The Gary DeMar Podcast

Too much time and money, we hear, are spent on the public side of Christmas — the hustle and bustle of shopping, the lavish decorations, and the often insincere displays of seasonal piety. Meanwhile, the true spirit of Christmas gets left behind. Some even argue that all public displays of Christmas are inappropriate. Read the article on the American Vision website.

Gary summarizes the two recent interviews with Kim Burgess and what we can look forward to in ongoing discussions with him. While many people were enthused and appreciative of the interviews, others have taken issue with them. Gary explains his theological method of reading and interpreting the Bible on its own terms and some questions that arise from reading Scripture in light of Scripture.

Gary continues his interview with Kim Burgess about the complete story of the Bible. In this part, Kim likens systematic theology to dissection and biblical theology to vivisection. While both methods seek to understand what the Bible is saying, one works in bits and pieces, while the other works to understand the Bible as an organic whole. Traditional evangelical interpretations are too often informed by the dissection method and less by vivisection.

Gary has a much-anticipated interview with his long-time friend, Kim Burgess. The two discuss eschatology and how all the pieces of the Bible fit together as a comprehensive whole. Kim talks about the difference between systematic theology and biblical theology and how the Bible needs to be read and understood on its own terms. Part One of Two.

A reading for the first week of Advent in Lectionary A is from Matthew 24. In a devotional published on Christianity Today's website by Craig Blomberg admits that while it sounds like the events in the second half of Matthew's version of the Olivet Discourse are for Jesus' first century audience, they really can't be because the "cosmic" language was not actually fulfilled.

God created trees. He made them for us: for home building, decoration, shade, construction of fences, tables, chairs, sheds, and so much more. Just because pagans might have carved up a tree to make an image of a false god to be worshipped does not mean that we can't use them to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God's "indescribable gift" to us (2 Cor. 9:15). Read Gary's article here: https://americanvision.org/posts/are-christmas-trees-pagan-1/

Gary interviews Robert Cruickshank at a recent conference in Virginia Beach. Gary and Robert have known each other for a long time through phone calls and email but had never met personally until this interview. The two discuss how questions they had about what they were reading in the Bible led them to where they are today.

Gary discusses the classic Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street. He points out many instances of how this film (and every film for that matter) presents opportunities for thinking through worldviews and Christian apologetics. Many questions are asked throughout the movie that may seem silly at first glance but are actually quite perceptive and help highlight the issue of ultimate authority.

In this second half of his interview with Dr. Michael Horton, Gary discusses what it means to be a Christian nation. There is much common ground between groups in America and many actually want Christian morality without Christ. This is nothing new. Christians must know biblical history as well as world history and be prepared to show how Christianity is the foundation of a proper and just civilization.

Gary was recently interviewed by Dr. Michael Horton on the White Horse Inn podcast. In this first part, Gary discusses how he came to understand the importance of politics, government, history, culture, and a biblical worldview.