Barometers and Worldview Glenn introduces concepts from medieval epistemology (i.e. the branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge and truth) and how these got challenged in the sixteenth and seventeenth century, particularly through the recovery of the ideas of the ancient Greek skeptic Pyrrho. After a foray into Descartes, who tried to answer Pyrrho, we look …
Morgoth’s Ring! Little by little, the notes and reflections of J. R. R. Tolkien have been published posthumously by his son, Christopher. Among the many volumes is the Tenth Volume in The History of Middle-Earth, entitled Morgoth’s Ring. The book contains many of Tolkien’s reflections on the nature of evil, mortality, and the eschatology of …
Jonathan Edwards and War This week the Pugsters are joined by Jonathan Edwards scholar Dr. Christian Cuthbert to discuss his research at Yale on the preaching of Jonathan Edwards on the subject of warfare. In the 18th century the Connecticut River Valley was on the frontier. It wasn’t unusual for Native American warrior bands to …
Contrasting Cultures: One Which Affirms and Celebrates Life, One That Centralizes Death Tom introduces two contrasting cultures by talking about the Gospel and its role in shaping a culture of life. He then draws off of Benjamin Wiker’s book ‘Architects of the Culture of Death’. The leads into one of the core figures discussed in …
Science, Art, and Worldview Glenn, our intrepid historian, takes us back to the twelfth century to show how a new worldview developed that shaped how we study the natural world (i.e. what we call “science” but they called “natural philosophy” or “natural theology”) and changed the aesthetics of the era, leading both to early empiricism …
Social Darwinism: The Legacy of Darwinism for Culture and Politics When the legacy of Charles Darwin is considered discussion generally focuses on the his account of human origins and whether or not evolution is a “blind watchmaker”. But Darwin’s influence has bled over into ethics, politics, philosophy, and other facets of human culture. Today the …
Episode 102: Social Darwinism: The Legacy of Darwinism for Culture and Politics Read More »
Athens and Jerusalem In today’s show the Pugsters explore Christianity’s relationship with Classical Culture and Tom explains the impact of von Harnack’s incorrect thesis, which placed the two in opposition. The guys then explore contemporary examples of the problematic application of von Harnack in theology and the Christian life.
The Via Positiva and the Via Negativa: The Positive and Negative Ways of Doing Theology Glenn introduces us to the medieval distinction between the Via Positiva, an approach to thinking about God that emphasizes the things we can affirm about God, and the Via Negativa, an approach that focuses on the limitations of finite creatures …
Ecology and the Libel of Christianity: The Legacy of Lynn White Jr. While many apologists for the Christian faith have focused on defending the intellectual integrity of Christianity’s factual claims, for example historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, over the last 100 years opponents of the faith have criticized the moral legacy of the faith. …
Episode 99: Ecology and the Libel of Christianity: The Legacy of Lynn White Jr. Read More »
Imperturbable Joy Tom engages the timely topic of Christian Joy in the light of Christmas. Beginning with the Good News of great joy announced to the shepherds from the heavenly hosts, Tom turns to discuss the Christian notion of Joy. What is it? What is its significant to life and flourishing? What is its place …