Apologetics315 Interviews

In this episode, Brian and Chad discuss the importance of listening to debates. This is a kind of PART 1, and part 2 will discuss specific debates.Brian's seven reasons for listening to debates were: 1) Hearing the best defenders of each view, 2) Hearing actual arguments without interruptions, 3) Finding the cutting edge of the current debate, 4) Getting used to hearing opposing views without anxiety, 5) Seeing that Christianity can hold its own intellectually, 6) Observing how a cumulative case is made and critics' counters, and 7) Realizing the debate is just an entry point to a much deeper topic. Throughout explaining his seven reasons, Brian and Chad discussed the value of debates utilizing good logic (logos), credibility (ethos), and emotional appeals (pathos). They noted how the best debates are well-moderated with clear time limits. Listening to debates can boost confidence in the Christian faith by seeing it withstand scrutiny. However, the debate is just the start in grasping the full depth of a topi

In this episode, Brian and Chad interview Chris Date about his view on conditional immortality, which is the idea that the final punishment of the wicked is death and total destruction rather than eternal conscious torment. Chris provides an overview of the two contrasting views and shares his journey of how he became convinced of annihilationism after originally believing in eternal conscious torment.He then dives into key biblical texts that are often used to argue for eternal torment, such as Mark 9:48, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 14:9-11, and Jude 7, demonstrating how these passages can actually better support conditionalism. Chris also makes a concise case for his view by looking at biblical evidence on immortality, the vision of eternity, substitutionary atonement, and the fate of the wicked described as death and destruction.For more resources from Chris on this topic, check out the Rethinking Hell website www.rethinkinghell.com and YouTube channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingHellas well as Chris'

In this episode, Dr. Hugh Ross joins Brian Auten and Chad Gross to discuss his book "Rescuing Inerrancy: A Scientific Defense." Dr. Ross, an astrophysicist and Christian apologist, explains how modern scientific discoveries actually strengthen the case for biblical inerrancy rather than undermining it. He argues against the notion that science forces a redefinition of inerrancy, showing how the latest findings in fields like genetics and cosmology align with a literal, historical interpretation of the Bible's creation texts. Dr. Ross' book is available at https://a315.co/3xfWniEA major focus of the discussion is the debate around human origins and the historical existence of Adam and Eve. Dr. Ross presents scientific evidence supporting the descent of all humanity from an original couple created by God, refuting claims that genetic diversity requires a larger founding population. He also discusses William Lane Craig's model positing Adam living hundreds of thousands of years ago and explains why he sees this

Historian Dr. John Dickson joins the show to discuss his book, Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History. Dickson provides an insightful, nuanced perspective on some of the most controversial episodes in Christian history, from the Crusades to the Galileo affair. He argues that while Christians have certainly made grave mistakes throughout history, the influence of Christianity has also been profoundly positive, pioneering hospitals, abolitionism, and education. Dickson is candid about the church's failures but also highlights inspiring figures like Eligius, Gregory of Nyssa, and the courageous early Christian martyrs. He aims to provide an objective account that combats overly negative portrayals of Christian history while also avoiding Christian triumphalism.Key topics discussed include Constantine's role in the Christianization of Rome, myths about the "Dark Ages," the confident humility of early Christian martyrs, myths surrounding Galileo's persecution, and more. Dickso

In this episode, hosts Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Alisa Childers about the topic of deconstruction, and unpack ideas discussed in her newest book: The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond co-authored with Tim Barnett.https://a315.co/3SmCWvpThe podcast focuses on the faith deconstruction movement that is becoming more popular, especially among young people. Alisa Childers explains that deconstruction involves re-examining and often dismantling one's childhood faith. It stems from postmodern philosophy which questions whether objective truth exists, especially when it comes to religion and morality. Deconstruction sees things like biblical authority and sexual ethics as oppressive tools used by the church. Social media plays a big role by providing an online community that affirms and celebrates people's decisions to deconstruct and leave their faith. Childers notes that a crisis of faith or negative church experience can trigger deconstruction, especial

This special end-of-year episode features hosts Brian Auten and Chad Gross reflecting on 14 years of podcasting. They announce some changes coming in 2023, including less frequent but more focused episodes centered on topics they are passionate about. They also share lessons learned over 300+ episodes, like the importance of understanding multiple perspectives, asking good questions, and clearly explaining complex subjects.The hosts reminisce about memorable past guests. They discuss what makes some lesser-known thinkers stand out for their clarity and approachability. A lighthearted segment features their top 10 list of real excuses guests have used over the years to reschedule interviews, ranging from missed flights to scheduled gardening appointments.Looking ahead, Brian and Chad are excited to continue equipping listeners to understand their faith, think critically about issues, and winsomely engage others. They welcome ideas for future guests and topics of interest to guide their 2023 episodes. Feedback

In this episode, hosts Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Michael Jones of the Inspiring Philosophy YouTube channel. They discuss the problem of divine hiddenness - the idea that if God existed, he would make his existence clearly evident to everyone, yet there are many non-resistant nonbelievers who earnestly seek God but do not find convincing evidence of his existence. This is seen as evidence against God's existence.Michael provides an overview of the divine hiddenness argument, explaining key concepts like "non-resistant nonbelievers." He argues that the idea of truly non-resistant nonbelievers is questionable, since human psychology tends to defend our beliefs. Michael also discusses assumptions made about God's nature in the argument, and that God's goal may not be to convince everyone of basic theism but to create "cognitively robust theism" - loving God for the right reasons. They also touch on related issues like the difference between divine hiddenness and the problem of evil.Michael gives advice

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Tyson James, the global director of Reasonable Faith Chapters.This episode of the Apologetics 315 podcast featured an interview with Tyson James, the global director of Reasonable Faith chapters. Tyson shared about his journey to Christianity and how studying apologetics strengthened his faith. He explained that Reasonable Faith chapters are small groups at churches focused on studying Christianity and answering objections, with the goal of fulfilling Reasonable Faith's mission at the local level.Tyson outlined the simple process for starting a Reasonable Faith chapter, noting that directors have flexibility in how they structure meetings. He offered encouragement for those nervous about leading a chapter without formal apologetics training. Tyson shared stories of God working through the chapters, including outreach to a previously unreached tribe in Nepal. He noted that Reasonable Faith has nearly 250 chapters in 39 countries, aiming for 1000 total. Tyso

In this episode of the Apologetics 315 podcast, hosts Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview renowned apologist Greg Koukl. Koukl is the founder of Stand to Reason, an organization that equips Christians to defend their faith and engage in meaningful conversations.The discussion centers around using questions to have better conversations about Christianity, drawing from Koukl's books Tactics and his latest work Street Smarts. Koukl explains how questions can guide conversations in a more constructive direction and help "put a stone in someone's shoe" to get them thinking about faith topics.Koukl outlines his "gardener approach" to evangelism, focusing more on asking thoughtful questions to plant seeds rather than trying to lead someone to a moment of conversion. He demonstrates this questioning approach through a roleplay conversation about the problem of divine hiddenness. Koukl responds to the objection by asking clarifying questions, correcting underlying assumptions, and presenting evidence for God's existe

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview J. Steve Miller on the topic of deathbed experiences and near death experiences.0:24 - Intro to Steve Miller and his books4:50 - Welcome to Steve Miller5:00 - How did he get into this area of research?7:42 - What’s the difference between deathbed experiences and near-death experiences?12:40 - Examples of these experiences 16:16 - The cumulative effect of many similar experiences 17:27 - What are the lines of evidence that are good when looking at these experiences?22:20 - “Naturalism of the gaps” objections to NDEs25:19 - The common experience of terminal lucidity40:36 - What are deathbed experiences?48:11 - Could these experiences be demonic in nature?54:43 - Experiences contrary to theological expectations?1:01:18 - The practical benefits of NDE and DBE research1:07:18 - Suggested books for further study…Further resources…J Steve Miller online: www.jstevemiller.infoSteve’s books:Deathbed Experiences as Evidence for the Afterlife - https://a315.co/3Fr5Xjx

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross speak with Professor Nancy Pearcey about her book The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes - https://a315.co/468rzNF0:24 - Intro banter on hobbit food2:15 - Intro to Nancy Pearcey and her book The Toxic War Against Masculinity6:16 - Welcome to Nancy6:46 - Nancy’s background and why she wrote the book9:14 - Francis Schaeffer’s influence on Nancy Pearcey15:41 - Why a toxic war against masculinity?18:35 - The statistics among Christians and non-Christians22:18 - The difference between nominal Christian men and committed Christian men25:36 - What’s changed to bring about a resistance against masculinity?30:07 - Why men are looked down on these days33:00 - Two competing scripts for masculinity 37:03 - How secularism has changed the approach towards men40:14 - How has the church responded?47:50 - Abuse and how the church can respondFurther resources…Nancy Pearcey online: www.nancypearcey.comNancy Pearcey's latest book is The Toxic War on Masculi

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross speak with Justin Brierley (www.justinbrierley.com) about his book The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again - https://a315.co/3PBmXZ70:24 - Brian and Chad discuss the book5:27 - Intro to Justin, welcome back!7:15 - How did the new atheism actually help Christianity?9:12 - The change in the cultural landscape13:30 - Atheists who are now no longer fighting Christianity 17:30 - Why the structure of the book?24:56 - How has social media changed?27:58 - Reasons why the Bible is being taken seriously by academics 33:21 - Arguments & evidence vs. experience37:10 - The left and the right brain and spiritual experiences39:34 - The meaning crisis that is left when you remove Christianity42:30 - How can the church respond to the cultural climate?47:21 - Further resources…Justin’s new podcasts:Re-Enchanting - https://a315.co/3thIFKjMaybeGod Podcast - https://a315.co/3LGOh7fCheck out this previo

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Corey Miller and Ross Anderson, two former Mormons, on their book Responding to the Mormon Missionary Message: Confident Conversations with Mormon Missionaries (and Other Latter-day Saints) - https://a315.co/3PYWohYCheck out the website www.mormonmissionarymessage.com for more!About our guests: https://a315.co/45c79Su0:24 - Intro to the book and our guests2:47 - Welcome to Corey and Ross4:23 - How did the book come together?7:20 - What was it like growing up in the Mormon culture?11:18 - What led Corey and Ross to start doubting Mormonism?17:40 - What does doubting Mormonism usually lead to?22:45 - What are the primary authorities for Mormons?26:10 - Questioning the testimony of Mormons31:40 - What sows doubt into Mormons’ experiences?37:45 - The life of a Mormon missionary40:30 - What do you say to the Mormon at your door?45:00 - What to avoid saying?48:25 - The usefulness of the book and where to find more resourcesCheck out the website www.mormonmission

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Christian Philosopher Peter S. Williams about his book An Informed Cosmos: Essays on Intelligent Design Theory. Find his resources at www.peterswilliams.com0:24 - Intro to our guest2:15 - About the book An Informed Cosmos9:25 - Getting clarity on what intelligent design is14:10 - Is I.D. science? And defining “science”19:39 - Truth as the most important approach21:56 - Imposing worldviews on the data?25:01 - Is evolution the means by which God created?29:21 - What role does a Darwinian process play?35:00 - How did Peter go from being a theistic evolutionist to an ID proponent?40:45 - What tipped the balance for Peter?46:52 - What role does information play in design detection?53:21 - Can we recognize non-intelligent design?54:57 - Theistic interpretations?56:22 - Paley’s “watchmaker” shows that we can detect design?1:00:13 - Prevailing errors when thinking about design1:05:00 - Is intelligent design “creationism”?1:06:25 - How has intelligent design change

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Lydia McGrew about her book Testimonies to the Truth: Why You Can Trust the Gospels. 0:24 - Intro to Lydia McGrew1:51 - Welcome Lydia, and intro to the book3:43 - How does a philosopher approach the Gospels?6:39 - Is an “outside perspective” welcomed?9:28 - Old and new approaches to the Gospels12:03 - Current approach of scholars to the New Testament15:44 - How have Christians historically defended the Gospels?16:50 - Why a cumulative case approach?19:55 - Inference to the best explanation of multiple hypotheses23:25 - Best explanation of hard little unnecessary details26:23 - The reportage model and the burden of proof31:14 - Unnecessary details, a sign of fiction?37:25 - What are unexplained allusions?42:34 - The aspects of Jesus’ life that point to its reality46:45 - “I love Jesus’ style…”49:48 - Pointing people to the book and resources…Further Resources:• Lydia McGrew website: www.lydiamcgrew.com• Lydia McGrew’s Youtube channel:https://www.youtube.com

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Christian philosophy Paul K. Moser. They discuss the themes in Moser’s book The Severity of God: Religion and Philosophy Reconceived - https://a315.co/3sOD6mx0:24 - Intro to Paul Moser3:33 - Welcome to Paul Moser4:00 - What do you mean by “God’s severity”?9:06 - We’ve lost the message of suffering and hardship11:25 - The moral perfection of God and his intentions18:20 - Why is this theme lacking?22:42 - The experience of Gethsemane and submission29:09 - Skeptical expectations and “not my will”33:09 - Meeting God on his terms34:00 - Reorienting our Christian epistemology with a willing heart41:24 - The challenge of the obstinate will (turning to Christ)45:30 - The flux and despair of life, pushing us to God49:45 - Changing our approach to philosophy55:30 - The God who vindicates HimselfFurther Resources:Paul Moser’s website: http://pmoser.sites.luc.edu/Paul Moser’s faculty page at Loyola - https://a315.co/44McpvGPaul Moser’s books on Amazon - https://a315.c

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Chris Date on the topic of Eschatology, or the End Times. They explore the ins and outs of various views of the end times, before discussing more deeply the view that Chris holds on the subject. A very helpful and informative conversation!www.chrisdate.info0:24 - Intro to Chris Date2:43 - An update on Chris and his wife’s treatment5:07 - What is eschatology?6:47 - Chris’ work and engagement on the subject9:44 - Why should anyone care about end times study?15:00 - Encouragement for those overwhelmed by the topic17:57 - Advice for people having discussions on end times24:23 - An overview of end times views29:45 - What is the most popular view historically?37:01 - The history of dispensational millennialism 43:06 - Is “the rapture” biblical?50:40 - The preterist view52:06 - Partial or full preterism?1:11:15 - How does one properly think about their view of end times?1:16:08 - What’s up with 666?1:23:10 - Resources recommended for further study Resources:Premi

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Holly Ordway about her new book, Tolkien’s Faith: A Spiritual Biography. A wonderful book and a fascinating interview that will be a real treat for Tolkien fans.www.hollyordway.com0:24 - Intro to Holly Ordway4:45 - Welcoming Holly 5:35 - The 50th Anniversary of J.R.R. Tolkien’s death, Sept 20236:45 - The goal in writing a spiritual biography of Tolkien11:23 - How central was Tolkien’s faith to his life and work?14:26 - Why is this the first biography to focus on Tolkien’s faith?18:50 - Hidden allusions to faith in Tolkien’s writings21:14 - The significance of Tolkien’s name(s)25:51 - The elucidation of truth by presenting it in different embodiments29:04 - What did Tolkien really think about allegory?31:56 - Receiving stories in answer to prayer33:30 - Rough patches in Tolkien’s faith36:53 - The mutual influence of his friendship with C.S. Lewis40:00 - What role did arguments and evidence play in Tolkien’s life?44:25 - Bible translation46:44 - What influen

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Richard P. Moore. They talk about the New Apostolic Reformation and its theological problems.0:23 - Intro to Richard Moore3:50 - Why is Richard in Germany, and why write this book?8:02 - What has been the influence of the NAR in Germany?19:42 - What differentiates NAR from traditional pentecostal/charismatic?25:42 - Why do those within NAR want to distance themselves from the label “New Apostolic Reformation”?33:10 - Where does NAR theology go off the rails?43:53 - Richard’s visit to Bethel Church and what he found55:39 - Extrapolating scripture out of context, building doctrines out of thin air1:01:29 - The self-centeredness of the NAR 1:04:15 - Can we “take the good and leave the bad” in the NAR?1:11:53 - Further resources…Richard P. Moore is the author of Divergent Theology: An Inquiry into the Theological Characteristics of the Word of Faith, Third Wave Movement and the New Apostolic Reformation. Resources:Richard Moore’s website:www.richardpmoore.netC

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Chris Reese on the topic of gender ideology, transgenderism, and approaching challenges cultural issues.Based on Chris Reese’s helpful article at Summit.org, found here:https://a315.co/gender-ideologyChristopher L. Reese is the editor-in-chief of The Worldview Bulletin and cofounder of the Christian Apologetics Alliance. He is a general editor of the Dictionary of Christianity and Science and Three Views on Christianity and Science and his work has appeared in Christianity Today, Bible Gateway, Beliefnet, and other sites.Websites:Check out the Worldview Bulletin here: https://a315.co/WorldViewBulletin================================We appreciate your feedback.If you’re on TWITTER, you can follow Chad @TBapologetics.You can follow Brian @TheBrianAutenAnd of course, you can follow @Apologetics315If you have a question or comment for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at podcast@apologetics31