Sort By:
Filter by topic:
Filter by series:
Search:
Though evangelicals and liberals are often at each other’s throats in the culture wars, this division is best understood as a kind of “sibling rivalry.” Whereas liberals tend to focus on creating “our best world now,” evangelicals talk about having “your best life now.” But either way, the focus is on what we are doing […]
According to a recent Pew study, less than 30% of evangelicals were able to identify Protestantism as the faith which embraces the doctrine of “justification by faith alone.” On this program the hosts will attempt to demonstrate that most contemporary Protestants, whether liberal or conservative, actually have more in common with radical Anabaptist beliefs than […]
In his bestselling book The Universal Christ, progressive theologian Richard Rohr claims that the doctrine of original sin was invented by Augustine and that the Bible actually teaches the “inherent goodness of human nature.” So what are the implications of this view on the way progressive Christians think about salvation in general and the atonement […]
In her new book, Another Gospel, Alisa Childers argues that “progressive Christianity is not simply a shift in the Christian view of social issues. It’s not simply permission to embrace messiness and authenticity in Christian life. It’s an entirely different religion—with another Jesus and another gospel.” On this episode, Shane Rosenthal talks with Alisa about […]
How did so many people in our day come to believe that sexuality is at the core of a person’s individual identity? And how is it that inner psychology and subjective feelings came to have more cultural authority than a person’s actual biology? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Carl Trueman, author of […]
What is a covenant? Is there a difference between the Abrahamic covenant and the Sinai covenant, or are they basically the same? What is the relationship between the old and new covenants? On this program the hosts reveal how the study of ancient near-eastern treaties helps us to better understand all the different covenants we […]
Who was Abraham and why did God choose to bless him along with his descendants? Was it because he was a particularly holy and righteous man? What was the nature of God’s promise, and what did Abraham need to do in order to make it happen? Also, how does the covenant ritual described in Genesis […]
In Genesis, Abraham was told that in his seed, all the nations would be blessed. So why then did God later command the Israelites to be separate from the nations? In Galatians, Paul argues that the Mosaic covenant was a temporary Gentile-excluding covenant that served to guard the Abrahamic promise until the true seed, Jesus […]
Scholars such as James Dunn and N.T. Wright have argued that both Old and New Testament saints were members of one and the same covenant, and that believers are justified on the basis of their faithfulness to that covenant. But is this what the Apostle Paul really taught? Shane Rosenthal discusses this important issue with […]
Has smartphone technology changed the way we live and relate to others? Is there a relationship between social media usage and increased suicide rates among teens and preteens? How do images and short video clips affect the way we think about news stories and the world around us? On this program Shane Rosenthal discusses these […]
Christmas is the time we celebrate the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Word who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). But as it turns out, this same Word, who was with God and was God (Jn 1:1-2), actually made a number of appearances throughout Israel’s history. On this episode the hosts will take […]
Was Jesus merely a nice Jewish teacher who over time began to be worshiped as a kind of god by later generations, or was he thought of as a divine from the earliest days of Christianity? What can we learn about this by examining the earliest documents of the Christian faith? On this program the […]
Why did Jesus refer to himself as the Son of Man? Did he ever specifically make the claim that he was God? Why did the world need “God in human flesh” to rescue us in the first place, and was this idea of a divine descent ever mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament? The hosts […]
When objective truth is no longer valued, subjective experience fills the void, and we end up being guided by internal feelings and emotions. The result of this is that even what Scripture refers to as sinful passions and desires (Rom. 7:5) are no longer seen as things to be resisted, but in many cases have […]
What is “woke capitalism,” and how is it changing contemporary American culture? What are the beliefs and values of this new ideology, and how do they differ from the beliefs and values of historic Christianity? Where did these ideas originate and why are they so attractive, particularly to so many young people, in our time? […]
In his recent book Live Not by Lies, Rod Dreher tells the story of a Czech professor who began noticing a shift taking place in the States about a decade ago. “Friends would lower their voices and look over their shoulders when expressing conservative views. I grew up like this,” he said. According to Dreher, […]
In response to the racial violence that he had witnessed back in the sixties, Os Guinness wrote that “Violence may be pragmatically successful in overturning an existing order that is corrupt, but it is utopian to imagine that the next order will be free of all such problems. All men are fallen.” He went on […]
“No one can understand the present crisis in the United States and the West without understanding the sixties.” So writes Os Guinness in the preface to a new edition of The Dust of Death, which he first wrote almost 50 years ago. On this program, Shane Rosenthal talks with Os about many of the themes […]
On this episode of White Horse Inn, Shane Rosenthal talks with Mike Brown about some of the forgotten figures of the short-lived Italian Reformation such as Peter Martyr Vermigli, Don Benedetto, and Juan de Valdes. During the second half of the program, Shane talks with Mike about some of the challenges he faces as a […]
In various places throughout Scripture, there are a few key moments in which God reveals himself to his people. In these important scenes, God reveals his presence, his name, and his character, and this is the way he is to be remembered throughout all generations. So what can we learn from these special encounters, and […]
Should we think of Jesus more as a model for living than as an object of worship? Did he die on the cross for our sins, or was he just some kind of martyr? Is life in this world more important than the afterlife? According to Michael J. Kruger, the liberal, progressive, or emergent answers […]
On this episode, Shane Rosenthal continues his conversation with Dennis Johnson on the content of the earliest Christian sermons that we find throughout the book of Acts. This week the discussion centers on the messages proclaimed by the Apostle Paul on his various missionary journeys. Dr. Johnson is the author of Let’s Study Acts, The […]
What kinds of sermons did the Apostles preach? Did they tell amusing stories while keeping the focus on practical matters such as how to have a better marriage? Did they give instructions about creating better communities through political activism? Or did they preach about Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection? On this program Shane Rosenthal discusses […]
What happens if we compare the book of Acts with other historical works from the same period? What can we learn about the events recorded by Luke from the world of archaeology? On the last program we invited Lydia McGrew to discuss the issue of internal evidence for the authenticity of Acts. On today’s program […]
Does the book of Acts present an authentic narrative of the events that took place in the earliest days of the Christian church, or is it a fictional account of the lives of the apostles? On this program Shane Rosenthal discusses this important topic with Lydia McGrew, who has argued for the authenticity of Acts […]
Most people believe that Jesus was a real person who lived in first century Palestine. But what about the stories told of him in the four Gospels? Do they present an authentic account of Jesus’ life and teaching, or should we think of them as late and unreliable texts that have changed over time? On […]
When sharing the faith with others, should we primarily talk about Jesus, or our own religious experience? In other words, should we focus on the gospel of Christ as we find it unpacked in the New Testament with all its related facts and doctrines, or should we focus on our personal testimonies, explaining to others […]
Why do you believe Christianity is true? Shane Rosenthal put this question to attendees at the National Religious Broadcasters convention, and you’ll probably be surprised by the answers he received. During the first half of the program Michael Horton discusses the responses to this poll with Doug Powell, author of The Holman QuickSource Guide to […]
Contemporary culture is anything but neutral. In fact, it frequently promotes ways of thinking and behaving that are contrary to Scripture. If we’re not intentional about our faith, we will be conformed to the dogmas and values of our age. But in Romans 12:2 Paul instructs Christians saying, “Do not be conformed to this world, […]
Spending a day at the ocean can be a wonderful experience, but it can also be dangerous. Sometimes the undercurrents can be deceptive, and the waves punishing. As a result, parents must warn their children about these dangers, and watch them closely as they head into the water. According to Brett Kunkle, co-author of A […]
Artificial Intelligence is already changing the world as we know it, but how will it change the future? Is it possible that humans will one day be able to create a thinking machine that has a will of its own? And if so, will this machine become a kind of super-intellect that ends up controlling […]
Every year it seems a new book or movie is released that recounts an individual’s brief tour of heaven. Are there any common threads that emerge when evaluating the history of these kinds of reports? What should we believe about the afterlife, and how do stories like these compare with what we find Scripture? On […]
For centuries Protestants have rejected the doctrine of purgatory, claiming that it’s taught nowhere in Scripture and that it actually undermines crucial doctrines related to Christ’s all-sufficient sacrifice. Because he suffered in our place and died for our sins “once for all” (Heb. 10:10), Christians have no need of any additional purging or purification. So […]
Unlike most religions, Christianity gambles its plausibility on certain datable events. Jesus not only died for our sins, but he “suffered under Pontius Pilate.” Most of our churches, however, end up focusing on the practical and therapeutic aspects of faith, and rarely, if ever, address questions related to “the Jesus of history.” So how can […]
Today’s post-Christian culture is running into dead ends and fatal contradictions. For example, many people today believe that gender is a matter of subjective preference rather than objective biological considerations. But can we apply this idea to a person’s age? Can a man identify as a 15-year-old boy when he’s really 50? Shane Rosenthal recently […]
According to Abdu Murray, “We don’t care about the truth if it gets in the way of our personal preferences.” In fact, he says, “if the evidence fits our preferences and opinions, then all is well and good. If it doesn’t, then the evidence is deemed inadmissible or offensive, with offense being a kind of […]
As a proud Muslim, Abdu Murray enjoyed sparring with people of other faiths. But when he was eventually confronted with the evidence for Christ’s death and resurrection, he allowed that truth to be eclipsed by the losses he might suffer as a result of his conversion. After years of indecision, he eventually concluded that the […]
Fikret Bocek converted to Christianity from a Muslim background, and he now serves as the pastor of a Protestant church in Izmir, Turkey. On this episode, we’ll be talking with him about why he left Islam, as well as some of the interesting experiences he’s had over the past decade preaching the gospel in a […]
In his second letter, Peter warns believers that “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies. Because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed, and in their greed they will exploit you.” According Costi Hinn, author of God, Greed and the (Prosperity) Gospel, and nephew of televangelist Benny […]
On this program, the hosts conclude their three-part series through the book of Job by examining that great profession of faith in which Job says, “I know that my redeemer lives” (19:25). How does this hope in the future redeeming work of the Messiah comfort Job in the midst of his distress? How can a […]
Continuing their overview of the book of Job, the hosts discuss the various claims made by Job’s counselors concerning health, wealth, and happiness. What’s wrong with their advice, and how should this influence the way we think about the role of suffering in the Christian life? How do we deal with the fact that there […]
On this program the hosts are beginning a three-part series exploring the book of Job. What is the meaning and purpose of this book? What does it teach us about dealing with pain, suffering, and loss? How does Job deal with his many trials, and how should we think about the advice he gets from […]
How are we to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic that has dramatically changed our world? Where is God in all this, and why would he allow this to happen? On this program, Shane Rosenthal talks with Oxford mathematician John Lennox about the way people from a variety of worldviews have attempted to deal with […]
Many Christians around the world have bought into the assumptions of the prosperity gospel. With Jesus’s help, they have argued, we can all have our best life now. But does this message make any sense in light of the coronavirus pandemic? What happens when a loved one gets sick? What are we to think when […]
Though Bible readers may be familiar with all the individual stories recorded throughout Scripture, it seems that few are taught how all those stories fit together. What is the grand unifying theme of the Bible, and how do all the individual chapters and episodes point to a single coherent storyline that culminates in the person […]
In light of the fact that there are so many interpretations to choose from, how do we properly read and study the Bible? On this program Shane Rosenthal and Mike Brown, co-author of Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored, discuss a number of approaches to avoid when reading and applying Scripture, and also recommend a variety […]
Many archaeologists today claim that the ancient Israelites were never actually in Egypt, and that the entire story of the Exodus is just an old legend. But is this really the case? What can we learn about the Exodus from history and archaeology? Have there been any discoveries that corroborate the Bible’s account of this […]
On this program Shane Rosenthal talks with writer and director Brandon Kimber about his American Gospel documentary series. His first film, American Gospel: Christ Alone, explored the problem of moralistic preaching and issues related to the prosperity gospel. His new documentary, American Gospel: Christ Crucified, focuses on the nature of Christ’s atonement and presents a […]
Not long ago, Netflix released a film about the life of Pentecostal preacher Carlton Pearson who stopped believing in hell after he claimed that God spoke to him and revealed that Jesus’ death on the cross saves everyone in the world, including unbelievers. In fact, in an NPR interview Pearson asked, “How can mercy … […]
In a recent issue of the New York Times, an article by David Bentley Hart raised the question, “Why Do People Believe in Hell?” In this article, the author claims that “no truly accomplished New Testament scholar … believes that later Christianity’s opulent mythology of God’s eternal torture chamber is clearly present in the scriptural […]
According to the stats, the majority of those raised in conservative Christian homes stop going to church sometime in their late teens and early twenties. What accounts for this disturbing trend and what should Christians do about it? How can we pass on the faith to the next generation in such a secular age as […]
The world is changing. So how are we to deal with the new spiritual landscape in which many of those who claim to follow Jesus also believe in things such as reincarnation? How should we respond to an atheist or agnostic who says he also believes in astrology and the healing power of crystals? On […]
