Is the archetype of the crucified and resurrected God present in religions other than Christianity— particularly in religions predating Christianity? Apologetics debates often bring up pre-Christian resurrection and crucifixion myths as evidence that the Christian accounts of Jesus' bodily resurrection are at best unremarkable and at worst copied from older accounts. We dive into primary sources in this episode to discuss three pre-Christian examples: the alleged spiritual resurrection of King Thoulis of Egypt, the Osiris myth, and the myth of the Hindu deity Krishna.

What did Jesus really think of women, and what is the modern woman called to be?

Renowned apologist and writer Dr. Rebecca McLaughlin joins us to tackle the assertions of sexism and gender inequality commonly made against Christianity. In this episode, we address unsavory statements made by church fathers attesting to women's inferior intellect or moral character in reference to men's. We discuss biological, social, and Biblical differences between men and women, inclinding headship and submission in marriage. We discuss the decline of monastic culture leading to a devaluation of singleness within the modern church. Finally, we hypothesize why Jesus didn't choose female apostles, but chose several female disciples who played significant and irreplaceable roles in His ministry.

Resources:

• Confronting Christianity podcast
• Confronting Christianity by Dr. McLaughlin
• Jesus Through the Eyes of Women by Dr. McLaughlin

"You can tell a lot about the state of twenty-first century evangelicalism by talking to those who leave it." This is the opening sentence of the introduction to A Heart Aflame for God, a thoughtful, Scripturally-based, and thoroughly-researched book by Dr. Matthew Bingham on spiritual practices from the early Reformed church. In this episode, we discuss perceived issues with Protestantism such as the de-emphasis of ceremony and "tradition," the focus on the mind and Word over bodily worship, and the stereotype that Puritan worship was divorced from the affections of the heart. Dr. Bingham takes us through the Puritan practice of "keeping the heart" and proposes a Reformation triangle of three interconnected practices for spiritual formation: Scriptural engagement, meditation, and prayer. We close by discussing the interplay between one's own spiritual formation and the health of the Church.