Solomon's Corner: Recent Episodes
Solomon's Corner
Solomon's Corner is hosted by Daniel Roberts. We aim to inspire "everyday joes" with content that enables you to live an intellectual life. If you love philosophy, theology, and other "big ideas", welcome. This is a place for thinkers.
Join us as we sit down with Bible translator and linguist, Dr. James N. Pohlig, to discuss the Psalms, David, and how we talk with God. Visit our E-store! 👉 https://solomons-corner-shop.myshopif… Want to support Solomon’s Corner AND the pro-life movement? Order one of @prolifecoffee’s awesome coffee roasts with the link below! ☕ PROMO CODE: [...]
This week, we reflect on an interesting twitter discussion I had about "norms". In our current communication, terms are being stripped of their nuance and meaning. In a world where language invites doubt of our senses, how do we define norms? And how do we defend them?
We had a great time sitting down with @robmitt of @NorthArrowCoffee to discuss some of our favorite topics with our favorite #madetoorder coffee company. How does a small business owner operate with integrity in a culture that stands against Christian and pro-life values? Why does #NorthArrowCoffee support the pro-life movement? And what is the best way to enjoy your delicious cup o' joe?
Is America morally superior to Communist countries? Would we even know if America had descended into a ghoulish hellscape of the Communist dictators? We will discuss what is going on in Asbury, Kentucky. Is it a revival that will turn America back to the straight and narrow, an opportunity for us influencers to cast judgment to grow our twitter following, or some form of mass formation psychosis which breaks out in Christian communities from time to time?
Listen in as we discuss the crazy events of last week’s Grammys, the targeting of “Trad” Catholics by the FBI, and what it means when a company like AirBnB starts operating on a social credit model.
What a week!! From Chinese "weather" balloons to Project Veritas' latest leak, we are being forced to consider our decisions-how do we arrive at the truth? We will dig into Mortimer J. Adler's Truth in Religion and see what he had to say about the role of A.I. like ChatGPT when it comes to discerning our faith. But most importantly, what can we learn about standing for truth from a faithful Christian like Eric Liddell?
We get into the nitty gritty of ChatGPT, or as some are calling it, the Google killer. What role does this powerful A.I. play if our Christian faith is built solely on making accurate truth claims? Could we see ChatGPT replacing our pastors and apologists?
Earlier this week, Steven Crowder attacked Daily Wire for their business strategy with #BigTech. Who is right and what does content creation look like under BigTech's thumb from a "little guy" perspective?
There are two political parties in the US, but over the weekend one revealed they are The Party. Their actions should cause us all to wonder: is 1984 a fiction still predicting the future, or a prophecy that has been fulfilled? Elon Musk shed more light on the shady dealings behind the scenes. What is our moral obligation in light of these revelations?
We continue our conversation with Dr. Bethel McGrew, and discuss a wide range of topics. What are the 2 major cultural battles in the Christian church, and how did the church lose its credibility during the COVID pandemic? We also pick Bethel's brain about whether infinity a concept or a number.
Dr. Bethel McGrew joins us today to share her "origin story". From her early days ghost writing as "Esther O'Reilly" to her PhD in Mathematics, we dig into the state of the higher education for Christians, the rise of secular voices like Jordan Peterson, Douglas Murray, and James Lindsay, and we get answers to the burning question: what is a Christian Humanist?
Solomon’s corner is joined by marketing expert and host of the Adwoke podcast, Brett Craig. Brett shares how Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been promoted through the use of cohesive branding. We discuss the roots of DEI, how it moved into the corporate world, and what we can do to stand strong.
In today's Book Club, we will be exploring man as a poetical animal. Who was Percy Bysshe Shelley and what can we learn from his perspective on poetry? And how do our emotions play into our Christian walk?
Dr. Brian Huffling is a Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Southern Evangelical Seminary. He also serves as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force (USAF). He recently completed a research project for the USAF on National Security and UAPs. Today, we discuss the history of ufology, its impact on religious groups, and the [...]
Today, we are joined by Baptist pastor and fellow seminarian, Andrew B. What is the purpose of the intellectual life in the Christian community and how do we serve our churches with this gift? Also, we will get Andrew's reaction to tweets from one of of Big Eva's leading ladies.
What do we mean by the nature of marriage? How do we define its purpose or telos? How do these questions relate to the sexual revolution and the popular theology in modern Christianity? Finally, we discuss the dangers of divorcing theology from philosophy, and why realism is the philosophy to live by.
Evangelicals have long separated themselves from their Catholic counterparts through their emphasis of autonomy. But what happens when this once-autonomous church trades one authority, Rome, for the authority of the state? Today, we unpack the impact of the Covid lockdowns on evangelical churches and their leadership.
The rise of Self-Expression has taken our culture by the throat and is silencing anyone who would disagree. How did we get here? And what influence did Cartesianism and Dialectical Materialism have on how we think of God and the church?
Was Lizzo's flute playing an effect of cultural Marxism in America? These ideas are explained more fully in the final chapters of our #BookClub read, The Captive Mind by Czeslaw Milosz.
The biggest conspiracy theorists are those who say there is no such thing, but how do we avoid falling into the trap of the "wacky" conspiracy theories? We do this this by learning from the survivors of Communism. There is no one better to take us on this tour of conspiracy than Czeslaw Milosz's friend, Gamma.
What makes a book a good book or a bad book? How did Christian literature become so puritanical? When authors write a book, are they proving a point or struggling with an idea?
Philosophy is essential to sound theology and politics. But anger and hatred are the footholds for Communism. How does Czeslaw Milosz's friend, Beta, come to accept Communism? And how does a Westerner become Beta?
We are celebrating today as we hit our 25th podcast! When we started the Solomon's Corner podcast, we promised to make at least 100 episodes. And while you may know the intellectuals who inspired us, you don't know the whole story yet...
What does tragedy do to a man? What are we to do in times violence? How can we avoid pits of despair when unimaginable evil is destroying those we love and the world we know?
What is driving Christians to seek spiritual wisdom from political commentators like those at the Daily Wire rather than their clergy? Is the rise of the "Nones" an indication that America is becoming non-religious or is there a "New Faith" behind this trend?
If a life of study is irrelevant to man’s prosperity and spiritual development, then why does the New Faith take great lengths to suppress it? Also, given the battles we are in with the New Faith, why do so many seek wisdom from the likes of Jordan Peterson and the Daily Wire bros?
Today we discuss Chapter 2, "Looking to the West". In it we find that not only is communism a religion, but Christianity, specifically Christianity of the West, may be the only hope for those ravaged by communism and its Method. The question for Westerners today is the same as it was in 1951: are we looking for freedom per se, or are we looking for freedom with a purpose?
When we look at the past, we often do so with rose-colored glasses, saying "those were the good ole' days". But what we find in C. S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength are the ideas of feminism, homosexuality, fascism, and man's worship of science. Join us today as we talk with Anglican Priest, Fr. David Beckmann, about Lewis' character development and what it means for us today.
KeepThinking
We as humans like to be liked. We naturally seek the good of being within a community. But what happens when being in community requires one to go along with dangerous ideas, to swallow the pill of Murti Bing?
The Captive Mind is a spiritual journey through the dark power of Communism. Is Communism a religion? How does it impact a Christian nation? And what can we learn from Polish author and Communist survivor, Czeslaw Milosz? Today we discuss on Solomon's Corner Book Club.
Arendt makes the assertion that hedonism and Puritanism were birthed from the philosophy of Descartes, the Christian Religion, and the science of Darwin. This has ultimately led to a weaponization of the now self-evident value of human life.
We are living in an exceptional time. Process has become our purpose rather than our purpose dictating our process. As the iconic character Dr. Ian Malcolm says in Jurassic Park, " [They] were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
"The Space Trilogy" is one of C.S. Lewis' most prescient writings. What did Lewis foresee? What warning does it hold for those who "follow the Science"? To discuss such things, we brought a C.S. Lewis scholar onto the show, Father David Beckmann of the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA), founder of the C.S. Lewis Society of Chattanooga.
The Modern Era has brought a shift in our thinking: we have rejected philosophy as the handmaiden to theology and replaced her with "The Science". How does one find balance when the pendulum of thought swings too far away from contemplation, accepting only empirical data? We must find the anchor point so we will not be tossed back and forth by the waves of philosophical polarity. #KeepThinking
There is a pendulum always swinging between realism and doubt. How do we find the balance of trusting our senses while not forsaking the mind?
In the most triumphal age of scientific progress, we have the greatest societal despair. We are playing god, but we are not strong enough to carry the responsibility that comes from that power. What should we do?
We cannot be offered certainty about the future. So what are we to rely on? We look to the promises of new life and the promises that come from God, that even death will be conquered once and for all.
Daniel reviews the surprising message from Hannah Arendt in The Human Condition, Chapter 3: Section 33. A society must have forgiveness.
History doesn't repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes. The latest antics from the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) demonstrates that we are certainly rhyming with one of the most vile criminal codes in history, Joseph Stalin's Article 58.
It has been said that "totalitarians desire your soul". A good place to start, and they often do, is by undermining parental and religious authority in the lives of children. Communist regimes recognize that if they can become the parental and spiritual figure of your kids, they will eventually be able to reform both city and religion in its image; if families do not stand strong, then the state can and will become an abomination that demonically claims itself to be the god and father of your children.
Join us for an impromptu discussion on Chapters 3 and 4 of Rod Dreher's book, Live Not by Lies. Daniel and Lindsey discuss the influence of cultural Marxism on religious institutions and the weaponization of technology.
Who would have the audacity to make the claim that beauty is objective? Even the most ardently religious or the most staunch conservative will parrot the mantra "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Today we are joined by Dr. J. Paulus, professor and professional danseur, for a conversation on how and why we should reject the idea that beauty is subjective.
Our lines in the sand say something about us; their absence says even more. What can we learn from the "prophets" Father Kolaković and Czeslaw Milosz, as depicted in Rod Dreher's latest work, Live Not by Lies? This episode marks the first of many impromptu discussions between Daniel and Lindsey as they discuss their observations and applications from those minds that God preserved for such a time as this.
Deep within man is the desire to conquer death and live a life of eternal bliss. This theme is explicit in many religions, especially the monotheistic religions. Atheism was one of the exceptions, until now. C.S. Lewis predicted an atheism that seeks to transcend humanity via a spiritual scientism. For these atheists, obtaining divinity is not implicit in their beliefs or hidden in their hearts. It is the stated goal of their enterprise, and it's unclear whether Christianity can endure its progress. In the words of Yuval Noah Harari, "History began when humans invented gods, and it will end when humans become gods".
Pride used to be considered a sin, but what happens when a denomination calls pride a virtue rather than a vice? What lessons can we learn from those who endured the "woke" heresies? Daniel sits down with former Episcopal priest, Fr. Filmore Strunk. In this special interview, we talk with Fr. Filmore about his journey from defrocked episcopal priest to Reverend Canon to the Diocese of the Carolinas and founding Rector of All Saints Anglican Church in Weddington, NC.
Today's dads are bombarded with the lie that their role in the family isn't valuable; after all, fatherhood is a burden, not a blessing. But we need to remember the value dads bring to their families and community, especially when those dads invest in their own spiritual and intellectual growth.
What is virtue and how does one obtain it? The younger and older generations are polarizing each other towards vice, and the latest Hollywood film, Top Gun: Maverick demonstrates this perfectly. Listen as we analyze the latest film according to Aristotle's virtue ethics, and reveal a cultural disease that, if left untreated, will have dire consequences on us all.
Language matters, especially in our worship. What happens when a Christian worships God with misunderstanding and ambiguity? What role do Christian teachers and pastors play in educating and removing ambiguity in their worship? Dr. Pohlig and Daniel continue their discussion of language and liturgy.
This week a bombshell documentary, What is a Woman? was released. We discuss the underlying philosophical ideas that have infected the church.
How does a bad translation of liturgy misguide those in worship? And what impact might it have on a congregant's theology?
What are the eternal truths we should cling to and how do we discern them? And what should Christians do to make the most of this time of freedom?
History demonstrates that propaganda makes the truth unknowable. If this is the case, what recourse does man have in a context where societal, legal, and political truth has vanished?
The Bible tells us that God uses evil for good. But doesn't this contradict St. Paul's condemnation of those who say "let us use evil that good may result"? Dr. Huffling and Daniel also discuss the latest on the religious implications of aliens and the UFO phenomena.