The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

Are the theories of modern science and Christian theology fundamentally incompatible, or are both sides missing the bigger picture? In part two of his conversation with Dr. Chris Firestone, Nathan Jacobs tackles the complex debate surrounding creation, evolution, the age of the Earth, and patristic theology.

Nathan breaks down why the traditional "death before the fall" objection misses the mark, how the Eastern Church Fathers unde...

If the angels existed in the presence of God and beheld His divine glory, how could Satan—or any angel—possibly choose to turn away from Him?We explore what the Eastern Church Fathers teach about the nature of angels, their free will, the angelic hierarchy, and the fall of Satan. Nathan​ examines five factors that help explain how beings created in communion with God could nevertheless rebel against Him, including pride...

Must a Christian reject modern science to hold a faithful view of Genesis? In Part 1 of this two-part collaborative episode, Dr. Chris Firestone (The Firestone Files) sits down with Dr. Nathan Jacobs (The Nathan Jacobs Podcast) in Nashville to tackle the contentious, heavily polemical debate surrounding creation, Young Earth Creationism, and evolution.Moving past the rigid false dichotomies often found online, Firestone and Jacobs ...

If God knows the future, why would He create someone who will ultimately reject Him?

This is one of the deepest questions in Christian theology, and one that was asked by a 15​-year-old Orthodox Christian. In this episode, Nathan Jacobs​ reads one of his favorite theological letters, exploring how the Eastern Church Fathers—especially St. John of Damascus—approach God's​ foreknowledge, human freedom, divine goo...

Can the devil be saved?

While many Christians assume the answer is obvious, the Eastern Church Fathers offer a far more nuanced discussion than most people realize. In​ this episode, Nathan Jacobs explores the five major positions found within the Christian East on whether Satan and the fallen angels can ultimately be​ redeemed—and what these views reveal about God's goodness, providence, and the nature of salvation.

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Thomas Thorogood interviews Dr Nathan Jacobs about his work on the Amazon series 'House of David', the principles of writing a good story, the role of storytelling in theology and some mind-bending quick-fire questions.More from Nathan Jacobs...The Nathan Jacobs Podcast on YouTube:   / @thenathanjacobspodcast  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUt...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us...

In my previous episode, I explored whether the Eastern Church Fathers actually reject the theory of evolution. In this follow-up, I answer a different question entirely: Do I reject evolution—and if so, why?

Rather than appealing to the age of the earth or death before the Fall, this discussion examines the philosophical foundations of evolution through the lens of realism, a metaphysical framework embraced by the Eastern...

Can we trust our minds to know reality?

This clip is taken from Nathan Jacobs' most recent interview with Thomas Thorogood and features a reaction to a discussion between Destiny and T.K. Coleman on The Minimalists podcast. Their exchange raises a profound philosophical question: what makes our reasoning faculties trustworthy in the first place?

Nathan explores properly functioning faculties, Descartes' skepticism, moderate foundatio...

Part 2 of Nathan Jacobs’ journey into Eastern Orthodoxy.

After years of studying philosophy and theology, Nathan began reading the Eastern Church Fathers for the first time. What hediscovered completely transformed his understanding of Christianity, leading him to explore the Orthodox Church and ultimatelyembrace the faith.

In this episode, Nathan continues his personal story, explaining how the writings of St. Athanasius, the ...

In this special collaboration episode, Thomas Thorogood sits down with Nathan Jacobs for an in-depth conversation. They dive into Nathan's experience making a horror film, the horror genre in general, Satan and demons in the Bible and church history, the nature of evil, and more.

Opening music is 'Cinematic Time Lapse' by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay.

Connect with The Nathan Jacobs Podcast:

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@the...

Why would a philosopher become Orthodox?

In this deeply personal episode, Nathan Jacobs shares the story of his journey from a Lutheran upbringing, through philosophy, skepticism, art, and years of intellectual searching, to discovering the Eastern Church Fathers and ultimately embracing Eastern Orthodoxy.

This is not simply a conversion story—it is an account of how questions about truth, God, beauty, morality, and the nature ...

Is the theory of evolution truly incompatible with Christianity? Many assume the Church Fathers rejected evolution outright — but is that what they actually taught?

In this episode, Nathan Jacobs examines the writings of the Eastern Church Fathers on creation, death, Genesis, and the age of the earth. Rather than asking whether evolution is scientifically true, this discussion explores whether Orthodox Christian...

Are the icons actually idols that violate the biblical prohibition on images? In this episode, Jacobs explores the historical debate surrounding this practice, highlighting how John of Damascus defended the use of images based on the Incarnation, along with his distinction between venerating holy objects and worshiping them. Finally, we look at whether these iconic practices were later deviations or deeply rooted within early Chris...

What happens when a profound, perspective-shifting experience forces a young artist to completely re-evaluate everything? In this deep-dive, long-form interview, Dr. Nathan Jacobs sits down with his long-time friend and mentor-turned-colleague, Dr. Chris Firestone, to unpack his journey from artist to philosopher, and ultimately to the world of filmmaking and mainstream Hollywood.

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Do you like th...

There is an essential doctrine at the heart of historic Christianity that was famously preserved by the Eastern Church Fathers but completely lost to the Western tradition: the Essence-Energies distinction. This video traces the history of this concept, moving from its philosophical origins in Aristotle through its development in Alexandrian Judaism and into the New Testament, culminating in the Church Fathers of the Christian East...

Our apologies to listeners for the late upload on this Tuesday episode!

Is there salvation outside the boundaries of the Eastern Orthodox Church? As the internet remains ablaze with the recent theological clash between Gavin Ortlund and Jonathan Pageau over historic Orthodox exclusivity, the answer remains heavily contested. In this deep-dive dialogue, Drs. Nathan Jacobs and Chris Firestone cut through the online noise to unpack the...

What if everything you’ve been taught about life after death is completely wrong? The shocking truth is that without an ancient, forgotten concept known as "deification," the New Testament's entire promise of resurrection becomes totally incoherent. This episode exposes why true resurrection is not just about coming back to life, but a radical, qualitative metamorphosis achieved only by partaking in the divine nature.

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Welcome to a special crossover episode of the Nathan Jacobs Podcast and the Firestone Files! In this interview, Dr. Jacobs sits down with his long-time friend, colleague, and frequent co-author, Dr. Chris Firestone. For 27 years, these two have been collaborating, pushing intellectual boundaries, and challenging the status quo in the academic world. In this deep-dive conversation, they unpack a massive misconception: the myth that ...

Was the Virgin Mary sinless? While the Western debate often pits Catholic dogma against Protestant literalism, the ancient Christian East offers a completely different paradigm. In this episode, we explore how the Eastern Church Fathers view Mary’s unique holiness without the Western legal concepts of merit and original sin, and how the theology of the Dormition proves she still required Christ as her Savior.

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