logo
episode-header-image
Jul 8
50m 56s

Is Christianity Good for the World?

Bart Ehrman
About this episode

Has Christianity been a net positive or negative for humanity? If you wander into an online debate between an atheist and a Christian apologist, you may hear an enthusiastic discussion on just this topic, with the Christian arguing that Jesus’ teachings led to the development of charity, hospitals, and orphanages - among other things. Are claims like that correct? Today, Dr. Bart Ehrman and I continue our discussion on the influence of Jesus’ ethical teachings on the Western world, diving into just that question.

Up next
Aug 19
Why are the Gospels so Late?
The first gospel recording Jesus life wasn’t written until approximately 30 years after his death. Dr. Bart Ehrman is here to tell us why it took so long for pen to be put to paper, and how this impacts their use as historical documents. 
39m 20s
Aug 12
Are the Gospels Filled with Fiction?
If the accounts of Jesus’ life found in the four gospels contain contradictions, how can we know what the historical Jesus actually said and did? Dr. Bart Ehrman explains how scholars sort historical truth from theological fiction! 
39m 25s
Aug 5
What's the Point of John's Gospel?
As an historian, I’m pretty much always interested in ancient writing. Give me a document written a few thousand years ago, and I’ll be entertained for hours. My guest today is similarly minded, except his passion for the Gospel of John has sustained him for the last decade. Toda ... Show More
36m 48s
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
WOF 439: Is Christianity Useful to the West?
Is Christianity a useful religion to the West? Atheist Richard Dawkins recently claimed that, while still an atheist, he considers himself a “cultural Christian” because of Christianity’s utility in supporting Western cultural and political values, which he laments are under atta ... Show More
30m 24s
Apr 2024
The Case for Christian Case Making
In this Cold-Case Christianity video broadcast / podcast, J. Warner makes a case for an evidential, reasoned, case-making form of Christian belief. Using the New Testament gospels and letters as a guide, Jim articulates the foundation for a reasonable faith in Jesus and our commo ... Show More
27m 59s
May 2024
Christianity as a Strange Religion? (with Nijay Gupta)
What made the first Christians so different from their surrounding culture?  How did their worship differ from the way the average Roman citizen viewed the gods?  Why did the early church view themselves as a family and why is that so significant?  We’ll discuss these questions a ... Show More
29m 55s
Mar 2025
"Church Hurt" & The Misrepresentation of Jesus Christ
Welcome to another episode of Heavenly Ever After. “Jesus had church hurt too.” Today’s episode is a touchy subject for a lot of people and is one of the leading causes of people leaving or walking away from Christianity. We are talking all about “church hurt” and how the world m ... Show More
43m 56s
Oct 2024
Why Are You A Christian?
In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Podcast, J. Warner asks an important question: If you’re a Christian, why is this the case? How we answer this question is critically important given the growing hostile nature of our culture related to classical Christianity. J. Warn ... Show More
27m 59s
Jul 2024
Is Jesus a Copycat Savior?
In this Cold-Case Christianity podcast, J. Warner re-examines an atheist objection related to the historicity of Jesus. Is Jesus merely a copycat of prior mythologies like Mithras, Osiris or Horus? How can we, as Christians, respond to such claims? Jim provides a five point respo ... Show More
27m 32s
Jul 4
The Inside Out Kingdom
Christianity is utterly different from religion. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says there are two paths—one that leads to life and one that leads to destruction. And here’s what the scary thing is: both ways have people praying, giving to the poor, obeying God’s la ... Show More
42m 13s
Dec 2023
Is the Christian Faith Forensically Verifiable?
Can the Christian worldview answer objections? Is it evidentially verifiable? Can we make a case? In this episode of the podcast, J. Warner talks with Bill Arnold about the strength of our position as Christians. 
50m 39s
Aug 2024
Are all religions HISTORICALLY verifiable? 📜 Christian vs. Muslim ⚡️
Welcome to today's Unbelievable Debate, recorded live at St Michael’s Aylesbury, where two distinguished scholars, Robert Scott and Muhammad Yasir Al-Hanafi, engage in a thought-provoking debate on the historical verifiability, truth, and societal contributions of their respectiv ... Show More
45m 42s