The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

How can departed saints hear our prayers, and how could they possibly manage thousands of requests at once?

While many assume prayer to the saints is an unbiblical or late medieval invention, early Christian evidence reveals the practice was woven into the church's lived worship from the earliest centuries. In this episode, Nathan Jacobs examines the historical and biblical grounds for intercession—from second-century catacomb graffiti and ancient liturgies to the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils.

Nathan addresses common Protestant and modern objections, reframing how we understand heaven, time, and the veil, while revealing how Eastern patristic views on the Holy Spirit, eternity, and the divine energies explain how creatures partake in God's capacity to hear and field prayers.

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Timestamps

00:00 Can the Saints Hear Us?

00:48 Announcements: Jacobs Premium & The East-West Series

02:32 Dogma vs. Kerygma: Reading the Silence of the Fathers

05:07 Liturgical Evidence: Chrysostom, Basil, and Saint James

07:07 First-Century Images & Third-Century Catacomb Graffiti

08:44 Apocrypha & The Acts of Paul and Thecla

09:32 Biblical Evidence: God of the Living & The Book of Revelation

11:34 The Cry of Dereliction and Ancient Jewish Tradition

13:06 Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea II and Non-Chalcedonians

16:00 Councils That Prayed to Saints: Jerusalem & Constantinople

16:33 The Fathers Speak: Ignatius, Clement, Origen, and Cyprian

19:14 Misunderstood Proof Texts: Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Origen

21:13 Objection 1: How Do Saints Know What Is Happening?

22:08 The Ministry of Angels

22:31 East vs. West: Where Do the Saints Actually Go?

24:25 The Holy Spirit and Mystical Knowledge

26:30 Objection 2: How Can They Handle Millions of Prayers?

27:33 Time vs. Eternity: How Angels and Saints Experience Reality

29:19 The Divine Energies: Partaking in the Divine Nature

31:46 Final Blessing & Conclusion

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Relevant links:

On Divine Energies: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=b0ssoVjZpgzXmTcB

Resurrection Makes No Sense Without Deification: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k?si=X7dn7khCLSpTjWmf

Are Icons Idolatry? https://youtu.be/MqJHp5iY7is?si=oIqx6LvX-KVP6D6w

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: /thenathaniacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/Nathan.JacobsPod

Facebook: /nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanJacobs

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Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

Are ghosts real, or are apparitions simply demonic deceptions?

While Western Christianity and Catholicism traditionally view postmortem souls as immediately departing to distinct physical destinations, the Eastern Church Fathers offer a far more complex and surprising perspective. In this episode, Nathan Jacobs explores the sharp divide between literal and allegorical approaches to postmortem realities, examining how Church Fathers like St. Macrina, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. John Chrysostom addressed the phenomenon of earthbound spirits.

From Plato's influence on Alexandrian theology to modern pastoral advice from contemporary saints like St. Paisios, this discussion reveals whether ghosts are considered real, demonic, or a matter of theological opinion (theologoumenon) in Eastern Orthodoxy.

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Timestamps

00:00 Are Ghosts Real?

00:01:21 The Western and Protestant View on Ghosts

00:02:36 Allegorical vs. Literal Approaches in Early Judaism

00:03:34 Two Models of Hades: Josephus vs. Philo of Alexandria

00:04:40 Physical Locations vs. Spiritual Realities

00:05:08 Depictions of Hades: Subterranean Cave or Sentient Monster?

00:06:19 Hades in early Christian Literature (Gospel of Nicodemus)

00:07:24 St. Gregory of Nyssa on the Rich Man and Lazarus

00:09:24 St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom on Paradise

00:11:42 Do Eastern Church Fathers Believe in Ghosts?

00:12:04 St. Macrina and St. Gregory of Nyssa on the Soul

00:13:02 St. Macrina’s Argument Against a Subterranean Hades

00:14:41 Why Death is a Gift: The Pottery Metaphor

00:16:32 Passion-Bound Spirits: How Ghosts Exist

00:17:47 Platonic and Alexandrian Roots of the Earthbound Soul

00:18:51 St. John Chrysostom’s Rejection of Ghosts

00:19:24 Ghosts as a Theologoumenon (Theological Opinion)

00:20:26 Contemporary Views: St. Nektarios, Seraphim Rose, and St. Paisios

00:21:13 Practical Pastoral Wisdom on Apparitions

00:22:38 The East West Series Overview

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Are the Oriental Orthodox and non-Chalcedonian churches actually Monophysite heretics?

While many assume the Oriental Orthodox heresy is a settled matter of church history, scholar and historian of ideas Dr. Nathan Jacobs offers a far more nuanced assessment. In this episode, Nathan unpacks the Christological controversies surrounding the Council of Chalcedon, exploring why the non-Chalcedonians rejected the council, how their theology remains strictly Cyrilline, and the subtle Nestorian concerns hidden within Pope Leo’s Tome.

Rather than a fundamental conflict over the nature of Christ, this discussion reveals how linguistic misunderstandings, Latin theological influences, and centuries of historical division created a rift that persists to this day.

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Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

00:00:15 Last Chance for the East West Series Offer

00:01:48 Logos Cinema & Supporting Eastern Orthodox Media

00:02:42 Scholar vs. Official Church Stance

00:03:37 The Great Schism vs. The First Millennium Schism

00:04:32 Ecumenical Councils as Curators of Faith

00:06:45 Chalcedon and the Non-Chalcedonian Resistance

00:08:10 Are Non-Chalcedonians Monophysite?

00:09:00 Understanding the Centaur Metaphor (Mingled Natures)

00:10:46 Why Oriental Orthodox Christology Is Cyrilline

00:12:33 The Nestorian Controversy: Two Natures vs. Two Persons

00:15:07 Cyril of Alexandria on Human Nature

00:17:11 Theotokos: Why Mary's Title Matters

00:19:17 Is "One Nature" a Monophysite Term?

00:22:08 The Real Reason for Rejection: Pope Leo’s Tome

00:23:40 Augustine’s Influence on Personhood (Persona vs. Hypostasis)

00:26:30 Two-Person Exegesis in Western Theology

00:28:53 Why Non-Chalcedonians Were Suspicious of Leo's Tome

00:30:15 Did Chalcedon Compromise with Nestorianism?

00:32:45 Why Does the Schism Persist Today?

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Relevant Links:

​Resurrection Makes No Sense without Deification: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

The Essential Doctrine the West Lost: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=i_XIBd5lpsoYhTCj

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: /thenathaniacobspodcast

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Facebook: /nathanandrewjacobs

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Description Do miracles actually violate the laws of physics or suspend the order of nature? In modern philosophy—from David Hume and Baruch Spinoza to Gottfried Leibniz—a miracle is almost always defined as a divinely ordained exception to natural physical laws. But is this how the Eastern Church Fathers understood miraculous events?

In this episode, Nathan examines why the traditional Orthodox view of miracles is radically different from the modern paradigm. By exploring Byzantine iconography, hymnody, biblical accounts (like Daniel in the Lions' Den), and patristic theology, Nathan demonstrates how miracles are primarily a restoration of nature rather than a violation of it. Drawing on the essence-energies distinction, synergy, and the four traditional types of miracles, he reveals how understanding miracles through the divine energies changes how we recognize God's active presence in the world every day.

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Timestamps

00:00 Defining Miracles: Modern vs. Patristic

00:00:36 The East West Series & Logos Cinema Announcement

00:03:01 The Modern Debate: Hume, Spinoza, and Leibniz

00:06:31 Newtonians, Voluntarism, and Laws of Nature

00:07:34 Do Miracles Violate Physics? Observations from the Christian East

00:08:21 Angelic Interventions in Iconography, Hymnody, and Scripture

00:10:30 The Mount Athos Miracle: Restoration, Not Violation

00:12:35 The Incarnation and the Healing of Human Nature

00:15:39 Four Types of Non-Restorative Miracles Explained

00:16:30 1. Multiplication: Bread from Bread

00:17:36 2. Acceleration: Jonah's Plant and Mount Athos Yeast

00:18:51 3. Creation Obeying Its Creator: Fig Trees and Rocks Opening

00:20:11 4. Metamorphosis & the Plasticity of Matter

00:21:26 Three Patristic Terms: Sign, Power (Dunamis), and Wonder

00:22:40 Essence vs. Energies in the Church Fathers

00:24:21 Synergy: The Fire and Iron Analogy

00:28:00 Angels and Saints as Conduits of Divine Power

00:29:19 Connecting Signs, Wonders, and Divine Energy

00:32:55 Minor Miracles: Why You See Miracles Every Day

00:35:28 Conclusion

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our

book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

​Resurrection Makes No Sense without Deification: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

The Essential Doctrine the West Lost: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=i_XIBd5lpsoYhTCj

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: /thenathaniacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/Nathan.JacobsPod

Facebook: /nathanandrewjacobs

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Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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Is God imperceptible, accessible only through a blind leap of faith or complex logical inferences?In this episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs challenges the modern presumption that God is beyond human perception, demonstrating how we encounter the divine moment by moment. Drawing from Eastern Orthodox metaphysics and the teachings of the Eastern Church Fathers, Nathan outlines five distinct ways that humans perceive uncreated divine energies in daily life—from mathematics and morality to the experience of beauty and the holy.======================================Timestamps00:00 Is God Imperceptible?00:50 East-West Lecture Series Announcement02:07 The "What is Math?" Lesson04:20 The Case for Perceiving God Daily05:35 Architecture of Reality: Created vs. Uncreated06:13 Divine Ideas: From Philo to Augustine07:36 Matter and Form Explained09:06 Images, Archetypes, and Plato12:04 Essence vs. Energies of God16:10 Way 1: Mathematical and Logical Truths20:05 Way 2: Mind, Perception, and Transcendent Measures22:52 Way 3: Natural Law and Moral Perception25:00 Way 4: The Transcendental (Goodness, Beauty, Truth)28:53 Way 5: The Idea of the Numinous and Holy32:24 Conclusion: Why You've Been Seeing God All Along======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to written essays, exclusive lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:The Essential Doctrine the West Lost: On the Divine Energiers: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=TG--NK1ax2zWeenZAll the links:The Theological Letters Substack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

Why does the Eastern Orthodox Church give the Virgin Mary titles like Theotokos, Ever-Virgin, and Panagia?While these titles can often sound surprising—or even troubling—to Protestant and Western ears, they carry profound theological weight. In this episode, Dr. Nathan Jacobs breaks down how the Eastern Church Fathers understood Mariology not as an afterthought, but as a direct mirror of Christology. From Nestorius’s original controversy at the Council of Ephesus to Ezekiel’s prophecy of the closed eastern gate, Nathan demonstrates how every major Orthodox title for Mary points squarely back to the person, nature, and victory of Jesus Christ.Rather than viewing Mary through the judicial lens of Western theology, this episode explores a therapeutic vision of salvation—one where Christ enters human death to heal our nature and raise us back to life.======================================Timestamps00:00 Introduction00:00:48 Announcement: The East-West Series Pre-Sale00:01:49 What Does Theotokos Mean?00:02:32 Why Mariology Is Christology00:03:33 The Nestorian Controversy and the Council of Ephesus00:04:18 Nestorius’s Metaphysics: Two Natures, Two Persons?00:06:21 Cyril of Alexandria’s Biblical Defense00:08:35 What Is the Ever-Virgin Doctrine?00:09:54 Addressing Objections: "Until" and Jesus’s "Brothers"00:12:43 Who Was James, the Brother of Jesus?00:13:09 The Early Christian Tradition of St. Joseph00:16:38 Polycarp, the Apostle John, and Sacred Tradition00:17:26 Ezekiel 44 and the Closed Eastern Gate00:19:10 Panagia: Is Mary Sinless?00:19:53 Eastern Orthodoxy vs. the Roman Catholic Immaculate Conception00:22:15 Blameless Passions, Death, and the Fall00:25:31 Did Mary Need a Savior?00:27:26 Judicial vs. Therapeutic Views of Salvation00:29:53 The Dormition: Mary as the Archetype of Resurrection======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:​W​as Mary Sinless? https://youtu.be/pB2zmkgXanE​ ​Resurrection Makes No Sense without Deification: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2kAll links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/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 understood time and eternity, and why his own philosophical commitment to realism leads him to reject macroevolution while remaining open to an ancient cosmos. They also discuss the philosophical assumptions built into early empirical science, the limits of scientific naturalism, and how an embryonic view of creation offers a compelling alternative model.======================================Timestamps00:00 Announcements & East-West Series Pre-Sale Deadline

03:39 Trailer: The East-West Series04:47 Time, Eternity, and the Eastern Church Fathers

09:05 God’s Essence vs. Divine Energies

11:27 Hermeneutics: Is the Genesis Text Deceptive?

15:04 The Philosophical Assumptions Behind Early Science

19:48 Reinterpreting Scientific Data Through Realism

22:23 The God of the Gaps and Confirmation Bias in Science

24:34 Finding a Middle Ground Between Scientism and Fundamentalism

31:15 Re-examining Death, Corruption, and Plants in Genesis

42:30 Privation vs. Negation: Are Animals Naturally Immortal?

52:03 Can Animals Attain Immortality Through Humanity?

55:12 The Fall of Angels as a Cause of Pre-Human Corruption

01:03:05 The Eschaton Transcends the Beginning: Eden vs. The Resurrection

01:05:23 A Realist Critique of Macroevolution

01:13:05 Why Scientific Induction Requires Philosophical Realism

01:21:53 An Alternative Model: The Cosmos as an Unfolding Organism======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:Does Science Contradict Genesis? https://youtu.be/dK5wfxtlgMM?si=Fl25IA5LmoQ_wHa7All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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, envy,​ intellectual passions, and the possibility of God's pedagogical withdrawal.Along the way, Nathan discusses the nine orders of angels, competing patristic explanations for Satan's rebellion, why some Fathers connect his fall to​ the creation of humanity, and what angelic freedom can teach us about our own relationship with God.======================================Timestamps00:00 How Could an Angel Fall?00:47 What Is an Angel?02:09 Angels as Created Beings03:21 Free Will and Self-Determination04:23 Angels as Ministering Spirits05:10 How Angels Mediate God's Energies07:18 How Creatures Participate in God08:39 The Hierarchy of Angels09:06 The Nine Orders of Angels10:23 What Does the Fall of Angels Mean?13:13 How Could Angels Reject God?15:50 Five Factors Behind the Fall16:38 Not All Angels Experience God Equally17:32 The Intellectual Passions18:33 Pride, Envy, and Satan's Rebellion19:38 Did Satan Fall Because of Humanity?21:15 How Satan Led Other Angels into Rebellion22:39 Divine Hiddenness and Free Will24:56 Do Angels Leave God's Presence?25:17 Why God May Withdraw His Presence26:58 How the Angels May Have Been Tested27:26 Final Thoughts======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:C​an the Devil be Saved? https://youtu.be/1nIJhti5hqw​ ​​Is Rational Unbelief in God Possible? https://youtu.be/J7uP9uFNThY​Is Non-Resistant Unebelief in God Possible? https://youtu.be/9B1G44hywd0​Is God Truly Hidden: https://youtu.be/R4Y0JBZtrRMAll links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 draw from their shared philosophical training and the rich history of the early Church—including the Eastern Church Fathers like St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Irenaeus. They explore how theology categorizes dogma versus theologoumena (theological opinion), how the Alexandrian school of allegorical reading functioned, and whether ancient authors like St. Paul accepted the science of their era without making it a test of orthodoxy.Timestamps00:00 Introduction & Framing the Debate 03:08 Evolution, Creation, and the Modern Online Polemics 05:18 Personal Backgrounds: Hugh Ross, Genesis, and Modern Science 10:25 The High Demand: Does Faith Require Rejecting All Science? 14:15 Moving Beyond the False Dichotomy (Young Earth vs. Evolution) 18:00 The Dogmatism of Secular Science vs. Unyielding Fundamentalism 21:50 Dogma, Heresy, and Theologoumenon (Theological Opinion) 27:18 Protestant Fundamentalist Assumptions in Modern Creationism34:38 Philosophy of Creation: Divine Omnipotence and Divine Deception 42:33 Did Physics and Biology Function Differently Before the Fall? 48:48 Alvin Plantinga, Modal Logic, and Disarming Polemical Objections01:00:18 Substantive Consensus vs. Ancient Scientific Views in the Fathers 01:15:24 Storytelling, Inerrancy, and How the Bible Approached History 01:31:08 The Alexandrian School, Genesis Oddities, and the "Eighth Day"======================================Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/======================================Relevant Links:Do the Church Fathers Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/4BugOwStHqg​Why I Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/IBwZBDlu8CAGod's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastX: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobsAcademia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobsListen and please review the podcast elsewhere:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 goodness, and the mystery of damnation.

Rather than offering a simplistic answer, this discussion challenges many common assumptions​ about God's knowledge of the future and reveals a​ profoundly hopeful vision of God's unwavering love for every person He creates.

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Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

01:48 A Letter to Agatha

02:39 The Common Assumption About Damnation

04:20 The Eastern Church Fathers' Answer

05:10 Why We Exist

07:03 God's Knowledge and Creation

08:51 Why God Doesn't "Choose the Saved"

09:27 Why Not Simply Avoid Creating the Damned?

11:04 God Always Chooses the Good

12:08 Outcomes vs. Goodness

14:44 King Saul and Divine Justice

16:26 The "Future Hitler" Thought Experiment

18:11 Free Will and God's Omnipotence

19:27 Can God Make a Square Circle?

21:55 Abraham and Isaac

24:20 Damnation Is the Creature's Choice

25:20 Christ's Victory Over Hades

27:18 A Prison Without Bars

29:01 Hope for Universal Salvation?

30:30 St. Sophrony's Final Reflection

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Relevant Links:

God's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg ​

From Heretic to Orthodox: https://youtu.be/cWcVOvEu7dM​

On Apokatastasis and Universal Salvation: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

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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.

Rather than focusing on speculation, this conversation examines how the Fathers reasoned through the question and why their answers consistently​ point back to the infinite love of God.

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Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

00:00:50 Theology vs. Theological Opinion

00:01:32 Five Views on the Devil's Salvation

00:03:04 Why Most Fathers Say No

00:03:19 St. Paisios and Praying for the Devil

00:04:37 St. Ammonios on God's Will

00:06:21 St. John Chrysostom and the Unpardonable Sin

00:07:21 St. Maximus the Confessor

00:08:54 St. Symeon the New Theologian

00:10:19 Why John of Damascus Says It's Impossible

00:11:23 Death as Mercy

00:16:46 Why Angels Cannot Be "Remade"

00:19:53 Can the Devil Be Saved?

00:20:18 Pseudo-Dionysius on Corruption

00:22:55 Origen and Universal Salvation

00:26:51 Gregory of Nyssa and St. Isaac the Syrian

00:28:26 The Five Positions Summarized

00:30:25 What the Fathers Agree On

00:31:09 God's Providence and Love

00:35:29 The Common Thread

00:36:13 A Final Story from St. Sophronius

======================================

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Relevant Links:

​God's Omnipotence Explained: Can God Really Do Anything? https://youtu.be/qEYzy1Wbjcg​

On Apokatastasis and Universal Salvation​: https://open.substack.com/pub/nathanajacobs/p/on-apokatastasis-and-universal-salvation?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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:/ @thenathanjacobspodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUt...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/MUSIC'Keep Climbing' by The SoundingsTIMESTAMPS00:00:00 Trailer00:01:29 House of David00:17:28 What Makes a Good Story?00:31:28 The Writing Process00:46:18 The Role of Storytelling in Theology00:57:16 Storytelling Approaches to the Problem of Evil01:12:11 Quick-Fire Questions01:12:28 What are Ghosts?01:15:42 What does Nathan Like/Dislike About Protestantism?01:23:04 What are UFOs?01:31:43 What is Remote Viewing and is it Dangerous?01:42:30 Keeping Up With Nathan's Work-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright Disclaimer: under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, allowance is made for 'exceptions to copyright' such as...

• Criticism, review, quotation and news reporting
• Caricature, parody or pastiche

I believe that the use of content in this video/thumbnail is fair use. If any content owners would like to dispute this, I will be glad to immediately remove the content in question. I do not wish to infringe on anyone's content ownership.

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 Church Fathers. Along the way, I respond to common objections, clarify my views on Young Earth Creationism, and explain why these conversations matter for Orthodox theology.

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Timestamps

00:00 Introduction

00:00:53 Two Questions About Evolution

00:01:58 Why I Reject Evolution

00:02:40 Realism vs. Nominalism

00:05:01 Essential vs. Accidental Properties

00:06:31 The Problem with Evolutionary Change

00:12:20 Why Nominalism Undermines Science

00:16:14 The Church Fathers and Realism

00:19:11 "According to Their Kind"

00:20:55 Responding to Common Objections

00:22:18 Old Earth vs. Young Earth

00:27:06 The Consensus of the Fathers

00:31:48 What Kind of Consensus Matters?

00:36:01 Theology vs. Science

00:42:15 The Orthodox Mind and Philosophy

00:45:14 What the Fathers Actually Handed Down

00:47:20 Can You Be Orthodox and Young Earth?

00:49:08 Responding to More Objections

00:57:12 Is Young Earth Creationism Possible?

01:00:03 The Real Danger

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

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======================================

Relevant Links:​

Do the Church Fathers Reject Evolution: https://youtu.be/4BugOwStHqg​

The Most Important Question: https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4

The Truth About Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday: https://youtu.be/0wCnpitmfZg

Misunderstanding Mystery: https://youtu.be/VlWiYFfHTeY

The True Christian Philosophy | The Metaphysics of the Ecumenical Councils: https://youtu.be/sFWp2QQzUFA

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 foundationalism, and the crucial distinction between realism and nominalism. Along the way, he argues that every act of perception, reasoning, language, and scientific inquiry already presupposes realism, making it impossible to consistently live or argue as a nominalist.

If you've ever wondered whether we can genuinely know reality—or what our ability to reason tells us about the nature of the world—this discussion offers a compelling introduction to some of philosophy's deepest questions.

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Timestamps

00:00 — A Debate About Objective Morality

06:24 — Why Our Faculties Matter

09:21 — Properly Functioning Faculties

09:48 — Hard vs Moderate Foundationalism

10:19 — Descartes and Radical Doubt

13:09 — Why Skepticism Cannot Be Lived

14:24 — Trusting Our Faculties

16:26 — The Most Important Question in Philosophy

17:26 — Realism vs Nominalism

19:14 — Why Perception Depends on Realism

20:34 — Why Logic Depends on Realism

22:17 — Why Everyone Lives Like a Realist

23:14 — Realism and Providence

24:07 — Morality, the Numinous, and Human Experience

25:52 — Every Argument Presupposes Realism

26:56 — Living Consistently With Your Worldview

======================================

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Thomas Thorogood Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNu3mGq6HhU

The Most Important Question: https://youtu.be/nVmPIMg4St4

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 Cappadocian Fathers, andthe broader Orthodox tradition reshaped his understanding of God, salvation, deification, and the Christian life.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Encountering the Eastern Church Fathers

04:20 A Different Vision of God

08:20 A Christianity Unlike Anything I’d Known

09:21 Discovering the Theology of the Fathers

14:42 Deification and the Divine Energies

18:09 Eastern and Western Christianity Compared

23:28 Tracing the Orthodox Tradition

25:21 My First Visit to an Orthodox Church

26:18 The Beauty of Divine Liturgy

30:08 Wrestling with My Final Questions

31:04 Entering the Orthodox Church

32:12 The East and West Series

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and ourbook club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/cWcVOvEu7dM?si=U4Y8eOXsEB9q5DAh

Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ?si=8OOfJZxFUu3-CRDb

All links:The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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/@thenathanjacobspodcast?si=eeVQhaVEBEtu0Voc

•

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

•

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

•

Substack (The Theological Letters): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

•

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

Connect with Thomas Thorogood (The Stir and Fry Podcast):

•

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCleEvOcQVTb5y2CeIixj0Gg/videos⁠

•

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thorogood.thomas⁠

•

Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThomasThorogood⁠

Copyright Disclaimer: under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, allowance is made for 'exceptions to copyright' such as criticism, review, quotation, news reporting, caricature, parody, or pastiche.

I believe that the use of content in this video/thumbnail is fair use. If any content owners would like to dispute this, I will be glad to immediately remove the content in question. I do not wish to infringe on anyone's content ownership.

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 of reality led to the Orthodox Church. Along the way, Nathan reflects on his spiritual awakening, his study of philosophy and theology, his encounter with the Church Fathers, and the profound impact of experiencing the Divine Liturgy for the first time.

If you’re exploring Orthodoxy, interested in philosophy, or wondering why so many scholars and thinkers are finding their way to the ancient Christian faith, this conversation is for you.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Turning East and My Story

01:33 Growing Up Lutheran

07:56 A Spiritual Awakening

17:17 Studying Philosophy and Christianity

27:42 Discovering Process Philosophy

45:09 Encountering the Eastern Church Fathers

01:16:45 My First Orthodox Church Experience

01:23:15 Entering the Orthodox Church

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

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======================================

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 Christianity actually requires Christians to reject it.

Drawing from figures such as St. John of Damascus, St. Irenaeus, St. Basil the Great, and other early Christian writers, Nathan explores what the Fathers believed about creation, corruption, the Fall, the image of God, and the purpose of humanity.

If you’ve ever wondered whether evolution and Orthodox Christianity must be in conflict, this discussion offers a historical and theological perspective that is often missing from the conversation.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Why Evolution and Christianity Are Seen as Opposed

01:19 The Two Biggest Objections to Evolution

04:09 Why the Eastern Church Fathers Matter

05:41 What “Death” Really Means

10:41 Was Death Present Before the Fall?

13:28 Are Animals Naturally Mortal?

22:15 Did Animal Death Exist Before Adam?

27:14 The Age of the Earth

31:13 Are the Days of Genesis Literal?

37:15 What the Church Fathers Actually Believed

40:57 Final Thoughts

======================================

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Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:

Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ

Ressurection Episode: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

Do All Dogs Go to Heaven? https://youtu.be/HlAk0Jm8xd4?si=BwTMvHqJ5ye3PXmK

Why Do Christians Worship on Sunday? https://youtu.be/0wCnpitmfZg?si=7UUKhaIMZK1YSQHF

Substack on Evolution

Part 1: https://theologicalletters.com/p/an-eastern-perspective-on-the-creation

Part 2: https://theologicalletters.com/p/an-eastern-perspective-on-the-creation-fd5

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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 Christianity.

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

Support the East West Series: http://theeastwestseries.com/

======================================

Relevant Links:Essence-Energies Episode: https://youtu.be/lO1rAzvK3lQ

Ressurection Episode: https://youtu.be/Pwgm-7d2O2k

Articles on John of Damascus:

https://www.academia.edu/41586795/John_of_Damascus

https://www.academia.edu/41586562/John_of_Damascus_and_His_Defense_of_Icons

Letter on Early Christianity and Icons: https://theologicalletters.com/p/were-the-earliest-christians-iconoclasts?utm_source=publication-search

All links:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast

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.

======================================

Do you like this content? Join Jacobs Premium to get exclusive access to essays, lecture series, monthly Q&A Zoom calls, and our book club. Use code: LEWIS to get a discount: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/

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======================================

Dr. Nathan Jacobs & The Nathan Jacobs Podcast:

The Theological Letters (Substack): https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/

Instagram: / thenathanjacobspodcast

X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPod

Facebook: / nathanandrewjacobs

Academia: https://cabasilasinstitute.academia.edu/NathanJacobs

Dr. Chris Firestone & The Firestone Files:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirestoneFiles

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-firestone-files/id1837011306

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TheFirestoneFiles

X (Twitter): https://x.com/FirestoneFiles

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefirestonefiles

Listen and please review the podcast elsewhere:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QS

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcast