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The Christian Skeptic
The Christian Skeptic episodes
- Is it a cop-out to say ‘God’s in control’?
Is it a cop-out to say ‘God’s in control’? Is everything that happens really God’s will? This week, we talk about the tension between God’s sovereignty and human accountability. We dive into the concepts of determinism, free will, and God’s role in sweeping up the messes we create. We also reflect on the difference between God allowing suffering versus actively causing it, and how that shapes our understanding of his care in both cosmic and personal contexts.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (03:24) - Biblical perspectives on suffering and sovereignty
- (07:59) - Are certain things outside of God's will?
- (10:19) - The war of the wills
- (19:59) - How does God work all things for good?
- (26:59) - What God actually cares about
- (31:48) - Grace for self-inflicted wounds
- (40:16) - The Horse and His Boy
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
47 min - Is God Actually Happy With Us?
Is God actually happy with us? What is the connection between faith, works, and grace in the Christian life? Is there such a thing as a “good Christian”?
This week, we explore these questions and discuss what it means to please God. We wrestle with the complexity of identity in Christ, the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, the concept of future grace, and how our actions—whether good or bad—reveal deeper realities about our faith.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (01:27) - A practical theology
- (05:35) - Do our actions matter?
- (08:19) - Behavior reflects belief
- (13:29) - It's complicated
- (19:02) - What does the bible mean when it talks about behavior?
- (25:42) - Adoption, identity, and future grace
- (29:37) - Are we all good Christians?
- (32:48) - Saving faith vs sanctifying faith
- (36:00) - Obedience and motivation
- (44:30) - Book picks
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
46 min - Are We Living in the Last Days?
This week, we talk about eschatology—the study of the end times. Church history is replete with people predicting the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming. And yet, we’re still here. We examine the common thread that ties all these predictions together, and do a deep dive into the various views of the second coming, and the four main frameworks used to understand and interpret apocalyptic literature in scripture.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (00:48) - Weather skeptics?
- (03:06) - Are we living in the last days?
- (05:24) - Chrisitan Skepticism is a third way between extremes
- (09:31) - Eschatology 101
- (18:04) - The Futurist View
- (20:03) - The Historicist View
- (20:31) - The Idealist View
- (21:06) - The Preterist View
- (24:13) - The Day of the Lord
- (38:10) - The Rapture
- (41:22) - Why does any of this matter?
- (47:40) - Recommended reading
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
52 min - Are Christians Afraid of Grace?
This week, we dive deep into Antinomianism, what it is, and how it has impacted our lives. We also discuss the danger of unexamined beliefs, misunderstandings around justification and sanctification, the role of the law in Christianity, and the interplay between sin, grace, and identity.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (01:38) - Owning your crap
- (01:53) - Caring what people think
- (03:19) - The role of the law in Christianity
- (05:27) - Enneagram 5s vs tradition
- (10:58) - What is Antinomianism?
- (18:32) - Justification vs Sanctification
- (22:58) - The fear of grace
- (26:54) - What’s the worst sin you can commit?
- (29:06) - Should we judge others?
- (30:48) - What is your identity?
- (37:58) - What we’re reading
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
43 min - The Surprising Joy of Christian Skepticism
This week, we dive into the concept of Christian Skepticism, exploring its meaning, significance, and how it ultimately leads to joy.
Christian Skepticism is a worldview that questions all doctrines, confessions, lifestyles, and practices—regardless of popularity or cultural/religious acceptance—in an effort to separate absolute truth from mere opinion, bias, or propaganda, using the Bible as the highest authority is determining these absolutes. We believe that God is not honored through falsehood, ungrounded religious dogmatism, or preferential conclusion masquerading as cosmic certainty, but is instead honored when truth is discovered, taught, and lived out.
This approach distinguishes absolute truth from opinion, bias, and propaganda.
Christian Skepticism is not about doubting, but about rigorously seeking truth, ensuring foundational beliefs remain intact while allowing for differences in secondary and tertiary issues. We also touch on the historical context and importance of biblical literacy in living out this worldview, the balance between protecting the integrity of the faith and liberating believers from dogmatic constraints.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Welcome to the Christian Skeptic
- (04:33) - Defining Christian skepticism
- (04:52) - Christian Skepticism vs. Christian Hedonism
- (09:17) - Foundational elements of faith
- (13:42) - Protecting and liberating the church
- (17:46) - Jesus and deconstructing convention
- (19:47) - Primary vs. secondary concerns
- (23:40) - Skepticism vs. cynicism
- (27:06) - The importance of biblical literacy
- (33:05) - The radical nature of grace
- (37:54) - Influences on modern Christianity
Key topics discussed
- Why Christian Skepticism leads to ultimate joy
- How Christian Skepticism protects and liberates the church
- Why critical thinking and self-awareness are essential in evaluating the influence of cultural norms and personal bias
- Why the radical nature of grace leads to true transformation
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
41 min - Deconstruction Is a Good Idea
This week, we talk about deconstruction vs deconversion, and why much of historic Christianity has been lost amid centuries of cultural and theological opinion and bias. We also discuss how suffering has shaped our faith, and tackle questions about God’s goodness, our lack of ability to be “good Christians”, and the role of intellect and emotion in our faith.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Welcome to The Christian Skeptic
- (02:58) - Why we have not deconverted
- (14:46) - What's different about the pain and suffering then vs the pain and suffering now?
- (22:58) - Disillusionment with God vs hurt from people
- (25:14) - Is God good?
- (26:44) - Can we follow God's example?
- (30:28) - How much free will do we actually have?
- (33:24) - Being OK with things not making sense
Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org.
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
40 min - 70% of Modern Christianity Is Just Made Up
In this inaugural episode of The Christian Skeptic, we talk about how much our lives have changed in recent years and why we're doing this podcast now. We discuss how suffering has impacted our faith, being raised in a strict religious environment, and our struggles with modern Christianity.
In this episode:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (01:12) - A decade in the making
- (05:00) - The cult next door
- (06:29) - Grey Town
- (13:15) - Radical grace
- (23:00) - Theological shifts
- (26:56) - Does God make sense?
Links
- Charles Spurgeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon
- Happy Shiney People: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiny_Happy_People:_Duggar_Family_Secrets
- C. S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis
- The Great Divorce: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Divorce-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652950
- Tim Keller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Keller_(pastor)
- Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia
- Francis Schaeffer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Schaeffer
- How Should We Then Live?: https://www.amazon.com/Should-Then-Live-LAbri-Anniversary/dp/1581345364
- John Bunyan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bunyan
- John Wesley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley
- John Piper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Piper_(theologian)
- R. C. Sproul: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._C._Sproul
- Doug Wilson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilson_(theologian)
- Acts 29: https://www.acts29.com
- The Gospel Coalition: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org
- Sadie Robertson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadie_Robertson
- Stephen Furtick: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Furtick
- Steve Brown: https://www.keylife.org/about/steve-brown
- Tullian Tchividjian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tullian_Tchividjian
- Martin Luther: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther
- The Bondage of the Will: https://www.amazon.com/Bondage-Will-Martin-Luther/dp/0801048931
Connect with Adam
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark
Connect with Aaron
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown
Subscribe and stay in touch
- Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9
- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic
30 min - Introducing: The Christian Skeptic
Welcome to The Christian Skeptic, a podcast about faith, doubt, and what it means to be a Christian.
Our Manifesto
Christian Skepticism is a worldview that questions all doctrines, confessions, lifestyles, and practices — regardless of popularity or cultural/religious acceptance — in an effort to separate absolute truth from mere opinion, bias, or propaganda, using the Bible as the highest authority is determining these absolutes. We believe that God is not honored through falsehood, ungrounded religious dogmatism, or preferential conclusion masquerading as cosmic certainty, but is instead honored when truth is discovered, taught, and lived out.
Connect
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9
7 min
About The Christian Skeptic
From the publisher's feed
Hey, we’re Adam and Aaron, and we have a simple belief: faith should be rooted in truth, not tradition. On this show, we question everything—doctrines, traditions, cultural expectations, and religious…
dogma—not to dismantle Christianity, but to restore it to its biblical and historical essence. Whether you’re wrestling with doubt, deconstructing your beliefs, or just longing for some intellectual honesty, The Christian Skeptic is a space for real conversations about what it truly means to follow Jesus. New episodes drop every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and be part of the conversation at thechristianskeptic.org.