College Faith

Are you or someone you know considering going to law school (and majoring in pre-law to prepare)? In this episode, I continue my sporadic series on various college majors students may choose. To discuss the field of Law, I’ve invited Mike Schutt, J.D., who has wide experience and vast knowledge in this field.In this podcast we discuss:How Mike got interested in studying LawSome of the career options for those who study LawUndergraduate majors to prepare for law schoolWhere he discovered some of the connections between the Christian worldview and law, and how that shaped himWhat helped him grow in his faith during law schoolSome challenges he faced as a believer in law schoolThings you must understand to pick the right law school and flourish thereSome ways Christians in law can have a redemptive influence for ChristThe importance of joining the Christian Legal Society for the journey through law schoolThe proper role of the Lord in the discernment process when considering law schoolResources mentioned during our conversation:Mike Schutt, Redeeming Law: Christian Calling and the Legal ProfessionChristian Legal SocietyCLS Law Student MinistriesCross and Gavel podcastRobert F. Cochran, Jr. and John Inazu, The Servant Lawyer: Facing the Challenges of Christian Faith in Everyday Law Practice

In this episode, we challenge the idea that studying as a student (and throughout the rest of our lives) is a necessary evil. Rather, we discuss why study is to be embraced and how it plays an important role in forming us into Christ’s image as we increasingly learn to love God with our minds. My guest is Dr. Richard Smith, who has just written Such a Mind as This, a study of the role of thinking well in the Old Testament. In this podcast we discuss:The role the mind plays in our flourishingWhat the Old Testament has to say about the role of thinking in spiritual formationWhy so many churches and ministries see the mind as the enemy of growth in ChristHow the shift in worship music can be harmful to our spiritual lifeHow the belief that deeper study is harmful to our spiritual life negatively affects studentsExamples of students who have flourished by asking good questions and finding good answers Resources mentioned during our conversation:Richard Smith, Such a Mind as ThisJohn Frame, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of GodGresham Machen, Christianity and LiberalismDaniel Strange, Making Faith MagneticRichard Smith, The Heart ThinksGetty MusicSovereign Grace MusicL’AbriSuggested book list (left side of home page)Such a Mind as This YouTubeLester R. Juarez YouTubeCentro de Estudios Cristianos KuyperCosmovisión BíblicaCollege Faith #20: How Christian Study Centers Minister to University StudentsCollege Faith #49: Why Are Students Required to Take General Education (or “Core Curriculum”) Courses?College Faith Podcast #61: Redeeming Philosophy: How Christian Scholars Changed The ConversationCollege Faith Podcast #38: The Pop-Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for ChristCollege Faith #1: How University Students Can Love God with Their Minds – Dr. JP Moreland

This episode’s conversation is especially important if you've ever felt like your faith was unraveling—or if you've watched someone you care about go through that.

I’m joined by Dr. Peter Schuurman, a sociologist, pastor, and co-author of Blessed Are the Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada. It’s a book full of real-life stories from people who have struggled with their faith — and it addresses themes well beyond the Canadian context.

Whether you’re deconstructing, reconstructing, or just trying to hang on to your faith—this conversation is for you. 

In this podcast we discuss:

Why Peter wrote Blessed Are The Undone for this moment

What surprised him most when interviewing believers who are “deconstructing” their faith

Why it is so important to know why Christianity is true before going to college

The role parents, pastors, and Christian communities can have in helping students doubting their faith

Discerning the difference between healthy doubt and losing one’s faith

Why “inerrancy” and LGBTQ are often stumbling blocks leading students (and others) to deconstruct their faith

How to rebuild a sustainable faith after deconstruction

Advice on finding a healthy church

The importance of also deconstructing our atheistic, hedonistic culture and universities

The value of listening to others’ stories of their journey to faith

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

Peter Schuurman and Angela Reitsma Bick, Blessed Are The Undone: Testimonies of the Quiet Deconstruction of Faith in Canada

Keith Campbell, “Filter-Free Praying When Things Get Tough,” College Faith Podcast #57

Stan Wallace and J.P. Moreland, “An Introduction to Have We Lost Our Minds?,” Thinking Christianly Podcast #33

Stan Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing

Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth

Rick Mattson, “Finding the ‘Middle Way’ in the LGBTQ+ Conversation,” College Faith Podcast #40

Ross Douthat, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

Justin Brierly, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old And Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again

Larry Sanger, “How a Skeptical Philosopher Becomes a Christian”(see also The Gospel Coalition’s “Wikipedia Founder Embraces Christianity: Larry Sanger’s Testimony Highlights”)

Joseph A. Scimecca, The Not So Outrageous Idea of a Christian Sociology

In the mid-20th century, many in academia assumed that serious philosophy had little room for Christian belief. But in the past fifty-plus years, something remarkable has happened—a quiet revolution in the philosophy departments of leading universities. Christian philosophers have not only entered the conversation; they’ve shaped it, challenged prevailing assumptions, and earned a respected place in scholarly dialogue. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Greg Ganssle, author, philosopher, and Department Chair of Talbot School of Theology’s Philosophy Department.

We explore how the revival of Christian philosophy began, the thinkers who helped spark it, and what it means for students of faith navigating the intellectual climate of today’s colleges in all academic departments.

In this podcast we discuss:

Why conversations about what is really real (including God) were off the table in the early 20th Century

What happened in the 1960s to change this climate in our universities

How these changes opened the door for Christian philosophy to re-enter the academic conversation

The importance of intentionally uniting biblical truth and philosophical truth, and of forming community among Christian philosophers

The methodology and strategy of Christian philosophers to renew their discipline for God’s glory

How Christian philosophers earned respect for their perspectives

The state of apologetics (applied philosophy) today and in the future

How students in other majors can apply what we learn from the renaissance of Christian thought in philosophy

What insight from philosophy has been most helpful to him personally in his walk with Christ

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

The Society of Christian Philosophers (Journal: Faith and Philosophy)

The Evangelical Philosophical Society (Journal: Philosophia Christi)

Alvin Plantinga, God and Other Minds: A Study of the Rational Justification of Belief in God

Rivendell Institute at Yale University

Greg Ganssle, A Reasonable God: Engaging the New Face of Atheism

Paul Gould, Cultural Apologetics: Renewing the Christian Voice, Conscience, and Imagination in a Disenchanted World

Greg Ganssle, Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human Aspirations

Clifford Williams, Existential Reasons for Belief in God: A Defense of Desires and Emotions for Faith

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine

College Faith podcasts on Community

JP Moreland, The Recalcitrant Imago Dei: Human Persons and the Failure of Naturalism

Stan Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing

Arthur Holmes, Contours of a World View

Mark Noll, Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind

Closer To Truth (YouTube channel) - short interviews with Christian philosophers and others

 Tom Morris, ed., God And The Philosophers: The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason

Kelly James Clark, ed., Philosophers who Believe: The Spiritual Journeys of 11 Leading Thinkers

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Corey Miler, the President and CEO of Ratio Christi, an apologetics ministry on over 100 campuses in the U.S. I’ve invited him to join me to discuss the ministry of Ratio Christi.

 

In this podcast we discuss:

What “ratio Christi” means and how that relates to doing “apologetics evangelism”

How Ratio Christi differs from other apologetics ministries and from other campus ministries

How Ratio Christi overlaps with other apologetics ministries and with other campus ministries

How Ratio Christi connects with the local church

What a student can expect at a Ratio Christi chapter meeting

How Ratio Christi campus leaders are selected

Resources provided to those in Ratio Christi chapters

The path to joining Ratio Christi’s staff  

How students can find a Ratio Christi chapter

Ratio Christi resources for church and community groups

Stories of how Ratio Christi chapters have made a real difference in students’ lives

The importance of the local church caring about the state of higher education and equipping believers to defend the Faith

 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

RatioChristi.org

Ratio Christi Press

College Faith Podcast #59: “Learning With Others to Defend the Faith: Joining a Reasonable Faith Chapter”

Stand To Reason Outposts (small groups)

Reasons to Believe

Veritas Forum

J.P. Moreland, Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul

Stan W. Wallace, Have We Lost Our Minds? Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing   

Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, More Than A Carpenter

Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist

Mark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind

Do you want to find and share answers to skeptics' questions about the Christian faith? Would you enjoy being around other thoughtful Christians also interested in answering these questions? Then consider joining or beginning a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus or in your city. My guest in this episode is Tyson James, Reasonable Faith’s National Chapter Director. We discuss why being a part of a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus or in your community can make a big difference.

 

In this podcast we discuss:

Why it is so important to understand apologetics while in college

What a Reasonable Faith chapter on campus is all about

How you can be involved in both a Reasonable Faith chapter and another campus ministry

How to find a Reasonable Faith chapter on your campus

How you can become a Chapter Director to start and lead a Reasonable Faith chapter if there isn’t yet one on your campus (or in your city)

How Reasonable Faith helps you launch a chapter

How much time is involved in being a Chapter Director

What is distinctive about the Reasonable Faith chapter program  

A few stories of how God has used Reasonable Faith chapters

 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

Reasonable Faith

Reasonable Faith Chapters

Tyson’s email: [email protected]

Ratio Christi

William Lane Craig

Dr. Craig’s Defender’s Class

William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics

William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland, eds., The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology

J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview

William Lane Craig, On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision

Greg Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions

In this episode we’re talking about something that might sound like it’s only for pastors or missionaries, but actually applies to all of us: mission.

I’m joined by Eric Rafferty and Jon Hietbrink, two of the authors of Reviving Mission: Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God, and we’re digging into what it means to live with purpose, not just someday, but right now—in your dorm, your classes, your friend group, your part-time job.

Whether you're wrestling with faith, seeking more meaning, or just wondering if God is at work around you, this conversation will challenge and encourage you in a down-to-earth way.

 

In this podcast we discuss:

Why this book is so important for this moment in higher education

What has been lost in how we think about mission, and why it needs to be regained

The four-fold pattern of mission that is central in Scripture and unpacked in their book

How students can live on mission in the midst of their busy lives

Why students are qualified to be “on mission” even when they don’t feel they are

Some traps students should avoid as they try to live out their faith “on mission” 

How to develop missional rhythms while in college that last beyond the college years

A first small step to joining what God’s doing on campus

 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

Jon Hietbrink, Eric Rafferty, and Linson Daniel, Reviving Mission: Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God

Do you ever feel you can’t really be honest with God when you are upset, angry, or grieving? My guest in this episode believes you don’t need to filter your prayers, and has the biblical evidence to back him up. I’m joined by Dr. Keith Campbell, author of Of Heroes and Villains, which explores prayers of lament in the New Testament. Keith received his Ph.D. in New Testament from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Global Scholars.

In this podcast we discuss:

 

Why it's okay to wrestle with God when things go wrong, not filtering our prayers

The biblical basis for questioning God, wrestling with God, and crying out to God (lament prayer)

Why we don’t hear much about this type of prayer, and what we lose as a result

How filter-free praying helped him in his walk with Christ while at college

Isn’t this childish, just throwing a temper tantrum because we are immature and unable to accept God’s will?

Where trust comes in during a filtered or lament prayer

The role of others when we are in dark days

New Testament examples, including Jesus’s example of praying an unfiltered prayer

Does this type of prayer really change anything?

Doesn’t this type of prayer contradict commands to “consider it all joy” and assurances that God will ultimately make all right?

How college students can help revive the practice of filter-free praying

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

 

D. Keith Campbell, Of Heroes and Villains: The Influence of the Psalmic Lament on Synoptic Characterization

C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Dallas Willard, Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God

“Why Pray?”, Thinking Christianly podcast #10

May Young, Walking With God Through The Valley: Recovering the Purpose of Biblical Lament

In this episode, we are discussing how to make wise decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas, both in your personal life and in your studies. My guest is Dr. Scott Rae, a distinguished Christian ethicist and professor at the Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Scott is widely recognized for his work in bioethics, business ethics, and moral philosophy from a Christian worldview. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the University of Southern California and has authored or co-authored numerous influential books, including Moral Choices and Beyond Integrity. Rae is also a frequent speaker and consultant on ethical issues facing the church, business, and society.

In this podcast we discuss:

How Scott first got interested in learning about ethical reasoning, especially related to business ethics and bioethics

The four ways people answer the “Says who?” question about right and wrong

Finding common ground with others on ethical issues

Scott’s very helpful model of ethical decision making applied to three case studies:

Navigating your girlfriend’s pregnancy

Wrestling with honoring your friend vs. confidentiality at work

Dealing with the challenge of plagiarism at school

Why “inner peace” is not a good guide to ethical decision making

Why we shout at one another so much in our polarized culture today

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

Scott Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics

Scott Rae, Introducing Christian Ethics: A Short Guide to Making Moral Choices

Scott Rae and Kenman Wong, Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics

Scott Rae and Kenman Wong, Business for the Common Good: A Christian Vision for the Marketplace

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

The Theology of Work Project

The Denver Institute for Faith and Work

In this edition we are discussing a very prevalent philosophy on university campuses today (as well as in many churches): Postmodernism. My guest is Dr. Scott Smith, Professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology. Scott has written quite a few articles and well-received books on this topic and often speaks on postmodernism and its implications in churches, at conferences, and on podcasts like this one.

 

In this podcast we discuss:

What postmodernism is, and how it developed out of modernity

Why the theory of nominalism (the belief that there is no reality beyond the words we use for things) is the foundation of postmodernism

Why Scott is so interested in this issue as a Christian

Examples of where students will encounter postmodern thought

Concerns about the rise in “expressive individualism”

What we can learn from postmodern thought

What we must reject in postmodern thought

A practical suggestion for how to converse with someone who embraces postmodernism

 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

Scott Smith, Truth and the New Kind of Christian: The Emerging Effects of Postmodernism in the Church

Scott Smith, Authentically Emergent: In Search of a Truly Progressive Christianity

Scott Smith, Exposing the Roots of Constructivism: Nominalism and the Ontology of Knowledge

Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution

Carl R. Trueman, Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution

Douglas Groothuis, Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism

Scott Smith’s Website:

The Dangers of Nominalism

Making Sense of Morality: Problems with Naturalism

Podcast discussing Scott’s book Exposing the Roots of Constructivism