The problem of evil. The most challenging of all issues.
See also my written thoughts here.
Author: Austin Brown
A Man with an MP3 Player and a Love for Theology
Episode 13 – Interacting with This American Life’s: Heretics
Episode 12 – Presidential Elections. Does Character Count?
In a rare moment of polarity, the men of Sensus Divinipodcastis disagree about the importance of character, when it comes to weighing and evaluating a presidential candidate. One more highly favors competency. The other says that character and competency are both crucially important. Listen in as we debate and wrestle.
Here are the two articles originally written by Austin challenging Dennis’ view. In the first article, you will find a link to Dennis’ other podcast where he explains why he scarcely values character in potential political figures.
Episode 11 – God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, Or X + 3 = 7
Join us as we delve into the wildly popular and ever confounding topic of divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
Episode 10: Beware the Me Monster
Just another day on the set of Sensus Divinipodcastis. We talk meaninglessness, the evolution of literary excellence, and of course how to slay Me Monsters.
Be sure to check out Brian Regan’s hilarious bit on the Me Monster:
Episode 9 – Sesame Street, Cruising Outer Space, and Speaking in Tongues
Grab your best Grover voice, along with the keys to your intergalactic space mobile, and join us as we ask this important question: Is the gift of prophecy and tongues still in operation today?
John Piper answers in the affirmative. So does Austin (though hesitantly). As for Dennis, he’s perhaps a bit more lukewarm. Join us as with wrestle with this fascinating topic.
Desiring God: What is Prophecy Today?
Poythress articles: One and Two
Showing the Spirit, D.A. Carson
Episode 8 – Are Thy Cells Naughty? (Sin and Biology)
We’re wading into controversial territory by asking if the sinful nature is connected with DNA. But of course before we dive into that subject, we touch upon a much easier (ahem) topic: A wife calling her husband lord!
Episode 7 – Give Us 45 Minutes to Change Your Mind, John MacArthur (Israel and the Church)
In 2007 John MacArthur delivered a nuclear message entitled, “Why Every Self Respecting Calvinist Should be a Premillennialist.” Truth be told, it should have been entitled: “Why I think Everyone Should be a Dispensationalist.” But that isn’t nearly so catchy.
Needless to say, the message caused quite a stir back in the day. Even to this day one can still hear the distant echoes of Reformed groans reverberating across the plains of some lonely valley.
In this episode, we add to the echo, providing not only a critique of MacArthur’s inciting message, but a positive exegetical case for the church as New Israel.
Give us 45 minutes to change your mind, dispensational friends. Just 45 minutes and an open mind.
Here is MacArthur’s original message.
Episode 6 – Hypothetical Universalism and the Boundaries of Reformed Orthodoxy (with historian Michael Lynch)
Can a black coffee Calvinist with the Canons of Dort tattooed on his back (he’s broad shouldered, of course) affirm that Christ did in fact pay an objective and sufficient price for the sins of the non-elect? The answer is yes. But of course, many today would recoil at the thought and demand that the “4-point Calvinist” or worse, “Amyraldian,” as he will no doubt be called, turn in his Reformed papers and hang out in the corner, somewhere near the cluster of shivering and pitiable Arminians.
But is this justified historically?
Join us as we talk with historian, Michael Lynch, about early Reformed thought and the issue of the extent of the atonement.
I would especially point the listener to his lecture “Early Modern Hypothetical Universalism: Reflections on the Status Quaestionis and Modern Scholarship,” and his excellent entry”Confessional Orthodoxy and Hypothetical Universalism: Another Look at the Westminster Confession of Faith.”
It would also behoove the reader to check out John Davenant’s profound treatment of the subject of the extent of Christ’s death here.
I would also heartily recommend that listeners check out several of my posts on the subject over at “The Sound of Doctrine.” See especially:
- Limited Expiation and the Universal, Well-Meant Gospel Offer: A Logical Problem
- Limited Expiation and The Universal Well-Meant Offer: Illustrating Further the Logical Problem
- In Defense of Moderate Calvinism: “Wait! He Said What?!?” Reformed Quotes on the Extent of the Atonement and God’s Universal Saving Will
Star Trek Transporters (Death Machines?), Poythress and Lying, and Marriage Rape Laws
Yeah, quite the spread of topics this week. We ask whether or not transporters are death machines, wrap up the trolley problem discussion by pushing back on Grudem, and delve into the uncomfortable waters of marriage rape laws. Note that this last section is for mature audiences only. [Also, do forgive some audio hiccups during the first 30 minutes. Every so often the audio skips a second of recording. The computer we were using was struggling (probably updating while recording)].
A pretty in-depth discussion of the transporter problem here.
Grudem’s article.
Poythress’ article.
