Hank Unplugged: Essential Christian Conversations

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on a wonderful book he’s currently reading — How Christianity Saved Civilization…And Must Do So Again, by Mike Aquilina and James L. Papandrea. In the middle of the third century AD, the Roman Empire was not much older than the United States is now, and there are myriad parallels. The Roman economy was in dire straits — experiencing uncontrollable inflation, multiple wars, spending money on bureaucratic niceties and military expansion, suffering rampant unemployment and underemployment. Children were viewed as liabilities and routinely aborted, with infanticide deplorably common. Christians were hated for their perceived rigidity; and pagan Romans justified their intolerance of Christian virtues by calling the Christians intolerant. But eventually, the authors show, the Church overcame persecution and transformed the Roman Empire. The point of the book is that the Church of the 21st century can and must overcome the Great Awokening. How? The Church can overcome the new paganism just as Christianity overcame the old paganism of the Roman Empire by Christians refusing to deny the faith and by being willing to risk earthly comforts for eternal verities by faith working through love. Truth has triumphed in the past, and Christianity remains the only hope for transforming the world.See Mike Aquilina and James L. Papandrea, How Christianity Saved Civilization…And Must Do So Again (need link to CRI donation page)

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s decision to bar House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion. Because of her unrepentant support for legalized abortion on demand, the archbishop felt it necessary to do so for her personal protection — those who receive Christ’s body and blood unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves (see 1 Corinthians 11:17–34, especially v. 29). Moreover, the eucharist is also an expression of the unity of the church. As such, Pope Francis, just last year, said that a pro-abortion politician “cannot take communion, because they are out of the community.” For his part, the archbishop in effect said that when practicing Catholics spurn moral reality in political discourse, souls and lives hang in the balance. And when souls hang in the balance, priests and bishops have an obligation to act. Pelosi, who says that she has studied this issue as an ardent practicing Catholic for a long time, would know full well what the Church’s historic stance on abortion is.For further study, see “What Is Abortion?” https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/what-is-abortion-2/ and “Annihilating Abortion Arguments,” https://www.equip.org/PDF/DA375.pdf.

Does the soul have a gender? Believe it or not, the topic of gender and the soul was discussed and decided by the early Church Fathers of the Christian faith. Today, the fundamental pillars of our humanity are being challenged in the public square as gender is being redefined in ways that seemed unimaginable even just a decade ago. Understanding the historic Christian perspective on gender and sexuality are of paramount importance, which is why Hank Hanegraaff is joined by Ben Cabe, the author of On Gender and the Soul: An Exploration of Sex/Gender and its Relation to the Soul According to the Church Fathers to discuss the historic Christian perspective and teachings of the Church Fathers on the issue and how it applies to our modern world. For more information on receiving Gender and the Soul: An Exploration of Sex/Gender and Its Relation to the Soul According to the Church Fathers, please click here. https://www.equip.org/product/gender-and-the-soul-an-exploration-of-sex-gender-and-its-relation-to-the-soul-according-to-the-church-fathers/What is sex? what is gender? (5:45); how should Christians discuss gender in our modern culture? (8:45); does the soul have a gender? (12:25); the importance of drawing on Christian anthropology when assessing modern gender claims (16:10); how do incorrect beliefs on the nature of the soul lead to incorrect views on the nature of our salvation? (17:25); when does the soul enter the body? (21:10); how do sex and gender relate to theosis? (22:00); is the soul material? (24:40); what will be the nature of our resurrected bodies? (26:00); are medical science and church history in agreement? (27:15); Christian anthropology vs. Evolutionary anthropology (28:45); people born intersex (30:45); defining terms in the ongoing gender discussion (32:20); the pressure on the medical and educational establishments to conform to modern identity distinctions (34:50); is it hateful for Christians to disagree with the LGBT worldview? (36:20); the importance of relying on the Church Fathers and the consensus of the historic Christian faith when addressing modern issues such as identity and gender (38:50); the reality of the demonic in our world (41:00); is sex-reassignment surgery ever be permissible? (43:30); why is it important for Christians to understand issues such as gender? (44:00); the reality of both gender dysphoria and social influences on the gender perception of modern youth (46:00); why is the position of the Church Fathers on gender relevant to our modern discussion on gender? (48:15). Listen to Hank’s podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects on a medically assisted suicide that took place in the sanctuary of a church. Although the medically assisted suicide of Betty Sanguin was reportedly “unanimously approved by the church’s leadership team,” suicide is the murder of oneself. In Christian theology the timing and terms of death are the province of God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39). As such, a doctor is never permitted to usurp the prerogative of deity. Hastening death based on subjective judgments concerning one’s quality of life is a violation of Scripture (cf. Genesis 9:6; Exodus 20:13). While passive euthanasia is morally permissible in that it allows the process of dying to run its natural course, active euthanasia is morally prohibited because it directly involves the taking of human life. Permitting voluntary active euthanasia opens the door to the greater evil of non–voluntary euthanasia. See Emily Standfield, “Manitoba’s First Medically Assisted Death in a Church Was an ‘Intimate’ Ceremony,” Broadview, April 29, 2022, https://broadview.org/medically-assisted-death-church/. For further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, “Is Euthanasia Ever Permissible?” https://www.equip.org/bible_answers/is-euthanasia-ever-permissible/; also J. P. Moreland, “The Euthanasia Debate,” parts 1 & 2, https://www.equip.org/PDF/DE197-1.pdf and https://www.equip.org/PDF/DE197-2.pdf.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on the report of a drag queen show at a Pennsylvania school. A show for adults? No, for impressionable minors. Here you have men dressed up like women staging a vulgar drag extravaganza that should make even the most brazen secularist ill. Were the parents on board with this travesty? The short answer is for the most part they apparently did not know what their kids were being exposed to. According to an article in Townhall, the students were encouraged to bring money to tip the men dressed in drag and to support the drag queen Instagram accounts. Western Civilization is in free fall. So, make sure to protect your children. Otherwise they may be the barbarians of our next generation.See Sarah Arnold, “Pennsylvania School Hosts Drag Show for Kids Without Parent's Permission,” Townhall, May 12, 2022, https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2022/05/12/pennsylvania-school-is-in-hot-water-for-hosting-drag-show-for-kids-n2607149.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, talks about an order within Believers Eastern Church called Sisters of Compassion. Seeing firsthand these sisters in Christ work with and care for victims of leprosy—the poor and the downtrodden, “the least of these”—Hank bears witness to their utter selflessness and humility. Working in the most difficult of circumstances, the Sisters of Compassion not only talk about Christ but demonstrate the love of Christ through their selfless acts of service. And great will be their reward in eternity. These women have grasped the reality of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. Like the martyrs, they know that they too will one day be resurrected “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”—and they will receive the “crown of righteousness,” “the crown of glory,” and “the crown of life.” So they are willing to endure hardship for the sake of the gospel, with eyes that look beyond time and space—eyes that truly pierce into the eternal spectrum. For more information, see Gospel for Asia, the Sisters of Compassion, https://www.gfa.org/women/sisters-of-compassion/.

Was Charles Darwin a racist? Does it even matter? The answer to both questions is a resound yes. According to Richard Weikart, Darwinian evolution influenced Hitler and the Nazis propagated evolutionary theory. Inspired by Darwin, the Nazis viewed the “Nordic race” as superior to other races and set about advancing human evolution by ridding the world of “inferior” races and individuals. But this isn’t just a problem from the past, which is why Richard Weikart joined Hank Hanegraaff for this harmful history lesson of Darwinian racism to remind us that “those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”For more information on receiving Dr. Richard Weikart’s book, Darwinian Racism: How Darwinism Influenced Hitler, Nazism, and White Nationalism for your partnering gift please click here. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-darwinian-racism-how-darwinism-influenced-hitler-nazism-and-white-nationalism/Topics discussed include: Groupthink and the collective embrace of eugenics (0:20); was Charles Darwin a racist? (5:20); how Darwinism influenced eugenics (6:30); was racism fundamental to Darwin’s theory of evolution? (10:25); given what he said about women and different races, why hasn’t woke culture turned on Charles Darwin? (14:05); the impact of Ernst Haeckel’s drawings on education and evolution (15:55); what were Adolf Hitler’s religious beliefs? Was Hitler a Christian? (19:25); Karl Marx hated religion—how could some liberal Christians love the ideology of Marx? (22:50); the difference between Marxism and Nazism (24:55); the moral implications of Darwinism (25:55); parallels between Nazi Germany and modern American woke culture (32:45); Hitler and Nordic Racism (36:15); climate change from a historical perspective (38:15); problems with calls to “follow the science” (44:00); what is hard heredity and how did it influence Hitler? (50:00); is Darwin’s evolutionary theory compatible with Christianity? (51:50); Darwinism, Neo-Nazism and White Nationalism (55:40); increasing support for infanticide and suicide as a sign of moral progress—but can you have moral progress without objective morality? (1:01:10); do humans have value without the existence of God? (1:04:40).Listen to Hank’s podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultural change agent.Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, shares more of his experiences of ministering and teaching through Southeast Asia alongside the extraordinary, Christ-honoring ministry of Gospel for Asia, under the leadership of Metropolitan Yohan. Upon arriving in a remote village, many hundreds of people line up to greet Hank and his team. Consider that these people are first generation Christians “on fire” for their faith in Christ! It is as though being in the Book of Acts. Their church building is packed shoulder-to-shoulder for the entirety of the service—they are completely engaged as they absorb the liturgy. As they pray the Lord’s Prayer. As they recite the Nicene Creed. As they receive the Eucharist and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. What a glorious experience to see their faces and recognize that what happened in the first century can and is happening in the twenty-first century in the Global South, where the Spirit of God is moving mightily. Totaling thousands of churches, Believers Eastern Church with millions of first generation Christians need training in the Faith. They’ve come to faith in Christ and need to become reproducing disciple makers themselves. Hank is deeply grateful to be playing a part in the process of equipping and teaching these extraordinary people. Through CRI’s Going Global Initiative, our ministry—which certainly includes all of you who prayerfully support the work of the Christian Research Institute—is having an impact for time and for eternity. For further information, see Going Global: 10/40 Window Training Support https://www.equip.org/product/going-global-10-40-window-training-support/.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, comments on the headline in USA Today, “‘Lightyear’ Features Queer Character, Same-sex Kiss.” As noted in the article, the new lesbian character named Alisha Hawthorne stole the show as she gets engaged to a woman on the mission’s science crew. A montage shows glimpses of Alisha and her female partner even starting a family together. Despite Disney’s capitulation, reality remains the same. The reality that according to a consensus of sociological metrics, women and men enjoy strategic complementarity. As such, both are essential in the rearing of children. Social science statistics unambiguously support the strategic significance of “gender differentiated parenting.” Neither mothers nor fathers are replaceable in the process. Once we abandon common sense societal values, there is virtually no limit on where unsanctified passions may lead us. In fact, the first sentence in the USA Today article says it all, “Lightyear is taking queer representation to infinity and beyond.” Disney largely capitulated to the culture. Question is, “Will you?” See Patrick Ryan, “Disney's 'Lightyear' Features Queer Character, Emotional Same-sex Kiss in First Footage,” USA Today, April 27, 2022, https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/04/27/lightyear-disney-pixar-queer-character-same-sex-kiss-toy-story/9556591002/. For further study, see Hank Hanegraaff, “The Transgender Tipping Point: America’s Next Civil Rights Frontier?,” https://www.equip.org/article/the-transgender-tipping-point-americas-next-civil-rights-frontier/.

Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, reflects further on his experiences of ministering and teaching through Southeast Asia alongside the extraordinary, Christ-honoring ministry of Gospel for Asia. Our Lord Jesus was crystal clear about men, women, and children who are living selfless lives and meeting the needs of others—that in eternity He will not only know them but reward them. “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” For more information, see Gospel for Asia, https://www.gfa.org/about/. And Christian Research Institute, Going Global https://www.equip.org/product/going-global-10-40-window-training-support/.