The Blue Collar Scholar
This podcast covers topics from history lectures, sermons, and Bible/theology studies by Will Reitz.
Episodes
Sermon: The Word Is Alive (1 John 1:1-4)
The Summer 2026 sermon series kicks off (well, besides the introductory sermon last week) where any expository series should start: chapter 1, verse 1. The book of 1st John opens with a poetic, slightly rambling soliloquy about the "Logos," the Greek word for "word" (which is also the key word at the beginning of John's Gospel). In this lesson, we see that (1) the Word is life, (2) the Word is Chr
Sermon: Introduction to First John
This summer's sermon series is an expository preaching series through the Epistle of First John. This is the introduction, which lays out several overall themes of the book. Join us this summer as we dig into First John.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 8: In Conclusion
Memorial Day seems like a nice bookend for this Easter sermon series; beginning and ending on a holiday. In this episode we summarize all that we've discussed the past 2 months regarding the topic of joy.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 7: The Joy of New Beginnings
Congratulations to all our graduates! Life is going to get a lot more rewarding and more difficult. New beginnings fill us with fear because of the fear of the unknown. But there is joy in new beginnings as well, because there is opportunity there. And this is not just a message for young people. As long as you draw break, there are new experiences in store for you: opportunities to find joy, serv
WWII, episode 16: The Cold War
For the second time, The Blue Collar Scholar completes a course on the Second World War. The first attempt was choppy, and I failed to record every episode. This go round, I feel much more confident that this series is a good, surface-level-yet-deep-dive into the bloodiest conflict in human history. ... In this last episode of the WWII class, we talk about the sequel to World War II. Thankfully,
Comparing World Religions, episode 16: Conclusion
This Spring, we've been going over the religions of the world. This Comparing World Religions class comes to a conclusion with this short lecture. In this episode, I make some concluding remarks, including going over what we should have learned from this class, but also what I hope that we have NOT learned from studying world religions.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 6: Thankfulness
Happy Mother's Day! All of people, our mothers are the people in our lives that deserve the most gratitude. But this sermon is not just about the gratitude we should have for the mothers in our lives. Each of us should cultivate and attitude of gratitude that permeates all aspects of our lives, and shines through in good times and in bad. Thankful people are healthier, happier, and more joyful, an
WWII, episode 15: My Grandfather's Brief WWII Experience
My grandfather on my father's side was named Billy Reitz. He was drafted shortly after turning 18 on the first day of winter 1944. He entered the service in the US Army in April 1945, so fighting in Europe was never in the cards for Sgt. Reitz. Instead, he trained for the invasion of Japan. His ship was on the way to the Pacific Theatre when the news of Japan's surrender was announced. So instead
Comparing World Religions, episode 15: Atheism
Atheists claim that atheism is not a religion. Rather, it is a lack of religion. I see no reason to not allow atheists to define their religious beliefs thusly. However, since atheism answers all the same questions that religions answers, it would be a gaping hole in this sermon series if atheism is left out. So this episode delves into the definition of atheism, related terms (like agnosticism),
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 5: How the "Lordship of Emotion" Can Destroy Your Faith
Happiness is a good thing. If something makes you happy, then that is probably evidence that that thing is good. However, if the need to be happy (or, if the need to avoid unhappiness) is the driving force in all your decision-making, then the emotion of happiness is the Lord of your life. It isn't the President, or your boss, or the Lord Jesus Christ. Emotion itself becomes your king. We must not
WWII, episode 14: Aftermath
The Second World War changed human history is ways that are hardly even measurable. It changed everything. In this episode, we will look at the Nuremburg Trials and the Japanese War Crimes Trials, economic and political shifts, the move toward international cooperation and justice, the rise of 2 superpowers, decolonization, and the legacy of the war.
Comparing World Religions, episode 14: Paganism
This episode reviews polytheism and pantheism, then gives a overall analysis of various kinds of pagan religions. For instance: African traditional religions, Native American tribal faiths, the traditional religions of Oceania, pre-Christian ancient paganism in Europe and the Middle East, neopaganism (both eclectic and reconstructionist neopaganism), and finally New Age religions, such as Wicca an
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 4: The Joy of Heaven
The promise of Heaven is a source of immense joy for the Christian. It is unfortunate that so many powerful Christians throughout history have used the promise of Heaven as a weapon against the oppressed, promising them that the afterlife will be where they finally find their joy, while the powerful continue to oppress them in this life. That is a deplorable use of Scripture. The promise of Heaven
WWII, episode 13: The Manhattan Project
World War II came to a radically-unpredictable conclusion when Japan was bombed - twice - by the most powerful individual weapons ever used on human beings. The scientific knowledge necessary to accomplish the creation of the atomic bomb was only made possible a few short years before this when non-Nazi Germany scientists discovered nuclear fission in 1938. Determined to unlock the power of the at
Comparing World Religions, episode 13: Sikhism (and other Asian religions)
This episode gives brief (repeat: brief) overviews of Sikhism, Jainism, Shinto, Taoism, Chinese traditional religions (including Confucianism), the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1964), the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), Zoroastrianism, and the Baháʼí Faith.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 3: Who Am I?
For the person who has been redeemed by Jesus, the answer to "Who Am I?" has changed. For the one who is in Christ, the answer to "Who Am I?" is that I am redeemed, I am a friend of Jesus, I am chosen & adopted by God, I am a child of God, I am used by God, I have a future of resurrection & royalty, and I am destined for Heaven!
WWII, episode 12: The Final Push to Allied Victory
As the Second World War approached the final year, Allied victory became inevitable. But that did not mean that the war was over. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan fought fiercely, making the Allies earn every island, every mile, every air strip, every bridge, etc. Yet, by the end of Spring 1945, the war in Europe came to an end with a smashing Allied victory. The war against Japan r
Comparing World Religions, episode 12: Buddhism
Buddhism is the major world religion that branched out of Hinduism in a way very similar to how Christianity branched out of Judaism. It is a fascinating religious system, technically non-theistic but deeply spiritual. This episode attempts to provide a broad overview of one of the world's most popular religions, popular mostly in East, Southeast, & Central Asia.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 2: Pride & False Humility are Joykillers
The Easter Sermon Series continues as we "Celebrate with Joy!" However, there are things in life that kill our joy: depression, despair, and apathy can drain joy. I contend that pride and false humility can be some of the biggest joykillers there are. In this sermon I will explain what pride and false humility are, and why they can kill our joy.
WWII, episode 11: The Home Front
World War 2 was a total war that affected all areas of life and society in every nation engaged in the war (and also many that did not actively participate). The American (and Canadian) experience was very different from the other major powers - the UK, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Imperial Japan, Italy, and France - because our continent was almost entirely untouched by combat. Hundreds of tho
Comparing World Religions, episode 11: Hinduism
Hinduism is almost certainly the oldest active religion in the world. Hindus form the majority community in the most populated nation on earth. In this episode, I will attempt to do a brief, non-expert survey of the Hindu religion. This is not an area of expertise, and I welcome any feedback correcting any factual errors I have made in my lecture prep work.
Sermon - Celebrate with Joy!, part 1: The Joy of Resurrection
Our Easter 2026 Sermon Series is "Celebrate with Joy!" Far too often, preachers bring the gloom and the doom and they preach repentance and righteousness. As they should. But we Christians should never forget that it is God's intention for us to live free, liberated, joyous lives, resting in the peace and the joy of Jesus Christ. So, as the Easter season kicks off, let us find joy in the Resurrect
WWII, episode 10: D-Day
June 6th, 1944, is probably the most important, pivotal day of the 20th Century. On that day, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the forces of Free France & Free Poland (among other nationalities fighting to overthrow their fascist oppressors) banded together to do the impossible: to penetrate Fortress Europe and expel the Nazi menace from the continent of Europe. Operat
Comparing World Religions, episode 10: Islam
Having discussed the history of Islam in the previous episode, the Comparing World Religions lecture series now turns to an analysis of the religion of Islam itself. The second largest world religion, and one of the most influential religions in human history, Islam is often misunderstood by the average American who does not understand what the religion teaches. The only interactions that many non
Sermon - The Upside Down Kingdom, part 3: Your Day in Court
This sermon series ends with a short story that I wrote years ago. I have picked carefully when to use this story in a sermon. I want to use this tool at the most opportune time in whatever ministry I've served, but I have shared it with every ministry I've been a part of the last 20 years. Since this is the 3rd time I've shared this story on this podcast feed, it will likely be the last time. But
WWII, episode 9: North Africa
Italy & France had colonies in North Africa when World War II started in Europe, and so the war crossed the Mediterranean Sea, drawing in first the British -- coming to protect their investment in the Suez Canal -- and then later the Germans, who came to bolster their Italian allies. And, once Japan brought the US into WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor (with Hitler inexplicably declaring war,
Comparing World Religions, Episode 9: Islamic History
Islam is the second biggest religion on Earth, and by many accounts, the fastest growing religion. It has a long and rich history. Every major Empire in Asia, Europe, and Africa has had to interact with the religion of Islam and powerful Islamic states for almost a millennium and a half. In this episode, I try hard to provide a fair, unbiased analysis of the history of Islam, from the career of th
Sermon - The Upside Down Kingdom, part 2: Wealth
Christians are tempted to reinterpret every teaching Jesus gives us about wealth, because His insight into wealth is so counterintuitive. Building off last week's teaching about the Upside-Down Kingdom of God, today we will take a look at Jesus' teachings about wealth and dare to take them seriously.
WWII - Spring Break Special Episode: Japanese History
This week is Spring Break in Southeast Kansas, so our classes are taking a break. Instead of the regularly scheduled World War II lecture, I decided to dust off (and re-edit) an old lecture from April 4, 2023. When I taught this class previously, it was called "The World Wars" and I devoted the last quarter of the class to the Pacific Theatre in WWII. To kick off this section of the class, I went
Comparing World Religions, episode 8: Religions That Branched Off of Christianity
This one will be controversial. I have concluded that several religions are not part of Christianity because they have changed or abandoned major theological components of Christianity: the Trinity, the Incarnation, the nature of reality, the existence of God, etc. I acknowledge that many of these groups claim to be denominations of orthodox Christianity, and I don't deny their right to define the
Sermon - The Upside Down Kingdom, part 1: How To Get Ahead in Life
Jesus calls us to an unbelievably counter-intuitive calling: the lead by serving. As He washed His disciple's feet and willingly died as a sacrifice for sin, we too should use whatever leadership we get in this life to love and to serve other people, even if it means that we lose out on this or that advantage or payday.
WWII, episode 8 - Midway & Guadalcanal: 1942 in the Pacific Theatre
This episode returns to the Pacific Theatre of World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Japanese conquest of the Philippines. In the 1st six months of the war, Japan racked up an impressive list of victories. Then at the Battle of the Coral Sea, Japan failed to take Port Moresby, and for the first time, they suffered a strategic defeat. However, since the Allies lost more ships in th
Comparing World Religions, Episode 7: Christianity Section Conclusion
This episode wraps up the Christianity subsection of the course on Comparing World Religions. From here on out, the course will cover religions that are separate from Christianity. (Note: Some of these religions do come out of the Christian tradition, and some of them consider themselves a version of Christianity.) Before we broaden the scope of the class, I thought that it was a good idea to lay
Sermon: Of More Noble Character (Acts 17:10-12)
Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, tells us that the Jews from the town of Berea were "of more noble character" than the Jews from the town of Thessalonica, because when they heard the Gospel, they listened intently, then they went home, searched to Scriptures, and investigated to see if the things Paul was teaching them was true. And from that excellent Bible study, the church in Berea was bor
WWII, episode 7: The Holocaust
The Holocaust is a tragedy on an unimaginable scale. It was the result of unrestrained racism amongst those with absolute power. This episode focuses on the history of antisemitism, the rise of the Nazis as an explicitly antisemitic regime, and the unspeakable evil that they wrought. This was a packed lecture, and a rushed lecture. I did not even have time to talk about Oskar Schindler. During the
Comparing World Religions, episode 6: Protestant Denominations
Since the professor and every member of the Comparing World Religions class in Christian, our sub-section over Christianity is several lectures long. Furthermore, since (I believe) we all come from Protestant traditions, I have set aside 2 full lectures to talk about Protestantism. In the previous episode, we took a historical deep dive into the Protestant Reformation. This episode is a broad surv
Sermon: God Does Not Change
One of the most important attributes of God is that He does not change. For if God can change, then He was either imperfect and has changed into perfection, or else He was perfect, and no longer is. Furthermore, if God can change, then we cannot trust His promises. And if an All Powerful Deity could change, even a little bit, then given enough time, His perfection would change so much that He woul
WWII, episode 6 - 1941: Operation Barbarossa & Pearl Harbor
1941 was the year when the final major chess pieces were put on the World War II chessboard. Neither the United States of America nor the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics were full participants in the Second World War when 1941 began, even though the war was in its second year in Europe and its fifth year (or so) in East Asia. But the Empire of Japan and Nazi Germany changed all that. First, Na
Comparing World Religions, episode 5: The Protestant Reformation
This episode goes into both reform and separatist movements in the Church going back long before Martin Luther. And, of course, we discuss the life and times of Luther, Zwingli, And Calvin. This episode briefly touches on Protestant theological developments, the disastrous Muenster Rebellion, and the Catholic Counter-Reformation.
Sermon: The Lost Art of Giving & Receiving Correction
There is a word that pops up in Scripture from time to time: "rebuke." It is not a word that is part of the average American's vocabulary. A better term might be "correction." A fool hates being corrected and would prefer to go on believing that he is right, even when he is not. But a wise man accepts correction, not because it is pleasant (for neither giving nor receiving correction is pleasant),
WWII, episode 5: The Battle of Britain
Following the miraculous British evacuation from Dunkirk, the UK stood alone as the sole major, unconquered nation standing in the way of Adolf Hitler. The United States, officially neutral, tried to help out, using a cash-&-carry policy to supply the Brits, then a destroyers-for-bases plan designed to arm the British Navy while remaining neutral, then finally stretching the definition of "neutral
Comparing World Religions, episode 4: The Roman Catholic Church & the Eastern Orthodox Church
I am no expert on the Roman Catholic Church, and I know even less about the Eastern Orthodox Church. (Note: This will be true for many of the world religions we cover this semester.) So consider this episode a history buff's (and a Protestant's) honest attempt to better understand these branches of Christianity with incredibly ancient roots.
Sermon: Faith Is Intentional
Here's a nice, short, sub-20-minutes sermon to enjoy on your Valentine's Day. I dusted off the oldest sermon notes I have, at least for any sermon that (apparently) was not recorded when I gave it in 2003. (A few older sermons are available elsewhere in the Blue Collar Scholar back catalogue, using the audio recording from that time.) So I smoothed out, edited, and updated the notes to bring you t
WWII, episode 4: Initial Nazi Victories
Blitzkrieg (German for Lightning War) is designed to move quickly, discombobulate your enemy, and achieve victory before they can properly counter attack. In the earliest stages of World War II in Europe, the Wehrmacht - exhibiting an incredible amount of speed and coordination between the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), and Luftwaffe (Air Force) - achieved an unprecedented series of conquests,
Comparing World Religions, episode 3: Christianity
This will not be the only lecture on Christianity in the Comparing World Religions class this spring. This lesson mostly focuses on Christian teachings and theology that make Christianity different from other religions.
Sermon: A Brief Overview of the Book of Job
The Book of Job is a fascinating case study in human suffering. In it we see an extremely righteous man suffer, and we see his well-meaning friends misunderstand, thinking that only a wicked person would suffer so. But that is not what the Bible teaches. In fact, sometime people suffer because of the good that they do, or because of the purity and excellence of their faith. In this sermon, we will
WWII, episode 3: The Wars that Became WWII
Even though World War I was supposed to be "The War To End All Wars," there were several major and minor wars that ravaged the world between World War I and World War II. The way World War I ended caused many of these conflicts, and each and every one of these conflicts affected how, why, and who fought in World War II. This lecture will briefly touch upon the Spanish Civil War, the Italian invasi
Comparing World Religions, episode 2: Judaism
Our survey of world religions begins with Judaism. With a common Tanakh (Old Testament) tradition shared with Christianity, Judaism has an impact on history way beyond their numbers. This episode - and each Comparing World Religions lecture to follow - is intended to increase understanding for those who may not belong to that religion. If any listener would like to critique my take on Judaism, or
Sermon - The Heaven Series, part 4: Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven
This is the conclusion to the Heaven series. Since we learned about Heaven in the previous three sermons, we now examine what it looks like to be an ambassador for the Kingdom of Heaven, for Christians are called to be ambassadors in 2 Corinthians 5:20.
WWII, episode 2: After WWI
This episode jumps right into the the end of World War I and the Paris Peace Conference & the Versailles Treaty. We take a quick survey through the technological and cultural advances and trends in the 1920s and 1930s. This episode also covers the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. At this point, we discuss the "Okies" who became migrants from one part of the nation (Oklahoma Panhandle and the su
Comparing World Religions, episode 1: What Is Religion?
This Spring, I will be teaching a World War II class and a Comparing World Religions class for the Lifetime Learning program at Neosho County Community College. The first lecture in the WWII class dropped a few days ago. This is the first lecture in the Comparing World Religions, as we explore how different religions answer ten questions very differently.
Sermon - The Heaven Series, part 3: New Heavens and New Earth
The Heaven Series now focuses on the last few chapters of Revelation and asks important questions about what the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, called "New Heavens and New Earth," will be like.
WWII, episode 1: World War I
The Spring 2026 Lifetime Learning classes kick off with our World War II class. This episode analyzes World War I with special emphasis on how the Great War influenced World War II.
WWII, episode zero: The Leadup to The Great War (WWI)
NOTE: This is a re-broadcast of an episode from August 28, 2025. ... This lecture was intended to be a World War I lecture, but the lion's share of the lecture ended up being all the relevant history leading up to the "Great War." So, for our Spring 2026 Lifetime Learning "World War II" class, this will function as the background to Episode 1, which will be released as soon as it is edited.
Sermon - The Heaven Series, part 2: Heaven
The Heaven series continues into the next logical topic: Heaven itself. In this sermon we will explore what the Scriptures say that Heaven is and what it is like, and we will try to shed a few common misconceptions that culture and entertainment have given us about Heaven.
Sermon - The Heaven Series, part 1: Death
This begins a new 4-part series on Heaven. And, unfortunately, the logical place to start this series is on a downer: death. But the Bible has a lot of interesting and specific things to say about the topic of death. So join with us as we explore the macabre topic as we prepare to launch into the much more joyful topic of Heaven.
Sermon: The Farewell Sermon of Joshua (Joshua 24:14-26)
Happy New Year! As we bid farewell to 2025, let us take a look back in the Old Testament to a time when a great leader said farewell to his era and ushered in the age of the judges. Joshua was a transitional figure. He took over for Moses, for all intents and purposes the founder of Judaism. He seems to be the last person to lead all of Israel (and not just this or that part of Israel) until King
Sermon: In the Fullness of Time (Galatians 4:1-7)
Merry Christmas!!! You probably haven't heard a Christmas sermon from Galatians before. But in Galatians 4, the Apostle Paul -- who almost never talks about specific moments in Jesus' life -- talks about our adoption as heirs with Christ, and he anchors that teaching in Jesus who was "born of a woman." (Galatians 4:4) And so, I hope you join us as we dig into the Word and learn that (1) without Ch
Sermon - The Church, part 7: Casting a Vision for a Local Church
This sermon was originally given as an "In View of a Call" sermon at First Baptist Church of Goodman (MO) in December 2011. It was not, to the best of my knowledge, recorded. So I adapted the sermon notes, arranging the content around a generic and nonspecific local church, and using this as the conclusion to "The Church" sermon series.
Sermon - The Church, part 6: The Rituals of the Church
While there are many informal rituals in a church - how many songs one sings before and after the sermon, for instance - and while many churches (such as our Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters) have many rituals, the New Testament only seems to give us two: baptism & the Lord's Supper (i.e., Communion, or the Eucharist). So in this sermon we examine these two rituals of the c
Sermon - The Church, part 5: The Organization & Administration of the Local Church
The New Testament uses the term "church" to refer to the global church - or, all who serve Jesus and are saved by His sacrifice - as well as the local church. In this episode we explore some of what the New Testament tells us about how to organize a local church.
Sermon - The Church, part 4: Giving Thanks
Happy Thanksgiving! This episode looks at the life of the Apostle Paul and all the hardships he faced. And yet he directs us to give thanks in all circumstances. For he knew what it was like to face situations that make gratitude difficult, and yet he preached joy and thanksgiving. In the conclusion of this message, we analyze what it looks like for a church to be known for gratitude and cheerfuln
Sermon - The Church, part 3: Worship
The local church's purpose has to include an outward focus (mission), an inward focus (fellowship), but most importantly an upward focus (worship). Worship is the reason we were saved. It is the reason the church exists. It is the reason we do mission, to gain the Lord more people who worship Him. And it is the reason we do fellowship, in order to build up and encourage those who worship the Lord
Sermon - The Church, part 2: Fellowship
The local church must do outreach; that is covered in the previous episode. The local church must worship God. That will be next week's lesson. In this episode, we look at the "inward" focus of the church. We briefly touch on the fact that an inward focus includes looking after your own spiritual well-being and also giving attention to your family. But in this episode, we focus on the importance o
Sermon - The Church, part 1: Mission
This episode starts a new series that examines what the Bible says about the local church. This episode digs into the outward focus of a church: mission. This includes but is not limited to international missions. This includes but is not limited to missions projects elsewhere in the United States (or whatever your home country is). This includes but is not limited to work in the local community.
Sermon - Real Theology, part 7: Who Is God the Son?
This conclusion of the Real Theology series covers - but barely scratches the surface of - Christology, or the study of Christ. Following through on the previous 2 episodes that looked at the Person of God the Holy Spirit and the Person of God the Father, this episode examines the second Person of the Trinity, which is God the Son.
Sermon - Real Theology, part 6: Who Is the Father?
God manifests Himself as God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit. The divinity of Jesus Christ and His identification as God the Son is a fount of endless fascinating theological discussion. And despite that God the Holy Spirit is often the forgotten member of the Trinity, His work in the book of Acts alone leads us to theological discourse. And so, despite being perhaps the most obviou
Sermon - Real Theology, part 5: Who Is the Holy Spirit?
For our *** THREE HUNDRETH EPISODE!!! *** we will continue in our sermon series entitled "Real Theology." In this episode we take a look at what Scripture tells us about the Holy Spirit.
Sermon - Real Theology, part 4: The Attributes of God
In this episode we review all the attributes of God that we have previously discussed in the "Real Theology" series, and conclude with a last look at the attributes of God. (1) Freedom: God answers to nobody. (2) Jealousy: God does not suffer any rival. (3) Beauty: God's personality & character are perfectly desirable. (4) Victory: God will not lose.
Sermon - Real Theology, part 3: God Is Not Like Us
Theologians divide God's attributes into two categories: communicable attributes, which we share with God (only in much lesser capacity), and incommunicable attributes, which show us that God is much different than we are. This sermon deals with some of God's incommunicable attributes. We discuss in this episode (1) God's independence/aseity/self-existence, (2) God's immutability or His unchangeab
Sermon - Real Theology, part 2: God Is All ...
The Real Theology series continues as we discuss what the One God (see last episode: "There Is One God") is like. He is (1) all powerful, (2) all knowing, (3) in all places, (4) in all time, (5) all wise, & (6) all good.
Sermon - Real Theology, part 1: There Is One God
This fall begins a new project. I will be preaching at a local nursing home facility, and I will be sharing those sermons on this feed. Our first series is a 7-part series about Christian theology. In this episode, we examine what it means to say that there is one God, and why it is important that God is a singular Being.
Ambassador Academy, episode 25 - Epilogue: The End Times
Based on the frequency of End Times-related content on this podcast feed, I fear that you may misinterpret how fanatical I am about eschatology. Believe me, I am not an End Times nut. I am quite non-dogmatic in my eschatological views. However, eschatology is a popular topic. Of all the Lifetime Learning classes I have taught, it was the Revelation class that easily had the highest enrollment. The
Ambassador Academy, episode 24: A Defense of the Resurrection of Christ
The final apologetic argument in this series is an in-depth look at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ is raised from the dead, then that validates so much - perhaps everything - in the Christian worldview. In this episode I look at the Resurrection of Jesus, analyzing this event to see if it can be defended with logic, Scripture, and evidence. I also take a look at a few common arguments
Ambassador Academy, episode 23: Apologetics
This episode functions as a conclusion to the apologetics section of the Ambassador Academy series, except for the argument from the Resurrection of Christ, a topic that I saved for the upcoming Palm Sunday evening service. This episode covers the argument from consciousness, Pascal's Wager, proper basicality in regards to belief in the existence of God, and a response to the Problem of Evil/Pain/
Ambassador Academy, episode 22: Creationism
Genesis chapter 1 is probably not intended by God to be a scientific text. Rather, it appears likely that it is a polemic written against all of the polytheistic nature gods from the nations around Israel, and Genesis 1 is a bold statement that YHWH is transcendent above His creation and that all of the things that all the weaker gods govern - the waters, livestock, the moon, etc. - were all creat
Ambassador Academy, episode 21: Evolution and Intelligent Design
The ultimate Teleological Argument for the Existence of God is Creationism. Creationism comes in 3 forms: Young Earth Creationism, Old Earth Creationism, and Evolutionary Creationism (otherwise known as theistic evolution). Creationism's strongest counter-argument is Neo-Darwinian Evolution. So this episode digs into Neo-Darwinism and other forms of evolutionary theories, as well as Intelligent De
Ambassador Academy, episode 20 - The Teleological Argument: The Fine-Tuning of the Universe
The apologetics subsection of the Ambassador Academy curriculum continues with an examination of the fine-tuning of the universe and how that strongly supports the existence of a mighty Designer.
Ambassador Academy, episode 19: The Kalam Cosmological Argument
In 2018, I was more critical of Dr. William Lane Craig and his theological paradigm than I am today. And yet, even in 2018, I was a big believer in the power of Dr. Craig's "Kalam Cosmological Argument." (1) Everything that begins to exist has a cause. (2) The universe began to exist. (3) Therefore, the universe has a cause. This argument feels both common sense but also underwhelming. However, wh
Ambassador Academy, episode 18: St. Thomas Aquinas' Cosmological Arguments
This episode analyzes the apologetics arguments of St. Thomas Aquinas. Most of his arguments are cosmological arguments or are cosmological-argument-adjacent.
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