In my previous episode, I explored whether the Eastern Church Fathers actually reject the theory of evolution. In this follow-up, I answer a different question entirely: Do I reject evolution—and if so, why?

Rather than appealing to the age of the earth or death before the Fall, this discussion examines the philosophical foundations of evolution through the lens of realism, a metaphysical framework embraced by the Eastern Church Fathers. Along the way, I respond to common objections, clarify my views on Young Earth Creationism, and explain why these conversations matter for Orthodox theology.

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Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

00:00:53 Two Questions About Evolution

00:01:58 Why I Reject Evolution

00:02:40 Realism vs. Nominalism

00:05:01 Essential vs. Accidental Properties

00:06:31 The Problem with Evolutionary Change

00:12:20 Why Nominalism Undermines Science

00:16:14 The Church Fathers and Realism

00:19:11 "According to Their Kind"

00:20:55 Responding to Common Objections

00:22:18 Old Earth vs. Young Earth

00:27:06 The Consensus of the Fathers

00:31:48 What Kind of Consensus Matters?

00:36:01 Theology vs. Science

00:42:15 The Orthodox Mind and Philosophy

00:45:14 What the Fathers Actually Handed Down

00:47:20 Can You Be Orthodox and Young Earth?

00:49:08 Responding to More Objections

00:57:12 Is Young Earth Creationism Possible?

01:00:03 The Real Danger

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Relevant Links:​

Do the Church Fathers Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/4BugOwStHqg​

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

The Truth About Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday:  https://youtu.be/0wCnpitmfZg

Misunderstanding Mystery: https://youtu.be/VlWiYFfHTeY

The True Christian Philosophy | The Metaphysics of the Ecumenical Councils: https://youtu.be/sFWp2QQzUFA

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

Can we trust our minds to know reality?

This clip is taken from Nathan Jacobs' most recent interview with Thomas Thorogood and features a reaction to a discussion between Destiny and T.K. Coleman on The Minimalists podcast. Their exchange raises a profound philosophical question: what makes our reasoning faculties trustworthy in the first place?

Nathan explores properly functioning faculties, Descartes' skepticism, moderate foundationalism, and the crucial distinction between realism and nominalism. Along the way, he argues that every act of perception, reasoning, language, and scientific inquiry already presupposes realism, making it impossible to consistently live or argue as a nominalist.

If you've ever wondered whether we can genuinely know reality—or what our ability to reason tells us about the nature of the world—this discussion offers a compelling introduction to some of philosophy's deepest questions.

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Timestamps

00:00 — A Debate About Objective Morality

06:24 — Why Our Faculties Matter

09:21 — Properly Functioning Faculties

09:48 — Hard vs Moderate Foundationalism

10:19 — Descartes and Radical Doubt

13:09 — Why Skepticism Cannot Be Lived

14:24 — Trusting Our Faculties

16:26 — The Most Important Question in Philosophy

17:26 — Realism vs Nominalism

19:14 — Why Perception Depends on Realism

20:34 — Why Logic Depends on Realism

22:17 — Why Everyone Lives Like a Realist

23:14 — Realism and Providence

24:07 — Morality, the Numinous, and Human Experience

25:52 — Every Argument Presupposes Realism

26:56 — Living Consistently With Your Worldview

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Thomas Thorogood Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNu3mGq6HhU

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

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

Part 2 of Nathan Jacobs’ journey into Eastern Orthodoxy.

After years of studying philosophy and theology, Nathan began reading the Eastern Church Fathers for the first time. What hediscovered completely transformed his understanding of Christianity, leading him to explore the Orthodox Church and ultimatelyembrace the faith.

In this episode, Nathan continues his personal story, explaining how the writings of St. Athanasius, the Cappadocian Fathers, andthe broader Orthodox tradition reshaped his understanding of God, salvation, deification, and the Christian life.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Encountering the Eastern Church Fathers

04:20 A Different Vision of God

08:20 A Christianity Unlike Anything I’d Known

09:21 Discovering the Theology of the Fathers

14:42 Deification and the Divine Energies

18:09 Eastern and Western Christianity Compared

23:28 Tracing the Orthodox Tradition

25:21 My First Visit to an Orthodox Church

26:18 The Beauty of Divine Liturgy

30:08 Wrestling with My Final Questions

31:04 Entering the Orthodox Church

32:12 The East and West Series

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/cWcVOvEu7dM?si=U4Y8eOXsEB9q5DAh

Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=8OOfJZxFUu3-CRDb

All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

In this special collaboration episode, Thomas Thorogood sits down with Nathan Jacobs for an in-depth conversation. They dive into Nathan's experience making a horror film, the horror genre in general, Satan and demons in the Bible and church history, the nature of evil, and more.

Opening music is 'Cinematic Time Lapse' by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay.

Connect with The Nathan Jacobs Podcast:

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thenathanjacobspodcast?si=eeVQhaVEBEtu0Voc

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

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

• Substack (The Theological Letters): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

• Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

Connect with Thomas Thorogood (The Stir and Fry Podcast):

• YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCleEvOcQVTb5y2CeIixj0Gg/videos⁠

• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thorogood.thomas⁠

• Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThomasThorogood⁠

Copyright Disclaimer: under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, allowance is made for 'exceptions to copyright' such as criticism, review, quotation, news reporting, caricature, parody, or pastiche.

I believe that the use of content in this video/thumbnail is fair use. If any content owners would like to dispute this, I will be glad to immediately remove the content in question. I do not wish to infringe on anyone's content ownership.

Why would a philosopher become Orthodox?

In this deeply personal episode, Nathan Jacobs shares the story of his journey from a Lutheran upbringing, through philosophy, skepticism, art, and years of intellectual searching, to discovering the Eastern Church Fathers and ultimately embracing Eastern Orthodoxy.

This is not simply a conversion story—it is an account of how questions about truth, God, beauty, morality, and the nature of reality led to the Orthodox Church. Along the way, Nathan reflects on his spiritual awakening, his study of philosophy and theology, his encounter with the Church Fathers, and the profound impact of experiencing the Divine Liturgy for the first time.

If you’re exploring Orthodoxy, interested in philosophy, or wondering why so many scholars and thinkers are finding their way to the ancient Christian faith, this conversation is for you.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Turning East and My Story

01:33 Growing Up Lutheran

07:56 A Spiritual Awakening

17:17 Studying Philosophy and Christianity

27:42 Discovering Process Philosophy

45:09 Encountering the Eastern Church Fathers

01:16:45 My First Orthodox Church Experience

01:23:15 Entering the Orthodox Church

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

Is the theory of evolution truly incompatible with Christianity? Many assume the Church Fathers rejected evolution outright — but is that what they actually taught?

In this episode, Nathan Jacobs examines the writings of the Eastern Church Fathers on creation, death, Genesis, and the age of the earth. Rather than asking whether evolution is scientifically true, this discussion explores whether Orthodox Christianity actually requires Christians to reject it.

Drawing from figures such as St. John of Damascus, St. Irenaeus, St. Basil the Great, and other early Christian writers, Nathan explores what the Fathers believed about creation, corruption, the Fall, the image of God, and the purpose of humanity.

If you’ve ever wondered whether evolution and Orthodox Christianity must be in conflict, this discussion offers a historical and theological perspective that is often missing from the conversation.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Why Evolution and Christianity Are Seen as Opposed

01:19 The Two Biggest Objections to Evolution

04:09 Why the Eastern Church Fathers Matter

05:41 What “Death” Really Means

10:41 Was Death Present Before the Fall?

13:28 Are Animals Naturally Mortal?

22:15 Did Animal Death Exist Before Adam?

27:14 The Age of the Earth

31:13 Are the Days of Genesis Literal?

37:15 What the Church Fathers Actually Believed

40:57 Final Thoughts

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ

Ressurection Episode: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

Do All Dogs Go to Heaven? https://youtu.be/HlAk0Jm8xd4?si=BwTMvHqJ5ye3PXmK

Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday? https://youtu.be/0wCnpitmfZg?si=7UUKhaIMZK1YSQHF 

Substack on Evolution

Part 1: https://theologicalletters.com/p/an-eastern-perspective-on-the-creation 

Part 2: https://theologicalletters.com/p/an-eastern-perspective-on-the-creation-fd5

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

Are the icons actually idols that violate the biblical prohibition on images? In this episode, Jacobs explores the historical debate surrounding this practice, highlighting how John of Damascus defended the use of images based on the Incarnation, along with his distinction between venerating holy objects and worshiping them. Finally, we look at whether these iconic practices were later deviations or deeply rooted within early Christianity.

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Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ

Ressurection Episode: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

Articles on John of Damascus:

https://www.academia.edu/41586795/John_of_Damascus

https://www.academia.edu/41586562/John_of_Damascus_and_His_Defense_of_Icons

Letter on Early Christianity and Icons: https://theologicalletters.com/p/were-the-earliest-christians-iconoclasts?utm_source=publication-search

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

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

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

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

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

What happens when a profound, perspective-shifting experience forces a young artist to completely re-evaluate everything? In this deep-dive, long-form interview, Dr. Nathan Jacobs sits down with his long-time friend and mentor-turned-colleague, Dr. Chris Firestone, to unpack his journey from artist to philosopher, and ultimately to the world of filmmaking and mainstream Hollywood.

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Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Dr. Nathan Jacobs & The Nathan Jacobs Podcast:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: / thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: / nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://cabasilasinstitute.academia.edu/NathanJacobs

Dr. Chris Firestone & The Firestone Files:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirestoneFiles

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-firestone-files/id1837011306

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

X (Twitter): https://x.com/FirestoneFiles

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefirestonefiles

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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

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

There is an essential doctrine at the heart of historic Christianity that was famously preserved by the Eastern Church Fathers but completely lost to the Western tradition: the Essence-Energies distinction. This video traces the history of this concept, moving from its philosophical origins in Aristotle through its development in Alexandrian Judaism and into the New Testament, culminating in the Church Fathers of the Christian East. The distinction proves to be the indispensable key to how the East understands the gospel, the Trinity, and the Incarnation, while also shaping less obvious doctrines, including the sacraments, veneration, divine revelation, and the nature of the Church itself.======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:Episode on Resurrection: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2kJacobs article on revelation: https://www.academia.edu/34403154/The_Revelation_of_God_East_and_West_Contrasting_Special_Revelation_in_Western_Modernity_with_the_Ancient_Christian_EastAll links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Our apologies to listeners for the late upload on this Tuesday episode!

Is there salvation outside the boundaries of the Eastern Orthodox Church? As the internet remains ablaze with the recent theological clash between Gavin Ortlund and Jonathan Pageau over historic Orthodox exclusivity, the answer remains heavily contested. In this deep-dive dialogue, Drs. Nathan Jacobs and Chris Firestone cut through the online noise to unpack the exact theological and historical nuances underlying this question. From the Protestant desire to be grafted back into the historic tree to the cognitive dissonance Orthodox converts face regarding the salvation of non-Orthodox loved ones, this conversation tackles the tension head-on. Recorded before the recent social media debate exploded, this episode provides a refreshing, uncompromised, and deeply scholarly look at what Eastern Orthodoxy actually teaches about the church, its boundaries, and who can be saved. Welcome to a special crossover episode of the Nathan Jacobs Podcast and the Firestone Files! NOTE: This interview is identified as the third in a three-part series of interviews, which it is. But given its relevance to the recent Ortland-Pageau debate, we have chosen to drop it early. Be watching for part 2 in the series next Tuesday. ======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Dr. Nathan Jacobs & The Nathan Jacobs Podcast:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsDr. Chris Firestone & The Firestone Files:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirestoneFilesApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-firestone-files/id1837011306Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheFirestoneFilesX (Twitter): https://x.com/FirestoneFilesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefirestonefilesListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast