The Reluctant Theologian Podcast

I’m slowly writing a book on models of God and the problems of creation. There is an idea in the history of Western philosophical theology that is an important part of these debates. It is called the Great Chain of Being. In today’s episode, I will explain what on earth that is. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and research...

Pastor Kevin DeYoung is back again with another explainer video. This one is on the doctrine of impassibility. I got far too many requests from you nerds asking me to do another response episode. We will figure out if DeYoung is clearly Reformed or passionately confused. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at th...

According to recent polling data and statistics, Gen Z have been going to church. That’s right, my generation gave up on the church, but Gen Z is interested in finding out what is going on. Are they going to church for good reasons, or is there something nefarious afoot? Also, I talk about my Easter Sunday. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsink...

I was at Palm Beach Atlantic University this past January to teach a masters course on God and time. My Palm Beach interns decided to do an interview with me while I was there. We discuss my life, loads of topics in theology, and how to create an intellectual revolution. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at th...

My Palm Beach Atlantic University interns and I interview William Hasker about his take on the doctrine of the Trinity. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a docent of dogmatics at the University of Helsinki....

In today’s episode, I have a lot to talk about. I want to give you some quick updates on things going on in my life. I want to chat about Jonathan Edwards’ book on the End of Creation. And we need to have an honest conversation about heavy metal. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne,...

In today’s episode, I want to talk about Dru Johnson’s book on Hebraic Philosophy. Dru’s book came out a couple years ago, and I have been asked to participate in a symposium on the book. It will soon be published in Philosophia Christi. What I am going to do today is talk about the implications of Hebraic Philosophy for systematic theology and the doctrine of God. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD,...

In today’s episode, I have the beast from the east. The reincarnation of Samuel Clarke doing a Texas two-step. That unforgettable Unitarian. The always delightful Dale Tuggy. Dale and I are going to be chatting about his contribution to the new book One God, Three Persons: 4 Views. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and resea...

Last summer, my Palm Beach Atlantic University interns and I recorded some episodes on the new Trinity debate book. The book is called One God, Three Persons: 4 Views. Over the next two months I am going to be releasing these episodes, starting with today’s interview with William Lane Craig. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer...

In today’s episode, I want to give you a quick review of my year. Some of the highlights, and what I have learned. I will also give you a sneak peek at what is coming up in 2025. Then I want to talk about the medieval Jewish philosopher Gersonides. It is common today to hear people say that Gersonides was a proto-open theist. Is that true? Stick around and find out. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD...

What demarcates Christian doctrine from non-Christian doctrine? What are the essentials of the Christian faith? What do you have to believe in order to be a Christian? Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a doc...

In today’s episode, I open up the mailbag to consider more listener questions. We have questions on physics and time. We have questions on the creeds and Hinduism. We have several questions about the doctrine of the Trinity. And we have people asking about my denominational background. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and r...

In today's episode I tell a ghost story. Then I talk about the history of analytic theology, its current state, and where it is going in the future. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a docent of dogmatics at...

In today's episode, I discuss the different branches of theology, and how they work together. I also explain why theology is deeply important. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a docent of dogmatics at t...

Clearly Reformed has a new video out on immutability. In this episode, I offer my reactions, and work through the actual philosophical and biblical ideas surrounding immutability. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic Universit...

My new book is finally out! In today's episode I give you some of the behind the scenes of the book, and read you the Preface. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a docent of dogmatics at the University of...

In today's episode, I consider some listener questions about the Trinity and divine simplicity. I also tell you about two important questions you need to ask when thinking about US politics. Buckle up because we are throwing shade on everyone today. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lu...

I’m joined by David Anzalone from Lucerne. We try to answer as many listener questions as we can. We consider questions about Eleonore Stump’s classical theism. We look at medieval modal philosophy, idealism, open theism, analytic theology, the paradox of omnipotence, and advice for graduate students. This is a jam packed episode. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habi...

In today's episode I remember the life of my grandmother, and offer some biblical reflections on our hope in the resurrection of the dead. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. University of Helsinki) is a lecturer and researcher at the University of Lucerne, a visiting professor of philosophy at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a docent of dogmatics at the U...

Over the past few years, people have been complaining to me about the incredibly low standards of reasoning taking place within the online Christian apologetics community. I have ignored this for several years, but I have not been able to look the other way over these past few months. In today’s episode, I want to talk about the problems taking place among pop apologists, and offer advice on how t...

This is the final episode with my 2023 summer interns from Palm Beach Atlantic. Today, we ask why isn’t God more obvious? If God really loves us, why does he seem to be hidden? Wouldn’t God make His presence more obvious to all of us? To help us answer these questions, we interviewed Mike Rea from the University of Notre Dame. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews; Dr. Habil. U...

The Southern Baptist Convention just had their annual meeting. 4 people pushed to have the Nicene Creed included in the Southern Baptist confession. Is this a movement towards theological clarity, or creedalist authority? Also, why won’t the Southern Baptists clearly state what the doctrine of eternal generation actually says? Don’t worry, I will tell you what the doctrine says. Credits Host: R.T....

Christianity Today just put out a new article on the unhealthy obsession that some American Evangelicals have over Thomas Aquinas. As you can imagine, the article has already received quite a bit of hate online. Did Christianity Today jump the shark with this one? In today’s episode, I want to take you through the article, and give you my own thoughts on the matter. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD...

I have another episode with my Palm Beach Atlantic summer interns. As we were doing some philosophical theology last summer, there was a question that really bothered us. Are we actually doing anything meaningful? We decided to ask Tim Mawson from Oxford to help us explore a host of issues about God and the meaning of life. This was hands down the most fun we had interviewing someone last summer....

I have a very special episode for you today. I have an interview with the one and only Linda Zagzebski! We are chatting about her new book on omnisubjectivity. We are going to explore the different ways that God might be omnisubjective, and give a special look at panentheism. This episode also contains an audience Q&A with Zagzebski, and we cover all sorts of questions. Credits Host: R.T. Mull...