How Christianity Became The Air We All Breathe, with Glen Scrivener (Ep 92)

So many principles that most people consider universal are actually the result of the Christian worldview.

December 19, 2024

by Karl Vaters

The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus changed everything. Not just for eternity, but for the world here and now.

According to Glen Scrivener, the author of The Air We Breathe, How We All Came to Believe In Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality (my pick for the best nonfiction book I read in 2024), most of what we now consider to be self-evident human values were not so evident or common before Jesus.

In this conversation, Glen and I talk about:

Why the connection of Christianity to principles like kindness, mercy, and caring for the poor goes unnoticed by most people, Christians and non-Christians alike
Why it’s important to regain this understanding
What the values of the world looked like before the cross upended everything
How a clear understanding of the first three chapters of Genesis is the foundation for all of it

Links from this Episode

Bonus Content

How Good Theology Became the Basis for Good Science, with Glen Scrivener

Good theology and good science are good friends. In this short conversation with Glen Scrivener, I ask him about the three legs upon which this reality sits. These three principles become clear when we have a better understanding of the first three chapters of the Bible:

Taking human fallibility into account
The freedom of God
That humans can understand God’s ways

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Credits

Producer: Veronica Beaver

Editor: Phil Vaters

Music: Composed and performed by Jack Wilkins

Logo: by Solomon Joy

Correspondence

Author

Karl Vaters

Karl Vaters produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context. He has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience.
You can follow Karl on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn, or Contact Karl to inquire about speaking, writing, and consultation.

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