I have interviewed many folks on this podcast — theologians, Christian apologists, atheists, philosophers, scientists, pastors — but I have never had the opportunity to sit down with myself. Until now. In this episode of The Tentative Apologist Podcast I am delighted to chat with myself about my new book Is the Atheist My Neighbor? […]
Podcast-The Tentative Apologist
72. You’re not as Crazy as I Think
Have you ever noticed how many crazy people there are out there? I’m not talking about folks who sport wild hair and a sandwich board that declares “The end is near”. I’m talking about those people who, for some inexplicable reason, fail to share your views on religion or politics or sports or the weather or … you name it. […]
71. Can the Church Be Saved? A conversation with Philip Kenneson
Last year while on vacation in the United States my family visited a church. As we walked into the building we were greeted by a large sign welcoming the visitor with this simple but striking message: “You are awesome.” Wow, that’s a good start, right? We walked into the church and sat down in the sanctuary. People […]
70. Brad Jersak on a more Christlike God
In John 14:8 Philip the Apostle asked Jesus to reveal the Father. Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Think about that: God, the greatest mystery imaginable, is now available to us, and he looks […]
69. Danielle Strickland on the Gospel and Kingdom
Christians are people of the Gospel. But what is the gospel, exactly? Like many evangelicals, I grew up thinking that the gospel was the claim that Jesus died for our sins, full stop. That description is correct in what it affirms but wrong in what it leaves out, for the Gospel is so much more. […]
68. Justin Schieber on knowledge, God and morality
This is the second installment of my interview with Justin Schieber in which we debrief our March 7th debate on God’s existence and our March 8th dialogue on belief and doubt. (If you haven’t listened to part 1 yet, you can do so here.) In part 2 of the conversation we conclude the topic of proper […]
67. Justin Schieber on rationality and religious disagreement
On March 7th and 8th of 2015, I had the privilege of taking the stage with atheist debater and broadcaster Justin Schieber for two events, a debate at the University of Alberta and a dialogue at Taylor Seminary. The following morning, March 9th, I drove Justin to the airport in Calgary. The three hour drive provided the rich opportunity for us […]
66. Reformed Epistemology: A Conversation with Myron Penner
There are several topics in philosophy of religion, and on its borderlands, which are famous for fomenting in their critics that devastating triumvirate of incredulity, derision and, alas, misunderstanding. Divine command theories of ethics and intelligent design theory come readily to mind … as does Reformed epistemology, that approach to the warrant of religious belief which […]
65. Ten Things a Seminarian Can Learn from St. Patrick
Today on the Tentative Apologist Podcast I am featuring a rerecording of a talk I gave at the Taylor Seminary chapel on March 17th, 2015 on St. Patrick. In the talk I feature ten things the seminarian can learn from St. Patrick. The ten points are as follows: (1) Behind every saint is an ordinary human […]
64. Michael Rea on Naturalism
Some days it seems like just about everybody wants to be a naturalist. And I’m not talking about folks who drive a Prius and shop at Whole Foods and listen to John Denver. In this context, “naturalist” seems to flag some sort of commitment to atheism, secularism, and/or science. But just what is naturalism exactly, and […]
63. Michael Rea on Philosophy of Religion and Analytic Theology
Fifty years ago the philosopher keen to study philosophy of religion was not that far off the chemist keen to study alchemy. In other words, it might provide a novel pastime, just so long as you didn’t grant the discourse any significance for the real world. Things have certainly changed. Today philosophy of religion is […]
62. Paul Helm on God, Time, and Eternity
Augustine famously commented on the nature of time, “What, then, is time? If no one ask of me, I know; if I wish to explain to him who asks, I know not.” Augustine isn’t alone: the nature of time remains among the most difficult and controverted topics in classic metaphysics. In that respect, it shares […]
61. The Chaplains: Notes from the Frontlines
Given that C. S. Lewis wrote one of the most influential theodicies of the twentieth century, The Problem of Pain, you might have thought he would’ve been uniquely prepared for the shock and grief of losing his beloved wife Joy to cancer. But you’d be wrong. Whatever the value of theodicies may be in the intellectual […]
60. Worldview and Apologetics: A Conversation with Tawa Anderson
Let’s begin with a riddle. What do a Dalit Pentecostal living in Calcutta, a Roman Catholic priest living in Spain, and a Baptist housewife living in Dallas, Texas all have in common? The answer is “a Christian worldview.” Or at least it should be. But just what is a worldview exactly? And what is a Christian […]