Shows

Episode 1575 Aired Today

Why did God call Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac? Why would he ask a loving parent to even consider such a thing? Is this story a kind of object lesson meant to show us how much we should be willing to give up for God, or is something else being revealed in this unsettling account? What if the focus of the narrative actually centers on that which God is promising to sacrifice for us in the fullness of time? Shane Rosenthal discusses the significance of this scene from Genesis 22 with Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn, co-authors of The Angel of the Lord: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Study.

Episode 1574 Aired June 6, 2021

In his Genesis commentary, Walter Brueggemann notes that in chapters 16 to 18, Abraham and Sarah “are not offered as models of faith but as models of disbelief.” In this part of the narrative, he says, “the call is not embraced, but is rejected as non-sensical.” This helps to explain why the couple sought to fulfill God’s promise with Hagar’s assistance. But as Paul explains in Galatians chapter 4, this entire narrative is a tale of two covenants: one of grace, and another of works. Shane Rosenthal talks with Mike Brown about these issues and more as we continue our series on the Gospel in Genesis.

Episode 1573 Aired May 30, 2021

The story of Abraham is a record of both faith and doubt. While we’re told in Genesis 15 that “Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted to him as righteousness,” in the very next chapter we find him agreeing with his wife Sarah to attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promises by impregnating her maidservant Hagar. Later in the story, Abraham actually falls on his face and laughs at God as he reiterates the promise that his wife Sarah, even in her advanced age, would conceive and bear a son. What is the point of this narrative, and how does it help us to better understand both the complexity of sin and the grandeur of God’s grace? Shane Rosenthal discusses this with Mike Brown, co-author of Sacred Bond: Covenant Theology Explored.

Episode 1572 Aired May 23, 2021

In Genesis 3:15, God promises that one day a seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. What would happen if we began to read the rest of Scripture in the light of this promise? What would result if we stopped to consider whether subsequent Bible characters and heroes qualified to be the one promised who would ultimately defeat God’s enemy and restore order to his creation? Reading the story this way helps us to see with greater clarity the ways in which other Bible characters are presented as failed heroes, as well as why Christ alone is able to triumph. On this episode Shane Rosenthal discusses this approach to reading the Bible with Justin Holcomb.

Episode 1571 Aired May 16, 2021

In the beginning God created man in his image and likeness. What are the implications of this important truth, and how was that image twisted and distorted after the fall? What was so significant about Adam and Eve’s transgression in the first place, and how do the effects of that original sin continue to echo and reverberate throughout the rest of Scripture? Finally, how is the gospel of Christ hinted at and foreshadowed in these early chapters of Genesis? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Anglican theologian Justin Holcomb.

Episode 1570 Aired May 9, 2021

Does the idea of the multiverse provide a good explanation for all the fine tuning we see throughout our universe? Is there any way to test the multiverse hypothesis or does it operate as a kind of unquestioned dogma? How do naturalistic scientists explain the origin of life, or the complex amount of information that exists in our own genetic code? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Stephen Meyer as they continue their conversation begun last week related to the release of Dr. Meyer’s latest book, The Return of the God Hypothesis.

Episode 1569 Aired May 2, 2021

How do contemporary physicists and cosmologists explain the origin of the universe? If in the very beginning there was no space, time, or matter, then what could have caused the Big Bang? Also, as scientists have studied the exquisite nature of our finely-tuned universe, some have concluded that this points us toward the existence of some kind of divine “super-intellect” who is responsible for the laws of nature and the origin of life. On this edition of the program, Shane Rosenthal discusses these issues with Dr. Stephen Meyer, author of The Return of the God Hypothesis.

Episode 1568 Aired April 25, 2021

Many Christians find it difficult to understand the Old Testament. Not only is it full of obscure rituals and strange laws, but it also includes a mixture of inspiring and horrifying stories. So how are we to make sense of all these narratives, laws, and rituals? What rules are still in effect, and how should we apply them to our lives today? More importantly, since Jesus taught that all Scripture bears witness to himself (Jn. 5:39), how are we to authentically find Christ throughout the Old Testament? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Iain Duguid, author of Is Jesus in the Old Testament?

Episode 1567 Aired April 18, 2021

After their exodus from Egypt, God announced to the people of Israel that he would “send an angel to guard them on the way and to bring them to the place he has prepared” (Ex. 23:20). Who was this angel, and how are the words of this passage echoed and alluded to throughout all of Scripture? What does this text, as well as others like it, end up revealing about God’s triune nature? On this program, Shane Rosenthal continues his conversation with Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn about their new book, The Angel of the Lord: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Study.

Episode 1566 Aired April 11, 2021

What are we to make of all those passages in the Old Testament in which “the Angel of the Lord” appears on the scene and proceeds to speak and act as God himself? In their new book, The Angel of the Lord: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Study, Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn argue that this mysterious Angel appears much more frequently than many people realize, since he is called by a variety of names including the Angel, the Name, the Glory, the Face, the Right Hand, and the Word. Shane Rosenthal talks with Matt and Doug about their research into this important topic, and its implications for our understanding of God’s self-revelation.

Episode 1565 Aired April 4, 2021

In Luke’s account of the resurrection, we are told of two disciples who encountered Jesus as they walked from Jerusalem to the nearby village of Emmaus. Though their eyes were kept from recognizing him, Jesus revealed why it was necessary that the Christ should suffer, and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Lk. 24:26-27). What Old Testament passages would Jesus likely have discussed with these disciples? Shane Rosenthal discusses this with Jason DeRouchie, Research Professor of Old Testament at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Episode 1564 Aired March 28, 2021

On this episode we’ll be concluding our brief series through the Servant Songs by taking a look at the song of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53. Where exactly does this famous hymn begin, and is there any evidence that readers of Isaiah believed it pointed to the coming Messiah? Are there any references to a suffering messiah in the Dead Sea Scrolls or other ancient Jewish texts? Shane Rosenthal discusses these issues with Dr. Craig Evans, author of The Holman Quicksource Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and, more recently, Jesus and the Manuscripts.

Episode 1563 Aired March 21, 2021

In Isaiah chapter 43 God reveals that he alone is the redeemer of his people, and that “there is no other savior.” So what are the implications of these words for the way we think about religion in general, and our view of Jesus in particular? How does Isaiah’s prophecy help us to better understand the significance of Christ’s person and work? On this program Shane Rosenthal continues his discussion of the Servant Songs of Isaiah with Dr. Andrew Abernethy, author of Discovering Isaiah and God’s Messiah in the Old Testament.

Episode 1562 Aired March 14, 2021

On this edition of White Horse Inn, we’re beginning a new three-part series on the Servant Songs of Isaiah. Who was Isaiah and what were the circumstances in which he wrote his prophecy? Was this book written by more than one author? What are the Servant Songs, and how do these prophecies point ahead to the coming of Christ and his work of redemption? Joining Shane Rosenthal to discuss these questions and more is Dr. Andrew Abernethy, author of The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom.

Episode 1561 Aired March 7, 2021

“Christless Christianity” continues to be a problem in many churches around the world. Too often, though, even in places where Jesus’ name is frequently mentioned, he’s presented as a divine therapist or motivational speaker who encourages us to “be all we can be.” In other cases, he’s a kind of political organizer who calls us […]

Episode 1560 Aired February 28, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1559 Aired February 21, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1558 Aired February 14, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1557 Aired February 7, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1556 Aired January 31, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1555 Aired January 24, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1554 Aired January 17, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1553 Aired January 10, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1552 Aired January 3, 2021

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 […]

Episode 1551 Aired December 27, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1550 Aired December 20, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1549 Aired December 13, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1548 Aired December 6, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1547 Aired November 29, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1546 Aired November 22, 2020

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? […]

Episode 1545 Aired November 15, 2020

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, […]

Episode 1544 Aired November 8, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1543 Aired November 1, 2020

“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 […]

Episode 1542 Aired October 25, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1541 Aired October 18, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1540 Aired October 11, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1539 Aired October 4, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1538 Aired September 27, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1537 Aired September 20, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1536 Aired September 13, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1535 Aired September 6, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1534 Aired August 30, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1533 Aired August 23, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1532 Aired August 16, 2020

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, […]

Episode 1531 Aired August 9, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1530 Aired August 2, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1529 Aired July 26, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1528 Aired July 19, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1527 Aired July 12, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1525 Aired June 28, 2020

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 […]

Episode 1524 Aired June 21, 2020

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 […]