Christian Curious

At the time of this podcast recording, it is August 2022. Summer is drawing to a close, and in just a few weeks students will return to public schools in droves. Several of them will be taught Critical Race Theory as a part of their curriculum and, according to apologist and philosopher Dr. Doug Groothuis, this should raise concern for Christians.

What is Critical Race Theory (CRT), and how does it conflate with Christian and American ideals? Is there an alternative that could honestly depict America's flaws while championing a hopeful future?

In this episode of Christian Curious, we unpack CRT with Dr. Groothuis. He recently authored a book, Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Cultural Topics, in response to the 2020 riots and emergence of CRT.

You can purchase Fire in the Streets here: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Streets-Confidently-Incendiary-Cultural/dp/1684513081/ref=asc_df_1684513081/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=564725474608&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4136487045843611965&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028715&hvtargid=pla-1645952115076&psc=1

Want to learn more about Christian Curious? We'd love for you to check out our website! https://www.christiancurious.com/

Have you ever been 'evangelized' to? 
What did it feel like? What emotions did it evoke?

Here's the truth: evangelism can be unsettling. Why is that, and is there a better way to reach non-believers with the good news of the gospel? 

The answer to that question starts with evaluating WHY non-believers are turned off to Christianity in the first place. So, in this episode of Christian Curious, we chat with Asia Nicholson, the young adult leader at The Bridge Ministry at First Baptist Church of Glenarden, to do just that. 

These are some of the questions we explore:

- What is a sustainable young adult ministry, and what are some steps to create one?
- What questions are young adults who are not Christians asking? What are they processing?
- Why are Christians so uncomfortable with evangelizing to non-believers?
- How can you engage nonbelievers?

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What does it mean to be a Christian?  Unfortunately, Christian culture can put stipulations and standards on the title that aren't exactly biblical. In some circles, there are standards to pass: do you go to church every Sunday? Are your parents divorced or married? Do you struggle with addiction?

In this episode of Christian Curious, we speak with Asia Nichol­son to explore what it really means to be a Christian in the 21st century. Asia is a woman of many tal­ents, gift­ed­ness, and an in­cred­i­ble life sto­ry. She is the leader of “The Bridge” min­istry of First Bap­tist Church of Gle­nar­den.

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Facebook: @ChristianCuriousOnAir

UFOs. The Expansion of the Universe. The Multiverse. We have a tendency to fear what we don't understand. Is there a place for faith in the realm of astrophysics? Our guest on this episode of Christian Curious, Dr. Jeff Zwerinck, is convinced that the answer is yes. He helps us explore the following question: What Does the Universe Tell Us About God?

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Instagram: @christiancurious
Facebook: @ChristianCuriousOnAir

Dr. Zwerinck is a research scholar at Reasons to Believe. He earned a PhD in astrophysics from Iowa State University. His writing and speaking encourage people to consider the connection between Scripture’s truth and scientific evidence. He is the author of Escaping the Beginning?, Is There Life Out There?, and Who’s Afraid of the Multiverse?, and coauthor of the Impact Events Student Devotional Series. Jeff is also a project scientist at UCLA.

It's a question we've been debating for decades: is there political imbalance in higher education? If there is, how does that impact our educational experience? A recent study compiled by professors from differing political perspectives unequivocally concluded that liberal professors are overrepresented on college campuses and universities.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote that "A well informed citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people." However, in recent years there has been a spike in grade inflation and a reduction in attention span. 
 
In this episode of The Christian Curious Podcast, we explore how these trends are affecting democracy. We interview Dr. Lucas J. Mather, 'The Republican Professor,' who has been a professor of Philosophy, Humanities, and Politics for nearly two decades in California. 

To learn more about Dr. Mather and his work, visit his website at https://www.therepublicanprofessor.com/ 

Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world, but what makes it different from the rest? What aspects compel people to believe the claims of Jesus over alternate world views? In this episode of Christian Curious, Dr. Halee Gray Scott speaks with apologist and author, Dr. Doug Groothius, who recently published a new edition of his classic work Christian Apologetics. Listeners will learn how to think deeply about and defend their faith.

Shownotes: https://www.christiancurious.com/blog/what-makes-christianity-unique-among-other-religions

(Part 2) In the last century or so, there has been a growing chasm between science and religion.  However, our hunch is that they're more related than they might seem. So, in this episode of Christian Curious, we will explore the age-old question: are science and faith really enemies? We spoke with Dr. Sy Garte who has a Ph.D in biochemistry and is the author of “The Work of His Hands: A Scientist’s Journey from Atheism to Faith” to learn more. 

Shownotes: https://www.christiancurious.com/blog/science-and-faith

In the last century or so, there has been a growing chasm between science and religion.  However, our hunch is that they're more related than they might seem. So, in this episode of Christian Curious, we will explore the age-old question: are science and faith really enemies? We spoke with Dr. Sy Garte who has a Ph.D in biochemistry and is the author of “The Work of His Hands: A Scientist’s Journey from Atheism to Faith” to learn more. 

Shownotes: https://www.christiancurious.com/blog/science-and-faith

Many women struggle to maintain their interests, hobbies, friendships, and even their identities once they become a mother. Many feel guilty for taking time for self-care. But as we all know, we have to take care of ourselves first before we care care for others.

So how can we be a great mom and still maintain our own identity? Today, Halee and Caryn Rivadeneira address that question.

Caryn is an award-winning author of more than twenty books for both children and adults. Her work has appeared in Sojourners, Christianity Today, Relevant, ThinkChristian, and Engineering and Mining Journal. Her most recent book, Saints of Feather and Fang, explores how the animals we love and fear connect us to God. To find our more about Caryn, visit her website.

You can find Caryn's book, Mama's Got a Fake I.D. on Amazon here.

Her new book, Saints of Feather and Fang can be found here: 

On this weeks episode, Halee is joined by  Caryn Rivadeneira, author more than twenty books including Mama's Got a Fake I.D. and Saints of Feather and Fang.

Halee and Caryn explore the question, "What makes a good mom?" Ladened with so many expectations from both self and society, it can be difficult to discern what it really means to be a good mom. To find out more about Caryn, visit her website.