The Briefing with Albert Mohler

Episode Summary – Friday, January 30, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Albert Mohler offers cultural commentary from a biblical perspective, guided by recent events and listener questions. The first half centers around the life, legacy, and worldview implications of Erich Von Däniken, author of Chariots of the Gods, which posited ancient alien visitation as an explanation for human civilization’s mysteries. Mohler transitions to thoughtful, nuanced answers on the canon of scripture, the authority of church creeds and confessions, and concludes with a reflection on Christian community in the context of baby showers for children born outside of marriage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Human Impulse Toward Religion—Even Among Atheists

Timestamp: 00:04 – 03:09

• Mohler begins by highlighting the universal human tendency to form religious-like beliefs, even among atheists and agnostics.

  “One of the most important things for us to understand about human beings made in the image of God is that one way or another we will come up with some set of religious beliefs... sometimes they make a religion out of irreligion.” (00:04)

• He references Richard Dawkins as an example—though a well-known atheist, Dawkins admits an affinity for church on Christmas Eve.

2. Erich Von Däniken and “Chariots of the Gods”

Timestamp: 03:10 – 19:01

• The death of Von Däniken at 90 prompts a deep dive into his 1968 book, which claimed aliens seeded human civilization.
• Mohler provides cultural context: as a teenager in 1970s Florida (near the Bermuda Triangle), he recalls the huge popularity and sensationalism the book generated.

  “He became the stuff of conversation among high school students and college students and others.” (04:11)

a. Appeal & Critique of Von Däniken’s Claims

• The theory postulated that advanced aliens built structures like the Great Pyramids, influencing human technology and intelligence.
• Mohler quotes a New York Times obituary:

  “With little evidence and a lot of innuendo, he proclaimed that the Egyptian pyramids could have been built only with an alien expertise… ‘Is it really a coincidence that the height of the pyramid of chips multiplied by 1000 million, 98,000 miles corresponds approximately to the distance between the Earth and the Sun?’” (06:20)

• Mohler notes: the enduring human hunger for unifying explanations makes even poorly substantiated theories compelling.

b. Occultism, Skepticism, and American Culture

• Von Däniken’s book is called “metaphysically occultic”—not worship, but a superstition-laden worldview.
• Notable criticism from astrophysicist Carl Sagan:

  "Every time he sees something he can't understand, he attributes it to extraterrestrial intelligence. And since he understands almost nothing, he sees evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence all over the planet." (09:32)

• Mohler warns: Sagan would have made the same critique about Christians attributing divine intelligence to the universe.

c. The Christian Worldview & Occult Alternatives

• Mohler contrasts the biblical view (an infinite, personal, self-existent Creator God) with the “alien intelligence” narrative.
• Von Däniken integrated reinterpretations of biblical passages (like Ezekiel’s visionary wheels) as alien encounters.
• Mohler calls such speculation “a word of warning” and notes the Bible does not support extraterrestrial speculation beyond God’s own revealed activity.

d. Lasting Pop Culture Influence

• Ancient alien themes persist in films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Prometheus.
• Von Däniken wrote a second book while serving time for financial fraud, which added to his mystique.
• His closing worldview:

  “Today, I know definitely that Earth, our home, has been visited by extraterrestrials in the distant past. I also know that these visitors promised our forebears that they will return to Earth. They will return. So humanity better come to grips with that thought.” (15:45)

e. Mohler’s Theological Response

• Mohler reframes the "alien return" motif in light of Christian eschatology:

  “That, of course, harkens and reminds Christians of our understanding, based on the authority of Scripture, of what we are expecting. And that certainly includes the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory.” (18:16)

• Concludes: Humans instinctively seek ultimate meaning and pattern, and absent Christian belief, other “cosmic conspiracy” stories rush into the vacuum.

3. Listener Q&A

A. On the Canon: Picked or Recognized? (Apocrypha and Bible Books)

Timestamp: 19:02 – 25:44

• A 16-year-old writing about Catholic and Protestant differences: Do churches pick or recognize canonical books?
• Mohler explains:
  • The Apocrypha (seven “deuterocanonical” books) is recognized by Catholics but not Protestants.
  • Protestants have generally not recognized these books as “authoritative, inerrant, infallible, verbally revealed Scripture” because:
    • They are not cited in the New Testament.
    • They lack New Testament gospel content.
    • No apostolic references exist for the apocryphal books.

  “They believed themselves to be recognizing what was authoritative, inerrant, infallible, verbally revealed Scripture. They did not believe they were picking the books.” (23:39)

• The key: Both traditions claim “recognition” instead of “choice,” but the underlying question is who made the most faithful recognition.

B. On the Authority of Creeds and Confessions (Nicene Creed and Sola Scriptura)

Timestamp: 25:45 – 31:45

• Question: If the Nicene Creed isn’t inspired, can it be authoritative?
• Mohler affirms: Only Scripture is infallible and inspired, but creeds and confessions serve as trustworthy, faithful summaries of biblical doctrine.

  “Rightly understood in the Church, these creeds and confessions are to be number one, of course, judged by Scripture, but they seek to be summaries of Scripture and affirmations of Scripture.” (27:13)

• The Church has needed such declarations “of absolute necessity” to maintain doctrinal faithfulness and accountability.

  “If you avoid all creeds and confessions, you’re actually avoiding doctrinal accountability.” (30:25)

• The Protestant Reformation affirmed both sola scriptura and the use of creeds and confessions as subordinate standards.
  • Example: Southern Baptist Theological Seminary requires faculty to affirm their confession of faith.

C. On Baby Showers and Grace

Timestamp: 31:46 – End

• Mohler revisits a previous question: Should a church host a baby shower for a baby born out of wedlock?
• Emphasizes: The baby is a gift, and the Christian community should celebrate new life—even where repentance has occurred for sin.

  “The big issue here is the fact that the baby is a gift. The Christian worldview, the biblical worldview tells us the baby is a gift and this should be a shower for the baby.” (32:35)

• Shares a personal, pastoral response: He wishes he could attend the shower and affirms joy in receiving every child as a gift of grace.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the reach of Von Däniken’s claims:

  “It is a horribly written book, but it is the compelling nature of its claims. That’s what caught so much attention.” (08:00)

• Carl Sagan’s critique:

  “Since he understands almost nothing, he sees evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence all over the planet.” (09:38)

• On the resilience of alternative religions:

  “It’s either biblical Christianity, gospel Christianity, or some other religion one way or the other.” (18:55)

• On the canon and the Apocrypha:

  “They did not believe they were picking the books. There were formal criteria, theological criteria, and there were criteria about universality.” (23:39)

• On creeds and confessions:

  “If you avoid all creeds and confessions, you’re actually avoiding doctrinal accountability.” (30:25)

• On celebrating new life:

  “We celebrate that birth, raise that child in the nurture and admonition of the Lord… To God be the glory.” (33:45)

Segment Timestamps

• 00:04–03:09: The universality of religious impulse
• 03:10–19:01: Erich Von Däniken, Chariots of the Gods, and ancient alien theories
• 19:02–25:44: Listener question on the canon—picked or recognized?
• 25:45–31:45: Nicene Creed and the necessity of creeds/confessions
• 31:46–End: On baby showers for children born out-of-wedlock and grace in Christian community

Tone and Style

Mohler’s delivery is thoughtful, conversational, and theologically weighty, marked by humility, humor, and deep conviction. He weaves personal anecdotes, timely cultural observations, and scriptural references to offer a measured, pastorally sensitive approach to current issues and questions.

Conclusion

This episode of The Briefing provides accessible, biblically rooted reflection on popular culture’s persistent search for meaning, the boundaries and basis of Christian doctrine, and a model for practical pastoral care and compassion. With a blend of storytelling, historical insight, and rigorous theology, Mohler challenges listeners to discern the difference between biblical Christianity and the many “new religions” offered by the age.