The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

Was the Virgin Mary sinless? While the Western debate often pits Catholic dogma against Protestant literalism, the ancient Christian East offers a completely different paradigm. In this episode, we explore how the Eastern Church Fathers view Mary’s unique holiness without the Western legal concepts of merit and original sin, and how the theology of the Dormition proves she still required Christ as her Savior.

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Related Episodes & Material Mentioned:

Episode 30 The Virgin Mary Grinch Slayer: https://youtu.be/bTHlv06p9U8?si=43KLlOYXc2QjAVE4

Episode 33: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Story Telling: https://youtu.be/H7X4Df-KEEc?si=7OV6N3SXStXia9fw

Theological Letter on Mary: https://theologicalletters.com/p/on-mary-the-mother-of-god-1-of-2?utm_source=publication-search

Frederica Mathewes-Green: https://substack.com/@fredericamg/note/c-167315534

Dr. Nathan Jacobs examines the claim that Christians worship changed from Saturday to Sunday because of pagan influence and the Roman Emperor Constantine. Tracing the practice from the New Testament through the early Church Fathers, he explores the Christian understanding of the Lord’s Day, the resurrection of Christ, and the profound theology of the “eighth day” that shaped early Christian worship.

Please support the East West series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

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

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All the 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 episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores the simple question: do animals merely live and die, or is there reason to think they share in something more? Drawing from Scripture, the Eastern Orthodox Church Fathers, and the Christian understanding of creation, he examines death, immortality, and humanity’s role within the cosmos, arriving at an answer that is more nuanced than many expect.

Please support the East West series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/HlAk0Jm8xd4

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

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

All the 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 episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores one of the most famous questions in philosophy and theology: If God is all-powerful, are there limits to what He can do? Can God create a rock so heavy that even He cannot lift it? Dr. Jacobs unpacks the classical Christian understanding of omnipotence, logic, and contradiction — drawing from thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and the early Church Fathers.Please support the East West series: http://theeastwestseries.com/Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to written essays, exclusive lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/======================================All the 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

In this week's episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explains the Eastern Church Fathers’ view on the relationship between God and the world. The key to understanding the Eastern Christian position on whether the universe, or part of the universe, is equivalent with God lies with what's called the essence-energy distinction.

Please support the East West series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

Leave a comment on Youtube: https://youtu.be/gJpY--74zfg

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

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All the 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:

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

Dr. Jacobs returns to the podcast with a personal update on his time away, news about the upcoming East West Series, and reflections from Holy Week, Pascha, and Bright Week on Mount Athos. In this episode, he shares stories from Vatopedi Monastery, discusses miracles, relics, and monastic life, and offers insight into how these experiences challenge modern skepticism and deepen faith.

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

Leave a comment on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIZVUy5v32M

Breakwater Festival 2026 | 19–21 June | London:

I’ll be speaking at Breakwater Festival 2026, a 3-day Estuary gathering focused on bringing online conversations into real-life dialogue and connection. This year’s theme, Cross Pollination: Conversing Across Religious Lines, explores how beliefs engage across difference in a pluralistic world.

Join me and other speakers in London — Early Bird tickets are available now: https://www.thebreakwaternetwork.com/upcoming-event

Chapters:

00:00 I'm back

00:13 Why I disappeared for Lent and Mount Athos

02:33 What this episode covers

03:00 East West Series update

04:53 Production timeline and release plan

05:54 Fundraising and pre-orders

07:16 Why the East West Series matters

09:35 Who the series is for: converts, inquirers, and online debate

11:45 Vatopedi Monastery endorsement announcement

14:05 Podcast facelift and rebrand

16:25 New 30-minute “Coffee with Dr. Jacobs” episodes

21:07 Topic requests, comments, and sharing

23:30 Website simplification and one-stop hub

24:20 Mount Athos reflections begin

25:45 Third trip to Mount Athos and Holy Week overview

28:05 Visiting Elder Paisios’ hermitage

30:32 Other monasteries and the capital of Athos

32:55 Daily monastic rhythm: Matins, Vespers, and Compline

35:19 Holy Week, Pascha, and the intensity of Athos

37:41 The washing of the feet service

40:09 Pascha procession and the all-night liturgy

42:31 Holy Week exhaustion and conversations with monks

45:00 Bright Week procession and blessing of the waters

47:25 Pizza on Mount Athos

49:48 Relics, miracles, and confronting modern skepticism

54:29 The Belt of the Virgin Mary

56:49 The True Cross and miraculous yeast

59:16 St. John Chrysostom’s incorrupt ear

01:04:00 The Panagia Paramythia miracle icon

01:08:44 Skepticism, belief, and re-enchantment

01:13:26 Why skepticism feels safe

01:15:41 Belief, faith, and how we live

01:20:23 Why people chase the paranormal

01:24:59 Culture, plausibility, and belief

01:34:40 Cyprus, Lazarus, and his relics

01:39:23 Great Lavra, John the Baptist, and Athanasius the Athonite

01:44:17 The bullet hole icon story

01:46:42 The disobedient monk and the blackened hand

01:53:46 Why Mount Athos belongs to the Virgin Mary

01:56:15 Final thoughts and East West Series support

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

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

All the 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

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

Words for the algorithm: East West Series, Vatopedi, Mount Athos, Pascha, Holy Week, relics, miracles, church fathers, orthodoxy, monks.

Dr. Nathan Jacobs sits down with Fr. Joseph Lucas to discuss penal substitution atonement. The discussion examines the claim that penal substitution is the biblical and historic view of the atonement. Drawing on the writings of Cyril of Alexandria and other early Christian sources, Fr. Joseph Lucas explains how the Church Fathers understood sacrifice, sin, and the work of Christ very differently from later Western models.

The discussion looks at the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, typology, and the meaning of Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension. The result is a picture of atonement centered on purification, victory over death, and the transformation of human nature—not a transfer of punishment.

This conversation also explores how differences in biblical interpretation led to very different conclusions about what the Cross accomplishes.

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

Bio: Archpriest Joseph Lucas is an Orthodox Christian priest, theological scholar, college professor, and practical philosopher. He received his PhD in Theology at Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen (Netherlands) and his MDiv with Distinction in Church History and Patristics at St Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Pennsylvania). He specializes in research pertaining to patristic exegesis and historical theology.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lt40zf4KpV8

Fr. Joseph’s parish in Miami: https://www.oca.org/clergy/Joseph-Lucas/

- His blog, Prudence and Piety: https://prudenceandpiety.com/

- His parish podcast, Apostolic Tradition: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlnsUX0xxfCfBWmQmrrQ8w

- Fr. Joseph Lucas’ book: How to Read the Holy Fathers: A Guide for Orthodox Christians: https://store.ancientfaith.com/how-to-read-the-holy-fathers-a-guide-for-orthodox-christians/

- Another episode Dr. Jacobs and Fr. Lucas did together: https://youtu.be/3Yt5fItpy7U?si=0BRySP8VEQgv-9I9

Mentioned:

- East Vs. West (Part 1) - Dr. Nathan Jacobs, Orthodox Miami: https://youtu.be/kVGkrtzx1DY?si=hmCwdH5YTN3hcpQn

- Fr. Joseph’s appearance on The Symbolic World: https://youtu.be/0FuO88QVlN0?si=8UmUZF4Cc5ZmHD1X

- Fr. John Behr’s book, The Case Against Diodore and Theodore: https://www.amazon.com/Against-Diodore-Theodore-Oxford-Christian/dp/0198800215

Dr. Nathan’s series on penal substitution:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/WHx21LQncFI?si=Y-WaG636sATOZ03S

Part 2: https://youtu.be/-MXLs6J2JBw?si=XxHHcXmqnjhx4G95

Timestamps:

00:00 - Coming up

00:18 - Start

01:27 - Introduction

03:11 - Fr. Joseph's work

05:24 - What is penal substitution atonement?

07:41 - Fr. Lucas' background

13:44 - Approaching St. Cyril of Alexandria on atonement

18:00 - St. Cyril's influences

23:09 - An incorrect exegesis

25:08 - The Father looking away from the Son

34:04 - Origen

35:18 - Christ acting in the Old Testament

39:39 - A discussion on the term sin

56:58 - Passover

01:00:28 - Substitution

01:03:20 - Presuppositions: early vs modern Christians

01:11:31 - Assuming our nature

01:15:19 - The blameless passions

01:24:35 - Testing vs temptation

01:29:59 - Justification and vindication

01:46:33 - Salvation is a mystery

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

All the 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:

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This is part 3 of 3 talks by Dr. Nathan Jacobs about the "nones", the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the past two decades and about which Dr. Jacobs has done research, culminating into the documentary called Becoming Truly Human.Watch part 1: https://youtu.be/vun_XtxDt5E?si=8uHdje7CpTHNAa8v Watch part 2: https://youtu.be/XPlTK33zmcs?si=sY32QQCva2QGPpCK In this talk, Dr. Nathan A. Jacobs discusses how we, as believers, can engage the “nones” and “dones”. He explains why the religiously unaffiliated don't talk about religion, and argues that the real crisis isn’t simply atheism, but disillusionment and cultural hypnosis. A major threat to our faith, as with so many aspects of human life, is our technology and the sense it can create of being a cognitive minority. How can we talk about religion with people who are disaffiliated? How can we help families and members of our own church to prevent disillusionment?Do you want to watch the Becoming Truly Human documentary? Watch it along with other exclusive content on Jacobs Premium. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount on the highest tier of support: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5_LcdMbopjgTimestamps:00:00 - Preview01:43 - Introduction to this series01:50 - Start of talk02:32 - The secret believer05:59 - A safe space to talk08:26 - Nones rarely talk about religion11:51 - Ask them about their journey16:45 - Addressing their presuppositions22:43 - Taste and see25:48 - The dones27:50 - Keeping Orthodox folks from leaving the church29:27 - A reading from Narnia39:28 - A cognitive minority43:56 - Digital experience48:24 - Approaching research about the dones55:54 - Q&A and discussion56:16 - Q: On resources58:45 - Q: Why does the Orthodox also produce nones and dones?01:07:23 - Q: Why people leave church despite believing01:12:37 - Q: Open to differences01:15:43 - Q: Humility and listening01:16:41 - Q: Catechesis01:19:39 - Q: Moral problems with the Bible======================================All the 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

This is part 2 of 3 talks by Dr. Nathan Jacobs about the "nones", the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the past two decades.

In this talk, Nathan Jacobs argues that many who leave are not rejecting God, per se, but a particular vision of God shaped by Western theological developments. Exploring themes like grace, freedom, divine goodness, fatalism, and anthropology, he contrasts key Western trajectories with the vision of the Eastern Church Fathers. The result is a compelling case that Orthodoxy does not suppress the moral and spiritual intuitions of today’s seekers — it fulfills them.

Watch part 1: The Modern Religious Debate Lost Its Audience: https://youtu.be/vun_XtxDt5E

Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: http://theeastwestseries.com/

Do you want to watch the Becoming Truly Human documentary? Watch it along with other exclusive content on Jacobs Premium. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 - Coming up next

01:28 - East West series

02:36 - Introduction

05:18 - What the nones believe

10:39 - Rejecting Western Christianity

14:12 - Augustine

18:40 - The nature/Grace divide

25:42 - Protestantism & predestination

31:48 - God's will

39:36 - Competing goods

46:17 - Our world is spiritual

59:02 - Return to talk

59:51 - Man as microcosm

01:01:51 - Was man made mortal or immortal?

01:06:11 - Energies

01:15:02 - What happens after death

01:18:06 - The remedy for divine hiddenness

01:24:34 - Q&A: On trusting your intuitions about God

01:29:21 - Q: Anxiety of the participants

01:30:58 - Q: What about Jesus?

01:33:11 - Q: Discussions about the Trinity

01:36:07 - Q: Using the halo in the documentary

01:40:06 - Q: Do nones go to other religions?

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All the 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 episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the past two decades. Drawing from his research, interviews, and the documentary, Becoming Truly Human, he examines the beliefs, intuitions, and spiritual instincts that shape this rapidly expanding demographic.

Far from simple atheism, the world of the “nones” is complex, morally serious, and often deeply spiritual. This lecture begins a three-part series unpacking who they are, what they believe, and how meaningful dialogue might be possible.

This is part 1 of 3 on the religiously unaffiliated, or "nones".

Do you want to watch the Becoming Truly Human documentary? Watch it along with other exclusive content on Jacobs Premium. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount on the highest tier. There's also monthly Q&As and book club meetings: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/store

Life Itself movie trailer (excluded due to copyright): https://youtu.be/b5kwtJkUdpA?si=xw-ismXHDk6-SIh9

Timestamps:

00:00 - Opening

06:09 - Introducing Dr. Nathan Jacobs

09:16 - Becoming Truly Human

16:37 - Outline

19:56 - Trailer for documentary

21:44 - Misconceptions

25:43 - The modern religious debate

30:06 - The numinous

38:52 - What nones believe: 1. Karma

43:22 - Things happen for a reason

46:45 - Life Itself

51:47 - What nones believe: 2. A higher power

53:07 - The moral objection to Christianity

57:21 - What are the nones rejecting?

01:00:11 - Belief in paranormal

01:01:29 - What the nones believe: 3. Spirituality

01:05:27 - What the nones believe: 4. Afterlife

01:11:27 - Q&A: Discerning between intuition and feeling

01:14:18 - Q: Family issues among the nones

01:16:53 - Q: Mental health concerns

01:18:58 - Q: Sample selection

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All the 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

YouTube link to this same episode: https://youtu.be/vun_XtxDt5E