Is religion in decline or are we headed for a revival? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with America's leading political scientist Ryan Burge.

Further resources Karl Marx thought religion would disappear: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2009/jun/29/marx-religion-philosophy-opium

Durkheim thought religion would decline/disappear: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0037768614560959?icid=int.sj-abstract.citing-articles.15#:~:text=While%20Durkheim%20held%2C%20as%20did,Pickering%2C%201984:%20445).

Declining religion around the world: https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSNewsShow.jsp?ID=433#:~:text=From%202007%20to%202020%2C%20an,place%20among%20the%20American%20public. https://www.axios.com/2023/10/06/organized-religion-decline-agnostic-atheist-nonreligious

Religious populations having the most kids:https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/12/21/key-findings-from-the-global-religious-futures-project/

Religious in America have the most kids: https://ifstudies.org/blog/americas-growing-religious-secular-fertility-divide

Rise of “Nones” appears to have halted: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/us/christianity-us-religious-study-pew.html

Blesses The Pitt (TV Show) Small ChurchesThe American Religious Landscape (Book)Hacksaw Ridge (Movie) Curses

The White Lotus (TV Show)The Righteous Gemstones (TV Show)God’s Not Dead (Movie)The Front Room (Movie)

Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.comRyan Burge: graphsaboutreligion.com

Why do people beome (and stay) Christians or any religion whatsoever? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson welcome Nathan Sherrer on the show to discuss their testimonies and what they think that says about faith and belief in the world.

Links to more resources:

Reasons why people believe in God https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pursuit-peace/201712/the-psychology-religion

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-apes/201808/why-do-people-believe-in-god

Intellectuals returning to faith:

https://www.thefp.com/p/how-intellectuals-found-god-ayaan-hirsi-ali-peter-thiel-jordan-peterson

Blesses The World Ends with You (Video Game)

Mob Psycho 100 (Anime)

All Fired Up (Song)

Evidence for Chrisitanity (Book)

Mere Christianity (Book)

Blue Like Jazz (Book)

On Guard (Book)

Curses

Facing the Giants (Movie)

The Eternals (Movie)

Law of Attraction (Book)

The God Delusion (Book) Website The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com

What's The Devil really like according to the original Biblical writers who talked about him? We discuss with writer and filmmaker Jared Brock, author of the new book, "A Devil Called Lucifer". Definitions of The Devil:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Satan

https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-the-devil

Christiian views of The Devil: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/satan-and-demons/

Blesses

Dardevil (TV Show)

Alan Wake 2 (Video Game)

The Screwtape Letters (Book)

Paradise Lost (Book)

Hellboy: The Crooked Man

Michael Hudson (Economist)

Friday Night Lights (TV Show)

Curse

The Devil’s Advocate (Movie)

Hazbin Hotel (TV Show)

Woe Anyone who makes money from lending (Usery) Websites Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josepholmesstuidos.com Jared Brock: jaredbrock.com

Everyone loves Jesus. But who was Jesus? Was he just a historical figure, or was he someone you can have a relationship with today? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with beloved author John Eldredge

Americans positive view of Jesus: https://www.barna.com/research/openness-to-jesus/

Americans belief in Jesus divinity: https://www.barna.com/research/what-do-americans-believe-about-jesus-5-popular-beliefs/

Bart Ehrman on Jesus: https://ehrmanblog.org/who-was-jesus/

Personal relationship with Jesus not in Bible: https://theologyintheraw.com/is-having-a-personal-relationship-with-jesus-a-biblical-concept/#:~:text=If%20by%20%E2%80%9Cpersonal%E2%80%9D%20you%20mean,%3B%20it's%20communal%2C%20not%20individualistic.

Blesses

The Miracle Maker (Movie)

The Jesus I Never Knew (Book)

The Chosen (TV Show)

Curses

Bad Atheist Arguments (Internet)

Magdelene (Movie)

Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.com

Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com

The Holy Spirit is a really important part of Christian theology. But he's also the least understood. What's the traditional Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit? And why does that matter? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson invite author and pastor Tyler Staton to discuss. Link to more resources:

Catholic/Orthodox Split: https://www.britannica.com/event/East-West-Schism-1054 Argument for continuationism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNuEImlg3yU&t=2764s&ab_channel=GavinOrtlund

Argument for cessasionism: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/cessationist/ Blesses Disappointment with God (Book) Believe Me (Movie) Curses Holy Ghost (Movie) Noah (Movie) Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com Tyler Staton: https://www.tylerstaton.com/about

Culture wars seem to dominate life today. Should we participate in them, or abandon them? If we should engage with them, how and why? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss. Links to resources

Definition of culture war: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/culture-war

James Davison Hunter on the culture war:

https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2024/08/09/culture-wars-james-davison-hunter-politics

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/05/20/culture-war-politics-2021-democracy-analysis-489900

Blesses

Trial and Death of Socrates (Book)

The Other Two (TV Show)

Eye in the Sky (Movie)

Curses

The act of announcing to the world you’re taking a break for social media for lent

Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josepholmesstudios.com

Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Walter Hickey about what the research says on how the media we consume really does--and does not--affect us and our lives.

Time people spend with TV/Media: https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/tops-of-2023-tv/

Sesame Street improves education outcomes: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/06/sesame-street-preschool-education/396056/

History of the Hayes Code: https://www.britannica.com/art/Hays-Code Blesses Bednobs and Broomsticks (Movie) Spider-Man 2 (Movie)

You Are What You Watch (Book) Through a Screen Darkly (Book) The Truman Show (Movie) FLow (Movie) Curses Heart Eyes (Movie)

La La Land (Movie) The Show Recommended by the Algorithm

Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com Walter Hickey: https://walthickey.com/

We all love heroes. But not all heroes are created equal. What makes a hero that can stand the test of time and also make us better? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss. Resource Links

Hero definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero

Different cultural ideas of heroes: https://www.cam.ac.uk/system/files/heroes_teacher_resources_.pdf

Why Vince Gilligan thinks we need more heroes: https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/breaking-bad-creator-vince-gilligan-good-guys-walter-white-1236309604/

Blesses

Gotham Knights

Daredevil

The Incredibles

Chronicles of Narnia

Superman for All Seasons

Dune: Part Two

Curses

Captain America: Brave New World

The Boys Websites The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.world Nathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.me Joseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com