How Social Media and Screens Have Hijacked Our Hearts and Minds: Doug SmithTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-09-22 | How Social Media and Screens Have Hijacked Our Hearts and Minds: Doug SmithIs Artificial Intelligence Good, Bad, or Neutral? Nick SkytlandTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-03-09 | Nick Skytland is Vice President of Gloo Developer and AI Research, leading initiatives to shape open, values-aligned AI that supports human flourishing. Before joining Gloo, he spent over two decades at NASA as Chief Technologist, advancing early-stage technologies and building some of the largest open innovation communities in history. He is also co-author of What Comes Next? Shaping the Future in an Ever-Changing World.What It’s Like to Be a Christian with Gender DysphoriaTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-03-05 | Remington Rathjen is my friend. Remi experiences gender dysphoria, same sex attraction, and a passion for Jesus Christ. Remi shares his story of church hurt, spiritual abuse, sexual abuse, and many other things that could push a person far away from Jesus, but has only driven Remi closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Spiritual warfare, angelic beings, and The BibleTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-03-04 | Watch the full episode with Dr. Joel Muddamalle here: youtu.be/QoaLGSFjgVsSpiritual Warfare, Divine Beings, and the Victory of Christ: Dr. Joel MuddamalleTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-03-02 | For our Extra Inning conversation on the Nephilim, join my Patreon Community! patreon.com/theologyintheraw
Dr. Joel Muddamalle (PhD) is the director of theology and research at Proverbs 31 Ministries with Lysa TerKeurst and the theologian in residence for Haven Place Ministries. Joel serves on the preaching team at Transformation Church with Pastor Derwin Gray and is the author of several books including the recently released The Unseen Battle: Spiritual Warfare, The Three Rebellions, and Christ’s Victory Over Dark Powers. Listen to the "extra innings" portion of this episode, where Joel and I talk about the Nephilim, by joining our TITR community at Patreon.com/theologyintheraw. Yes, spiritual beings really did have sex with women and produce giants. It’s all right there in the Bible.Polarization, Tribalism, and how to Disagree without Demonizing: Dr. Tim MuehlhoffTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-26 | Join the Theology in the Raw community to get access to our "extra innings" raw conversation on the pronoun debate. patreon.com/theologyintheraw
Dr. Tim Muehlhoff (Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is a Professor of Communication at Biola University and the Senior Director of Biola’s Winsome Conviction Academy that seeks to reintroduce compassion and civility into our disagreements. He’s the co-host of the Winsome Conviction Podcast where people with differing viewpoints are brought on for engaging dialogue and has written extensively in the area of cultural engagement and conflict including I Beg to Differ, Winsome Persuasion, Winsome Conviction, and his newest book (co-written with Sean McDowell) is End the Stalemate: Move Past Cancel Culture to Meaningful Conversations.
Learn more about the Winsome Conviction Academy: https://www.biola.edu/winsome-convictionWhat did the early Christians believe about hell? You might be surprised...Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-24 | This clip is part of a debate between Chris Date @Theopologetics and Dr. Paul Copan hosted on Theology in the Raw. Watch the full episode here: youtube.com/watch?v=3vzjSev4le4&t=2sDebating Hell: Annihilation or Eternal Conscious Torment? Dr. Paul Copan and Chris DateTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-23 | Get your ticket for the Exiles Conference in Minneapolis! April 28-May 2! theologyintheraw.com/exiles26
In the last few months, there’s been fresh conversation about hell—sparked in part by Kirk Cameron's seeming endorsement of annihilationism. Of course, this sparked a flood of Twitter threads, and YouTube reactions about the nature of hell.
But this isn’t a new debate.
Christians have wrestled with the nature of hell for centuries. While eternal conscious torment has been the dominant view in the Western church, annihilationism (or conditional immortality) has deep historical roots as well. And proponents on both sides take Scripture seriously.
In this episode, I sit down with Paul Copan and Chris Date to talk through the biblical and theological case for their respective views. Paul is a philosopher and apologist at Palm Beach Atlantic University and the author of over 40 books, including Is God a Moral Monster? Chris is a theologian and the voice behind Rethinking Hell and Theopologetics, where he’s written and spoken extensively in defense of annihilationism.
If debates aren't your thing... don't worry. This one was super conversational and friendly. They disagree, but they're good friends and are confident enough in their convictions that they don't feel the need to attack or strawman each other.Jesus: Friend of Sinners. Reflections for Lent with Elyse FitzpatrickTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-18 | Become a member of the TITR community at patreon.com/theologyintheraw to check out our "extra innings" conversation about why Christian women struggle with so much guilt.
Register for Exiles in Babylon in Minneapolis! theologyintheraw.com/exiles26 Check out my book on Women in Leadership: https://a.co/d/0dm033Kx
Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored 23 books on daily living and the Christian life, including her recently released Friend of Sinners: Lent Devotions on Following the Crucified King.An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership.Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-16 | For over 3 1/2 years, I researched what the Bible says about women in church leadership. I didn't have a conclusion when I started out. I just wanted to understand what the Bible says about the topic and sort through all the scholarly debates on all sides. I write about all of this in my new book From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership. And I sum up my book in this episode.From Addiction to Come Jesus Come: Stephen McWhirterTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-12 | Over twenty years ago, Stephen McWhirter was a meth addict and wounded preacher’s kid who had a radical encounter with Jesus. Today, he travels the world leading worship, sharing his testimony, and seeing many people come to Christ. His song “Come Jesus Come” has amassed over one hundred million views and streams across platforms. Today, Stephen is an artist and writer with Capitol Christian Music Group and Re:think Music. And is the author of the book Radically Restored: How Knowing Jesus Heals Our BrokennessTurns out the creator knew what he was doing. Watch the full convo now!Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-11 | ...ICE, Migrants, and Whats Really Going On in Minneapolis: Carl Nelson, Schelli Cronk, Dave BrickeyTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-11 | I traveled to Minneapolis to sit down with several local Christian leaders to learn what's really going on in the city. To the suprise of no one, what's really going on is far more complex than what you'll hear about in the media. And local churches have come together in beautify and powerful ways to care for those who have been traumatized by recent events. Carl Nelson is the President & Chief Executive Officer for Transform Minnesota--an awesome organization that provides space for pastors and Christian leaders to wrestle through complex issues from a biblical perspective. Schelli Cronk is the COO for Transform Minnesota, and Dave Brickey is the lead pastor of Open Door church, which hosts the Exiles in Babylon Conference.
Check out When God Seems Distant by past guest Dr. Kyle Strobel and John Coe. https://a.co/d/06T1XRBw
Dr. W. Lee Warren, MD, is a neurosurgeon, an award-winning author, an Iraq War veteran, and the host of The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast. He teaches the art of connecting neuroscience, faith, and daily practices for leading a healthier, better, and happier life. His latest book is The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life, which forms the basis of our fascinating conversation. We also explore questions surrounding gender identity among young people and why some people are unwilling to change their minds, in our extra innings portion of this episode.Resembling Jesus in the Abortion Debates: Angela WeszelyTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-05 | Register for Exiles 26 in Minneapolis! theologyintheraw.com/exiles26
Angela Weszely, Founder & CEO of “Pro Grace”—an organization that seeks to be is a trusted guide for Christians seeking to resemble Jesus in the abortion conversation. Angela is the author of the recently released book Becoming ProGrace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice.Should I pray when I dont feel like it?Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-04 | Watch the full episode with Dr. Kyle Strobel here: youtube.com/watch?v=EEFvxqS6sFs&t=5sWhen God Seems Distant with Kyle StrobelTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-02-02 | Register for the Exiles in Babylon conference! April 30-May 2 (Minneapolis, MN). theologyintheraw.com/exiles26
Kyle Strobel (Ph.D. University of Aberdeen) is a systematic theologian who teaches spiritual theology for the Biola University Talbot School of Theology Institute for Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Formation Focus programs. He’s the author of several books including his most recent book When God Seems Distant: Surprising Ways God Deepens Our Faith and Draws Us Near.Stewarding Wealth and Success as a Christian with David Green, Founder of Hobby LobbyTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-01-29 | David Green is the founder of Hobby Lobby and is a major financial supporter of Evangelical organizations in the United States and funded the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. He’s the author or co-author of several books, including the recently released The Legacy Life: Leading your family to Make a difference for Eternity, which he coauthored with Bill High. Bill was able to join us for the first several min, but then I think his internet cut out, so it ended up just being David and I talking shop.
Preorder my upcoming book on Women in leadership: https://a.co/d/bRu0N8u
Get your free resource from Voice of the Martyrs: vom.org/InTheRawnobigdyl on the theology behind Imago InterludeTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-01-26 | @nobigdyl walks Preston through his process for writing Imago Interlude. A song that makes you encounter an enemy, even if it’s nobigdyl. himself
Watch full interview here: youtube.com/watch?v=oeSePQhdEYkFaith, Fatherhood, and Collabing with Indie Tribe & Forrest Frank with nobigdyl.Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-01-26 | nobigdyl. is a Christian hip-hop phenom. He's known most for combining concept driven lyricism with eclectic production. Musically he bounces from hard-hitting to ethereal—pulling from trap, jazz, golden era hip hop, underground and beyond to create his own sound. The Dove-Award winning, President Obama Playlisted, NPR Tiny Desk Contest Fan Favorite rapper is a storyteller at heart. His lyrics are part memoir, part stream of consciousness, as he wrestles with concepts such as faith, ego, love, and loss.
Dr. Lee C. Camp is the creator and host of "No Small Endeavor", an acclaimed podcast series exploring what it means to live a good life. He is an award-winning teacher and Professor of Theology & Ethics at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Following seminary (M.Div., Abilene Christian University), Lee completed a graduate degree in Moral Theology (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame). Lee is the author of several books, including one of my favorites on political theology: Scandalous Witness.Kathie Lee Gifford on Studying the Jewish Roots of ChristianityTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-01-19 | Join my Patreon community for bonus episodes, interactive livestreams, cheap event tickets and more! patreon.com/theologyintheraw
Kathie Lee Gifford is the four-time Emmy award winning former co-host of the fourth hour of “TODAY,” alongside Hoda Kotb. Prior to NBC News, Gifford served as the co-host of “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” for 15 years. In 2015 Gifford was inducted into the Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame. She was recently awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gifford authored five NY Times bestselling books including, It’s Never Too Late…Make The Next Act of Your Life the Best Act of Your Life, The Rock, The Road and the Rabbi, and Herod and Mary: The True Story of the Tyrant King and the Mother of the Risen Savior—the first book of her trilogy. The second book in this trilogy is Nero and Paul, which is set to be released March 10, 2026.
Gifford is on Twitter and Instagram at @KathieLGifford.Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World with Laurie KriegTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2026-01-15 | Join the Theology in the Raw community to get access to our "Extra Innings" raw conversation on modesty. patreon.com/theologyintheraw
Laurie Krieg (M.A. Wheaton) is the Director of Parent Programs and Discipleship for The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender and the co-author, with her husband Matt, of the recently released book Raising Wise Kids in a Sexually Broken World: A Gospel Centered Approach (IVP).
Jay Stringer joined me in New York City to talk about dealing with unwanted sexual behavior, trauma, sexual compulsion, and…. Apple Fritters. He has an incredible way of bridging the gap between theology, counseling, and clinical research —listen now and share your thoughts in the comments!
Jay is a therapist, researcher, and author based in New York City. He’s the author of Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing (100,000+ readers), grounded in a study of nearly 4,000 adults and used by clinicians and communities worldwide. His forthcoming book, Desire: The Longings Inside Us and the New Science of How We Love, Heal, and Grow (Random House, 2026), offers a new framework for five core longings—wholeness, growth, intimacy, pleasure, and meaning—and shows how to form desire into a force that restores connection and purpose.
Ashley Lalonde is an actor, singer, dancer, and lifelong New Yorker with an incredible heart for evangelism. She's toured with Hamilton, sang at Carnegie Hall, and somehow has found extra time to serve as a research fellow at the Barna Group.
In this episode, Ashley shares what it’s like to follow Jesus in the Broadway world and how she approaches conversations about faith in some of the most diverse and influential cultural spaces in the country. Drawing from both her personal experiences in NYC and her research with Barna, we talk about evangelism, listening without judgement, being a peaceful presence, and more.
This is our first in-person episode from my trip to NYC. Jonathan Merritt joined me to talk about his journey from his conservative Southern Baptist upbringing, to what he now describes as post-evangelicalism. We talked about deconstruction, navigating family dynamics, and why he doesn't describe himself as an "exvangelical."
Jonathan currently serves as a Vice President and Executive Editor for Simon & Schuster, where he oversees the acquisition of books in the faith / spirituality category as well as select general market non-fiction. authored several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books. He has worked as a collaborator or ghostwriter on dozens of books, with several titles landing on The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists.2025 Year in Review with Preston SprinkleTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-31 | In this solo episode, I talk about some of the highlights over the last year of the Theology in the Raw podcast. I give a little insight into how I pick guests, and some thoughts on platforming. We get into some of the stats, and I share some of my favorite positive (and negative) reviews from the Apple podcast app.
Dr. John Anthony Dunne associate professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary and the Co-host and editor of The Two Cities podcast. John is the author of several books including his most recent book: The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine: A Biblical Theology of Alcohol, which is the topic of our conversation. What does the Bible say about alcohol? We talk about questions like: did wine have the same alcohol percentage as today? Was it diluted? What is strong drink? Is getting drunk or buzzed always condemned? How can Christians consume alcohol without abusing it? Or, should Christians simply stay away from alcohol?Celebrating Christmas as an Act of Defiance: Dr. Munther IsaacTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-23 | Dr. Munther Isaac is a Palestinian pastor, theologian, author, and activist. He has an MA from Westminster Theological Seminary and a PhD from the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. Munther is the pastor of Hope Evangelical Church in Ramallah, Palestine, and the Director of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice. Munther is also the author of several books including the recently released: Christ in the Rubble: Faith, the Bible, and the Genocide in Gaza.
Music in this episode: * Rejoice! by Evan Wickham. From Christmas Music Vol. 2 * O Holy Night by Evan Wickham. From Christmas Music Vol. 2
Dr. Bruce Fisk (PhD Duke) is Professor of New Testament, Westmont College (retired); Senior Research Fellow, Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East. Dr. Ross Wagner (PhD Duke) Associate Professor of New Testament, Duke Divinity School. Ross and Bruce are co-editors of the recently released, Being Christian After the Desolation of Gaza (Cascade, 2025).Gender, Animals, & Disability: A Deep Dive on the Theology of Genesis 1-3 with Dr. Brian Brock,Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-18 | This was a fun one!
Dr. Brian Brock has written a deeply thoughtful theology of creation, which set the foundation for our conversation. As you'll see, we ended up going down several unexpected paths and honestly got me thinking through things I've never considered before.
We talked about what it means to image God, the role gender plays in human creation, and the theological distinctions between humans and animals. Yes, we even wrestled with the question of whether my dog Tank will be with me in heaven.Toward the end of the conversation, we also touched on Dr. Brock’s significant work in the theology of disability,Are baptism and communion more than symbols?Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-15 | ...Do We Really Need Church? Baptism, Communion, and the Point of Christian Rituals. Dr. Issac SerranoTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-15 | Baptism, Communion, Corporate Worship and Singing.... do these ancient rituals matter today? Do I need to physically go to church for this stuff, or can I just go pray at a park? What's the point of these rituals if we're saved by faith and not by works?
Dr. Isaac Serrano serves as Lead Pastor of South Valley Community Church in CA. He also is an adjunct professor at Western Seminary and on the leadership team for the Regeneration Project. He’s also the author of the recently released book published by InterVarsity Press, called: “When Life Feels Empty: 7 Ancient Practices to Cultivate Meaning” (InterVarsity).
Dr. Josh Packard (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is a sociologist and cofounder of Future of Faith, which helps faith leaders expand and sustain relational ministries in today's rapidly evolving cultural landscape. He is the author of several books, including Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are Done with Church but Not Their Faith and his most recent book: Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations, which is the topic of our conversation.Christian persecution in NigeriaTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-10 | Watch the full interview here youtu.be/rP3NHHAryOo?si=31mgNHa6cRwunwccChristian Persecution in NigeriaTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-10 | Watch the full interview with Todd Nettleton here: youtube.com/watch?v=rP3NHHAryOo
Todd Nettleton is the Vice President of Message for The Voice of the Martyrs–USA and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He serves as a voice for persecuted Christians, inspiring Christians with the faithfulness of Christ’s followers in 70+ nations where they face persecution for wearing His name. During more than 25 years serving at VOM, Todd has traveled the world and conducted face-to-face interviews with hundreds of Christians who’ve endured persecution in more than 30 nations. Check out his book When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians (Moody 2021). http://vom.org/InTheRawZohran Mamdani wins New York, and will Gavin Newsom run for President?Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-06 | Watch the full episode here: youtube.com/watch?v=aNh0VZqy0i0&t=6sThe Truth of Scripture in a World of Lies: Tara-Leigh CobbleTheology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-05 | Watch the full interview with Tara-Leigh here: youtube.com/watch?v=mLLqRsf79kQ
Tara-Leigh Cobble is a bestselling author and the creator/host of The Bible Recap podcast, which reached #1 in Apple’s Overall Charts and has 500 million downloads to date. She founded D-Group International, a network of nearly 500 weekly Bible study groups that meet in homes, churches, and online, and she hosts a daily radio show called The God Shot. And she recently released the 365 Day Chronological Study Bible, which I highly recommend.Is Charlie Kirk a Christian Martyr?Theology in the Raw with Preston Sprinkle2025-12-03 | Watch the full conversation: youtu.be/Bxjuiu-WmIQ?si=Vul02-UL04o4f_e2