Coffeehouse Questions With Ryan Pauly

Expressive individualism has become the central ethic that guides our society's thinking. "The idea that a person should be limited by an authority outside of him- or herself—whether a tradition, religion, or parent—to do or experience whatever he or she wants amounts to one of the worst offenses an authority can commit." The problem is that expressive individualism cannot be consistently lived out. The focus on satisfying the self above all has led to an age of coddling, fragility, and moral confusion. Come join this important conversation and bring your questions! Today's show will take a look at identity as we walk through chapter 6 of Andrew and Christian Walker's new book, "What Do I Say When...?: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children & Teens."

"Conceptual analysis of what it is to be a cause of the universe enables us to recover a number of striking properties which this ultramundane cause must possess and which are of theological significance." - William Lane Craig In part 1 on the Kalam, I discussed the scientific evidence in support of premise 2 with James Sinclair. Today's show will begin with a quick look at the philosophical arguments for premise 2, and then will focus on how Christians arrive at God based on the Kalam Cosmological argument. Here's the argument: 1. Everything that begins to exist has a cause. 2. The universe began to exist. 3. Therefore, the universe has a cause. 4. If the universe has a cause, then an uncaused, personal Creator of the universe exists, who sans the universe is beginningless, changeless, immaterial, timeless, spaceless, and enormously powerful. From (3) and (4), it follows that: 5. Therefore, an uncaused, personal Creator of the universe exists, who sans the universe is beginningless, changeless, immateria

1 Corinthians 15:17 says, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." This means that either the tomb was empty, or Christians have an empty faith. Dr. Timothy Paul Jones (vice president for doctoral studies, professor of Christian family ministry, and chair of the department of apologetics, ethics, and philosophy at Southern Baptist Theological Studies) wrote the short book, "Did the Resurrection Really Happen?" as part of the TGC Hard Questions series. The goal of his brief book is modest. He writes, "I simply want you to recognize that the first followers of Jesus didn't claim their leader rose from the dead because of gullible ignorance or blind faith. They knew dead people stay dead." Today's show will look at his main argument as I make an evidential case for the resurrection of Jesus. Content Discussed: 0:00 Intro & Update 5:22 What's the point of the book? 8:05 Why does it matter whether Jesus resurrected or not? 10:44 Christian faith should not be blind 1

"The Cosmological argument is a family of arguments that seek to demonstrate the existence of a Sufficient Reason or First Cause of the existence of the cosmos... The kalam cosmological argument traces its roots to the efforts of early Christian theologians who, out of their commitment to the biblical teaching of creation ex nihilo, sought to rebut the Aristotelian doctrine of the eternity of the universe." The argument is extremely simple: 1. Everything that begins to exist has a cause. 2. The universe began to exist. 3. Therefore, the universe has a cause. This is part 2 of our apologetics study as we work through "The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology." James Sinclair, co-author of the chapter on the kalam cosmological argument with William Lane Craig, joins the show to discuss the scientific evidence in support of premise 2. We look at the FRW mode, astronomical evidence for the Big Bang, the Hawking-Penrose singularity theorems, the BVG theorem, quantum gravity approaches, and the exceptions to e

Andrew and Christian Walker write, "The logic of bodily sex differences helps explain the moral logic of biblical sexual ethics overall. The mandate for sexual relations in Scripture is tied to the design of the body... The end for which the body is organized--namely, reproduction--tells us what sexual actions are proper to the body and which actions are immoral." If you were to take a poll on the most controversial and delicate biblical views, homosexuality would probably be near the top if not at the very top. Because of this, if we are going to stand in our Christian convictions, then we must know what the Bible teaches and why it teaches it. For those who object to the Christian view, it is equally important for them to understand the what and the why in order to offer an accurate and fair critique. Today's show will take a look at homosexuality as we walk through chapter 5 of Andrew and Christian Walker's new book, "What Do I Say When...?: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children & T

Wouldn't we all benefit from a better understanding of what it means to think well? If so, why don't we do it? Alan Jacobs is the author of "How to Think." He serves as a Distinguished Professor of Humanities in the Honors Program at Baylor University and a Senior Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. He writes, "Relatively few people want to think. Thinking troubles us; thinking tires us. Thinking can force us out of familiar, comforting habits; thinking can complicate our lives; thinking can set us at odds, or at least complicate our relationships, with those we admire or live or follow. Who needs thinking?" Would you agree? Alan Jacobs finishes his book by giving The Thinking Person's Checklist. This 12-point checklist is designed to help us think well, and have better conversations. This conversation will offer "hope that each of us can reclaim our mental lives from the impediments that plague us all. Because if we can learn to think together, maybe we ca

Christians believe that God has personally, truthfully, and sufficiently revealed himself in the Bible. This should not be a blind following but is the result of the deep intellection tradition of biblical and theological studies. However, "pragmatism, consumerism, and an entertainment mentality have shifted the priorities of some churches away from our primary calling to devote ourselves to knowing God deeply through his Word." Why does theology matter? "Knowledge without devotion is cold, dead orthodoxy. Devotion without knowledge is irrational instability... The study of theology is learning to think God's thoughts after him so that our minds and hearts and actions are conformed to his image." Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 5:05 Announcements and future shows 10:32 Why cover biblical and theological studies? 19:00 Attitudes for doing biblical and theological studies 27:15 Christian Assumptions or presuppositions when studying the Bible 35:29 CALLER: Cynical vs Critical, Bias, and the Authority of Scripture

Does the Trinity have a counting problem? How can Jesus be both all-knowing in his divinity and not all-knowing in his humanity at the same time? Doesn't John 20:17 show that Jesus isn't God because he has a God? These are just some of the objections to the Trinity that I have received from TikTok livestreams. Today's show will walk through some of the objections to the Trinity and show that the Trinity is logical and biblical. Live questions start at 48:15, and callers begin at 1:14:47

"God created human beings to be sexual, therefore, sexuality is good under God's design," and "rightly-ordered sexuality brings God glory." So, how do we know when sexuality is rightly-ordered or disordered? How can sin distort our sexual desires? What was God's original design for human sexuality? Why is the Christian sexual ethic the only way for personal and cultural flourishing? Today's show will take a look at sexuality as we walk through chapter 3 of Andrew and Christian Walker's new book, "What Do I Say When...?: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children & Teens." I've done a few shows on this topic (see below), so I aim to keep the teaching short and get to your calls and questions as soon as possible. Join me for an important conversation! Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 2:45 A look at future shows 7:57 Why does this topic matter? 12:44 The problem is when you impose your morality on others. 14:10 Sexuality is a good gift from God 20:01 Caller: Is the Christian ethic only to keep peop

How will thinking carefully about the relationship of faith and knowledge influence the way you think about and live out your Christian commitments? "The Great Tradition of Christian Thinking" by David Dockery and Timothy George give an understanding of how Christian faith has related to knowledge throughout the centuries. It then shows how we can apply and advance the tradition today. Come join the conversation and bring your questions! I will be taking calls after the teaching. The show is LIVE every Tuesday at 1:30 pm PT. Content Discussed: 0:00 Intro 2:33 A look at future shows 5:30 An into to the series on Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition 6:52 Have Christians given up on the cognitive focus? Knowledge & Faith 14:57 The role of Scripture in the Christian intellectual tradition 16:28 How challenges throughout church history led to intellectual growth 24:05 How everything fits into the Christian story 27:34 Necessary distinction between "the faith" and "my faith" 34:25 How do we practical

What should we think about the most recent advances with artificial intelligence? Does it think and behave like humans do? Join the show as we look at a recent video about AI scheming and lying to developers.

When do the unborn become real people? Who has the authority to give and take life? When does life begin? There are many conversations between pro-life and pro-choice advocates. The arguments have been made, but it often feels like we are talking past each other. How can we have better conversations on issues that matter? What are the best ways to communicate the biblical teachings that relate to abortion? Today's show will take a look at abortion as we walk through chapter 2 of Andrew and Christian Walker's new book, "What Do I Say When...?: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children & Teens." I've done a few shows on this topic (see below), so I aim to keep the teaching short and get to your calls and questions as soon as possible. Join me for an important conversation!

The Bible is not the only source of knowledge about God. Christians believe that God has revealed himself through creation (Ps 19:1, Rom 1:19-20), which means we should be able to find evidence for God in nature. This approach, referred to as natural theology, develops a philosophy of God based on observations about our world. Today's show will attempt to "provide reasons for thinking that classical theism is more reasonable because it has a greater explanatory power than naturalism." We will be taking your pressing questions and strongest objections! This is part 1 of our apologetics study as we work through "The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology." Dr. Charles Taliaferro (professor emeritus of philosophy at St. Olaf College). He also contributed to "Natural Theology: Five Views" from Baker Academic and authored "Evidence and Faith: Philosophy and Religion since the Seventeenth Century" from Cambridge University Press.

Who was Adam? Was he the result of a natural process (evolution) or a unique creation? Did he actually exist, or was he merely a literary figure? Hasn't science proven that an original two humans is impossible? Dr. Fazale Rana, President and senior research scholar at Reasons to Believe, joins me in making a biblical and scientific case for a historical Adam and Eve. When were Adam and Eve created? How does the biblical account line up with the scientific record? Are humans related to Neanderthals? These are just a few questions that we will address in today's show. We also will be taking your questions! So join the show, bring your questions, and consider the biblical account of human origins. Content Discussed 0:00 4:12 How should we approach science and faith questions? 7:18 Does science or Scripture have the ultimate authority? 12:00 A biblical argument for a historical Adam and Eve 14:48 Why does this conversation matter? 20:19 What makes the Reason to Believe model scientifically testable? 23:02 Wh

We all believe it is important to be ethical people and make good moral decisions. Right? The problem is if we can ever come to a conclusion about what qualifies as a "moral decision." C. Ben Mitchell writes, "If relativism is true, it also means that the search for enduring, universal moral norms is futile. But the fact that we live in a relativistic world also means that if relativism is not true, we need to know how to respond to a view that is so pervasive in our culture." Join me as we engage in a moral discussion and try to find clarity in a morally confused culture. "Ethics and Moral Reasoning" by C. Ben Mitchell will be our primary text today. Bring your questions and join the show! I'll be taking your calls! Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 2:50 A look at upcoming shows and events 6:15 Intro to our series on reclaiming the Christian intellectual tradition 9:20 Living in a relativistic world 13:31 5 problems with moral relativism 22:45 Can you prove objective morality? 26:43 Do you believe in evolution

"Christianity alone provides the best solution for a coherent reason to value a human person and the necessary authority to confidently guarantee it... Can non-Christian systems arrive at a position of human dignity on their own that does not end up being arbitrary?" Human dignity is at the heart of all political views, religious traditions, and cultural systems. For this reason, it matters whose concept of human dignity we adopt as part of our worldview. Today's conversation will look at the importance of human dignity, build a case for a biblical view of human dignity, and give you tools to have better conversations on the topic. Our conversation will be based on chapter 1 of Andrew and Christian Walker's book, "What Do I Say When...?" Bring your questions and join the show! I'll be taking your calls!

"If you don't teach your children, the world will." Isn't this true? If we are not intentional about our own learning and our children for those who are parents, then our culture will disciple us unintentionally, often with greater effectiveness. TikTok is one of the major influences in the lives of students. So, today's show will examine a few TikTok videos about the Bible. While they appear compelling on the surface, each has a deep flaw. Join me as we learn to Think Well about different cultural challenges. Bring your questions! I'll be taking callers at the end. Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 2:42 Cultural Book Study Intro: What Do I Say When...? 8:21 Worldview Book Study Intro: Ethics and Moral Reasoning 10:24 Apologetics Book Study Intro: The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology 13:05 Is there a contradiction in Jesus's birth story? 22:43 Do people have biblical reasons for questioning the length of the creation days? 26:08 Does the Hebrew word "day" paired with a number or "evening and morning" alw

Have you heard either of these claims? "There are no atheists in foxholes," and "Only an atheist until the plane starts to fall." These claims are often given to show that atheists frequently find themselves pulled toward God during times of stress. Is this true? Can it be used as an argument for God? Atheist Armin Navabi addresses this argument in chapter 18 of his book, "Why There Is No God." He writes, "The existence of 'deathbed conversions' and similar experiences does not prove the existence of God... The idea that fear could drive you toward the belief in God only goes to suggest that religious claims are commonly fear-based and not rooted in actual logic or evidence. Unintentionally, theists are essentially acknowledging that their claims are irrational." Join the show as we walk through Armin's chapter and look at how to think about belief in times of desperation. I'll be taking your calls and responding to your questions as well!

Christians will sometimes point to the violent behavior of atheists like Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong when showing why atheism is false. Is this a fair argument? Can we suggest that the depravity caused by atheists reflects back on atheism? What about Christianity? Do the evil actions of Christians mean that Christianity is evil? Atheist Armin Navabi, author of "Why There Is No God," addresses this topic in chapter 17. He writes, "The violence within Christianity or Islam can often be traced back to the teachings of those religions because it is embedded in the ideology of the religions themselves." But when it comes to atheists, Armin writes, "While it's true that Stalin and Mao were corrupt leaders who denounced religion among their people, suggesting that their depravity was caused by atheism or that their behavior was at all indicative of atheism as a whole simply does not follow." Join the show as we walk through Armin's chapter and look at how the actions of individuals reflect back on their belief sy

Let's have some fun talking about what's on your mind! Send in your questions in the live chat, or call in once we go live! Help us expand our reach and continue fostering conversations that matter! Generous donors have come together and pledged $14,000 to help meet our budget and fund this important work in 2025! Any gift of $35 or more will receive a free copy of "Stewarding AI: Faithfully Using Creation Resources" once it is published in January. Click here for more info! https://think-well.org/donate/ Content Discussed 0:00 Why this show exists 2:47 Giving you more conversations and apologetics in 2024 4:15 A look forward to 2025. Join me for a book study on apologetics, culture, or worldview! 11:50 Will you give to our year-end challenge? 13:45 Do Mormons and Christians follow the same Jesus? 20:45 How can Acts 7:43 and Amos 5:27 be reconciled? 25:15 What percentage of confidence does the evidence for God get you to? Where does faith come in? 33:38 How should we view secondary doctrines like speaking i