Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verify your email 📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu 📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 📚 Auditors can register immediately 📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration 📖 $300 audit 🎓$500 college credit Substack article: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/does-jesus-claim-to-be-god?r=r1mfj Begotten Not Made P...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 21 min
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verify your email 📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu 📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 📚 Auditors can register immediately 📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration 📖 $300 audit 🎓$500 college credit Ep. 12 The AI Episode: https://youtu.be/4hcTK9ye0KE Ep. 09 The Case for Realism: https://youtu.be/tmFTsJRs5dg...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 47 min
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verify your email 📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu 📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 📚 Auditors can register immediately 📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration 📖 $300 audit 🎓$500 college credit Part 1 on Penal Substitution: https://youtu.be/WHx21LQncFI Dr. Jacobs continues his examination of Eastern an...
Jun 19, 2025•2 hr 15 min
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verify your email 📚 Navigate to “Course Registration” in the side menu 📚 Find 180 Introduction to Philosophy 📚 Auditors can register immediately 📚 For college credit, fill out the long form and wait for approval before registration 📖 $300 audit 🎓$500 college credit The Most Important Question - https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4 Longing, Nostalgia, & Spiritual Simplicity - h...
Jun 12, 2025•2 hr 22 min
Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle Episode: https://youtu.be/ZSf7o3Jel_g Dr. Jacobs compares how Eastern and Western Christianity understand Christ's death on the cross, examining the theological differences that emerged over centuries. The discussion traces the Western development from Augustine through the Protestant Reformers and their focus on penal substitution, while exploring Eastern perspectives from church fathers like Gregory of Nyssa. Dr. Jacobs analyzes these competing views of atonement a...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Read the original letter: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/to-a-woman-who-lost-several-children In this episode, Dr. Jacobs reads aloud a deeply personal letter written to "Etheline," a woman who had lost several children and sought theological perspective on suffering. The letter explores three key Eastern patristic doctrines: the distinction between God's antecedent and consequent will, the doctrine of synergy and divine energies, and Christ's descent into Hades. Dr. Jacobs applies these t...
May 29, 2025•41 min
Get notified when registration Dr. Jacobs’ class goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9 In this Q&A episode, Dr. Jacobs addresses ten challenging questions about the problem of evil and divine foreknowledge. He tackles issues ranging from whether God's plan for salvation required evil acts, to how divine foreknowledge works when predicted events don't occur, to why Jewish and Christian traditions differ on evil as privation of good. Dr. Jacobs also examines whether ethical frameworks...
May 22, 2025•2 hr 3 min
Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9 Why Would God Make the Damned? https://youtu.be/H2Ja5WeOo1A In this episode, Dr. Jacobs examines the contrasting views on divine foreknowledge between Western and Eastern Christian traditions. He’ll explore the perspectives of Augustine, Aquinas, and John Duns Scotus from the Latin West juxtaposed against John of Damascus, Basil of Caesarea and Origen from the Christian East. Dr. Jacobs clears up misconceptions an...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9 In this sixth and final installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs explores the Eastern Fathers' understanding of The Fall, demonic influence, and animal suffering. The episode examines how the church fathers interpreted humanity's departure from divine communion and its consequences. The Eastern tradition frames suffering within creation's journey toward the 8th Day—a restoration and fulfillment beyond fallen...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 25 min
https://www.academia.edu/41586437/The_Metaphysical_Idealism_of_the_Eastern_Church_Fathers In this fifth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs examines the patristic narrative, exploring how the early church fathers understood creation's purpose and humanity's relationship with the divine. The episode investigates the Genesis narrative through a patristic lens, revealing how creation was designed for communion and participation in divine life. Learn how partaking in the divine will offer...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 25 min
Dr. Jacobs gives feedback on the recently viral Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle clip with an Orthodox college student. You’ll get a rundown of some specific differences between Eastern and Western Christianity and why they can’t be ignored in discussions like this. Specifically you’ll hear about basic misunderstandings of grace and works. All the links: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS App...
Apr 24, 2025•2 hr 9 min
Dr. Jacobs explains the Eastern Christian understanding of Christ's descent into Hades, distinguishing it from Hell. The letter clarifies how Eastern Church fathers viewed Christ's descent as destroying death's power and liberating humanity. A comparison with Western theological perspectives reveals fundamental differences in how these traditions understand this doctrine. All the links: YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotif...
Apr 10, 2025•41 min
In this fourth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs explores the complex relationship between divine providence and human freedom. What does it mean that God delegates subsovereignce to creation? And how does divine foreknowledge interact with human self-determination? Tune in as we examine biblical figures like Abraham, Job, and Saul alongside the desecration of goodness and the atheist's problem with evil. This episode lays crucial groundwork for understanding the synergistic nature ...
Apr 03, 2025•2 hr 36 min
In this third installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs lays the groundwork for understanding Eastern patristic theodicy. Why can God do no evil, despite having free will? And why don’t these conditions apply to humans? Tune in because this will lay the foundation for the finale episode on the problem of evil. All the links: X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-po...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 37 min
Go to 33:15 to skip the recap of the first installment In this second installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs looks at the notion that our world is an orchestral expression of divine goodness. But this insight reveals the uncomfortable fact that not all goods can co-exist and many goods are entangled with evils. So, though we may casually speak about the idea that God can do anything, the choices of providence are far more complex than the average person admits. 00:00:00 Intro and recap o...
Mar 20, 2025•2 hr 2 min
My Wild Ride to Orthodoxy https://youtu.be/yRYBsOXX3e0 Part 1 on Problem of Divine Hiddenness: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY Today Dr. Jacobs will examine the basic philosophical and theological elements of the Problem of Evil. He’ll explore perspectives from Christian tradition and philosophical discourse. The episode tackles key concepts including free will, divine permission, and whether a sinless world would be preferable. All the links: X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.s...
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 56 min
Find the original episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJHCg8xt_l8 The early church fathers went to great lengths to ensure that the followers of Christ did not innovate but rather perpetuate “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3), and this conversation seeks to understand what they meant, where we may have gotten off track, and what it means to become truly human through Christ. Topics discussed include: - Balancing academic research and writing with artistic i...
Mar 06, 2025•1 hr 45 min
This week’s episode, Jacobs delves into Jesus’ uncomfortable teachings about wealth and salvation with guest Charles Lelon, an Orthodox Christian and private equity investor. The two tackle the question of whether the rich can be saved or must sell all they have to become poor to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. All the links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 43 min
Original article with citations: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation Back to the theological letter series to explore a key distinction that's often missed: universal salvation isn't the same as apokatastasis. Dr. Jacobs dives into what early Christian thinkers really meant by these terms, untangling common misconceptions and showing why it matters for modern discussions of salvation. From the nature of human corruption to the difference between Hades an...
Feb 20, 2025•36 min
This week Dr. Jacobs gives a rundown of mystery in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. You’ll get definitions, how he thinks the misunderstanding devolved, and the Chuch Fathers’ on natural theology. You’ll also get a little side tangent about the future of Orthodoxy in America. All the links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-n...
Feb 13, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Join us for Part Two of our Hollywood Taxidermy series, where Dr. Jacobs explores intellectual property and creative adaptation. Through the lens of natural law and rights theory, he'll examine what it means to faithfully adapt stories from page to screen while honoring creators' original visions. All the links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheNathanJacobsPodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.ap...
Feb 06, 2025•2 hr 26 min
Part 1: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY Part 2: https://youtu.be/9B1G44hywd0 Dr. Jacobs’ Class Survey Link: Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing In this third episode on the problem of divine hiddenness series, Dr. Jacobs takes a closer look at the premise. Is God truly hidden? Through anthropological and theological lenses, he investigates how our status as creatures might affect our ability to perceive God, and...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr 28 min
Part 1: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY Dr. Jacobs’ Class Survey Link: Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing Episode on Free Will: https://youtu.be/3KEhWydyFfA In this second episode of the divine hiddenness series, Dr. Jacobs delves deeper into another element of the problem — whether non-resistant unbelief is possible. He examines whether people can genuinely be open to belief in God yet remain unconvinced. The ...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 42 min
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing Episode on the Nones: https://youtu.be/pBH9TTduBAE Episode on Free Will: https://youtu.be/3KEhWydyFfA Episode Man’s Place in the Cosmos: https://youtu.be/uohc2aWOJbw Hell, Hades, & Christ’s Descent Part 1: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/hell-hades-and-christs-descent-part?r=r1mfj On Universal Salvation: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/on-apokatastasis-and-un...
Jan 16, 2025•2 hr 8 min
Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing The Traditions of the Virgin Mary: https://youtu.be/9TkSiOBwo04 Critical Drinker video on Rings of Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kquNKboBtJw Today, we venture into Hollywood. In this first of two parts, Dr. Jacobs uses the new Netflix movie about the Virgin Mary to explore the many pitfalls that Hollywood falls into when trying to create a movie for Christians. He’...
Jan 09, 2025•2 hr 33 min
Today we repost another episode from the Hank Unplugged podcast. They’ll tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of Orthodox practice: the use of icons in worship. Together they examine the historical and biblical foundations for iconography, drawing on the teachings of John of Damascus and exploring how those who oppose icons might be missing key aspects of Christ's incarnation. The conversation moves from the practical role icons played in spreading the faith in pre-literate societies to ...
Jan 02, 2025•47 min
Watch Dr. Nathan Jacobs and Bible Answer Man host Hank Hanegraaff explore Eastern Orthodox perspectives on faith, works, and Mary's role in Christianity. Together they unpack common misconceptions about Orthodox beliefs, diving deep into why Mary's significance extends far beyond being Jesus's mother, and how Eastern Christians view the relationship between faith and salvation. Originally aired on the Hank Unplugged Podcast on March 3, 2020. Original episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IkW...
Dec 26, 2024•43 min
You're surely familiar with the popularized details of the Mary and Nativity stories. This week, Dr. Jacobs is going to deep dive into the extra Biblical tradition of Mary and the birth of Christ, as well as exploring what the devil was up to while the Christ child was gestating in Mary's womb. https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/on-mary-the-mother-of-god-1-of-2?r=r1mfj All the links: X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: h...
Dec 19, 2024•1 hr 55 min
Dr. Jacobs is feeling some Christmas nostalgia today and wondered, "What is this feeling, so sudden and new?" To get to the bottom of this, of course, he's going to explore the topic of human nature and divine essence and energies. Diving back into the history of ideas and coming out the other side with the answer: all creation groans. All the links: X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Dr. Jacobs takes a look at the history of ideas through the lens of free will, from Socrates to the stoics to Augustine. He responds to Neil deGrasse Tyson and Charles Liu's scientific perspective on human choice. Find out in this episode if Dr. Jacobs believes in libertarian freedom. Also he gives a preview of his upcoming series on the problem of evil. Predestination Part 1: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/a-brief-history-of-predestination?r=r1mfj Predestination Part 2: https://nathanajac...
Dec 05, 2024•2 hr 51 min
