The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

What do we mean when we say "God"? This week’s episode is part 2 of tracing the concept from ancient pagan philosophy through Plato and Aristotle to uncover how modern assumptions about God emerged—and why many of them are far from obvious. This sets the stage for exploring deeper East–West differences in how God, goodness, and divine knowledge are understood. Part 1 is recapped in the first 10 minutes.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/soThpk45aI0

Listen to part 1: Defining "God" | The Evolution of a Word: https://youtu.be/MU0CFOFOq-A?si=tbzaT4PSiR1nm7Qf

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Timestamps:

00:00 - Recap

09:36 - The ancient view of God

35:34 - Disagreement among the pagans

01:02:16 - Why this is important for us today

01:21:12 - Essence and energy

01:42:59 - Conclusion and ramifications

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Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com In this week's episode, Dr. Jacobs looks at how the term "God" has evolved throughout Western intellectual history, from ancient Platonism through medieval scholasticism to contemporary religious pluralism. He walks through the development of divine simplicity and perfect being theology in Latin Christianity, showing how Augustine's engagement with Neoplatonism and the scholastic tradition that followed shaped the assumptions we still carry today about divine nature. The episode considers how this theological inheritance continues to influence debates about religious pluralism, rational religion, and the question of whether different faith traditions are actually referring to the same being when they use the word "God."All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs00:00:00 Intro00:04:27 Augustine and God 00:15:46 Divine simplicity & perfect being theology 00:36:19 The rise of rational religion 00:53:55 Religious pluralism & the transcendent God

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Today, Dr. Jacobs tackles the common objection: Was ancient Christianity infiltrated by Greek philosophy, such that it required a reformation or restoration? The answer is a resounding no. Follow Dr. Jacobs as he tracks the history through Old and New Testaments, German Idealism, and of course, a little realism and nominalism dusted on top for good measure.

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00:00:00 Intro 

00:02:05 The case for Hellenistic or Platonized Christian baggage 

00:06:49 German idealism 

00:15:21 Hegel and the Church Fathers 

00:20:08 The leftist Hegelians, atheism, and Christianity 

00:26:18 The protestant application

00:30:42 Open theism 

00:35:16 Hebrew ideas vs Greek ideas 

00:42:00 Mathematical truth vs Philosophical truth

00:50:07 Realism and nominalism 

00:56:03 The Septuagint and the Jewish shift away 

01:03:58 Are the Church Fathers platonists? 

01:19:19 Idealism in Old Testament studies 

01:25:11 Cases in the New Testament 

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Dr. Jacobs delivers a lecture on Nicene Trinitarianism, examining the metaphysical foundations established by the Cappadocian Fathers at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople. He explains the Greek terms ousia and hypostasis, addresses common analogies and heresies, and clarifies the eternal generation of the Son and procession of the Spirit. Jacobs contrasts the Eastern approach with Western developments in Augustine and medieval scholasticism, particularly regarding divine simplicity, the filioque, and the nature-person distinction. He concludes by discussing how these theological differences continue to shape East-West Christian relations.

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Enroll in Dr. Joiner’s class: https://myprofer.com/coursesContribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Dr. James Joiner joins us again to take a hard look at the scientific studies claiming to disprove free will and asks whether they actually hold up under scrutiny. He and Dr. Jacobs will walk through the various science experiments and their interpretations, pointing out the methodological problems and conceptual missteps that weaken determinist arguments. All the links: Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastWebsite: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

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Dr. James Joiner discusses libertarian free will, contrasting it with compatibilist and determinist positions through the lens of patristic theology and developmental psychology. The conversation examines Gregory of Nyssa's theological anthropology, the concept of synergistic cooperation in theosis, and cross-cultural evidence for the universality of free choice. Dr. Joiner argues that both ancient Christian thought and contemporary research support the view that human beings possess genuine self-determination, exploring implications for moral responsibility, bioethics, and the differences between Eastern and Western theological frameworks.

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Other words for the algorithm… 

free will, libertarian free will, compatibilism, determinism, Gregory of Nyssa, Cappadocian Fathers, patristic theology, Eastern Orthodox theology, church fathers, theological anthropology, theosis, deification, synergy, moral responsibility, praise and blame, developmental psychology, moral agency, self-determination, Christian anthropology, Christian East, Christian West, philosophy of religion, free will debate, moral psychology, bioethics, applied philosophy, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, patristics, Orthodox Christianity, Byzantine theology, ancient philosophy, Christian philosophy, systematic theology, philosophical theology, Aristotelian ethics, virtue ethics, moral philosophy, conscience, moral intuition, Augustine, Pelagianism, divine sovereignty, human freedom, image of God, imago Dei, salvation, soteriology, grace, divine grace, sanctification, spiritual formation, Desert Fathers, Maximus the Confessor, Origen, Irenaeus, moral development, character formation, passions, will and intellect, Thomas Aquinas, Thomism, Kant, autonomy, phenomenology, David Bentley Hart, Kallistos Ware, Vladimir Lossky, ecumenical councils, Nicene Creed, liturgical theology, mystical theology, apophatic theology, hesychasm, spiritual senses, nous, William James, neuroscience and free will, agent causation, Peter van Inwagen, Alvin Plantinga, natural law theory, Neoplatonism, Plato, metaphysics, causation

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You're to be familiar with the popularized details of the Mary and Nativity stories—the manger, the shepherds, the star. But this week, Dr. Jacobs takes you beyond the familiar Sunday school narrative to explore the robust early Christian tradition surrounding Mary's birth, her betrothal to the elderly widower Joseph, and the supernatural drama unfolding behind the scenes. This episode examines what the Church Fathers believed about the devil's frantic attempts to thwart the Incarnation, from his watchful surveillance of Israel's virgins to Herod's demonic massacre of the innocents. Dr. Jacobs traces the cosmic war between the powers of light and darkness, revealing how God orchestrated an elaborate divine ruse to veil the Messiah from Satan's gaze. Drawing from sources like the Gospel of James, Irenaeus, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom, this deep dive recovers the fuller Christmas story that shaped Christian understanding for centuries.

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This episode explores the Eastern patristic understanding of Christmas through the doctrines of divine energies, synergy, and man as microcosm. Drawing on Aristotle, Philo of Alexandria, and Church Fathers like Athanasius, the discussion examines why all creation groans for the incarnation and how Christ's becoming creature rebuilds the bridge between God and cosmos. The incarnation is presented not merely as a legal transaction but as the initiation of cosmic healing—a "good infection" that restores humanity's mediating role and allows all creation to partake of divine nature.

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Support the making of this series.

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https://www.keipirestaurant.org/first-things-foundation

Dr. Jacobs delivers a talk on hospitality in the ancient world, exploring three stories: Abraham entertaining angels, John Cassian learning from Egyptian monks, and Abba Agathon's encounter with a divine visitor. The presentation examines the theological significance of hospitality in Hebrew and Christian traditions, particularly focusing on Eastern Orthodox patristic interpretations. Delivered at a Georgian Supra event hosted by the First Things Foundation in Greenville, South Carolina. Visit Keipi in Greenville for traditional Georgian cuisine. 

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Other words for the algorithm…

Abraham and the angels, Hebrew Bible hospitality, ancient Near East customs, stranger ethics, John Cassian, Desert Fathers, Abba Agathon, Egyptian monasticism, asceticism, monastic hospitality, fasting and feasting, Georgian Supra, Eastern Orthodox theology, patristic theology, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, church fathers, Orthodox ethics, Christian hospitality, biblical hospitality, sheep and goats parable, love of neighbor, theological virtue, practical theology, ancient world customs, virtue ethics, Christian ethics, moral theology, spiritual formation, monasticism, anachoresis, cenobitic monasticism, apophthegmata patrum, sayings of the Desert Fathers, patristic ethics, biblical interpretation, Old Testament theology, New Testament ethics, Hebrews commentary, Lot and the angels, Road to Emmaus, Tobit, Archangel Raphael, theophany, Christophany, angel visitation, divine testing, covenant theology, Abraham covenant, Sodom and Gomorrah, Job righteousness, ancient virtue, classical virtue, agape love, caritas, philoxenia, Christian hospitality tradition, early Christianity, Byzantine theology, Greek patristics, Eastern Christianity, Western Christianity, East-West theology, theological anthropology, imago Dei, image of God, Matthew 25, eschatology, heavenly feast, messianic banquet, bridegroom theology, joy and fasting, liturgical theology, sacramental life, communion, Eucharist theology, stranger as Christ, Matthew Mathewes, practical philosophy, applied ethics, charitable works, almsgiving, poverty theology, wealth distribution, social justice, Christian socialism, monasticism economics, voluntary poverty, detachment, ascetical theology, spiritual disciplines, prayer and fasting, desert spirituality, Egyptian desert, Palestinian monasticism, Scetes, monastic rules, obedience, humility cultivation, temptation, demonic warfare, spiritual combat, guardian angels, angelology, hierarchy of angels, divine messengers, supernatural encounters, mystical theology, contemplation, theosis, deification, divine energies, Gregory Palamas, hesychasm, Philokalia, nepsis, watchfulness, prayer rope, Jesus prayer, heart prayer, stillness, silentium