Language of God

166. Molly Worthen | Science and the Journey to Faith

Mar 7, 2024

Historian Molly Worthen shares her journey from skeptic to baptized Southern Baptist, exploring questions about miracles, science, and intellectual engagement with faith. Recorded live at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, she reflects on blending scientific background with Christianity and navigating traditional doctrine in a pluralistic society.

01:04:02

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Molly Worthen

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Quick takeaways

Molly Worthen's journey highlights the struggle to balance critical thinking and faith in embracing Christianity.

The intersection of science and belief in Christ's resurrection challenges individuals to align intellectual pursuits with faith commitments.

Faith is viewed as an ongoing process that intertwines rational evaluation with spiritual beliefs, emphasizing the importance of continued commitment in the face of doubt.

Deep dives

Exploring the Process of Conversion and Intellectual Engagement

Molly Worthen, a historian, discusses her journey from a secular standpoint to embracing Christianity with a focus on the struggle to balance her critical thinking ability with developing faith. She highlights her fascination with the complexity of religious movements and the challenges she faced in aligning her intellectual pursuits with faith, especially the intersection of science and belief in the resurrection of Christ.

Introduction

3min

From Journalism to Academia: Exploring the Influence of Reformed Christianity

18min

Exploring Faith: From Doubt to Contemplation

8min

Reflections on Philosophical Transition to Faith and Acceptance of Resurrection

3min

Navigating Science and Faith

21min

Interpreting Evidence and Personal Biases

8min

Reflections on Faith and Conversion

3min

Molly Worthen is a historian by training and wrote the book, Apostles of Reason, which explores the history of evangelicalism in America. When she wrote the book about 10 years ago, she approached the topic as an outsider, identifying as an agnostic. Then in 2022, she rather surprisingly found herself getting baptized at the front of a large evangelical Southern Baptist megachurch.

In the conversation she tells the story of her conversion and questions she asked, including questions about miracles, science, and what it means to be intellectually engaged and also believe in the resurrection of Christ.

This conversation was recorded in front of a live audience at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary on February 21, 2024.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Titan Sound, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

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Language of God

166. Molly Worthen | Science and the Journey to Faith

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Exploring the Process of Conversion and Intellectual Engagement

Influence of Intellectual Background on Faith Exploration

Faith as Commitment and Intellectual Struggle

Navigating Intellectual Diversity and Evangelical Identity

Striving for Balance Between Faith and Critical Thinking

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts