Episodes

In this episode, we explore the nuances of religious epistemology, focusing on Internalism versus Externalism, and how these frameworks influence our understanding of how we know God. We discuss how Christian thinkers like Plantinga approach these issues, and how to evaluate who we can trust in the midst of complexity. In this podcast we discuss: How do we understand the difference between Externalism and Internalism as it relates to epistemology? How do Internalists and Externalists address ...

In this episode, JP and Stan discuss the requirements and responsibilities of truth-seeking as rational beings created in God’s image. In this podcast we discuss: What does our knowledge of reality have to do with our ability to live a meaningful life? Why is seeking truth considered a virtue? In what ways does Christianity uniquely elevate the role of reason? What is a “justified true belief” and how does that framework help us see beyond Scientism? How does understanding epistemology hel...

What does it really mean to say that we “know” something? In this episode, we begin a series on epistemology, the study of knowledge and reasonable belief. In this podcast we discuss: What is knowledge (including knowledge about God)? Can we have it? If so, how? Can we be sure? What kinds of knowledge exist and how do we access them? What is the difference between certainty and defeasibility? Must we have certainty to have knowledge? What is the role of skepticism and how should Christians ...

In our first-ever question-and-response episode, Stan and JP engage with listener questions about postmodernism, panpsychism, and enchantment. In this podcast we discuss: How can adopting a broader, more holistic sacramental theology help us to understand the nature of reality? What is panpsychism, and why does the “Combination Problem” make it implausible? How is it incompatible with the Christian worldview? Can we understand our world as “enchanted” without slipping into panpsychism? Are ...

In this episode, we discuss more ways the realism/nominalism debate is having a dramatic impact on all we think and do as we wrap up our series on this important topic. In these episodes, we discuss: Our culture’s confusion over what art is due to implicit nominalism How nominalism undercuts our knowledge of chemistry, biology, and ethics Ways in which nominalistic thinking seeps into our language and reinforces our confusion Nominalism as the seedbed for critical theory and other destructi...

In this and the next podcast, we turn our conversation to points of application, discussing some of the ways the Realism/Nominalism debate is having a dramatic impact on all we think and do. In these episodes we discuss: If beauty is really in the eye of the beholder Can there be justice for all if we are nominalists How these ideas shape the work of physicians and therapists The nominalistic assumption underlying Critical Theory Why people say “That’s true for you but not for me.” How we...

In this episode, we drill down further into how the Realist/Nominalist debate shapes our understanding of God with special guest and expert, Dr. Paul Gould. In this podcast, we discuss: What is “Divine Conceptualism” and how does it relate to Moderate Realism? What are some of the intellectual resources we gain when we hold Platonist ideas about abstract objects and traditional theist understandings about God’s nature? How does distinguishing the two types of creation help us understand God’...

In this episode, we continue exploring realism and nominalism by taking a deeper look into Nominalist beliefs. In this podcast, we discuss: What does a person mean when they say they are a nominalist? How is nominalism a contributing factor to current cultural beliefs? What are the major distinctions within nominalism? How do moderate and extreme nominalists understand properties? What are the challenges inherent in these ideas? Why would a person be inclined to hold nominalist views? How...

In this episode, we continue exploring the differences between Realism and Nominalism by discussing good reasons to hold a Realist perspective. In this podcast, we discuss: What good reasons do we have to believe in abstract objects that we cannot see? How is it that we are intuitively aware of things we cannot see? Why do we naturally group things together? Is this “seeing” the universal they all share? What are relations? Are they real? Can we see them? What were some of the ideas that e...

#45 – What Makes Things What They Are? The Realist/Nominalist Debate In this episode, we kick off a series discussing the most fundamental issue underlying all other questions: what makes things what they are? How does a proper understanding help us live well and flourish in our world? In this podcast, we discuss: Defining the two options: realism (universals exist) and nominalism (universals don’t exist) What is God’s relationship to universals? Is this a threat to His uniqueness? How does ...

In this episode, we continue our series by discussing the final chapter of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this podcast, we discuss: How does understanding what people are help us in proclaiming the Good News? How can we avoid the two extremes of only caring for the body or only caring for the soul in missional contexts? What does it mean to have confidence or trust in a belief? How does faith relate to certainty? Ho...

In this episode, we continue our series by discussing Chapter 9 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: What problems arise when we reduce spiritual formation to just the physical What problems arise when we reduce spiritual formation to just the immaterial How we should understand the unity of the body and soul as it relates to spiritual formation What it looks like to take a both/and approach t...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapters 7 and 8 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: What is the difference between valuing science and scientism?Was Dallas Willard a neurotheologian?Does neurotheology help people grow in Christlikeness?For the sake of simplicity, why not just understand persons as material beings?How can the body and soul interact if they are such different ty...

In this episode we continue our series discussing Stan’s recent book Have We Lost Our Minds?, exploring the book’s themes with neuroscientist and apologist Sharon Dirckx, Ph.D.In this episode, we discuss: In what ways do we talk about the brain doing what persons do?How did Sharon’s experience in brain imaging research help her conclude that we are more than just our brains?What is the role of honest and open dialogue in finding truth in this and all other important areas?How does acknowledging ...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 6 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: What is the nature of the relationship between the body and soul? Do ears hear? How can we understand the way souls and bodies interact? What are the key differences between the various kinds of dualism? What is traducianism, and how is it different from creationism? What are some of the implications ...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 5 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. We discuss: What is an “individuated human nature,” and why is each of these words important? Natures have capacities; the ability to manifest a capacity is a faculty. What kinds of faculties do humans have? What makes human consciousness unique? How can asking “What is it like?” questions help engage people in conversation about...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 4 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. We discuss: Why neurotheologians are mistaken about our true nature. Why it isn’t possible to reduce mental properties to physical events. How we should understand our unity through time. How the modal argument helps us understand identity. Why non-reductive physicalism or “emergence” is of no help to the physicalist position. Wh...

J.P. rejoins the podcast! In this episode, he shares good news about his health and reflects on why he was eager to write the Foreword to Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. We discuss: J.P.’s health journey over the last few months How Christians have contributed to the secularization of culture The importance of the conversation about what it means to be human Why the arguments in Stan’s book have personal meaning for J.P. The importance of re...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 3 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: What do neurotheologians get wrong about identity? How can understanding identity help us understand neural events and mental events? What properties belong to the mind that do not belong to the brain? What are the key differences between reductive and non-reductive physicalism? Does the physicalist an...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 2 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: What are the key passages related to the topic of Biblical anthropology? What is the difference between an ontological unity and a functional unity of body and soul? What witness does church history give to this topic? Where did “neurotheology” go wrong in explaining the nature of the human person? Wh...

In this episode, we continue our series by engaging Chapter 1 of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: Why is it critical that Christians acknowledge well-done science? What are some implications of the assertion that the brain is fundamentally what we are? The difference between Dallas Willard’s “VIM” model and Jim Wilder’s version. Tips for listeners who want to be more aware of places where they hav...

In this episode, we kick off a new series by engaging the introduction of Stan’s new book, Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing. In this episode, we discuss: Why did Stan write this book? What is “neurotheology”? Is it helpful for Christians? How can we think well about the central question, “What are we?” What motivated the departure from traditional Christian beliefs about the soul? What experiences and relationships shaped Stan’s perspective on...

J.P, Stan, and Jordan discuss how to have better conversations. They discuss how three informal fallacies (the Red Herring Fallacy, the Genetic Fallacy, and the Ad Hominem Fallacy) can shut down healthy dialogue and how to develop habits that help us avoid using them. In this episode, we discuss: What is an informal logical fallacy? What does the Red Herring Fallacy sound like in a conversation? Practical ways to get a conversation back on track What is the Genetic Fallacy? How can we avoid usin...

Stan, JP, and Jordan delved deeper into the concepts of libertarian free will, compatibilism, and determinism, extending their discussion beyond theological topics to many other important issues. In this episode, we discuss:Implications of our understanding of freedom related to law and politicsThe difference between freedom and determinism in the social sciencesUnderstanding counseling in light of our free willHow understanding the nature of free will helps us grow in ChristFree will as a reaso...