Interpreting the Old Testament is easy, right? We just read our English translations, knowing that they say exactly what the original Hebrew said. Right? Dr. John Walton’s son Jonathan joins Phil and Christian to describe the work involved in digging into the original language as he and his father strive for the most accurate interpretation possible. Plus, Phil describes his fun fun trip to the National Religious Broadcasters convention.
Mar 01, 2016•59 min
Are America’s “best days” behind us? What makes some areas better at improving the lives of poor kids than others? Plus - capital punishment and the church, and the dangers of praying for atheists in England.
Feb 23, 2016•51 min
Is God a genocidal maniac?? OT scholar Dr. John Walton is back on the show, this time to decipher the OT’s stories of Israel’s apparent genocidal rampages against the Canaanites and others. Are we worshipping a lunatic? Or are we missing something in these stories? Fun for the whole family!
Feb 16, 2016•50 min
How many Christians pray for the Super Bowl? Which Super Bowl ad offended abortion rights advocates? Plus - what do Americans like to give up for Lent and does it do any good? (Audio Only)
Feb 09, 2016•50 min
Politicians talk about faith, pharmacists and Noah’s Ark builders fight for religious freedom, and Skye explains how “Christianism” could kill the evangelical movement. (And Phil gets to say “Bebbington’s Quadrilateral” one more time!) (Audio Only)
Feb 02, 2016•51 min
Why are British pastors growing beards? Why can’t Muslims play chess? Why are all the space aliens dead? Why are there seven buckets of evangelicals? (And which bucket likes Donald Trump??) You’ve got questions - we’ve got answers! Sort of. (Audio Only)
Jan 26, 2016•53 min
King Hezekiah lives! Satan moves to Fox! Subways go “pants optional!” Plus Skye has some thoughts about Martin Luther King and the American church today. This week on the podcast! (Audio only)
Jan 19, 2016•49 min
This week’s podcast is audio only as we kick off a year sprinting toward the presidential election … While some believe the Republican party is in trouble, others believe the Democrats are facing even bigger, issues. Join Phil and the gang for a fascinating conversation about education, equality and politics in America!
Jan 12, 2016•52 min
Santa Claus is coming, Wheaton College is in hot water and Jerry Falwell Jr. is packing heat! Just another culture wars Christmas in America!
Dec 22, 2015•56 min
Racial justice, protest, and the role of the church. Chicago pastor Charlie Dates joins Phil and the gang to talk about race and the church!
Dec 15, 2015•52 min
Phil and Skye react to the Planned Parenthood shooting and protests against police violence in Chicago, plus the age-old question of “What is a religion?” has one women successfully wearing a spaghetti strainer on her head for her driver’s license picture! This week on the podcast!
Dec 01, 2015•53 min
Everybody’s outraged! Trump is mad at Starbucks for those darn cups! Liberals are mad at Raven-Symoné for eating a sandwich! Students are mad at their schools for… well, for just about everything! And Skye says what we really need is a little more “grit.” This week on the podcast!
Nov 24, 2015•54 min
Phil and the gang react to the attacks in Paris, plus theories about the relationship between violence and religion, and a new - yet very old - religion is becoming the "religion of choice" for white supremacists.
Nov 17, 2015•46 min
Boycotting Starbucks and "buycotting" Chick-fil-A ... plus a new study shows that religious kids are cruel, heartless jerks and we should all be atheists. This week on the podcast!
Nov 10, 2015•57 min
Which age group is most concerned about religious freedom in America? How many Americans want Judeo-Christian values favored above other views? Barna Research president David Kinnaman joins the gang to discuss the surprising findings of his latest study!
Nov 03, 2015•50 min
Halloween gets thrown out of school, presidential candidates get invited to church, and Oprah makes a show to promote her version of "faith." (And tries to explain it to Stephen Colbert!)
Oct 27, 2015•58 min
New examples of religious people behaving poorly in not one but THREE major faiths! Gallup looks at the future of religion in America, and Skye thinks the church needs help thinking about work! This week on the podcast!
Oct 20, 2015•51 min
Audio only podcast ... Listener feedback from last week’s show, plus who are the happiest parents? And is your Christian school filled with Muslim students? You must be in the UK!
Oct 13, 2015•50 min
Muslim imams and evangelical pastors camping together on a dude ranch in Texas?? Some kind of bizarre reality show coming to cable this Fall? Nope! It’s the real life work of Texas megachurch pastor Bob Roberts - who joins us on the podcast to describe his unlikely and somewhat controversial role as a bridge between conservative Christian leaders and their Muslim counterparts.
Oct 06, 2015•45 min
We’ve all heard the stats about kids leaving the faith when they head for college - but why? And what would have made their faith more “sticky?” Has anyone done any actual research on this? Kara Powell has! Fuller Youth Institute Executive Director Kara Powell joins the gang to discuss her research and her book - Sticky Faith!
Sep 29, 2015•49 min
Drew Dyck is back in town and joins Phil and Skye for a lively discussion about presidential debates (crazy), theology in Christian movies (weak) and beer in church (sinful?). And absolutely ZERO conversation about toplessness! (Amen!)
Sep 22, 2015•55 min
Several news stories drag Phil and the gang back into discussions of male and female toplessness YET AGAIN. (Thanks, Time Magazine and French feminists!) Then attentions are turned to topics of science! Should all scientists be “militant athiests?” Does faith in science fill the same emotional needs as religious faith? This week on the podcast!
Sep 15, 2015•51 min
After two weeks of modesty mayhem, Phil attempts to wrap-up the discussion once and for all with some thoughts that hit him while he was (immodestly) taking a shower. Plus - that lady in Kentucky who is in jail for… you know… “the gays.” This week on the podcast!
Sep 08, 2015•55 min
Listeners get to chime in! Last week's stories led to lots of interesting conversation about modesty, mega-pastors and Muslim prayer rooms, so Phil reads your comments and the gang discusses! What fun!
Sep 01, 2015•58 min
Gender "neutrality" on display in the streets of New York and the aisles of Target ... Christian hospitality put to the test at Orlando International Airport ... John Oliver "discovers" shady televangelists in America! What does it all mean??? Is it the END OF ... (well, you know.)
Aug 25, 2015•55 min
Phil and the gang are joined by Sam Larson, the son of a regular listener and one of two finalists on the History Channel survival show "Alone." Sam talks about his experience on the show and the spiritual impact of 40+ days in the wilderness alone.
Aug 18, 2015•59 min
Can an atheist play football? Can a Christian back Donald Trump? Can Rob Bell still hold our attention? Plus, Skye riles up some listeners! This week on the podcast!
Aug 11, 2015•55 min
Skye and Phil are joined by legal expert (and Phil’s brother) Rob Vischer, and singer/songwriter Jimmy Needham for an audio-only episode recorded in Arnold’s Park, Iowa. Law! Politics! Religion! Live music! This week on the podcast!
Aug 04, 2015•1 hr 5 min
Do all dogs really go to heaven? Why is there a 2000 pound, 9 foot tall Baphomet in Detroit? And does our reliance on laws to control behavior spell - THE END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT???
Jul 28, 2015•50 min
Greece is a mess! China is in trouble! Disney sacrifices it's values! Franklin Graham is at it again! And don't get us started about Donald Trump! It's a mad, mad, mad world!
Jul 21, 2015•53 min
