Reasoned Hope

The phrase "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" is popular with many skeptics when discussing miracle claims. In many cases, it is used to dismiss belief in miracles as irrational. But is this move justified? Is it really irrational to believe in miracles?

The existence of evil and suffering in the world is an obvious fact about our universe. Skeptics argue against God's existence on the basis of evil. However, they frequently miss the reality that they also must give an account of the nature of evil. In fact, every person (and therefore every worldview that persons hold) must have some explanation for the existence and nature of evil. Which worldvi...

Thinkers in the disciplines of Psychology and Sociology have provided various theories of religion. For some people, these theories amount to complete explanations for religious belief and show that such beliefs are delusions. But what are these theories and do they actually show that religious beliefs are delusions? 

When we read the Bible, is the meaning of the text "all a matter of interpretation"? In other words, is the meaning of the Bible's text completely subjective? Or is it possible for us to understand an objective meaning in the text? 

What is one crucial difference between Christianity and other religions? In this episode, I discuss what this difference is and why it is vital to understand.

In this episode, I review the last section of the book Faith Deconstruction 101 . In this last section, the author of the book explains "what comes after" the process of deconstruction. 

In this episode, I discuss the next section in the book Faith Deconstruction 101. The next section focuses on the question of "What Comes After?" the phase of deconstruction. 

In this episode, I examine the first parts of a book called Faith Deconstruction 101 . This book was written by a proponent of the deconstruction movement with the goal of teaching Christians "how to deconstruct your faith without losing it." What does this book teach and should Christians follow what it says?

A growing number of public Christian figures have stated they are "deconstructing" their faith. Such statements have left many Christians confused. What does this mean and why do some feel the need to engage in it? In this episode, I provide an overview of this movement, examining good aspects of it as well as problematic elements. 

It is common to hear the claim that belief in God and the practice of science are opposed to one another. To do good science and to therefore, be a good scientist, you must jettison belief in God as a primitive superstitious idea. Or so the claim goes. Is this a sound way to think about the relationship between belief in God and modern science? In this episode I explain why I think it is not and t...

What significance does the coming of Jesus into human history over 2,000 years ago have for us today? In this episode, I take a look at the beginning of the gospel of John (John 1:1-18) and explore what it says about God, about ourselves, and about our world. 

Some scholars say that you cannot make a case from history for the resurrection of Jesus since it is a miraculous event. According to them, miracles are by definition events which cannot be supported from historical evidence. It is an interesting argument, but is it right? In this episode, I will consider this objection as given by Bart Ehrman. 

Not every New Testament scholar believes that the resurrection of Jesus was an actual historical event. What are the alternative explanations which scholars have offered to try to explain the historical facts surrounding Jesus' life and death? In this episode, I discuss common attempts to explain away the resurrection and show why I think they all fail to make their case. 

In this episode, I argue that the belief in Jesus' resurrection and the spread of Christianity in the context of the first century provide powerful evidence for the truth of the resurrection.  

In this episode, I examine some historical evidence for the post-mortem appearances of Jesus to His disciples. I seek to provide an answer to the question: "Are there good reasons to believe that Jesus appeared alive to His disciples three days after His death and burial?"

In this second episode in the series on the resurrection of Jesus, I look at the historical evidence for the empty tomb. If Jesus' tomb was indeed found empty on that third morning after his death, this supports the claim that he really was raised from the dead. 

Is there any historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection? In this episode, I begin a series to provide an answer to this question. I focus on providing an outline for a historical argument for Jesus' resurrection and then look at evidence for both Jesus' death by crucifixion as well as his burial. 

Some will argue that the sciences provide the only path to real knowledge of the world and that religious beliefs are mere expressions of blind faith, feelings, and cultural upbringing. But is this a good way to think about science, knowledge, and religious beliefs? 

While many atheist evangelists promote atheism as the liberator of the human self, I argue that the true implications of an atheistic worldview paint a bleak picture of the universe that is often not taken seriously. 

What does Christianity have to say about the human condition and our human experience? What worldview best makes sense of the human capacity for greatness as well as the human capacity for wickedness?

I briefly explain a change in the episode format.

Philosophy has a tendency to be misunderstood (and even feared) by many Christians. Does it have any place in the Christian life? Is it largely irrelevant or even something to be avoided? In this episode, I explain why I think philosophy is vital for a vibrant Christian life and seek to clear up some misconceptions about it. 

In this episode I discuss the resurrection of Jesus and why it matters for Christianity. It is the central event of the Christian faith and without it, the Christian hope is without any basis. 

A somewhat popular notion says that religious beliefs are an "accident of birth". This idea is usually expressed in the following line of thought: "If you are a Christian, you only believe in Christianity because you were raised to believe it or perhaps because you were born in a part of the world where it is taught and practiced. But, if you had been born in the Middle East, you would probably be...

There are a bewildering variety of religious beliefs in the world. People on all sides think their particular religious perspective is true. What implications does this have for religion as a whole? Some have seen such disagreement amongst religions as evidence that no religion is true or that, at best, we should suspend judgment about whether any one of them is true. In this episode, I try to sho...