Faith Lab

Nate Hanson & Shelby Hanson
  • 4.6 (561)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Faith Lab takes serious biblical scholarship out of academic conferences and dense books and makes it accessible to everyday listeners. Hosted by Nate and Shelby Hanson, the show features conversations with historians, biblical scholars, and experts who study the origins of Christianity, the New Testament, and the world of the Bible. Nate and Shelby serve as curious guides, asking honest questions and pressing guests to explain their research clearly. After 10 years of deconstruction, Nate’s journey through pastoral ministry and work alongside Francis Chan led him back to Christian faith through serious engagement with biblical scholarship.

  1. 3D AGO

    Tim Mackie: How to Read the Bible

    Biblical scholar Tim Mackie of the Bible Project breaks down what it really means to read the Bible. This episode reframes Scripture not as a rulebook or textbook, but as a story shaped by repetition, pattern, and intentional design. We explore why many people struggle with the Bible when they treat it like a modern instruction manual, and how ancient readers would have understood the text through repeated patterns, echoed language, and structured narrative. We also look at how the early chapters of Genesis train readers how to read the rest of Scripture. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Tim Mackie on how the Bible is designed to communicate meaning. In Part 2, we’ll examine how these literary structures affect the way we read later biblical texts. Email us at hi@faithlabshow.com If you resonate with this work and want to support the show, become a member at faithlabshow.com/support When you become a member, you get: • Bonus episodes • Ad-free listening • Early access to episodes • Access to our private Faith Lab community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  2. JAN 21

    Rebecca McLaughlin: Confronting Christianity in 2026

    Rebecca McLaughlin joins Faith Lab to confront Christianity’s hardest objections and ask whether Christian faith can actually stand up to serious scrutiny. In this conversation, Nate and Shelby talk with Rebecca about the historical reliability of the Gospels, eyewitness testimony, women in the early Christian movement, moral critiques of Christianity, and the problem of suffering. Rather than treating faith as a blind leap, Rebecca explains why Christianity has always made public and testable claims about reality, claims that invite investigation rather than shut it down. They explore why Jesus continues to provoke resistance, how modern skepticism often relies on values Christianity helped introduce, and why deconstruction so often happens when questions are postponed rather than engaged. From the resurrection accounts and the presence of embarrassing details in the Gospels to the role of women as primary witnesses, this episode walks through why the Christian story may be far more historically and intellectually resilient than many assume. This episode is for skeptics, deconstructing Christians, and anyone wondering whether Christianity can survive honest doubt in a pluralistic world by facing hard questions directly rather than avoiding them. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email hi@faithlabshow.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes 2. Ad-free episodes 3. Early release episodes 4. Access to the private Faith Lab Facebook Group (350+ listeners) Become a member: faithlabshow.com/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    58 min

  3. JAN 7

    Faith Isn't Supposed to be Blind with Shane Rosenthal

    For most people, faith means believing without evidence. A leap. A feeling. Something you are told to accept rather than question. But what if that is not what faith meant at all? In this conversation, Nate and Shelby sit down with Shane Rosenthal to explore why the New Testament idea of faith was rooted in trust, eyewitness testimony, and public events rather than blind belief. They unpack how faith slowly became detached from evidence, why that shift matters, and how it helps explain why so many people deconstruct today. This is not about winning arguments or turning Christianity into an academic exercise. It is about recovering a version of faith that expects questions, invites investigation, and gives real reasons to believe. You can find Shane’s work at humbleskeptic.com, and be sure to check out this recent video he released on whether archaeologists have discovered biblical Bethsaida⁠. If you have ever wondered why doubt feels inevitable, or why you were never taught this side of the story, this conversation is for you. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email hi@faithlabshow.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to our private community of 350+ listeners Become a member: faithlabshow.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 15m

  4. 12/30/2025

    Deconstruction Led Me Back to Christianity

    Nate Hanson reflects on his journey with the podcast Almost Heretical, discussing the process of deconstruction and how it led him to a deeper understanding of Christianity. He shares his experiences of doubt, the search for evidence, and the transition to a new show called Faith Lab, which aims to explore the historical and philosophical foundations of the Christian faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min

  5. 07/16/2025

    #163 – Jeremiah Johnston: The Shroud of Turin Proves the Resurrection

    Could one ancient cloth change how we see the resurrection? Dr. Jeremiah Johnston joins us to unpack the Shroud of Turin, its baffling science, strange history, and the image that no one can explain. Does this relic prove Jesus physically rose from the dead, or is it just a misunderstood artifact? We explore what happens when modern science collides with first-century faith. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email  contact@almostheretical.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes and aftershows 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to Heretical Together (our private community of 350+ listeners) Become a member: almostheretical.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m

  6. 07/02/2025

    #162 – Why Didn't Jesus Write Anything Down?

    Shelby and Nate explore the intriguing question of why Jesus did not write anything down during his lifetime. They discuss the implications of this question on our understanding of faith and scripture, emphasizing the oral tradition of the time and the significance of Jesus' teachings in a present-tense context. The conversation also touches on the historical perspective of Jesus as a local rabbi and the lack of immediate written records from his followers, suggesting that the movement was seen as urgent and relevant to their time rather than a long-term religious institution. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email  contact@almostheretical.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes and aftershows 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to Heretical Together (our private community of 350+ listeners) Become a member: almostheretical.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min

  7. 05/28/2025

    #161 – 6 Genesis Stories Read Politically

    What if the stories at the end of Genesis weren’t just family drama—but political storytelling? In this episode, Nate and Shelby revisit six key moments from Genesis 27 to 50—including Jacob stealing Esau’s blessing, Dinah and Shechem, Judah and Tamar, and Joseph’s rise in Egypt—to explore how these stories may have been written to explain Israel’s political identity, tribal dynamics, and national origin. We talk about: Why Jacob and Esau’s rivalry reflects Israel vs. Edom What Jacob’s wrestling match really says about the name "Israel" How the story of Dinah might not be about justice at all The subversive role of Tamar and why she’s called righteous Why Joseph marrying an Egyptian priest’s daughter created tension later And how Genesis closes by blessing tribes that already existed These aren’t just ancient stories—they’re layered political texts that reveal how Israel saw itself and its neighbors. Join us as we read Genesis a little more historically, and a little more honestly. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email  contact@almostheretical.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes and aftershows 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to Heretical Together (our private community of 350+ listeners) Become a member: almostheretical.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

  8. 05/07/2025

    #160 – 5 Ways to Follow Jesus Without Paul

    → Download the Practice Christianity Without Paul reflection booklet here (https://www.patreon.com/posts/jesus-faith-and-128319083) → Access the Paul-Free Church Statement of Faith (https://www.patreon.com/posts/church-statement-128321301) What does it mean to be a Christian without Paul? In this series finale, we walk through five alternate paths the Jesus movement could have taken—and still can—without relying on Paul’s theology. From mystical wisdom to Jewish observance to political resistance, we explore practical ways to follow Jesus that aren’t rooted in Pauline doctrine. Nate and Shelby also unveil a brand new “Paul-Free” Statement of Faith and share a reflection booklet for premium members. Paul Series:Part 1 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/123045409)Part 2 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/124165907)Part 3 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/125186503)Part 4 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/126248455)Part 5 (https://www.patreon.com/posts/128318250) Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email contact@almostheretical.com Chapters 00:00 Exploring the Existence of Paul and His Influence 12:06 Imagining Christianity Without Paul 22:28 The Ebionites and Early Christian Movements 23:26 Exploring Early Christian Beliefs 28:35 Potential Paths of Early Christianity 30:05 Modern Reflections on Following Jesus 37:36 Paths of Justice and Action 41:31 Reimagining Faith Without Paul Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    51 min
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4.6
out of 5
561 Ratings

About

Faith Lab takes serious biblical scholarship out of academic conferences and dense books and makes it accessible to everyday listeners. Hosted by Nate and Shelby Hanson, the show features conversations with historians, biblical scholars, and experts who study the origins of Christianity, the New Testament, and the world of the Bible. Nate and Shelby serve as curious guides, asking honest questions and pressing guests to explain their research clearly. After 10 years of deconstruction, Nate’s journey through pastoral ministry and work alongside Francis Chan led him back to Christian faith through serious engagement with biblical scholarship.

Information

  • Creator
    Nate Hanson & Shelby Hanson
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    169
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Faith Lab
  • Show Website
    Faith Lab

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