Spiritually Incorrect

Without a doubt, the subject of ghosts is an insanely popular one. Shows, movies, and ghost tours are a billion-dollar industry. But it's all fun and games. None of this has any basis in reality, right? According to a new study, there may be something to it. Believe it or not, over 4 in 10 Evangelicals believe they have been contacted by a dead relative over the past year. And that number is below the overall percentage of the population. What are we to make of this? Is contacting the dead real? Is it something we ought to pursue? Just in time for Halloween, we tackle the question of ghosts and how communication with the other side touches on our faith.

We all love a good story. We watch movies, listen to friends talk about their last vacation, or listen to podcasts (this one included) just to hear an entertaining and provocative tale. But one story trumps them all: the story of how we have arrived at our modern world. With technology evolving every year, drugs lessening the effects of illness, and possibilities undreamt of just a few decades ago, it's easy to imagine that the story of how we got here is one of triumph. We've conquered the stone age, overcome every obstacle, and now the march of progress of inevitable. Yet with lessening resources, dying environments, and threats of war and crises flavoring every news broadcast, it's time to ask, is the story we tell ourselves real? Or have we been lying to ourselves the whole time? Are we really progressing? Here to help us through this tricky issue is Dr. Ryan McDermott, who runs the Genealogies of Modernity project. If you've ever felt not at home in the modern world, this is the episode for you.

In the first of its kind, Jonathan and Seth investigate some of the top news stories that have likely gone under your radar. With their normal irreverent attitude, they dissect some of the most important events through a theological and philosophical lens. One part humor, another part cutting critique of the modern world, it's an episode you won't want to miss. This episode includes: -Congressional hearings on UFO retrieval programs -Invasion of the self-driving car -Confessions of an ex-churchgoer -The rise of homeschooling -Much, much more!

While psychedelics seemed to have had their heyday in the 1970s, when hippies and the counterculture were all the rage, they now appear to be having a remarkable comeback. However, unlike the 70s, this revolution is being felt not just by the common person but also within the hallowed halls of academia. Psychedelic research is bigger than ever, and it's revealing some remarkable things. Could it be that these experiences, which often lead people to believe in the religious and supernatural, actually have some truth to them? Here to help us through this thorny issue is Dr. Sarah Lane Ritchie, an expert on both theology and the research into these drugs.

We've all heard it before: God in the Old Testament just seems to be a different character than the one portrayed by Jesus. In the New Testament, God is loving, patient, and forgiving. In the Old, He sometimes appears vindictive, violent, and remarkably harsh. He commands the destruction of nations, kills countless people, and even floods the earth. How do we reconcile the two images of God? Here to help us out with this age-old question is Dr. Matthew Lynch, who has recently published a work on the topic entitled Flood and Fury: Old Testament Violence and the Shalom of God. And, as usual, our Patreon subscribers get bonus content left out of today's interview!

Join our ⁠Patreon ⁠for the Extended Interview We do a lot of serious topics on Spiritually Incorrect, but sometimes, we like to have a little fun. And on this episode, we going to have a lot of it. But for some people, the topic of Bigfoot isn't just fun. In fact, there are many active scientists who believe the evidence warrants belief in Bigfoot. And we got to talk to one. On this week's episode, we are lucky to have Dr. Jeff Meldrum, a primate anthropologist and the world's foremost expert on Bigfoot. He's appeared in dozens of documentaries and been a part of many famous discoveries concerning our legendary hairy friend. Does Bigfoot exist? If he does, does that have any impact on our faith or our view of the world? We answer these questions and so much more on this episode!

Perhaps the most heated, contentious, and difficult topic in Western World today is the topic of abortion. For those in favor of it, it is a part of basic reproductive rights and necessary for ensuring full equality of women. For those against, it is the slaughter of unborn life on the altar of convenience. Which position is right? While the church has stereotypically sided with the pro-life position, there are many Christians who disagree with that stance. In the first part of this two-part episode, we ask Rev. Jasmine Mimitzraiem to help us work through her case for why Christians ought to stand on the side of abortion's legality.

Perhaps the most heated, contentious, and difficult topic in Western World today is the topic of abortion. For those in favor of it, it is a part of basic reproductive rights and necessary for ensuring full equality of women. For those against, it is the slaughter of unborn life on the altar of convenience. Which position is right? Stereotypically, the church has sided with the pro-life camp, and many today continue in that tradition. Dr. Calum Miller is one such person. In this second part of our two-part episode, we ask Dr. Miller to defend the stance that human life does, indeed, begin in the womb.

Many may be forgiven for thinking the primary target of evolutionary biologists has been the young earth creationist movement. With thinkers like Ken Ham stealing much of the spotlight in the media, it's easy to forget that another movement, one perhaps just as significant, has arisen in the past few decades to challenge the evolutionary hegemony. The Intelligent Design movement continues to make a major impact on popular culture, perhaps most exemplified in the 2005 Dover trial that saw it brought to national attention. And in the past two decades, it has only grown and now boasts figures such as Gunter Bechly, Michael Behe, and Michael Denton. Yet perhaps most famous of them all has been Stephen Meyer, whose multiple works on Intelligent Design have generated millions of sales and endless conversations. With the release of his newest work, The Return of the God Hypothesis, he's here to discuss the basics, the best arguments, and the future of the movement he's helped to lead.

When most people hear the term "science and religion", they usually expect to hear something like "conflict" or "clash" soon afterward. The two domains, we are told, are in a constant state of warfare, and science has been on a triumphant march while religion slowly recedes into obscurity. In fact, this is often one of the first lines of attack against professing Christians. Is this the case? Or has this supposed battle been highly overblown? In this episode, Jonathan asks Seth to step up and tackle the question himself. A Ph.D. candidate on the topic of science and religion, Seth also has graduate degrees from Oxford and Regent College in the subject. This episode tackles everything from the history of the conflict, why we still think this way today, and whether there is good scientific evidence for God. For our Patreon subscribers, be sure to also check out an exclusive conversation on AI and theology.