It’s our annual Halloween episode where Nathan lets Cameron off his leash to talk about spooky season and horror films. Cameron doesn’t have the most sympathetic audience here, but the discussion is always fun.

In a fascinating discussion, Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins grapple with the nature of truth, Christianity, and…the virgin birth. As is usual, Peterson seems reluctant to come down firmly on direct questions regarding the supernatural events of Scripture. We decided to jump in.

As our nation grows increasingly post-Christian, many believers find themselves on the margins. This is a new experience for Christians in North America and one that will require some adjustment. However, one small group seems to have escaped the cultural scrutiny. Ironically, the Amish are more countercultural in their lifestyle and more insular than most believers. And yet they remain strangely popular. Why? Join us as we dive in.

Social critics have coined the phrase “apocalypse fatigue” to characterize the general weariness that’s a byproduct of our constant catastrophizing. Throughout history, many people assumed that the end was drawing near and that the world had reached such a chaotic state that no recovery was possible. And then the world kept on turning as it does today. In this episode, we consider whether things really are that bad, or whether we’re simply falling prey to the perennial temptation to see our own challenges as utterly unique.  

A recent article detailing the misdeeds of the social media giant is bringing it under scrutiny once again, this time for its role in harming teens, young women in particular. In this episode, we consider the overall value of social media and also pose the question of whether it’s even worth redeeming for the purposes of ministry.

From The Atlantic and National Review to Slate, a slew of recent articles argues that reading among young people is becoming increasingly rare. To be sure, humanities professors have been making this argument for a long time, but the tone has shifted to a more practical concern in these new pieces. Students are simply unwilling (or unable) to read for extended periods of time. In this episode, we consider whether we’re truly becoming post-literate.

Wars and rumors of war are rampant at the moment. The sight of hundreds of rockets lighting up the sky over Jerusalem only intensifies these anxieties. In this episode, we discuss the nature of today’s global conflicts and consider how we might think, pray, and behave responsibly, first as Christians and then as citizens. 

Stuart McAllister grew up in post-war Britain and is no stranger to the allure of nationalism. In this episode, we asked Stuart about his past experiences with nationalism, as well as his read on its global resurgence.

A frequent question put to us is, “How do you come up with topics for TOL?” A twice-weekly podcast demands a lot of content after all. In this episode, we discuss our top sources for the podcast and consider how they help us to better frame current events.

On a recent trip to Singapore, Pope Francis made the following statement to an interreligious group: “[Religions] are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.” He went on to point out that all faith traditions lead to the same destination. Naturally, these off-the-cuff remarks have sparked controversy, particularly among conservative Catholics. Pope Francis’s approach to interfaith dialogue, however, is very much a part of our cultural moment in general. Join us as we dive into the discussion.