Open to Truth

You Know What I Mean?

Have you thought about how amazing it is that we can communicate with each other? The development of language in human beings still mystifies experts in many ways.  In this episode, Clint and Tony explore a functional view of language and the implications this has for conventions such as swearing, coarse language, and whether people ever really know what you mean.  Join the Conversation!

What Floats Your Vote Boat?

How did you arrive at who to vote for - or whether to vote at all? What method did you use to decide which candidates to select? In this episode, we explore a helpful thought-experiment designed to get clear on what is going on in our mind when we go about deciding who to vote for.  We discuss the various arenas by which you might assess a candidate such as moral character, personal values, best policies, presidential demeanor, leadership, party affiliation, and a few others.  Join the Conversation.

I Saw the Sign

There are so many political signs around town.  Have you ever put one up? If not, have you wondered about why exactly people are doing that? 

In this episode, Clint and Tony dissect the activity of political signage and whether they really "work."  Should you put one up and what should it say?

Join the Conversation!

The GOP's Lost Decade feat. Jim Renacci

Do you ever get the sense Washington isn't working right? Why is it so hard to get anything good done - how can there really be so much disagreement?

 

Former Congressman Jim Renacci of Ohio's 16th District shares his experience as a businessman and politician in Washington, where he learned first-hand about betrayal and disloyalty on both sides of the aisle. We discuss how a lack of bipartisanship, respect for Regular Order, and growing party leadership power has led to an ineffective federal government system. We talk about possible solutions to these problems such as congressional term limits, a focus on state governance, a return to regular order, and campaign finance reform.

 

Jim discusses all of this in more depth in his book The GOP's Lost Decade. Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/GOPs-Lost-Decade-Inside-Washington/dp/1732185514/ref

 

Jim is also the Chairman of Ohio's Future Foundation. Find out what they are doing to improve Ohio here: https://www.ohiosfuturefoundation.org/

 

Thanks for listening - be sure to follow us on social media for even more great content!

Does Natural Theology Work?

People want to know whether God exists.  Don't You? One way we've tried to is by searching for evidence in the natural world and plumbing the depths of human reason - this is the project of natural theology.  Can we find out whether God exists without God revealing that information to us in some way?

We discuss the revolutionary idea that God may not be interested in having people come to know that God exists in the above fashion.  Such a project misses the salient aspects of a robust, volitional, and moral transformation journey that God would be interested in if God exists.

The Present of Presence

Have you ever found it difficult to just be still? Silent? Enjoy the present moment?

So have we.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of finding happiness or contentment in the present moment.  We dissect a number of pieces from pop culture and philosophy that help us understand the danger of neglecting the practice of presence.  

 

Join the conversation!

The Dirty Truth About the Bible and Archaeology feat. Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott

Puns aside, have you wondered about how to read the Bible and formulate theology in light of archaeological evidence? How do these two disciplines relate?

In this episode, Dr. Cynthia Shafer-Elliott explains what exactly archaeologists do, why it's valuable, and how it relates to biblical studies.  We think you'll learn a ton from this one!

To learn more about the course Dr. Shafer-Elliott is hosting, visit https://peteenns.com/course/everyday/. 

A great resource for all of your archaeology FAQs is The Five-Minute Archaeologist.  Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Minute-Archaeologist-Southern-Levant/dp/1781792429

 

Are Aliens Real?

There are so many stories floating around about UFO and extraterrestrial sightings. But, do any of them stand up to scrutiny?

We discuss the Fermi Paradox, which states that even if there is non-human intelligent life out there, it is incredibly unlikely that we would ever encounter them. And yet, the vastness of the cosmos suggests that aliens are probably real!

Join the conversation.

Are You Taking Enough Chances?

We take risks all day every day. But, what bigger risks are you taking? What do you stand to gain from those risks?

We use the acclaimed documentary, Free Solo, featuring rock climber Alex Honnold as a launching point. Alex free soloed El Capitan - no ropes, no nets, just him and the rock face. How do we think about such risk-taking? And on the flip-side, what are the consequences of being risk-averse? Let us know what you think in the comments!

Join the Conversation.

Love Matters More ft. Jared Byas

Have you ever felt like someone tried to tell you the truth in love, but emphasized the truth part rather than the love part? Jared Byas, co-host of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People and author of Love Matters More, shares how we can learn to love like Jesus instead of just fighting to be right.  We discuss the importance of truth, how it relates to loving well, the intellectual virtues, and personal anecdotes of victory and failure in this area.

You can learn more about Jared's new book at lovemattersmorebook.com and discover ways to support Jared's work at patreon.com/thebiblefornormalpeople.