A pastoral conversation about apologetics and spiritual abuse
While one could say I talk for a living, it’s more accurate to say I listen for a living. So I was a bit nervous to record a conversation with
Josh Maule for his podcast The Bible and Forty Tabs Open in which I do most of the talking! Not my comfort zone, to be sure. But Josh was a great host, and I really enjoyed talking with him about matters that mean a great deal to me: Apologetics for the Abused, Thesis 96, and the Gospel of John. Once a Week readers are familiar with those themes, but instead of reading this week, you can listen and/or watch (see Apple and Spotify links below):
Josh is an Anglican minister in the Diocese of Sydney working as an assistant pastor at The Bridge Church. Be sure to check out his substack / podcast where he has some really interesting interviews “with practitioners, academics and experts” on “subjects span economics, history, philosophy, theology, science, psychology and more,” including his most recent episode with
As you’ll see in my conversation with Josh, he is especially interested in topics and discussions relevant to skeptics and non-believers. His podcast can be found on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other podcasting apps.
Quote from John Owen
“This apostasy [from the gospel] hath been very much promoted by persecution…The church never lost finally either truth or holiness by the violent persecutions of its avowed enemies. But I speak not of the outrages committed on the flock of Christ by wolves in their own skins, but by such as have got on sheep’s clothing; for these things [ie persecuting other Christians], in whomsoever they are, proceed from the uncured, wolfish nature in persons on whom the gospel hath not obtained its promised efficacy (Isaiah 11:6-9). It is professing Christians persecuting one another…that I intend. And this hath been so great, especially in the latter ages of the church, that it is questionable whether there hath not greater effusion of the blood of Christians, ruin of families, and devastation of nations, been made by them who have professed the same religion in general, than by all the Pagans in the world since the first promulgation of it.”1
Question
Do you have any questions and/or comments after listening to this conversation? I’d love to hear from you!
1 John Owen, Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel, Works of John Owen, 7:203-24.