The Reluctant Theologian Podcast

Crawling forth from the icy pits of Helsinki, I have Olli-Pekka Vainio on to discuss humanity's fall from grace and the morality of original sin. We get into all sorts of related topics such as providence, human free will, and theodicy. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Guest: Olli-Pekka Vainio (PhD, University of Helsinki) is university lecturer in systematic theology, University of Helsinki. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

There is a dangerous trend across American evangelical universities and seminaries. Christian schools do not know how to treat faculty with dignity or respect. They also don't seem to know how to hire Christlike presidents to run their schools. In this episode, I expose mismanagement of funds, bullying, sex scandals, and the poor treatment of theology and philosophy professors. This episode is in three acts. Act 1: The Dangerous Trend, quickly covers a number of scandals across multiple Christian schools in the US. Act 2: Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, discusses some of the recent scandals at Trinity, including president Nicholas Perrin comparing professors to Judas before making cuts to staff and faculty. Act 3: Business or Christian Education? examines Trinity's current marketing and promotional strategies, the way that they treat former professors, and how Trinity hired two new Vice Presidents after letting go of multiple professors for financial reasons.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

Somehow I have managed to hit 100 episodes. So in today's episode I reflect on my move back to the US, The Black Dahlia Murder, mental health, providence, and the future of the show.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions.  rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

In the last episode you heard a chat between me, Mike DeVito, and Tyler McNabb. We were considering some potential problems for neoclassical theism related to omnisubjectivity and foreknowledge. In this episode, I offer some of my current reflections on the matter. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. ICEPEAK--Dead But Pretty. rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

Neoclassical theists affirm that God knows the future. Many neoclassical theists, like myself, also say that God is passible, and has a rich emotional life. But there might be a problem here. In today’s episode, I have Tyler McNabb and Mike DeVito. We are discussing a new paper of theirs that critiques my own understanding of God as passible and having foreknowledge. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Guest: Tyler McNabb (PhD, University of Glasgow) is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of St Joseph.  Guest: Mike DeVito is a PhD student at the University of Birmingham.  Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. We Butter the Bread with Butter--Jump n' Run. Burn it Down--Kill Their Idols. rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

In today's episode, I identify a new group of people that I will call the new classical theists. They are like new atheists in that they have a lot of strong rhetoric, but very little by way of cogent arguments. First, I offer a brief discussion on models of God. Then I consider different claims from people like Edward Feser, Thomas Weinandy, Gerald Bray, and Matthew Barrett. I articulate their arguments against neoclassical theism. I explain why their arguments are not solid critiques of neoclassical theism. One of the major problems is that nothing they say remotely resembles neoclassical theism or any serious model of God.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. We Butter the Bread with Butter--Jump n' Run. Burn it Down--Kill Their Idols.  rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

In today's episode, I give you a taster of my course at the University of Lucerne on God, Freedom, and Evil. I run through some different theodicies related to the best possible world, soul-building, and free will. I also consider Graham Oppy's new logical problem of evil.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. We Butter the Bread with Butter--Jump n' Run. Burn it Down--Kill Their Idols. rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

Craig Carter has made a lot of striking claims about non-classical models of God on social media, in magazines, and in publications. But can Carter actually back up any of his claims? I remain skeptical that he can. In today’s episode, I have Dr. Andrew Hollingsworth and Jordan Steffaniak on to talk about their new paper on Craig Carter, classical theism, and creation ex nihilo. They examine Carter’s claims against non-classical models of God, and argue that Carter has not been able to justify them. Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Guest: Andrew Hollingsworth (PhD, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) is an adjunct professor of philosophy at Delgado Community College, and project manager for the William Lane Craig Center for Christian Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics.  Guest: Jordan Steffaniak is a PhD student in philosophy at the University of Birmingham, and the co-host of the London Lyceum podcast.  Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

In today's episode, I reach into the mailbag to get some listener questions. I have questions about my own model of God, Colossians 2 and Christian philosophy, anxiety about changing your beliefs, studying with me, and the war in Ukraine.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions.  rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins

Last October I was on a panel discussion at the World Parliament of Religions. I presented a paper called, "Is God a Psychopath?" In today's episode, I present a longer version of that paper. I consider the classical theistic claim that God does not literally have empathy and compassion. I argued that this entails that God is a psychopath. This is a bad thing because it goes against standard accounts of the emotional profile of beings with perfect moral goodness.  Credits Host: R.T. Mullins (PhD, University of St Andrews) is a senior fellow at the Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki. Scientific Adviser and Show Manager: Ema Sani (PhD, University of Glasgow) is a postdoctoral fellow in biology at the University of Edinburgh. Music by Rockandmetal_domination – Raising-questions. Brand of Sacrifice--Life Blood. Empathy Test--Monsters.  rtmullins.com Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=66431474 https://ko-fi.com/rtmullins