Many people wrestle with how to know whether to be Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or a part of some other Christian tradition. Whereas my other videos focus more on the content of the theology involved in this decision, here I simply offer four practical tips for walking through this process. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SU...
Mar 09, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I offer a Christian response to climate change, offering five thoughts in the hopes of generating more attention on this important issue. Here is the book I reference toward the end of video: https://www.amazon.com/What-Know-about-Climate-Change/dp/0262535912/ Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a...
Mar 02, 2022•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Here I share four strategies for how to flourish when you are in a negative or stressful season. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnite...
Feb 21, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes questions are helpful in conversations about God. Here are 5 questions that draw from various classical arguments for God and may be useful to utilize in our dialogue others. Here is the video I referenced on the Euthyphro Dilemma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erYct5Hevmo Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Beco...
Feb 16, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Here I respond to a recent interview with Mikhaila Peterson and Jonathan Pageau, seeking to clarify Protestantism from how it was represented in some of Jonathan's remarks, and also offer some advice for Mikhaila (and anyone else exploring different traditions) for how to find the right church. Here is the original interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hycMQ... Here is the church I recommend, Immanuel Nashville: https://immanuelnashville.com/ Truth Unites is a mixture of...
Feb 09, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this interview Dr. Ed Siecienski chronicles the history of various issues that have divided the Western and Eastern churches. We address the filioque, the papacy, unleavened vs. leavened bread in the Eucharist, bearded clergy, and purgatory. See Dr. Siecienski's book on the filioque: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199971862/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3 See Dr. Siecienski's book on the papacy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NAQ3RAY/ref=dbs_a_def...
Feb 01, 2022•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I offer an overview of a Protestant perspective on justification, with a goal of providing conceptual clarity on where it differs from a Roman Catholic view. And in case you are wondering, YES AT 55:33 IT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE!!! Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunit...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast This video is a personal reflection on The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast, hosted by Mike Cosper and produced by Christianity Today. The podcast tells the story of Mars Hill Church under the leadership of Mark Driscoll. I use the podcast as an occasion to reflect on the broader phenomenon of spiritual deconstruction in the church and particularly in evangelical culture. In the video I recommend the ministry of Diane Lamberg for helping people u...
Jan 10, 2022•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I offer a Christian response to Buddhism, focusing on the way each religion responds to the same fundamental human question, but with a diametrically different answer. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/trut...
Jan 07, 2022•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I respond to Trent Horn's response to my video on purgatory. I address (1) how Trent frames the discussion, (2) his distinction between the "core essence" and "secondary details" of purgatory, and then (3) the evidence from church history, particularly the church fathers, demonstrating that even the minimal conception of postmortem cleansing is not universal (or anywhere close to it) throughout church history. See Trent's video here: https://www....
Jan 07, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I offer a Christian response to existentialism, especially focusing on the writings of Albert Camus. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.faceb...
Dec 23, 2021•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Here is a Christmas devotional about the humility of God displayed in the incarnation, as seen through the angels' appearance to the shepherds in Luke 2. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://t...
Dec 23, 2021•5 min•Transcript available on Metacast Here I talk with Matt Emerson and Luke Stamps about the exciting work of the Center for Baptist Renewal, why it is important for Baptists to engage in theological retrieval, whether Baptists can have a high view of the sacraments, and more. Check out the Center for Baptist Renewal: http://www.centerforbaptistrenewal.com/ Check out the book Matt and Luke edited, Baptists and the Christian Tradition: https://www.amazon.com/Baptists-Christian-Tradition-Evangelical-Catholicity/dp/1433650614 Tr...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Christ's intercession is one of the most nourishing and simultaneously most neglected doctrines in Christian theology. In this video I give an overview of what it means and then recount three practical uses of the doctrine. The thumbnail picture is from "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" by Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi. The article referenced in the video: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the-voice-of-his-blood-christs-intercession-in...
Dec 13, 2021•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Roman Catholic apologists often appeal to church history to support Catholic teaching concerning purgatory. Many Protestants are less familiar with church history on this question, and tend to focus on making biblical arguments. In this video I offer an overview of a Protestant perspective on purgatory, putting special focus on the development of this doctrine throughout church history. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gav...
Dec 07, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Suan Sonna has become a friend of mine since our debate on the papacy at Capturing Christianity. He is a brilliant and kind young Catholic apologist. I found it fascinating to pick his brain about his life, faith, intellectual development, and theological insights. My favorite quote came from 53:32: "God is such a deep mystery, and it's a mystery that never stops giving." Beautiful! Subscribe to Suan's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCN...
Nov 28, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I respond to criticisms from Michael Lofton and Keith Little concerning my proposal that Augustine affirmed the Protestant notion of sola Scriptura. The page number for the Henry May citation is 52. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www...
Nov 26, 2021•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I share about my new book, Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism. You can order the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Makes-Sense-World-That-Doesnt-ebook/dp/B08XLT3HP7 Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: http...
Nov 24, 2021•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast People sometimes claim that Protestant views were new to the 16th century, but in fact there were many proto-Protestant groups throughout the medieval era that anticipated Protestant concerns. Here I give an overview of one such group, the Waldensians, followers of Peter Waldo (12th century). I cove a bit of their history and some of the persecutions they faced, and then a bit of their theology. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic f...
Nov 24, 2021•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I suggest that St. Augustine affirmed the essential content of the Protestant notion of sola Scriptura--that is, the view that the Bible alone is the infallible rule for Christian faith and practice. I first offer a plea not to caricature sola Scriptura, and then work through three passages in Augustine's writings. Finally, I point to similar support of sola Scriptura in John Chrysostom. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin O...
Nov 24, 2021•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast William Lane Craig's recent treatment of the historical Adam generated some critical feedback, but much of it rests upon a misunderstanding of Bill's position. Here I respond to Owen Strachan's critique. Bill's article: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2021/10/the-historical-adam Owen's critique: https://owenstrachan.substack.com/p/a-response-to-william-lane-craig?justPublished=true Bill's book: https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Historical-Adam-Scientific-Exploration...
Nov 24, 2021•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Lord's Supper (or the Eucharist) is one of the chief points of division among Christians of different church traditions. Protestants are often seen as having a lower view of the Lord's Supper, in contrast to the non-Protestant traditions. But historical Protestant views are more complicated. Here I offer an overview of a Reformed view of the Lord's Supper, drawing from five observations of Thomas Watson's helpful book on this topic. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with...
Nov 23, 2021•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this video I respond to various reactions to my previous video on Augustine and sola Scriptura. I explain why I'm responding, and then canvas Augustine's views of Scripture, tradition, and the church. See the original video here: https://youtu.be/Q6ZAa0gNMvE Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus, hosted by Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) author and Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a Patreon: https://www.patre...
Nov 17, 2021•27 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast One of the issues that divides Catholics and Protestants is the veneration of relics. But many people are unfamiliar with the exact nature of the Protestant concern. Here I try to lay out a basic overview of what motivates Protestants on this topic. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus, hosted by Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) author and Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truth...
Nov 10, 2021•29 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Rev. Joshua Schooping shares his journey from being an Orthodox Priest to becoming an evangelical Protestant pastor. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus, hosted by Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) author and Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites | One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truth... FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: http...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast In this interview William Lane Craig explains his views concerning the historical Adam and Eve, the proper interpretation of Genesis 1-11, and how Christians should respond to scientific claims concerning human origins. He also responds to some common questions about his new book on the historical Adam. See Craig's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Historic... Also referenced is Jack Collins' book Reading Genesis Well: https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Genesi... Truth Unites is ...
Nov 10, 2021•45 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast 
