Theology & Ethics

Greg Ganssle has been thinking about the intersection of Christian faith and contemporary scholarship for over thirty years. He earned his doctorate in philosophy from Syracuse University in 1995, where his dissertation on God's relation to time won a Syracuse University Dissertation Award. Greg is also the author of Our Deepest Desires: How the Christian Story Fulfills Human Aspirations, Thinking about God: First Steps in Philosophy and A Reasonable God: Engaging the New Face of Atheism. He is now a professor at Biola University Talbot School of Theology.

#gregganssle #nietzsche #philosophy #godisdead #nihilism #germany #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

Chapters:

00:00:00-Intro

00:05:26-The Resurgence of Nietzsche

00:09:56-The Cultural Backdrop for Nietzsche's Work

00:19:23-Nietzsche & the Drive for Power

00:30:46-Nietzsche, Judaism, & the "Real Jesus"

00:37:14-The Death of God & Anti-Nihilism

00:57:51-Nietzsche's Transhumanism vs. Christian Art

01:19:30-Nietzsche & Eternal Recurrence

01:26:29-Is God Dead?

01:30:31-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics Podcast from the Kirkwood Center! In this episode, the KC team (and guest Bethel McGrew) discuss accusations that Christian apologists misrepresent scholarship, the rise of counter-apologists online, and the evolving landscape of religious debate in the social media era.

Bethel McGrew is a freelance writer, teacher, maths Ph.D., cultural critic, and bad Anglican. You might have spotted her at World, National Review, First Things, The Spectator, The Critic, Plough, or someplace else.Bethel’s Substack: https://substack.com/@bethelmcgrew

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

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#apologists #atheism #youtube #christianinfluencers #apologetics #alexoconnor #weshuff #joerogan #billycarson #bartehrman #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

Chapters:

00:00:00-Intro

00:02:05-Christian Apologists and Scholarly Consensus

00:31:55-Apologetics in a New Medium

00:52:59-Where Christian Apologists Get it Wrong

01:07:23-Syncretism & Fame in the Faith

01:22:00-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics podcast! In this episode, the KC team (and guest J. Michael Thigpen) discuss the Documentary Hypothesis, its implications, and its problems.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

Join the theology & ethics conversation & see more from The Kirkwood Center on our socials!

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#JMichaelThigpen #documentaryhypothesis #oldtestament #authorship #moses #pentateuch #JEDP #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

CHAPTERS

00:00:00-Intro

00:01:42-Introduction to the Documentary Hypothesis

00:10:16-The Four Sources (JEDP)

00:14:52-Ramifications of the Documentary Hypothesis

00:19:13-Reasoning Behind the Documentary Hypothesis

00:22:06-Where is the Documentary Hypothesis Now?

00:27:41-The Authorship and Editing of the Old Testament

00:34:28-Recommendations for Further Research

00:36:58-Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics podcast! In this episode, the KC team (and guest Owen Anderson) discuss the recent controversy around Bishop Budde and its implications for the ways the liberal theologians abuse empathy.

Owen's article: https://americanreformer.org/2025/01/the-new-christian-nationalism/

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

Join the theology & ethics conversation & see more from The Kirkwood Center on our socials!

Facebook: https://shorturl.at/R3NKg

Instagram: https://shorturl.at/UNceb

X/Twitter: https://t.ly/Gt8f8

YouTube: https://t.ly/LDbWO

Substack: https://t.ly/wBABv

Website: https://kirkwoodcenter.org/

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#OwenAnderson #empathy #logicalfallacy #liberaltheology #episcopal #bishopbudde #donaldtrump #progressivechristianity #christianphilosophy #eleonorestump #richardswinburne #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

00:00:00-Intro

00:02:03-The Death of Liberal Theology

00:06:05-Eleonor Stump, Bishop Budde, and the Abuse of Christian Empathy

00:09:24-The Richard Swinburne Incident

00:12:22-Identity Politics, the University, and the Elite

00:18:20-Logical Fallacies Abusing Empathy & Fear

00:24:36-Is Man or Society the Problem?

00:27:45-Bishop Budde and “Poisoning the Well”

00:34:14-Wisdom for the Christian Philosopher

In this episode of the Theology and Ethics and Podcast, Dr. Michael Thighpen, OT scholar at Phoenix Seminary, discusses the second commandment, the biblical understanding of idolatry and imagery, and implications for Christians today.

Dr. J. Michael Thigpen earned a BA in Religious Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MDiv from Columbia Biblical Seminary, and an MPhil and PhD in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies from Hebrew Union College. Michael’s special areas of interest include Old Testament Theology, Babylonian and Persian period biblical books and history (Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezra–Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi), Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets), prophetic literature (biblical and ANE), Genesis, Kings, God’s motives, repentance and forgiveness, the OT and classical theism, and the theology of work and economics. His passion is to help the church connect more deeply to the Old Testament by understanding its literary nature and historical background. He is currently Professor of Old Testament at Phoenix Seminary, having previously served as Provost and Executive Vice President at the seminary. In addition to his work at Phoenix, he serves as lecturer in Old Testament at Munster Bible College in Cork, Ireland.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#theology #oldtestament #divinejustice #God #hebrew #bible #retribution #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #ethics

Chapters:

00:00:00-Intro

00:04:21-Images & Idolatry in the Old Testament

00:10:48-Henotheism & the Old Testament

00:18:21-Exodus, the Golden Calf, and Breaking Commandments

00:22:10-Representations of God

00:28:58-The Transactional “Gods”

00:34:12-The Brass Serpent as an Image

00:37:18-Poetic imagery of God in the Old Testament

00:39:53-Using Imagery for Gospel Proclamation

In this episode of the Theology and Ethics and Podcast, Dr. Michael Thighpen, OT scholar at Phoenix Seminary, discusses the idea of divine retribution in the Old Testament. Does God operate differently in the Old Testament than He does in the New? How does God’s punishment work, is it aimed only at individuals, or is it applied to groups and even generations?

Dr. J. Michael Thigpen earned a BA in Religious Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MDiv from Columbia Biblical Seminary, and an MPhil and PhD in Judaic, Hebraic, and Cognate Studies from Hebrew Union College. Michael’s special areas of interest include Old Testament Theology, Babylonian and Persian period biblical books and history (Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezra–Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi), Book of the Twelve (Minor Prophets), prophetic literature (biblical and ANE), Genesis, Kings, God’s motives, repentance and forgiveness, the OT and classical theism, and the theology of work and economics. His passion is to help the church connect more deeply to the Old Testament by understanding its literary nature and historical background. He is currently Professor of Old Testament at Phoenix Seminary, having previously served as Provost and Executive Vice President at the seminary. In addition to his work at Phoenix, he serves as lecturer in Old Testament at Munster Bible College in Cork, Ireland.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#theology #oldtestament #divinejustice #God #hebrew #bible #retribution #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #ethics

Chapters:

00:00:00-Intro

00:04:20-Does God Punish Individuals, Groups or Generations?

00:14:17-God’s Justice and Individual Faith

00:19:43-The Punishment of Achan in Joshua 7

00:25:49-Generational Sin and Retribution

00:33:13-Social Justice, Racial Guilt and Biblical Justice

00:46:04-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics Podcast from the Kirkwood Center! In this episode, the KC team discusses a recent trend of young men becoming Eastern Orthodox.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#religion #easternorthodoxy #evangelicals #orthodoxchristianity #men #christianmen #religiousmovement #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

Chapters:

00:00:00-Introduction

00:03:00-Are More Men Really Becoming Eastern Orthodox?

00:17:35-What’s So Attractive about Eastern Orthodoxy?

00:27:18-Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Differences

00:36:22-Inter-ecumenical Dialogue

00:44:40-Masculinity and the Church

00:51:31-Reaffirming Protestant Theology

00:56:44-Protestants and Marriage

01:04:32-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics podcast! In this episode, the KC team discusses the modern definition of evangelical, and how this group is interacting with modern politics, namely, the 2024 Election exit polls. Also on the table are the many implications of this historic election across the country.

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#election2024 #trumpvance #2024exitpolls #evangelicals #religion #americanpolitics #politics #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

Chapters:

00:00:00-Introduction

00:03:12-Different Definitions of "Evangelical"

00:08:52-2024 Exit Polls & Voting Blocs

00:21:13-Types of Evangelicals & How They Voted

00:43:06-What the Left Got Wrong in 2024

00:55:08-Election Controversy in Recent Years

01:01:33-What Do These Polls Tell Us About the Future?

01:06:08-What's Next For Immigration in the US?

01:09:40-Final Thoughts

01:10:11-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics podcast! In this episode, the KC team (and Dr. Joshua Ryan Farris) talk about a recent book “The Origins of the Soul” which lays out five competing views on the origin and nature of the human soul from a Christian worldview. This book was discussed by the authors at the 2024 Evangelical Philosophical Society Annual Conference in San Diego.

Joshua Ryan Farris, Rev, Ph.D, is Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellow at the University of Bochum, Germany, 2022-2023; Mundelein Seminary Chester and Margaret Paluch Professor, 2020-2021, March 2020 Center of Theological Inquiry; Director of Trinity School of Theology; International Advisor, Perichoresis, The Theological Journal of Emanuel University; Associate Editor, Philosophical and Theological Studies for the Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies; Associate Editor, European Journal of Philosophy of Religion.

“The Origins of the Soul”: https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Critical-Thinking-Religion-Theology/dp/0367904071/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WM4XFLZORMML&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kf-10t_stYOezZReiJLkCMYN95kFZ6vcLS7IjOaHkPbGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.EwvlXRp3fag0kezQeplRkCFN7G6rzhxyhxEVLSysAGw&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+origin+of+the+soul+farris&qid=1734478492&sprefix=the+origin+of+the+soul+farris%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1

Soul Science Ministries: https://soulscienceministries.com/

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible #thesoul #dualism #idealism #panpsychism #mindbody

Chapters:

00:00:00-Introduction

00:02:16-A Brief History of the Soul

00:05:37-What is Substance Dualism?

00:12:54-The Assumption of Substance Dualism in History

00:17:18-Why So Many Books on The Soul NOW?

00:27:37-J.T. Turner’s Animalism

00:35:00-Creationism vs. Traducianism

00:43:00-Hasker’s Emergent Self View

00:45:55-Leidenhag’s Panpsychist Traducianism

00:55:57-Farris’s Creationist Dualism/Theistic Neo-Cartesianism

01:09:29-Original Sin and The Soul

01:14:50-Bruce Gordon’s Theistic Quantum Informational Idealism

01:22:22-The Soul and The Scriptures

01:33:50-Abortion and The Soul

01:42:35-Outro

Welcome to the Theology & Ethics podcast! In this episode, the KC team (and guest Dr. John Bloom) discuss the nature of science, and how modern science misunderstands its own role in determining truth and values.

Dr. John Bloom’s interests center on physics and the integration of science and Christianity. At the undergraduate level he regularly teaches Astronomy and the Science and Origins courses for non-majors and the First-Year Seminar and the Senior Capstone Seminar for department majors. Dr. Bloom has a passion for critical thinking, problem solving, and using hands-on lab experiments to help students gain an intuitive sense for physics concepts. Dr. Bloom seeks to bring greater theological and historical depth to biblical integration in teaching the Biblical Studies Department’s integration seminar: Christianity and the Natural Sciences.

At the graduate level he teaches Modern Physics, Cosmology and Design, and the Intelligent Design Seminar for the MA, Science and Religion Program and Scientific Apologetics for the MA in Christian Apologetics. He is the author of The Natural Sciences: A Student’s Guide, which surveys the relationship between Christianity and science, and demonstrates how God’s glory is clearly seen through the discoveries of science.

BIOLA Master of Science and Religion: https://www.biola.edu/degrees/g/science-and-religion-ma

If you’d like to get in touch with us, give us a call or send us a text at (909) 493-7799, or send us an email at [email protected]. Visit us on our website at kirkwoodcenter.org.

You can also join the conversation & see extra content on socials by following us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and Substack.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a second to leave us a review on your podcast app of choice. If this episode made you think of someone you know, shoot them a link!

#science #scientificmethod #materialism #modernscience #naturalmaterialism #creationism #intelligentdesign #research #religion #darwinism #naturalism #kirkwoodcenter #church #christianity #theology #ethics #bible

Chapters:

00:00:00-Introduction

00:05:17-A Brief History of Modern Science

00:11:47-Why Other Cultures Didn’t Develop Modern Science

00:18:52-Francis Bacon and Historical Complexity

00:22:45-The Rise of “Scientism” & the Sidelining of Theology

00:36:33-Is “Scientism” On the Wane?

00:43:16-Does Science Tell Us About Reality?

00:54:25-Who Decides What is Scientific or Not?

00:55:37-Should We Hold To Methodological Naturalism?

00:58:53-How Should Christians Approach Science and the Bible?

01:06:56-The Problem of Science, Ethics and Authority