary issues in discernment and apologetics from a particular perspective that is usually not shared by all Christians, with the intended result that Christians' thinking on that issue will be stimulated and enhanced (whether or not people end up agreeing with the author's opinion). https://www.equip.org/articles/blessings-and-liberty-the-politics-and-religion-of-david-french/Editors' Note: Although the Christian Research Institute is a non-political, non-partisan organization, an intersection exists between politics, the public square, and a biblically grounded articulation and defense of the historic Christian faith. For more than 45 years, the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL has addressed a wide variety of issues within this intersection, especially concerning Christian ethics informed by Christian orthodoxy, including the sanctity of life (abortion, reproductive technologies, euthanasia), marriage, sexuality, LGBTQ matters, war, religious freedom, and other biblically relevant topics of our times. Anne Kennedy's insightful commentary on the writings and influence of the evangelical political commentator David French aligns well within the JOURNAL'S purview.Related podcasts and articles mentioned: Episode 394 Marketing An “Almost” Jesus—Evaluating The “He Gets Us” CampaignMarketing An “Almost” Jesus—Evaluating The “He Gets Us” CampaignAudio Version of Christian Research Journals Reads Episode 33 Marketing An “Almost” Jesus—Evaluating The “He Gets Us” CampaignOther recent articles and podcasts by this author:Episode 374 Did Pope Francis Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Couples?Did Pope Francis Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Couples?Episode 386 Can a Christian Attend a Gay Wedding? Alistair Begg and the Bad PhariseeCan a Christian Attend a Gay Wedding? Alistair Begg and the Bad PhariseeEpisode 160-Naming Names: Why It's OK (and Necessary) to Call Out False Teachers and Fugitives from Church Justice by NameNaming Names: Why It's OK (and Necessary) to Call Out False Teachers and Fugitives from Church Justice by NameOther  related podcasts and articles:Just War 5.0: On the Evolution and Application of Just War Doctrine in the Modern WorldIs Participating in the Fertility Industry Ethical?Life After Roe: A Follow UpMurder by Medicine in Canada and the Threat to AmericaThe Woke Revolution and the Demise of Western CivilizationThe Politics of Abortion: Should Christians Vote Straight Ticket?The 2012 Elections: Five Questions for Pro-Life AdvocatesIs It Permissible for a Christian to Vote for a Mormon?

It's Thursday, July 18th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Persecution of Christians in Turkey Protestant churches in Turkey are facing increasing hostility from the government. In a recent example, officials prohibited the Diyarbakir Protestant Church Foundation from acquiring land already zoned for religious buildings.  Alliance Defending Freedom International is defending the church.  Kelsey Zorzi with ADF International said, “What we are seeing in Türkiye is a troubling display of blatant, faith-based discrimination against Christians. … Authorities keep finding ways to deny their request since they are Christians. … The discrimination must stop.” According to Open Doors, Turkey is the 50th most difficult nation worldwide in which to be a Christian. The evangelistic outreach during the Paris Summer Olympics (audio of Olympic theme song) The 2024 Summer Olympics begin later this month in Paris, France. A network of Evangelical churches are working to share Christ during the international event. Ensemble 2024 is a “coalition of churches, ministries and individuals all seeking to make Christ known in word and deed during the Olympics.” Matthew Glock is the group's national coordinator. He told Evangelical Focus people can pray for prepared hearts: “May God be pleased to use our efforts to bring the truth [of the] Gospel to those He has prepared. May many come to faith.”  Secret Service knew BEFORE Trump took the stage there was a threat In the United States, another brutal development in the Trump assassination attempt investigation. Fox News reports that federal agents knew there was a threat to the former president's life ten minutes before he took the stage. But they still allowed him to proceed with the rally. Plus, they had identified the shooter a full hour before the assassination attempt because he was spotted with a rangefinder by authorities. Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee tweeted, “I just got off a briefing with the Secret Service and FBI. I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage. I have no confidence in the leadership of Director [Kimberly] Cheatle and believe it is in the best interest of our nation if she steps down from her position.” The pagan prayer at the GOP Convention Bible-believing Christians were understandably irate that a pagan prayer was part of the opening night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this week. Republican attorney Harmeet Dhillon of San Francisco, California chanted a prayer to Waheguru, the god of Sikhism, an Indian religion founded in the 15th century. Listen to how she explained the prayer. DHILLON: “I come from a family of Sikh immigrants. I am honored to share with you, my fellow Republicans and guests tonight, a prayer from my faith tradition, practiced by over 25 million worldwide. “We recite the Ardās prayer before any new endeavor, giving thanks to god and asking for his protection and help to uphold the values of humility, truth, courage, service, and justice for all.” Ironically, Sikhism claims to be both monotheistic and pantheistic. Sikhs believe that their false god is simultaneously within everything and is all-encompassing.  Before Dhillon translated her pagan prayer into English, she sang it. Here is how the first nine seconds sounded. (audio of a portion of the sung prayer) Harmeet Dhillon then translated the whole prayer, the first four sentences of which follow. DHILLON: “Dear Waheguru, our one true god. We thank you for creating America as a unique haven on this Earth, where all people are free to worship according to their faith. We seek your blessings and guidance for our beloved country. Please bless our people with wisdom as they vote in the upcoming election.” Truth be told, Waheguru is absolutely not the one true God! Ben Zeisloft, editor of the Republic Sentinel, declared, “America must turn to the Triune God. Not to Allah. Not to Vishnu. Not to ‘Waheguru.' Jesus Christ alone is Lord, King, and Judge of all the Earth. We must repent and trust in Him or else expect His righteous judgments.” 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”  According to the Christian Research Institute, Sikhs teach that the nature of humanity is essentially good. By contrast, Christians teach that the nature of humanity is sinful. Sikhism emphasizes good works as the way to attain liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. By contrast, Christians emphasize that we are saved by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone, as explained in Ephesians 2:8-9. Salvation is the free gift of God for the undeserving sinner because of Christ's redeeming work on the cross. California teachers allowed to hide student's transgenderism from parents This week, California became the first state to allow teachers to keep a students' so-called gender identity or sexually perverted preference hidden from parents. Tech billionaire Elon Musk called it the last straw. He said, “Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its Headquarters from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas.”  Musk also plans to relocate X, formerly known as Twitter, from San Francisco to Austin, Texas. Senator Bob Menendez guilty of taking gold and cash bribes On Tuesday, a Manhattan jury convicted U.S. Democrat Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey in a corruption trial. Menendez faced accusations of receiving bribes in the form of gold and cash from New Jersey businessmen as well as being an agent for the Egyptian government.  The Associated Press reports the jury found him guilty of bribery, extortion, honest services fraud, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. Menendez denied the charges and said he would appeal.  Anniversary of beheadings of 12 bold North African Christian martyrs And finally, this week is the anniversary of the deaths of the Scillitan Martyrs. They were a group of 12 North African Christians who died for the faith in Christ on A.D. July 17, 180. A Roman proconsul put them on trial in Carthage. They were carrying the books and letters of the Apostle Paul. When asked to swear by the name of the emperor, one of the Christians said, “I recognize not the empire of this world; but rather do I serve that God whom no man hath seen, nor with these eyes can see.”  He was referencing 1 Timothy 6:16 which says of God: “Who alone has immortality, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” The courageous seven men and five women were beheaded for refusing to deny their Savior.  Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, July 18th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Join me Adam McManus, and my two sons, Honor and Valor, at the Colorado Father-Son retreat Thursday, August 15th through Sunday, August 18th. Go to ColoradoFatherSon.com. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Thank you for being part of the conversation.  This is Play It Forward.  Real people.  Real stories.  The struggle to Play It Forward.  Episode 632 with the Bible Answer Man.  The Complete Bible Answer Book Hank Hanegraaff is better known as the “Bible Answer Man,” which is also the name of the nationally syndicated radio program in which he answers questions about the Bible and how its teachings apply to our lives today. Hank is also the president and chairman of the Christian Research Institute and the author of more than twenty books including The Complete Bible Answer Book - which arrives in an all-new revised and expanded collector's edition on June 18.We all have questions about the Bible (whether we've read it or not!). The Complete Bible Answer Book provides answers to more than 200 of the top questions people have asked Bible teacher and theologian Hank Hanegraaff over the last 40 years.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Join LaTangela for a round of #RandomResearch Best Selling Author, Hank Hanegraaff chats on the #TanLine giving us the inside scoop on The Complete Bible Answer Book - Collector's Edition. As the President of The Christian Research Institute, he has over 40 years of dedication to creating a wealth of information to enlighten readers on many issues. He spends time addressing and answering questions about the Bible as an author and host of The Bible Answer Man Broadcast. I have questions that need answers! Chime in. We will also chat with OWN's network reality stars Nicole Braden Handy & Jermeshia Goudeau. Gearing up for a new season of Family Empire: Houston, their lives will soon become our entertainment. Are they ready to expose the ups and downs of their empire? We shall see! Friday nights are warming up on Oprah Winfrey Network! Chime in www.LaTangela.com  RADIO -  WEMX- Baton Rouge, La. Mon-Fri 10a.m.-3p.m.CST The LaTangela Show 10:30a.m. - WEMX KTCS - Beaumont, Tx. Mon-Fri 3-8 CST WWO -  YouTube - #LaTangelaFay Podcast - ALL digital platforms - #iTunes #Spotify #WEMX #WAFB+See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hank Hanegraaff is better known as the “Bible Answer Man,” which is also the name of the nationally syndicated radio program in which he answers questions about the Bible and how its teachings apply to our lives today. Hank is also the president and chairman of the Christian Research Institute and the author of more than twenty books including The Complete Bible Answer Book - which arrives in an all-new revised and expanded collector's edition on June 18.We all have questions about the Bible (whether we've read it or not!). The Complete Bible Answer Book provides answers to more than 200 of the top questions people have asked Bible teacher and theologian Hank Hanegraaff over the last 40 years. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/27/24), Hank welcomes you to a special Memorial Day edition of the broadcast. In the midst of battling the evil of Nazism, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Churchill's words ring true today as we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States. A day to honor those who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “gave the last full measure of devotion” in their sacrifice for freedom. We here at the Christian Research Institute offer our deepest respect, honor, and thankfulness to those who have sacrificed all to protect and defend the freedoms we enjoy in this country. But we are also committed to preserving freedoms that are definitively being compromised in the present generation. As history demonstrates, we must ever remain vigilant. Which leads to a quintessential question, “Under what conditions is war justified?”

Truth for My Twenty-Year-Old Self is a podcast series that offers a rear-view window perspective on various topics. We hope that older and younger women will use these questions to spend time together talking about these issues. Today's guest, Melanie Cogdill, shares her wisdom about thinking biblically about sexuality.  Melanie serves as the Managing Editor at Christian Research Institute and is a Women's Ministry Trainer on our National Team.  To learn more about how you can join us at one of our eight Made for Conferences in 2024-2025, check out our Made for More Hub: https://women.pcacdm.org/made-for-more/

Loneliness has become such an epidemic today…many people are even calling it a crisis. And the hard part is, when we feel that way, we don't feel like we can talk about it…we feel like will understand or like they'll judge us.  And loneliness is no longer a problem with not being around people as I shared before. You can be surrounded by your friends; you can be surrounded by a large group of people and still feel lonely. According to the Christian Research Institute, loneliness is not just a social isolation issue, loneliness is caused when we feel unseen, we have trouble connecting with others, we don't feel valued, and we don't feel like we have a purpose. God created us as relational human beings. We were meant to have real relationships with people, not just surface level friendships. This was my biggest challenge growing up. I had the same close group of friends from Kindergarten all the way through college, but honestly, I don't think any one of them ever took the time to really get to know me. Our friendships were always surface level…and I felt the heavy dread of loneliness. “Nobody likes me.” “Nobody cares about me.” “What's wrong with me?” Feelings are very real, but we shouldn't follow our feelings, because they can often lie to us, telling us things like, “there must be something wrong with me?” “why am I so different?” “why can't people just like me?”  But how do we build those true friendships? How do we break past those feelings of loneliness or that nobody likes us into the joy and encouragement true friendships can bring us?Have you grabbed the Winter box from the Beautiful Movement, yet? The theme this month is, “Loved,” a box to remind you of your true worth and the gifts in this box will make you feel so special! Head on over to www.jointhebeautifulmovement.com and grab your box today. Don't forget to use the code, “uncommonteen” all one word, to save 15%! Follow the Beautiful Movement on Instagram @the_beautiful_movementLadies, we have had challenges recently with the UncommonTEEN App and you all haven't been able to ask your questions for our Ask Me Anything podcast episodes...so to make that easier for you, we added a brand new RED button at the top of the UncommonTEEN website that says, "Ask Me Anything!" If you want to submit your questions for upcoming Ask Me Anything episodes, be sure to head on over to UncommonTEEN.com and ask your questions there! Connect with Us!Website: UncommonTEEN.comInstagram: @uncommon.teenUncommonTEEN Live Conference: UncommonTEENlive.com

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (01/09/24), Hank talks about the many ways the Christian Research Institute is being used by God to impact people around the world.Hank also answers the following questions:Is suicide an unforgivable sin? Will those who commit suicide go to hell? Mary - Kansas City, KS (3:13)Can you discuss the early dating of the book of Revelation? Matthew - Calgary, AB (5:25)Would you rent an apartment to an unmarried couple? Jim - Des Moines, IA (15:10)Does Paul advocate the use of personal, private tongues? Is it possible for believers to have more than one spiritual gift? Joyce - Spokane, WA (18:02)What did Jesus mean when He said, “let your ‘Yes' be ‘Yes,' and your ‘No,' ‘No,'” in Matthew 5:37? Tammy - Turlock, CA (20:15)

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (07/25/23), Hank quotes G.K. Chesterton who said, the true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him. This idea is at the heart of the mission of the Christian Research Institute. As the battle for truth rages, we recognize that the world is ultimately not the enemy, but rather prisoners of war who need to be recaptured with the truth.Hank also answers the following questions:Who is Melchizedek? (5:58)As a former lesbian, how can I minister to friends who are still in that lifestyle? (15:14)Is same-sex marriage condemned only by the Bible? Are there good non-biblical arguments against it? (23:27)

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (06/15/23), Hank reads a letter of testimony from a listener who has been blessed by the ministry of the Christian Research Institute and the Bible Answer Man broadcast.Hank also answers the following questions:Could you explain the framework view of creation?Can you explain Matthew 7:21-23? What is the will of our Father in heaven?Are there parallels between Jesus and the Egyptian god Horus? Have you seen the movie Zeitgeist?Does John 20:22-23 support the idea that pastors can pronounce absolution of sin?

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank shares the poignant words of five-star General Omar Bradley who said, “We have men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.” Affirming this statement, Hank sends forth a clarion call for believers to stand with the Christian Research Institute in the battle for life and truth.Hank also answers the following questions:Do the children of unbelievers go to heaven after death?Can you explain Mark 9:29 and Jesus' words that certain demons cannot be driven out except by prayer and fasting?I have some friends who claim to know a lot about the Bible, but they tend to be hypocrites. How should I handle this situation?

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, has been re-reading Jay Richards' outstanding book, The Human Advantage: The Future of American Work in an Age of Smart Machines. We so often swallow the skin of the truth stuffed with a big lie—in this case the myth that artificial intelligence will soon replace us. Richards shows that while AI certainly brings challenges, it also has its opportunities. And in this sense the age of AI is like the agrarian age, the industrial age, and the information age—they were all ages of opportunity. And the age of AI is ripe for doing only what human beings can bring to the table. Mind and creativity trumps matter. Machines are not aspirational and will not ever be able to do much of what human beings can do—parent, heal the broken hearted, produce homilies empowered by the Spirit of God. So why the hysteria? Because we in the West have swallowed the myth of materialism. Elon Musk questions whether there is such a thing as consciousness—emblematic of the myth that our minds are simply meaty machines. In reality, a machine will never be able to have first-person subjective experience. Self-awareness is, in principle, beyond AI. Richards quotes George Gilder: “The inability of modern techno-philosophers to grasp the difference between machines and human beings is a great trahison des clercs [treason of the clerks—intellectuals] of our time.”

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (06/01/23), Hank shares the poignant words of five-star General Omar Bradley who said, “We have men of science, too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.” Affirming this statement, Hank sends forth a clarion call for believers to stand with the Christian Research Institute in the battle for life and truth.Hank also answers the following questions:Do the children of unbelievers go to heaven after death?Did Jesus ascend from Bethany according to Luke 24:50-51, or the Mount of Olives as Acts chapter 1 tells us?Can you explain Daniel chapter 12 and the prophecy about 1,290 days?

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/29/23), Hank welcomes you to a special Memorial Day edition of the broadcast. Within the midst of battling the evil of Nazism, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Churchill's words ring true today as we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States. A day to honor those who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “gave the last full measure of devotion” in their sacrifice for freedom. We here at the Christian Research Institute offer our deepest respect, honor, and thankfulness to those who have sacrificed all to protect and defend the freedoms we enjoy in this country. But we are also committed to preserving freedoms that are definitively being compromised in the present generation. As history demonstrates, we must ever remain vigilant. Which leads to a quintessential question, “Under what conditions is war justified?”Mentioned on today's Bible Answer Man broadcast:Michael McKenzie, “Onward Christian Soldiers? Just War Tradition” https://www.equip.org/articles/just-war-tradition/David Wood, “Jihad, Jizya, and Just War Theory” https://www.equip.org/articles/jihad-jizya-just-war-theory/Hank Hanegraaff, MUSLIM: What You Need to Know about the World's Fastest-Growing Religion https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion/

In part 2 of Mahmoud's amazing story, learn what happened after Mahmoud came to a church to burn it down. His immediate transformation is astounding. You'll see how Jesus changed everything and stuck close to Mahmoud during immense persecution, and what Jesus compelled Mahmoud to do for Him. Today's Sendoff features another, short testimony from an Iranian believer, brought to you by OneWay's Love Muslims. Be encouraged as you hear about God working in Iran and the Muslim world. Helpful Links:Pray with Prayercast for Muslims during Ramadanhttps://www.prayercast.com/love-muslims-landing.htmlOneWay Love Muslims Testimonieshttps://prayercast.com/testimonies-landing.htmlPsalm 18Psalm 18:1-3 to songWhat is Sufism?Christian Research Institute repost of Elliot Miller, originally published in Forward, volume 9, number 1 (1986). Follow One80 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website. Never miss a One80. Join our email list. Follow us on Instagram.

I'm thrilled to have Melissa Cain Travis as our guest on today's episode. Melissa's work explores how science and faith can intersect, and how this intersection can lead to a deeper understanding of both. In today's episode, we will be discussing the life and work of Johannes Kepler, and how his faith influenced his scientific discoveries. We'll also be exploring the ways in which science and faith can converge, and how this convergence can deepen our understanding of the world around us. Melissa Cain Travis is a philosopher and Great Books scholar with a special interest in the intersection of science and Christianity in the Western tradition. She is the author of Thinking God's Thoughts: Johannes Kepler and the Miracle of Cosmic Comprehensibility (2022), Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God (2018), and a contributing author for The Story of the Cosmos: How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God (2019). She is a Fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, and a member of the core writing team for The Worldview Bulletin and the Contributing Writers team at Christian Research Institute. She regularly lectures at conferences, seminaries, and churches around the country. Check out the full show notes for this episode: www.aaronshamp.com/podcast/melissa-cain-travis Get a copy of "Thinking God's Thoughts" here: https://a.co/d/e0LOMe6 SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: https://www.aaronshamp.com/support –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Track: Perseverance — Land of Fire [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/filterpodcast/message

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, explains why the redefinition of marriage is such a serious matter. In the considered opinions of such great western philosophers as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, marriage was seen as a relationship between men and women. Indeed, in the Judeo-Christian tradition marriage has always been rooted in the dual, gender-distinct nature of humanity. As such, intercourse consummates marriage as a multifaceted mystery in which two people are forged together as one flesh. In mysterious union, a man and a woman procreate children fashioned in the image and likeness of their Creator. Marriage, however, is even more profound than procreation and paradisiacal pleasure—it is a mysterious parable of Christ and His church. The union of two people a poignant portrait of the unity of Christ and His bride. The parable has its roots in Genesis and bears ultimate fruit in Revelation. There are essentially three building blocks of civil society—marriage, church, government—resting atop the foundation of human life. Of the three none is more significant than marriage. The ABC'S—Anthropology: women and men enjoy strategic complementarity; as such, both are essential in the rearing of children. Biology: sexual reproduction requires male and female. Civics: Redefining marriage opens Pandora's Box and spells the death knell to civil society.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on an article in The Economist, “Christianity Is a Minority Religion in England and Wales,” which notes the precipitous decline of Christianity in Britain. Less than one half of the population now consider themselves to be Christian and the number of people who have “no religion” has rocketed up 57 percent. In the meantime, Islam has risen 42 percent, partly due to immigration. Millions of Muslims have come to a place like England (and the US) to fill a void created by death and abortion. Perhaps as troubling is that what is left of the Church in England has become increasingly irrelevant. Instead of being a change agent in the culture, the church has become a microcosm of the culture. More often than not the notion that marriage is between a man and a woman or that biological sex is real has become anathema. In other words, the church has become increasingly politically correct. We can curse the darkness or be part of the solution. We can refocus our attention on the great and glorious reality that Christ became Man so that we might be adopted into the family of God—as sons and daughters of God called to enter into the very life of the Trinity. United to God and to one another, the church is empowered by an unlimited flow of divine energy by which to provide light and life to the world.See “Christianity Is a Minority Religion in England and Wales,” The Economist, November 30, 2022, https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/11/30/christianity-is-a-minority-religion-in-england-and-walesFor further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, Truth Matters, Life Matters More: The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/26/22), Hank shares a few testimonies from listeners who have been blessed by the many outreaches of the Christian Research Institute. Hank relates the words of Adam, who says he can sum up the ministry of CRI in one word—discernment, and Keith's encouraging letter, which tells of how he learned biblical interpretation and how to defend his faith.Hank also answers the following questions:Since the sins of Christians are forgiven, how will we be judged? We don't have anything to fear, do we?Can you explain Exodus 4:24-26? Why did God what to kill Moses?What is your take on the rapture?How do you interpret Daniel 9:24-27?

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on the story of the first biological male to win a local Miss America pageant (New Hampshire). Brían Nguyen said, “I am ecstatic to be the first transgender woman to be a Miss America local titleholder, and I hope to make everyone proud and become the first to walk the Miss America stage.” Among Hank's first thoughts upon seeing the story was the question, Why are the fellow women contestants cheering and going along with the ruse? Here is a clear example of absurdity. The pageant is no longer about authentic feminine beauty. This is a charade. Yet, all too often we are quiet. Perhaps we, too, fear that if we say something, we'll be called out as out of touch with social trends—as backward or benighted. But we do need to speak up. And we must teach our children principles to live by so they are not swept along by this radical Wokism tide.See Amanda Harding, “Transgender-Identifying Teen Becomes First Male To Win A Miss America Sponsored Beauty Pageant,” The Daily Wire, November 10, 2022, https://www.dailywire.com/news/transgender-identifying-teen-becomes-first-male-to-win-a-miss-america-sponsored-beauty-pageant.See also, Douglas R. Groothuis, Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-fire-in-the-streets-how-you-can-confidently-respond-to-incendiary-cultural-topics/ and Noelle Mering, Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-awake-not-woke-a-christian-response-to-the-cult-of-progressive-ideology-wa2209fl2/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, is thinking about the recent mid-term elections. We put so much hope in our political system, and certainly political activism plays a necessary role. Yet while the ballot box is necessary, it is insufficient. Consider maladies in Western Civilization such as transgenderism and radical transgender surgery—something you could never have imagined where people are now at young ages having top and bottom surgeries making up maybe a trillion dollar industry for the medical establishment with young people becoming medical patients for life. Radical individualism, wokism, militant egalitarianism, religious pluralism, and so on. All such things are not magically changed or redeemed at the ballot box. Illiberal liberalism is perpetuated and disseminated in so many different ways. Think about educational institutions—so many educators saying the state should have a bigger input into the lives of children than parents. The entertainment industry, which many of us are hooked on. Environmental industries that create, manipulate, and disseminate ideological constructs driving Western civilization in a various dangerous direction. Just a glimpse of the darkness. What are the solutions? The church must awaken from its diabetic coma brought on by a steady diet of fast-food Christianity. Christians must become not only intellectually equipped but equipped internally—by a mysterious Zoetic energy—the energy by which we may yet reclaim the soul of the world against the insistent forces of secularism and paganism. For further reflection, see Hank Hanegraaff, Truth Matters, Life Matters More: The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-truth-matters-life-matters-more/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on an article from the World Socialist Web Site by scholar Tom Mackaman, “American Historical Association President Issues Groveling Apology after Racialist Social Media Attack.” Here we have “the president of the American Historical Association, Professor James Sweet of the University of Wisconsin,” making a soft criticism of The 1619 Project and ending up having to publish “a groveling apology.” Sweet had criticized “the dominance of ‘presentism' in historical writing.” According to Sweet, presentism is the “tendency to view history ‘through the prism of contemporary social justice issues—race, gender, sexuality, nationalism, capitalism,' while minimizing ‘the values and mores of people in their own times.'” Mackaman comments that “the subject is certainly worthy of discussion, not apology and retraction.” Sweet had also suggested that “The 1619 Project's insinuation that slavery was a uniquely American ‘original sin'” wasn't quite right. He pointed to “a slaving site he'd recently visited in Ghana, Elmina,” regarding which “‘[l]ess than one percent of the Africans passing through…arrived in North America.' Most of the other 99 percent, presumably, were bound to destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean.” So, the US was hardly exceptional in this regard. But in the face of social media criticism like, “as a ‘white man' he has no right to make critical commentary on Black or African History,” Professor Sweet “crumpled in record speed,” as Mackaman put it, tweeting out an apology containing sentiments such as “I take full responsibility;” “I am deeply sorry;” “I sincerely regret;” “I hope to redeem myself.”See Mary Grabar, Debunking The 1619 Project: Exposing the Plan to Divide America (Regnery History, 2021) https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-awake-not-woke-a-christian-response-to-the-cult-of-progressive-ideology-wa2209fl2/.See also Tom Mackaman, “American Historical Association President Issues Groveling Apology after Racialist Social Media Attack,” World Socialist Web Site, August 23, 2022, https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/08/24/ogzj-a24.html; James H. Sweet, “Is History History? Identity Politics and Teleologies of the Present,” Perspectives on History, August 17, 2022, https://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2022/is-history-history-identity-politics-and-teleologies-of-the-present.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, has been meditating on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–7:29). Meditating on the words of this most glorious of magnificent sermons is transformational. In this sermon, Jesus famously asked, “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?” Hank was thinking about these words when he happened upon an article, “Of Smart Phones and Snakes,” by Grazie Pozo Christie, who writes, “Every time I see a little hand holding a smartphone and childish eyes staring mesmerized at the screen, I remember those Gospel words [from Luke 11:11 and also Matthew 7:9–10] and imagine the phone is a rattlesnake.” In the early stages of their development, we've handed impressionable children over to the greed of big tech—“luring them into ‘rabbit holes' of coarse sexuality and drug use” and transgender traps. Twelve- and thirteen-year-olds—even younger—being groomed for radical hormonal treatments and devastating surgical alterations. While the bottom line for tech giants is quite promising, the resulting top and bottom surgeries, woke ideologies, and cultural confusion wreaks inestimable harm. Older tech addicts fare little better. Our overstimulated constitutions are increasingly devoid of critical thinking. We've substituted quick answers for critical thought. Information substituted for reflection and true wisdom. Solutions are not to be found in more screen time, but more Scripture time—meditating, mining, memorizing the wisdom of Scripture for all its substantial worth. Perhaps start by reading a chapter a day of Proverbs. See Grazie Pozo Christie, “Of Smart Phones and Snakes,” Angelus, September 9, 2022, https://angelusnews.com/voices/of-smartphones-and-snakes/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reads from a poignant, acutely distressing article by Ritchie Herron, “A Detransitioner's Perspective: Awakening from the Dream of Gender Utopia,” published by Human Events. Ritchie writes and speaks in a very compelling fashion. “I was 25, an adult,” he explains, “but a vulnerable adult with high traits of autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance misuse issues. Like many, I was captured by the idea that I was less than perfect. The solution to my imperfection was to be laid on a path that would lead to a degree of unimaginable self-destruction, through irreversible surgeries that have turned me into a lifelong medical patient, reliant on synthetic hormones, as well as being under constant supervision for ongoing complications related to the deeply invasive surgery. This was all in the name of the promised Gender Utopia, where we were all free to be ourselves, express ourselves without boundaries, and celebrate our individuality in an explosion of liberation and autonomy, yet, at the age of 35, almost a decade after embarking on this deeply destructive journey, I've come to realize this is not the Gender Utopia we were promised.” See Ritchie Herron, “A Detransitioner's Perspective: Awakening from the Dream of Gender Utopia,” Human Events, September 13, 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20220915085236/https:/www.humanevents.com/2022/09/13/a-detransitioner-s-perspective-awakening-from-the-dream-of-gender-utopia

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on The 1619 Project and what motivated the Nazi Holocaust. Nikole Hannah-Jones, director of The 1619 Project, reimagines America as a ‘slaveocracy'—and says that even Nazi Germany used America as inspiration for its racial policies. But actually Nazi Germany was motivated by Darwinism and its implications. Nazi Germany took eugenics, which was increasingly promoted throughout the West, to its logical conclusion. Namely, to take those that were not well born and exterminate them in order to bring about the uber race. Thus at the heart of the problem is the notion that we're not created in the image and likeness of God, such that we have intrinsic worth, but rather we are merely molecules in motion—and the goal is always to progress to a higher ideal. The amoeba becomes the ape; and ultimately, the ape becomes the astronaut. For evolution to work, you have to eliminate the weak, otherwise they will pollute the gene pool and render evolutionary progress impossible. The educational system in concert with The 1619 Project is bent on eradicating the God of the Bible—because if we eradicate God, then anything becomes possible. In truth it has always been sin, not skin color, that animates racism. And we know that because slavery has existed throughout all of human history. So if we are to re-imagine America, we must do so based on the communication that, as human beings, we are all created in the image of God.See Mary Grabar, Debunking The 1619 Project: Exposing the Plan to Divide America (Regnery History, 2021) https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-awake-not-woke-a-christian-response-to-the-cult-of-progressive-ideology-wa2209fl2/; and Richard Weikart, Darwinian Racism: How Darwinism Influenced Hitler, Nazism, and White Nationalism (Discovery Institute, 2022), https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-darwinian-racism-how-darwinism-influenced-hitler-nazism-and-white-nationalism/.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on an important book he is reading: The Story of the Family: G.K. Chesterton on the Only State That Creates and Loves Its Own Citizens, edited by Dale Ahlquist (Ignatius Press, 2022). In this compilation of texts from Chesterton, he shows that “society is built on the family.” He eloquently explains that one cannot free something from what it is by nature, including marriage and the family. You cannot free a marriage from the union of a man and a woman, the natural end of which is the bearing and rearing of children. There is no other social relation parallel to the natural and “mutual attraction of the sexes,” and by missing this point, the modern world has fallen into countless “vices and follies,” including same-sex sexuality and transgenderism. Chesterton shows that undercutting the “triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child,” destroys any civilization that once cherished them. Seeking to thwart nature, we succeed only in cutting off the very limb on which we are seated. Ultimately, “the war against the family” is a “war against God and the Church.” The road back is through “the story of the family.”See The Story of the Family: G.K. Chesterton on the Only State That Creates and Loves Its Own Citizens, edited by Dale Ahlquist (Ignatius Press, 2022) https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-the-story-of-the-family-g-k-chesterton-on-the-only-state-that-creates-and-loves-its-own-citizens/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, is reading Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology (TAN Books, 2021) by Noelle Mering. Scripture tells us that Satan prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Never more so than in the woke ideology that has captured the heart of America. The devil's multifaceted strategy involves “prowling for innocence,” as Mering poignantly puts it, for the innocence of children is a threat to the kingdom of darkness. She points out that media and movies are some of his favorite tools. Think Frozen (2013), Trolls (2016), or the magazine Teen Vogue, which featured “A Guide to Anal Sex.” Far from decrying sodomy, the magazine depicts anal sex as a very natural benefit. In the first generation of cultural demise, it would be difficult to bring up a subject like this. In the second generation, such filth becomes normalized. And in the third generation, we begin to see what we are experiencing today—societal collapse. The only antidote is Christians willing to proclaim truth in a culture where truth is perceived to be little more than hate. See Noelle Mering, Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology https://www.equip.org/donate/ And look for Hank's forthcoming in-depth interview with Noelle Mering on the Hank Unplugged Podcast.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on a recent news story that turns out to be another example of failure to do due diligence in reporting. Duke University women's volleyball starter Rachel Richardson sent out a tweet saying that she and her “fellow African American teammates…were targeted and racially heckled throughout the entirety of the match” between Duke and Brigham Young University. Richardson's Godmother, Lesa Pamplin, tweeted, “My Goddaughter is the only black starter for Dukes volleyball team. While playing yesterday, she was called a [n-word] every time she served. She was threatened by a white male that told her to watch her back going to the team bus. A police officer had to be put by their bench.” LeBron James tweeted, “you tell your Goddaughter to stand tall, be proud and continue to be BLACK!!!....We have her back.” Richardson's father, Marvin Richardson, conveyed to the New York Times that “as the crowd got more hyped and the epithets kept coming, she wanted to respond back but she told me she was afraid that, if she did, the raucous crowd could very well turn into a mob mentality.” New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Sports Illustrated, NPR published articles without sufficient investigation—only a rush to judgment. Eventually, finally, BYU performed a thorough investigation, concluding, “From our extensive review, we have not found any evidence to corroborate the allegation that fans engaged in racial heckling or uttered racial slurs at the Duke vs. BYU women's volleyball match on August 26.” See Jesse Singal, “How the Media Fell for A Racism Sham,” Common Sense News, September 15, 2022, https://www.commonsense.news/p/how-the-media-fell-for-a-racism-sham; Luke Hanson and Thomas Stevenson, “Exclusive: Racist Comments at BYU Volleyball Game Never Happened, Sources Suggest,” Cougar Chronicle, August 31, 2022, https://www.byucougarchronicle.org/post/exclusive-racist-comments-at-byu-volleyball-game-never-happened-sources-suggest; and “A Statement from BYU Athletics Regarding the Investigation of the Aug. 26 Volleyball Match,” BYU Athletics, September 12, 2022, https://byucougars.com/story/athletics/1300724/statement-byu-athletics-regarding-investigation-aug-26-volleyball-match.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, has been reading a profound book by Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment (Princeton University Press, 2021). In the midst of his reading, he received notification of an NBC News article titled “How Monkeypox Spoiled Gay Men's Plans for an Invincible Summer,” by Benjamin Ryan (https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/monkeypox-spoiled-gay-mens-plans-invincible-summer-rcna45326). More than a hundred gay, bisexual, or transgender people talked to NBC News about the “sex they never had” as a result of monkeypox. How monkeypox “upended a summer that was supposed to be a well-earned opportunity” to once again “revel with their gay brothers.” In the article we hear about “resurgent sexual liberation” through “hookup apps,” which “have made meeting sexual partners as convenient as procuring takeout.” That “post-Covid” everyone “went crazy, and there were sex parties all over town”—“free-spirited bacchanalia.” But, alas, the “long-awaited libertine summer” was “sharply curtailed” by monkeypox. The NBC News article is very sympathetic. What all these men have in common, as Storey and Storey make clear, is the acceptance of the notion that fleeting pleasure is a substitute for solid joy. These men have bought the lie that permissiveness will make them happy—that voyeuristic curiosities will make them whole. At the root of all this is a materialistic worldview—a worldview that denies transcendence. A failure to recognize that a thinking being is of necessity more than merely material. Why are we restless? So often we see the world as merely molecules in motion, and if we are mere molecules in motion, everything is permissible. The book, Why We Are Restless, includes a chapter in which the philosophy of Blaise Pascal is unveiled, showing why it is metaphysically and practically bankrupt to consider ourselves merely material beings, and why God veils His presence. God veils Himself because He does not want to force Himself upon those who do not seek Him. Once one seeks after Him, the veil is removed. For further study, see Benjamin Storey and Jenna Silber Storey, Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment https://www.equip.org/donate/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, offers some thoughts on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In New York City, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum hosted an annual ceremony commemorating and honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost twenty-one years ago. A reminder that the oil-rich Middle East is full of fantastically wealthy Muslims prepared to employ their resources for the sake of jihad. According to former Democratic senator Bob Graham, Saudi Arabia had direct ties to the massacres of September 11, 2001. But this is whitewashed in the Western world, where sharia-subservient states, including Saudi Arabia, are consistently portrayed as peace-loving allies in the fight against terrorism. Little wonder then that when the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia declared it necessary to destroy every church in the whole of the Arabian Peninsula, Western governments did not so much as blink. Worse yet, Western governments, along with academic institutions and media outlets have proven themselves to be cobelligerents with the Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia in exporting a false narrative on Islam. However, the rebuilding of the Saint Nicholas Shrine at Ground Zero provides a glimmer of hope that Christians in the West may once again take the only true and transformational faith as seriously as the Saudi's do the Islamic counterfeit.For documentation and further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, MUSLIM: What You Need to Know about the World's Fastest-Growing Religion https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion/. See also Hank Hanegraaff, Truth Matters, Life Matters More: The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-truth-matters-life-matters-more/.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, offers an update on his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer—and undergoing an astonishing 40th cycle of chemotherapy. She writes that she is sustained and blessed by God's ongoing grace. In her recent letter she mentions meeting with the palliative care oncologist, engaging end of life and quality of life questions. She says discussing these quality of life questions makes her uncomfortable. “How do you define ‘quality of life' as a Christian?” she writes. “My faith rests squarely in a sovereign God and a loving Heavenly Father who knows my end of life date. I told the palliative care doctor of my faith and my perspective as a Christian; that I am not trying to be a hero, but simply as His child wanting to trust my Lord. I am fully aware this doctor wants to help to prepare me and ease me through the more difficult days yet to come. I appreciate that a lot. I also realize that I am learning from him in those visits as well. Before we left, he told us he is ‘always refreshed by our visits.' I told him I continue to pray for him because his role is difficult, trying to help people cope, and to prepare to die, is emotionally exhausting and painfully difficult to witness. As we left his office I saw tears well up in his eyes.” Reflecting on verses from Psalm 119—“words that strike a chord,” she explains, “I have been rereading them, enjoying their comfort. ‘Thy hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn Thy commandments. Those who fear Thee shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in Thy word. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me. Let Thy steadfast love be ready to comfort me, according to Thy promise to Thy servant. Let Thy mercy come to me, that I MAY LIVE! For Thy law is my delight!' How precious are these words to me in this very difficult exhausting journey as I now have to live life in two week increments! Nonetheless I am continually being blessed in this experience, and learning so much from my Savior as I walk toward Jerusalem, my final destination.” Jobje concludes her letter with these now familiar words, “I look forward to that day! Jobje

In this podcast Hank Hanegraaff wants to highlight one of the most dangerous cults in the world. And we should know. The Christian Research Institute began as a counter-cult equipping ministry and has invested decades in monitoring the deceptions and distortions of cults. But Western Civilization has never known a cult like this one. Why? Because no other cult has come remotely close to the peril this one represents to civilization as we have known it. If this were a cult like Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormonism, it wouldn't have made it past the front door. But since this is a secular cult, our now secularized culture has given it a green light. The cult is Wokeism. A cult that threatens our most basic values and freedoms; a cult that can literally destroy the world if it remains unchecked. For more information, see our current letter https://www.equip.org/letter-from-hank/ to supporters and the resource Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology, available for your partnering gift.https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-awake-not-woke-a-christian-response-to-the-cult-of-progressive-ideology/ Also be on the lookout for a forthcoming full length podcast interview with Noelle Mering on this resource.Listen to Hank's podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, offers thoughts upon hearing of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Queen of the United Kingdom for 70 years, she maintained that the teachings of Jesus Christ served as her guide throughout the entirety of her very long life—indeed, that Christ is the King she serves. In the foreword to The Servant Queen and the King She Serves (Bible Society, 2016), Queen Elizabeth expressed profound gratitude “to God for his steadfast love” throughout the duration of her life. She was also keenly aware of the reality that death is the great equalizer—as the Orthodox funeral service states, in the grave “kings and beggars dwell together.” In Money and Salvation: An Invitation to the Good Way, Andrew Geleris writes, “From the perspective of eternity, only during the relatively brief interval between birth and death does anyone have any control over money. And even this control is somewhat illusory. When, for example, we purchase a home or a plot of land, we claim that we ‘own' it. However, the land has already seen many owners come and go over the preceding centuries, and one would expect that many more would claim such ‘ownership' over the land in the future. Therefore, any claim of land ‘ownership' requires a preposterous suspension of historical awareness.” The land, the wealth, and the honors of this world are all temporary. The Lord Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21 NIV 1984). Queen Elizabeth possessed extraordinary wealth as monarch. The question today for her is not, Did I have wealth on Earth? But, How did I use that wealth to store up treasure in heaven? For further study, see Andrew Geleris, Money and Salvation: An Invitation to the Good Way (https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-money-and-salvation-an-invitation-to-the-good-way-and-on-wealth-and-poverty-by-st-john-chrysostom-foreword-by-hank-hanegraaff/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, responds to a recent tweet and video by Benny Hinn. According to Hinn, the Lord spoke to him, saying he needs to talk to his audience about the great catching up. And that his teaching about the rapture is timely because this event is nearly upon us. Popularized by John Nelson Darby in the nineteenth century, the pre-tribulational rapture theory contends that God has two distinct people and two distinct plans for their two distinct destinies. The church will be raptured seven years prior to the second coming of Christ, and Jews will suffer tribulation. Beginning with Darby, rapture theorists held that, due to the murder of Messiah, Jews were in for a time of unprecedented suffering referred to as the “Great Tribulation.” Multiplied millions today hold firmly to this belief. But is it biblical? Holy Tradition, including Scripture, knows nothing of a rapture independent of the bodily appearing of Christ. For further study, see Hank's books The Complete Bible Answer Book—Collector's Edition, Revised and Updated https://www.equip.org/donate/ and The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible Really Says about the End Times and Why It Matters Today https://www.equip.org/donate/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, expresses angst about what is going on in the world. The West is at war with God. This war embodies the dismantling of humanity. We are in the midst of redefining what is means to be human. In the beginning, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 ESV). In redefining the biological realities of “male” and “female,” we are destroying the very body of Christ. The unalterable reality that God created “male and female” is now routinely regaled in the West as transphobic. Sex-specific designations such as “woman,” “female,” and “mother,” have now been neutered by linguistic absurdities like “pregnant, lactating, and post-partum individuals.” Even our newest female addition to the U.S. Supreme Court seems at a loss to define what the word “woman” means. Adding to the confused cultural conundrum, the “B” in LGBTQ+ is quite evidently at odds with the “T.” Bisexual (B) implies two options, while transgender (T) entails a dizzying array of gender identities devoid of common sense or biological reality. And even that merely scratches the surface of apostate Western woke wisdom. Adding insult to injury, multitudes of young people have been effectively reduced to generational lab rats subject to an unholy triad of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and irreversible surgical savageries. Right valuations of personhood build the church. Wrong ideas and perceptions destroy the body of Christ. Only in a Christian worldview does one see the perfect synergy of male and female—of Theanthropos as the Perfect Man, and of Theotokos as the perfect woman, and of God as the Heavenly Father, and of the church as the Mother that nourishes via the sacraments. Little wonder then that the devil is seeking to destroy the church, as woke clergy are aiding the prince of the power of the air in that very quest. For further study, see the upcoming issue of the Christian Research Journal, vol. 45, no. 2/3 (2022)—subscribe at https://www.equip.org/product/crj-subscription/ For more information, visit www.equip.org

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, is reading a new book by Ryan T. Anderson and Alexandra DeSanctis titled, Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing. Pro-abortion operatives speak loudly and profanely about reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy, the right to choose, and so forth. Few seem willing to speak about the brutal business of Planned Parenthood or the painful killing of innocent human beings or even consider the profoundly inherent virtue of human life. Ignorance of basic biology in our culture is beyond chilling. And government by and large has abandoned its responsibility to secure the right to life—a right upon which all other rights depend. What is particularly stunning is that surgical abortion is rapidly being supplanted by the horror of chemical abortion, which now accounts for some 50 percent of all abortions in the U.S. The numbers are staggering—some 300,000 to 450,000 chemical abortions per year. One pill cuts off nutrients to the developing child, so she gradually dies; another induces early labor to expel the child from the womb. And of course, the CDC is perfectly fine with all this. Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence pointing to the reality that women who have abortions not only kill innocent human beings but are at greater risk for developing breast cancer. See Ryan T. Anderson and Alexandra DeSanctis, Tearing Us Apart: How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing (Regnery, 2022). [[add link to CRI donation page for this book if possible]]

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the Christian Reformed Church's (CRC) charge to uphold biblical sexuality. An article by Jonathan Cohn at Huffpost, “An Elite Christian College Has Become the Latest Battleground in America's Culture Wars,” points out that the CRC sees the Bible as infallible and thus renders same-sex marriage incompatible with Christian orthodoxy. The fly in the ointment is Joseph Kuilema, a Calvin University professor of sociology (and teacher of the year in 2019) who considers the biblical text outdated and incompatible with his own great Awokening. As such, he dogmatically contends that the CRC should support his rendering of the biblical text. Kuilema officiated over the wedding of a lesbian couple and, principally as a result, was terminated from Calvin University. Kuilema, who is Reformed and always reforming based on his own authoritative interpretation of Scripture, not only has taken it upon himself to redefine marriage but cavalierly negates the words of God in human flesh who rebuked the Pharisees of His day with the words, “Have you not read, that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female”—and did so for the very purpose of joining them together as one flesh (Matthew 19:4). Therefore, says Saint Paul, “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31). Saint Paul also explicitly states that lesbian women exchange natural relations for relations that are contrary to nature itself—the delusional attempt to merge sexual same's (see Romans 1:26). Marriage has at all times and in all societies been a relationship between men and women, with an end toward bearing and rearing children. The marriage of one man and one woman is not only Scriptural, it is distinctly sacramental. Indeed, marriage is about the gospel! Emblematic of the union of Christ and His church. Yet in full view of the mystery of marriage—replete with its parabolic profundity in Christ and the church, its potential for procreating children in the image and likeness of God, and its promise of psychophysical pleasure—Professor Kuilema gratuitously reimagines the Scripture in the image of the culture. Will the CRC and Calvin hold on to the sanctity of marriage? Time will tell. See Jonathan Cohn, “An Elite Christian College Has Become the Latest Battleground in America's Culture Wars,” Huffpost, June 19, 2022, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/calvin-university-professor-joe-kuilema-gay-marriage-lgbtq_n_62aca02de4b06169ca988191; Rod Dreher, “Saving Calvin,” The American Conservative, June 20, 2022, https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/saving-calvin-university-lgbt-kristin-du-mez/.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, was struck by a headline this morning, “America's Belief in God Hits New Low.” And this as church attendance falls precipitously. Vice President Kamala Harris pontificates that Christians can support abortion without transgressing Christian principles. She's either ignorant or incorrigibly dishonest. And the current administration neither condemns nor prohibits demonstrations against U. S. Supreme Court Justices and their families, as President Biden gleefully anticipates a mini-revolution if states regain the right to vote on abortion once again. It's one thing to curse the darkness—it's another to build a lighthouse in the midst of the gathering storm. The broader culture is in the midst of a “great awokening”—but all of that can change by another Great Awakening in the church. The power of the Holy Spirit can animate the Christian church such that it no longer continues to decline but increases and becomes again a leavening force in the culture. It happened in the first century—it can happen again in the twenty-first. But that means you as a follower of Christ must recognize the incredible opportunity before you of making a difference for time and for eternity. See Erin Doherty, “America's Belief in God Hits New Low,” Axios, June 17, 2022, https://www.axios.com/2022/06/17/belief-god-low-gallup-poll; Leif Le Mahieu, “Survey Shows Fewer Americans Believe In God Than Ever Before,” Daily Wire, June 18, 2022, https://www.dailywire.com/news/survey-shows-fewer-americans-believe-in-god-than-ever-before; Sarah Arnold, “Kamala Harris Insists Abortion Has Nothing to Do With Religious Beliefs,” Townhall, June 18, 2022, https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2022/06/18/kamala-harris-says-support-for-abortion-does-not-require-people-to-abandon-their-faith-n2608954.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on reactions to the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. Calla Hales, at the Preferred Women's Health Center, says, “Let all this rage radicalize you.” This rage we have already been seeing carried out in front of the homes of Justices of the Supreme Court. In the midst of all of this, we must remember that abortion remains legal in many states, including North Carolina. The hysteria in the wake of the possibility that the Court's ruling could stop the painful killing of innocent human beings at just 65 million over nearly 50 years is palpable. This hysteria over what Mother Teresa once said was a “scourge” (referring to Roe v. Wade) that “deformed a great nation.” Hear people now shouting in the streets about women's rights and reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy and the right to choose—but choose what? Choose to thwart the dignity and worth of pre-born children. To exacerbate inequality and perpetuate racial division. It's well known that vast numbers of Blacks and Hispanics are being exterminated via abortion. So, many are upset that we may not have the opportunity to continue corrupting our medical system. Nothing in our U. S. Constitution has ever promoted lethal violence in the wombs of mothers. But with all of the rage—the rage that is supposed to radicalize the painful killing of innocent human beings—the reality is that abortion will continue on and this battle is not over. Those who value all human beings as bearers of the image of God must continue to stand for truth. Not with the rhetoric of pro-abortion advocates, but rather with reason, respect, and the continuous propagation of truth communicated in love—the truth that every human being has worth.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, observes that one is labeled Islamophobic for conveying plain old Islamic history or for pointing out Islamic denigration of Christianity. Yet, despite clear evidence to the contrary, Muslims will say that Christ was never crucified, and therefore He was never resurrected—and that is deemed to be perfectly politically correct in the current social environment. The oil-rich Middle East is full of enormously affluent men who are ready to use their wealth to aid jihad for the sake of Allah worldwide. Most prominent among cobelligerents is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has spent $100 billion—perhaps much, much, more—to spread their fundamentalist brand of Islamic jihadism around the globe. According to Thomas Friedman in a provocative New York Times piece titled “Our Radical Islamic BFF, Saudi Arabia,” the “title greatest ‘purveyors of radical Islam' does not belong to the Iranians. Not even close. That belongs to our putative ally Saudi Arabia.” America enables Saudi terror lords to peddle their poisonous propaganda pills across the planet with impunity. And in coming months we'll see more puff pieces in the media concerning Saudi Arabia as a result of the new LIV professional gold tour.For further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, MUSLIM: What You Need to Know about the World's Fastest-Growing Religion https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-det/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the fact that while certainly not all evolutionists are racists, the theory of evolution is inherently racist. In The Descentof Man (1871), Charles Darwin speculated, “At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilizedraces of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world.” For evolution to succeed, it is as crucial that the unfit die as that the fittest survive. Adolf Hitler's philosophy that Jews were subhuman and that Aryans were supermen led to the extermination of six million Jews. In the words of Sir Arthur Keith, a militant anti-Christian physical anthropologist, “The German Führer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist; he has consciously sought to make the practice of Germany conform to the theory of evolution.” While the evolutionary racism of Darwin's day is politically incorrect today, current biology textbooks still promote vestiges of racism. For example, consider the inherently racist recapitulation theory—known by the evolutionary phrase ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny, the odd idea that in the course of an embryo's development, the embryo repeats or recapitulates the evolutionary history of its species. Not only is the recapitulation concept common fare in science curricula but has been championed in our generation by such luminaries as Carl Sagan. The fact that recapitulation is inherently racist is underscored by no less an evolutionary authority than Stephen Jay Gould, who lamented that “recapitulation provided a convenient focus for the pervasive racism of white scientists” in the modern era. How different the Christian worldview, according to which all human beings are created in the image of God. And in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).For further study, see Richard Weikart, Darwinian Racism: How Darwinism Influenced Hitler, Nazism, and White Nationalism https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-darwinian-racism-how-darwinism-influenced-hitler-nazism-and-white-nationalism-wa0822/

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on the Calvin Klein ad campaign for Mother's Day 2022. In support of mother's all over the world, Calvin Klein proudly spotlighted the realities of new families. The ad featured Roberto, due to give birth to his and Erika's son Noah—“any day now.” So, here you have a picture of a pregnant man, lying next to his significant other—a woman, or at least someone who at first blush appears to be a woman (who knows?). How did this woman get this man pregnant? How does that work? Well, the reality is that it doesn't. So, Roberto (a biological woman), transfigured into the appearance of a man, must have gotten pregnant through some type of extraordinary measure. One thing that Roberto cannot do, of course, is breast feed their forthcoming infant. Why? During his sex reassignment surgery, Roberto had a double mastectomy. His breasts are gone—although the scars left by their removal are still visible in the Calvin Klein ads. One thing that couldn't be altered, of course, was Roberto's hips. And thankfully so, otherwise it would be transcendently difficult to birth a baby. What Calvin Klein must surely know is that sex refers to biology. To the 23rd chromosome pair. To the DNA written into every cell of the human body. To the reality that biological sex is biologically unchangeable regardless of sex reassignment surgery. One thing is inviolate. While the CK ad features what looks like a man having a baby, the reality is that men do not have wombs—only mother's do.See Christopher Tremogli, “Will Calvin Klein's ‘Pregnant Man' Be Able to Find Baby Formula?,” Washington Examiner, May 12, 2022, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/will-calvin-kleins-pregnant-man-be-able-to-find-baby-formula

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on a wonderful book he's currently reading — How Christianity Saved Civilization…And Must Do So Again, by Mike Aquilina and James L. Papandrea. In the middle of the third century AD, the Roman Empire was not much older than the United States is now, and there are myriad parallels. The Roman economy was in dire straits — experiencing uncontrollable inflation, multiple wars, spending money on bureaucratic niceties and military expansion, suffering rampant unemployment and underemployment. Children were viewed as liabilities and routinely aborted, with infanticide deplorably common. Christians were hated for their perceived rigidity; and pagan Romans justified their intolerance of Christian virtues by calling the Christians intolerant. But eventually, the authors show, the Church overcame persecution and transformed the Roman Empire. The point of the book is that the Church of the 21st century can and must overcome the Great Awokening. How? The Church can overcome the new paganism just as Christianity overcame the old paganism of the Roman Empire by Christians refusing to deny the faith and by being willing to risk earthly comforts for eternal verities by faith working through love. Truth has triumphed in the past, and Christianity remains the only hope for transforming the world.See Mike Aquilina and James L. Papandrea, How Christianity Saved Civilization…And Must Do So Again (need link to CRI donation page)

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone's decision to bar House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion. Because of her unrepentant support for legalized abortion on demand, the archbishop felt it necessary to do so for her personal protection — those who receive Christ's body and blood unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves (see 1 Corinthians 11:17–34, especially v. 29). Moreover, the eucharist is also an expression of the unity of the church. As such, Pope Francis, just last year, said that a pro-abortion politician “cannot take communion, because they are out of the community.” For his part, the archbishop in effect said that when practicing Catholics spurn moral reality in political discourse, souls and lives hang in the balance. And when souls hang in the balance, priests and bishops have an obligation to act. Pelosi, who says that she has studied this issue as an ardent practicing Catholic for a long time, would know full well what the Church's historic stance on abortion is.For further study, see “What Is Abortion?” https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/what-is-abortion-2/ and “Annihilating Abortion Arguments,” https://www.equip.org/PDF/DA375.pdf.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on a medically assisted suicide that took place in the sanctuary of a church. Although the medically assisted suicide of Betty Sanguin was reportedly “unanimously approved by the church's leadership team,” suicide is the murder of oneself. In Christian theology the timing and terms of death are the province of God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39). As such, a doctor is never permitted to usurp the prerogative of deity. Hastening death based on subjective judgments concerning one's quality of life is a violation of Scripture (cf. Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13). While passive euthanasia is morally permissible in that it allows the process of dying to run its natural course, active euthanasia is morally prohibited because it directly involves the taking of human life. Permitting voluntary active euthanasia opens the door to the greater evil of non–voluntary euthanasia. See Emily Standfield, “Manitoba's First Medically Assisted Death in a Church Was an ‘Intimate' Ceremony,” Broadview, April 29, 2022, https://broadview.org/medically-assisted-death-church/. For further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, “Is Euthanasia Ever Permissible?” https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/is-euthanasia-ever-permissible/; also J. P. Moreland, “The Euthanasia Debate,” parts 1 & 2, https://www.equip.org/PDF/DE197-1.pdf and https://www.equip.org/PDF/DE197-2.pdf.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on the report of a drag queen show at a Pennsylvania school. A show for adults? No, for impressionable minors. Here you have men dressed up like women staging a vulgar drag extravaganza that should make even the most brazen secularist ill. Were the parents on board with this travesty? The short answer is for the most part they apparently did not know what their kids were being exposed to. According to an article in Townhall, the students were encouraged to bring money to tip the men dressed in drag and to support the drag queen Instagram accounts. Western Civilization is in free fall. So, make sure to protect your children. Otherwise they may be the barbarians of our next generation.See Sarah Arnold, “Pennsylvania School Hosts Drag Show for Kids Without Parent's Permission,” Townhall, May 12, 2022, https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2022/05/12/pennsylvania-school-is-in-hot-water-for-hosting-drag-show-for-kids-n2607149.