The Present-Day Saint

0023 - In this episode I interview Adam Tucker from Southern Evangelical Seminary (www.ses.edu). Adam and I discuss one argument for God's existence that we think demonstrates God's existence. We then discuss the attributes that God must have (and must NOT have) based upon this argument. One of the things that cannot be true of God is that He has a body. Thus, this argument demonstrably...

0022 - In this episode I interview Bill McKeever, the founder of Mormonism Research Ministry. Bill has been doing ministry with the LDS for decades and is one of the most knowledgable people on this subject. In this interview we discuss his history and how he got involved in this type on ministry. We then go on to discuss some tips that he has learned throughout the years in how to engage in good...

0021 - In this episode Aaron Shafovaloff and I do a final debate breakdown of his debate with Kwaku El. In this episode we look at Part 3 of the debate - Are Families Forever? We talk about the LDS view of eternity and how that compares to the Biblical view. We talk about what marriage is and why there will not be marriage in the eternal state as opposed to the LDS view. We go into the weeds a few...

0020 - In this episode Aaron Shafovaloff and I continue our breakdown of the debate Aaron had with Latter-Day Saint Kwaku El. In this episode we take a deep dive into part two of the debate - Was there a Great Apostasy? The LDS position is that there was a great apostasy after the apostles died which necessitated a restored church, not just a reformed church. The LDS believe that they are that res...

0019 - In this episode I am joined by Aaron Shafovaloff (Evangelical Christian) as we begin to dissect his debate with Kwaku El (Latter-Day Saint) that can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMAKQ9g8zT8 . In this LONG interview we first touch on Aaron's history and what brought him to Utah. He then gives some big picture takeaways from the debate and gives us some background on hi...

0018 - In this episode I interview my friend James Phelps, a former Mormon who is now an evangelical Christian. James talks about his life growing up LDS, his mission trip to Taiwan and his time at BYU Law School. He then discusses the changes that started to happen in his life and the questions he began to ask about the truth claims of the LDS Religion. His wife got involved with an offshoot of t...

0017 - In this episode I review the spiritual deconstruction of Link from Ear Biscuits (that you can listen to here -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1AZhlyoD9s ). I examine the reasons that Link discussed as to why he walked away from the Christian faith and is now an Agnostic. I talk about some of the problems with typical modern Evangelicalism and how I see some of these problems manifested i...

0016 - In this episode I am joined by David Halevy of "The Jew and Gentile" podcast to discuss the spiritual deconstruction of Rhett from Ear Biscuits. In an episode of their popular podcast, Rhett described his spiritual conversion from Christianity to "hopeful agnostic." You can watch that episode here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qbna6t1bzw .  We review Rhett's ar...

0015 - In this episode I discuss the weeklong mission trip that we just hosted here in Utah. We partnered with MAVEN to host 23 Ratio Christi students and leaders from across the country for a week of what we call "applied apologetics."  We think Utah is the perfect place to learn how to put your apologetics learning to use. This past week we went to Temple Square, BYU, Snow College, the...

0014 - In this episode I review the book, "The Ambassadors Guide to Mormonism," by Brett Kunkle. In this short book, Brett hits on the main differences between Evangelical Christianity and Mormonism. He focuses on the nature of God, the Gospel, the reliability of the New Testament and our final authority. In this podcast I walk the listener through the book and talk about why it is such...

0013 - In this episode I look at the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. I use the work of Gary Habermas and Mike Licona from their book, "The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus," to make the case that Jesus did rise from the dead. I look at five of the facts that almost all scholars agree on and how the best explanation of those five facts is that Jesus rose from the dead. I also lo...

0012 - In this episode I review a book by Peter Boghossian called, "A Manual for Creating Atheists." Dr. Boghossian is a Professor at Portland State University and teaches a class on Atheism. In this book he tries to build up an army of "Street Epistemologists" who will engage with those who have "faith" and ultimately disabuse them of their false beliefs. He believes...

0011 - In this episode I do a book review on the recently published Ratio Christi booklet, "Engaging Critical Theory and the Social Justice Movement," by Dr. Neil Shenvi and Dr. Pat Sawyer. In this short booklet the authors examine the history of contemporary critical theory and how this worldview is wreaking havoc at the university. In this episode I review the book and the far reaching...

0010 - In this episode I interview Corey Miller, President of Ratio Christi, in advance of his upcoming discussion with atheist Professor Peter Boghossian here in Utah. On February 6 and 7, Dr. Miller and Dr. Boghossian will engage in four dialogues on four Utah campuses. The title of their dialogue is, "A Christian and an Atheist Unite Against the Death of Intellectual Diversity at the Unive...

0009 - In this episode I talk about a dialogue that I am having with a Latter-Day Saint. I discuss some of the points he makes in our discussion and I show how it is hard to have productive conversations with the LDS because of their very different epistemology. I discuss his claims that we worship the same Jesus and that the way to figure out what religion is true is to pray about it. I also talk...

0007 - In this episode I review the book "Talking to Strangers" by Malcolm Gladwell. I talk about how some of the ideas in the book can help me think through the discussions I have with Latter-Day Saints. Gladwell talks about some of the misconceptions we have regarding strangers and how some of our natural tendencies can actually undermine our ability to seek the truth when dealing with...

0008 - In this episode I review the book "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist" by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler. This has been one of the most important books in my life due to the content of the book. It was the Classical Apologetics argument outlined in the book that caused me to come to the realization that Christianity was true for all people, at all times and in all pla...

0006 - In this episode I review Scott Klusendorf's book "The Case for Life." In this book Klusendorf makes an airtight argument for the humanity of the unborn. He helps people make better arguments for the Pro-Life position. In the podcast I help people to see that abortion ultimately comes down to one issue - what is the unborn? Then I show how science and philosophy points us to t...

0005 - In this Episode I talk about some of the plans for the podcast this year and then get into decision making and the will of God. I make the case that God does not have some hidden personal plan for each of us and that our job is too look for clues to figure out God's personal plan for our life. Instead, I argue that God has a sovereign and moral will for our lives and then the rest is w...

0004 - In this episode I interview David Halevy from the Jew and Gentile podcast. In this episode he discusses his ministry, moving his family to Israel, why evangelizing the Jewish people is so important, the relationship of the church and Israel and so much more.  This is a long interview but I hope you will enjoy it.

#0002 - In this episode I look at a philosophical argument for God's existence and then some of the attributes and characteristics of God that must be true given this argument. What I try to demonstrate is that God is the uncaused first cause and thus must be spirit and could NOT have a body as the LDS church claims. I demonstrate that it is metaphysically impossible for God to have a physica...

#0003 - In this episode I look at James 2 and the LDS claim that it demonstrates that we are made right with God by faith and works and not works alone. I show how Paul demonstrates that we are justified (made right with God) by faith alone in Romans and that James is talking about something very different in his epistle. I attempt to show that Paul and James both use Abraham to highlight two very...

#0001 - The inaugural episode of The Present-Day Saint. Aaron Marshall's musings on apologetics, theology, ministry and doing life as an evangelical christian in the state of Utah. I discuss our journey to Utah to plant a Ratio Christi chapter on the campus of The University of Utah. We also talk about what you can expect in future episodes of The Present-Day Saint.