Do you really control every decision you make? There’s an increasing number of people who believe that free will is only an illusion—that the decisions you make today are solely caused by events from your past.
In this episode, AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra discusses research from neuroscientist Benjamin Libet and the determinism of Dutch-Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza. It's a deep dive into the debate over free will versus the law of Nature.

Your life is finite: you'll live and die, having occupied a limited space for a limited amount of time. But in the end, we all seem to sense that there’s something infinite to grab hold of. Where does it take us? This week on AUTHENTIC, Shawn Boonstra peers into the beyond.

Lots of people talk about Jesus' miracles—whether they did or didn't happen. Christians believe they were real. But what's important is that the miracles are not the reason one believes. They're not the foundation of Christian faith. AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra explains how the story of Jesus as Messiah stands strong regardless of the supernatural signs and wonders He performed.

More and more people in North America seem to believe the Bible is a book that oppresses humans and shuts down personal freedom. On this week’s program, Shawn Boonstra argues that the opposite is true—that many freedoms Americans enjoy today are largely inspired by the Bible itself.

Some critics believe the deity of Christ was a concept invented years after Jesus at the Council of Nicaea. But the gospel of John says otherwise, claiming that Jesus was God from the very beginning—even before God created Earth. And AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra says John talks about everything in a way no other gospel writer does.

This is the final part in a five-episode series called "The Four Witnesses."

"The gospel of Luke is, by some accounts, the human face of Jesus. It's arguably the most relatable part of the Bible telling the story of Jesus on Earth. And AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra explains why Luke had regular people like you in mind when he wrote it.
This is part four of a series called "The Four Witnesses."

Mark is a great place to start reading the Bible. It’s short enough that you can read it in one sitting, and the gospel talks about how Jesus relates to real, everyday people. But it turns out that maybe Mark isn't actually the author. AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra walks you through the evidence in part 3 of a series called "The Four Witnesses".

If you want to know what it really looks like to be a Christian, the gospel of Matthew is a great place to start. It reads like a training guide—talking about what Jesus said, and then about what he did. And what better example to copy than Jesus himself? AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra walks you through some of the most interesting parts of the Bible's first gospel.

This is part two of a series called "The Four Witnesses."

Ever wonder why the Bible has four versions of Jesus' life—in four gospels? AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra kicks off a multi-part study series about how the four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are different and alike. Series name: "The Four Witnesses."

Back in the earliest years of Christian history, a lot of deep thinkers struggled to wrap their minds around the concept of Jesus being not just a man, and not just God, but instead BOTH things at the very same time. 🤯 How could the eternal Almighty Himself come to this earth as a real flesh-and-blood human? Shawn Boonstra takes a little time to examine that claim in this special Christmas episode.