AUTHENTIC with Shawn Boonstra

The book of Genesis is widely perceived as myth—on the same shelf as Gilgamesh and Zeus. So let's line them up side by side, shall we? Shawn Boonstra weighs the differences and charts strikingly separate worlds of meaning.

You slip on a ring, and SNAP! You're invisible. What will you do with this power? This week, Shawn Boonstra turns to an old fable of Plato's to confront who we are in the dark, when no one is looking. But while it's easy to sin in secret, the ancient wisdom of Proverbs reminds us: there's a real cost even in this life...and a REAL path to your authentic self.

Crucifixion on its own is horrific enough...but if you believe Jesus' death on the cross was the punishment for our sins, it's even WORSE. Some object and say the cross was about pure love—nothing to do with judgment or wrath. Shawn Boonstra investigates the feelings and reasoning at play, and why the biblical framing of Christ's death still holds such power to both disturb and astound us.

Desperate to find the meaning of life? It’s only human. Philosophers and theologians have long invented ideas to build an understanding of the universe. But they’ve reached a dead end. In this episode, Shawn Boonstra traces humanity’s precarious path to nihilism and confronts modern misconceptions about divine justice. To understand God and hell, we must turn to the Bible. The WHOLE Bible.

Shivering in the shadow of life’s darkest problems, will we ever think our way to the light? Inspired by Thomas Aquinas, nineteenth-century philosophers argued that we could. Shawn Boonstra claims the opposite. Learn why human reason often paves the way to corruption—and discover what it really takes to find the answers to those deepest of life’s questions.

We often credit the Greeks with inventing Western philosophy. But how often were they borrowing from another great society? This week, we’re exploring the ancient world to uncover the hidden influences behind Plato, Pythagoras, Democritus, and more. The real roots of popular thought—and your own worldview—may shock you.

Is it wrong to want more? In this episode, Shawn Boonstra breaks down what the Bible really says about envy, greed, and material possessions. Turns out, the tenth commandment is about a lot more than wanting a nicer car—this law is a cosmic clue pointing us to the only source of real happiness.

What does it really mean to “bear false witness”? Does the ninth commandment warn us against ALL falsehoods? Shawn Boonstra doesn’t think so. From gossip to political spin, lies intended to wound another’s reputation can—like wildfire—spiral out of control, causing irreparable damage. Join us for a fresh look at this law on deception . . . and the powerful truth it reveals.

Some claim that the road to a perfect society starts with abolishing private property. But the Bible—and a history littered with failed utopian experiments—tells a different story. In this episode, Shawn Boonstra analyzes infamous history, popular philosophy, and the eighth commandment: “You shall not steal.” Could this simple law contain answers for modern issues?

Is the sanctity of marriage collecting dust? Shawn Boonstra breaks down modern culture’s take on marriage, infidelity, and passion vs. reason. When so many have thrown away God’s seventh commandment, he argues that this law against adultery holds timeless truths—revelations about God’s character that can enrich our lives today.