Joshua Spatha majored in anthropology with a minor in Old Testament studies and has served in full-time missions since 2006, primarily across the Middle East and Asia. An ordained minister and disciple‑maker with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Joshua blends frontline ministry with academic insight, as he prepares for long-term ministry in Central Asia.
In our conversation, you'll hear how Western culture’s reliance on materialism and humanism has fueled a deep meaning crisis, and why happiness alone no longer sustains us. Joshua shares compelling analogies to illustrate how adopting a self‑centered framework inevitably leads to emptiness and incoherence. He challenges the question, “What’s in it for me?” as the wrong foundation.
This episode is not just about morality: it’s about how reason and spiritual depth intertwine, why faith isn’t a blind leap, and how a rational embrace of the supernatural reclaims meaning.
Thank you for listening.
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OUTLINE:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 The Modern Meaning Crisis
07:48 Enlightenment’s Impact on Faith
11:23 From Religion to Self-Focus
14:55 Science, Truth & Worldviews
20:02 Personal Meaning vs Objective Reality
31:45 Christianity’s Case for Human Flourishing
36:49 Secular Morality Under the Microscope
44:42 Chaos, Materialism & Ethics
01:07:16 Implicit Spirituality & Cognitive Dissonance
01:16:29 The Universal Conscience
01:19:29 Free Will and Belief Change
01:53:39 Miracles: Chance or Design?
02:22:05 Practicing and Testing Faith
02:32:47 Final Thoughts & Outro
JOSHUA SPATHA LINKS:
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Click here to come on the podcast, share feedback, ask a question, or reach out for any other reason.
This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.
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