The Christian Skeptic

Have We Tamed Jesus? | The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

There's a moment in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, where one of the kids learns that Aslan is a lion, gets nervous and asks if he's safe. And the answer, as Lewis writes it, is of course he isn't safe, but he's good. Most Christians can quote that line. It's one of the most famous lines in the entire series. We put it on coffee mugs, we hang it on our walls. But here's the question Lewis was actually asking—why does the Jesus most people know look so tame, so manageable, so agreeable? The Jesus we find most often in the American church is safe. He's predictable. He votes a certain way, he blesses certain things and disapproves of others. He shows up where he's invited and doesn't surprise anyone. That's what we're diving into today on The Christian Skeptic in part two of our series through The Chronicles of Narnia. Let's get to it. In this episode: * (00:00) Intro * (01:49) Was Lewis arguing for a specific atonement theory? * (04:53) The four atonement theories * (11:35) Would this convince anyone who didn't already believe? * (14:33) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe recap * (20:38) Lucy and faith as perception * (29:04) The deep magic and Edmund as the human representative * (33:02) The Stone Table and the law * (34:48) Has the church tamed Jesus? * (37:11) What does a "not-safe" Jesus look like? Links  * C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis]  * The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia]  * J.R.R. Tolkien: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien]  * Mere Christianity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity]  * Steve Brown: https://www.keylife.org [https://www.keylife.org]  * Three Free Sins: https://www.keylife.org/articles/three-free-sins [https://www.keylife.org/articles/three-free-sins]  * The Snow Queen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Snow_Queen] * Hans Christian Anderson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Christian_Andersen [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Christian_Andersen]  Connect with Adam * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark [https://www.instagram.com/avclark] Connect with Aaron * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown [https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown]  Subscribe and stay in touch * Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org [https://thechristiansekptic.org]  * Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod [https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 [https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9]  * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic]  Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org [https://www.thechristianskeptic.org].  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic].

C.S. Lewis Wrote Himself Into Narnia | The Magician’s Nephew

C.S. Lewis was nine years old when his mother died of cancer. He prayed for her healing. She died anyway. Lewis became an atheist for most of his adult life — and then, decades later, wrote The Magician's Nephew, a children's book about a boy in his exact situation. This week, we kick off a seven-part deep dive into The Chronicles of Narnia, starting with the most autobiographical book in the series. We explore whether Lewis was retelling Genesis, why evil already exists in this world before humans even get there, what the "deplorable word" and Hiroshima might have in common, and whether Uncle Andrew is a fair portrait of the skeptical scientist or just a caricature. Along the way: Aslan singing creation into being, Digory's reverse of the Fall, the cabby who becomes a king, and the scene at the heart of the book — where Aslan weeps over a dying mother. In this episode: * 00:00  Intro * 01:03  Why a Narnia series * 06:30  Past the "religious dragons" * 08:10  Publication order vs. chronological * 10:35  Lewis wrote himself into the story * 11:26  Is this a retelling of Genesis? * 13:47  Why evil predates humans in Narnia * 20:09  Uncle Andrew and the skeptical scientist * 23:10  Aslan weeps with Digory * 27:01  Threads of redemption: the cabby, the apple, the lampstand * 29:55  A wild lion, not a tame one * 31:35  The reverse fall Links  * C.S. Lewis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewis]  * The Chronicles of Narnia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia]  * The Pilgrim's Progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrim%27s_Progress [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pilgrim%27s_Progress]  * John Bunyan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bunyan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bunyan]  * Charles Spurgeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon]  * J.R.R. Tolkien: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien]  * Out of the Silent Planet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Silent_Planet [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out_of_the_Silent_Planet]  * Perelandra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra]  * That Hideous Strength: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Hideous_Strength [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Hideous_Strength]  * Mere Christianity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity]  * The Screwtape Letters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Screwtape_Letters]  * Doug Wilson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilson_(theologian) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Wilson_(theologian)]  Connect with Adam * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark [https://www.instagram.com/avclark] Connect with Aaron * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown [https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown]  Subscribe and stay in touch * Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org [https://thechristiansekptic.org]  * Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod [https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 [https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9]  * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic]  Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org [https://www.thechristianskeptic.org].  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic].

A Short History of Christmas (and Why It Matters)

Where did Christmas really come from—and should Christians celebrate it? This week, we explore the historical roots of Christmas, common objections about pagan origins and commercialization, and the role of Santa, imagination, and gift-giving. Along the way, we argue that the church’s call isn’t to retreat from culture but to redeem it. Ultimately, Christmas matters because the incarnation matters: God took on flesh, entered our darkness, and brought hope at just the right time. When understood rightly, even the most familiar Christmas traditions can point us back to Jesus.  In this episode: * (00:00) Intro * (01:15) Why Christians question Christmas * (02:45) Pagan origins, Sol Invictus, and Saturnalia * (06:10) Did Christians borrow Christmas? * (09:15) The church’s call: withdraw from culture or redeem it? * (15:30) Puritans vs. separatists: two ways of engaging the world * (17:55) Lights, gifts, and redeeming Christmas traditions * (19:45) Is Santa real? Imagination, myth, and meaning * (23:10) Why stories teach truth better than arguments * (25:10) Gift-giving, generosity, and reflecting God’s heart * (28:45) Why the incarnation actually matters Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org [https://www.thechristianskeptic.org].  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic].

Do Christians Really Believe What They Preach?

This week, we respond to a viral clip claiming most Christians don’t really believe what they preach. We unpack the difference between hypocrisy and inconsistency, talk about weak versus fake faith, explore what a transformed life actually looks like, and wrestle with the place of evangelism in our lives.  In this episode: * (00:00) Intro * (01:29) “I don’t think people are actually religious” * (03:58) Hypocrisy vs. inconsistency * (07:56) Weak faith or fake faith? * (12:33) The problem with cultural Christianity * (18:01) What a transformed life actually looks like * (23:00) Internal change vs. external rule-keeping * (28:48) What place should evangelism have in our lives? * (32:50) How real conversations open real doors Get full show notes and links at https://www.thechristianskeptic.org [https://www.thechristianskeptic.org]. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic].

Can a Christian Abuse Grace?

This week, we take on the question, “Can a Christian abuse grace?” and explore why that question often reveals more about our own hearts than other people’s behavior. We dig into Christian liberty, the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Romans 7, and why those who truly grasp God’s love are actually the least likely to cheapen it. We look at how self-righteousness distorts our view of grace, and why the only real way to “abuse” grace is to misunderstand it or reject it altogether.  In this episode: * (00:00) – Intro * (01:06) – Can a Christian actually abuse grace? * (02:22) – Thinner, flatter versions of grace * (03:27) – When concern for holiness becomes self-righteousness * (04:36) – The hidden ways we all “abuse” grace * (06:00) – The tension of Christian liberty * (07:49) – Older brothers and younger brothers * (09:37) – Comparing sins to avoid our own * (11:36) – The heaviness of watching everyone else * (13:10) – Fear-based faith vs freedom-based faith * (15:16) – Why we keep looking for “the line” * (17:45) – What preaching real grace actually produces * (19:38) – When your heart won’t cooperate * (22:01) – The surprising comfort of conviction * (25:05) – The only real way to abuse grace * (27:39) – When grace sounds too reckless * (29:52) – The prodigal, the Pharisee, and the Father * (34:10) – So what do we do with all this? Key Ideas * Grace isn’t something you “abuse” as much as something you misunderstand. Most concerns about “abusing grace” come from viewing the Christian life as rule-keeping rather than relationship. A deeper grasp of God’s love—not fear—actually leads to transformation. * Self-examination comes before evaluating anyone else’s behavior. Jesus calls us to address the beam in our own eye first. Before questioning someone else’s actions, check your own posture, motives, and the subtle ways self-righteousness creeps in. * Jesus intentionally left a broadness to the Christian life. Scripture leaves intentional room for believers to live differently within the boundaries of orthodoxy. Differences in conscience, lifestyle, or struggle don’t necessarily signal spiritual compromise. * True grace produces desire—not license—to honor God. When you genuinely understand God’s unconditional love, it awakens a desire to honor Him—not a desire to run wild. Grace transforms from the inside out in a way that moral pressure never can. * The only real “abuse of grace” is rejecting it altogether. Willful rebellion—the prodigal running from home—reflects rejection of God’s love, not overuse of it. But even then, the Father’s response in Jesus’ parable shows that love, not fear, is what draws us home. Links  * Brennan Manning: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennan_Manning [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brennan_Manning]  * Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund: https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Lowly-Christ-Sinners-Sufferers/dp/1433566133 [https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Lowly-Christ-Sinners-Sufferers/dp/1433566133]  * A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Freedom-Radical-Nature-Gospel/dp/1582293929 [https://www.amazon.com/Scandalous-Freedom-Radical-Nature-Gospel/dp/1582293929]  * Putting Amazing Back Into Grace by Michael Horton: https://www.amazon.com/Putting-Amazing-Back-into-Grace/dp/0801014212 [https://www.amazon.com/Putting-Amazing-Back-into-Grace/dp/0801014212]  * The Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther: https://www.amazon.com/Bondage-Will-Martin-Luther/dp/0801048931 [https://www.amazon.com/Bondage-Will-Martin-Luther/dp/0801048931]  Connect with Adam * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avclark [https://www.instagram.com/avclark] Connect with Aaron * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown [https://www.instagram.com/fromgreytown]  Subscribe and stay in touch * Website: https://thechristiansekptic.org [https://thechristiansekptic.org] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod [https://instagram.com/christianskepticpod]  * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-christian-skeptic/id1761285349]  * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9 [https://open.spotify.com/show/4HlSAPHewfbLESl61D3XH9]  * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic [https://youtube.com/@thechristianskeptic]