Reasonable Faith Podcast

Eat My Flesh? Baptize My Baby? Dr. Craig Responds to Fr. Mike Schmitz, John Piper, and Kevin DeYoung Oct 12, 2026 0:33:56 A viral clip from Fr. Mike Schmitz claims that Protestants who take Jesus’ words in John 6 seriously end up becoming Catholic. Dr. Craig explains why the bread of life discourse doesn’t require eating Christ’s literal flesh, and why that claim overlooks the many non-Catholic traditions that also affirm a real presence. He then weighs in on John Piper and Kevin DeYoung’s friendly exchange over bapt

Could the Members of the Trinity have Switched Places? (QoW #1012) Oct 8, 2026 0:07:01 If the Son is not eternally begotten of the Father, is it arbitrary which person of the Trinity is called "Father" and which is called "Son"? And what distinguishes the three persons from one another in the first place? Dr. Craig responds to a reader's two worries about his view of the Trinity, drawing on the distinction between the economic and the ontological Trinity and on the observations of M

Building Bridges to Muslims Oct 5, 2026 0:14:43 In this episode, Dr. Craig provides his argument for God's existence that may also help build relationships with Muslims.

Atonement and Just Desert (QoW #1011) Oct 1, 2026 0:05:56 Dr. Craig has argued that annihilationism can't be reconciled with penal substitutionary atonement, since Christ was not annihilated on the cross. But a questioner from Spain turns the tables: Jesus didn't suffer eternal conscious punishment either. So is the traditional view of hell in the same trouble? Dr. Craig explains why he thinks the traditionalist has an answer the annihilationist doesn't.

Scholarship and the Resurrection of Jesus Sep 28, 2026 0:25:18 In this episode, Dr. William Lane Craig answers questions regarding the resurrection of Jesus. What do scholars say about the empty tomb? What does prominent scholarship on the resurrection tell us? Does the best New Testament research support the facts surrounding the resurrection of Jesus?

God and the Moment of Creation (QoW #1010) Sep 24, 2026 0:07:50 An undergraduate philosophy student presses Dr. Craig on his view that God exists timelessly without the universe but temporally once creation begins: if God can timelessly bring about a temporal effect like the beginning of time, why couldn't God perform other timeless acts with temporal consequences too? He argues the lack of an explanation for that is just an open puzzle, not a real problem for

Frank Turek and the Atheist Student: Why Didn't God Make Us Perfect? Sep 21, 2026 0:17:17 A YouTuber named Jay claims Frank Turek dodged a university student's question: if God is perfect, why didn't He create us perfect rather than flawed? Kevin plays the clips, and Dr. Craig explains why the question is built on confusion. Only God is a perfect being, and God cannot be created, so any created being is necessarily imperfect. Imperfect does not mean morally bad. Adam and Eve were sinle

The Spirit of the Logos? (QoW #1009) Sep 17, 2026 0:05:40 A listener who's been working through Dr. Craig's Systematic Philosophical Theology asks whether it's more accurate to say Jesus Christ is "the Spirit of the Logos" united to a human body, rather than "the soul of the Logos," pointing to passages describing God as spirit and drawing an analogy to how a human spirit unites to a body. Dr. Craig first corrects the premise: his actual view is that the

Is God Still Around? (QoW #1008) Sep 17, 2026 0:09:21 A listener from the UK argues that the Kalam cosmological argument has a fatal flaw: even if it proves God created the universe, that doesn't prove God still exists today, any more than a house proves its builder is still alive. Dr. Craig responds by pointing to arguments for a metaphysically necessary being (from the Leibnizian cosmological, moral, and ontological arguments), which by definition

Apatheism and the Unexamined Life Sep 14, 2026 0:18:21 Journalist Jonathan Rauch's Atlantic essay "Let It Be" argued that apatheism, simply not caring whether God exists, is a mark of civilizational progress, making society safer and less prone to religious conflict. Philosopher Paul Copan disagrees, calling it a sign of decline. Kevin and Dr. Craig work through the disagreement: what's actually at stake if the question of God goes unexamined, whether

Inevitable Sin? (QoW #1007) Sep 10, 2026 0:08:46 A listener writes in with a philosophical challenge to the coherence of Christian doctrine: if God knowingly creates the exact conditions under which people will sin, how can he justly hold them responsible for sinning, and how can Christ's atonement make sense as a remedy for a failure that was effectively built into the system? Dr. Craig traces the problem to a hidden assumption in the question:

Eternal Generation of the Son: Dr. Craig Responds to the Backlash Sep 7, 2026 0:31:09 A clip of Dr. William Lane Craig discussing the eternal generation of the Son went viral a few weeks ago, picked up by Protestia and drawing heresy accusations from across the theological world. In this episode, Kevin puts those criticisms to Dr. Craig directly.Dr. Craig clarifies what he is and isn't claiming: he denies eternal generation is taught in Scripture, but affirms Christ's full deity an

Annihilationism and Penal Substitutionary Atonement Once More (QoW #1006) Sep 4, 2026 0:05:37 A reader follows up on an earlier question about annihilationism, asking Dr. Craig to unpack what it means that Christ was "momentarily separated" from the Father on the cross, given that the Trinity is indivisible. Dr. Craig explains this as a relational rather than ontological separation, then argues that annihilationism actually undermines penal substitutionary atonement, since it becomes very

Why Not the Beatific Vision Now? (QoW #1005) Sep 3, 2026 0:06:56 A reader asks Dr. Craig why God doesn't just grant humanity the beatific vision, the direct vision of God, right now, if it's the strongest possible evidence for His existence. Dr. Craig explains what the beatific vision is and why giving it to us in this life would strip away our freedom to believe, making genuine faith impossible.

A Megachurch Pastor's Eight Reasons for Leaving the Faith and Where They Go Wrong Aug 31, 2026 0:36:27 A pastor trained at three seminaries and formerly on staff at a Dallas-area megachurch has said he is now an agnostic atheist, citing eight reasons for his deconversion. Dr. William Lane Craig responds to each, from the genetic fallacy and divine hiddenness to the historical Adam and the problem of evil, and points out what's conspicuously missing from the video: any engagement with the positive c

Bestiality Among Adam and Eve’s Immediate Descendants (QoW #1004) Aug 27, 2026 0:03:32 A listener working through Dr. Craig's book In Quest of the Historical Adam raises a pointed question about the model's implications: if Cain's wife came from outside the Adamic line, among the non-human hominins living alongside Adam and Eve, what would that mean for their children? Dr. Craig addresses the theological and biological status of such unions directly, explaining why any offspring wou

Life in the Intermediate State (QoW #1003) Aug 27, 2026 0:10:01 What's it actually like to exist as a disembodied soul in the intermediate state between death and resurrection? A listener writes in with real existential unease about being "unclothed" from the body, and Dr. Craig turns to philosopher H.H. Price's theory that the afterlife might work something like a dream world, where mental images take the place of sense perception and souls communicate with o

N.T. Wright, Francis Collins, and the Historical Adam: William Lane Craig Responds Aug 24, 2026 0:28:48 Francis Collins and N.T. Wright recently fielded audience questions after a public conversation, several of which centered on the historicity of Adam and Eve. Collins argues that population genetics rules out a single ancestral couple, and lays out the model he finds most plausible: a couple selected out of an existing population and given something new. Wright suggests Genesis 2–3 might work the

Is Beauty an Objective Feature of Reality? (QoW #1002) Aug 20, 2026 0:05:03 A listener from Morocco argues that beauty is like an emotion and not a property of objects, but says that doesn't make it subjective, since he considers emotions like fear objective too. Dr. William Lane Craig agrees aesthetic properties don't inhere in physical things (a chair isn't beautiful viewed from below; a piece of music's beauty isn't in the notes on a page), but rejects the "emotion in

Back to School: Preparing Your Kids to Answer Tough Questions Aug 17, 2026 0:28:32 A new school year means a new round of hard questions for your kids about evolution, evil, supposed contradictions in the Bible, whether Jesus really rose from the dead, and why there are so many religions in the world. Kevin and Dr. William Lane Craig talk through ten questions students run into most, in class and out, and share some practical advice for parents who want their kids ready to think

Question from a Hindu Background Believer (QoW #1001) Aug 13, 2026 0:11:34 A listener asks Dr. William Lane Craig how Christianity's dependence on a historical resurrection (unlike Hinduism's Krishna) can be defended, then raises three questions that arise in evangelism: that "eternal life" can't be historically verified, that the NT accounts were written too late to trust, and that no clear OT prophecy points to a risen Messiah. Dr. Craig affirms Anil's core insight, th

"Seven Heresies of William Lane Craig"? Dr. Craig Fact Checks! Aug 10, 2026 0:24:58 A viral graphic accuses Dr. Craig of seven heresies. From Neo-Apollinarian Christology, his rejection of limited atonement and Calvinism, to his defense of Molinism. Dr. Craig and Kevin go through the list charge by charge, separating genuine ancient heresies from disagreements, and explain what actually crosses the line into heresy versus faithful, if debated, Christian doctrine.

The One-Thousandth Question of the Week (QoW #1000) Aug 7, 2026 0:09:43 Reasonable Faith marks a milestone with its 1,000th Question of the Week and it lands right alongside the ministry's 20th anniversary. This time, William Lane Craig turns the question on himself: what does two decades of Reasonable Faith look like in hindsight? He reflects on explosive growth (70+ million engagements a year), the unexpected power of video and social media in reaching closed countr

Annihilation and Atonement (QoW #999) Aug 6, 2026 0:08:43 A listener asks whether annihilation is even a coherent punishment for sin, given that Jesus's atonement on the cross required him to bear that same punishment—and as the eternal Son, he cannot cease to exist. Could God instead offer annihilation as an optional alternative to eternal separation? Dr. William Lane Craig agrees the objection is a serious problem for annihilationism: if Christ can't b

Paul Davies Wants a ‘Ghost in the Design’ — But Won’t Call It God Aug 3, 2026 0:23:52 Dr. William Lane Craig continues his response to Paul Davies and Emily Qureshi-Hurst by examining some of today's most ambitious attempts to explain the universe without God. He critiques Wheeler's participatory universe, the multiverse, Boltzmann brains, and the search for a mysterious "Option X," arguing that classical theism already provides the explanatory foundation these theories lack. The c

Eschatology and Yet-to-Evolve ETs (QoW #998) Jul 30, 2026 0:05:25 A listener asks whether the eschatological renewal of creation might be delayed billions of years if God's redemptive purposes extend to alien civilizations that haven't yet evolved. Dr. Craig affirms that any extraterrestrial life would indeed be included in God's eschatological plans, but argues the consummation isn't tied to the natural history of all possible intelligent life—God will bring hi

Was the Destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 the Second Coming of Christ? (QoW #997) Jul 30, 2026 0:17:02 A listener pushes back on Dr. Craig's claim that neither Jesus nor Paul expected the second coming within their own generation. Pointing to Matthew 24:36 and Jesus' words to the disciples about "this generation," and argues that Jesus was predicting a coming in judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70, not his final return.Dr. Craig agrees with partial preterism as far as it goes, but explains why he stop

Aboutness, Autonomy, and the Missing Option X: Dr. Craig Responds to Davies and Qureshi-Hurst Jul 27, 2026 0:20:10 Can the universe have purpose without a purposive mind? Dr. William Lane Craig responds to physicist Paul Davies and philosopher Emily Qureshi-Hurst as they wrestle with whether purpose is something real or merely something we invent. Along the way he discusses intentionality ("aboutness"), the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics, and why subjective meaning ultimately fails to account for ob

Unconscious Minds (QoW #996) Jul 23, 2026 0:04:32 A listener argues that 200 mg of propofol extinguishes the mind and not just consciousness. He believes this to be empirical evidence that undercuts belief in surviving death. Dr. Craig rejects the premise that mind equals consciousness, invokes Eccles' pianist analogy to explain why an impaired brain produces impaired mental function without the mind ceasing to exist, and points to dualist-intera

Non-Belief and Disbelief (QoW #995) Jul 23, 2026 0:03:55 A listener from Canada asks Dr. Craig to sort out three often-conflated terms: nonbelief, disbelief, and belief regarding God's existence. Dr. Craig explains the three doxastic attitudes one can hold toward any proposition, and argues that "disbelief" isn't mere absence of belief but a positive truth claim requiring justification—meaning atheists who disbelieve in God can't escape the burden of pr

Did Jesus Rise? Can Genesis Be Figurative? Jul 20, 2026 0:15:20 Can Christians interpret Genesis figuratively without compromising biblical authority? Dr. Craig answers questions about the historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection, the literary genre of Genesis 1–11, and how Scripture, science, and philosophy work together in the pursuit of truth.

Baptism a Cardinal Doctrine? (QoW #994) Jul 16, 2026 0:03:24 A listener named Chris pushes back on Dr. Craig's video "What About Baptism?", where Craig said baptism "is not a cardinal doctrine that need divide us." Chris argues that Galatians teaches only one true gospel — so if baptismal regeneration (the belief that baptism is necessary for salvation) is wrong, its proponents are preaching a false gospel, making fellowship with them untenable. Dr. Craig r

Is God an Unjust Liar? (QoW #993) Jul 16, 2026 0:07:31 A viewer named Stephen poses a hard question: if a repentant abortionist can be saved on his deathbed and never "pay" for his crimes, doesn't that make God's promise of vengeance and justice a lie? Dr. William Lane Craig responds that the listener has confused justice with grace — the gospel was never about earning salvation through works, but about a mercy that saves sinners who turn to God in ge

God or Godish? A Conversation with William Lane Craig and Philip Goff Jul 13, 2026 0:59:17 Philip Goff is a philosopher best known for defending panpsychism — the view that consciousness is a fundamental feature of reality. He's also, by his own description, a "mildly heretical Christian." In this conversation, Goff and William Lane Craig find surprising common ground on fine-tuning before turning to the questions that still divide them: the nature of the atonement, whether God is all-p

The Debate Over Hell: William Lane Craig Responds to Hellgate Jul 6, 2026 0:41:18 The Hellgate discussion hosted by Kirk Cameron in January 2026 brought together several respected Christian thinkers to wrestle with one of the Bible's most difficult doctrines. It included Gavin Ortlund, Dan Paterson, Chris Date, and Paul Copan. In this episode, Dr. William Lane Craig evaluates the panel's discussion, considers the biblical arguments that were presented, and offers his own assess

The Good, the Bad, the Moral Argument! Jun 29, 2026 1:03:09 Dr. Craig continues his conversation with Dr. David Baggett about their new book Reasonable Moral Faith.About Dr. William Lane CraigWilliam Lane Craig is a philosopher and theologian and the founder of Reasonable Faith. His work spans the existence of God, the Kalam Cosmological Argument, the fine-tuning of the universe, and the historicity of the resurrection.Dr. Craig's books on Amazon: https://

God, I Never Heard of You! Jun 22, 2026 0:17:25 Dr. Craig answers variations on the common question of the fate of the unevangelized, and also a question on whether the 'new earth' will be too crowded!

Question of the Week #992: Will There Be a Millennium? Jun 18, 2026 0:13:21 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/will-there-be-a-millennium

God, Why Don't You Give Me a Call? Jun 15, 2026 0:21:29 Dr. Craig answers questions on hearing from God, the long lifespans in the Old Testament, and whether God can ever lie.

Question of the Week #991: Formulating the Argument from Fine-Tuning Jun 11, 2026 0:05:56 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/formulating-the-argument-from-fine-tuning

Is The Moral Argument Reasonable? Jun 8, 2026 0:25:12 The leading expert on the Moral Argument for God, Dr. David Baggett, joins Dr. Craig to discuss their new book Reasonable Moral Faith.

Question of the Week #990: A Moral but Unbelieving Son Jun 4, 2026 0:05:20 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/a-moral-but-unbelieving-son

It's Time to Talk About Time, Molinism, and God's Name Jun 1, 2026 0:15:18 All that and a question about morality too!

Question of the Week #989: Can Frankenstein Be Saved? May 28, 2026 0:03:14 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/can-frankenstein-be-saved

Do We Live in a Fine-Tuned Universe? May 25, 2026 0:26:36 Dr. Craig continues evaluating the debate between Dr. Stephen Meyer and Phil Halper on whether the universe is fine-tuned.

Question of the Week #988: Intellectual Insecurity May 21, 2026 0:07:05 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/intellectual-insecurity

The Battle for God and the Big Bang May 18, 2026 0:43:38 Dr. Craig interacts with a rousing debate between a Christian theist and an atheist regarding the beginning of the universe and evidence for God.

Question of the Week #987 Is “Existence”, when Predicated of God, Univocal? May 14, 2026 0:09:53 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/is-existence-when-predicated-of-god-univocal

Are We About to be Raptured? May 11, 2026 0:23:52 Dr. Craig answers questions about topics covered in his Systematic Philosophical Theology.

Question of the Week #986: Why Can’t I Just Die? May 7, 2026 0:08:44 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/why-cant-i-just-die

Are You Full of Bulverism? May 4, 2026 0:19:02 What is the connection between what C.S. Lewis called 'Bulverism' and today's Critical Race Theory?

Question of the Week #985: Picturing Jesus Apr 30, 2026 0:05:28 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/picturing-jesus

Bart Ehrman's Moral Chaos Apr 27, 2026 0:30:55 Dr. Craig critiques the moral philosophy of Dr. Bart Ehrman.

Question of the Week #984: Doubts about the Incarnation Apr 23, 2026 0:14:07 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/doubts-about-the-incarnation

Can God Be Grieved? Apr 20, 2026 0:21:45 Dr. Craig responds to a discussion with John Piper on what it means for God to be 'grieved,' and whether God's will is always accomplished.

William Lane Craig is JUMPED by Lutheran Satire Apr 13, 2026 0:21:10 Dr. Craig is satirized for his rejection of young earth creationism and his uncanny resemblance to David Lee Roth!

Question of the Week #983: Reconciliation in the Eschaton Apr 9, 2026 0:06:35 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/reconciliation-in-the-eschaton

Why is My Life On Hold? Apr 6, 2026 0:15:36 A young student's faith is tested by questions about nothingness and he can't seem to move past it.

Question of the Week #982: Molinist Views of Sin Apr 2, 2026 0:04:50 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/molinist-views-of-sin

Strange Bedfellows Mar 30, 2026 0:27:45 Can some of Dr. Craig's logic also be used by gender identity theorists?

Question of the Week #981: Advice for an Exhausted Student Mar 26, 2026 0:08:00 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/advice-for-an-exhausted-student

Was Paul a Failed Apocalyptic Prophet? Mar 23, 2026 0:38:46 Dr. Craig responds to an interview with Dr. Paula Fredrickson in which she suggests overturning much of what is believed about the Apostle Paul.

Question of the Week #980: The Soul of the Incarnate Christ and the Trinity Mar 19, 2026 0:04:47 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/the-soul-of-the-incarnate-christ-and-the-trinity

There's a Dragon in My Garage! Mar 16, 2026 0:19:50 The Skeptic tweets an atheistic challenge. Dr. Craig is not impressed!

Question of the Week #979: “Am I a Deist?” Mar 12, 2026 0:03:52 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/am-i-a-deist

God, How Do I Know You're There? Mar 9, 2026 0:17:21 Dr. Craig answers hard questions. Including one from a teenage girl who wants to be a male.

Question of the Week #978: How to Handle God’s Plan for Your Life Mar 5, 2026 0:05:56 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/how-to-handle-gods-plan-for-your-life

Question of the Week #977: Genesis 1-11 and the Gospels Mar 2, 2026 0:05:53 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/genesis-1-11-and-the-gospels

Was God Forced to Kill Jesus? Mar 2, 2026 0:15:35 Couldn't God come up with a more creative way to save us from our sins? Is he somehow trapped by his own moral law?

20 Years of Reasonable Faith: How It Started and How It’s Going Feb 23, 2026 0:28:52 Dr. Craig reflects on the 20th anniversary of Reasonable Faith with Kevin Harris and Executive Director Michael Lepien, including memorable excerpts from the podcasts.

Question of the Week #976: Why Would God Create People He Knew Would Go to Hell? Feb 19, 2026 0:09:27 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/why-would-god-create-people-he-knew-would-go-to-hell

Is Your Brain Out of Tune? Feb 16, 2026 0:25:13 Dr. Craig critiques recent videos by Sean Carroll on Mind/Body Dualism, Darwin and design, the Prime Mover, and meaning in life.

Question of the Week #975: So You Think the Ontological Argument Is Irrelevant? Feb 12, 2026 0:07:45 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/so-you-think-the-ontological-argument-is-irrelevant

Does Sean Carroll's Universe Have a Beginning? Feb 9, 2026 0:27:17 Dr. Sean Carroll has some objections about God and the universe. Dr. Craig responds!

Question of the Week #974: Proving “God” Feb 5, 2026 0:05:47 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/proving-god

I Thought I Didn't Need God Feb 2, 2026 0:27:08 Political Scientist Charles Murray recounts his long journey to Christianity.

Question of the Week #973: Theological Fatalism and the Best of All Possible Worlds Jan 29, 2026 0:06:02 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/theological-fatalism-and-the-best-of-all-possible-worlds

Scholars Scuffle Over the Atonement Part Two Jan 26, 2026 0:23:45 Dr. Craig continues his response to Dr. Max Botner on the Atonement of Christ.

Question of the Week #972: Theological Clarifications Jan 22, 2026 0:03:27 Read this Question of the Week Here: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/theological-clarifications

Scholars Scuffle Over The Atonement Part One Jan 19, 2026 0:20:04 Dr. Craig's objections to Andrew Rillera's book on the Atonement are met with resistance!

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