The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

Nathan Jacobs
  • 4.9 (82)
  • Philosophy
  • Updated Weekly

A philosophy podcast exploring the issues of today.

  1. 4d ago

    Why Realism Contradicts Evolution | Creationism & The Eastern Church Fathers (Part 2) | ft. Nathan Jacobs & Chris Firestone

    Are the theories of modern science and Christian theology fundamentally incompatible, or are both sides missing the bigger picture? In part two of his conversation with Dr. Chris Firestone, Nathan Jacobs tackles the complex debate surrounding creation, evolution, the age of the Earth, and patristic theology. Nathan breaks down why the traditional "death before the fall" objection misses the mark, how the Eastern Church Fathers understood time and eternity, and why his own philosophical commitment to realism leads him to reject macroevolution while remaining open to an ancient cosmos. They also discuss the philosophical assumptions built into early empirical science, the limits of scientific naturalism, and how an embryonic view of creation offers a compelling alternative model.======================================Timestamps00:00 Announcements & East-West Series Pre-Sale Deadline 03:39 Trailer: The East-West Series04:47 Time, Eternity, and the Eastern Church Fathers 09:05 God’s Essence vs. Divine Energies 11:27 Hermeneutics: Is the Genesis Text Deceptive? 15:04 The Philosophical Assumptions Behind Early Science 19:48 Reinterpreting Scientific Data Through Realism 22:23 The God of the Gaps and Confirmation Bias in Science 24:34 Finding a Middle Ground Between Scientism and Fundamentalism 31:15 Re-examining Death, Corruption, and Plants in Genesis 42:30 Privation vs. Negation: Are Animals Naturally Immortal? 52:03 Can Animals Attain Immortality Through Humanity? 55:12 The Fall of Angels as a Cause of Pre-Human Corruption 01:03:05 The Eschaton Transcends the Beginning: Eden vs. The Resurrection 01:05:23 A Realist Critique of Macroevolution 01:13:05 Why Scientific Induction Requires Philosophical Realism 01:21:53 An Alternative Model: The Cosmos as an Unfolding Organism======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:Does Science Contradict Genesis? https://youtu.be/dK5wfxtlgMM?si=Fl25IA5LmoQ_wHa7All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  2. Aug 13

    How Could the Angels Fall? | Why Satan Turned Against God

    If the angels existed in the presence of God and beheld His divine glory, how could Satan—or any angel—possibly choose to turn away from Him?We explore what the Eastern Church Fathers teach about the nature of angels, their free will, the angelic hierarchy, and the fall of Satan. Nathan​ examines five factors that help explain how beings created in communion with God could nevertheless rebel against Him, including pride, envy,​ intellectual passions, and the possibility of God's pedagogical withdrawal.Along the way, Nathan discusses the nine orders of angels, competing patristic explanations for Satan's rebellion, why some Fathers connect his fall to​ the creation of humanity, and what angelic freedom can teach us about our own relationship with God.======================================Timestamps00:00 How Could an Angel Fall?00:47 What Is an Angel?02:09 Angels as Created Beings03:21 Free Will and Self-Determination04:23 Angels as Ministering Spirits05:10 How Angels Mediate God's Energies07:18 How Creatures Participate in God08:39 The Hierarchy of Angels09:06 The Nine Orders of Angels10:23 What Does the Fall of Angels Mean?13:13 How Could Angels Reject God?15:50 Five Factors Behind the Fall16:38 Not All Angels Experience God Equally17:32 The Intellectual Passions18:33 Pride, Envy, and Satan's Rebellion19:38 Did Satan Fall Because of Humanity?21:15 How Satan Led Other Angels into Rebellion22:39 Divine Hiddenness and Free Will24:56 Do Angels Leave God's Presence?25:17 Why God May Withdraw His Presence26:58 How the Angels May Have Been Tested27:26 Final Thoughts======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:C​an the Devil be Saved? https://youtu.be/1nIJhti5hqw​ ​​Is Rational Unbelief in God Possible? https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY​Is Non-Resistant Unebelief in God Possible? https://youtu.be/9B1G44hywd0​Is God Truly Hidden: https://youtu.be/R4Y0JBZtrRMAll links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  3. Aug 11

    Does Science Contradict Genesis? | ft. Drs. Nathan Jacobs & Chris Firestone (Part 1)

    Must a Christian reject modern science to hold a faithful view of Genesis? In Part 1 of this two-part collaborative episode, Dr. Chris Firestone (The Firestone Files) sits down with Dr. Nathan Jacobs (The Nathan Jacobs Podcast) in Nashville to tackle the contentious, heavily polemical debate surrounding creation, Young Earth Creationism, and evolution.Moving past the rigid false dichotomies often found online, Firestone and Jacobs draw from their shared philosophical training and the rich history of the early Church—including the Eastern Church Fathers like St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Irenaeus. They explore how theology categorizes dogma versus theologoumena (theological opinion), how the Alexandrian school of allegorical reading functioned, and whether ancient authors like St. Paul accepted the science of their era without making it a test of orthodoxy.Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Framing the Debate 03:08 Evolution, Creation, and the Modern Online Polemics 05:18 Personal Backgrounds: Hugh Ross, Genesis, and Modern Science 10:25 The High Demand: Does Faith Require Rejecting All Science? 14:15 Moving Beyond the False Dichotomy (Young Earth vs. Evolution) 18:00 The Dogmatism of Secular Science vs. Unyielding Fundamentalism 21:50 Dogma, Heresy, and Theologoumenon (Theological Opinion) 27:18 Protestant Fundamentalist Assumptions in Modern Creationism34:38 Philosophy of Creation: Divine Omnipotence and Divine Deception 42:33 Did Physics and Biology Function Differently Before the Fall? 48:48 Alvin Plantinga, Modal Logic, and Disarming Polemical Objections01:00:18 Substantive Consensus vs. Ancient Scientific Views in the Fathers 01:15:24 Storytelling, Inerrancy, and How the Bible Approached History 01:31:08 The Alexandrian School, Genesis Oddities, and the "Eighth Day"======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:Do the Church Fathers Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/4BugOwStHqg​Why I Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/IBwZBDlu8CAGod's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  4. Aug 6

    Why Would God Create Someone He Knows Will Be Damned?

    If God knows the future, why would He create someone who will ultimately reject Him? This is one of the deepest questions in Christian theology, and one that was asked by a 15​-year-old Orthodox Christian. In this episode, Nathan Jacobs​ reads one of his favorite theological letters, exploring how the Eastern Church Fathers—especially St. John of Damascus—approach God's​ foreknowledge, human freedom, divine goodness, and the mystery of damnation. Rather than offering a simplistic answer, this discussion challenges many common assumptions​ about God's knowledge of the future and reveals a​ profoundly hopeful vision of God's unwavering love for every person He creates. ====================================== Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:48 A Letter to Agatha 02:39 The Common Assumption About Damnation 04:20 The Eastern Church Fathers' Answer 05:10 Why We Exist 07:03 God's Knowledge and Creation 08:51 Why God Doesn't "Choose the Saved" 09:27 Why Not Simply Avoid Creating the Damned? 11:04 God Always Chooses the Good 12:08 Outcomes vs. Goodness 14:44 King Saul and Divine Justice 16:26 The "Future Hitler" Thought Experiment 18:11 Free Will and God's Omnipotence 19:27 Can God Make a Square Circle? 21:55 Abraham and Isaac 24:20 Damnation Is the Creature's Choice 25:20 Christ's Victory Over Hades 27:18 A Prison Without Bars 29:01 Hope for Universal Salvation? 30:30 St. Sophrony's Final Reflection ====================================== Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/ Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/ ====================================== Relevant Links: God's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg ​ From Heretic to Orthodox: https://youtu.be/cWcVOvEu7dM​  On Apokatastasis and Universal Salvation: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web All links: The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  5. Jul 30

    Can the Devil Be Saved? | What the Church Fathers Actually Taught

    Can the devil be saved? While many Christians assume the answer is obvious, the Eastern Church Fathers offer a far more nuanced discussion than most people realize. In​ this episode, Nathan Jacobs explores the five major positions found within the Christian East on whether Satan and the fallen angels can ultimately be​ redeemed—and what these views reveal about God's goodness, providence, and the nature of salvation. Rather than focusing on speculation, this conversation examines how the Fathers reasoned through the question and why their answers consistently​ point back to the infinite love of God. ====================================== Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:00:50 Theology vs. Theological Opinion 00:01:32 Five Views on the Devil's Salvation 00:03:04 Why Most Fathers Say No 00:03:19 St. Paisios and Praying for the Devil 00:04:37 St. Ammonios on God's Will 00:06:21 St. John Chrysostom and the Unpardonable Sin 00:07:21 St. Maximus the Confessor 00:08:54 St. Symeon the New Theologian 00:10:19 Why John of Damascus Says It's Impossible 00:11:23 Death as Mercy 00:16:46 Why Angels Cannot Be "Remade" 00:19:53 Can the Devil Be Saved? 00:20:18 Pseudo-Dionysius on Corruption 00:22:55 Origen and Universal Salvation 00:26:51 Gregory of Nyssa and St. Isaac the Syrian 00:28:26 The Five Positions Summarized 00:30:25 What the Fathers Agree On 00:31:09 God's Providence and Love 00:35:29 The Common Thread 00:36:13 A Final Story from St. Sophronius ====================================== Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/ Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/ ====================================== Relevant Links: ​God's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg​ On Apokatastasis and Universal Salvation​: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web All links: The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  6. Jul 28

    The REAL Reason Movies Go Wrong

    Thomas Thorogood interviews Dr Nathan Jacobs about his work on the Amazon series 'House of David', the principles of writing a good story, the role of storytelling in theology and some mind-bending quick-fire questions.More from Nathan Jacobs...The Nathan Jacobs Podcast on YouTube:   / @thenathanjacobspodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUt...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/MUSIC'Keep Climbing' by The SoundingsTIMESTAMPS00:00:00 Trailer00:01:29 House of David00:17:28 What Makes a Good Story?00:31:28 The Writing Process00:46:18 The Role of Storytelling in Theology00:57:16 Storytelling Approaches to the Problem of Evil01:12:11 Quick-Fire Questions01:12:28 What are Ghosts?01:15:42 What does Nathan Like/Dislike About Protestantism?01:23:04 What are UFOs?01:31:43 What is Remote Viewing and is it Dangerous?01:42:30 Keeping Up With Nathan's Work-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright Disclaimer: under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, allowance is made for 'exceptions to copyright' such as... Criticism, review, quotation and news reportingCaricature, parody or pasticheI believe that the use of content in this video/thumbnail is fair use. If any content owners would like to dispute this, I will be glad to immediately remove the content in question. I do not wish to infringe on anyone's content ownership.

  7. Jul 23

    Why I Reject Evolution | An Orthodox Christian Perspective

    In my previous episode, I explored whether the Eastern Church Fathers actually reject the theory of evolution. In this follow-up, I answer a different question entirely: Do I reject evolution—and if so, why? Rather than appealing to the age of the earth or death before the Fall, this discussion examines the philosophical foundations of evolution through the lens of realism, a metaphysical framework embraced by the Eastern Church Fathers. Along the way, I respond to common objections, clarify my views on Young Earth Creationism, and explain why these conversations matter for Orthodox theology. ====================================== Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:00:53 Two Questions About Evolution 00:01:58 Why I Reject Evolution 00:02:40 Realism vs. Nominalism 00:05:01 Essential vs. Accidental Properties 00:06:31 The Problem with Evolutionary Change 00:12:20 Why Nominalism Undermines Science 00:16:14 The Church Fathers and Realism 00:19:11 "According to Their Kind" 00:20:55 Responding to Common Objections 00:22:18 Old Earth vs. Young Earth 00:27:06 The Consensus of the Fathers 00:31:48 What Kind of Consensus Matters? 00:36:01 Theology vs. Science 00:42:15 The Orthodox Mind and Philosophy 00:45:14 What the Fathers Actually Handed Down 00:47:20 Can You Be Orthodox and Young Earth? 00:49:08 Responding to More Objections 00:57:12 Is Young Earth Creationism Possible? 01:00:03 The Real Danger ====================================== Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/ Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/ ====================================== Relevant Links:​ Do the Church Fathers Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/4BugOwStHqg​ The Most Important Question: https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4 The Truth About Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday:  https://youtu.be/0wCnpitmfZg Misunderstanding Mystery: https://youtu.be/VlWiYFfHTeY The True Christian Philosophy | The Metaphysics of the Ecumenical Councils: https://youtu.be/sFWp2QQzUFA All links: The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

  8. Jul 21

    Can You Trust Your Mind | Thomas Thorogood Clip

    Can we trust our minds to know reality? This clip is taken from Nathan Jacobs' most recent interview with Thomas Thorogood and features a reaction to a discussion between Destiny and T.K. Coleman on The Minimalists podcast. Their exchange raises a profound philosophical question: what makes our reasoning faculties trustworthy in the first place? Nathan explores properly functioning faculties, Descartes' skepticism, moderate foundationalism, and the crucial distinction between realism and nominalism. Along the way, he argues that every act of perception, reasoning, language, and scientific inquiry already presupposes realism, making it impossible to consistently live or argue as a nominalist. If you've ever wondered whether we can genuinely know reality—or what our ability to reason tells us about the nature of the world—this discussion offers a compelling introduction to some of philosophy's deepest questions. ====================================== Timestamps 00:00 — A Debate About Objective Morality 06:24 — Why Our Faculties Matter 09:21 — Properly Functioning Faculties 09:48 — Hard vs Moderate Foundationalism 10:19 — Descartes and Radical Doubt 13:09 — Why Skepticism Cannot Be Lived 14:24 — Trusting Our Faculties 16:26 — The Most Important Question in Philosophy 17:26 — Realism vs Nominalism 19:14 — Why Perception Depends on Realism 20:34 — Why Logic Depends on Realism 22:17 — Why Everyone Lives Like a Realist 23:14 — Realism and Providence 24:07 — Morality, the Numinous, and Human Experience 25:52 — Every Argument Presupposes Realism 26:56 — Living Consistently With Your Worldview ====================================== Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/ Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/ ====================================== Relevant Links: Thomas Thorogood Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNu3mGq6HhU The Most Important Question: https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4 All links: The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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4.9
out of 5
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About

A philosophy podcast exploring the issues of today.

Information

  • Creator
    Nathan Jacobs
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nathan Jacobs
  • Show Website
    The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

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