Well Read Christian

Cosmological Arguments for the Existence of God (Part 1)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 1 Sep 2022 21:00:00 +0000

A cosmological argument is any argument that uses the existence of the world to infer the existence of God. In this episode, we examine two of the three best-known and debated cosmological arguments: Aquinas’ argument from change, and Liebnitz’ argument from contingency. Aquinas sees God as the force that pushes the universe forward, allowing concrete objects to change from potential to actual. Liebnitz asks the question, “Why is there something instead of nothing?” and concludes that God must be fundamental and necessary, since the universe cannot be.

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Orwell: Reflections On 1984 (2/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

It isn't obvious what a prudent or wise reader should do with 1984. Is it a warning to be heeded? A commentary on the human spirit? Should we be frightened or inspired? Orwell offers several threads, themes and questions begging to be explored. The three most pressing are reflections on fear, the human spirit, family as a bulwark against tyranny, and the coal-miner objection to capitalism. These reflections are analyzed and discussed.

Episode Notes

The featured piece is Adagio in G minor by Remo Giazotto (1910––1998). This was suggested to me for 1984 for its ominous strings, and I think it fits well.

Orwell: Introduction to 1984 (1/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

George Orwell's classic 1984 warns of totalitarian governments, a surveillance state, and the societal consequences of limiting free expression and diversity of thought. Interestingly, Orwell uses the degradation of the family as a major component to the introduction of totalitarianism, as well as assaults on individuality and objectivism about truth and the external world. This timely tome can be discouraging, but is undeniably thought-provoking and insightful for the pioneers of the 21st century.

Episode Notes

The featured piece is Adagio in G minor by Remo Giazotto (1910––1998). This was suggested to me for 1984 for its ominous strings, and I think it fits well.

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Romance... Who Needs It, or Must Have It?

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Have you ever considered your philosophy of romance? Christopher Marlowe's, "The Shepherd To His Love" captures the optimism of a romantic with beautiful poesy. And Sir Walter Raleigh has a pessimistic reply in his subsequent work, "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd." But wisdom is neither naive or pessimistic. Christianity has a profound and beautiful romance story at the heart of its message. God created human beings to reflect himself, and the love between spouses and between parents and children both reflect unique aspects of God's love. Romance is at the core of what it means to be human, and is therefore dangerous and beautiful. A Christian philosophy of romance is needed, and introduced.

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Why Christianity is Not Taken Seriously

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Christianity––or any religion for that matter––is considered nothing more than a preference and a hobby in our secular age. Religious talk seems meaningless and embarrassing. Even many Christians are hoodwinked by secularism. We must engage with the postmodern critique of Christianity, and that means a deeper appreciation for both Nietzsche and Dostoyevsky.

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Glory to the Newborn King!

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Kings and rulers may try to thwart God’s plans, but none can stop Him from fulfilling his promises. This Christmas season, give thanks for a sovereign God, who has placed you in a specific time and place in order to receive his grace and love. Eat good food, give good gifts, confess your sins in humility, and love those around you.

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Bonhoeffer: What is the Church? (2/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:00:00 +0000

The church looks like a strange thing to a secular world. For Bonhoeffer, the church is a collection of people who sincerely love Jesus and are devoted to his teachings. But as nice as that vision sounds, isn’t it a little naive? A distinction has to be made between the church as an organization and as an organism. The church within the church, which Bonhoeffer rallied against the Nazis, turns out to be a meek yet resilient people with a beautiful vision for community and life.

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Bonhoeffer: The Spy-Theologian (1/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 17:58:46 +0000

Deitrich Bonhoeffer (1906—1945) was a pastor, theologian, spy and conspirator against Hitler’s Third Reich. Bonhoeffer guarded, proclaimed and lived out the Gospel when the fate of Western Civilization hung in the balance. He was executed by the Nazis just weeks before their official surrender in WW2. Bonhoeffer understood that following Christ meant opposing evil, preaching truth, and living fearlessly––and his integrity and insight impact us today.

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The Greatest Defense of Free Speech (John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty”)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 12:00:00 +0000

John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) penned the most powerful and winsome defense of the freedom of speech, but it is not without its presuppositions. Those assumptions have eroded in our culture, which means the freedom of speech is eroding, too. Are human beings mouthpieces of power and prejudice, or is the truth a valuable common ground from which we can evaluate each other’s ideas? Mill concludes that censorship is hubris and indoctrination is cowardice.

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God Doesn’t Need You (Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light is Spent”)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +0000

John Milton (1608-1674) is second only to Shakespeare when it comes to poets in the English speaking world. But before he could write his greatest masterpiece, he lost his vision and fell blind, becoming completely unable to write. As a deeply religious man who loved God, Milton could not understand why God would strip him of his sight and rob him of his chance to pen Paradise Lost. After profound reflection, Milton showcases his vision of God and humility in the only way he knew how: with poetry. Then, he wrote Paradise Lost from behind the dark canvas of his eye lids.

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Solzhenitsyn: Most Profound Highlights of The Gulag Archipelago (3/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Solzhenitsyn emerges from the secret concentration camps sprinkled throughout Communist Russia with the same message as Viktor Frankl. Firstly, evil is a human thing, not a race, class or nationality thing. Secondly, suffering is an opportunity for both corruption and redemption. The choice is yours. These truths can be traced back to Jesus, who taught that God uses suffering to draw us closer to Himself.

Episode Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Boris Kustodiev called “Celebration Marking the Opening of the 2nd Congress of the Comintern on Uritsky Square in Petrograd on 19 June 1920.” It was painted in 1921. It is on display at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg
The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 20th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution. Plus, it is my favorite piece of all time.

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Solzhenitsyn: Are You Blinded by Groupthink? (2/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:25:46 +0000

Groupthink is when you inherit the ideas of the masses without thinking them through for yourself. Although Solzhenitsyn was a true Communist until his party betrayed and enslaved him for cheap labor, some underwent a similar fate and never changed changed their minds about Communism because they were terrified of existential exile. Solzhenitsyn discovered that humility and the ability to listen to others can keep you from Groupthink and set you on your own journey towards individuality and truth.The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Boris Kustodiev called “Celebration Marking the Opening of the 2nd Congress of the Comintern on Uritsky Square in Petrograd on 19 June 1920.” It was painted in 1921. It is on display at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Episode Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Boris Kustodiev called “Celebration Marking the Opening of the 2nd Congress of the Comintern on Uritsky Square in Petrograd on 19 June 1920.” It was painted in 1921. It is on display at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg
The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 20th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution. Plus, it is my favorite piece of all time.

Solzhenitsyn: Introduction to The Gulag Archipelago (1/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 20 May 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Aleksander Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) is one of the most important writers of the 20th century for his extensive writings which exposed the lies of the Soviet Union with courage, conviction and character. From the warfront for the motherland, to the slave labor camps, and then into exile, Solzhenitsyn absorbed the experience of an entire nation and documents the atrocities committed in the name of overthrowing class oppressors. Along the way, he learns that good and evil runs not between party lines, class, or race, but through the middle of each human heart.

Episode Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Boris Kustodiev called "Celebration Marking the Opening of the 2nd Congress of the Comintern on Uritsky Square in Petrograd on 19 June 1920." It was painted in 1921. It is on display at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg
The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 20th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution. Plus, it is my favorite piece of all time.

The Fine Tuning Argument for the Existence of God (Part 2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Against all odds, we find the universe life permitting. Why has the nature of physics and the history of the universe conspired to make life possible? What explains the fine tuning of the universe? If an explanation is necessary (and the human experience seems to suggest that it is), there are three options: Physical necessity, chance, or intelligent design.

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The Fine Tuning Argument for the Existence of God (Part 1)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Widespread myth tells us that science and religion are opposed at every corner. But the reality is that physicists and cosmologists are continually uncovering evidence which points to the existence of an intelligent mind as the designer of the universe. The fine tuning of the universe for life against all odds is making the argument from chance harder and harder to rationally justify. As the physicist Freeman Dyson said, “…it’s almost like the universe knew we were coming.”

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Aesthetics: A Christian Philosophy of Art (3/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:00:00 +0000

What is the difference between art and propaganda? What makes some painters better than others? A Christian philosophy of art is desperately needed in our ugly and twisted culture. Francis Schaeffer, the Christian thinker of the 20th century, has valuable insights on how to judge art, as well as practical advise for art appreciation and Christian artists today. In this final installment, we bring together the final pieces of a Christian philosophy of art.

Episode Notes

The featured oil on canvas is called Girl With the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). It was painted in 1665.
The featured piece is Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy (1862-1918), a French neo-classical romantic composer. This is one of my favorite pieces of all time, from one of my favorite all-time composers.

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Aesthetics: C. S. Lewis on Judging & Enjoying Art (2/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 8 Oct 2020 12:00:00 +0000

In his book An Experiment in Criticism (1961), C. S. Lewis suggests that instead of judging a book by how it was written, we should judge it on the kind of reading it inspires. If readers are deepened, continually drawn back to the work, only to find they love it more and more, then it is a good book. If not, then it is merely a book fit for entertainment, not a true piece of art. On Lewis’ view, beauty is transcendent, but art is personal. What if this philosophy was extrapolated to encompass all art? And what is Lewis’ view on the importance of art? Is art something which helps develop us, or does it merely provide a kind of escape from reality?

Episode Notes

The featured oil on canvas is called Girl With the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). It was painted in 1665.
The featured piece is Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy (1862-1918), a French neo-classical romantic composer. This is one of my favorite pieces of all time, from one of my favorite all-time composers.

Links

Visit our website: https://www.wellreadchristian.com

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Aesthetics: Art, Beauty, and the Good Life (1/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 12:00:10 +0000

If The Odyssey is so good that it is still in print after thousands of years, don’t you think it might be worth a read? If Bach is still treasured 250 years after his death, would you consider that there is something you’re missing? The question of art and beauty is not abstract and philosophical, it immediately concerns what it means to live a good life and enjoy the best possible experiences. The postmodern axiom, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, turns out to threaten your happiness! The Christian impulse, which sees beauty in the universe, grounded in the nature of God, once again matches our deepest intuitions and our critical conclusions about art, beauty and the good life.

Episode Notes

The featured oil on canvas is called Girl With the Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675). It was painted in 1665.
The featured piece is Claire De Lune by Claude Debussy (1862-1918), a French neo-classical romantic composer. This is one of my favorite pieces of all time, from one of my favorite all-time composers.

Links

Visit our website: https://www.wellreadchristian.com

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Why Christians Should Read Literature (feat. Well Read Catholic)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Catholic, Patrick Callahan) — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 12:00:08 +0000

Episode Summary

The Well Read Christian (Mark Stanley) and The Well Read Catholic (Patrick Callahan) come together to discuss Christianity, our long heritage of reading and benefiting from classic literature, church history, our favorite Great Books, and more!

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Find them on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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How to Waste Your Life (Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 12:00:08 +0000

The Death of Ivan Ilych (1886) is a famous novella (short novel) by Leo Tolstoy which penetrates our cavalier attitude about death, challenges our notion of a fulfilling life, and warns of the tragedy we may be headed towards if we do not value the proper things in life. Fortunately, it also portrays a potential solution to the vain and superficial lifestyle which often consumes us. With his signature style and psychological realism, Tolstoy’s work challenges us to consider life from its endpoint in order to live rightly before it is too late.

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Frankl: Finding Meaning In Everyday Life (2/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:00:04 +0000

Is the meaning of life something which can actually affect our daily lives, or is it an abstraction for philosophers? Viktor Frankl is convinced that a lack of meaning causes depression, addiction, aggression and boredom. He believes the key to finding meaning is realizing that life’s meaning is not a question that you ask life, it is a question that life asks you. Even the task of suffering courageously can be a means of fulfillment. Our sole and brief life offers one chance to act rightly before being forever sealed into the past. The task of being worthy of your sufferings, if that is your fate, might not be so meaningless after all.

Episode Notes

The featured watercolor is called One Spring by Karl Robert Bodek (1905–1942) and Kurt Conrad Löw (1914–1980), who survived the Gurs concentration camp. It was painted in 1941.

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Frankl: Introduction to Man’s Search For Meaning (1/2)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 2 Jul 2020 12:00:03 +0000

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) was a survivor of the holocaust as well as a psychologist, neurologist and author. As a clinician, he became convinced that human beings actually desire meaning, not pleasure or power. As a survivor, he discovered that even horrendous suffering and death are not obstacles to a meaningful life. As an author, Frankl explains that every moment of every day––regardless if it is filled with the grime of Auschwitz or the glitter of Hollywood––gives an opportunity for us to manifest our human freedom to choose whether our souls flourish or perish. The difference is always up to us, it will always be significant, and so we will always have a purpose.

Episode Notes

The featured watercolor is called One Spring by Karl Robert Bodek (1905–1942) and Kurt Conrad Löw (1914–1980), who survived the Gurs concentration camp. It was painted in 1941.

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The Holocaust and Ordinary Men

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 12:00:03 +0000

Christopher Browning took a historical and psychological survey of the grass-roots killers who perpetrated the Holocaust in Poland. What he unveils in his book “Ordinary Men” is an ugly truth about humanity: everyday people are capable of mass murder, if given the right environment. But what is the direct cause of the holocaust? Did Hitler merely unleash the fury of racism and hatred? Or do average, decent people have the capacity for unspeakable evil?

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A Christian Critique of Jordan Peterson

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 4 Jun 2020 12:00:03 +0000

Jordan Peterson has challenged and revitalized our postmodern conceptions of meaning, morality and religion. But without the metaphysics of Christianity, it is unclear how some of Peterson’s optimistic claims can be grounded. The result is that he sounds like an atheist when he talks to a Christian, but he sounds like a Christian when he talks to an atheist. Without a literal God, the Jungian psychologist is essentially an atheist with extra steps. Regardless, is Peterson ultimately a friend or a foe of traditional Christianity?

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The Presumption of Atheism

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 21 May 2020 12:00:03 +0000

From Ricky Gervais to reputable scholars, the contemporary trend for atheists is to argue for the assumption of atheism to avoid the burden of proof. But is it true that atheism doesn’t make a knowledge claim, and therefore is the rational starting point? Should we presume atheism when examining worldviews? Does atheism get a pass when shouldering the burden of proof? Does arguing for God sound a lot like arguing for Bigfoot? Definitions, details and discussion to follow.

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Upcoming Changes in 2020 and a 2019 Review!

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 2 Jan 2020 13:00:08 +0000

Happy New Year! Changes are coming to Well Read Christian in 2020, including, (1) a new episode schedule, (2) opportunities for listeners to submit questions and dialogue on the air, and (3) tax-exempt donations are now available. Also, Mark Stanley goes over his favorite moments on the podcast in a review of 2019.

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Merry Christmas from WRC! (2019 Blooper Reel)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 13:00:06 +0000

Merry Christmas from Well Read Christian! In case of emergency, Mark Stanley had prepared a blooper reel to run so that you wouldn't feel the cold emptiness of an episode-less Thursday morning. Instead, we decided a holiday was emergency enough. Please enjoy, and we will see you next week!

Dostoyevsky: The Problem of Pain, Part 2 (4/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 13:00:45 +0000

Debating an atheist about evil is one thing, but how could we respond at the bedside of a dying child in the house of a desperate family? Dostoyevsky’s own son died at three years old, and interweaved in his Magnum Opus is a profound reflection on the result of tragedy––and how to keep tragedy from unraveling everything you care about.

The featured oil on canvas is called Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (1837–1887). It was painted in 1883. I chose it because I think it perfectly depicts Grushenka: beautiful, mischevous and immoral. Grushenka is a central character in The Brothers Karamazov because she directly instigates the feud between Dimitri and Fyodor that leads to critical circumstantial evidence in Dimitri's murder trial.
The featured piece is Piano Concerto No. 1 (Op. 23) - Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), a Russian composer and contemporary of Dostoyevsky.

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Dostoyevsky: The Problem of Evil, Part 1 (3/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 13:00:27 +0000

The problem of evil is one of the most cited arguments against Christianity and the existence of God in the modern age. Dostoyevsky’s brilliance articulated a potent blistering assault on the existence of God through Ivan Karamazov, a character who is as brilliant as he is passionate. The sentiment, “God does not exist––and I hate him!” could summarize his views, and the views of many atheists. But is atheism really better equipped to deal with the cruel realities life gives us? Is a tragic optimism, or even a deep insurmountable joy despite the tears, an unjustifiable position? It seems that despite the rage against God, atheism is not an intellectually consistent nor emotionally satisfying answer to the problem of evil.

The featured oil on canvas is called Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (1837–1887). It was painted in 1883. I chose it because I think it perfectly depicts Grushenka: beautiful, mischevous and immoral. Grushenka is a central character in The Brothers Karamazov because she directly instigates the feud between Dimitri and Fyodor that leads to critical circumstantial evidence in Dimitri's murder trial.
The featured piece is Piano Concerto No. 1 (Op. 23) - Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), a Russian composer and contemporary of Dostoyevsky.

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Dostoyevsky: Does God Expect Too Much From Us? (The Grand Inquisitor) (2/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 5 Dec 2019 13:00:08 +0000

Within The Brothers Karamazov is a chapter so powerful, vivid, and shocking that it has since impacted the course of Western Civilization. The chapter, called The Grand Inquisitor, expresses Dostoyevsky’s worst fears about the human condition, and discusses how man desperately wants to give his free will to any tyrant who will give him food and existential security, regardless of whether that tyrant is the church or the state. In this fascinating chapter, The Grand Inquisitor declares that Jesus Christ has actually acted cruelly towards man for giving him free will, when he knows so many are too weak to follow Christ. Is that true? Does God expect too much from mere mortals? Are his rules, precepts and teachings simply too hard? Or are Christ’s commandments actually the gateway to a relationship with God? Perhaps even the road to virtue, even the destination of peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is about the journey rather than the destination.

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Dostoyevsky: Introduction to The Brothers Karamazov (1/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 13:00:08 +0000

The Brothers Karamazov (1880) is the pinnacle of Dostoyevsky’s literary and intellectual work. His critique of European Enlightenment ideas, including atheism, utilitarianism, socialism and utopianism, find their culmination in this profound tome. Dostoyevsky wrestles with the problem of evil, unlike in his previous major novels, and also perfects his summary of the problem of atheism: “Without God, anything is permissible.” Dostoyevsky also ventures forth into existential territory, asking and answering questions regarding the goodness of life in the face of suffering and whether free will is a gift or a curse. All of this and more in a riveting murder mystery, featuring love triangles and prison escapes, pious monks and the lowest sinners.

The featured oil on canvas is called Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (1837–1887). It was painted in 1883. I chose it because I think it perfectly depicts Grushenka: beautiful, mischievous and immoral. Grushenka is a central character in The Brothers Karamazov because she directly instigates the feud between Dimitri and Fyodor that leads to critical circumstantial evidence in Dimitri's murder trial.
The featured piece is Piano Concerto No. 1 (Op. 23) - Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), a Russian composer and contemporary of Dostoyevsky.

Links

Visit our website: https://www.wellreadchristian.com

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfGxz4OH1-hVD0fL9AWR4Xg

"Why I Am / Why I Am Not a Christian" | Mark Stanley vs Alex Delfoist (11/19/19)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 13:00:16 +0000

Debate between Mark Stanley and Alex Defoist on November 19th, 2019 on "Why I Am / Why I Am Not a Christian."

Link to the Youtube Video.

The Gospel Truth https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-DJyBJlGeHvXfUXAojqL7w

Links

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Dostoyevsky’s Unique Critique of Utopianism (Notes From Underground)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:00:12 +0000

Notes From Underground (1864) is a blistering assault on utopianism, socialism, and Marxism based on Dostoyevsky’s view of human nature. Even if a utopian society was attainable, says Dostoyevsky, we would not be satisfied by endless food, comfort and pleasure. If you satisfied every human desire, we would throw it all away just for something interesting to happen, just to give ourselves a challenge to overcome and prove that we are human beings and not lap dogs. According to Dostoyevsky, we would rather wallow in misery and self-pity than be handed everything on a silver-platter! It is our unique proclivity for destructive decisions that make us human, and we wouldn’t give that up for anything… even heaven on earth.

Links

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“All is Vanity!” Ecclesiastes & Chekhov’s The Bet

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 7 Nov 2019 13:00:18 +0000

The prolific Russian author Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) explores the key themes of vanity and the meaninglessness of existence. A young lawyer finds himself in solitary confinement after accepting a bet, and has nothing but time to read every great book written by man. Yet in the end, he realizes that everything will be swallowed by death. The only guarantee is that you will die be completely forgotten. All the pleasures, wealth and prestige you could ever have will amount to nothing. Ecclesiastes has a similar premise, but unlike Chekhov, offers two solutions designed to work in tandem: (1) Work hard and appreciate what you have, and (2) be thankful to God, and remember Him all your days.

Links

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Dostoyevsky: "Without God, Anything is Permissible." (3/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:00:09 +0000

Christian thinkers have argued for millennia that only God can give objective grounds for the transcendent moral law. Fyodor Dostoyevsky flips that equation in the face of the death of God in Russia, “Without God, anything is permissible.” That is, if God doesn’t exist, there is no such thing as an act that is off limits, immoral or evil. Dostoyevsky warned that if Russia tries to live out the European Enlightenment worldview, then society will quickly realize that a godless universe is a lawless universe.

Links

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Dostoyevsky: The Gospel and Redemption in Crime and Punishment (2/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 12:00:08 +0000

In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov lives out the logical conclusions of atheism, utilitarianism, and Nietzsche’s view of morality by murdering a useless old pawnbroker. Despite the logical justifications for his crime, Rodion realizes that moral laws are fixed in the universe, and he cannot escape his guilty conscience regardless of his rationalizations. An atheistic worldview says that sin is a construct, and Raskolnikov is a hero. But this is clearly wrong. Will Raskolnikov confess, repent, and turn to Christianity for forgiveness? Or will narcissism and ideology drive him to utter despair while his mind and his heart wreak havoc on what is left of his sanity?

Episode Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas portrait of Fyodor Dostoyevsky by Vasily Perov in 1872.
The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 19th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution after the totalitarianism which Dostoyevsky predicted would rise affected Rachmaninov personally.

Dostoyevsky: Introduction to Crime and Punishment (1/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:00:02 +0000

Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) is often regarded as one of the best novelists to ever live. He is known for his penetrating grasp of psychology, his understanding of the dark side of human nature, and his unbelievably accurate predictions of what the 20th century would hold if the socialist revolutionaries came to power. Dostoyevsky made an enormous impact on the modern worldview, contributing to 20th century realism, existentialism and literary criticism. His unsurpassed delivery of philosophical concepts in narrative form makes him a truly unique author in world history. Among his most famous works, Crime and Punishment is an excursion into the practical consequences of utilitarian ethics, an atheistic worldview and the absurdity of objective morality without a higher authority––all displayed in the form of a captivating murder mystery with engaging characters, plot twists and masterful prose.

Episode Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas portrait of Fyodor Dostoyevsky by Vasily Perov in 1872.
The featured piece is by Sergey Rachmaninov, a Russian composer of the 19th century. The piece is called Piano Concerto #2 in C Minor, Op. 18. Rachmaninov escaped Russia after the socialist revolution of 1918 and settled in the United States. It seemed fitting to select a Russian composer who fled Russia following the socialist revolution after the totalitarianism which Dostoyevsky predicted would rise affected Rachmaninov personally.

Links

Visit our website: https://www.wellreadchristian.com

Check our our blog: https://www.wellreadchristian.com/blog

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfGxz4OH1-hVD0fL9AWR4Xg

Artists, Philosophers and the Power of Narrative

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 12:00:03 +0000

A painter, a philosopher and a poet walk into a bar. The painter already knows what the poet has to say. The poet says it eloquently. Then the philosopher listens, sits down, orders a drink, and spends ten hours figuring out what they meant. This is “the Great Conversation” that Western Civilization has given us and continues to give, as thinkers and visionaries offer their ideas and propel culture forward. These thoughts are often expressed in towering works of fiction, which unveil the eyes of the individual to the world. But conversation can’t even begin without non-fiction, and the rivalry between philosophers and writers continues. Lucky for us, we get to benefit from both sides, and the dialogue is riveting.

6 Reasons You Should Be A Student of Philosophy: https://wellreadchristian.com/6-reasons-you-should-be-a-student-of-philosophy/

Why Read Classic Literature? https://wellreadchristian.com/why-read-classic-literature/

Links

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Did Christianity Make the World A Better Place?

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 3 Oct 2019 12:00:02 +0000

Is Christianity a good or bad influence on society? Did Christianity inspire science, liberty, equality, morality and charity, or was it actually an obstacle to cultural progress? The late Christopher Hitchens said that religion poisons everything. Alvin Schmidt, among others, credit Christianity with the birth and growth of diplomacy, democracy, the sovereignty of the individual, and more. In the quest for truth, goodness can be a powerful witness.

Links

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Nietzsche: Why Do People Believe in God? (3/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:00:15 +0000

Why do people believe religious ideas? Nietzsche says that belief in God is a fabricated, but simple solution to a variety of complex questions and human desires. The meaning of life, the greater good of suffering, the grounding of morality, the existence of an afterlife, the definition of justice––all of these things are constructs which depend on the belief in God. Nietzsche recognizes Christianity’s utility, but believes the time has come to cast it aside in favor of self generated values and morality. His observations and conclusions about Christianity’s function range from the individual to the nation, from mass-shooters to world leaders.

Links

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Nietzsche: Where Does Morality Come From? (2/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:00:04 +0000

Is there such a thing as right and wrong, or is morality a fabrication of social and evolutionary design? Enlightenment thinkers, such as Hobbes and Rousseau, believed that morality is a social construct. Contemporary atheist philosophers, like Paul Kurtz and Michael Ruse, are convinced that evolutionary biology is responsible for a sense of morality. Judeo-Christian thinkers throughout millennia have said that moral laws require a moral law giver. And Friedrich Nietzsche dismisses the entire conversation, arguing that all morals are illusory constraints adopted by weak willed peons.

Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Caspar David Friedrich, painted in 1818. It is titled, "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog." I selected it because it is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces from the Romantic Era––an era that was destroyed by the horrors of the 20th century. Furthermore, it seems to beautifully symbolize man as Nietzsche sees him. A lone wanderer navigating a mysterious and unknown future. The tone and color matches Nietzsche's work brilliantly.
The featured piece is by Hanz Liszt, a Hungarian composer of the 19th century and contemporary of Nietzsche. The piece, Sonata in B Minor, is one of the most influential and powerful sonatas after Beethoven's. Similarly to the chosen artwork, it, too, marks the best and last one of its kind before the death of Romanticism after World War 1.

Links
Visit our website: https://www.wellreadchristian.com
Check our our blog: https://www.wellreadchristian.com/blog
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfGxz4OH1-hVD0fL9AWR4Xg

Nietzsche: Introduction to Genealogy of Morals (1/3)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:00:03 +0000

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) is one of the most radical, untamed and influential philosophers of all time. Often categorized as an Existentialist, Nietzsche is remembered for his blistering and unapologetic denouncement of religion, especially Christianity. Nietzsche declared that “God is dead” and spent a large portion of his intellectual efforts demolishing the remnants of Christianity’s influence, including the moral framework established by two thousand years of cultural dominance. Genealogy of Morals is one of his last works, and seeks to expose the sinister roots of Christian ethics, explore the true rise of morality among humans, and predict the inevitable collapse of society into nihilism until a “Superman” will lead humanity to greater heights.

Notes

The featured painting is an oil on canvas by Caspar David Friedrich, painted in 1818. It is titled, "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog." I selected it because it is widely considered one of the greatest masterpieces from the Romantic Era––an era that was destroyed by the horrors of the 20th century. Furthermore, it seems to beautifully symbolize man as Nietzsche sees him. A lone wanderer navigating a mysterious and unknown future. The tone and color matches Nietzsche's work brilliantly.
The featured piece is by Hanz Liszt, a Hungarian composer of the 19th century and contemporary of Nietzsche. The piece, Sonata in B Minor, is one of the most influential and powerful sonatas after Beethoven's. Similarly to the chosen artwork, it, too, marks the best and last one of its kind before the death of Romanticism after World War 1.

Depression, Suicide and the Secret to Happiness

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 5 Sep 2019 18:06:13 +0000

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US, and the trends are on the rise. There seems to be a question about whether or not life is worth living that very few are talking about. On October 2nd, 2018, The Thinking Atheist published an episode titled “A Secular Perspective on Suicide,” which, in our estimation, offered little hope. But does Christianity offer a higher calling for suicidal people, or is it actually a contributing cause of their anguish? Is life worth the effort it takes to endure the pain? Is there any hope for people struggling with severe depression or suicidal ideation, or are cliches and slogans the best we can offer? Perhaps happiness is better obtained as an accidental byproduct rather than the chief end of a well lived life.

Notes

The Beauty of Christianity

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 12:00:02 +0000

John Donne’s (1572-1631) poem The Bait is a poem about the winsome appeal of Jesus Christ, his teachings, message and life. Here at Well Read Christian we take the truth of Christianity’s attractive nature to heart, and even though arguments and critical thinking are essential, there is a beauty to the Christian viewpoint that advocates sometimes forget. We would like to share with you our vision––and the poem––in this episode.

EPISODE NOTES
Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will some new pleasures prove
Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,
With silken lines, and silver hooks.

There will the river whispering run
Warm’d by thy eyes, more than the sun;
And there the ‘enamour’d fish will stay,
Begging themselves they may betray.

When thou wilt swim in that live bath,
Each fish, which every channel hath,
Will amorously to thee swim,
Gladder to catch thee, than thou him.

If thou, to be so seen, be’st loth,
By sun or moon, thou dark’nest both,
And if myself have leave to see,
I need not their light having thee.

Let others freeze with angling reeds,
And cut their legs with shells and weeds,
Or treacherously poor fish beset,
With strangling snare, or windowy net.

Let coarse bold hands from slimy nest
The bedded fish in banks out-wrest;
Or curious traitors, sleeve-silk flies,
Bewitch poor fishes’ wand’ring eyes.

For thee, thou need’st no such deceit,
For thou thyself art thine own bait:
That fish, that is not catch’d thereby,
Alas, is wiser far than I.

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Tolstoy: Free Will, History, and Human Motivation (4/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 12:00:09 +0000

Can human beings determine their own destiny, or are we the inevitable product of our environment and nature? Sam Harris is convinced that free will is an illusion. After all, if the world is just matter and motion, how could there be free will? Not everyone agrees with Harris, however, and many thinkers see free will as a self-evident axiom on which morality is based. The question of free will is one that every serious thinker must consider, and for Tolstoy, this is an essential prerequisite for the question of human motivation and therefore the cause and direction of history.

Notes

The intro music for this series is a section from a piece by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844—1908) titled The Sea and Sinbad's Ship. Rimsky-Korsakov was a contemporary of Leo Tolstoy and my favorite Russian composer of the era. I hope you enjoy the segment and the podcast.
The artwork is titled Battle of Moscow, 7th September 1812, painted in 1822 by Louis-François Lejeune.

Tolstoy: What Can Beauty Teach Us? (3/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:00:21 +0000

EPISODE SUMMARY
There are brief moments in our lives where we are thrust out of ourselves and granted to see life as exceptionally magnificent, but also too close to touch, and impossible to fathom. For some people, it is love, poetry, friendship or maybe a film which causes us to see our world as a beautiful and cohesive whole for a fleeting and mysterious moment. For Andrei, it is the sky over a battlefield, a few notes in a song, and the cold grip of death. What do these moments of profound insight and deep emotion show us about life?

EPISODE NOTES

Buy War and Peace and actually read (or listen) to it! You won't regret it.
See our full introduction to the series and more information on our website. wellreadchristian.com/tolstoys-war-and-peace
The intro music for this series is a section from a piece by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844—1908) titled The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship. Rimsky-Korsakov was a contemporary of Leo Tolstoy and my favorite Russian composer of the era. I hope you enjoy the segment and the podcast.
The artwork is titled Battle of Moscow, 7th September 1812, painted in 1822 by Louis-François Lejeune.
Episode title changed from "What Can Our Intuitions Tell Us About Reality?" to "What Can Beauty Teach Us?" on 8/20/19

Links
Visit our website: wellreadchristian.com
Check our our blog: wellreadchristian.com/blog
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Tolstoy: Can We Find The Meaning of Life? (2/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Thu, 8 Aug 2019 12:00:04 +0000

Description
Pierre Bezukhov searches for meaning in high society, sacrifice, relationships and religion, but ultimately he finds these things purposeless. Seth Andrews, host of The Thinking Atheist, says that the question of meaning is a bad question. Jordan Peterson says that personal responsibility provides an adequate foundation for meaning. St. Augustine says our hearts are restless until they find God. Leo Tolstoy says we have the whole question backwards.

References

Buy War and Peace and actually read (or listen) to it! You won't regret it.
I recommend this translation and edition.
See more information on this episode on our website. wellreadchristian.com/tolstoy-can-we-find-the-meaning-of-life
The intro music for this series is a section from a piece by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844—1908) titled The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship. Rimsky-Korsakov was a contemporary of Leo Tolstoy and my favorite Russian composer of the era. I hope you enjoy the segment and the podcast.
The artwork is titled Battle of Moscow, 7th September 1812, painted in 1822 by Louis-François Lejeune.

Links
Visit our website: wellreadchristian.com
Check our our blog: wellreadchristian.com/blog
facebook: facebook.com/wellreadchristian
twitter: twitter.com/WellReadChrist1

Tolstoy: Introduction to War and Peace (1/4)

mstanley@wellreadchristian.com (Well Read Christian) — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 20:30:38 +0000

Description
With rhetorical mastery, psychological insight and an artist’s vision of the world, the prolific Russian author Leo Tolstoy (1828—1910) takes a few narratives, a brutal war, and a modern view of history to capture all of life in his 1,200 page epic War and Peace. Tolstoy asks this pivotal question: how are decent people capable of war and slaughter? Then, Tolstoy digs deeper; what causes anyone’s behavior at all? War and Peace is Tolstoy’s answer to the question of human motivation, desire and interaction, from the scope of monarchs and peasants, soldiers and slaves, in country and city life alike. The finished product is one of the finest achievements in human civilization.
References

Buy War and Peace and actually read (or listen) to it! You won't regret it.
I recommend this translation and edition.
See our full introduction to the series and more information on our website. wellreadchristian.com/tolstoys-war-and-peace
The intro music for this series is a section from a piece by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844—1908) titled The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship. Rimsky-Korsakov was a contemporary of Leo Tolstoy and my favorite Russian composer of the era. I hope you enjoy the segment and the podcast.
The artwork is titled Battle of Moscow, 7th September 1812, painted in 1822 by Louis-François Lejeune.

Links
Visit our website: wellreadchristian.com
Check our our blog: wellreadchristian.com/blog
facebook: facebook.com/wellreadchristian
twitter: twitter.com/WellReadChrist1

Well Read Christian

Cosmological Arguments for the Existence of God (Part 1)

Orwell: Reflections On 1984 (2/2)

Orwell: Introduction to 1984 (1/2)

Romance... Who Needs It, or Must Have It?

Why Christianity is Not Taken Seriously

Glory to the Newborn King!

Bonhoeffer: What is the Church? (2/2)

Bonhoeffer: The Spy-Theologian (1/2)

The Greatest Defense of Free Speech (John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty”)

God Doesn’t Need You (Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light is Spent”)

Solzhenitsyn: Most Profound Highlights of The Gulag Archipelago (3/3)

Solzhenitsyn: Are You Blinded by Groupthink? (2/3)

Solzhenitsyn: Introduction to The Gulag Archipelago (1/3)

The Fine Tuning Argument for the Existence of God​ (Part 2)

The Fine Tuning Argument for the Existence of God (Part 1)

Aesthetics: A Christian Philosophy of Art (3/3)

Aesthetics: C. S. Lewis on Judging & Enjoying Art (2/3)

Aesthetics: Art, Beauty, and the Good Life (1/3)

Why Christians Should Read Literature (feat. Well Read Catholic)

How to Waste Your Life (Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilych)

Frankl: Finding Meaning In Everyday Life (2/2)

Frankl: Introduction to Man’s Search For Meaning (1/2)

The Holocaust and Ordinary Men

A Christian Critique of Jordan Peterson

The Presumption of Atheism

Upcoming Changes in 2020 and a 2019 Review!

Merry Christmas from WRC! (2019 Blooper Reel)

Dostoyevsky: The Problem of Pain, Part 2 (4/4)

Dostoyevsky: The Problem of Evil, Part 1 (3/4)

Dostoyevsky: Does God Expect Too Much From Us? (The Grand Inquisitor) (2/4)

Dostoyevsky: Introduction to The Brothers Karamazov (1/4)

"Why I Am / Why I Am Not a Christian" | Mark Stanley vs Alex Delfoist (11/19/19)

Dostoyevsky’s Unique Critique of Utopianism (Notes From Underground)

“All is Vanity!” Ecclesiastes & Chekhov’s The Bet

Dostoyevsky: "Without God, Anything is Permissible." (3/3)

Dostoyevsky: The Gospel and Redemption in Crime and Punishment (2/3)

Dostoyevsky: Introduction to Crime and Punishment (1/3)

Artists, Philosophers and the Power of Narrative

Did Christianity Make the World A Better Place?

Nietzsche: Why Do People Believe in God? (3/3)

Nietzsche: Where Does Morality Come From? (2/3)

Nietzsche: Introduction to Genealogy of Morals (1/3)

Depression, Suicide and the Secret to Happiness

The Beauty of Christianity

Tolstoy: Free Will, History, and Human Motivation (4/4)

Tolstoy: What Can Beauty Teach Us? (3/4)

Tolstoy: Can We Find The Meaning of Life? (2/4)

Tolstoy: Introduction to War and Peace (1/4)

The Fine Tuning Argument for the Existence of God (Part 2)