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This week Dr. Jacobs tackles the Eastern Orthodox perspectives on hell, divine providence, and human nature at Northern Arizona University. This conversation explores how Eastern patristic theology differs from Western Christianity on topics including original sin, the fall of man, Christ's descent into Hades, and the possibility of universal salvation. Jacobs traces his journey from philosophical opposition to Christianity through his discovery of the Church Fathers, addressing common objections to Christian theology based on moral intuitions and examining whether eternal damnation contradicts God's goodness. We also have a little tag on Mormonism and the Great Apostasy at the end. 

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00:00:00 Intro 

00:02:07 Background on Dr. Jacobs 

00:14:56 The standard Western view of hell 

00:18:33 The Eastern patristic perspective 

00:32:19 God’s providence and goodness 

00:40:06 Death & Hades in Eastern thought

00:49:19 Death as both enemy and mercy 

00:53:50 Genesis & the fall 

01:13:06 Universal salvation & God’s will 

01:35:03 Steel-manning nominalism 

01:38:53 Christ not knowing the day or hour

01:46:03 Mormonism & the Great Apostasy