The Nathan Jacobs Podcast
Episodes
How Humanity is Reconciled to God: Penal Substitution vs. the Early Church | with Fr. Joseph Lucas
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Nathan Jacobs sits down with Fr. Joseph Lucas to discuss penal substitution atonement. The discussion examines the claim that penal substitution i...
A Guide for Christians to Engage Non-Believers
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 3 of 3 talks by Dr. Nathan Jacobs about the "nones", the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the...
The Religiously Unaffiliated Did Not Reject God — They Rejected Western Christianity
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of 3 talks by Dr. Nathan Jacobs about the "nones", the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the...
The Modern Religious Debate Lost Its Audience
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores the rise of the religiously unaffiliated, a group that has grown dramatically over the past two decades. D...
Do Christians, Jews, and Muslims Worship the Same God?
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do we mean when we say "God"? This week’s episode is part 2 of tracing the concept from ancient pagan philosophy through Plato and Ar...
Defining "God" | The Evolution of a Word
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com In this week's episode, Dr. Jacobs looks at how the term "God&qu...
Did Greek Philosophy Corrupt Christianity? On Greek, Jewish, and Christian Theologies
22 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Today, Dr. Jacobs tackles the common objection: Was ancient Christianity ...
The Church Fathers & the Trinity | Nicaea to Constantinople
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Dr. Jacobs delivers a lecture on Nicene Trinitarianism, examining the me...
Has Science Disproved Free Will? | A Conversation With James Joiner
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Enroll in Dr. Joiner’s class: https://myprofer.com/coursesContribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Dr. James Joi...
Free Will & Moral Responsibility | A Conversation with Dr. James Joiner
01 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Enroll in Dr. Joiner’s class: https://myprofer.com/coursesContribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Dr. James Jo...
How the Devil Tried to Steal Christmas | The True Story of the Nativity
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipTh...
The Cosmic Longing of Christmas | All Creation Groans
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipTh...
The Christian East & West Divide
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Support the making of this series.
Entertaining Angels | Tales of Christian Hospitality
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Contribute to the East West Lecture Series fundraiser: theeastwestseries.com Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipTh...
The Realism of Symbology | A Conversation with Jonathan Pageau
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Back the East West Lecture Series: theeastwestseries.com Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use cod...
The Lived Philosophy of Early Christianity | The Last Five Ecumenical Councils
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aL...
The True Christian Philosophy | The Metaphysics of the Ecumenical Councils
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aL...
The Question Behind the Seven Ecumenical Councils | Who Do You Say I Am?
30 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aL...
A Postscript on Slavery & Genocide | From Mosaic Law to the Church Fathers
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jacobs Premium: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membershipThe book club (use code LEWIS): https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/offers/aL...
The Problem of Hell
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Jacobs PremiumJoin the book club (use code LEWIS)This week Dr. Jacobs tackles the Eastern Orthodox perspectives on hell, divine providence, and h...
When God Commands Death | Can Genocide Be Justified?
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Dr. Jacobs’ membership for all kinds of perks and access: thenathanjacobspodcast.com/membership (use code LEWIS for a discount on the Fellows t...
The Polygamy Question | Immoralities in the Bible
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode examines the moral case against polygamy from a natural law and Eastern Orthodox perspective, then addresses why polygamous practices app...
Is Slavery Morally Wrong? Immoralities in the Bible? Part 1 of 3
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Enroll for Jacobs Premium Fellows (book club) <<use code LEWIS at checkout for the founder’s discount!>>: https://www.thenathanjacobspod...
Orthodox Foundations
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Head to thenathanjacobspodcast.com to snag your membership. Use code: LEWIS when purchasing a "Fellows" for the founders price. Orthodox Fou...
Political, Personal, & Pastoral | What to Do With Moral Truth?
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Jacobs Premium: thenathanjacobspodcast.comIn this postscript to his anthropology and ethics series, Dr. Jacobs examines why people experie...
Nature & Grace | The Great Divide Between East & West | Part 6 of 6
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We dive once more into the differences between Eastern and Western Christianity. This time, Dr. Jacobs tackles the nature-grace divide. He’ll trace ...
The Morality of LGBT (and other hot button issues) | Beyond the Bible
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our culture often frames debates on homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion as a simple clash between “Christians vs. progressives.” But the r...
The Evolution of Ethics | Realism: from John Locke to Woody Allen | Ethics & Anthropology | Part 4
28 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this fourth installment of our series on Ethics & Anthropology, Dr. Nathan Jacobs traces the evolution of Realism from ancient philosophy throu...
The Secret Hand Behind History: Providence or Chaos? | Part 3
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this third installment of our four-part (or 5-part 😬) series on Ethics & Anthropology, Dr. Nathan Jacobs explores Moral Philosophy and the e...
The Slow Death of Morality | How Modern Ethics Sold Its Soul | Part 2 of 4
14 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when morality is unmoored from its metaphysical foundations? In part two of the Anthropology series, Dr. Nathan Jacobs traces the slow un...
The Pagan Blueprint For the Good Life | Plato, Aristotle, & the Stoics
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs explores how ancient pagan philosophers understood human nature and the good life, examining key thinkers from Plato and Aristotle to the S...
Transformed by the Eucharist | Body or Bread? | Part 2 of 2
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration ...
Understanding the Eucharist | Sacramentalism East vs West | Part 1 of 2
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ course Intro to Philosophy: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration ...
Therapy & the Eastern Church Fathers | Merits & Demerits of Secular Therapy | with Dr. Adam Dell
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Follow Dr. Dell on Instagram @dr.adamdell Dr. Dell’s book discussed on the podcast has not yet been released, but we will try to get him back on th...
On David, Giant Slayer | Not Your Mama’s Sunday School Story | With Fr. Stephen De Young
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Find Fr. De Young on his podcast: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/lordofspirits/Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ ...
Does Jesus Claim to Be God? | A Closer Look at Nicene Trinitarianism
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verif...
Consciousness, Reality, and the Human Condition | What It Means to Be Human
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verif...
A Second Round on Penal Substitution | Misunderstanding the Bible and the Fathers
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verif...
A Reality Check for Crazy Times | Longing for More than Nominal Culture
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sign up for Dr. Jacobs’ college course: https://myprofer.com/ 📚 Click “Join as a student” 📚 Fill out registration 📚 Verif...
Penal Substitution: East vs West | Perspectives on the Atonement
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle Episode: https://youtu.be/ZSf7o3Jel_gDr. Jacobs compares how Eastern and Western Christianity understand Christ's dea...
To a Mother on the Loss of Her Children | A Theological Letter on Suffering
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Read the original letter: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/to-a-woman-who-lost-several-childrenIn this episode, Dr. Jacobs reads aloud a deeply pe...
God & the Fate of Judas, Natural Disasters, and Other Evils | Your Questions on the Problem of Evil
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get notified when registration Dr. Jacobs’ class goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9In this Q&A episode, Dr. Jacobs addresses ten cha...
Does God Know the Future? | Contrasting East & West
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9Why Would God Make the Damned? https://youtu.be/H2Ja5WeOo1AIn this e...
The Fall, Demons, Animal Pain, & the 8th Day of Creation | The Eastern Fathers & the Problem of Evil
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Get updates when class registration goes live: https://forms.gle/pKYCWnHA1gToDxZv9In this sixth and final installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jaco...
The Purpose of Creation | The Eastern Fathers & The Problem of Evil | Part 5 of 6
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
https://www.academia.edu/41586437/The_Metaphysical_Idealism_of_the_Eastern_Church_FathersIn this fifth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs ...
Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle on Orthodoxy | Defining (part of) the East-West Divide
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs gives feedback on the recently viral Cliffe & Stuart Knechtle clip with an Orthodox college student. You’ll get a rundown of some spe...
Christ’s Descent into Hades | A Theological Letter
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs explains the Eastern Christian understanding of Christ's descent into Hades, distinguishing it from Hell. The letter clarifies how East...
Providence in the Eastern Church Fathers | Problem of Evil | Part 4 of 5
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this fourth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs explores the complex relationship between divine providence and human freedom. What does...
Groundwork for an Eastern Patristic Theodicy | The Problem of Evil | Part 3 of 4
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this third installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs lays the groundwork for understanding Eastern patristic theodicy. Why can God do no evil,...
The Problem of Evil | On the Complexity of Divine Choice | Part 2 of 3
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Go to 33:15 to skip the recap of the first installment In this second installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs looks at the notion that our wo...
The Problem of Evil | Free Will, Divine Will, & A World Without Sin
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My Wild Ride to Orthodoxy https://youtu.be/yRYBsOXX3e0Part 1 on Problem of Divine Hiddenness: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThYToday Dr. Jacobs will examin...
Sophistication of Early Church Fathers | An Interview With Hank Hanegraaff
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Find the original episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJHCg8xt_l8The early church fathers went to great lengths to ensure that the followers...
Can the Rich Be Saved? | Wealth, Asceticism, & Salvation
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode, Jacobs delves into Jesus’ uncomfortable teachings about wealth and salvation with guest Charles Lelon, an Orthodox Christia...
On Apokatastasis & Universal Salvation | Will Christ Rescue All From Hell?
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Original article with citations: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvationBack to the theological letter series to...
Misunderstanding Mystery | The Place of Philosophy in Orthodoxy
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Dr. Jacobs gives a rundown of mystery in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. You’ll get definitions, how he thinks the misunderstanding devolve...
Hollywood Taxidermy | The Rise of the IP Serial Killer
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for Part Two of our Hollywood Taxidermy series, where Dr. Jacobs explores intellectual property and creative adaptation. Through the lens of n...
Is God Truly Hidden | The Problem of Divine Hiddenness | Part 3 of 3
30 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY Part 2: https://youtu.be/9B1G44hywd0 Dr. Jacobs’ Class Survey Link: Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d...
Is Non-Resistant Unbelief in God Possible? | The Problem of Divine Hiddenness | Part 2 of 3
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Part 1: https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY Dr. Jacobs’ Class Survey Link: Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ES...
On the Problem of Divine Hiddenness | Is Rational Unbelief in God Possible?
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing Episode on the Nones: htt...
The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly of Storytelling | The Taxidermy of Hollywood
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Survey Link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCSj9URmUSo5YE8JyxCTDo0ESjUKZ7eZMD_SFwmbG10aAsw/viewform?usp=sharing The Traditions of the Virg...
A Historical & Biblical Defense of Icons | An Interview With Hank Hanegraaff
02 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today we repost another episode from the Hank Unplugged podcast. They’ll tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of Orthodox practice: the use ...
Faith, Works, & Mary, Mother of God | An Interview With Hank Hanegraaff
26 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Watch Dr. Nathan Jacobs and Bible Answer Man host Hank Hanegraaff explore Eastern Orthodox perspectives on faith, works, and Mary's role in Christiani...
The Virgin Mary: Grinch Slayer | Christian Tradition & the Devil
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You're surely familiar with the popularized details of the Mary and Nativity stories. This week, Dr. Jacobs is going to deep dive into the extra Bibli...
Man's Place in the Cosmos | The Longing of Creation
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs is feeling some Christmas nostalgia today and wondered, "What is this feeling, so sudden and new?" To get to the bottom of this, of course,...
Fated or Free | The Mechanics of Choice
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs takes a look at the history of ideas through the lens of free will, from Socrates to the stoics to Augustine. He responds to Neil deGrasse ...
On Free Will | A Defense of Libertarian Freedom
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Original essay: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/on-free-will Dr. Jacobs gives an overview on free will, responding to a listener's question abou...
My Wild Ride to Orthodoxy | LSD, Art, Hell, and Heresy
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs reads his chapter in the second volume "Turning East" (publication TBD). You'll hear him discuss how he came to convert to Eastern Orthodox...
Darwin, Adoption, & Double Effect | Episode 25
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs tackles your philosophical and theological questions in today's episode. He answers audience comments on topics ranging from how humans par...
Ghosts, Aliens, and Hades | Encounters With the Spiritual Realm
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Christ's Descent Into Hades part 1: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/hell-hades-and-christs-descent-part Christ's Descent Into Hades part 2: https...
Archetypes, Inspiration, & Christianity | A Reply to Jordan Peterson & Richard Dawkins
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Dr. Jacobs offers his thoughts on the recent dialogue between Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins, which covers a variety of top...
Paranormal Case Files | Behind the Scenes of The Conjuring | Fr. Maximos McIntyre
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 1 on the Religiously Unaffiliated: https://youtu.be/pBH9TTduBAE?si=k0Y8BnDRiLqm6i0V Episode 2 on the Religiously Unaffiliated: https://youtu....
Diagnosing Demons | Exorcising the Mental Health Industry | Dr. Jeffrey M. Jones
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs' letters on providence: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/a-peculiar-feature-of-providence https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/a-brie...
The Sin of Self-Actualization | Werewolves, Mummies, & Doppelgangers
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find Dr. Jacobs here: https://linktr.ee/thenathanjacobspodcast
On Belief in Fairies
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Original post: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-belief-in-fairies?r=r1mfj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Find Dr. Jacobs he...
Why Would God Make the Damned?
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find the written letter here: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/why-would-god-make-the-damned Find Dr. Jacobs here: https://linktr.ee/thenathanjac...
Elon, Help! Let's Make Logic Great Again
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find Dr. Jacobs here: https://linktr.ee/thenathanjacobspodcast
The Ideology of Hell | Nominalism & the Liberation of the Individual
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Original episode: https://youtu.be/OxLeGHNquGQ Follow the podcast on Instagram for short sharable clips: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspod...
Longing, Nostalgia, & Spiritual Simplicity
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find Dr. Jacobs here: https://linktr.ee/thenathanjacobspodcast
The Healing Power of Beauty | A Heterodox Guide to Trauma | Dr. Timothy Patitsas
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are pleased to be joined today by Dr. Timothy Patitsas, Academic Dean of Hellenic College. Find him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beauty...
Ontology & Religious Art
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find Dr. Jacobs social media, writing, & website here: https://linktr.ee/thenathanjacobspodcast
The AI Episode | Art, Consciousness, & the New Ouija
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Find Dr. Jacobs' post on AI here: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/p/can-ai-create-art?utm_source=publication-search Find Dr. Jacobs social med...
The Great Toilet Paper Debate | A Metaphysician Weighs In
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, you'll finally get the answers to some of the most controversial and divisive questions probably in American history. And be...
Aliens, Giants, & Other Lore | Fr. Stephen De Young
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs is joined by Fr. Stephen De Young from The Lord of Spirits Podcast to talk about the modern quest for re-enchantment.
The Case for Realism | Confessions of a Former Nominalist
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs discusses his journey from nominalism to realism and makes the argument for why realism is the only sensible option. Find Dr. Jacobs soci...
The Rise & Fall of the Religiously Unaffiliated | Part 2 of 2
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's been a surge of religiously unaffiliated (or "nones") returning to religion. Why did they leave in the first place and what'...
The Anatomy of the Religiously Unaffiliated | Part 1 of 2
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs dives into the religiously unaffiliated (or "nones"). Who are they and what do they believe? Find Dr. Jacobs social media, writ...
Dr. Jacobs Answers Audience Questions
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jacobs fields questions from the comments sections from the last month, such as, Can God make a rock so big he can’t lift it? And does realism a...
The Myth of Enlightenment
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, you’ll hear Dr. Jacobs' conversation with Dr. Chris Firestone, where they deconstruct some all-too-common misconceptions about the Enligh...
Liberalism & The Demise of the West
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode offers a reply to Tucker Carlson’s recent interview with Russian philosopher, Alexander Dugin (a.k.a., “Putin’s Brain”). Dug...
Language & Cultural Appropriation
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can a people own a dialect? How far do property rights extend? Dr. Jacobs explores two different historical schools of thought to get to the bottom of...
On God’s Essence, Energies, & Simplicity | David Bradshaw
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in to hear Dr. Jacobs discuss the essence / energies distinction with Dr. David Bradshaw. You can find a comprehensive list of Dr. Bradshaw'...
The Most Important Question
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Nathan Jacobs provides an overview on realism and nominalism, tracing their history from Plato to the present day. He then explains how these id...