Questioning Belief

Prominent theologian Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing joins us to discuss her new book, Forgiveness: Reclaiming its Power in a Culture of Outrage and Fear. We discuss the true, Biblical meaning of forgiveness and its relationship to justice. Is forgiveness conditional on repentance? Does forgiveness look different for those in a covenantal relationship such as marriage? How do we deal with a culture that often places the burden for forgiveness on the victim, and how do we forgive without excusing harm? We openly discuss sins plaguing the church and the impact of trauma on physical and mental health. Join us for a theological and practical discussion of a topic very relevant to our broken and pride-ridden world. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

Is it appropriate-- or even relevant-- to bring principles of one's Christian faith into the workplace? We address this question in the field of law with James R. Edwards, Jr., a devout Christian and intellectual property lawyer. His recent book,To Intent Is Divine: Creativity and Ownership, shows how the patent and intellectual property system the American Founders designed became the world’s “gold standard.” Edwards argues that the American IP system, alongside innate human creativity and a right to property ownership, are ultimately rooted in Scripture. We discuss the impact of classical liberalism and Christian worldview on the American founding fathers, and close with a discussion of artificial intelligence as it relates to intellectual property and imago dei. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

Join seasoned apologist Greg Koukl and I as we discuss how to defend your faith and artfully communicate truths about Christianity. If you’re a Christian who has ever talked to a nonbeliever about your faith, you know what it’s like to face uncomfortable questions, argumentative opponents, and people with varying degrees of receptivity to the gospel. Greg takes us through his famous book used to train well-known apologists today: Tactics: A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions. We discuss the winsomeness model for apologetics and role-play tricky scenarios in real time, teaching you how to respond to moral therapeutic deists, nihilistic hedonists, and many other objectors. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

Was Jesus of Nazareth a real, historical figure? Join us in this brief episode where we take a deep yet concise dive into three primary sources from non-Christian Roman historians and writers to assess whether a human named Jesus actually existed, was killed by Pontius Pilate, and founded the Christian religion. We discuss the testimonies of Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Flavius Josephus -- three men who were not sympathetic to Christianity in the slightest (one of them calling it a "depraved superstition"), therefore three sources not biased in Christianity's favor. Watch this episode online here. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

We’ve all heard the charge levelled at Artificial Intelligence (AI) that it is a demonic technology that should never be used. However, AI already underpins many technologies in our lives, from Netflix suggestions to software for clinical decisionmaking. Can AI be stewarded wisely for use by the church to support its mission without denigrating its community? Will AI ever reach the status of human intelligence, and what does it actually mean to be human? Dr. Todd Korpi, author of the acclaimed book AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence, joins Dr. Milani, a scientist who uses artificial intelligence for cancer research, to discuss the Christian perspective on AI. We discuss whether AI will ever reach a human-like level of intelligence and what Christian theology teaches us about being human. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities AI poses for pastors, ministry leaders, and laypeople and grapple with the ethical concerns of leveraging AI for Christian missions. Resources: AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence What is Artificial Intelligence? Introductory article from IBM The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

You may or may not be aware of the debates surrounding the historicity of the Gospel of John. Many scholars have suggested that John’s Gospel contains unhistorical embellishments or is “metaphorically” but not historically true as are Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This accusation has serious implications for our understanding of Jesus and His teachings, as well as for the reliability of the New Testament as a whole. Did John truly alter the facts and put words in Jesus’ mouth to serve his own theological goals? Analytic philosopher Lydia McGrew refutes these claims in The Eye of the Beholder: The Gospel of John as Historical Reportage, arguing in detail that John never invents material and that he is robustly reliable and honestly historical. Resources: Dr. McGrew’s website The Eye of the Beholder: The Gospel of John as Historical Reportage by Lydia McGrew  The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

Do you want to transmit your faith to the next generation and leave behind a legacy that your children and grandchildren will be proud of? Substack bestseller and strategist Johann Kurtz joins us to discuss how to build a virtuous family dynasty which serves the local community. We discuss the true meaning of Christian charity and how to practically love your neighbor and become a servant leader in your community. We discuss how to help the next generation without breeding entitlement and while instilling a deep sense of Christian and family duty. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

Is the archetype of the crucified and resurrected God present in religions other than Christianity— particularly in religions predating Christianity? Apologetics debates often bring up pre-Christian resurrection and crucifixion myths as evidence that the Christian accounts of Jesus' bodily resurrection are at best unremarkable and at worst copied from older accounts. We dive into primary sources in this episode to discuss three pre-Christian examples: the alleged spiritual resurrection of King Thoulis of Egypt, the Osiris myth, and the myth of the Hindu deity Krishna. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief

What did Jesus really think of women, and what is the modern woman called to be? Renowned apologist and writer Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin joins us to tackle the assertions of sexism and gender inequality commonly made against Christianity. In this episode, we address unsavory statements made by church fathers attesting to women's inferior intellect or moral character in reference to men's. We discuss biological, social, and Biblical differences between men and women, inclinding headship and submission in marriage. We discuss the decline of monastic culture leading to a devaluation of singleness within the modern church. Finally, we hypothesize why Jesus didn't choose female apostles, but chose several female disciples who played significant and irreplaceable roles in His ministry. Resources: Confronting Christianity podcast Confronting Christianity by Dr. McLaughlin Jesus Through the Eyes of Women by Dr. McLaughlin

"You can tell a lot about the state of twenty-first century evangelicalism by talking to those who leave it." This is the opening sentence of the introduction to A Heart Aflame for God, a thoughtful, Scripturally-based, and thoroughly-researched book by Dr. Matthew Bingham on spiritual practices from the early Reformed church. In this episode, we discuss perceived issues with Protestantism such as the de-emphasis of ceremony and "tradition," the focus on the mind and Word over bodily worship, and the stereotype that Puritan worship was divorced from the affections of the heart. Dr. Bingham takes us through the Puritan practice of "keeping the heart" and proposes a Reformation triangle of three interconnected practices for spiritual formation: Scriptural engagement, meditation, and prayer. We close by discussing the interplay between one's own spiritual formation and the health of the Church. The Questioning Belief podcast, hosted by Kathleen Milani, Ph.D., addresses objections to Christianity through in-depth discussions with experts. Drawing from her background as a former atheist and her experience in apologetics, Kathleen invites you to explore thoughtful responses to serious questions about faith. Learn more at: www.cslewisinstitute.org/questioning-belief