What’s the real point of your business — and your life?

In this mind-opening conversation, scholar and cultural commentator Spencer Klavan joins host Sanger Smith to explore one of the most overlooked foundations in entrepreneurship: God.

Spencer, associate editor of the Claremont Review of Books and host of Young Heretics, draws from ancient philosophy, Western civilization, and his own theological lens to examine what happens when faith, science, and leadership intersect.

Whether you’re leading a company, raising a family, or just trying to figure out why the world feels so off lately — this conversation pulls back the curtain on the real questions we’re all wrestling with.

This episode isn’t just philosophical — it’s deeply practical. It's a wake-up call for any leader building something on shaky ground.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Is there more to this than money, metrics, and growth?” — this is the episode to press play on.

KEY TOPICS

• Why you can’t separate science from theology — and why that matters for leaders today

• How the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution were asking the same question: “What is truth?”

• Why the collapse of secularism is fueling a spiritual hunger in business, culture, and everyday life

• The rise of AI, the myth of human replacement, and the eternal longing tech can’t fill

• What Russell Brand, Ion Hirsi Ali, and modern seekers reveal about the return to faith

• The role of humility in leadership — and how to be the mentor people run to at 2AM

• Why the telos (final cause) of your company may be the most important question you’re not asking

  
  

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Introduction 

• 01:20 The Role of Theology in Business

• 03:31 Scientific Revolution and Religion

• 07:21 Philosophy and Science Intertwined

• 17:02 Modern Atheism and Its Decline

• 21:02 Spirituality in Business Leadership

• 30:01 Defining True Christianity

• 32:09 Debating the Apostle Creed

• 33:02 Historical Context of Christian Creeds

• 34:39 Modern Converts and Cultural Christianity

• 36:37 Stages of Faith Development

• 38:56 Challenges in Faith and Personal Responsibility

• 47:21 The Role of Technology in Faith

• 53:00 Final Thoughts and Leadership Insights
  

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• Sanger’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/sangersmith
  

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CONNECT WITH SPENCER KLAVAN

• Instagram: @sklavan Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/SpencerAKlavan/⁠
• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-klavan-0a963631/⁠ ⁠
• How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises⁠ ⁠
• Light of the Mind, Light of the World: How New Science is Illuminating Ancient Truths About God⁠
• The New Jerusalem Substack: ⁠https://thenewjerusalem.substack.com/⁠
• Rejoice Evermore Substack: ⁠https://rejoiceevermore.substack.com/⁠
• Podcast: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/young-heretics/id1513602173⁠ 

Spencer Klavan is a scholar, associate editor of the Claremont Review of Books, and host of the Young Heretics podcast. A graduate of Yale, he earned his doctorate in ancient Greek literature from Oxford University.  

Spencer’s deep understanding of the roots of Western civilization makes him a trustworthy guide for navigating our evolving culture, and what we can do to help. His analysis: The situation is dire. But every crisis we face today we have faced—and surmounted—before.