The Firestone Files

Dr. Chris Firestone
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Philosophy
  • Weekly

The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University.

  1. Oct 26

    Eric Capaci: A Mayoral Candidate's Love Letters to Hot Springs

    Every campaign has to answer one question before it earns the right to argue anything: who is this man, and does he love the place he wants to lead? In August 2026, Eric Capaci's campaign for Mayor of Hot Springs, Arkansas, answered it the simplest way we could think of. Before a single issue was raised, we sent Eric to the places every person in this city knows by heart and let him talk. The dam and the two lakes. Bathhouse Row and the thermal water. Magic Springs, the Alligator Farm, the Northwoods trails, the ballfields where Babe Ruth trained, and the corner of Third and South, where he and Carolann started a church in 1992 with $700 and a God-sized dream. Seventeen reels, shot often with one take, one place at a time. Love letters to a city. Together they drew more than 200,000 views on a page with 1,800 followers, in a city of 38,000. More than that, they reintroduced a man the city thought it knew, and showed something a platform never can: his heart, his humor, and the way he leads, from the sidewalk rather than the podium. This episode runs those reels as one film, in tour order, and hands out the hardware: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Comedy (to the alligators), Best Metaphor, and a Lifetime Achievement award for the most-watched video the campaign has made. The introduction is short. The reels do the talking.Full disclosure: I am not neutral. I wrote these love letters with him, and I believe in the man who delivered them. THE TEAM Eric, on-screen personality and director, mayoral candidate Chris, lead writing and producing volunteer Lucas, lead camera and editing volunteer All reels courtesy of The Committee to Elect Capaci for Mayor. Watch the originals at facebook.com/CapaciForMayor. Early voting in Hot Springs runs through Monday, November 2. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The Firestone Files is hosted by Dr. Chris L. Firestone. New episodes drop on Mondays at 8:00 a.m. Central.

  2. Oct 19

    Teaching, Homeschooling, and the Family Life

    In Season 2, Episode 8 of The Firestone Files, Dr. Chris Firestone talks with his wife, Elizabeth (Beth) Firestone, about her teaching career, their family's homeschooling years, choosing curriculum, supporting different learners, and deciding when to transition to public school. Beth shares lessons from raising and educating their children, along with her later work in children's ministry. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  3. Oct 19

    Dr. Vanedson Ximenes: From Brazil’s Largest Beach Ministry to Champion Christian College

    Before he was Vice President for International Affairs at Champion Christian College, Dr. Vanedson Ximenes was a young Baptist pastor in Vila Velha, Brazil, who took his preaching out of the church and onto the beach. In this episode of The Firestone Files, Dr. Chris Firestone sits down with his friend and colleague to trace the road from the coast of Espírito Santo to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Dr. Ximenes tells the story of Jesus Vida Verão, the summer outreach he started in 1992 with a handful of people from his church. Today it is known as the largest beach gospel event in Brazil, drawing tens of thousands of people a night every January. He also talks about his years of pastoral ministry in Brazil, the move to the United States, and how he started the Dual Language program at Champion, which now serves hundreds of Portuguese-speaking students. The conversation closes with the two things underneath all of it: his family and his faith. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  4. Oct 9

    "Monster" Michael Todd: From Hot Springs "Redneck" to Arm Wrestling World Champion

    Before he was "Monster" Michael Todd, world champion arm wrestler, he was a redneck kid growing up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In this episode of The Firestone Files, Dr. Chris Firestone sits down with Michael to trace the road from his hometown to the top of the sport. Michael talks about his early years in Hot Springs, what first pulled him to the table, and what it took to climb to a world championship. He also shares why, after competing all over the world, he still calls Hot Springs home — and what he loves most about the city. The conversation closes with a look at the Hot Springs mayoral race and what is at stake for the city's future. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  5. Sep 28

    An Interview with Eric Capaci: Candidate for Mayor of Hot Springs, AR

    In episode fifty-seven, Dr. Firestone welcomes Pastor Eric Capaci back for a second conversation about his background and his candidacy for mayor of Hot Springs, Arkansas. They discuss his years in ministry, education, and business, along with the experiences that led him to run for office again. Capaci shares his views on the mayor’s role, local development, transparency, and communication with residents. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  6. Sep 21

    Faith, Mentorship, and Legacy: Dr. Firestone's Story

    In episode fifty-six, Dr. Firestone welcomes longtime family friend Laurie to reflect on their lengthy, intergenerational friendship and the legacy of faith that shaped both families. They trace Chris's upbringing on Chicago's South Side, his early church experiences, and the pivotal mentorship of high school coach Larry Stillwell, who guided him toward a deeper commitment to Christ and influenced his decision to attend Trinity International University. The conversation explores how these formative relationships laid the groundwork for a lasting friendship in ministry and family life. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  7. Sep 15

    Charlie Kirk's Message for High School Students

    In episode fifty-five, Dr. Firestone carries the Charlie Kirk material out of the studio and into a room full of high schoolers, one year to the day after Kirk's death. He puts the three points of orientation — the Bible, the Western intellectual tradition, and the American founding documents — in front of an audience young enough to still be choosing what they will stand on, and he makes the case that faith seeking understanding is not one option among many but the ordinary human way of knowing anything at all. Working from Kirk's own convictions that there is no neutral vantage point and that no one is a finished product, the episode asks what a seventeen-year-old actually inherits from a man who took questions at a folding table, and what it would cost to accept that inheritance. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

  8. Sep 7

    Charlie Kirk's 3 Fixed Points: Bible, Western Tradition, and the Founding Documents

    In episode fifty-four, Dr. Firestone examines Charlie Kirk’s three fixed points of orientation — the Bible, the Western intellectual tradition, and the American founding documents — as they shape his campus dialogues. He revisits the four philosophical commitments he shared with Kirk, linking them to Kant’s four human superpowers. The episode analyzes clips where Kirk deploys cosmological, moral, teleological, and ontological arguments for God’s existence in conversation with students. The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. In it, Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Strategic Partnerships as well as Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University, where he taught and conducted research for over twenty-five years. Facebook: The Firestone Files YouTube: @FirestoneFiles Spotify: The Firestone Files Instagram: @TheFirestoneFiles Twitter: @FirestoneFiles TikTok: @thefirestonefiles

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Firestone Files: Letters to My Grandchildren is a podcast hosted by Dr. Chris Firestone. Dr. Firestone uses his expertise in philosophy and worldview to bring answers to profound questions to bear on the mundane of life through personal anecdotes and family stories. Dr. Firestone is Vice President of Academic Excellence and Director of The Great Writings Honors Program at Champion Christian College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, and former Director of the Humanities Division at Trinity College in Trinity International University.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Chris Firestone
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    61
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Chris Firestone
  • Show Website
    The Firestone Files