Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Interview: Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers – The Deconstruction of Christianity

Guest Host: Tim Barnett

 

Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers, authors of The Deconstruction of Christianity, talk about what “deconstruction” means, why we shouldn’t embrace the term, problems with the deconstruction process, how we should go about evaluating our beliefs, what to say to someone going through deconstruction, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers, authors of The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond (00:00)
2. What is deconstruction? (10:00)
3. What are the problems with deconstruction? (24:00)
4. What triggers people to question their faith, and why do some end up leaving but others don’t? (41:00)
5. What should I say to someone who is going through deconstruction? (53:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond by Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers
• Why I Changed My Mind about Deconstruction by Tim Barnett

Related Links:

• A Tale of Two Paintings: Reformation vs. Deconstruction by Tim Barnett

Why Won’t We Sin in Heaven?

Greg answers questions about whether God’s moral perfection is a communicable property we will have after the resurrection or there’s some other reason we won’t sin, whether the proverbs about not arguing are anti-apologetics, and a biblical defense of apologetics.

 

Topics:

1. Why do you think God’s moral perfection is a communicable property we will have in Heaven? If it were, wouldn’t he have given it to us from the beginning? (08:00)
2. What should I say to Christians who are anti-apologetics because Proverbs says we’re not supposed to argue (20:3, 19:11, 17:14, 15:18)? What’s a biblical defense of apologetics? (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 23–24, 2024 in Dallas, TX; March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Why Apologetics? by Tim Barnett

Is a Sex-Change Surgery the Same Kind of Thing as Fixing a Cleft Palate?

Greg talks to Tim Barnett about the release of his new book, The Deconstruction of Christianity, then he answers questions about why a sex-change surgery isn’t the same kind of thing as fixing a cleft palate, which kinds of weddings we shouldn’t attend, and Jesus’ limitations as an infant.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Tim Barnett on the release of his new book (00:00)
2. Is a sex-change surgery the same kind of thing as repairing a cleft palate? (09:00)
3. Commentary: Which kinds of weddings should we not attend? (30:00)
4. When Jesus was an infant, was he limited to only the knowledge and wisdom an infant would have, or was there a part of him that existed outside the limitations of an infant? (40:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond by Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers
• Donate to Stand to Reason
• #STRask: Should We Correct a Wrongly-Gendered Body Just as We Correct Bad Eyesight?
• #STRask: Why Is It Wrong to Have Surgery to Alter Your Sex?
• What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage by Wayne Grudem

Related Links:

• Why I Changed My Mind about Deconstruction by Tim Barnett
• Don’t Assume We Should Change the Body to Match the Mind by Amy Hall

What Would You Say to a Wife Whose Husband Has Decided to Live as a Woman?

Greg talks to Alan Shlemon about what one should say to a wife whose husband has decided to live as a woman, then he offers some thoughts on how Christians are responding to Alistair Begg’s advice about attending a wedding where one person is transgender.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Alan Shlemon on what one should say to a wife whose husband has decided to live as a woman (00:00)
2. Commentary: Grace is the antidote to cancel culture (thoughts on how Christians are responding to Alistair Begg’s advice about attending a wedding where one person is transgender). (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Should You Accommodate an LGBT Person’s Requests? by Alan Shlemon
• Greg’s comments on Alistair Begg’s advice last week
• Would You Attend a Gay Wedding? by John Piper

Related Links:

• Transgender: Truth and Compassion by Alan Shlemon

Should You Tell Your Children Your Spouse Has Left Christianity?

Greg responds to a question about whether you should tell your children your spouse has left Christianity, then he takes Open Mic calls about why John was called the greatest “among those born of women,” transgender children, and whether taking fertility drugs would interfere with God’s timing and plan.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Should you tell your children your spouse has left Christianity? (00:00)
2. How should I understand the saying in Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 that John was the greatest “among those born of women” if Jesus was also born of a woman? (27:00)
3. Would this question help a parent realize what’s best for their child? “If you could snap your fingers and get the best outcome for your child, would you choose for your child’s body to match their mind or to not match?” (38:00)
4. Is it okay to take fertility drugs, or would that be interfering with God’s timing and plan? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy
• Record an Open Mic question

Related Links:

• When Transgender Children Are Harmed by the People Who Intended to Help Them by Amy Hall
• How to Help Transgender Children by Amy Hall
• The Tragic Consequences of the IVF Industry by Amy Hall
• How IVF Is Changing Our View of Human Beings by Amy Hall
• The Black Box of IVF by Alan Shlemom
• What You Might Not Know about IVF – Alan Shlemon and Amy Hall

When a Good Man Says Something Foolish

Greg discusses Alistair Begg’s advice about attending the wedding of a transgender person, then he answers a question about how Jeremiah 31:31 can apply to Christians when it says the promise is for “the house of Israel” and “the house of Judah.”

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: When a good man says something foolish (09:00)
2. How can I say Jeremiah 31:31’s words about the New Covenant apply to me if it says the promise is for “the house of Israel” and “the house of Judah”? (39:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Desert Apologetics “Anchored” Conference
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 23–24, 2024 in Dallas, TX; March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA
• Interview: Justin Brierley – The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God
• Record an Open Mic question
• The Bible: Fast Forward – DVD (Also available as a digital download)

Greg Answers Questions from an Atheist

In this compilation of calls from an atheist, Greg answers questions about the nature of objective morality, who goes to Hell, and how one can move from the cosmological argument for the existence of God to the God of the Bible.

 

Topics:

1. If we can unify our understanding of morality by agreeing on a common goal, then isn’t that objective morality? (02:00)
2. Who goes to Hell? (18:00)
3. How do we move from the need for a first cause to the existence of the God of the Bible? (42:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Conversations with an Atheist – Download the compilation of Greg’s discussions with Ian (includes an additional question)

Related Links:

• #STRask: Why conclude the beginning of the universe points to the Christian God rather than one of the other explanations people offer?
• A Simple Explanation of the Cosmological Argument – Short video from Reasonable Faith

What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

Greg talks about the soul, then he answers questions about why God made it so hard for humans to know he exists, the informal fallacy of special pleading, and how Christians can effect positive change in states where the culture is opposed to a biblical worldview.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What is the nature of consciousness? (00:00)
2. If God made humans, why did he make it so hard for them to know he exists? (21:00)
3. Can you explain the informal fallacy of special pleading? (45:00)
4. How can Christians effect positive change in states where the culture is opposed to a biblical worldview? (54:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (online articles) by Greg Koukl
• The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God (booklet) by Greg Koukl
• STR U Online Training

Related Links:

• Psychologist Recommends Intentionally Suppressing Intuition of Design by Amy Hall (on atheists needing to suppress the natural intuition children have that nature was designed)

There’s No Sense in Which You Can Bless a Sinful Relationship

Greg discusses the Pope’s statement on how Roman Catholic priests can give blessings to same-sex couples, then he talks to callers about a tactical way to tell people who think they’re Christians that they aren’t and what Jesus meant when he said in Mark 13:32 that only the Father knows “that day or hour.”

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: There’s no sense in which you can bless a sinful relationship. (00:00)
2. What’s a tactical way to tell people who think they’re Christians that they aren’t Christians? (26:00)
3. What does Jesus mean when he says in Mark 13:32 that only the Father knows “that day or hour,” not the Son? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Doctrinal dicastery explains how, when gay couples can be blessed by Cindy Wooden
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 23–24, 2024 in Dallas, TX; March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA
• The Deconstruction of Christianity by Tim Barnett and Alisa Childers

 

An Assertion Isn’t an Argument

Greg responds to a video by Dan McClellan that claims the Bible has no authority, then he answers questions about the extent to which Satan influences non-believers and how we can know when we should continue witnessing to someone and when we should move on.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: An assertion isn’t an argument. (00:00)
2. To what extent does Satan influence non-believers? (26:00)
3. How do we know when we should continue witnessing to a person and when we should move on? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – February 23–24, 2024 in Dallas, TX; March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA
• The Bible Has No Authority – Video by Dan McClellan

Related Links:

• A Response to Atheistic Moral Platonism by Amy Hall (quoting William Lane Craig)