Delving into surprising historical evidence, we discover that early Christianity began not as a spiritual movement but as what Roman observers called a "political association." Christians originally worshipped Jesus as a man—not as a cosmic spirit. This humanist foundation was transformed by Paul, who rejected the historical "Christ after the flesh" and replaced him with a paradoxical spiritual entity. This shift from humanism to spirituality created the fundamental tension in Christian theology that persists today.

The podcast traces this intellectual journey through key philosophers, from Anaximander's fear of losing his identity after death (which led to the concept of the persistent soul) to Aristotle's rejection of spirit as part of the natural world. Renaissance figures like Michelangelo exemplified the return to humanism by depicting God in human form, challenging spiritual orthodoxy. Even modern scientists like Stephen Hawking and Georges Lemaître grappled with these ancient questions.

Join the conversation about how ancient ideas continue to shape our modern understanding of consciousness, spirituality, and what it means to be human.

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