Socrates in the City

Socrates in the City
  • 4.8 (553)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Socrates in the City is the acclaimed series of conversations on “life, God, and other small topics,” hosted by Eric Metaxas. Starting with the philosopher Socrates’s famous words that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” Metaxas thought it would be valuable to create a forum that might encourage busy New Yorkers in thinking about the bigger questions in life. He founded Socrates in the City in 2000. Metaxas is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of MARTIN LUTHER, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT, BONHOEFFER, AMAZING GRACE, and MIRACLES. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The New Yorker, and Metaxas has appeared as a cultural commentator on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. He is the host of The Eric Metaxas Radio Show, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard in more than 120 cities around the U.S. and via podcast in over 80 countries.

  1. 4d ago

    Eric Metaxas and John Lennox: Preaching the Gospel Behind the Iron Curtain

    In this episode of Socrates in Oxford, host Eric Metaxas is joined once again by John Lennox, as he reflects on his remarkable journey of faith, scholarship, and intellectual discovery in his new autobiography, My Story: A Spiritual and Intellectual Autobiography, revealing stories and experiences never before told. From his conversion to Christianity and his friendship with C.S. Lewis, to teaching the Bible behind the Iron Curtain and witnessing the Lord’s miraculous protection and provision, Lennox traces the moments that shaped both his faith and his calling. Throughout the conversation, he explores the academic disciplines that have defined his work—including science, history, philosophy, and theology—and considers how questions of faith and reason intersect in the search for truth. Above all, Lennox offers an encouraging reminder that sharing our faith is not reserved for professional apologists or academics, but is something that can be woven naturally into every part of our lives. The post Eric Metaxas and John Lennox: Preaching the Gospel Behind the Iron Curtain first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  2. Sep 4

    Miriam Cates and Mary Harrington: Can the Birth Rate Crisis Be Fixed?

    In this episode of Socrates Dialogues with Mary Harrington, she is joined by Miriam Cates, former Conservative MP and now broadcaster with GB News, who reflects on her journey into politics during the turbulent years of Brexit and Covid, the pressures that reshaped Westminster, and the challenges of being a Christian seeking truth in public life.  Throughout this conversation, the two explore women’s rights, the controversy surrounding women’s spaces, and the rapidly changing understanding of family and parenthood—from surrogacy and reproductive technology to the growing number of children born into unconventional family structures. At the heart of the conversation is a deeper question: what happens when questions about children and family are framed primarily around the rights and desires of adults, rather than the needs and dignity of the child? The post Miriam Cates and Mary Harrington: Can the Birth Rate Crisis Be Fixed? first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  3. Aug 27

    Eric Metaxas and Denis Noble: Why We Have Been Misled About Biology for 80 Years

    What is the difference between Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism? What was the great mistake Erwin Schrödinger made nearly 80 years ago? In this episode of Socrates in Oxford, host Eric Metaxas is joined by Denis Noble, the brilliant physiologist and biologist, as he challenges one of the most deeply rooted assumptions in modern science: that everything can ultimately be reduced to its smallest parts. From the rise of reductionism in biology and mathematics to the influential “selfish gene” theory, Noble examines how a particular scientific framework has come to shape our understanding of life itself.  Drawing on his own experience debating Richard Dawkins—and even serving on the committee for Dawkins’s PhD thesis—Noble offers a fascinating insider’s perspective on one of the most significant debates in modern evolutionary biology. This conversation asks, what happens when scientists refuse to follow the evidence wherever it may lead, even if that evidence raises questions about God? Noble argues that science is never merely scientific; it is deeply philosophical, shaped by the assumptions we bring to our understanding of reality. At the heart of his argument and this conversation is an invitation for scientific humility: the courage to recognize the limits of what we know and to remain open to where the evidence might ultimately lead. The post Eric Metaxas and Denis Noble: Why We Have Been Misled About Biology for 80 Years first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  4. Aug 25

    Erika Bachiochi and Mary Harrington: Can You Be a Pro-Life Feminist?

    What could “Little House on the Prairie” reveal about the early roots of the feminist movement? In this episode of Socrates Dialogues, Mary Harrington is joined by Erica Bachiochi, author of “The Rights of Women,” professor, and legal scholar, who explores the often-overlooked history of women’s rights before the familiar story of the suffragettes—and challenges the modern assumption that feminism and abortion have always been inseparable. From the surprising emergence of the suffrage movement as a “home protection ballot” to the competing visions of freedom held by early feminist thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft, Bachiochi examines how ideas about law, liberty, and the dignity of women have evolved. Throughout the conversation, they explore the power of virtue and the freedom found in embracing them by asking the question: should our understanding of rights be grounded in individual autonomy alone, or in the tradition of natural law and the belief that human reason ultimately participates in a divine order? The post Erika Bachiochi and Mary Harrington: Can You Be a Pro-Life Feminist? first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  5. Aug 25

    Eric Metaxas and Joseph Loconte: America’s Forgotten Founding Father, Benjamin Rush

    Was America’s success driven not only by generals and statesmen, but by a physician whose moral vision helped shape the nation’s soul? In this episode of The Revolution, Socrates in the City host, Eric Metaxas, is joined by author and friend, Joseph Loconte to explore the untold story of Benjamin Rush, a founder whose influence stretched far beyond the battlefield. A signer of the Declaration of Independence, pioneering physician, abolitionist, and advocate for religious faith in public life, Rush devoted himself to healing both the young republic and its people. While others fought the war on the front lines, Rush confronted the suffering within military hospitals, championed humane treatment for the mentally ill, and helped lay the foundations of modern psychiatry. His Christian convictions inspired acts of reconciliation, shaped his pursuit of justice, and even influenced figures such as Thomas Paine. Through his friendship with John Adams and his enduring question—”Are we virtuous enough?”—this conversation explores whether America can remain faithful to the principles that gave it birth and why Benjamin Rush may be the most important Founding Father we’ve forgotten. The post Eric Metaxas and Joseph Loconte: America’s Forgotten Founding Father, Benjamin Rush first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  6. Aug 21

    Eric Metaxas and John Lennox: Will Technology Change What It Means to be Human?

    How can we learn to use AI creatively and responsibly for human flourishing? In this episode of Socrates in Oxford, host Eric Metaxas is joined by John Lennox, long-time friend of SITC, mathematician, philosopher, and author of 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, for a timely conversation about one of the most consequential technologies of our age. As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes the world around us, how do we separate the realities of AI from the science-fiction scenarios that increasingly seem less fictional? Lennox demystifies the mathematical and technological language surrounding AI, exploring its different forms and the extraordinary rise of large language models—and asking what their growing influence means for education, human creativity, and the way we think. From the frightening possibilities of AI’s capabilities to the profound questions it raises about what it means to be human, Lennox considers the surprising connections between artificial intelligence and the biblical book of Revelation, and how imagery, metaphor, and prophetic language may offer a framework for understanding the world taking shape before us. The conversation asks if we are already beginning to see hints and traces of Revelation playing out across the world, and what kind of spiritual battle might be unfolding alongside the technological revolution, and what wisdom will we need to navigate it? The post Eric Metaxas and John Lennox: Will Technology Change What It Means to be Human? first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  7. Aug 13

    Carl Trueman and Mary Harrington: How Should We Live in an Age of Radical Individualism?

    In this episode of Socrates Dialogues with Mary Harrington, our host is joined by professor, philosopher, theologian, and author Carl Trueman for a thoughtful conversation on the ideas shaping our modern identity. Drawing on his book “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self” and his latest work”The Desecration of Man,” Trueman explores how our understanding of the self has been transformed by expressive individualism, technology, and the cultural forces that increasingly detach us from enduring commitments.  What does it mean to imagine ourselves rightly in the world around us? From the emergence of the “laptop class” and the decline of rooted communities to the quiet, countercultural act of planting roots and embracing lasting commitments, Trueman argues that resistance begins with recovering a richer vision of what it means to be human. Grounded in the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, this conversation considers how our view of humanity shapes our relationships, our families, our children, and ultimately the kind of society we are building. The post Carl Trueman and Mary Harrington: How Should We Live in an Age of Radical Individualism? first appeared on Socrates in the City.

  8. Aug 13

    Eric Metaxas and Stephen Blackwood: Can Classical Learning Save the Modern University?

    What is education truly for? In this episode of Socrates in the Studio, host Eric Metaxas sits down with Stephen Blackwood—founding president of Ralston College, distinguished scholar, and champion of classical education—to explore why so many young people today are searching for meaning in an age of uncertainty. Reflecting on his journey to establish a new kind of college, Blackwood makes the case for an education that forms character as much as intellect and revives the timeless pursuit of truth, wisdom, and beauty. They dive into Blackwood’s work on The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius, the philosopher who penned one of history’s most influential books while imprisoned on the eve of the fall of the Roman Empire. A bestseller for centuries and often considered the original self-help book, Boethius’s masterpiece wrestles with questions that remain as urgent today as they were fifteen hundred years ago: Is there an order beneath the world’s apparent chaos? Can we find meaning in suffering? And what can the wisdom of the past teach us about navigating the crises of the present? The post Eric Metaxas and Stephen Blackwood: Can Classical Learning Save the Modern University? first appeared on Socrates in the City.

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4.8
out of 5
553 Ratings

About

Socrates in the City is the acclaimed series of conversations on “life, God, and other small topics,” hosted by Eric Metaxas. Starting with the philosopher Socrates’s famous words that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” Metaxas thought it would be valuable to create a forum that might encourage busy New Yorkers in thinking about the bigger questions in life. He founded Socrates in the City in 2000. Metaxas is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of MARTIN LUTHER, IF YOU CAN KEEP IT, BONHOEFFER, AMAZING GRACE, and MIRACLES. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The New Yorker, and Metaxas has appeared as a cultural commentator on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. He is the host of The Eric Metaxas Radio Show, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard in more than 120 cities around the U.S. and via podcast in over 80 countries.

Information

  • Creator
    Socrates in the City
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Socrates in the City

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