Shane Rosenthal was raised in a Jewish home but became an atheist at a very early age. Some years later, however, he ended up losing faith in atheism and converted to Christianity. On this podcast, he talks with people from a wide variety of worldviews and perspectives in order to explore the beliefs and ideas that shape our lives.
After his resurrection, Luke 24 records that Jesus walked with two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus, and during that journey, we’re told that “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” So what OT passages did Jesus likely have in mind as he discussed the Hebrew Bible with these two disciples? Joining me to discuss this question is Jason DeRouchie, research professor of Old Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the author of How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament.
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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” What exactly do these words mean? Some argue that John is hinting at concepts related to Greek philosophy, but is this really the case? What are the Jewish Targums and how do these ancient texts helps us to better understand the meaning of John’s prologue? On this episode, Shane talks with John Ronning, author of The Jewish Targums and John’s Logos Theology.
Click here for detailed notes related to this episode (including quotes from Philo of Alexandria, and the Aramaic Targums.
Wherever we find references to Babylon in the Bible, we’re frequently reminded of man’s failed attempt to ascend to the heavens. This is due in part to the fact that “Babel” and “Babylon” happen to be the same word in Hebrew. On this edition, Shane walks through a variety of Old Testament passages that relate to this theme and contrasts them with prophecies about Israel’s coming Messiah.
SHOW NOTESTo read various selections from Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Josephus, and others that Shane cited on this episode, click here.
On this year-end episode, Shane talks with Australian pop-singer Liam Cooper about their shared interest in the backstory of Billy Joel’s song, Piano Man. Liam is the creator and frontman of a show called King of the Keys, which features the music of Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul McCartney and others. Earlier this year, Liam had plans to shoot a music video featuring the original piano used by Billy Joel at The Executive Room back in 1973—or so he thought. Shane’s research has led him to re-evaluate things.
This special Christmas edition of the podcast features Shane’s man-on-the-street interviews that he recorded at a local Christmas festival. In particular, he asked whether the holiday, with all its memorable characters, is rooted in mythology, history, or a little of both. In the second half of the program, Shane reads selections from Justin Martyr’s First Apology, which provides insight into the compelling nature of early Christian proclamation.
On this episode, Shane weaves together a variety of interviews he’s recorded over the years related to Genesis 28 and the story of Jacob’s ladder. In particular, the conversations focus on the way the narrative has been completely inverted to become another Tower of Babel tale of our ascent to God, rather than a prophecy of Christ’s descent to us in mercy and grace.
For a gift of any amount to help support the work of The Humble Skeptic podcast, we’ll send you a 12-page PDF resource by Shane Rosenthal titled, “Finding Christ in All of Scripture.” For a preview of this helpful resource, click here.
On this episode, Shane talks with Peter J. Williams about his book, The Surprising Genius of Jesus, which primarily focuses on the parables of Luke 15. Shane discussed some of these parables on episode 43 earlier this year, but the insights provided by Williams merit a brand new investigation. In short, the more we notice Jesus’ subtle allusions to the Old Testament, the more we’ll understand his teaching and begin to appreciate the depth of his genius. Toward the end of the conversation, the two also discuss questions related to the date of John’s Gospel in light of recent trends among New Testament scholars who are currently reassessing the late date hypothesis.
What are we to make of the stories of Jesus recorded in the New Testament Gospels? Are they authentic accounts of his life and teaching, or collections of myths and legends that evolved over time? Shane discusses this with Cambridge New Testament scholar Peter J. Williams, principal of Tyndale House and author of Can We Trust the Gospels?
Are miracles possible, or should they be seen as violations of natural laws that all scientifically minded people should reject? Is it true that most scientists reject God? What about faith? Should it be dismissed as a kind of of irrational leap that is essentially the opposite of critical thinking? Shanediscusses these questions and more with MIT professor Ian Hutchinson, author of Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?
For two years, Steven Flo was filled with fear and despair. He retreated from the world and even began to hide from sunlight. In vampire-like fashion, he closed all his curtains and lived in what felt like a tomb. Even though he was a Lutheran pastor who often counseled others, during this period he was inconsolable, and began to despair about his own eternal state. If the Gospel was true, it was true for others, but not for him. On this episode, Shane talks with pastor Flo about his descent into darkness.
SPECIAL OFFER — If you upgrade to a PAID subscription or make a GIFT of any size, we’ll send you a pre-release PDF download of Shane’s forthcoming book, Luke’s Key Witness. When you subscribe, you’ll get instant access to the book here (it’s currently behind a paywall). If you choose the donation option, you’ll receive the PDF via email. Thanks for your support!
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For More Info About Peter Williams & Tyndale HousePeter Williams is the principal of Tyndale House, which is a Cambridge-based research institute housing one of the world’s most advanced libraries for biblical scholarship. You can find them online at tyndalehouse.com.
We Need Your Help!Donations to The Humble Skeptic podcast are tax-deductible. To make a one-time donation or set up recurring monthly gifts, click here. Another way to support us is by upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack. Subscriptions begin at $5.95 per month or $59 per year (this option is not tax-deductible). Another way to help is to spread the word about The Humble Skeptic podcast! Thanks for your help, and Happy Thanksgiving!
The Tools & Rules of HistoryOn Friday, November 8th, the Lanier Theological Library hosted a panel discussion at The Stone Chapel on The Tools and Rules of History: How Do We Know What Really Happened? This 90-minute session featured Gary Habermas, Shane Rosenthal, and David McIlroy and was moderated by Mark Lanier. This conversation was live-streamed and you can find the video here.
For More Info About Peter Williams & Tyndale HousePeter Williams is the principal of Tyndale House, which is a Cambridge-based research institute housing one of the world’s most advanced libraries for biblical scholarship. You can find them online at tyndalehouse.com.
We Need Your Help!Help spread the word about The Humble Skeptic podcast by sending a link to your favorite episode to a friend or relative. Also, donations to The Humble Skeptic podcast are tax-deductible. To make a one-time donation or set up recurring monthly gifts, click here. Another way to support us is by upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack. Subscriptions begin at $5.95 per month or $59 per year. FYI, this option is not tax-deductible.
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UPCOMING EVENTS Troy, IllinoisOn Sunday, Nov. 3rd, Shane will be speaking at a youth event from 3:30 to 7:00 pm at Providence Presbyterian Church. Shane will be addressing the topics: “Is Faith Blind?” and “Are There Contradictions in the Gospels?”For more information about this youth event, send a text to 618-820-4908.
Houston, TexasOn Friday & Saturday, Nov. 8-9, Shane will be speaking with Gary Habermas and others at the Lanier Theological Library. The discussion will be centered on the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection as part of the 4th Annual John Warwick Montgomery Lecture in Evidential Apologetics. For more information about this event, click here.
St. Charles, MissouriOn Sunday, Dec. 8th at 6 pm, Shane will discuss some of the challenges related to Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. Some believe that the account of the census that took place in the days of Quirinius (Luke 2) is at odds with other known historical facts. Did Luke make a mistake or can the apparent contradiction be resolved? This discussion will take place at Christ Presbyterian Church (cpcopc.org).
If you would like to invite Shane Rosenthal to speak at your event, send an email to: INFO at HUMBLESKEPTIC dot COM.
SUPPORT THIS PODCASTDonations to The Humble Skeptic podcast are tax-deductible. To make a one-time donation or set up recurring monthly gifts, click here. Another way to support this podcast is by upgrading to a paid subscription via Substack. Subscriptions begin at $5.95 per month or $59 per year, however, this option is not tax-deductible.
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