Spiritually Incorrect

Origins Series, pt. 2: Theistic Evolution Evolution and Christianity have never been the best bedfellows. Just hearing the two terms together often evokes images of conflict and fierce rivalry. Both, it seems, cannot occupy the same territory. But does that need to be the case? While many have claimed the two can coexist, our guest today has an even more bold proposal: Evolution may be Christianity's best friend. Dr. Zachary Ardern is here to show us just how he is able to pair both his faith and the science in a way that is not only compatible but complementary, and, as a trained Cambridge biologist, there are few more qualified to actually know the state of science today. According to Dr. Ardern, there is emerging evidence to show that the process of evolution itself has been finely crafted for the emergence of organisms like us. If this is true, then evolution may prove to be just as good of evidence for God as creationists and intelligent design advocates claim for their case. Be sure not to miss today's mindblowing episode as we delve into the question of Darwinism and design! Also be sure to check out our Patreon. We've just uploaded an unaired episode on abortion and the Supreme Court for your eyes only!

Origins Series, pt. 1: Young Earth Creationism How old is the earth? Did God use evolution? How should we interpret the first few chapters of Genesis? These are the questions that never seem to die... except, we are told, if you're a scientist. In fact, the story we often hear is that no self-respecting scientist would ever affirm young earth creationism. As it turns out, that's not the case, and our guest today, Dr. Marcus Ross, is living proof of that. A credentialed paleontologist, he is among a number of scientists who take the claims of a young earth seriously. In the first part of our Origin Series, we ask Dr. Ross to explain just how he is able to hold together the claims of Genesis 1-2 and his scientific mind. We tackle everything from Noah's flood, radioactive dating, dinosaur blood cells, the growth of the young earth movement, and the current drama over Ken Ham's treatment of other young earth creationists. Be on the lookout in the coming weeks as we dive into other perspectives, including old earth views, theistic evolution, and intelligent design. And for our PATREON subscribers, be sure to check out Jonathan and I's exclusive extended discussion!

Thanks to titanic franchises like Harry Potter and Dungeons and Dragons, the topic of witchcraft has never been more popular. These worlds offer a much-needed, magical escape from the mundane boredoms of the real world. But for many, the idea of witches is more than just a silly fantasy. In fact, the Wiccan religion has seen astronomical growth in the past few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Millions now claim the faith as their own, and millions more likely will in the coming decades. Yet many, especially within the church, have no idea what Wiccans believe or what they practice. As medieval as it may sound, witches are the future, and this is a fact no one can ignore. Do witches actually possess real powers? Can they command spirits? How ought we engage with the ever-rising tide of interest in magical abilities? To help us understand this phenomenon and her own journey both into and out of Wicca, S.A. Tower joins us in what will likely remain one of our most haunting, jaw-dropping, and fascinating interviews ever.

Why are young people leaving the church in droves? That is the question that has been on the minds of Evangelicals for decades now, and over the past few years, the numbers have only seemed to skyrocket. Whether for political, ethical, or personal reasons, more and more millennials and gen-z are joining what has been collectively called the ex-vangelical movement. Who are they, and why has the movement gained such momentum? Here to help us think through the topic is Jon Mathieu, an editor for the Christian Century and founding pastor of the post-evangelical Harbor Online Community. As a former evangelical minister himself, Jon talks to us about his own experiences and what he has seen from those in his community. Whatever your feelings on the topic, this conversation is vital for understanding what has become one of the most important events in the history of the American church. 

One of the few philosophical topics that has become mainstream is the idea that everything you know - your family, your friends, and even your whole life - is just the product of one giant simulation. We're all stuck inside a computer program with no way of figuring out that our world isn't really real (at least not real in the way we think it is!). As wacky as this idea sounds, it actually has been defended by many major thinkers, and people no less famous than Elon Musk, Neil Degrasse Tyson, and Joe Rogan have taken it seriously. It's an idea that just won't die, and, in fact, seems to be gaining in popularity. Buckle up and get prepared to enter the Matrix, because on today's episode, we invite the philosopher extraordinaire Parker Settecase (host of Parker's Pensées) to explain the simulation hypothesis and what it might mean for the church. Should we fear it or utilize it? Does it rule out God? Is there even any evidence for it? Thank the programmers, Parker dives into the weeds on all these questions and more, helping us to grapple with what might be the popular philosophical topic in America today. Listeners be warned: This episode is the most technical to date. Get your simulated brains ready for a hard but fascinating topic!

Social Media. Everyone has it. In fact, most of us have multiple accounts on different platforms, and it seems a new one pops up every couple of years. Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram... We all use it and enjoy it. But, until recently, very few stopped and wondered if these media titans were good for society. Many are already familiar with the controversies around fake news, selling personal data, and election tampering, but these might be just the tip of the iceberg. New data shows that social media consumption might have harmful effects on many groups of people. Are you part of that group? How ought the church respond? How ought you respond? Should Christian boycott these platforms altogether, or is there a healthy way to consume social media? To answer these questions and many more, we have Dr. Chad Ragsdale, an expert on the rise of social media and its relationship to the church.

History books are filled with stories of colonization, oppression, and cultural genocide perpetrated by the hands of European settlers. It's an unfortunate saga, to say the least, and it is made all the more painful by the church's participation in the conquest. Across the world and to varying degrees, the church stood by and often participated in some of the most appalling instances of what would collectively be referred to as colonization. To this day, it is a scar on the history of the church, and the involvement of missionaries in the building of European empires at the expense of indigenous people has led many to question whether missions as a whole bears a permanent mark of shame. Yet today, as much as ever, the church sends out missionaries in hopes of reaching others for Christ. How are we to square this with its less-than-perfect history? Are missionaries, as a whole, just perpetuating the sins of our past? Should the whole enterprise be abandoned? These are tough questions, and they deserve honest answers.  Luckily, we have an expert. Today, with Dr. Chris DeWelt, we ask whether missionaries are still guilty of colonization. 

In the United States, we don't have a good history with royalty. As Lorde so aptly put it, we will never be royals. In fact, most of Western history has been one long slide away from monarchies. While the transition hasn't always been smooth, it's been consistent, and even in the UK, the monarchy is coming under severe attack. It seems that if we can agree on anything, it's that kings and queens are positively medieval. Is that correct? It's rarely challenged, yet it's a question worth asking: Did we make a mistake by getting rid of royal lineages? Believe it or not, there are many today who think so, and Dr. James Orr, a Cambridge philosopher and guest on Jordan Peterson's Exodus series, joins us to defend the place of monarchy in our 21st-century world. 

In the second part of our alien series, we bring in Cambridge professor Andrew Davison, famed for a recent series of articles about theologians funded by NASA to investigate the religious implications of extraterrestrial life. Bearing the (remarkably appropriate) title Starbridge Professor in Theology and Natural Sciences, Dr. Davison has doctorates in both biochemistry and theology. In a book releasing next year, Dr. Davison tackles the most difficult issues around alien life and the church. Will extraterrestrials need a savior? Would God incarnate on their planet? If we ever make contact, how ought the church regard such beings? In this episode, we get a great sneak peek of his answers and ask him all the awkward questions every Christian has wondered yet few dare to ask. Grab your tinfoil hats and get ready for one of our best interviews to date!

It's been over five hundred years since the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, and tensions within the Western church haven't abated. However, the 20th century saw renewed efforts to open communication between the two largest branches of Christianity. Catholics began to refer to Protestants as "separated brethren" rather than heretics and schismatics. The formation of the document Evangelicals and Catholics Together was approved in 1994 which communicated a new era of ecumenicism. Yet the division remains, and there is little hope for further reunification in the near future. For many, this is no bad thing.  In many Evangelical circles, accusations against Catholics are rampant: the worship of saints, extra-biblical heresies, and works-based salvation. Are they true? What do Catholics actually believe? What are the walls separating us, and are our battles better spent fighting the growing secularization of the West? Or would such an alliance ultimately prove harmful?  Here to discuss these increasingly important topics is Prof. Jonathan Reimer, the John H. Van Gorden Assistant Professor of History at Eastern University. Prof. Reimer is not only an expert in the Protestant Reformation but is himself a convert to Catholicism from Protestantism. As such, there seems to be no better person to talk for both sides and help illuminate us on the truths about the one billion-strong church next door.  For those curious about what actually goes on behind those giant Gothic doors, this episode is for you.