Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

A Response to Tim Keller’s Tweet Thread

Greg responds to a tweet thread by Tim Keller about Christianity and politics, then he answers questions about defining knowledge as justified true belief, the meaning behind a supernatural experience, and how to start a conversation with an agnostic who has already heard arguments for Christianity.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A response to Tim Keller’s tweet thread (00:00)
2. If knowledge is justified true belief, how can I know which of the things I’m confident about I actually know? (27:00)
3. Can you explain why I had this seemingly supernatural experience many years ago? (42:00)
4. How can I start a conversation with an agnostic who has already heard arguments for Christianity? (51:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tim Keller’s tweet thread

Abortion Is Not an Act of Love

Greg responds to a woman’s Instagram post that said it would be an act of love to have an abortion rather than give a “brown child” to white evangelicals, then he answers questions about how we can have the joy of the Lord during this difficult time and whether Jesus caused his disciples to believe he would return in their lifetime.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Abortion is an act of love? (00:00)
2. How can I have the joy of the Lord during this difficult time? (27:00)
3. Did Jesus cause his disciples to believe he would return in their lifetime, and if so, what does this mean for us today? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• The Instagram post about abortion being “an act of love” 

Jesus’ Brother’s Belief Is Evidence for the Resurrection

Guest Host: Robby Lashua

 

Robby talks about how the fact that Jesus’ brother James came to believe in Jesus’ divinity is evidence for the resurrection, Starbucks’ new policy of paying for employees’ travel expenses for abortions, and how God matures us through suffering, not miracles.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Jesus’ brother’s belief is evidence for the resurrection. (00:00)
2. Commentary: Starbucks is paying employees’ travel expenses for abortions. (30:00)
3. Commentary: God matures us through suffering, not miracles. (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• What Convinced James His Brother Was God? by Robby Lashua
• Starbucks to cover employees’ travel expenses for abortions, gender-affirming surgeries

Interview: Titus Kennedy – Excavating the Evidence for Jesus

Guest Host: Robby Lashua

 

Robby talks to archaeologist Titus Kennedy, author of Excavating the Evidence for Jesus: The Archaeology and History of Christ and the Gospels, about archaeological evidence for Jesus.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Titus Kennedy, author of Excavating the Evidence for Jesus: The Archaeology and History of Christ and the Gospels (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Titus Kennedy
• Titus Kennedy’s Instagram
• Excavating the Evidence for Jesus: The Archaeology and History of Christ and the Gospels by Titus Kennedy
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2023 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2023 in Augusta, GA
• James Ossuary

How the Claims about Jesus Differ from Claims about Peter Pan

Guest Host: J. Warner Wallace

 

J. Warner Wallace talks about how the claims about Jesus are historical and can be tested (unlike claims about Peter Pan), then he answers a question about whether one should be happy that a child has entered into a homosexual relationship and is no longer depressed.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: How the claims about Jesus differ from claims about Peter Pan (00:00)
2. If my son, who recently told me he’s bisexual, finds a man to be with and is no longer depressed, should I be happy that he’s happy? (19:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Sean McDowell and Matthew Vines on the Bible and Homosexuality
• Christopher Yuan
• Becket Cook

Related Links:

• A Response to Matthew Vines: The Bible Doesn’t Support Same-Sex Relationships by Amy Hall
• An Evaluation of the Dialogue between Sean McDowell and Matthew Vines 
• Answering Matthew Vines’s 40 Questions
• A Reformation the Church Doesn’t Need Part 1 and Part 2 by Alan Shlemon
• Be Willing to Submit to Our Good God on the Issue of Homosexuality by Amy Hall
• What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung

Three Reasons to Celebrate Christianity

Guest Host: J. Warner Wallace

 

J. Warner Wallace explains three reasons to celebrate Christianity, answers a question about what to do when you lose motivation and feelings in your Christian walk, then discusses how social media is affecting two forms of autonomy and contributing to a shift in our priorities and perspectives.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Three reasons to celebrate Christianity (00:00)
2. What do you do when you lose motivation and feelings in your Christian walk? (21:00)
3. Commentary: How social media affects two forms of autonomy (and how it’s contributing to a shift in our priorities and perspectives) (32:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• J. Warner Wallace’s website
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 23–24 in Orange County, CA; October 14–15 in Seattle, WA; November 11–12 in Minneapolis, MN; February 24–25, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 24–25, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 21–22, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• STR U Online Training
• Three Good Reasons To Celebrate Your Christian Worldview by J. Warner Wallace
• Three Ways Social Media Has Changed Our Priorities And Perspectives by J. Warner Wallace

Related Links:

• Apologetics Aren’t Enough to Connect You with a Person by Amy Hall
• Prayer Begins with Hope in God by Amy Hall
• How I Pray...Even When It’s Hard by Greg Koukl

The Magnitude of the Loss of Life Due to Abortion

Greg talks about the magnitude of the loss of life due to abortion, responds to arguments made by Alex Berenson, who thinks abortion is murder but should remain legal, then answers questions about leaving a church that’s teaching questionable prayer practices and when it’s proper for a pastor to address politics in the pulpit.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The magnitude of the loss of life due to abortion (00:00)
2. My church is teaching ways of praying that seem New Age to me; is this grounds for leaving? (57:00)
3. When is it proper for a pastor to address politics in the pulpit? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Women in Apologetics Conference – June 9–11 in Boca Raton, FL
• On Roe v. Wade: And Why Abortion Should Be Legal by Alex Berenson
• Getting “Political”—Vice or Christian Virtue? by Greg Koukl

 

Related Links:

• Abortion and Slavery: The Same Old Arguments by Amy Hall

The Supreme Court’s Leaked Draft Opinion

Greg talks to Megan Almon of Life Training Institute about the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion, then he answers questions about relativism, having an opposite-sex roommate, and applying 1 Corinthians 5 to a professing believer who is in sexual sin.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Megan Almon of Life Training Institute (00:00)
2. Is it relativism if I think it’s okay to lie in a certain situation but someone else doesn’t think it’s okay? (37:00)
3. Some thoughts on the response you gave on #STRask about people having opposite-sex roommates. (45:00)
4. How should I apply 1 Corinthians 5 when interacting with a professing believer who is in sexual sin? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Megan Almon – Life Training Institute
• Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion
• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• #STRask episode referenced by the caller

Overturning Roe Will Restore Integrity to the Constitution

Greg explains how overturning Roe will restore integrity to the Constitution, discusses with Robby Lashua what pro-lifers should do now, Robby answers a question about how the STR outposts will work, and then they both give some thoughts on the series The Chosen.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Overturning Roe will restore integrity to the Constitution. (00:00)
2. Can you give some more detail about what the outposts will involve so I can propose this to my church? (15:00)
3. Commentary: Thoughts on The Chosen (36:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Chosen Is Not ‘Produced by Mormons,’ the Series’ Facebook Page Says

Stand to Reason’s 29th Anniversary

Greg chats about STR’s anniversary and talks to Robby Lashua about the new STR outposts and the Reality conference, Robby explains how the change from Saturday to Sunday worship in the early church points to the truth of the resurrection, and they respond to the news about the probable overturning of Roe v. Wade.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Stand to Reason’s 29th anniversary (00:00)
2. The change from Saturday to Sunday worship is evidence for the resurrection. (35:00)
3. What’s your take on the news about the probable overturning of Roe v. Wade? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR’s statement of faith