Dr. Mike Licona joins the podcast to defend the historicity of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. He defends a set of "minimal facts" and offers the resurrection as the best explanation of those facts. Along the way, I ask Dr. Licona for clarification and push back with objections. He brings great content and replies! The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (...
Nov 11, 2019•59 min•Ep. 70
This episode is two parts. 1) A conversation on Gary Michuta's show about What is Classical Theism and Why Should We Hold to It ? 2) A bonus conversation with Dr. James Dolezal about Scriptural Support for Classical Theism. He discusses Revelation 4:11, Acts 14:15, Acts 17, and John 1:3. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism ...
Nov 04, 2019•49 min•Ep. 69
Should Catholics believe in Predestination? What are the competing views? Why did several 20th century Thomists seek to update the traditional Thomistic doctrine on the subject? How does Banezianism differ from Calvinism? Dr. Taylor Patrick O'Neill joins us to discuss these questions. He draws from his new, detailed book on the subject: Grace, Predestination, and the Permission of Sin: A Thomistic Analysis . The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. Wi...
Oct 30, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Why should we think God is absolutely immutable? Doesn't Scripture affirm that He changes His mind? How can an unchanging God cause a world full of change? Fr. Michael Dodds OP joins me to answer these questions and more. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the C...
Oct 28, 2019•36 min•Ep. 68
Divine Simplicity faces a significant objection from "modal collapse. If God is simple and His one simple act of creation is identical to Himself, then doesn't that imply creation is necessary? How can the absolutely simple God bring about a world chock full of contingency? Christopher Tomaszewski, a PhD student at Baylor, joins us to discuss his article responding to the "modal collpase" objection. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the he...
Oct 21, 2019•53 min•Ep. 66
In the incarnation, the Son of God assumed a human nature . Men are composite in all sorts of ways. So, how can absolute divine simplicity fit with the Incarnation? Must Christians assert contradictories that God is both simple and composite? How can we think about this? Dr. Timothy Pawl is back on the podcast to answer these questions and more. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Cat...
Oct 20, 2019•40 min•Ep. 67
I provide commentary on a conversation between Christian Apologist Greg Koukl and an atheist caller Doug. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the Catholic Church. We place a strong emphasis on the first pillar, defending classical theism, drawing upon the work of...
Oct 16, 2019•48 min
How does absolute divine simplicity cohere with the trinity? What is meant by trinitarian monotheism? Doesn't Aquinas' exposition lead us to inevitable contradictions in the Godhead? Paul Chutikorn joins us to unpack the concepts and vocabulary needed to understand the trinity. He argues that Trinitarian monotheism is compatible with the absolutely simple God. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pil...
Oct 14, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 65
I recorded an interview with Dr. Gaven Kerr O.P. who is a lay Dominican. He's written an outstanding new book on Aquinas and Creation. It's definitely an academic work, but Dr. Kerr explains the thought of Aquinas clearly and systematically. Topics covered: - An overview of the book - The Agent of Creation - The Meaning of Creation - How can we analyze creation in terms of the four causes? - Does creation threaten divine immutability? - Does God's creation threaten creaturely freedom? - Kerr's a...
Oct 09, 2019•1 hr 22 min
Why is absolute divine simplicity an important doctrine for Christians? What are his primary arguments from philosophy? How does Scripture support the position? What are the best objections to the doctrine? Dr. James Dolezal joins us to answer those questions as we look into his book God Without Parts: Divine Simplicity and the Metaphysics of God's Absoluteness . The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three ...
Oct 07, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 64
Should Christians subscribe to sola scriptura? What arguments would come up in a debate on this topic? How does the Catholic position differ from a sola scriptura approach? What objections do we need to consider? We're joined by Jimmy Akin to address these issues. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 63
In this bonus episode, Dr. Jennifer Frey tackles a bunch of hard questions about evil, sin, and Aquinas. She provides some helpful examples to illustrate the key ideas. I ask her about comments she's made on the free-will defense and theodicy. It's an engaging batch of topics! The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2)...
Sep 26, 2019•51 min
Did the early Church believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist? What early evidence supports this? Also, if transubstantiation is based on Aristotelian categories that weren't brought into Christianity until the 12th century, how can the doctrine be biblical or historical? Dr. Doug Beaumont joins us to answer these questions and more. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the ...
Sep 23, 2019•48 min•Ep. 62
Is there strong scriptural support for the Primacy of Peter? Scholar of sacred scripture, Fr. Pablo T. Gadenz, joins us to examine three passages to answer that question. We look at Matthew 16, Luke 22, and John 21 in detail. And I mean DETAIL. I put several objections to Fr. Gadenz along the way. In the final segment, I ask about scriptural support for the ideas of an office and papal succession . The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the hel...
Sep 16, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 61
This fall, Dr. Robert Koons is teaching a graduate seminar on arguments for God's existence. In this episode, we cover cosmological arguments, teleological arguments, and epistemological arguments. We have a detailed discussion about the Kalam argument and fine-tuning arguments. Dr. Koons response to the multiverse objection and the problem of evil and suffering. This is one of the best episodes in the history of this podcast! The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas ...
Sep 09, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 60
How did C.S. Lewis argue for the existence of God? How did he argue for Christianity in particular? Would he have been sympathetic to Classical Theism? David Bates joins us to answer these questions while discussing the life and apologetics of C.S. Lewis. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah ...
Sep 02, 2019•49 min•Ep. 59
Brandon Vogt joins us to defend three arguments for God's existence from his recent book. First, he explains the purpose of his book and situates the chapter on God's existence. Second, he discusses the Kalam argument, a moral argument, and an argument from reason. Finally, he defends them against several common objections. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldv...
Aug 26, 2019•47 min•Ep. 58
Bryan Mercier joins us to discuss his book Why Do You Believe in God ? In the book, he provides over a dozen real discussions he's had about God's existence, science, the problem of evil, and other tough religious topics. Throughout the interview, I press Bryan to expand these topics and give us tips for our own conversations. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian wor...
Aug 19, 2019•35 min
The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the Catholic Church. We place a strong emphasis on the first pillar, defending classical theism, drawing upon the work of Thomistic philosopher Dr. Edward Feser and many others. John DeRosa www.classicaltheism.com/support...
Aug 16, 2019•30 min
Dr. Robert A. Delfino joins us to discuss the doctrine of analogy, which is very important for classical theists . Through the course of the episode, he walks through exemplar causality, logical vs. philosophical predication, and the different types of analogy. Toward the end, I ask Dr. Delfino how his analysis might apply to three passages of Scripture. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars o...
Aug 12, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 56
Dr. Stephen Barr joins us to discuss his book Modern Physics and Ancient Faith . Does science support the existence of God? What about the order in the universe and the so-called "fine-tuning"? Are those evidence for God? Also, we discuss at length (and have a good-hearted dispute) over whether the Kalam argument is evidence for the existence of God. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of th...
Aug 05, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 55
Michael Gormley (i.e. "Gomer") joins the podcast to explain how to evangelize atheists. Gomer brings electric energy and years of experience with loads of great stories. He provides plenty of resource recommendations as well as advice for spiritual preparation. Also, I ask Gomer how he might approach discussions with 4th graders, 11th graders, and adults differently. Finally, I ask about whether atheists can be saved. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conver...
Jul 29, 2019•1 hr 17 min
In part 3 , we discuss the nature of the ultimate foundation of reality. This has come to be known as stage 2 of arguments for God. He defends the idea that the foundation of reality is independent, purely actual, possesses eternal power, and is the foundation of minds. Lastly, I ask Dr. Rasmussen for a 60-second summary of what people should expect from this book. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend thre...
Jul 26, 2019•37 min•Ep. 53
In part 2 , Dr. Rasmussen explains the "puzzle of existence" and how reason can show reality must have an ultimate, independent foundation. Additionally, he dispels an objection from the scientific example of "virtual particles" and shows his argument works even if the world is eternal. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism e...
Jul 25, 2019•29 min•Ep. 52
In part 1 , Dr. Rasmussen tells his own story of how his worldview fell apart. Also, he provides many practical tips for having productive worldview conversations. Finally, I ask Dr. Rasmussen how he reconciles his approach with various verses from Scripture. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Mess...
Jul 24, 2019•38 min
Dr. Bryan Cross joins us to discuss logical fallacies and how to speak the truth in love. In this interview, we cover multiple fallacies including "bulverism," the "tu quoque," and "whataboutism." Additionally, I press Dr. Cross with two objections that purport to show the Catholic worldview requires a defective or irrational form of reasoning. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Cath...
Jul 22, 2019•47 min•Ep. 50
What are the first principles of knowledge? And if they are first principles must we just accept them on blind faith? How do you answer the liar's paradox? Didn't David Hume debunk the principle of causality? Karlo Broussard, author of Prepare the Way , joins us to answer these questions and more. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classic...
Jul 14, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 49
The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the Catholic Church. We place a strong emphasis on the first pillar, defending classical theism, drawing upon the work of Thomistic philosopher Dr. Edward Feser and many others. John DeRosa www.classicaltheism.com/support...
Jul 09, 2019•39 min
Dr. Jim Slagle set out to disprove Christianity and ended up walking right into it. Now, he argues that affirming naturalism is self-defeating. In this episode, we look at Dr. Slagle's backstory and his "skyhook" argument. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the ...
Jul 08, 2019•54 min•Ep. 48
Charles Johnston's tells his conversion story in an article How the Supreme Court Helped Lead Me Home . In this bonus episode, Johnston walks us through his path to the Catholic Church. He blogs at nowthatimcatholic.com and has written a new book on The Beauty of the Mass. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jes...
Jul 02, 2019•43 min
