Podcast Review: Digging Deep into Doubt, the Problem of Evil, and Salvation

In addition to blog posts, I also address Christian worldview issues and critical thinking on a couple of RTB podcasts. Straight Thinking, my primary podcast, highlights the importance of the life of the Christian mind. I also make appearances with my fellow RTB scholars on I Didn’t Know That!, where we offer unscripted answers to listener questions.

Here are some of the latest episodes from both podcasts.

Straight Thinking                                              

• “The Devil’s Weapon, Parts 1 and 2” — In this series I discuss two particularly effective devices (as outlined by mathematician Blaise Pascal) for luring people away from dealing with life’s big questions and, thus, from God. Part 1 deals with indifference to life’s big questions, which Pascal believed is worse than outright hostility to religion. Part 2 addresses distraction or preoccupation. Even good things can distract us from dealing with issues of life and death. (For more on Pascal, listen to my four-part series on his life and theology.)
• “The Problem of Doubt, Parts 1 and 2” — Christians often feel ashamed for questioning their faith. But is doubt necessarily a bad thing? In this series, I explore various types of doubt and how to deal with them in an attempt to dispel misconceptions about believers’ struggles with doubt.

I Didn’t Know That!

• November 15, 2011 episode with Jeff Zweerink — A listener’s question sparks a look at the ways people receive salvation in Christ: is it necessary to hear the Gospel or can a person be saved through the general revelation of nature? Other topics for this episode include Lorentzian relativity, extrabiblical references to Job, and weird animal husbandry practices described in Genesis.
• November 22, 2011 episode with Fazale Rana — Fuz and I dig deep into that perennial issue: the problem of evil and why God doesn’t stop bad things from happening to people. Other topics include the mind-brain relationship, forgiveness in the Old Testament, and angels.
• November 29, 2011 episode with Fazale Rana and Jeff Zweerink — Being the “token Calvinist” at RTB, I take on a question about how a sincere Christian can fall away from their faith and if they can lose their salvation. Other topics include archaeological evidence for long life spans, looking into the past through astronomy, and precursors to the Cambrian explosion.

If you want to submit a question for I Didn’t Know That! or comment on Straight Thinking, email [email protected]. Please remember to keep your inquiries succinct.