In this long overdue episode of Samsara Audio, my old friend Joel Carini (“The Natural Theologian”) joins me to discuss his piece “Berating the Godfearers” which raises a host of questions close to both our hearts — how does the Christian ideology of “worldview” get conversion wrong, and consequently disable real conversation along the way?
This conversation was born out of years deep inside particular communities which eschew empirical observation and experimental procedures for axiomatic assertions and pious certainty. We want to move past the stance which starts with the answers, and instead find ourselves in the trenches with others who are working on finding better questions.
Check out Joel’s Substack “The Natural Theologian” (subscribe for free or sign up to support his work with a premium subscription) to read more of his timely and highly readable interventions.
Links:
Joel’s Substack “The Natural Theologian” — https://joelcarini.substack.com
Samsara Diagnostics (Matthew’s newsletter) — https://samsara.clinic
Watch this podcast on YouTube at Samsara Diagnostics’ channel.
Time stamps:
00:00 Introduction and Overview
01:37 Diving into the First Episode of Samsara Audio of 2024
02:38 The Journey of Online Writing and Intellectual Growth
03:55 The Tragedy of Academia: A Discussion
04:59 The Power of Peer Review and the Potential of Substack
06:27 The Humanizing Aspect of Scholarship and Its Challenges
07:28 The Divide in Academic and Religious Institutions
08:53 The Dark Wizard in the Ivory Tower
12:44 Berating the God Fearers: A Conversation
17:05 The Journey of Conversion: A Personal Perspective
23:20 The Role of Fear in Christian Discourse
28:46 The Concept of Worldview in Christian Circles
34:46 The Need for a Transition from Apologetics to Philosophy
40:57 The Challenge of Interdisciplinary Knowledge
41:13 The Limitations of Apologetics
44:39 The Role of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Understanding
46:54 The Problem of Consistency in Worldview Discourse
56:30 The Dangers of Ideological Thinking
01:17:38 The Role of Free Speech in Encountering New Perspectives
01:21:27 The Value of Diversity in Christian Denominations
01:25:01 Conclusion: Diagnosing Our Maladies
