When and what was the nature of the first wrongdoing? Consider the creation account and God's design. How did Adam's failure and corruption come about? And what if Satan wasn't corrupted until after Adam?

To consider in this episode:

• How was the world made?
• How does Satan try to be God? Does this apply to us, as well?
• Why did God put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden?

Some of the questions we consider in this episode are:

• If you are all-powerful, can you do whatever you want?
• Does God have a free will?
• When people think they have free will, what are they not taking into account?
• Is religion a choice people are free to make?

Did God set us up to fail in the way He created us?

In this episode, different worldviews are mentioned. You can find out more info about the Red Pyramid worldview here, and the Green Arc worldview here.

How can this be the best of all possible worlds?

People often ask, "If there is a God, and He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-good, why is there evil and suffering in the world?" The answer often given is unsatisfying and unhelpful. What are other ways that we can consider an answer to this question that defends the idea of an all-good, all-powerful God?

This episode addresses two student questions:

1. Should we capitalize pronouns that refer to God? Why is this done inconsistently?
2. What is the exegete's prayer? What is an exegete?

Starting a new topic for podcast episodes: questions I've received from students in my theology classes. This first episode deals with feeling inadequate.

In this episode, hear the readings for Advent 1: Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, and Matthew 13:24-37. Also, hear a meditation based on the reading. What if these readings indicate the first true gift of Christmas? What if Christmas isn't about getting, but about taking away?