

Atheist-Christian Dialogue: The Meaning of Life (Mindshift & Gavin Ortlund)
Oct 8, 2025
Brandon, the creator of the Mindshift channel, dives deep into existentialism and morality with Gavin Ortlund, a theologian and author. They tackle whether atheism empties life of meaning, discussing the emotional toll of losing a theistic perspective. Brandon questions if love and morality can merely stem from biology, while Gavin argues that a creator is essential for objective moral values. Their engaging debate spans the nature of justice, the implications of death on meaning, and whether subjective meanings hold weight. A thought-provoking dialogue unfolds!
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Episode notes
Meaning Requires A Maker
- Gavin argues that without a creator it's hard to ground objective meaning beyond subjective experience.
- He uses a puzzle metaphor to show meaning requires a puzzle-maker to make sense of pieces fitting together.
Dostoevsky Shaped His View
- Gavin credits Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov as a formative influence on his thinking.
- He says his video and a book chapter grew out of that personal engagement with the novel.
Existentialists Rebuild After Loss
- Brandon notes existentialists often began in grief at losing religion but then propose constructive responses.
- He cites Camus's noble revolt and Sartre's radical freedom as non-nihilistic outcomes.