The New Prophets: Authority, Experience, and the Collapse of Trust

Podcast culture is telling us something—and it’s not just about who people are listening to, but why they trust them.

As voices like Joe Rogan and Shawn Ryan rise, trust in institutions continues to collapse. Government, media, and even scientific authorities are no longer seen as stable sources of truth. But this does not mean truth itself is disappearing. It means confidence in those who interpret and deliver truth is fading.

In this episode, I make a critical distinction: science isn’t collapsing—trust in interpreters of science is. Science is a method. But people don’t live by methods—they live by meaning. And when the messengers lose credibility, people begin looking elsewhere for something to anchor their understanding of reality.

The deeper issue is that we are no longer building complete worldviews. Instead, we are assembling beliefs like a playlist—pulling ideas from wherever they resonate without asking whether they actually fit together. But a real worldview must answer real questions: What is ultimate reality? How do we know anything? Are there real morals? What is our purpose? What happens after death?

When those questions go unanswered, a vacuum is created. And that vacuum never stays empty.

This is where the “new prophets” begin to emerge—not from institutions, but from experience. And in a world that no longer trusts shared authority, experience itself begins to take the throne.

This episode sets the stage for understanding how we got here—and why what replaces truth may be far more dangerous than what we lost.

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#TheologyUnplugged #Worldview #Truth #Authority #Postmodernism #Apologetics #ChristianTheology #FaithAndReason #CredoCourses #ThroughTheChurchFathers

Ontological Argument: The Definitive Explanation

In this episode, I walk through the ontological argument the way Anselm actually framed it—not the simplified version, but the real thing.

God is defined as “that than which nothing greater can be conceived.” Once you understand that definition, the argument starts to press in on you in a way that’s hard to escape.

If God exists only in the mind, then a greater being could be conceived—one that exists in reality. But that cannot be, because by definition nothing greater can be conceived. Therefore, God must exist not only in the understanding, but in reality.

This all rests on a simple but powerful idea: existence is greater than non-existence.

I argue in this episode that this isn’t just a clever philosophical trick—it’s airtight. Not because it forces you, but because once you truly grasp what is being said, you realize that denying it comes at a cost.

This may be one of the most compelling explanations for God’s existence you’ve ever heard—because it doesn’t appeal to evidence outside of you, but to something unavoidable within reason itself.

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#TheologyUnplugged #OntologicalArgument #Anselm #PhilosophyOfReligion #ChristianTheology #Apologetics #GodExists #FaithAndReason #CredoCourses #ThroughTheChurchFathers

Basement Theology: Dispensationalism (With Gavin)

This is something new—and honestly, something I should have started a long time ago. My nephew Gavin and I sat down in the basement, turned the cameras on, and had an unscripted conversation about dispensationalism. No prep, no polish—just real theology in real time.

I’ll be the first to admit, it’s rough. The camera work needs help, the audio has some echo, and we weren’t even using our microphones the way we should have. But that’s not really the point.

The point is this: Gavin wants to learn. And instead of waiting until everything is “ready,” we just started talking. That’s where theology actually begins—not in perfect systems, but in honest conversations.

I’ve seen this before. When I used to talk with Tad, something changed. Theology became grounded, more accessible, more real. That’s exactly what’s happening here again.

This is the beginning of something. If you like this format, let me know. We’ll keep doing more, keep refining it, and see where it goes.

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Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

#BasementTheology #Dispensationalism #TheologyUnplugged #ChristianTheology #Discipleship #CredoHouse #ThroughTheChurchFathers

#1 - Miracles (Pilot Episode)

This is the pilot episode introducing our new journey through Craig S. Keener’s monumental two-volume work **Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts**.

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Through the Church Fathers – https://www.throughthechurchfathers.com

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Credo Ministries – https://www.credoministries.org

#81 - The Self-Authentication of Scripture

#80 - The Canon of Scripture Is Not Closed

Did God ever close the canon of Scripture? In this episode, we explore how the biblical canon was formed-not by decree, but by recognition. From Moses to the apostles, revelation carried its own authority, needing no council to validate it. The canon was accepted organically, as God's people simply received what He had spoken.

We also discuss whether the canon is technically closed or only practically so, and why Protestants-unlike any other tradition-are uniquely free to examine the evidence and follow it wherever it leads, even engaging honestly with the Apocrypha. The Church never shut the door on revelation; God simply quit speaking.

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#BiblicalCanon #Apocrypha #ChurchHistory #Revelation #ProtestantTheology #Scripture #SolaScriptura #ThroughTheChurchFathers #CredoHouse #SystematicTheology

#79 - The History of the Acceptance of the Apocrypha

In this episode, we trace the fascinating and often controversial journey of the Apocrypha-those books sitting between the Old and New Testaments in some Bibles but missing entirely from others. Why were these books accepted by some traditions and rejected by others? How did Jerome, the Reformers, and the Council of Trent each weigh in? Join us as we explore how the Apocrypha was received across Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant lines and why it still sparks debate today.

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#Apocrypha #BiblicalCanon #CouncilOfTrent #Jerome #ChurchHistory #Deuterocanon #ProtestantBible #CatholicTradition #ThroughTheChurchFathers #CredoHouse #SystematicTheology

In this session, we dive into one of the most important differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant theology: justification. What do Catholics mean when they speak of justification as both a process and a state? How does it differ from the Protestant understanding of imputed righteousness by faith alone? This episode carefully unpacks the Catholic view using their own categories-grace, merit, sacraments, and cooperation with God-while also clarifying the classic Protestant response. If you've ever been confused about where the lines are drawn, this episode will help you see both the overlap and the sharp distinctions.

Get involved:

Michael's public blog: https://credohouse.org

Courses and Manuscript Reproductions from Michael and other scholars: https://credocourses.com

Join us as we go through the great Fathers of the Faith in a year: https://throughthechurchfathers.com

Support me and get A LOT more stuff from C. Michael Patton: https://patreon.com/cmichaelpatton

#75 - Roman Catholicism: The Apocrypha, Mary, and All the Other Stuff

In today's episode, we take a step back and offer a thoughtful overview of Roman Catholic beliefs-especially those that often seem unfamiliar or confusing to Protestants. From the Apocrypha to Marian dogmas, purgatory, the communion of saints, and the Eucharist, we trace the roots and reasoning behind these doctrines. Whether you're wrestling with questions about the Catholic view of Mary or trying to understand how the Apocrypha fits into the Catholic Bible, this episode is designed to provide clarity and foster respectful engagement. We're not here to debate-we're here to learn.

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#RomanCatholicism #Apocrypha #MarianDogmas #Purgatory #Eucharist #ChurchHistory #ThroughTheChurchFathers #CredoHouse #ProtestantAndCatholic #SystematicTheology #Patristics

In this session, we explore the structure of Roman Catholic authority from a Protestant perspective. What is the Magisterium, and how does it function alongside Scripture and Tradition? What does apostolic succession really mean, and how is infallibility understood? This episode aims to unpack the internal logic of Rome's authority structure-not to caricature it, but to understand it. My goal is to help Protestants see how it fits together from within the Catholic system, while also offering points of reflection and challenge. If you've ever wondered why Catholics trust the Church in the way they do, this is a great place to start.

Get involved:

Michael's public blog: https://credohouse.org

Courses and Manuscript Reproductions from Michael and other scholars: https://credocourses.com

Join us as we go through the great Fathers of the Faith in a year: https://throughthechurchfathers.com

Support me and get A LOT more stuff from C. Michael Patton: https://patreon.com/cmichaelpatton