Podcasts about roman catholic church

William Tyndale's English translation of the New Testament created a firestorm that threatened the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Today, Michael Reeves depicts the people and events that set the stage for the English Reformation. Request The English Reformation and the Puritans, Michael Reeves' teaching series on DVD, with your donation of any amount. You'll also get lifetime digital access to all 12 video messages and the study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4237/donate   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the digital teaching series and study guide for The English Reformation and the Puritans with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   Michael Reeves is president and professor of theology at Union School of Theology in the United Kingdom.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

All roads do, indeed, lead to Rome!  On this episode, special guest, Joseph Atwill, independent scholar and author, will present his controversial thesis that the Roman Flavian emperors invented Christianity as a tool of political propaganda ... but that's just for starters!   Joseph's best-selling book, Caesar's Messiah, established him as one of the world's most penetrating independent scholars, rocking the field of Biblical studies and changing our modern understanding of Jesus and the Gospels forever.  Joseph uncovered what has been kept hidden from the public for millennia:  Christianity began as a highly complex psychological warfare campaign during the First Jewish-Roman War, an ambitious literature project began by the Caesars that was later honed into a potent tool of statecraft, used to this day by the oligarchy for mass pacification. Atwill has also authored  Shakespeare's Secret Messiah  about he 'Bard's' hidden war on the the Roman Catholic Church, encoded in ‘puzzle passages' in the plays, and the key to the true identity of ‘Shakespeare'. Show links: http://www.caesarsmessiah.com/ Get tickets to the Homesteaders Jamboree in Concord, NC! Use code Winner50 to get $50 off your ticket.  https://homesteadersunited.com/ Learn The True Nature Of Dis-Ease & How Our Bodies Actually Work: https://alfavedic.com/themyth/ Join Our Private Community And Join In The Discussion: https://alfavedic.com/join-us/ Follow our new YT channel: / @offgridelegance Start healing yourself and loved ones with ozone! https://alfavedic.com/ozone Get our favorite blue blocker glasses! https://alfavedic.com/raoptics Learn how to express your law and uphold your rights as one of mankind. https://alfavedic.com/lawformankind Alfa Vedic is an off-grid agriculture & health co-op focused on developing products, media & educational platforms for the betterment of our world. By using advanced scientific methods, cutting-edge technologies and tools derived from the knowledge of the world's greatest minds, the AV community aims to be a model for the future we all want to see. Our comprehensive line of health products and nutrition is available on our website. Most products are hand mixed and formulated right on our off grid farm including our Immortality Teas which we grow on site. Find them all at https://alfavedic.com​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Follow Alfa Vedic: https://linktr.ee/alfavedic Follow Mike Winner: https://linktr.ee/djmikewinner

God And Allah the Same? The One Fact Everyone Misses in the Debate The question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God has set the Internet on fire, with the Roman Catholic Church arguing "Yes" based on philosophical reasoning. But is this claim accurate? In this Come Let Us Reason Podcast, Lenny Esposito tackles the debate, dissecting the arguments and highlighting a critical flaw that undermines the "same God" position. Esposito argues that the differences in how each faith describes God are irreconcilable, offering a definitive case against shared worship. This episode provides a clear, engaging analysis that challenges conventional thinking and invites listeners to explore the theological divide. Tune in for a compelling discussion that reshapes the conversation.

Everyone loves a good story.  And I think everyone would love it if the news was actually filled with good news.  The word Gospel means just that, good news.  And within the Gospel account of Jesus, there are many unbelievable stories and accounts in and out of the Bible that are just downright good stories.  Today on the Missing Chapter, I'll bring you one of those stories.  Let's talk about one of the most well-known events in all of human history, and how an unknown soldier has his name interwoven into the fabric of the Roman Catholic Church.  Is this soldier's story part of the evidence and historical account of Jesus's crucifixion, or is this soldier's life just a legend that has merged its way into the truth of that Good Friday.  Well, let's tease this out today with some facts, some conversation, and of course, coffee.  Welcome to the Missing Chapter, everyone, let's get started.Go to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Missing Chapter Podcast website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information, previous episodes, and professional development opportunities!

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The vast majority of the Zionists in the world are Christian. Israel’s closest allies are majority-Christian or officially Christian countries, and the world’s largest Christian denominations have many of their holiest sites in Israel. At the same time, there’s no adviser for Christian Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office, no minister tasked with outreach. On today's Friday Focus, we discuss three recent difficult incidents with the Christian world, which official Israel was diplomatically unprepared for. Berman discusses the need for a point person, an office or even a ministry in the Prime Minister's Office who will be tasked with liaising with the Christian world -- just like what is found in the governments of our Muslim neighbors. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. For more on this topic: Causing strategic, moral harm, Netanyahu lets others dictate Israel’s ties with Christians Friday Focus with Lazar Berman: Attacks on Christians in Israel are national stain IMAGE: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, censes during Sunday morning mass at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City on July 20, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keen observers questioned why Pop Benedict XVI really "stepped down" from his post prematurely to make room for the current Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) in 20113. While Pope Benedict was maligned by the mainstream media Pope Francis was heralded by the same MSM members as an Obama-like rockstar, bringing in a Globalist/Socialist agenda into the Roman Catholic Church. While the truth behind the scenes indicates Francis was installed through manipulation by the Obama/Biden administration while the three re-promoted known pedophile Cardinal Theodore McCarrick to international prominence. Together, they worked hard to advance the Globalist Agenda. Hollywood, however, dutifully attempted to Whitewash the controversial Pope Francis installment as a friendly and amicable transition through the Obama-led Netflix service's movie "The Two Popes."Mike McCormick, author of THE CASE TO IMPEACH AND IMPRISOIN JOE BIDEN, and Biden's former stenographer, got to see some of what really happened up close. Mike joins Dr. Jerome Corsi on The Truth Central to talk about it.Visit Mike McCormick's substack here: https://mmccormick.substack.com/p/the-deep-state-hollywood-evil-behindVisit The Corsi Nation website: https://www.corsination.comIf you like what we are doing, please support our Sponsors:MyVitalC https://www.thetruthcentral.com/myvitalc-ess60-in-organic-olive-oil/Swiss America: https://www.swissamerica.com/offer/CorsiRMP.phpGet Dr. Corsi's new book, The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: The Final Analysis: Forensic Analysis of the JFK Autopsy X-Rays Proves Two Headshots from the Right Front and One from the Rear, here: https://www.amazon.com/Assassination-President-John-Kennedy-Headshots/dp/B0CXLN1PX1/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20W8UDU55IGJJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ymVX8y9V--_ztRoswluApKEN-WlqxoqrowcQP34CE3HdXRudvQJnTLmYKMMfv0gMYwaTTk_Ne3ssid8YroEAFg.e8i1TLonh9QRzDTIJSmDqJHrmMTVKBhCL7iTARroSzQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=jerome+r.+corsi+%2B+jfk&qid=1710126183&sprefix=%2Caps%2C275&sr=8-1Join Dr. Jerome Corsi on Substack: https://jeromecorsiphd.substack.com/Visit The Truth Central website: https://www.thetruthcentral.comGet your FREE copy of Dr. Corsi's new book with Swiss America CEO Dean Heskin, How the Coming Global Crash Will Create a Historic Gold Rush by calling: 800-519-6268Follow Dr. Jerome Corsi on X: @corsijerome1Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/corsi-nation--5810661/support.

The hot weather couldn't keep Ashley and Zac away from the mics, so they're back with a summer “best of” series, featuring some of the most interesting and engaging interviews from the past few years. In this episode, Professor Kenneth Bartlett, a renowned Renaissance historian and author from the University of Toronto, explores the enduring legacy and allure of the eternal city of Rome for Catholics. Why did Peter go to Rome? Is he actually buried under St. Peter's Basilica? And why has Rome remained the center of the Roman Catholic Church for 2,000 years? What's on tap? Brunello di Montalcino (of course!) You can follow us on ⁠X⁠ and on ⁠Instagram:⁠ @jesuiticalshow You can find us on Facebook at ⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/jesuitical Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at ⁠⁠americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A @Christadelphians Video: # SummaryThe presentation discusses the significance of the Reformation, highlighting its historical context and impact on modern Christianity. It covers key figures like Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, and William Tyndale, focusing on their challenges to the Catholic Church's authority and the role of the printing press in spreading Reformation ideas. The presentation also critiques the doctrines of the Catholic Church, particularly the selling of indulgences, and emphasises the importance of scripture as the ultimate authority in Christianity.# Highlights-

It's Tuesday, July 15th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Sudanese Christians in the crosshairs Sudanese Christian churches are being systematically destroyed by military forces.   According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a persecution watchdog, the Rapid Support Forces bombed the Sudanese Episcopal Church, the African Inland Church, and the Roman Catholic Church in Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State just last month. And the Sudan Armed Forces destroyed a Pentecostal church complex in Khartoum last week. Persecuted Chinese church perseveres Chinese Pastor Wang Yi's church has continued moving ahead despite their pastor's arrest and 9-year-prison sentence.   According to China Aid director, Bob Fu, they have planted two additional churches,  Praise God that the Chinese House Church movement is growing. That's not the only thing growing.  So is the homeschooling movement, reports World Magazine in an article entitled, “Hard choices ahead for homeschoolers in China.” Kentucky church shooter killed 2 women, wounded policeman The suspect in a church shooting in Lexington, Kentucky, has been identified as 47-year-old Guy House. An aspiring rapper, House shot a police officer and killed two women at Richmond Road Baptist Church, before he was shot down by police officers. The wounded police officer is recovering. Two other church members were also wounded in the shooting, reports The-Independent.com. Revelation 13:10 leaves us this promise: “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” Pro-perversion and pro-abortion European group targets Christians The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights has issued a report attacking the Christian faith.  It was funded by George Soros and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The report cites the enemy, by listing Christian people and organizations who represent traditional Christian values. Paul Coleman, Director of Alliance Defending Freedom International,  called the report “a thinly veiled attempt to silence ideological opponents under the guise of academic research,” reports Hungary Today. Bitcoin doubled in value in one year The value of one Bitcoin has topped $120,000, reports NBC News. That's almost exactly double what it was just a year ago, and twelve times the value of five years ago.   Gold is up 40% over a year ago, and silver is up 28%. Ground beef hit $6.67 a pound on a national basis last week. That's a 3-fold increase from where it was in 2010 at $2.20 a pound. And the size of the national herd of cows has dropped to 86.7 million head. That's the lowest level since 1951. Russia using 3,450 drones against Ukraine per month Russia has stepped up its drone attacks on Ukraine since the beginning of the year, now averaging 3,450 drones per month. That's up from about 1,000 drones per month in 2024.   A total of 136 drones were counted Sunday night over Ukraine. President Donald Trump announced yesterday, the United States would be providing more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, for shooting down Russian missiles. Judge blocks defunding of Planned Parenthood in new law A federal district judge has arbitrarily blocked the defunding of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.   Judge Indira Talwani's order purports to force the Trump administration to defy a federal law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by the President. Supreme Court gives Trump green light to dismantle Dept of Education Yesterday, the US Supreme Court issued a decision allowing for the Trump administration's plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, reports NBC News.   In a 6-3 vote, the high court allows for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to fire 1,400 employees — amounting to about half of the department workforce. Trump's 2026 budget funds 2,179 employees compared to 4,099 working during the 2024 fiscal year. More young adults lean Republican Young people are moving Republican. A new Yale Youth Poll finds 18 to 21-year-olds leaning Republican by 12 points, while the older group of 22 to 29-year-olds still favor Democrats by 6.4 points.  Trump reflects on assassination attempt anniversary Yesterday, President Donald Trump reminisced on how his life was saved from the assassin's bullet a year ago in this exchange with a reporter. REPORTER: “On this one year anniversary of Butler, what was going through your mind this morning when you woke up. I know that you're praising God you're alive, but a lot of people want to know how you've taken this day on this one year anniversary.” TRUMP: “God was protecting me, maybe because God wanted to see our country do better, or do really well, make America great again. But God was protecting me, Brian, I'll tell you. I have a job to do, so I don't like to think about it much. It's a little bit of a dangerous profession, being President.” Proverbs 19:21 reminds us of God's sovereign hand over all of our doings: “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” What are the most and least rewarding college disciplines? What's the best bang for the college enrollment buck? A recent study found that for best starting pay and employment numbers, Civil engineering, Construction Services, Aerospace Engineering, and Nursing are the best majors. By contrast, Anthropology, Sociology, and Fine Arts are the worst for starting pay. Pastor John MacArthur died And finally, this just in. Pastor John MacArthur has passed on to glory, reports The Christian Post. Recognized worldwide, as a definitive leader among conservative Evangelicals and reformed Christianity, Pastor John led Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California for 56 years. Remarkably, he authored nearly 400 book titles. He preached the authority of Scripture and was defiant in the face of ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns. The MacArthur Study Bible sold two million copies, and his commentary series sold another one million copies. Master's Seminary, over which John MacArthur presided, enrolls 700 men, and his sermons are still heard over 1,000 radio stations across America through the Grace to You ministry. Listen as he eloquently explains the spiritual significance of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. MacARTHUR: “Second Corinthians 5:21 – ‘He made Him who knew no sin, sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.'  Let me unpack those 15 Greek words. He, God, made Jesus sin. What do you mean He made Jesus sin? Only in one sense. He treated him as if He had committed every sin ever committed by every person who would ever believe, though, in fact, he committed none of them. “Hanging on the cross, He was holy, harmless, undefiled. Hanging on the cross, he was a spotless lamb. He was never, for a split second, a sinner. He is holy God on the cross, but God is treating him -- I'll put it more practically -- as if He lived my life. God punished Jesus for my sin, turns right around and treats me as if I lived His life. “That's the great doctrine of substitution. And on that doctrine turned the whole reformation of the church. That is the heart of the Gospel. “And what you get is complete forgiveness, covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When He looks at the cross, He sees you. When He looks at you, He sees Christ.” On the Grace to You ministry's X account, they posted, "Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight." Pastor John is survived by his wife, Patricia Smith MacArthur; children Matt, Mark, Marcy, and Melinda; 15 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He was 86 years old at his death.  And we may add, Pastor John MacArthur was a big encouragement to the Generations Ministry and our publications ministry over the last few years. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, July 15th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Dagmar Braun Celeste was born in Nazi-occupied Austria, she authored her own Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies, which led her to collaborative human rights work with both Rosalyn Carter and Mother Theresa.  Dagmar eventually made her home in Ohio, and fed her passion for politics as the state's First Lady. In 2002, she was secretly ordained as a Catholic priest on the Danube River with six other women. The ordination led to her excommunication by the Roman Catholic Church.  During this episode of the Crisis Cast, Lissa & Thom get to the heart of why she accepted the call to ordination -- even when she knew it would not be accepted by the Church.  What happened to the bishop who ordained Ms. Celeste? What kind of advice did Mother Theresa share? What did the Carters grieve most following Jimmy's loss to Ronald Reagan?  There are a lot of questions with surprising answers during this visit in our chat room. This episode was originally released in November of 2023 -- featuring the Crisis Cast hero William Kamkwamba. His story is best told in the film The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.

It is absolutely mind-boggling that so very few "Christian" leaders and pastors ever talk about things like this . . .WOW . . . In this video I quote from the Catholic Catechism that I grew up with as a young man. The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism has the Official Imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church which means that they approve all of the doctrinal teachings found inside that book. The Church of Rome is a crafty religious system that does many things that are contrary to the Scriptures. I thank God that he rescued me from that demonic system by the POWER of the Holy Spirit! Hallelujah! VIDEO SAME MESSAGE

Pastor Mike HoodAM Message 7-13-25

Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 385The Saint of the day is Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and CompanionsSaint Augustine Zhao Rong’s and Companions’ Stories Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s. Depending on China's relations with the outside world, Christianity over the centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly. The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. Reflection The People's Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese. The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all peoples; today's martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and embrace it. Enjoy this list of popular patron saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this episode, we are joined by Reformanda Initiative fellow Robbie Bellis, who walks us through this delicate and essential question using Galatians 1 as a case study. Can Galatians 1 and Paul's anathemas be applied to the Roman Catholic Church and its gospel?Support the show

Matt, hey, my friends, welcome to the off the wire podcast. My name is Matt Wireman, and with over 25 years of coaching experience, I bring to you a an integrated approach to coaching where we look at mind, body and soul. So this being my little corner of the universe, welcome we cover everything from spiritual formation or the interior life all the way to goal setting and how to make your life better with life hacks, and I cover everything in between. So whatever it fits my fancy, I'm going to share with you, and I'm so thankful for your time, and I hope this episode helps you. All right. Well, hey, welcome, welcome to another episode of Off The Wire. This is Matt, still I haven't changed, but I do have with me, my friend. Really proud to call him a friend. And from seminary days, Dr Josh chatro, who is the Billy Graham chair for evangelism and cultural engagement at Beeson. That's a mouthful. Josh, well done. And then he is also, they just launched a concentration in apologetics at Beeson, which is really exciting. They got a conference coming up this summer. Is that also an apologetics Josh,its own preaching and apologetics? Okay? Awesome.And, and largely, you're also, you're also part of the Tim Keller Center for Cultural apologetics, and then also a, they call them fellows at the Center for Pastor theologians as well. That's right, yeah. And you in, you have been at Beeson for a couple years, because prior to that, you were at a you were heading up. And what was it largely an apologetics group, or was it, was it more broad than that in Raleigh?Yeah, it was. It was much more expansive than that. Evangelism and apologetics is part of what we were doing, but it was the Center for Public Christianity, okay? It was also very much in the work and faith movement. And I was also resident theologian at Holy Trinity Anglican in Raleigh. We were there for five years,excellent and and you don't know this because you don't keep tabs on who bought your book, but I've got every one of your books brother, so every every book you put out, and I'm like, I love this guy, and I'm gonna support him and buy his book. So it started all the way back, if you remember, with truth matters, yeah. And I use that book for one of the classes that I built here where I teach. And then then I want to go through the Litany here and embarrass you a little bit. And then it goes to apologetics, at the Cross Cultural Engagement, telling a better story, surprised by doubt. And then one that you just released called the Augustine way, retrieving a vision for the church's apologetic witness. So do you write much on apologetics? Is that kind of your thing?Yeah, I've written a few books on that.So why? Like, what is it about apologetics that has really captured your heart, in your mind and like, as opposed to just teaching theology, yeah, it's a certain it's a certain stream. If folks are first of all, folks are curious, like, What in the world is apologetics? Are you apologizing to folks? Like, are you saying I'm sorry?Well, I do have to do that. I'm sorry a lot. That's a good practice. That's not quite what apologetics is. Okay. Okay, so we, one of the things I would say is, and when I meet, when I meet up with old friends like you, sometimes they say, What have you been doing? Because we didn't see this coming. And when we were in seminary together, it wasn't as if I was, you know, reading a lot of apologetic works. And so one of the things is,and you weren't picking fights on campus too much. You were always a really kind person. And most, most time, people think of like apologists as, like, real feisty. And you're not a feisty friend. I'm not. I actually, unless you start talking about, like, soccer and stuff like that, right? Yeah,yeah, I'm not. Yeah, I don't. I don't love, I don't love, actually, arguments I'd much rather have, which is an odd thing, and so I need to tell how did I get into this thing? I'd much rather have conversations and dialog and kind of a back and forth that keeps open communication and and because, I actually think this ties into apologetics, most people don't make decisions or don't come to they don't come to any kind of belief simply because they were backed into an intellectual corner. And but now maybe I'll come back to that in a second. But I got into this because I was doing my PhD work while I was pastoring. And when you do yourpH was that in in Raleigh, because you did your PhD work at Southeastern, right?That's right, that's right. But I was actually, we were in southern, uh. In Virginia for the first half, we were in a small town called Surrey. It was, if you know anything about Tim Keller, it was he served in Hopewell, Virginia for seven or nine years before he went to Westminster and then to New York. And we were about 45 minutes from that small town. So if you've read Colin Hansen's book, he kind of gives you some background on what is this, these little communities, and it does, does kind of match up the little community I was serving for two years before moving to another little community in South Georgia to finish while I was writing. And so I pastored in both locations. So these aren't particularly urban areas, and yet, people in my church, especially the young people, were asking questions about textual criticism, reliability of the Bible.Those are any topics forfolks like, yeah, something happened called the Internet, yes. All of a sudden now, things that you would, you would get to, maybe in your, you know, thm, your your master's level courses, or even doctoral level courses. Now 1819, year old, 20 year olds or 50 year olds had questions about them because they were reading about some of this stuff on the internet. And because I was working on a PhD, I was actually working on a PhD in biblical theology and their New Testament scholar, people would come to me as if I'm supposed to know everything, or you know. And of course, of course, when you're studying a PhD, you're you're in a pretty narrow kind of world and very narrow kind of lane. And of course, I didn't know a lot of things, but I was, I kind of threw myself into, how do I help people with these common questions. So it wasn't as if, it wasn't as if I was saying, oh, I want to study apologetics. I kind of accidentally got there, just because of really practical things going on in my church context. And and then as I was reading and I started writing in response to Bart Ehrman, who is a is a agnostic Bible scholar. Wrote four or five New York Times bestsellers, uh, critical of the New Testament, critical of the Bible, critical of conservative Christianity. I started writing those first two books. I wrote with some senior scholars. I wrote in response. And then people said, so your apologist? And I said, Well, I guess I am. And so that, yeah, so I'm coming at this I'm coming at this area, not because I just love arguments, but really to help the church really with really practical questions. And then as I began to teach it, I realized, oh, I have some different assumptions coming at this as a pastor, also as a theologian, and trained in biblical theology. So I came with a, maybe a different set of lenses. It's not the only set of lens. It's not the it's not the only compare of lenses that that one might take in this discipline, but that's some of my vocational background and some of my kind of journey that brought me into apologetics, and in some ways, has given me a little bit different perspective than some of the dominant approaches or dominant kind of leaders in the area.That's great. Well, let's go. Let's get after it. Then I'm gonna just throw you some doozies and see how we can rapid fire just prove all of the things that that are in doubt. So here we go. Okay, you ready? How do we know that God exists?Yeah, so that word no can have different connotations. So maybe it would be better to ask the question, why do we believe God exists? Oh,don't you do that? You're you can't, you can't just change my question. I was kidding. Well, I think, I think you bring up a great point, is that one of the key tasks in apologetics is defining of terms and understanding like, Okay, you asked that question. But I think there's a question behind the question that actually is an assumption that we have to tease out and make explicit, right? Because, I mean, that's, that's part of you. So I think sometimes people get into this back and forth with folks, and you're like, Well, you have assumptions in your question. So go ahead, you, you, you go ahead and change my question. So how do we knowthe issue is, is there is that when we say something like, you know, we people begin to imagine that the way Christianity works is that we need to prove Christianity in the way we might prove as Augustine said this in confessions, four plus six equals 10. And Augustine, early church father, and he's writing, and he's writing about his own journey. He said I really had to get to the point where I realized this is not how this works. Yeah, we're not talking about, we do not one plus one, our way to God.Yeah. And when is Augustine writing about When? When? So people are, yeah, 397,at. This point. So he's writing right at the, you know, right right before the fifth century, okay? And, and, of course, Augustine famously said, we have to believe to understand, for most believers, God is intuitive, or what? Blaise Pascal, the 17th century Christian philosopher He called this the logic of the heart. Or I can just cite a more contemporary figure, Alvin planeta, calls this basic belief that. He says that belief in God is a basic belief, and and for So, for for many believers, they would say something like this. And I think there's validity in this so is that God just makes sense, even if, even if they haven't really worked out arguments that they they say, Well, yeah, this God makes sense to me. Now I can kind of begin to explore that. I will in just a second, but I just want to say there's, for most of your listeners, it's something like, I heard the gospel and this and the stories of Jesus, and I knew they were true, right? And as kind of insiders here, we would say that's the Spirit's work. The Holy Spirit is working, and God speaks through creation and his word, and people believe. And so that's that's why we believe now, of course, once we say that people have these kinds of intuitions, or as theologians would put it, this sense of God kind of built into them, I would want to say, as an apologist, or even as a pastor, just a minister, you don't have to be apologist to say this is that we can appeal to those intuitions and make arguments in many different types of ways. Well,hold on one second. Isn't that a little too simplistic, though? Because, I mean, you have the Greeks who believed in all the different gods, and the Romans who adopted those gods and changed their names and like, how do we assimilate that? You know, where, you know Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins famously say, Well, I don't, I don't believe in Zeus. So does that make me an atheist? It would have made me an atheist back in, you know, you know Roman and Latin and Greek times. So, so there's an intuition, but, but how do we delineate that? Well, that's not the right object of that intuition.Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we have this intuition, you know, we could say Romans, Romans, one is pointing us to, this is what I would argue, this sense of God, and yet we're, we're fallen, according to the Christian story. And so even though we have this sense of God, we suppress that, and we worship false gods, or we worship the created, rather than the Creator. So the Christian story as a as a Christian, helps make sense of both the kind of why? Well, although we have this sense this, there's this common sense of God, it goes in many different directions and and I would argue that even if you deny kind of transcendence altogether, you're still going to have you're going to still make something kind of a god. You're going to you're going to want to worship something. And I think that's that's part of the point of Romans, one, you end up going to worship the created rather than the Creator. So does that get out what you're asking Matt or Yeah,I think so. I think sometimes the arguments that are real popular, even now is like, well, I just don't, I just don't, I just don't believe that God exists, just like I don't believe that Zeus exists, like, what's, what's the big deal? Why? Why are you so adamant that I believe in that God exists? Like to because I don't, I don't know that God exists because I don't see him. So how would you respond to somebody who says, Well, this Intuit intuition that that you say we all have, and that Romans one says we have, I just don't buy it, you know, because, I mean, I'm, I wouldn't believe that Zeus exists, because there's no empirical evidence to show me otherwise. So how would you respond to somebody that's equivocating or saying that, you know, Yahweh of the Old Testament, the God of the, you know, the God of the Bible is, this is just a tribal deity, just like Zeus is. So, how should we? Iwould, I would say so. So I think we can make kind of arguments for some kind of for transcendence. So there's ways to make arguments against naturalism. That's that's what's being promoted. And there's various different kinds of, you know. So sometimes these kinds of arguments that are in the Christian tradition are used to say, hey, we're going to prove God's existence using these arguments. I think I'm not. Are typically comfortable with the language of prove and how it's used in our context today, again, we get into the math, kind of two plus two equals four. Kind of thinking, yep. But I think a lot of those arguments are appealing to both intuitions and they they work much more effectively as anti naturalistic arguments. Not so much saying, Okay, we know a particular God through, say, the moral argument, okay, that we're but, but it's arguing against simply a naturalistic, materialistic. You know, even Evans, who's a longtime professor at Baylor, makes this argument that those, those types of arguments are really good against pushing back against naturalism. So plan again, has a famous argument that says, if naturalism and evolutionary theory are both true because of how evolution theory works, it's not about right thinking, but right action that you perform certain things to survive. Then, if both of those are true, you have no reason to trust your kind of cognitive faculties.Can you tease that one out a little bit? I kind of lost on that one. He said,What planet is arguing? Is he saying? Look, if, if all of our kind of cognitive faculties are just a product of evolution, okay? And by the way, not only does it's not just a plan. Ago makes this argument, it's actually kind of interesting figures who were like Nietzsche and others made this argument that basically, if, if evolution and naturalism is true that all we are is energy and manner and this product of evolutionary process, then we would have no reason to actually trust kind of our rationality, and that's what rationality is actually mapping onto reality. All of our our brains and our minds are really just producing certain conclusions to help us survive. So it would undercut the very foundations of that position. Now again, yeah, being able to observe, yeah, yeah. So, so with that, again, I think that's an example of an argument that doesn't so much. You know, say this is the Christian God. This supports the belief in Christian God. But what it does is it from within their own thinking. It challenges that. It undercuts their own way of thinking, which is what you're assuming and what you're kind of pushing back on, is a kind of naturalistic world. And I think we can step within that try to understand it and then challenge it on its own terms. And I think that's the real strength of planning this argument. What he's doing now, go ahead.Well, that's it, yeah, in his, in his, like, the the Opus is, uh, warranted. Christian belief is that what you're referencing the the big burgundy book.I can't remember where he makes this argument? Yeah, I can'tremember exactly. But like, if all your cognitive faculties are working, somebody who believes that God exists does not mean that they does not negate all of the other cognitive faculties that they're like if they're in their rational mind, that they have warrants for their belief. But, but that's what I what I think, where I'm tracking with you, and I love this is that even like, it still holds true, right? Like there's not one silver bullet argument to say now we know, like, that's what you were challenging even in the question is, how do you know that you know that you know that God exists? Well, you have to layer these arguments. And so this is one layer of that argument that even the Greeks and the Romans had a sense of transcendence that they were after, and they identified them as gods. But there's this other worldliness that they're trying to attribute to the natural world that they observe, that they can't have answers for, and that we can't observe every occurrence of reality, that there has to be something outside of our box, so to speak, out of our naturalistic tendencies. And so even that can be helpful to say, well, that kind of proves my point that even the Greeks and the Romans and other tribal deities, they're after something outside of our own experience that we can experience in this box. Yeah, that'sright. And there's a, I mean again, this, this argument, isn't intellectually coercive, and I don't think any of these are intellectually coercive. What I mean by that is you can find ways out. And so the approach I would take is actually called an abductive approach, which says, Okay, let's put everything on the table, and what best makes sense, what best makes sense, or what you know, what story best explains all of this? And so that way, there's a lot of different angles you can take depending on who you're talking to, yep, and and so what one of the, one of the ways to look at this and contemporary anthropology? Psycho psychologists have done work on this, to say, the kind of standard, what we might call natural position in all of human history, is that there's there's transcendence. That's, it's just the assumption that there's transcendence. Even today, studies have been shown even people who grow kids, who grew up in a secular society will kind of have these intuitions, like, there is some kind of God, there is some kind of creator, designer. And the argument is that you actually have to have a certain kinds of culture, a particular culture that kind of habituate certain thinking, what, what CS Lewis would call, a certain kind of worldly spell to to so that those intuitions are saying, Oh no, there's not a god. You know, there's not transcendence. And so the kind of common position in all of human history across various different cultures is there is some kind of transcendence. It takes a very particular, what I would say, parochial, kind of culture to say, oh, there's probably no there. There's not. There's, of course, there's not. In fact, Charles Taylor, this is the story he wants to tell of how did we get here, at least in some secular quarters of the West, where it was just assumed, of course, there's, of course, there's a God to 500 years of to now, and at least some quarters of the West, certain, certain elite orsecular? Yeah? Yeah, people. And even then, that's a minority, right? This is not a wholesale thing, yeah.It seems to be. There's something, well, even Jonathan height, uh, he's an atheist, says, has acknowledged that there seems to be something in humans. That's something like what Pascal called a God shaped hole in our heart, and so there's this kind of, there's this deep intuition. And what I'm wanting to do is, I'm wanting in my arguments to kind of say, okay, given this as a Christian, that I believe we have this sense of God and this intuition of God, these intuitions, I want to appeal to those intuitions. And so there's a moral order to the universe that people just sense that there is a right and wrong. There's certain things that are right and certain things are wrong, even if a culture says it is, it is, it is fine to kill this group of people, that there's something above culture, that even there's something above someone's personal preference, that is their moral order to the universe. Now, given that deep seated intuition, what you might call a first principle, what makes best sense of that, or a deep desire, that that, that nothing in the universe seems to satisfy that we have. This is CS Lewis's famous argument. We have these desires, these natural desires for we get thirsty and there's there's water, we get hungry and there's food, and yet there's this basically universal or worldwide phenomenon where people desire something more, that they try to look for satisfaction in this world and they can't find it. Now, what best explains that? And notice what I'm doing there, I'm asking that the question, what best explains it? Doesn't mean there's, there's not multiple explanations for this, but we're saying, What's the best explanation, or profound sense that something doesn't come from nothing, that intelligence doesn't come from non intelligence, that being doesn't come from non being. Yeah, a deep sense that there's meaning and significance in life, that our experience with beauty is not just a leftover from an earlier primitive stage of of evolution. And so we have these deep experiences and intuitions and ideas about the world, and what I'm saying is particularly the Christian story. So I'm not, I'm not at the end, arguing for just transcendence or or kind of a generic theism, but I'm saying particularly the Christian story, best, best answers. Now, I'm not saying that other stories can't incorporate and say something and offer explanations, but it's a, it's a really a matter of, you know, you might say out narrating or or telling the Gospel story that maps on to the ways we're already intuiting about the world, or experiencing or observing the world.Yeah, so, so going along with that, so we don't have, like, a clear cut case, so to speak. We have layers of argument, and we appeal to what people kind of, in their heart of hearts, know, they don't have to like, they have to be taught otherwise. Almost like, if you talk to a child, they can't, they kind of intuit that, oh, there's something outside, like, Who created us? Like, who's our mom? You know, like, going back into the infinite regress. It's like, okay, some something came from nothing. How does that even how is that even possible? So there has to be something outside of our. Experience that caused that to happen. So, so say you, you go there, and then you help people. Say, help people understand. Like, I can't prove God's existence, but I can argue that there are ways of explaining the world that are better than other ways. So then, how do you avoid the charge that, well, you basically are a really proud person that you think your religion is better than other religions. How, how could you dare say that when you can't even prove that you're you know? So how? How would you respond to somebody who would say, like, how do you believe? Why do you believe that Christianity is a one true religion? Yeah, um,well, I would say a couple of things. One is that, in some sense, everyone is staking out some kind of claim. So even if you say you can't say that one religion is true or one one religion is the one true religion, that is a truth claim that you're staking out. And I think it's fine that this for someone to say that they just need to realize. I mean, I think they're wrong, but I think they're they're making a truth claim. I'm making a truth claim. Christians are making truth so we're, we all think we're right, and that's fine. That's fine, but, but then we but then once you realize that, then you're not saying, Well, you think you're right, but I just, I'm not sure, or it's arrogant to say you're right. I think, of course, with some some things, we have more levels of confidence than other things. And I think that's the other thing we can say with Christian with as Christians, it's saying, Hey, I believe, I believe in the resurrection. I believe in the core doctrines of Christianity. It doesn't mean that everything I might believe about everything is right. It doesn't even mean all my arguments are are even 100% always the best arguments, or I could be wrong about a particular argument and and I'm also not saying that you're wrong about everything you're saying. Okay, so, but what we are saying is that, hey, I I believe Jesus is who he said he was, and you're saying he's not okay. Let's have a conversation. But it's not, rather, it's not a matter of somebody being air. You know, you can hold those positions in an arrogant way. But simply saying, I believe this isn't in itself arrogance, at least, I think how arrogance is classically defined, yeah. And what is this saying? I believe this, and I believe, I believe what Jesus said about himself. And I can't go around and start kind of toying with with, if I believe he's Lord, then it's really not up to me to say, okay, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna, kind of take some of what he said, but not all of what he said. If you actually believe he rose from the dead and he is Lord and He is God, then then you take him at his word.What is it, as you think about cultural engagement, cultural apologetics that you've written on like, what is it in our cultural moment right now where people you say that thing, like Jesus said, You know, he, he, he said, I'm God, you know, not those explicit words, right? That's some of the argument. Like, no, but you look at the narrative he did, and that's why he was going to be stoned for blasphemy. That's why all these things. But that's, that's another conversation for another day. But, and then you talk to someone, you're like, Well, I don't believe he was God. I don't believe His claims were. Like, why then do you do we oftentimes find ourselves at a standstill, and people just throw up their hands like, well, that's your truth, and my truth is, I just don't, like, just don't push it on me. Like, why do we find ourselves in this? And it's not new. I mean, this is something that goes back to, you know, hundreds of years ago, where people are making arguments and they're like, Well, I just don't know. So I'm gonna be a transcendentalist, or I'm gonna be a deist, or I'm gonna whatever. So how do we kind of push back on that a little bit to say, No, it's not what we're talking about. Is not just a matter of preference, and it's not just a matter of, hey, my truth for me and your truth for you. But we're actually making it a claim that is true for all people. Like, how do we kind of encourage people to push into that tendency that people have to just throw up their hands and say, whatever? Pass the piece, you know? Well,okay, so I think let me answer that in two ways. One's philosophically, and then two are practically. One philosophically. I do think it's, you know, CS Lewis was on to this, as he often was way ahead of the curve on certain things, but on an abolition of man. When he talked, he's talking about the fact value distinction and how we've separated. You know, you have your facts, and then everything you know, where, classically, you would kind of recognize that courage, you know, is a virtue, and that's, it's a, it's a, it's also a fact that we should pursue courage and rather than just my preference of kind of and so there's actually. Be this, but now we have, well, that's a value, kind of courage, and say you should do something, but it's, it's, that's your value and and so we have this distinction between facts, which is, follow the science, and then values over here. And as that has opened up. You have both a kind of, on one hand, a very, very much, a people saying in a very kind of hard, rationalistic way, you know, science has said, which, that would be another podcast to kind of dive into that more science is good and, yeah, and, but science doesn't say anything. So I'm a fan of science, but it doesn't say anything. We interpret certain things, but, but so you can kind of have a hard rationalism, but you also combine with a kind of relativism, or at least a soft relativism that says, Well, this is my truth, because values become subjective. So that's the philosophical take. But the kind of practical thing, I would say, is they need people. One of the reasons people do that is because, it's because they've seen kind of these to reference what you're talking about earlier this hey, this person's coming in wanting to talk about my worldview, and it just becomes this fierce, awkward encounter, and I don't want anything to do with that type of thing, like I don't, I don't want to go down the dark corners of of the Internet to have these, to have these intellectual just like Charles Taylor says, a lot of the kind of arguments are, I have three reasons why your position is untenable. He says something like untenable, wrong and totally immoral. Now, let's have a conversation. It just and so it's kind of like, no thanks. I don't think I want to have that conversation. You do you. And so there's, there is a part that, culturally, something is going on which needs to be confronted. And Lewis was doing that work, and a lot of philosophers have followed him in that but there's also a side of of maybe where our own worst enemies here, and the way that we try to engage people, and where we start with people, and we think, Okay, let's start in this kind of, you know, apologetic wrestling match with people. And a lot of times, people are just looking to cope. People are just looking to survive. They have mental health issues going on, and they don't want another one to pop up because of the apologist. And so they're just looking to try to skirt that conversation and get to feeding their kids or dealing with their angry neighbor. And so we've got to kind of take stock on kind of where people are at, and then how to engage them with where they're at. Now I'm going to apologize. I think all of those arguments are helpful in a certain context, but a lot of times, we've been our own worst enemy, and how we try to try to engage so what I what I encourage students and ministers to do is is start talking about people's stories, and you know how life is going and where what's hard, and asking really good questions, and kind of having a holy curiosity and and often, I was in an encounter with a guy who came up to me after a kind of a university missions thing, and he was an atheist, and he wanted to talk about the moral argument. And I was happy to do that for a few minutes, but then I just asked him. I said, what you know, what do you love to do? Tell me about yourself, and where do you really find joy in life? And he looked at me, and he started to tear up, and he said, You know, I'm really lonely right now, you know, go figure this moment in our world, the kind of fragmented world we live in. And he said, what's really meaningful to me is my is my pet, because he provides solace. And there's this moment where, of course, I mean, here's an atheist wanting to show up at a Christian event, right? And because Christians were nice to him, and he's deeply lonely, and we got to have a pretty meaningful conversation about, you know, the benefits of following Christ in the community, communion with not only God, but with others, yeah, but if I would have just left it at, let's go to the more we would have never got there. But it took me kind of asking the question, which is, in essence, what I was trying to ask is what, I didn't put it like this, but what are you seeking? What are you really after here? And where are you really getting joy in life, and what's going on? And I if we can learn to go there, I think we'll have much more productive conversations. And then just kind of, I heard chatro talk about the, you know, ontological argument. Now let me throw that out there at somebody. I think that's why apologists and apologetics have sometimes been given a bad name. But if you. Actually look at the tradition, the the larger tradition. There's so many resources, and there's so many people, apologists, doing lots of different things, that I think gives us kind of way to actually engage people where they're at.Yeah, yeah. No, that's great. Well, I It reminds me, I believe it was Schaefer who talked about the the greatest apologetic, at least his time, and I think it stands true even now, is welcoming people and being hospitable towards people, welcoming the questions, not looking at folks as adversaries, but fellow pilgrims. And then you welcome them into that space, into that community. And then they're they see that, quite frankly, the faith works. The Christian ethic actually works, albeit imperfect, by imperfect people in imperfect ways. But you know, as we go through pain and suffering, as we go through, you know, elation and disappointment, like there's still a lot that that we can demonstrate to the world through our testimony that it works. You know, so to speak. So I'd love to hear you kind of help walk us through how the Christian story tells a better story about pain and suffering, because that's that's a fact of every person listening is that there's some modicum of pain and suffering in their life at any moment. And then you look at the grand scale of the world and all these things, but just even we can go down to the individual level of the why is there pain and suffering in my life and in the world and, you know, in general. But I like, like for you to just kind of riff on that for a little bit for us, to helpus, yeah. And in some ways, this question, and the apologetic question is a kind of real, a snapshot into the into what we're talking about with, how do we respond to that? Not just as Okay, an intellectual question, yeah, yeah, but it's also a profoundly experiential question. And there's youmean, you mean, and how, in the moment when you're saying, in the moment when somebody asks you the question, not getting defensive, but being being willing to listen to the question, Is that what you mean by that? And yeah,well, what I mean is, that's certainly true. Matt, what I was really thinking, though, is how this is not just something kind of an abstract, intellectual question. Oh, okay, but it's a profound experiential and there's different angles that we might take into it. But I mean, as a kind of snapshot or a test case in our apologetic is, I think there's ways to answer that question that are sterile, that are overly academic, and I and that also, I would say, rushes in to give an answer. And I would want to argue that Christianity doesn't give an answer to evil and suffering, but it gives a response. And let me make, let me explain that, yeah, is, is an answer. Tries in the way I'm using it, at least tries to say, I'm going to solve this kind of intellectual problem, and the problem of evil and suffering in the world, of why a good God who's all powerful would allow the kind of evil and suffering we see in the world is, is one that we might say, Okay, now there's the problem. Now let me give the solution. And this is often done, and we've you maybe have been in this if you're listening into a certain context where a kind of famous apologist says, Here is the answer, or famous Christian celebrity says, Here is the answer to evil, and this solves all the problems, until you start thinking about it a little bit more, or you go home, or three or four years, and you grow out of that answer and and so I think we need to be real careful here when we say we have the answer, because if you keep pushing that question back in time, or you start asking questions like, well, that that bullet that hit Hitler in World War One and didn't kill him? What if the God of the Bible, who seems to control the wind and everything, would have just blown it over and killed Hitler. It seems like maybe it could have been a better possible world if Hitler, you know, didn't lead the Holocaust. Okay, so, so again, I think, I think pretty quickly you begin to say, Okay, well, maybe some of these theodicies Don't actually solve everything, although I would say that some of the theodicies that are given things like free will, theodicy or or the kind of theodicies that say God uses suffering to to grow us and develop us. And I think there's truth in all of that, and there's but what it does. What none of them do is completely solve the problem. And so I think that there's value in those theodicies in some extent.Hey, did you know that you were created to enjoy abundance? I'm not talking about getting the latest pair of Air Jordans or a jet plane or whatever that this world says that you have to have in order to be happy. Instead, I'm talking about an abundant life where you are rich in relationships, you're rich in your finances, but you are rich in life in general, that you are operating in the calling that God has for you, that He created you for amazing things. Did you know that? And so many times we get caught up in paying our mortgage and running hither and yon, that we forget that in this world of distractions that God has created you for glorious and amazing things and abundant life. If you would like to get a free workbook, I put one together for you, and it's called the my new rich life workbook. If you go to my new rich life.com my new rich life.com. I would be glad to send you that workbook with no strings attached, just my gift to you to help you. But here'sthe thing, here's what I want to go back to with a question. Is that the Odyssey as we know it, or this? And what I'm using theodicy for is this, this responsibility that that we feel like we have to justify the ways of God, is a particularly modern phenomenon. I think this is where history comes and helps us. Charles Taylor talks about this in that the kind of way we see theodicy and understand theodicy was really developed in the middle of the 1700s with figures like Leibniz, and then you have particularly the Lisbon earthquakes in the middle of the 18th century. And that was this kind of 911 for that context. And in this 911 moment, you have philosophers being saying, Okay, how do we justify the ways of God? And are trying to do it in a very kind of this philosophical way to solve the problem. But from for most of human history and history of the West, of course, evil and suffering was a problem, but it wasn't a problem so much to be solved, but it was a problem to to cope with and and and live in light of, in other words, what you don't have in the Bible is Job saying, Okay, well, maybe God doesn't exist. Or the psalmist saying, maybe God doesn't exist because I'm experiencing this. No, they're ticked off about it. They're not happy about it. They're struggling to cope with it. It is, it is a problem, but it's not, then therefore a problem. That says, well, then God doesn't exist. Yeah. And it didn't become a widespread kind of objection against God's very existence, until certain things have happened in the kind of modern psyche, the kind of modern way of imagining the world. And here is what's happened. This is what Charles Taylor says. Is that Taylor says what happened is kind of slowly through through different stages in history, but but in some sorry to be gloved here, but it's, it's a very kind of, you know, long argument. But to get to the point is, he says our view of God became small, and our view of humans became really big. And so God just came became kind of a bigger view of version of ourselves. And then we said, oh, if there is a reason for suffering and evil, we should be able to know it, because God's just a bigger kind of version of us, and he has given us rational capacities. And therefore if we can't solve this, then there must not be a god. That's kind of where the logic goes. And of course, if you step into the biblical world, or what I would say a more profoundly Christian way of looking at it is God. God isn't silent, and God has spoken, has given us ways to cope and live with suffering and ways to understand it. But what he what he doesn't give us, is that we're going to he actually promises that, that we're not going to fully understand His ways that, that we're going to have to trust Him, even though we can't fully understand why he does what he does in history all the time. And so this leads into what, what's actually called. There's, this is a, this is a weird name if you're not in this field, but it's called skeptical theism. I'm a skeptical theist. And what skeptical theists Are you is that we're not skeptical about God, but we're skeptical about being able to neatly answer or solve the problem of evil. But we actually don't think that's as big of a deal, because, simply because. I don't understand why God, God's simply because I don't understand God's reasons. Doesn't mean he doesn't have reasons. Yeah, yeah. Andso just beyond your the your finite, uh, temporo spatial understanding of things, right? Like you don't understand how this horrible situation plays out in a grander narrative,right? So it's Stephen wickstra. He had this famous argument. I'll riff off of it a little bit. I mean, just metaphor. He says, if you have a if you have a tent, and we go camping together, Matt and and I open the tent and say, there's a giant dog in there. And you look in there, there's no dog, you would say, Yeah, you're either crazy or a liar. But if I open the tent and say there's tiny bugs in there, and they're called no see ums, you wouldn't, you wouldn't know. You wouldn't be in a position to know. You wouldn't be in an epistemological position to know whether there's a bug in there or not. So you would simply have to decide whether you're going to trust me or not. And then, you know, the claim of the non Christian might be, well, yeah, why would I trust the God given the kind of crap that I see in the world? And I would say, well, a couple reasons. One is most profoundly because God has entered into this world. He has not sat on the sidelines. So even though we don't fully understand it, he has in the person of Jesus Christ, he has suffered with us and for us. So this is a God who says, I haven't given you all the answers, but I have given you myself. And that's I think both has some rational merit to it, and profoundly some intellectual merit to that. I'd also say that the Christian story actually gets at some deep intuitions, kind of underneath this challenge or this problem. It was CS Lewis, who was an atheist in World War One, and and he was very angry at God because of the evil and violence and his his mom dying at an early age, and was an atheist. But then he realized that in his anger against God, that he was assuming a certain standard, a certain kind of moral standard, about how the world should be, that there is evil in the world and that it shouldn't be so, and this deep intuition that it shouldn't be so that certain things aren't right. Actually, you don't have if you do away with God's existence, you just you have your preferences. But in a world of just energy and matter, why would the world not be absurd? Why would you expect things not to be like this. Why would you demand them not to be like this?So a deeply embedded sense of morality that can't be explained by naturalism is what you're getting, yeah?That that we have a certain problem here, or certain challenge with not fully being able to answer the question, yeah, but they have, I would say, a deeper challenge, that they don't have even the kind of categories to make sense of the question. So that's those are some of the directions I would go, and it's first stepping inside and kind of challenging against some of the assumptions. But then I'm as you, as you can tell, then I'm going to say how the Christian story does make sense of these deep intuitions, our moral intuitions, that are underneath the problem, or the challenge of evil and suffering. And then also going to Jesus in the Gospel. And the Gospel story,one of the questions I had on our on the list of questions was, how do we know the Bible is true? But I want to delve into more of this understanding of doubt and how that plays, because you've written a lot on this. But I'd like, could you just direct us to some resources, or some folks, if folks are interested in, how do we know the Bible is true? I'm thinking real popular apologist right now is Wesley. Huff is a great place to go. But are there other like, hey, how do I know that the Bible is true? Because you keep appealing to Christianity, which is in for is the foundation of that is the Bible. So could you give us a few resources so people could chase those down.Peter Williams has written a couple little good books on the Gospels. AndPeter Williams Williams, he's in Cambridge, right, orTyndale house, over there and over the pond. And he's written a book on the Gospels. And I can't think of the name, but if you put it on the internet, it'll show up. And the genius of Jesus as well. Okay, little books, and I think both of those are helpful as far as the Gospels go. Richard, Richard balcom is really good on this, Jesus and the eyewitnesses. As well as a little book that most people haven't heard of. It's a, it's an introduction to the Gospels in that off in an Oxford series, which is, you know, kind of a brief introduction to the Gospels. And he, especially at the very beginning, he gives us John Dixon, who's at Wheaton now, has written a lot of good books on on on this. And it's got this series called skeptics guide to and it does both Old Testament and New Testament kind of stuff. So that little series is, is really helpful. So those are some places I would start. And in my books, I typically have, you know, chapters on this, but I haven't, haven't written, you know, just one book, just on this. The early books, truth matters and truth in a culture of doubt, were, were engaging Bart airman. But really, Bart airman not to pick on on Airmen, but just because he was such a representative of a lot of the the views that that we were hearing, he ended up being a good kind of interlocutor. In those I would just say, I know you didn't. You just asked for books. And let me just say one thing about this is I, I think if you are trying to engage, I think if you take the approach of, let me prove the Bible, let me take everything and just, yeah, I don't think that's the best way. I think you often have to give people some you know, whether it's, you know, the beginning of Luke's Gospel, where he's saying, This is how I went about this. And I actually did my homework to kind of say, this is at least the claim of the gospel writers say, and then, but the real way that you you come to see and know, is you have to step into it and read it. And I think one of the apologetic practices I would want to encourage, or just evangelistic practices, is is offering to read the gospels with people and and working through it. And then certain things come up as you read them, apologetically that you'll, you'll want to chase down and use some of those resources for but I think often it's, it's saying, hey, the claims are, at least that, you know, these guys have done their homework and and some of the work Richard welcome is doing is saying, you know, the Gospel traditions were, were were pinned within the lifetime of eyewitnesses and this. And so that's some of the work that that balcom has helpfully done that kind of help us get off the ground in some of these conversations.Would that be your go to gospel Luke or, like, if you're walking with players, or a go to like,some people say more because of the shortness or John, I I'm happy with them. Allfour should be in the canon. Yeah, no, that's great. And I think a couple other books I'm thinking of Paul Wagner's from text from text to translation, particularly deals with Old Testament translation issues, but then text critical pieces, but then also FF. Bruce's canon of Scripture is a real, solid place to go, if people are interested in those big pieces, but those, I mean, yeah, Richard Bauckham work was really helpful for me when I was like, How do I even know, you know the starting place is a good starting place. So, yeah, thank you for that. Sowhat the challenge is, people have got to make up their mind on Jesus. Yeah. I mean, I think that's where I want to kind of triage conversations and say, Hey, I know the Bible is a big book and there's a lot going on. First things you gotta make a call on. So that's where I'm going to focus on, the Gospels. That'sgreat. No, that's great. Well, you know, a lot of times you, and you've mentioned this earlier, that sometimes in our attempts to give reasons for our faith, we can come to simplistic answers like, Okay, this is, here you go. Here's the manuscript evidence, for example. Or, hey, here's the evidence for the resurrection. Oh, here. You know, this is pain and suffering, Romans, 828, you know, having these quick answers. And I think it stems from a desire to want to have a foundation for what we stand on. But a lot of times, and I think what we're seeing in our culture, and this is not anything new, this topic of deconstruction is not really a new topic is, you know, it's what's been called in the past, apostasy, or just not believing anymore. But now it's gotten a more, you know, kind of sharper edges to it. And and I would love for you to you know how you would respond to someone who is deconstructing from their faith because it didn't allow for doubt or because they were raised in perhaps a really strict Christian home. So how would you respond to somebody who says, I don't I don't like the. Had answers anymore, and I don't, you know, it's just too simplistic, and it doesn't, it's not satisfying. So how would you, because I encounter a lot of folks that are in that vein, the ones who are deconstructing, it's, it's not, you know, there's definitely intellectual arguments, but there's something else in back of that too, I think. So I'd love to hear you just kind of, how would you respond to someone who is deconstructing or has deconstructed in their faith?Yeah, yeah. And of course not. In that situation, my first response it's going to be, tell me more. Let's, let's talk more. I want to hear, I want to hear your story. I want to hear your deconversion story, or where you're at and and to have some real curiosity. Rather than here, let me tell you what your problem is. And let me tellyou, yeah, you just don't want to believe because you got some secret sin or something. Yeah? Oh, goodnessno. I mean, it's right faith, unbelief and doubt is complex, and there's lots of forms of doubt. And we use that word I mean, it has quite the semantic range, and we use in lots of different ways. And of course, the Bible, by no means, is celebrating doubt. The Bible, it's, you know, that we is saying we should have faith. It calls us to faith, not to doubt, but doubt seems to be a couple things to say. We talk about, we talk about ourselves as Christians, as new creations in Christ, but we also recognize that we still sin, we still we still have sinful habits. We're still sinful, and in the same way we we we believe, but we can struggle with doubt, and that's a reality. And it seems to me that that doesn't mean, though, that then we celebrate doubt, as if doubts this great thing, no, but at the same time, we need to be realistic and honest that we do. And there's certain things culturally that have happened, because we now live in a pluralistic world where people seem very sane and rational and and lovely, and they believe radically different things than we do. And just that proximity, Peter Berger, the late sociologist, did a lot of work on this area. This is just it. It creates these kinds of this kind of contestability, because, well, we could imagine even possibly not believing, or kids not believing, in a way that, again, 500 years ago, you know you Luther was wrestling with whether the Roman Catholic Church had everything right, but he wasn't wrestling and doubting the whole the whole thing, yeah, God. So that creates certain pressures that I think we need to be honest about, and but, but with, and part of that honesty, I think, in that kind of conversation to say, Hey, you're not alone and you're not just simply crazy because you're you're raising some of these things because, I mean, that's in many ways, understandable. Yeah, okay, yeah. I'm not saying it's good, I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's understandable. And I hear what you're saying, and I'm, let's talk about it now. The the kind of metaphor that that I use is to think about Christianity as a house. Of course, that's not my metaphor. I'm I'm borrowing from CS Lewis, who talked about Christianity as a house and in Mere Christianity, Lewis said he wanted to get people through non Christians into the hallway, and so he wanted to get them into the door so that they would and then they could pick up a particular tradition, they could enter a room. But his approach in Mere Christianity was to represent kind of the whole house. And what I think is happening in many cases is that people, now, I'm riffing off of his metaphor, people in the church. People have raised in the church, so they've grew up their whole life in the house, but it's actually in the what I would call the attic. And the attic as as I talk about it is, is in the house. It's, it's a Christian community, but it was, it was many times they're built out of a kind of reactionary posture against culture, without a deep connection to the rest of the house. It's kind of like, Hey, we're scared, and understandably so, the kind of decadent morality, certain shifts happening in the west with Can you giveus a couple examples of what you're thinking like? What would a person living in the attic like? What would their tradition kind of. Look like,yeah. So a couple of things. One in response to, in some cases, in response to the kind of intellectual movements, the kind of sex, secular and, you know, thinking they would say, you know, intellectualism is bad, that would be one response from the attic, like, don't worry about, you know, thinking. Just believe your problem is you're just thinking too much. So that would be one response, a kind of anti intellectualism. The other response is what I would call a kind of, depending on what kind of mood I'm in, I would call it a kind of quasi intellectual that, and that sounds harsh that I say what kind of mood I'm in, but a kind of quasi intellectual response, which is like, Oh, you want arguments. You want evidence. We'll give you two plus two equals equals God, and we'll kind of match, you know, fire with fire, and we can prove God's existence. And oftentimes, those kinds of apologetic reactions, I would call them, sometimes they're kind of quasi intellectual, because I don't think that's how the kind of bit we come to the big decisions. I don't think it's rational enough about a rationality about kind of what type of humans we are, and how we come to the big decisions and the big truths and and so I think that's one response, and that's why you have a kind of industry of apologetics sometimes. And the way they do it, I'm not saying in some ways it can be helpful, but in other ways, it can cause problems down down the road, and we've seen that at least, like, for instance, with the evil and suffering kind of conversation we were having before. If people say, actually, those arguments actually don't make, don't fully do what they were. We you claim too much for your arguments. Let's just say, like that. Okay, so that's one kind of, so there's a there's a kinds of, well, Christianity, in that side can kind of become this kind of intellectual, sterile work where you're just kind of trying to prove God, rather than this, than this way of life, where does worship come in? Where does devotion come in? What is And so very quickly it becomes, you know, this intellectual game, rather than communion with the living God. And so the emphasis understandably goes a certain way, but I would say understandably wrong goes a certain way, and that argument should be part of this deeper life of faith that we live and so we again, I'm wanting to say the motives aren't necessarily, aren't wrong, but where we get off because we're too reactionary, can go off. Let me give you one other ones. And I would say, like the purity culture would be another kind of side of this where we see a morally decadent culture of sexuality, and we want to respond to that we we don't want our kids to grow up believing those lies. Yeah, as as a friend of mine says, you know that the sexual revolution was actually and is actually bad for women, and we need to say that. We need to say that to people in the church, absolutely. But in response to that, then we create what, what has been called a purity culture, which, which has, has kind of poured a lot of guilt and have made have over promised again, if you just do this, you'll have a wonderful life and a wonderful marriage if you just do this, and then if you mess up, oh, you've, you've committed this unpardonable sin, almost. And so there's a lot of pressure being put on, particularly young women and then, and then over promising and so all of this,can people see that the House of Cards is coming down because they're like, Yeah, my marriage is horrible.It creates this pressure, right where you have to. You have to think a certain way. You have to behave this very kind of way. It's reaction to want to protect them. So again, I'm saying, Yes, I understand the reactions, yeah, and, but, but, and this is, I think, a key part of this, because it's not connected well to the rest of the house. It often reacts, rather than reflected deeply on the tradition and helps fit your way, the centrality of the Gospel, the centrality of what's always been, Christian teaching and coming back to the main things, rather than kind of reacting to culture because we're nervous, and doing it in such a way that, you know, well, people will begin to say, That's what Christianity is about. Christianity is really about, you know, your politics, because that's all my pastor is talking about, interesting, you know, and this is all they're talking about. So that becomes the center,even though the ethic is is, is, becomes the. Center, as opposed to the the philosophy and theology guiding the ethic, is that, would that be another way to put it, like how you live, become, becomes preeminent to, you know, wrestling with doubt and and trying to bring God into the space of your doubt and that kind of stuff is, that, is that?Yeah, I mean, so that, I think one of the things that the the early creeds help us to do is it helps us to keep the main thing. The main thing, it helps us to keep, rather than saying, well, because culture is talking about this, we're going to, you know, kind of in our churches, this becomes the main thing, is reacting or responding, maybe, whether it's with the culture and certain movements or against the culture, yeah. But if you're anchored to the kind of the ancient wisdom of the past you're you do have, you are at times, of course, going to respond to what's going on culturally, yeah, but it's always grounded to the center, and what's always been the center, yeah? And I think so when you're in a community like this, like this, the pressure of, I've gotta think rightly. I've gotta check every box here, yes, and oh, and I've, I've been told that there is proofs, and I just need to think harder. I just, you know, even believe more, even Yeah, if I just, if I just think harder, then I'll eliminate my doubt, but my doubts not being eliminated. So either I'm stupid or maybe there's a problem with the evidence, because it's not eliminating all my doubt, but this creates this kind of melting pot of anxiety for a lot of people as their own Reddit threads and their Oh, and then this, trying to figure all this out, and they're Googling all these answers, and then the slow drip, oh, well, to be honest, sometimes the massive outpouring of church scandal is poured into this, yeah. And it just creates a lot of anxiety amongst young people, and eventually they say, I'm just going to jump out of the attic, you know, because it looks pretty freeing and it looks like a pretty good way of life out there. And what, what I say to people is two things. Number one, rather than simply jumping out, first look what you're about to jump into, because you have to live somewhere, and outside the attic, you're not just jumping into kind of neutrality, you're jumping into cultural spaces and assumptions and belief. And so let's, let's just be just as critical as, yeah, the attic or house as you are will be mean, be just as critical with those spaces as you have been with the attic. So you need to explore those. But also, I'm wanting to give them a framework to understand that actually a lot of the ways that you've kind of grown up is actually been in this attic. Why don't you come downstairs, and if you're going to leave the house, explore the main floor first.And what would be the main floor? What would you say? The main floor?Yeah. I would say themain orthodox historic Christianity, like, yeah. Orthodox historic Christianity, Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, just kind of go into the Yeah. And whatI would say is, for instance, the apostle creed gives us kind of what I would call load bearing walls in the house. So it gives us the places where you don't mess like load bearing walls. You don't you don't knock those down if you're going to do a remodel, and, and, and. So you would recognize the difference between load bearing walls, walls that are central versus actual different rooms in the house, and how? Well, these aren't load bearing walls, but they're, they're, they're, they're how certain people in Christian communities, churches at particular times, have articulated it and and some of these, you could deny certain things, but you could, but those are more denominational battle lines, rather than the kind of load bearing things that you if you pull out the resurrection of Jesus, if you pull out the the deity of Christ and the full humanity of Christ, If you pull out the Trinity. So let's go back to the core. And if you're going to reject, if you're going to leave, leave on the basis of those core things, not okay. I've had these bad experiences in the church now, yeah, what I think this to kind of wrap this up on this is what often happens, or what can happen if someone says, Well, yeah, I've done that, and I still don't, I don't believe Okay, yep, that's going to happen. Yep. But one of the things I suggest, in at least some cases, is that the addict has screwed people up more than they realize, and that the way that they approach. Approach the foundation and the the main floor, it's still in attic categories, as in, to go back to our first question, well, I can't prove this, yeah. And I was always told that I should be able to prove it. Well, that's not how this works, yeah. And so they they reject Christianity on certain enlightenment terms, but they don't reject Christianity as Christianity really is. So people are going to interact with Christianity, I would say sometimes your people are investigating, say the resurrection, and reflecting more on on these central claims, but they're still doing it as if, if it doesn't reach kind of 100% certainty that I can't believe. And that's just not how this works.Yeah, that's, that's food for thought, because there, there's so many people that I interact with that I try to encourage. Like, yeah, your experience was really bad, like I'm affirming that, and that was messed up. That's not That's not Christianity, that is a branch on this massive tree trunk that stinks and that needs to be lamented and grieved and also called out as wrong. So I'm using another metaphor of a tree instead. But I love the because the house metaphor is something that you use in the telling a better story. Isn't that surprised bydoubt? Surprised by doubt? Yes, that's that's what we use, and we march through things, and we use that as, really our guiding metaphor through all the chapters. And that's what I would encourage if you're if you have somebody who's struggling with this, or you're struggling with this yourself, that's That's why a friend of mine, Jack Carson, that's why we wrote the book together, because obviously this is a we had a lot of friends and acquaintances and people who were coming to us and we weren't fully satisfied with all of the kind of works, yeah, that were responding and so this, this was our attempt to try to helppeople. Well, the book right after that was, is telling a better story. And one of the things I've really appreciated in your emphasis over the last few years has been, I would call a more humane apology, apologetic in that, you know, not giving into, okay, we're gonna give you want evidence. We're gonna give you evidence, as opposed to like, okay, let's just talk about being a huma

In the grand tapestry of Christian history, few figures shine as brightly as Saints Peter and Paul. Celebrated together on June 29, their shared feast day honors not only their individual missions but also their collective impact on the foundation and expansion of the Roman Catholic Church. As saints, they serve as powerful examples of faith, transformation, and unwavering dedication to Christ.Saint Peter, the humble fisherman, was chosen by Jesus to be the “rock” upon which the Church would be built (Matthew 16:18). Despite moments of weakness—most famously denying Christ three times—Peter's story is one of redemption and leadership. He was the first pope, a shepherd guiding the early Christian community through persecution and uncertainty. His martyrdom in Rome, crucified upside down, marked the ultimate testimony of his love for Christ and his flock. Peter's life reminds the Church that sanctity is not about perfection, but about trust, courage, and surrender to God's will.Saint Paul, once a fierce persecutor of Christians, experienced a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. From that moment, his life was entirely dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel to the Gentiles. His letters form a significant part of the New Testament and continue to inspire and instruct the faithful. Paul's fearless missionary journeys, theological insights, and final martyrdom in Rome reveal a heart consumed by the love of Christ and the urgency of evangelization. His life demonstrates that grace can transform even the most hardened hearts into instruments of divine mercy.For the Roman Catholic Church, their legacy is not merely historical—it is living. They are the cornerstones of a Church that is both grounded in apostolic tradition and sent forth in missionary zeal. Their witness challenges every generation to hold fast to the truth and to share it boldly, even at great cost. As saints, Peter and Paul continue to lead the faithful—not from the pulpit or the sword, but from the eternal throne of grace, where they intercede for a Church still walking the path they helped lay.In remembering them, the Church remembers its mission, its roots, and its call to holiness. Saint Peter and Saint Paul, pray for us. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

Send us a textWhat happens when religions don't just oppose Christianity but attempt to replace it? This riveting theological conversation dives deep into the unique positioning of Catholicism compared to other world religions like Judaism and Islam.The speakers meticulously analyze a fascinating distinction: while Judaism and Islam clearly identify themselves as separate from Protestant Christianity, the Catholic Church has historically claimed to be the true Christian church. "Both Judaism and Islam would separate themselves. They'd say 'we are not you'... whereas Roman Catholic Church says 'no, no, no, we are you,'" explains one participant. This infiltration strategy presents unique challenges to biblical discernment.Drawing from historical context and Biblical references like 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, the conversation examines specific Catholic doctrines and practices that participants believe contradict Scripture—from priestly forgiveness to transubstantiation. One particularly compelling observation suggests that many modern Protestant churches unknowingly maintain Catholic theological frameworks: "Most churches today that would call themselves Protestant or evangelical or non-denominational, they're basically Catholic because they're synergists, not monergists."The discussion shifts to a passionate call for Christians to understand their Reformation roots and the theological distinctions that led to that historical separation. "We are standing on John Calvin's shoulders. We are standing on Martin Luther's shoulders," asserts one speaker, lamenting that many believers today fail to appreciate these foundations.Perhaps most urgently, the speakers address the modern challenge of spiritual discernment in an age of technological deception. They warn about AI-generated fake sermons that sound remarkably like respected preachers, underscoring the critical importance of personal Bible study. "Christians today, most of us today, are just lazy... Their whole thing is like 'well, Jesus loves me and I love him, and that's it.' No, that's not all that matters."Listen now to this thought-provoking conversation that challenges comfortable assumptions and calls believers to deeper engagement with Scripture and church history. How well do you understand the theological distinctions that shape your faith?Support the show

Jared Klim is the creator and host of the Korner Booth Pod. Jared is an avid believer of the Roman Catholic Church and a lover of his Philadelphia Eagles. If you love a rambler and a great conversation; this is the show for you Subscribe to The Korner Booth Podcast: https://youtube.com/@kornerboothpod?si=_fx_uovY8lVu8BnW This podcast is supported by Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Media Like, Follow and Subscribe to the Show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok Subscribe to our page for new Episodes of Time to BS Podcast, Seahawks Sessions, and BS Sessions New episodes of Time to BS released on Tuesdays New episodes of Seahawks Sessions released on Saturdays Social Pages: Twitter/X: @stanielsmooth, @TimetoBSPodcast, @BellyUpSports, & @BellyUpMedia Instagram: @stanielsmooth, @TimetoBSPodcast, @BellyUpSports, & @BellyUpMedia Threads: @stanielsmooth & @timetobspodcast TikTok: @stanielsmooth Get top tier watches with La-Touraine today: Dive, Tachymeter & Sport Watches | La Touraine Collection Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TimetoBSPodcast?utm_source=linktree_admin_share Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lord's Supper or Communion has been one of the most historically debated practices in all of Christianity. For Baptists, this ordinance is a solemn, symbolic remembrance of Christ's death and a testimony of His promised return. But in contrast, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is not merely symbolic—it is the literal body and blood of Christ through the miracle of transubstantiation. These two views are not simply liturgical preferences; they reflect deep theological convictions about grace, salvation, the nature of the Church, and the role of religious ritual.In this episode, we'll explore why traditional Baptists reject the Catholic doctrine of the Eucharist. Whether you're a student of theology or just curious about the differences between Baptists and Catholic views, today's discussion will help clarify what's at stake in how the Church remembers the cross.For this conversation we have invited Jim Alter, pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Sidney, Ohio. Jim is co-founder and editor of the Ancient Baptist Press. Jim is also the founder, curator and lecturer for a traveling exhibition called “Purified Seven Times” which is devoted to educating people about the history of the English Bible. Jim is also co-author of the book “Why Baptist? The Significance of Baptist Principles in an Ecumenical Age.”Notes to reference for this episodeVisit https://www.lfbi.org/learnmore

Join David Lee Corbeau (aka The Raven) on Nephilim Death Squad as he sits down with guest Johnny Cerucci to unpack today's most pressing conspiracies and hidden agendas. In this revealing conversation, you'll discover:How global events—from Russia/Ukraine to Gaza—may be orchestrated as fear-mongering “false flags”The role of media, politicians, and educators in hypnotizing the publicWWII-era Vatican connections: the Jesuits and Knights of Malta's influence in modern intelligence agenciesThe struggle between faith and fear in our daily lives—and how you can “cultivate your own algorithm” to resist temptationInsights into the Roman Catholic Church's historical power and the prophecy of Antichrist in Daniel's visionsWhether you're new to conspiracy analysis or a seasoned truth seeker, this episode offers hard-hitting names, places, and dates to help you see past the smoke and mirrors. Tune in for unfiltered discussion on who really pulls the strings—and what you can do to fight back.FOLLOW JOHNNY:Johnny Cirucci – Where Resistance is Rising!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.

On today's mailbag episode, Johnnette Williams dives into your questions from the Listener Caller Line, email, and text messages. This weeks variety of topics include surrogacy, our relationship with Mary, and the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Have a question for Johnnette? Call the Listener Caller Line at 205-795-5773 and leave your message!

On today's mailbag episode, Johnnette Williams dives into your questions from the Listener Caller Line, email, and text messages. This weeks variety of topics include surrogacy, our relationship with Mary, and the history of the Roman Catholic Church.

On today's mailbag episode, Johnnette Williams dives into your questions from the Listener Caller Line, email, and text messages. This weeks variety of topics include surrogacy, our relationship with Mary, and the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Have a question for Johnnette? Call the Listener Caller Line at 205-795-5773 and leave your message!

The Roman Catholic Church's presence in North Dakota dates back to territorial days. In 1910, Pope Pius X created the Diocese of Bismarck, calling a new bishop to serve the diocese.

In the vast corridors of time, where empires rise and fall like waves upon the shore, today's guest, Jeremy Ryan Slate, takes us on a profound journey into the heart of one of history's most intriguing civilizations: Rome. Rome is not just an empire but a mirror reflecting the complexities of power, religion, and human nature. This discussion unravels the deep connection between Rome's political machinations and the religious shifts that shaped not only its history but the very fabric of Western civilization.Jeremy Ryan Slate opens with a fascinating insight into the intertwining of politics and religion in Rome, a concept almost alien to modern sensibilities. In Rome, religion was more than spiritual—it was political, a tool of the state. When the early Christians refused to sacrifice to the Emperor, it was not just seen as a religious dissent but a direct political affront. As Jeremy eloquently puts it, "To Romans, the bridge between religion and politics was seamless; one could not exist without the other."As we delve deeper into the conversation, the narrative takes us to the core of Rome's religious tolerance—an empire that allowed multiple deities to coexist under one roof, so long as the Emperor was revered. The Romans were a pragmatic people; their gods were as diverse as their empire, adaptable and multifaceted. Yet, it was this very adaptability that Christianity, with its singular devotion, began to challenge. The rise of Christianity, once a minor cult in the eyes of the Romans, eventually transformed the spiritual landscape of the empire.The transition from the pagan gods of old to the rise of Christianity under Constantine is a pivotal moment in history. Jeremy Ryan Slate guides us through this transformation with precision, noting that Constantine's conversion to Christianity was as much a political move as it was a spiritual one. The empire was fracturing, and in Christianity, Constantine found a unifying force. However, this was not a straightforward process. It took decades for Christianity to fully embed itself within the Roman state, a process marked by councils and theological debates that would shape the doctrine for centuries to come.SPIRITUAL TAKEAWAYS1.The Power of Belief: Rome's transition from a polytheistic society to a Christian empire highlights the immense power of belief systems to influence not only individual lives but entire civilizations.2. Unity Through Spirituality: Constantine's use of Christianity as a tool to unify a fragmented empire teaches us how spirituality can be a force for political and social cohesion.3. Adaptability of Religion: The Roman Empire's initial tolerance of diverse religions underscores the importance of adaptability and inclusivity in spiritual practices, allowing different beliefs to coexist peacefully.The decline of Rome is often depicted as a dramatic fall, but as Jeremy explains, it was a slow transformation, where the power of the state gradually shifted to the church. This transition is evident in the adoption of Roman political structures by the emerging Roman Catholic Church, a blend of spiritual authority and political savvy that would continue to influence the world long after the empire's fall.In this illuminating conversation, Jeremy Ryan Slate reminds us that the echoes of Rome are still felt today. The structures, beliefs, and even the words we use have roots in this ancient civilization. As the Roman Empire gave way to the Roman Catholic Church, we see a continuity that defies the concept of a 'fall'—Rome, in many ways, never truly ended; it merely transformed.Please enjoy my conversation with Jeremy Ryan Slate.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.

Was Martin Luther right to compare the Roman Catholic Church to the legalistic Judaism of the Pharisees? In this episode of MARSCAST, Dr. Alan Strange and Jared Luttjeboer examine whether Luther's assessment was fair—or even accurate.From the theological foundations of the Old Testament to the modern "New Perspective on Paul" movement, this conversation uncovers the complex relationship between law and grace that shaped both first-century Judaism and medieval Christianity. Dr. Strange reveals how Luther's understanding of justification by faith alone emerged from his study of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, and explains why this doctrine became, as Calvin puts it, the "main hinge upon which true religion turns."But Luther's story isn't without its shadows. We'll also learn how the reformer's initial openness toward Jewish conversion shifted dramatically after 1525, and why understanding this history matters for Christians today.

Was Martin Luther right to compare the Roman Catholic Church to the legalistic Judaism of the Pharisees? In this episode of MARSCAST, Dr. Alan Strange and Jared Luttjeboer examine whether Luther's assessment was fair—or even accurate. From the theological foundations of the Old Testament to the modern "New Perspective on Paul" movement, this conversation uncovers the complex relationship between law and grace that shaped both first-century Judaism and medieval Christianity. Dr. Strange reveals how Luther's understanding of justification by faith alone emerged from his study of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, and explains why this doctrine became, as Calvin puts it, the "main hinge upon which true religion turns." But Luther's story isn't without its shadows. We'll also learn how the reformer's initial openness toward Jewish conversion shifted dramatically after 1525, and why understanding this history matters for Christians today.

The May announcement of the first-ever American Pope, Leo XIV, still has the whole world buzzing. While Robert Francis Prevost's hometown of Chicago has its own distinct wine and spirits culture (Malört, we're looking at you), his move to Vatican City has landed him in the center of the biggest wine scene no one's ever heard of. That's right: The Vatican has a wine scene—and a secretly influential one, too. Surrounded by Rome, the tiny city-state is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and homebase of the Pope. It's also the biggest wine importer per capita in the entire world, as reported by news and website editor James Bayley of the Drinks Business—making it roughly double that of France and Italy. We invited Bayley onto the podcast to discuss his recent deep-dive into how the Vatican became the world's most surprising wine powerhouse, and what the future may hold for Vatican-made wine. Is there a guest you want us to interview? A topic you want us to cover? We want to hear from you! Email us at podcast@wineenthusiast.net. Remember to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go to WineEnthusiast.com for the latest beverage industry coverage and all the tools you need to bring your love of wine to life. And wait, there's more! Get over 70% OFF the original cover price by subscribing to Wine Enthusiast magazine today!    FOLLOW US: TikTok: @wineenthusiast Instagram: @wineenthusiast Facebook: @WineEnthusiast X: @WineEnthusiast

The familiar phrase "playing devil's advocate" actually originated from a real Catholic Church position where an official was tasked with arguing against candidates for sainthood to ensure only the truly worthy were canonized.ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.IN THIS EPISODE: In an effort to test one of his theories on social behavior, psychologist Muzafer Sherif released twenty-two 12-year-old boys into a sparsely supervised wilderness camp — and then covertly provoked them to fight each other. (The Robbers Cave Experiment) *** Witch hunts and trials. They didn't end in Salem – they live on even today in Papua New Guinea. (Papua New Guinea Witchcraft) *** A man in Japan sees small, childlike ashen white aliens. (Childlike Aliens) *** How can a holy book such as the Christian bible bring bad luck? One paranormal museum in West Virginia has the answer with an infamous display of the 666 Bible. (The 666 Bible) *** The people of Hannibal, Missouri in the late 1800s would remain appalled that one of their most prominent residents could be murdered without retribution. Even a $10,000 reward couldn't bring justice. (The Stillwell Murder) *** A father takes his son to the ruins of an old, burned down building – and the boy sees something his father doesn't. (The Old Factory Visit) *** “The Devil's Advocate” – it's a phrase that can be traced to the Roman Catholic Church that long had an actual official office for a person who was employed to be exactly that – an advocate for the devil. And he still works for the church even today. (The Devil's Advocate) *** It's one of the most-enigmatic unsolved cases of the 21st Century. A family of three goes missing in 2009, and despite an abundance of evidence, law enforcement is no closer to solving this mystery today. In fact, it could even be said that the more clues that are uncovered only result in additional questions. (What Happened To The Jamison Family?)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS…(Sorry, but this information has been lost over time.)SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The Robbers Cave Experiment” by Taig Spearman: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4v5259xu“Papua New Guinea Witchcraft” by Caleb Strom: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckvym9b“The Devil's Advocate” by Ellen Lloyd: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8uyaes“Childlike Aliens": https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/22ujw2jt“The 666 Bible” by Theresa HPIR: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/32wdwakp“The Stillwell Murder” by Robert Wilhelm: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p9bnkr4“The Old Factory Visit” by Mike: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3zxf3vje“What Happened To The Jamison Family?” by Stu Wahlin for Weird Darkness: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/stuwahlin=====(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: November 12, 2018EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DevilsAdvocate

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com      Ever have a moment when you don't see it and then you see it? The classic picture of an old women or a young beautiful woman depending on what you see?    Here's a more detailed look at the reasons:    1. Lack of Historical Evidence: Missing Persian References: . Some scholars questioned the book's historical accuracy, pointing to the lack of mention of the characters and events described in Esther within Persian historical records.  Not Found at Qumran: . The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish texts dating back to the period when the Book of Esther was thought to have been written, did not include the Book of Esther, further fueling skepticism about its authenticity.  2. Theological Concerns: Absence of God's Name: . The most significant theological issue was the complete absence of God's name in the Book of Esther. This was seen as unusual compared to other books in the Old Testament.  Interpretations of Divine Providence: . While some argued that the book implicitly suggests divine providence through the actions of the characters, others felt the lack of explicit mention of God undermined its theological purpose.  3. Jewish Canon Formation: Delayed Inclusion: The Book of Esther was not included in the earliest forms of the Jewish canon, and it was debated whether it should even be included at all.  Nationalistic Pride: Some suggest that the book's inclusion in the Jewish canon was influenced by a desire to celebrate the Jewish people's triumph over Haman and to provide a sense of national identity.  4. Christian Canon Formation: Deuterocanonical Status: The Book of Esther was not universally accepted by Christians from the beginning. Some Christians, like Jerome, considered it canonical, while others, like Athanasius, classified it with the Apocrypha, a collection of books considered useful but not part of the official canon.  Influence of Jewish Canon: Ultimately, Christians largely adopted the Jewish canon, which included the Book of Esther, leading to its inclusion in Christian Bibles as well. 5. Additions to the Septuagint: Greek Version: An alternate version of the Book of Esther in Greek, which included references to God and additional passages, was also debated. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Septuagint version of Esther, while the Roman Catholic Church preserves the Greek additions as "Additions to Esther"   God is not mentioned in Esther ANYWHERE… SO WHERE IS HE? HE IS EVERYWHERE!     - Queen Vashti won't give it up From Vashti's defiance to Mordecai's sleepless night, seemingly random occurrences contribute to the ultimate deliverance of the Jews.     - Esthers beauty over 25 million women   - Jew chosen to be queen   - Mordecai hears about a plot   - King can't sleep and they read Mordecai's story   - Haman used like a puppet in Gods hand   - 2 parties to set up Haman's demise   - Haman's advance on queen Esther   - The Pole set up for Mordecai used for Haman   - The Jews enemies are identified and then killed due to the timing and they get the take of those they kill

This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Teresa Pitt Green, co-founder of Spirit Fire, a ministry dedicated to “facilitating healing dialogue among those wounded by abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.” Teresa shares her own story of healing from abuse, the challenges she experienced, and what she learned along the way. She also shares practical advice to help priests approach conversations with survivors, common mistakes to avoid, and insights into the complexity of what it's like to heal from abuse. Ultimately, it is Jesus who heals, and He can use whatever we have to offer to bring about restoration in the Church and her members.  If you are experiencing or have experienced abuse of any kind, we encourage you to reach out to Teresa or check out her resources on Spirit Fire's website.   Key Points: Navigating conversations with survivors of abuse requires sensitivity and receptivity For many survivors of clergy abuse, there is little distinction between priests and abusers  Healing from abuse is an ongoing journey, it isn't something someone can just “get over” If someone approaches you about abuse, be careful to listen and not judge their experiences Even if we make a mistake in our approach to a conversation, God can still work through that moment. He is the one who is ultimately doing the healing work The journey of healing is complex and nonlinear   Resources: Spirit Fire's Website   Connect with Restore the Glory:  Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast  Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast   Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

After Pope Francis died, it took the Roman Catholic Church just 17 days to choose a successor in Pope Leo XIV. It has been well over 6 months since Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned and we are only just making sense of those chosen to sit on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), that will recommend his successor. Even then, it's unlikely we will know more until the autumn. Why has it taken so long? Journalist, commentator – and quite frankly expert – Andrew Graystone joins Damian Thompson and William Moore, the Spectator's features editor, to take listeners through the process. From committees to choose committees and confusion about the rules, as William comments, even acclaimed Conclave writer Robert Harris would struggle to make a fast-paced and riveting story out of the Anglican succession. That's not to say there isn't plenty of intrigue though: from bishops effectively ruling themselves out, to opaque appointments, and even a former head of M15 appointed to lead the CNC.  Andrew, Damian and William discuss the process, the problems plaguing it and unpack those in contention to be the next Primate of All England. The chosen successor will ultimately lead the third largest Christian communion, with around 100 million members worldwide, and play a prominent role in British society with a seat in the House of Lords and as a spiritual advisor to King and country – no pressure.   Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

After Pope Francis died, it took the Roman Catholic Church just 17 days to choose a successor in Pope Leo XIV. It has been well over 6 months since Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigned and we are only just making sense of those chosen to sit on the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), that will recommend his successor. Even then, it's unlikely we will know more until the autumn. Why has it taken so long?Journalist, commentator – and quite frankly expert – Andrew Graystone joins Damian Thompson and William Moore, the Spectator's features editor, to take listeners through the process. From committees to choose committees and confusion about the rules, as William comments, even acclaimed Conclave writer Robert Harris would struggle to make a fast-paced and riveting story out of the Anglican succession. That's not to say there isn't plenty of intrigue though: from bishops effectively ruling themselves out, to opaque appointments, and even a former head of M15 appointed to lead the CNC. Andrew, Damian and William discuss the process, the problems plaguing it and unpack those in contention to be the next Primate of All England. The chosen successor will ultimately lead the third largest Christian communion, with around 100 million members worldwide, and play a prominent role in British society with a seat in the House of Lords and as a spiritual advisor to King and country – no pressure.  Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the world's superpowers lies a dark force whose influence extends into every aspect of our existence. This entity has been known by various names and has taken on different faces; in the Bible, it is referred to as Mystery Babylon, and today, many identify it as the Roman Catholic Church. Every world leader has bowed to the papacy's authority, which, as discussed in the lecture, has played a significant role in the events leading to the end times. With the passing of Pope Francis and the election of the first American pope, we may be witnessing the dawn of a new golden age of heresy.Watch here: https://youtu.be/kHtSc7e28aI#podcast  @DonaldJTrumpforPresident https://www.thesoultrap.com/Podcast: https://thesoultrap.buzzsprout.com/Support the show

What are the secrets of the Vatican and the Order of the Jesuits that most people aren't aware of?In this episode, Amy welcomes back Michelle Young to delve into the often-unseen histories of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican City, the Jesuit Order, and the figure of the Black Pope. Michelle, a frequent guest and Trinidadian native, will help unpack these complex topics. We will also explore the interconnectedness of global religions and the underlying symbolism that binds them. Join us as we question the recent trend of celebrities and influencers promoting the Pope and the universal Catholic faith. Does the adage "all roads lead to Rome" hold significance for Bible-believing Christians? Furthermore, we will discuss potential warnings within the Book of Revelation that might be relevant to our understanding of the end times. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion!------------------------------------------------Amy is a Christian Counselor:-To schedule an appointment: ⁠⁠https://www.biblicalguidancecounseling.com/appointments⁠⁠Amy teaches online verse by verse Bible studies:Rumble link: ⁠⁠https://rumble.com/c/BibleStudywithEyesontheright⁠⁠--------------------------------------Michelle Young : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCheWB_dfVp8vT9J3eLmvYpw

The boys cover the biggest news stories of the month of May - Robert Francis Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Becomes First American PopeFollowing the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago as the new pope. Now Pope Leo XIV, Prevost becomes the first American to ever lead the Roman Catholic Church. Known for his work in Peru and his leadership within the Vatican, Leo XIV signaled a continuation of Francis's legacy with a message of peace and inclusiveness.Pam Bondi Reveals FBI Reviewing 'Tens of Thousands' of Epstein VideosIn a stunning revelation, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the FBI is in possession of “tens of thousands” of videos related to Jeffrey Epstein—many allegedly involving minors. The announcement came after undercover footage captured Bondi casually discussing the investigation. The volume of evidence has raised questions about the pace and transparency of the Epstein probe.James O'Keefe Releases Undercover Video of Pam BondiIndependent journalist James O'Keefe released a covert video showing Pam Bondi speaking about the extensive Epstein video archive. The footage, filmed secretly at a D.C. restaurant, triggered a media firestorm and reignited concerns about elite protection and secrecy in the Epstein case. Bondi later publicly confirmed her comments, insisting the FBI must protect the identities of potential victims.Massive Power Outage Hits Spain and PortugalA major blackout swept across the Iberian Peninsula, leaving millions in Spain and Portugal without electricity. From Madrid to Lisbon, vital infrastructure was crippled—trains stopped, telecoms failed, and hospitals shifted to emergency power. Though services were restored within hours, officials are still investigating possible causes, including a cyberattack or a cascading grid failure.Kanye West's 'Hitler' Song Pulled After OutrageKanye West once again ignited controversy with the release of his new track, “Hitler,” featuring Nazi glorification and racial slurs. The song included a Hitler speech sample and disturbing imagery in its video. Following swift backlash, streaming platforms pulled the track. West claimed censorship, but critics called it another step in a disturbing pattern.Bill Gates to Donate Entire Fortune, Shutter Foundation by 2045Bill Gates pledged to give away nearly all of his $200 billion fortune to global health causes, with plans to close the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by 2045. He aims to double annual spending to fight disease, poverty, and maternal mortality, urging fellow billionaires to act now in the face of rising global crises.UK and US Sign Trade Deal, Slash TariffsThe U.S. and U.K. signed a new trade agreement that slashes tariffs on cars, steel, and agriculture products. While it doesn't resolve all trade issues, officials see it as a vital step in strengthening transatlantic economic ties.Katy Perry Blasts Off on All-Female Space MissionPop icon Katy Perry joined the first all-female Blue Origin spaceflight, journeying beyond the Kármán line in a historic suborbital mission. Joined by journalist Gayle King and others, Perry called the trip “supernatural” and dedicated the experience to her daughter.Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Arrested at Senate ProtestBen Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, was arrested for protesting during a Senate hearing, calling out U.S. involvement in Gaza. He faces charges for obstruction after criticizing lawmakers for prioritizing military funding over humanitarian aid. His arrest reignited debate over activism and U.S. foreign policy.www.patreon.com/theconspiracypodcast

Send us a textGUEST: Mike Gendron, founder and director, Proclaiming the GospelPresident Trump is on historic multi-nation visit to the Middle East, where he is attempting to broker financial investments in U.S. companies and generally lower the hostile temperature of Arab nations toward one another and Israel. Geopolitical analyst Soeren Kern will join us next week to interpret all that took place and what it means for the U.S. and Israel.This week, Mike Gendron, founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel, a ministry devoted to helping Roman Catholics understand and believe the biblical gospel, joins us to discuss the selection of a new pope, Leo XIV. Mike, a Roman Catholic for the first 35 years of his life, will tell us about the new pope, the first American-born leader of the Catholic Church, and explain core Catholic doctrines—like Peter being the first pope—and how these contrast with God's Word.But before we get to the new pope and the Roman Catholic Church, Mike and I will discuss the disheartening news this week that Josh Buice, founder and president of G3 Ministries, a ministry focused on building the church up in sound doctrine, has resigned due to the uncovering of anonymous social media accounts that he was using to slander other Christians and ministries and then lying about it.Paul told Timothy to “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). This is a sobering reminder that we must not only examine our teaching but our hearts.

Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar dive into the topic of eternal security, offering an overview of how different traditions interpret the idea of being saved. They discuss how the Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation begins with baptism and must be maintained through participation in the sacraments. The Armenian view leans toward a conditional salvation. The guys touch on an antinomian view which claims once saved, always saved. This interpretation disconnects salvation from the transforming power of the gospel. In contrast, the reformed position teaches that salvation is entirely the work of God.If someone is genuinely saved, they will not turn back. Once the distinction between true and false conversions becomes clear, the parables take on new meaning. Those who fall away were never truly saved. Matthew 7 reinforces this, pointing out that some who thought they knew the Lord never actually belonged to Him—He never knew them. Christ saves to the very end, and the perseverance of the saints is a comfort that reminds us we are kept for Jesus, His treasured possession. If we could lose our salvation, we would, but we are not strong enough to fall out of God's grip.Christians need to base their beliefs on scripture, not feelings. John 10 reminds us that no one can snatch God's children out of His hand. Many believers are stuck in spiritual immaturity because they live in fear. The answer is to look to the cross and what the Lord has done. Even churches with good doctrine sometimes default to spiritual moralism. The gospel must be preached clearly and consistently so that believers can find confidence in the security of their salvation.For the believer who is struggling, eternal security is not an excuse for laziness but a safety net. It frees you to live in gratitude, knowing that your salvation is not based on performance. Ray explains that God gives a new heart and new desires—He causes His people to walk in obedience. The guys discuss how even when we sin, Jesus is our advocate. A true believer grieves over sin and desires to obey. We belong to God and we always will. Philippians 1 says that God will complete the work He began. Salvation is His from beginning to end.When people walk away from the faith, they were never truly part of it. A healthy tree naturally produces fruit—it doesn't have to strain. Hebrews 6 is not about true believers falling away, but about those who tasted truth and still turned away. If you hate your sin and long for righteousness, you are in the process of sanctification. He who calls you is faithful—He will hold you.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

After the Conclave at the Vatican met for two days, the white smoke came from the stack, signifying that a Pope had been chosen or "Habemus Papam," meaning "We have the Pope." Cardinal Robert Prevost (Leo XIV) became the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Curiously, followers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light distributed flyers through Vatican City and declared their leader, Abdullah Hashem, Nuevo Papa—the New Pope. Some Christians are calling him the Antichrist; however, could it be yet another psychological operation to create more conflict between the Abrahamic religions?. Furthermore, times of economic uncertainty and world turmoil only fuel the rise of destructive cults. Tonight on Ground Zero (7-10 pm, pacific time on groundzeroplus.com), Clyde Lewis talks with Paul Begley about HABEMUS PAPAM OBSCURA. #groundzeroplus #ClydeLewis #Antichrist #HabemusPapam #AbdullahHashem

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Sunday blessing as pontiff, calling for unity in a polarized church and appealing to the world’s major powers for peace. He delivered his message to an estimated 100,000 people from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, where he was introduced as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church last week. Laura Barrón-López speaks with Crux editor John Allen for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Historic Election of an American Pope: Cardinal Robert Francis Privos of Chicago has been elected as the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, marking the first time an American has ascended to the papacy. The hosts discuss the significance of this event for both the Catholic Church and the United States. Criticism of Bernie Sanders and Private Jet Use: Bernie Sanders is criticized for using private jets during his "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, which the hosts see as hypocritical given his stance on climate change and wealth inequality. John Kerry is also mentioned for similar behavior. Joe Biden's Media Appearances and Statements: Joe Biden's recent media appearances are discussed, including his explanations for the Democratic loss in the 2024 election and his defense against claims of cognitive decline. The hosts critique Biden's statements and performance. Planned Parenthood Controversy: An undercover investigation by Live Action reveals that Planned Parenthood clinics in multiple states are prescribing cross-sex hormones to minors with minimal oversight. The hosts express strong disapproval and discuss the potential consequences and the need for congressional action. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and the Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. Thanks for Listening #seanhannity #hannity #marklevin #levin #charliekirk #megynkelly #tucker #tuckercarlson #glennbeck #benshapiro #shapiro #trump #sexton #bucksexton#rushlimbaugh #limbaugh #whitehouse #senate #congress #thehouse #democrats#republicans #conservative #senator #congressman #congressmen #congresswoman #capitol #president #vicepresident #POTUS #presidentoftheunitedstatesofamerica#SCOTUS #Supremecourt #DonaldTrump #PresidentDonaldTrump #DT #TedCruz #Benferguson #Verdict #justicecorrupted #UnwokeHowtoDefeatCulturalMarxisminAmericaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have a new pope, and he's from Chicago! On the second day of the papal conclave Thursday, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He's the first American citizen to hold the position, but he also spent two decades serving in Peru, before the late Pope Francis chose him for an influential post at the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV now has a very, very big job leading the world's 1.36 billion Catholics amid major tensions within the church, between those aligned with Francis' efforts to make the church more inclusive and those who think those efforts have undermined Catholic tradition. Christopher White, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and author of the forthcoming book 'Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy,' tells us more about the new pope's selection and what we can expect from his papacy.And in headlines: President Donald Trump unveiled his first big new trade deal with… the United Kingdom, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced plans for a much-needed update to the nation's air traffic control system, and former President Joe Biden defended his time in office during an interview with The View.Show Notes:Check out Christopher's work –www.ncronline.org/authors/christopher-whiteSubscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It’s a busy month for college graduations. USA Today’s Rachel Barber joins to discuss what graduates are looking for in the job market and how they’re feeling about it. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope yesterday, becoming the first American leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Joshua McElwee, Vatican correspondent for Reuters, discusses the new Pope Leo XIV’s biography and positions. A decades-old Soviet-era spacecraft is set to crash-land on Earth any day now. ABC News has more. Eric Roston, sustainability editor for Bloomberg News, talks about the potential environmental impacts of decommissioned satellites that burn up in the atmosphere. Plus, why the head of FEMA was fired, major U.S. cities are sinking, and a mom and her son who plan to graduate together. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

Right after the news broke that Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, the internet produced lots of evidence that he has promoted articles critical of JD Vance and Donald Trump, and even expressed sympathy for George Floyd. That prompted MAGA figures to erupt in anger. They attacked the new Pope as anti-Trump pro-open borders, a Marxist, and soft on thugs and drug dealers, as Media Matters documented. We talked to the excellent political theorist Matt McManus, who was raised in the church and regularly wrestles with the intellectual roots of today's right wing, including in his 2023 book, The Political Right and Equality. He explains what Vance gets wrong about Catholic teaching, why it's so inimical to Trumpism, and how today's pro-Trump influencers and “post-liberal” Catholic intellectuals alike are refusing to reckon with what MAGA has truly become. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pope Leo has delivered his first homily as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Also on the programme, Russia is holding a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War; and the first samples of rock drilled from the Moon in nearly 50 years have arrived in the UK.(Photo: Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass with the Cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Vatican City State Holy See - 09 May 2025 VATICAN MEDIA HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock )

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the next head of the Roman Catholic Church—selecting the name Pope Leo XIV. A Chicago native and graduate of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he is the first American to become pope. According to reports, he has been critical of “transgender ideology” because “it seeks to create genders that don't exist.” 3:20pm- While speaking with the press, President Donald Trump said it was a “great honor” to have a pope from the United States of America and that Pope Leo XIV has already requested a meeting. 3:30pm- On Thursday, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. Under the agreement, the UK has agreed to increase market access for $5 billion in American exports—specifically: ethanol, beef, fruits, vegetables, animal feed, shellfish, textiles, chemicals, and machinery. The Trump Administration's 10% tariff on UK imports will remain in place—though, UK tariffs on U.S. imports will fall from 5.1% to 1.8%, according to Trump. 3:40pm- While speaking with the press, President Trump hinted that more trade agreements will soon be announced and noted that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be meeting with Chinese trade officials this weekend. The U.S. currently has a 145% reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: 4:05pm- Father Robert A. Sirico—Catholic Priest & Founder of the Acton Institute—joins The Rich Zeoli Show LIVE from Rome, Italy and provides on-site analysis of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost's election to become the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. Father Sirico's initial assessment of Pope Leo XIV: “this is a man that respects tradition.” Father Sirico is author of the books, “The Economics of the Parables” and “Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy.” 4:30pm- During a House hearing on transgender athletes, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) offered one testifying expert the opportunity to play a game called: “Trump or Trans.” PLUS, is anyone going to read Hilaria Baldwin's new book? Nope. Probably not even her husband, Alec Baldwin. 4:50pm- On Thursday, Joe and Jill Biden did their first joint interview since leaving the White House—and it went about as well as you would expect. At one point during the conversation, former President Biden bizarrely suggested he could have defeated President Trump a second time despite polling that suggests he would have performed electorally even worse than Kamala Harris.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the next head of the Roman Catholic Church—selecting the name Pope Leo XIV. A Chicago native and graduate of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he is the first American to become pope. According to reports, he has been critical of “transgender ideology” because “it seeks to create genders that don't exist.” 6:15pm- While speaking with the press, President Donald Trump said it was a “great honor” to have a pope from the United States of America and that Pope Leo XIV has already requested a meeting. 6:30pm- On Thursday, Joe and Jill Biden did their first joint interview since leaving the White House—and it went about as well as you would expect. At one point during the conversation, former President Biden bizarrely suggested he could have defeated President Trump a second time despite polling that suggests he would have performed electorally even worse than Kamala Harris.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Show (05/08/2025): 3:05pm- Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the next head of the Roman Catholic Church—selecting the name Pope Leo XIV. A Chicago native and graduate of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he is the first American to become pope. According to reports, he has been critical of “transgender ideology” because “it seeks to create genders that don't exist.” 3:20pm- While speaking with the press, President Donald Trump said it was a “great honor” to have a pope from the United States of America and that Pope Leo XIV has already requested a meeting. 3:30pm- On Thursday, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. Under the agreement, the UK has agreed to increase market access for $5 billion in American exports—specifically: ethanol, beef, fruits, vegetables, animal feed, shellfish, textiles, chemicals, and machinery. The Trump Administration's 10% tariff on UK imports will remain in place—though, UK tariffs on U.S. imports will fall from 5.1% to 1.8%, according to Trump. 3:40pm- While speaking with the press, President Trump hinted that more trade agreements will soon be announced and noted that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be meeting with Chinese trade officials this weekend. The U.S. currently has a 145% reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods. 4:05pm- Father Robert A. Sirico—Catholic Priest & Founder of the Acton Institute—joins The Rich Zeoli Show LIVE from Rome, Italy and provides on-site analysis of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost's election to become the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. Father Sirico's initial assessment of Pope Leo XIV: “this is a man that respects tradition.” Father Sirico is author of the books, “The Economics of the Parables” and “Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy.” 4:30pm- During a House hearing on transgender athletes, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) offered one testifying expert the opportunity to play a game called: “Trump or Trans.” PLUS, is anyone going to read Hilaria Baldwin's new book? Nope. Probably not even her husband, Alec Baldwin. 4:50pm- On Thursday, Joe and Jill Biden did their first joint interview since leaving the White House—and it went about as well as you would expect. At one point during the conversation, former President Biden bizarrely suggested he could have defeated President Trump a second time despite polling that suggests he would have performed electorally even worse than Kamala Harris. 5:05pm- Dr. EJ Antoni—Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to break down today's major trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. And what can we expect to come out of this weekend's trade meeting between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese trade officials? 5:20pm- On Thursday, Joe and Jill Biden did their first joint interview since leaving the White House—and it went about as well as you would expect. At one point during the conversation, former President Biden bizarrely suggested he could have defeated President Trump a second time despite polling that suggests he would have performed electorally even worse than Kamala Harris. 5:40pm- In light of Pope Leo XIV, should Villanova change their team mascot? The Villanova Popes? 6:05pm- Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the next head of the Roman Catholic Church—selecting the name Pope Leo XIV. A Chicago native and graduate of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, he is the first American to become pope. According to reports, he has been critical of “transgender ideology” because “it seeks to create genders that don't exist.” 6:15pm- While speaking with the press, President Donald Trump said it was a “great honor” to have a pope from the United States of America and that Pope Leo XIV has already requested a mee ...

Long before he was elected to run the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis was essentially exiled from his Argentinian Jesuit order. Francis often referred to this two-year period, which happened when he was in his 50s, as a "dark night" and a "crisis" in his life.For our weekly Reporter's Notebook series, we talk with NPR religion editor Daniel Burke about what he learned by digging into this little known period of Francis' life that shaped him and his papacy.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy