Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

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Ep. 12 The AI Episode: https://youtu.be/4hcTK9ye0KE

Ep. 09 The Case for Realism: https://youtu.be/tmFTsJRs5dg  

Ep. 29 Man’s Place in the Cosmos: https://youtu.be/uohc2aWOJbw

Another round of some of our favorite and underrated episode endings that you may have missed. We’ll dive into AI and consciousness, why Christianity is committed to philosophical realism, and an exploration of nostalgia through philosophical and theological lenses. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro

00:2:03 Is AI conscious? What is Mind? 

00:38:05 Christianity is a realist religion. 

01:11:07 Man is a microcosm for all God’s creations & how God interacts with the world 

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

   📚 Fill out registration 

   📚 Verify your email 

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   📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 

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   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration

   📖 $300 audit  

   🎓$500 college credit 

Part 1 on Penal Substitution: https://youtu.be/WHx21LQncFI

Dr. Jacobs continues his examination of Eastern and Western atonement theology by analyzing key theological concepts through both traditions' interpretive lenses. The episode explores how East and West understand sin, wrath, and Christ's role as mediator, and finally, addressing the philosophical problems Dr. Jacobs identifies with penal substitution theory. 

00:00:00 Intro 

00:13:54 Delineating the Latin West / Christian East

00:20:07 Roadmap for the episode 

00:26:31 Interpretive lenses when reading scripture or the church fathers 

00:32:30 “Sin” East and West 

00:36:44 “Wrath” East and West

00:44:53 “Mediator” East and West 

00:59:32 Anachronism in reading biblical text (Leviticus 16) 

01:05:23 Other language in scripture 

01:11:05 The debtor metaphors relating to Christ

01:14:48 What are we made to become? 

01:35:40 Penal substitution is philosophically problematic — Justice & Mercy 

01:47:57 Problem 2 — “I love Jesus, but God the Father is terrifying”

01:52:38 Christ & the torments of Hell

01:56:38 How could anyone else be condemned? 

02:03:13 Does retributive justice set the world right?  

Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/

   📚 Click “Join as a student”

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   📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration

📖 $300 audit  

🎓$500 college credit  

The Most Important Question - https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4

Longing, Nostalgia, & Spiritual Simplicity - https://youtu.be/kABn890L3es

The Ideology of Hell - https://youtu.be/G1lrYYqg5qY

Archetypes, Inspiration, & Christianity - https://youtu.be/qjBjTJHbEkI

Today we replay some of our favorite endings. The episodes can get kind of long and we hate for listeners to miss some of Dr. Jacobs’ best work in his wrap-ups. You’ll find commentary on the culture war, realism, nominalism, longing and nostalgia, and some thoughts to help you stay grounded in these unprecedented times. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:06:26 Clip 1 (The culture war, homosexuality, transgenderism, feminism, rights) 

00:30:15 Clip 2 (How can I miss something I’ve never had? Daryl Dixon’s question from The Walking Dead) 

01:03:03 Clip 3 (The pitfalls of uplifting the individual. Originally a commentary on Tucker Carlson and Aleksandr Dugin) 

01:46:40 Clip 4 (Using Christianity as utilitarian instead of a feature of reality. Response to Jordan Peterson, Alex O’Connor, and Richard Dawkins)

Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle Episode: https://youtu.be/ZSf7o3Jel_g

Dr. Jacobs compares how Eastern and Western Christianity understand Christ's death on the cross, examining the theological differences that emerged over centuries. The discussion traces the Western development from Augustine through the Protestant Reformers and their focus on penal substitution, while exploring Eastern perspectives from church fathers like Gregory of Nyssa. Dr. Jacobs analyzes these competing views of atonement and their implications for how Christians understand salvation and God's justice.

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:01:43 The average understanding of the crucifixion 

00:06:03 The Western evolution (Latin West and Protestant Reformation) 

00:31:01 The Christian East and the Church Fathers 

Read the original letter: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/to-a-woman-who-lost-several-children

In this episode, Dr. Jacobs reads aloud a deeply personal letter written to "Etheline," a woman who had lost several children and sought theological perspective on suffering. The letter explores three key Eastern patristic doctrines: the distinction between God's antecedent and consequent will, the doctrine of synergy and divine energies, and Christ's descent into Hades. Dr. Jacobs applies these theological frameworks to questions of child loss, divine goodness, and God's presence in suffering. The letter demonstrates how Eastern Orthodox theology addresses the problem of evil through a lens of divine pursuit and redemptive purpose.

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Get notified when registration Dr. Jacobs’ class goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9

In this Q&A episode, Dr. Jacobs addresses ten challenging questions about the problem of evil and divine foreknowledge. He tackles issues ranging from whether God's plan for salvation required evil acts, to how divine foreknowledge works when predicted events don't occur, to why Jewish and Christian traditions differ on evil as privation of good. Dr. Jacobs also examines whether ethical frameworks create false dilemmas, explores the concept of a malicious deity, and clarifies Eastern Orthodox views on body-soul unity. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:26 Question 1: Did God’s plan for Christ require evil/sin? 

00:22:06 Question 2: How did God know Keilah would betray David if it never happened?

00:31:59 Question 3: Is the God vs. evil debate a false dilemma between deontology and utilitarianism?

00:53:57 Question 4: Does the story of Jesus healing the blind man demonstrate God as a utilitarian? 

01:07:06 Question 5: If you would stop someone you loved from being hurt, why wouldn’t God? 

01:23:22 Question 6: Natural disasters and the problem of evil (and why doesn’t God get rid of demons?) 

01:33:37 Question 7: Do Jewish sources actually view evil as a privation of good?

01:38:58 Question 8: Why doesn't anyone argue that evil exists because of a malicious God?

01:44:02 Question 9: Are there evil archetypes? 

01:49:28 Question 10: Is the Eastern Orthodox view of body-soul a hard dualism or psychosomatic holism?

Question 1:Human evil is a consequence of freedom, not divine planning. Yet the crucifixion required specific acts of evil: unjust torture and execution of Christ. How do you reconcile this? If God's plan needed these acts of injustice, doesn't this complicate the idea that evil is merely a byproduct of free choices?

Question 2:In 1 Samuel 23, God tells David that Keilah will deliver him to Saul. David leaves and isn't captured. If God knows the future because it happens, how does He know Keilah will betray David? Educated prediction based on knowing their hearts?

Question 3:You contrast human utilitarian decision-making with God's. But in the "baby Hitler" example, isn't the reasoning based on "don't kill innocent people"? Could this be another false dilemma?

Question 4:If God isn't utilitarian, how does Jesus say about a blind man that he wasn't blind because of sin but to show God's glory? Isn't that God choosing evil to make good?

Question 5:If you could stop your child from being *****, would you? If so, why wouldn't God?

Question 6:How might natural disasters fit into this discussion?

Question 7:You say "Jewish and Christian response" about evil's etiology, but Rabbinical tradition rejected evil as privation of good. Where do you see this in Jewish sources—that God allows evil for free agents but doesn't will it?

Question 8:Why haven't I heard the problem of evil handled by positing a malicious God? Why doesn't anyone argue evil exists because "God" is malicious and sadistic?

Question 9:Are there evil archetypes? If evil is distortion, every "evil archetype" is distortion too. Can archetypes as universal forces really be distorted?

Question 10:Dr. Jacobs speaks of strict body-soul dualism as separate parts. However, Eastern Orthodox position seems holistic—soul and body inseparable. Since the Fathers predated modernist splits, didn't they have a unified view of personhood?

Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9

Why Would God Make the Damned? https://youtu.be/H2Ja5WeOo1A

In this episode, Dr. Jacobs examines the contrasting views on divine foreknowledge between Western and Eastern Christian traditions. He’ll explore the perspectives of Augustine, Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus from the Latin West juxtaposed against John of Damascus, Basil of Caesarea and Origen from the Christian East. Dr. Jacobs clears up misconceptions and shows that the Eastern Church Fathers were not open theists. The answers from the east may surprise you. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:06:58 The various views of divine foreknowledge 

0015:16 The Latin West on foreknowledge 

00:41:39 The Christian East on foreknowledge 

Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9

In this sixth and final installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs explores the Eastern Fathers' understanding of The Fall, demonic influence, and animal suffering. The episode examines how the church fathers interpreted humanity's departure from divine communion and its consequences. The Eastern tradition frames suffering within creation's journey toward the 8th Day—a restoration and fulfillment beyond fallen existence. This final episode synthesizes the patristic view of evil's nature and God's redemptive plan for all creation.

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

https://www.academia.edu/41586437/The_Metaphysical_Idealism_of_the_Eastern_Church_Fathers

In this fifth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs examines the patristic narrative, exploring how the early church fathers understood creation's purpose and humanity's relationship with the divine. The episode investigates the Genesis narrative through a patristic lens, revealing how creation was designed for communion and participation in divine life. Learn how partaking in the divine will offers a framework for understanding evil not as God's creation, but as a privation of good. 

All the links: 

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

00:00:00 Intro 

00:10:22 The nature of God 

00:41:58 God & Creation 

01:02:32 Why even create creatures with free will? 

01:05:31 The Genesis creation narrative 

Dr. Jacobs gives feedback on the recently viral Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle clip with an Orthodox college student. You’ll get a rundown of some specific differences between Eastern and Western Christianity and why they can’t be ignored in discussions like this. Specifically you’ll hear about basic misunderstandings of grace and works. 

All the links: 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs