Podcast
The Christian Skeptic
Hosted by The Christian Skeptic · EN
Hey, we’re Adam and Aaron, and we have a simple belief: faith should be rooted in truth, not tradition. On this show, we question everything—doctrines, traditions, cultural expectations, and religious dogma—not to dismantle Christianity, but to restore it to its biblical and historical essence. Whether you’re wrestling with doubt, deconstructing your beliefs, or just longing for some intellectual honesty, The Christian Skeptic is a space for real conversations about what it truly means to follow Jesus. New episodes drop every Tuesday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and be part of the conversation at thechristianskeptic.org.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
What Do You Do When God Goes Silent? | Prince Caspian
5d ago00:42:17Tap to summarizeC.S. Lewis set Prince Caspian 1,300 years after the golden age of Narnia — long enough that Aslan has become a legend, the talking trees have gone silent, and the people who rule the land insist none of it was ever real. So, what do you do when the God you used to see has gone quiet, and the culture around you has decided He was never there? In part four of our series through the Chronicles of Narnia, we dig into the most generous portrait of an honest skeptic Lewis ever wrote (Trumpkin), whether there’s room for doubt inside the church, why Lewis thought certainty could be its own kind of unbelief, and the famous scene where Lucy is told she should have followed what she saw—even when no one else could see it. Let’s get to it. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (00:53) Why Prince Caspian is the most skeptical book in the series (02:07) Chronological snobbery: does “old” mean false? (03:24) 1,300 years later: a world that forgot Aslan (05:00) Trumpkin, the honest skeptic (07:18) Three kinds of faith: Trufflehunter, Nikabrik, and Trumpkin (11:54) Why honest skeptics are taking Christianity seriously again (13:01) The place for questions (and answers) (16:34) How should Christians hold their certainty? (18:38) When truth is forgotten, the culture decays (21:13) Why did Aslan disappear? Where is God now? (26:01) Faith means believing without sight (27:14) Lucy, and faith as perception (31:38) The marriage of faith and reason (34:53) Are myths “half-glimpses” of truth? (37:30) Reepicheep’s tail and generational faithfulness (40:33) Determinism and responsibility Links C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia Joe Rogan: https://www.joerogan.com/ Jordan Peterson: https://www.jordanbpeterson.com/ Martin Luther: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther William Tyndale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndale John Wycliffe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wycliffe Jim Jones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones Doug Wilson: https://dougwils.com/ Connect with Adam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark Connect with Aaron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown Subscribe and stay in touch Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →Is God Really In Control? | The Horse and His Boy
2w ago00:44:12Tap to summarizeThe Horse and His Boy is the Narnia book most people skip—and the one with one of the most difficult question at its center: if God is behind every event of your life, including the painful ones, is that the most comforting idea imaginable or the most unsettling? This week we sit inside Aslan’s “I was the lion” speech and ask what it would mean if it were true. We also dig into the difference between God’s sovereignty and his providence, where C.S. Lewis actually landed on free will and divine control, why providence is something you can usually only recognize looking backward, and why, in the end, we both walk away from this strange, intimate little book feeling more comforted than unsettled. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (01:03) Real decisions, or God’s plan? (02:00) The best Narnia book nobody reads (07:00) From slavery to royalty: Shasta’s story (13:30) “I was the lion” — comforting or terrifying? (15:33) Sovereignty vs. providence (19:45) Was C.S. Lewis a Molinist? (24:11) Where we land: free will, control & the invisible hand (29:10) Holding the mystery without weaponizing it (37:14) Why Aslan won’t explain Aravis’s wounds (40:22) The comfort of being seen in the dark Links C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia Al Mohler: https://albertmohler.com/ John Piper: https://www.desiringgod.org/ William Lane Craig: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lane_Craig Ravi Zacharias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Zacharias Providence by John Piper: https://www.desiringgod.org/books/providence Charles Spurgeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652926 Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton: https://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-G-K-Chesterton-G-K/dp/1657592197 The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God by John Piper: https://www.desiringgod.org/books/the-misery-of-job-and-the-mercy-of-god Connect with Adam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark Connect with Aaron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown Subscribe and stay in touch Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →Have We Tamed Jesus? | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3w ago00:40:20Tap to summarizeThere's a moment in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where one of the kids learns that Aslan is a lion, gets nervous and asks if he's safe. And the answer, as Lewis writes it, is of course he isn't safe, but he's good. Most Christians can quote that line. It's one of the most famous lines in the entire series. We put it on coffee mugs, we hang it on our walls. But here's the question Lewis was actually asking—why does the Jesus most people know look so tame, so manageable, so agreeable? The Jesus we find most often in the American church is safe. He's predictable. He votes a certain way, he blesses certain things and disapproves of others. He shows up where he's invited and doesn't surprise anyone. That's what we're diving into today on The Christian Skeptic in part two of our series through The Chronicles of Narnia. Let's get to it. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (01:49) Was Lewis arguing for a specific atonement theory? (04:53) The four atonement theories (11:35) Would this convince anyone who didn't already believe? (14:33) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe recap (20:38) Lucy and faith as perception (29:04) The deep magic and Edmund as the human representative (33:02) The Stone Table and the law (34:48) Has the church tamed Jesus? (37:11) What does a "not-safe" Jesus look like? Links C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia J.R.R. Tolkien: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien Mere Christianity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity Steve Brown: https://www.keylife.org Three Free Sins: https://www.keylife.org/articles/three-free-sins The Snow Queen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen Hans Christian Anderson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Christian_Andersen Connect with Adam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark Connect with Aaron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown Subscribe and stay in touch Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →C.S. Lewis Wrote Himself Into Narnia | The Magician’s Nephew
May 500:34:18Tap to summarizeC.S. Lewis was nine years old when his mother died of cancer. He prayed for her healing. She died anyway. Lewis became an atheist for most of his adult life — and then, decades later, wrote The Magician's Nephew, a children's book about a boy in his exact situation. This week, we kick off a seven-part deep dive into The Chronicles of Narnia, starting with the most autobiographical book in the series. We explore whether Lewis was retelling Genesis, why evil already exists in this world before humans even get there, what the "deplorable word" and Hiroshima might have in common, and whether Uncle Andrew is a fair portrait of the skeptical scientist or just a caricature. Along the way: Aslan singing creation into being, Digory's reverse of the Fall, the cabby who becomes a king, and the scene at the heart of the book — where Aslan weeps over a dying mother. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:03 Why a Narnia series 06:30 Past the "religious dragons" 08:10 Publication order vs. chronological 10:35 Lewis wrote himself into the story 11:26 Is this a retelling of Genesis? 13:47 Why evil predates humans in Narnia 20:09 Uncle Andrew and the skeptical scientist 23:10 Aslan weeps with Digory 27:01 Threads of redemption: the cabby, the apple, the lampstand 29:55 A wild lion, not a tame one 31:35 The reverse fall Links C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia The Pilgrim's Progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrim%27s_Progress John Bunyan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bunyan Charles Spurgeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon J.R.R. Tolkien: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien Out of the Silent Planet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Silent_Planet Perelandra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra That Hideous Strength: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Hideous_Strength Mere Christianity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity The Screwtape Letters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters Doug Wilson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilson_(theologian) Connect with Adam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark Connect with Aaron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown Subscribe and stay in touch Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →A Short History of Christmas (and Why It Matters)
Dec 2300:33:52Tap to summarizeWhere did Christmas really come from—and should Christians celebrate it? This week, we explore the historical roots of Christmas, common objections about pagan origins and commercialization, and the role of Santa, imagination, and gift-giving. Along the way, we argue that the church’s call isn’t to retreat from culture but to redeem it. Ultimately, Christmas matters because the incarnation matters: God took on flesh, entered our darkness, and brought hope at just the right time. When understood rightly, even the most familiar Christmas traditions can point us back to Jesus. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (01:15) Why Christians question Christmas (02:45) Pagan origins, Sol Invictus, and Saturnalia (06:10) Did Christians borrow Christmas? (09:15) The church’s call: withdraw from culture or redeem it? (15:30) Puritans vs. separatists: two ways of engaging the world (17:55) Lights, gifts, and redeeming Christmas traditions (19:45) Is Santa real? Imagination, myth, and meaning (23:10) Why stories teach truth better than arguments (25:10) Gift-giving, generosity, and reflecting God’s heart (28:45) Why the incarnation actually matters Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →
Do Christians Really Believe What They Preach?
Dec 1000:41:35Tap to summarizeThis week, we respond to a viral clip claiming most Christians don’t really believe what they preach. We unpack the difference between hypocrisy and inconsistency, talk about weak versus fake faith, explore what a transformed life actually looks like, and wrestle with the place of evangelism in our lives. In this episode: (00:00) Intro (01:29) “I don’t think people are actually religious” (03:58) Hypocrisy vs. inconsistency (07:56) Weak faith or fake faith? (12:33) The problem with cultural Christianity (18:01) What a transformed life actually looks like (23:00) Internal change vs. external rule-keeping (28:48) What place should evangelism have in our lives? (32:50) How real conversations open real doors Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →
Can a Christian Abuse Grace?
Nov 2600:34:41Tap to summarizeThis week, we take on the question, “Can a Christian abuse grace?” and explore why that question often reveals more about our own hearts than other people’s behavior. We dig into Christian liberty, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Romans 7, and why those who truly grasp God’s love are actually the least likely to cheapen it. We look at how self-righteousness distorts our view of grace, and why the only real way to “abuse” grace is to misunderstand it or reject it altogether. In this episode: (00:00) – Intro (01:06) – Can a Christian actually abuse grace? (02:22) – Thinner, flatter versions of grace (03:27) – When concern for holiness becomes self-righteousness (04:36) – The hidden ways we all “abuse” grace (06:00) – The tension of Christian liberty (07:49) – Older brothers and younger brothers (09:37) – Comparing sins to avoid our own (11:36) – The heaviness of watching everyone else (13:10) – Fear-based faith vs freedom-based faith (15:16) – Why we keep looking for “the line” (17:45) – What preaching real grace actually produces (19:38) – When your heart won’t cooperate (22:01) – The surprising comfort of conviction (25:05) – The only real way to abuse grace (27:39) – When grace sounds too reckless (29:52) – The prodigal, the Pharisee, and the Father (34:10) – So what do we do with all this? Key Ideas Grace isn’t something you “abuse” as much as something you misunderstand. Most concerns about “abusing grace” come from viewing the Christian life as rule-keeping rather than relationship. A deeper grasp of God’s love—not fear—actually leads to transformation. Self-examination comes before evaluating anyone else’s behavior. Jesus calls us to address the beam in our own eye first. Before questioning someone else’s actions, check your own posture, motives, and the subtle ways self-righteousness creeps in. Jesus intentionally left a broadness to the Christian life. Scripture leaves intentional room for believers to live differently within the boundaries of orthodoxy. Differences in conscience, lifestyle, or struggle don’t necessarily signal spiritual compromise. True grace produces desire—not license—to honor God. When you genuinely understand God’s unconditional love, it awakens a desire to honor Him—not a desire to run wild. Grace transforms from the inside out in a way that moral pressure never can. The only real “abuse of grace” is rejecting it altogether. Willful rebellion—the prodigal running from home—reflects rejection of God’s love, not overuse of it. But even then, the Father’s response in Jesus’ parable shows that love, not fear, is what draws us home. Links Brennan Manning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennan_Manning Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund: https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Lowly-Christ-Sinners-Sufferers/dp/1433566133 A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Freedom-Radical-Nature-Gospel/dp/1582293929 Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton: https://www.amazon.com/Putting-Amazing-Back-into-Grace/dp/0801014212 The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther: https://www.amazon.com/Bondage-Will-Martin-Luther/dp/0801048931 Connect with Adam Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark Connect with Aaron Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown Subscribe and stay in touch Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic
Transcribe →
Live Q&A: Christian Nationalism and the Way of Jesus
Nov 1200:37:35Tap to summarizeThis week, we’re sharing a live Q&A where we talk Christian nationalism, predestination, identity in Christ, and what it means to trust grace without abusing it. We explore how God forms us, how to walk with those who feel spiritually numb, and why the church remains central to following Jesus. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:00) - What’s the problem with “Christian nationalism”? (06:54) - Is it wrong for Christians to stay out of politics? (08:50) - What does predestination mean for me—and my family? (17:08) - Are we passive in our relationship with God? (22:12) - Can grace be abused—and what would that look like? (24:09) - If we fall short of biblical commands, do we lose our inheritance? (26:07) - Does grace extend to all—including the marginalized and LGBTQ? (27:37) - How do you help someone who’s become callous to sin? (30:38) - How can we make the church central to our lives? (34:03) - Why is Ephesians so relevant to today’s church? (35:04) - Does the Spirit shape our character—and our behavior? (36:06) - How does the church keep building on Christ’s foundation today? Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →
Can You Follow Jesus Without Believing in Him? What Rhett & Rainn Get Wrong About Christianity
Aug 500:33:09Tap to summarizeThis week, we respond to a clip from Soul Boom with Rhett McLaughlin and Rainn Wilson. We unpack the allure of a “just-the-teachings” Jesus, why it falls apart under scrutiny, and why you can’t separate the words of Jesus from the person of Jesus. We explore the intellectual and theological inconsistency of cherry-picking Jesus’ words while ignoring the radical, exclusive claims he made about himself. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:13) – Rhett & Rainn’s take on Jesus (03:38) – The appeal of a softer faith (05:13) – Can you follow Jesus without belief? (07:33) – What Jesus actually said (10:13) – Liar, lunatic, or Lord? (12:23) – When smart people say absurd things (14:13) – Does it matter if Jesus was real? (16:58) – Belief vs. bias (18:38) – The red-letter remix (21:13) – No resurrection, no Christianity (23:43) – Just a teacher? (26:03) – The prophecies they can’t explain away (27:43) – The new crutch: soft Jesus (29:13) – Why it matters what Jesus said about himself (31:13) – The question everyone must answer Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →What if I don't "feel" like a Christian?
Jul 2200:23:27Tap to summarizeThis week, we discuss a recent clip from John Piper, and explore the role of emotion in the Christian life. Is constant emotional intensity the measure of genuine belief? What about the seasons of doubt or dryness many believers experience? We also discuss confessional Christianity, the limits of emotionalism, and the freedom that comes not from emotion, but from the unchanging truth of the gospel. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:52) - John Piper on AI and worship (04:47) - When you don’t “feel” like a Christian (06:17) - The hidden pressure of emotional Christianity (10:44) - The danger of undefined emotional expectations (13:10) - Manufactured vs. suppressed emotions in faith (19:08) - Adopted, secure, and kept forever (21:23) - Grace awakens feeling, not the other way around Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic.
Transcribe →