Theology in the Raw

Kelly M. Kapic (PhD, King’s College, University of London) is a professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. He is an author or editor of more than fifteen books, including You’re Only Human, Embodied Hope, which each won a Christianity Today Book of the Year Award, and the recently released You Were Never Meant to Do it All. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content at patreon.com/theologyintheraw 

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Dr. Sean McDowell is a professor of Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He has earned two Master's degrees in philosophy and theology and his Ph.D. in Apologetics and Worldview Studies. He is the author, editor, or co-author of more than 20 books including More Than A Carpenter, Chasing Love, End the Stalemate, and The Fate of the Apostles. He is the co-host of the Think Biblically podcast–one of the most popular podcasts on the intersection of faith and culture. At the end of this episode we also discuss our recent debate about whether Christians should use preferred pronouns. This “extra innings” portion of our conversation will be available for our patreon supporters. If you would like to become a member of the patreon community, then head over to patreon.com/theologyintheraw to get access to TITR “extra innings” and other premium content. 

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Dr. Glenn Packiam is a pastor, author and practical theologian who currently serves as the lead pastor of Rockharbor Church in Costa Mesa, California. He earned a PhD from Durham University, is an ordained priest with the Anglican Church of North America, and is the author of several books, including The Resilient Pastor, Blessed Broken Given, and the recently released: “What’s a Christian Anyway? Finding our Way in an Age of Confusion and Corruption,” which forms the topic of our conversation. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content at patreon.com/theologyintheraw 

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Dr. Larry Sanger is the co-founder of Wikipedia. Larry received his PhD in philosophy from The Ohio State University and for many years was an intellectual skeptic of Christianity. But earlier this year, he wrote an essay titled: “How a Skeptical Philosopher Becomes a Christian” (Feb 2025), which went viral. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content at patreon.com/theologyintheraw 

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Dr. Gerry Breshears (Ph.D. Fuller Seminary) is a professor of theology at Western Seminary, a pastor of pastors, elder at Grace Community Church (Gresham, OR), and a happy great-grandfather. To listen to the last part of our conversation about women in leadership, become a Theology in the Raw patron at patreon.com/theologyintheraw

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Dr. Christopher Landau is a former BBC World Service religious affairs correspondent, who left journalism to train as a Church of England Minister. He has a doctorate in Christian Ethics at the University of Oxford on the ethics of disagreement among Christians in the New Testament, later published as 'A Theology of Disagreement'. His latest contribution to debates on sexuality is his newly published Grove Booklet, ‘Compassionate Orthodoxy’ and Sexuality: Seeking Grace and Truth in Disagreement. He is the director of ReSource, a UK charity supporting local churches in spiritual renewal. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content at patreon.com/theologyintheraw 

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A.J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is an associate professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University and lead mentor for the Doctor of Ministry Program on Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He is the author of many books, including The Gift of Thorns (Zondervan), After Doubt (Brazos), and the recently released: A Teachable Spirit: The Virtue of Learning from Strangers, Enemies, and Absolutely Anyone. He hosts the “Slow Theology” podcast (w/ Dr. Nijay Gupta) and writes the widely read “Low-Level Theologian” Substack. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to premium content at patreon.com/theologyintheraw

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Skye Jethani is an award-winning author, speaker, and co-host of the Holy Post Podcast. Skye has written more than a dozen books and served as an editor and executive at Christianity Today for more than a decade. His voice has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, and The Washington Post. To listen to the final 25 min of this episode, where Skye and I debate the question "should Christians vote," go over to patreon.com/theologyintheraw.com to become a member, where you can access this convo and other premium content. 

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Bonus Q&A: Why Christians Stopped Celebrating Biblically-Commanded Holidays Like Passover & Hanukkah

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0:00 INTRO
0:32 Why did Christians stop celebrating Biblically commanded holidays? Passover, Sukkot, Shavuot, Hanukkah (Jesus celebrated). Not salvation issue but is it a loss?
7:55 Do you think biblical inerrancy should be a central or peripheral doctrine for Christians? 
16:13 Are Christians who use Social Media or books to call out fellow Christians violating Matthew 18 about having private conversations first? 
20:32 We have friends whose child is trans but say they do not have gender dysphoria. Is this common? I don't remember you ever addressing this in your writing. 
22:33 Can you please put the death knell on dispensationalism and rapture theology?! Would you call it a heresy or a deception?! 
26:17 Any ideas/strategies for campus ministry staff to engage with non-believing LGBTQ students well? 
34:48 I’ve read that Rahab plays a subversive role in Joshua, though it’s not explicit. What safeguards ensure this reading stems from the text, not modern agendas? 
39:09 What are your thoughts on Christian missionaries evangelizing a group then insisting the group adapt to their cultural values e.g. modesty/how much they wear 
43:55. What are your thoughts on Christian couple traveling alone before marriage? Should they care about perception even if they’re not sleeping together? 
47:12 Can I be saved if I believe gay marriage is wrong in God’s eyes but still choose to marry someone of the same sex? 
50:12 Conditional Immortality: I've never heard you point out the duality of Rev 20:10 vs 21:8. Same punishment, very different results. Why not? Seems vital. 
52:41 When reading church history, do you sometimes feel discouraged or unsettled (or maybe you feel encouraged)? What helps you read and keep healthy perspective. Join the Theology in the Raw community for as little as $5/month to get access to the full length Q & A episode at patreon.com/theologyintheraw 

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This episode is a recording of the session titled "Transgender People and the Church" at the recent Exiles in Babylon conference in Minneapolis. In this session, I give a short theological overview of Transgender identities and Mark Yarhouse gives a psychological perspective. And then, we had three people share their testimonies: Remi Rathjen (a Christian who experiences Gender Dysphoria and who hasn't transitioned), Julia Mallott (a transitioned transwoman who does not identify as a Christian), and Chloe Cole (a Christian who transitioned at an early age and then detransitoned). To listen to these testimonies and our 45 minute dialogue, go to patreon.com/theologyintheraw and sign up for a free (or paid) account. 

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