In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Tim Stratton of Free Thinking Ministries. They discuss the topic of Molinism as it relates to God’s sovereignty, human free will, and why it matters. Tim’s book on the subject is Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism: A Biblical, Historical, Theological, and Philosophical Analysis.

1:03 - Intro to Tim Stratton
1:41 - Why Molinism on the podcast?
3:20 - Welcome to Tim Stratton
3:54 - How Tim became a Christian
9:37 - God as a maximally great being
10:43 - Tim’s dissertation
11:18 - What does Tim find compelling about Molinism?
12:42 - The Mere Molinism Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4070368643044867
16:14 - What is the problem that Molinism is trying to solve?
22:47 - How to briefly summarize Molinism?
23:41 - Defining terms: Middle knowledge and counterfactuals
31:39 - Scriptures that affirm counterfactuals / middle knowledge
41:53 - Why us the term “mere” Molinism?
46:22 - Can Molinism be applied to salvation?
48:21 - Does this chess analogy work?
52:10 - Objection: Molinism is not derived from scripture
58:23 - Objection: Who cares? That’s just for scholars and theologians
1:02:45 - How Molinism saved Tim’s marriage
1:06:20 - Where to find Tim’s resources

Tim’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjoJHrgHyjBgOiSTxFT0Dag
Free Thinking Ministrires
https://freethinkingministries.com/
Tim’s Bio
https://freethinkingministries.com/tim-stratton/
Free Thinking Podcasts
https://freethinkingministries.com/free-thinking-podcasts/
Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, and Mere Molinism: A Biblical, Historical, Theological, and Philosophical Analysis.
https://www.amazon.com/Human-Freedom-Divine-Knowledge-Molinism-ebook/dp/B08LL3Q3T5

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Mike D'Virgilio on the topic of apologetics for parents. He is author of the book The Persuasive Christian Parent: God’s Provision for Building an Enduring Faith in You and Your Children.

www.persuasivechristianparent.com

0:44 - Introduction to our Mike D'Virgilio and the topic of parenting with apologetics
4:25 - Mike’s background and how he got into apologetics
6:59 - What inspired Mike to write a book on apologetics and parenting
7:50 - J.P. Moreland’s endorsement, and the importance of using apologetics when raising your kids
11:43 - The plausibility of Christianity, and the threat of children falling away from the faith
16:06 - The importance of emphasising the truth
18:07 - Emphasising reality and the facts of life experience
20:47 - Embedding right expectations in our kids
23:06 - The outline of topics covered in the Persuasive Christian Parent book
25:23 - Plausibility structures, certainty, and epistemology
29:34 - Ways that we can approach bringing apologetics into our parenting
31:48 - Should we just let our children just find their own way, or are we brainwashing them?
33:30 - Loving the Lord with all our mind, AND training our kids
35:18 - Are there ways you would have raised your kids differently?
35:44 - Modelling and not being afraid to allow your kids to see you fail
37:06 - How to teach kids about controversial topics
43:05 - Where to find Mike’s book and resources:

www.persuasivechristianparent.com

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Jim Beitler, Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College, and author of Seasoned Speech: Rhetoric in the Life of the Church as well as Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words (with co-author Richard Hughes Gibson). They discuss rhetoric and communication in relation to Christian Apologetics.

0:27 - Introduction to rhetoric and Jim Beitler
4:36 - Jim’s background and books
5:37 - What is rhetoric?
6:32 - How Jim got interested in rhetoric
7:18 - How has rhetoric been taught, and how has that changed?
10:20 - Can rhetoric be taught?
11:48 - Why should anyone care about rhetoric in the church?
14:20 - Are you an effective communicator or not?
15:44 - Doesn’t the Bible argue against using rhetoric?
19:11 - How the book is laid out and the ground it covers
22:52 - C.S. Lewis as a rhetorician
25:25 - How we need rhetoric now more than ever
27:19 - Dietrich Bonhoeffer on preaching and rhetoric
30:37 - Rhetoric in sermons and preaching
33:37 - How to apply the tools of rhetoric with discernment
38:20 - Modern thinkers and communicators we can learn from
41:49 - Being culture makers
42:40 - Some pitfalls to avoid
45:13 - A teaser for Charitable Writing

• James Beitler at Wheaton
• Seasoned Speech: Rhetoric in the Life of the Church
• Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview archaeologist Ted Wright of Epic Archaeology.

0:29 - Introducing Ted Wright of Epic Archaeology
2:00 - What got Ted into archaeology?
4:00 - What you’ll find at EpicArchaeology.org
6:12 - More about Ted’s background in apologetics
9:44 - What is the actual job of an archaeologist?
15:30 - Being chased by Nazis
19:03 - The role that archaeology plays in defending the Bible?
23:00 - “Archaeological evidence for Jesus does not exist…”
29:40 - What sorts of things in the Holy Land are legit?
35:43 - Unpacking archaeological evidence for the exodus
48:39 - Dating of the exodus
56:04 - How to think through the accounts of “the Canaanite genocide question”
1:03:00 - Cool archaeological discoveries that support the Old and New Testaments
1:13:00 - Where to find more great archaeological resources:

ESV and NIV Archaeological Study Bible
The Case for Biblical Archaeology by Dr. John Currid
Doing Archaeology in the Land of the Bible by Dr. John Currid
EpicArchaeology.org
Epic Archaeology on YouTube
Podcast: Monocle and Spade

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview comedian Michael J. Nelson about his work in comedy, his apologetics podcast, sharing the faith and what he’s learned from watching the worst movies of all time.

0:56 - Intro to a unique interview with Michael J. Nelson
2:30 - Who is Mike Nelson and what is Mystery Science Theater 3000?
4:05 - How did MST3K come about?
5:00 - How Mike became a Christian and what inspired him to make an apologetics podcast? (Like Trees Walking)
7:20 - Did apologetics play a big role in Mike’s life?
9:30 - The role of apologetics with interactions with friends and family relationships
12:19 - Biggest apologetic influences
13:34 - What does “Like Trees Walking” mean as a podcast title?
16:13 - How to be a Christian in the entertainment industry
18:12 - Rifftrax - and does making that kind of content get old?
20:34 - Navigating the ins and outs of humor and Hollywood content
23:38 - Profound wisdom learned from watching culture’s garbage
24:52 - Mike’s take on “Christian movies” and entertainment
27:15 - The worst movie of all time
28:10 - The most over-rated movie franchise of all time
30:20 - Favorite argument for the existence of God
31:45 - Mike’s worst stand-up comedy bomb ever
35:05 - Trapped in an elevator with Richard Dawkins
36:44 - “Do you like movies about gladiators?”
38:05 - What persuades you most the Christianity is true?
42:16 - What is the most quotable movie?
45:10 - Mike’s sound rig setup, and a story of 8 billion pennies
46:50 - Where to find all Mike’s stuff

Like Trees Walking (Apologetics podcast)
liketreeswalkingpod.com

Rifftrax.com
Commentaries for B-movie oddities and Hollywood blockbusters.

372 Pages We’ll Never Get Back
http://372pages.com/

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten, Chad Gross and The Belfast Bigot interview Katy Faust about the global children’s rights movement (and book): Them Before Us.

0:38 - Pre-show chat; The Belfast Bigot and the original Bigot.
2:38 - Introduction to Katy Faust and how she got into running a global children’s rights movement
6:43 - How Katy went from being anonymous to going public
7:49 - How Katy influenced the Belfast Bigot
9:40 - The goal of the Them Before Us movement / organization
13:36 - How does Katy hear from kids whose parents prioritize their own desire above children's rights
15:31 - What do we mean when we talk about “rights”?
20:09 - Why children’s rights is something that all political parties should prioritize
24:33 - Three staples of a child’s social/emotional diet
25:27 - How dads are not always the idiots; men and women are different
32:58 - “How are you not pushing a religious view?” and “you’re just shrouding religious views in secular arguments.”
36:11 - Let the data do the talking; disagreeing with reality and biology
38:21 - Can’t same-sex parents do just as good of a job at raising kids?
41:44 - “You’re just hand-picking these stories!”
44:20 - The data we do and don’t have; society is experimenting
47:34 - The psychological damage to children from losing a parent
50:13 - The practical application of “Them Before Us”
53:38 - How does one engage with these topics when people are so quick to label you a bigot or a -phobe?
57:52 - Having reasonable conversations
1:00:17 - Discussion of exceptions to the rules; dishonest argumentation; appeals to acceptance, etc.
1:05:28 - Reproductive technologies and the buying and selling of humans
1:07:51 - Where to find more resources

www.thembeforeus.com

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Christian philosopher Ken Samples on topics from his newest book Christianity Cross-Examined. This is part 2 of a 2-part interview.

2:03 - The types of questions people are asking today about Christianity. Killing in the name of God, the Crusades, violence, etc.
4:19 - Approaching the subject of slavery. What does the Bible actually say?
10:43 - What about killing in the name of God?
18:01 - What about so-called genocides in the Bible?
25:03 - Presuppositional approaches to moral objections against God.
28:44 - What about hypocrisy in the church?
37:06 - Walking through healing from wounds from fallen leaders.
42:08 - Brian’s encouragement and prayer.
47:08 - Ken’s encouragement for those who do not believe.

www.reasons.org

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross interview Christian philosopher Ken Samples on topics from his newest book Christianity Cross-Examined. This is part 1 of a 2-part interview.

1:33 - Chad’s twitter encounters for the week.
6:43 - Weekly Mailbag
8:14 - Intro to Ken Samples
9:34 - Welcome to Ken Samples
9:52 - Ken’s current work and what he’s seeing in apologetics today.
11:28 - The need and impact of logic and critical thinking.
12:22 - The goal of the Ken’s book
14:16 - Two types of atheists Ken has encountered.
16:46 - What has contributed to the shift in what sorts of questions people are asking about Christianity?
20:19 - The impact of rhetoric in influencing people for or against the Gospel.
22:41 - The power of a cumulative case; the way inductive, deductive and abductive arguments work.
23:51 - Abduction as a form of reasoning.
31:06 - If God really existed, we wouldn’t need arguments…
39:54 - How Christianity welcomes science and reason.
41:31 - The three things you need in order to do science.
48:26 - A discussion on analogies for the trinity.
54:30 - Where to start when talking to others about Jesus. A discussion of apologetic methodology.

www.reasons.org

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross make a case for doing apologetics and talk about how YOU can get apologetics into YOUR church.

0:50 - Rapid fire questions with Chad.
1:29 - Is “someone with an experience never at the mercy of someone with an argument”?
9:45 - Why the resurrection is Chad’s favorite argument
11:37 - Introduction to getting apologetic in your church
12:29 - Geisler’s case for apologetics in general
19:47 - Apologetics modelled in scripture
26:27 - 7 Reasons why the church needs apologetics
32:58 - How Truthbomb apologetics started in the local church
38:38 - How Brian started a Reasonable Faith chapter
40:53 - The 2-part ebook How to Get Apologetics in Your Church
44:47 - The benefits of starting a local group
48:22 - The community aspect of your own apologetics study group
52:35 - The quickest advice for starting something in your church

Resources:
How to Get Apologetics in Your Church e-book Part 1
http://apologetics315.com/media/Apologetics-In-Church-Podcast/HowtoGetApologeticsinYourChurch.pdf

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church Podcast Part 1
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-to-get-apologetics-in-your-church/id392080138

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church e-book Part 2
http://apologetics315.s3.amazonaws.com/church-apologetics-2/How%20to%20Get%20Apologetics%20in%20Your%20Church%202.pdf

How to Get Apologetics in Your Church Podcast Part 2
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-apologetics-in-your-church-2/id522500696

http://apologetics315.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-get-apologetics-in-your-church-2_828.html

http://apologetics315.blogspot.com/2010/09/how-to-get-apologetics-in-your-church.html

https://www.reasonablefaith.org/chapters/

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]

In this episode, Brian Auten and Chad Gross address a listener question about prophecy, discuss recent books they have been reading, and explore some thoughts on the reality of spiritual warfare in the Christian life.

Links mentioned in the show:
• Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology
https://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Theology-Second-Introduction-Biblical-ebook/dp/B085XNN5H1

• Wayne Grudem’s podcast episode on prophecy
https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-prophecy/id322844869?i=1000082948644

• Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks
https://www.amazon.com/Precious-Remedies-Against-Satans-Devices/dp/B01COQNXQ0

• Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray
https://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Murray-Books-Abide-Christ-ebook/dp/B076QFY8D6

If you have a question for the podcast, record it and send it our way using www.speakpipe.com/Apologetics315 or you can email us at [email protected]