The Sean McDowell Show
by The Sean McDowell Show
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What Scholars Found in Early Qur’an Manuscripts May Surprise You
Oct 16, 2026
1h 15m 53s
The 9 Blind Leaps of Atheism (Thaddeus Williams)
Oct 13, 2026
1h 15m 20s
The Case for Sola Scriptura You Probably Haven't Heard (Michael Kruger)
Oct 10, 2026
50m 57s
The Approach That’s Leading Muslims to Christ
Oct 10, 2026
1h 10m 50s
Prisoners Ask Me About God, Suffering, and Forgiveness
Oct 6, 2026
34m 22s
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- 🇮🇳India · Christianity#76752 to 4.7K
- 🇯🇵Japan · Christianity#94274 to 1.7K
- 🇦🇺Australia · Christianity#146176 to 1.1K
- 🇲🇾MY · Christianity#43164 to 1.0K
- 🇲🇽Mexico · Christianity#154158 to 986
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1.6K to 10K🎙 Daily cadence·294 episodes·Last published 2d ago - Monthly Reach
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5.4K to 34K🇺🇸71%🇮🇳13%🇯🇵5%+4 more - Active Followers
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2.1K to 13K
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/16/26 | What Scholars Found in Early Qur’an Manuscripts May Surprise You | CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 15m 53s | ||||||
| 10/13/26 | The 9 Blind Leaps of Atheism (Thaddeus Williams) | CHECK OUT: The Sean McDowell Collection (manuscriptshop.com/seanmcdowell) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: X: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 15m 20s | ||||||
| 10/10/26 | The Case for Sola Scriptura You Probably Haven't Heard (Michael Kruger) | Can we actually get back to what the apostles wrote? That question sits underneath every other question about the New Testament. Before you ask whether the story is true, you have to ask whether you have the story at all. Dr. Michael Kruger came to Biola to walk me through it. His own interest started in a crisis, sitting at nineteen in an intro to New Testament class at UNC Chapel Hill taught by a young Bart Ehrman. CHECK OUT: The Sean McDowell Collection (manuscriptshop.com/seanmcdowell) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: X: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 50m 57s | ||||||
| 10/10/26 | The Approach That’s Leading Muslims to Christ | Belle Liu is 21, she stepped into full-time ministry this year, and she has two mission statements: raise a biblically literate generation, and make Muslims Christian. I first heard about her this summer then Scottie asked if I knew her. What struck both of us watching her street conversations wasn’t the arguments, it was that you can tell she actually loves the person in front of her. Her testimony is remarkable and she tells it herself here. CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 10m 50s | ||||||
| 10/6/26 | Prisoners Ask Me About God, Suffering, and Forgiveness | I was recently given the opportunity to check out a Prison in Texas with the help of Prison Fellowship. We had them ask me some great questions some of which really surprised me. On Tuesday, we'll be releasing the full tour and you don't want to miss it. Be a part Prison Fellowship’s mission to encounter Jesus with those impacted by incarceration. Donate now and transform lives: https://prisonfellowship.org/SCRestore Learn more about Prison Fellowship: http://bit.ly/2S2OyG4 CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 34m 22s | ||||||
| 10/6/26 | We Have Early New Testament Manscripts...Here's What They Reveal | Can we actually get back to what the apostles wrote? That question sits underneath every other question about the New Testament. Before you ask whether the story is true, you have to ask whether you have the story at all. Dr. Michael Kruger came to Biola to walk me through it. His own interest started in a crisis, sitting at nineteen in an intro to New Testament class at UNC Chapel Hill taught by a young Bart Ehrman. CHECK OUT: The Sean McDowell Collection (manuscriptshop.com/seanmcdowell) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: X: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 02m 13s | ||||||
| 10/6/26 | What the Bible REALLY Says about Animals in Heaven | Will our pets be in heaven? Do animals have souls? Will there be hunting, fishing, and meat eating on the new earth? Might some animals talk? Randy Alcorn wrote the book that shaped how a lot of us picture the afterlife, and he says the question people ask him most isn't about streets of gold or what our resurrection bodies will be like. It's about animals. His new book is All God's Creatures: What the Bible Says About Animals, Heaven, and the New Earth, and he came down to Talbot to talk it through with me. READ: All God’s Creatures: What the Bible Says About Animals, Heaven, and the New Earth by Randy Alcorn (https://a.co/d/0cA2sDJ2) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org 0:00 Intro 1:08 Why he wrote a book about animals 2:25 What do you mean by "heaven"? 5:55 Isaiah 11 and animals at peace 7:42 Christoplatonism and a misconception of the afterlife 12:30 Does God care about animals? 16:44 Animals in the life of Jesus 18:31 The longest monologue in the Bible 23:11 Do animals have souls? 28:10 Romans 8 and a groaning creation 29:43 Restoration of all things 31:17 Will our pets be on the new earth? 37:40 Might animals talk? 41:43 Oceans and sea creatures 48:52 Why does God allow animals to suffer? 50:51 Hunting, fishing, and meat eating 54:30 What surprised him most Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 59m 19s | ||||||
| 10/2/26 | What Frank Turek Has Learned in 3 Decades of Ministry | In this conversation with Sean and Scottie McDowell, Frank walks through his own path to faith, including the Sunday morning in 1985 when a pastor answered his exact objection minutes after he slipped into the back of a church. He explains why he finds the evidence for God more compelling than the evidence for the resurrection, why embarrassing testimony persuades him more than manuscript counts, and how he'd answer someone who calls Christians hypocrites. CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 06m 26s | ||||||
| 9/29/26 | 5 Ancient Manuscripts That Confirm the New Testament’s Reliability | Dr. Dan Wallace has spent decades photographing and cataloging Greek New Testament manuscripts. After all of it, he says he has more confidence in the reliable transmission of the text than ever. We walk through five of the most important early manuscripts and what each one tells us. CHECK OUT: The Sean McDowell Collection (manuscriptshop.com/seanmcdowell) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Timestamps 0:00 — How AI is changing textual criticism 1:16 — Why he got into this work 3:55 — AI, indexing, and paleographic dating 8:31 — P52: the credit-card fragment 9:32 — F.C. Baur and ninety years of German scholarship 11:04 — Why Christians popularized the codex 13:02 — How Roberts dated it 16:19 — P66 19:22 — P75 and Codex Vaticanus 22:19 — Why the earliest titles say "According to John" 23:55 — On the claim that Constantine invented the deity of Christ 27:08 — P46 and Paul's letters 29:47 — The creed in 1 Corinthians 15 31:20 — The 500 witnesses 32:33 — P45 and the Western Order 35:15 — P72 and 1 Peter 3:15 37:07 — Six more early manuscripts 38:55 — The "first-century Mark" fragment, and what he got wrong 40:34 — A syncretistic text with Matthew and Thomas 42:50 — The hardest variant for a doctrine of preservation 45:00 — His most significant discoveries 48:51 — "The hand that wrote this is rotting in the grave" Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 51m 44s | ||||||
| 9/25/26 | Why a Devout Muslim Abandoned Islam and Risked His Life to Follow Jesus | Danny Burmawi grew up in Jordan, where 98% of the population shares one sect of Islam and you rarely meet anyone outside it. In this conversation he explains what he thinks Westerners consistently get wrong about Islam: that it's a set of beliefs you adopt rather than an identity you're born into, which is why leaving it registers as betrayal rather than disagreement. CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org 0:00 — Why Islam isn't what Westerners assume 1:23 — Growing up in Jordan 2:56 — His grandmother, and the uncle who was baptized 5:16 — What the Danish cartoons changed for him 7:46 — Why Islam functions as an identity, not a choice 10:54 — A fear-based religion 16:38 — Why most Muslims are "non-Muslim Muslims" 18:26 — The rules that never end 21:06 — "Ask any Muslim where they're going after they die" 22:33 — Becoming devout at eighteen 24:10 — The night nothing had changed 26:59 — The friend who planted doubts 30:41 — The doctrine he still struggles with 35:57 — Telling his family 37:37 — Why he had to leave Jordan 40:34 — His arguments against Islam 47:14 — Responding to Muslim apologists on Jesus 50:37 — The weaponization of Christ 54:38 — How Christians should engage Muslims 58:40 — His book and his organization Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 04m 29s | ||||||
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| 9/22/26 | Why Charity Is Our Best Apologetics Today | Kristy Graham | In this episode, Dr. Sean McDowell interviews Kristy Graham from Samaritan's Purse to explore how practical charity, disaster relief, and caring for the suffering serve as powerful apologetics for the Christian faith. From earthquake relief in Venezuela to Ebola clinics in the DRC, discover how meeting tangible physical needs opens doors for the gospel message. Learn why sacrificial love for the poor remains one of the most compelling defenses of Christianity today. CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 38m 29s | ||||||
| 9/18/26 | The Book of Enoch Explained: Nephilim, Demons & Genesis 6 | The Book of Enoch has exploded online, and the claims run in both directions: some say it unlocks the Bible's biggest mysteries, others say it can't be trusted at all. Dr. Joel Muddamalle this time talks about First Enoch specifically. Why has it captured so much attention, what kind of literature is it, and how much interpretive weight should it carry? READ: The Unseen Battle, by Joel Muddamalle: (https://amzn.to/4xyQnM9) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Timestamps 0:00 — Why has the Book of Enoch exploded online? 5:02 — What is First Enoch, and what kind of literature is it? 9:14 — When was it written, and by whom? 11:34 — What "pseudepigraphical" actually means 14:03 — Who was the biblical Enoch? 16:24 — How the Qumran community treated it 22:14 — A viewer challenges the method 24:48 — What Joel thinks First Enoch is actually doing 28:28 — The main readings of Genesis 6 31:07 — Why he holds the supernatural view 33:12 — Spiritual beings who eat, walk, and are seen 38:04 — What Jude and 2 Peter are doing 40:11 — The early church fathers on Enoch 42:19 — Not canonical — but not worthless 54:34 — Why quoting something isn't endorsing it 1:02:02 — Should Christians read it? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 07m 18s | ||||||
| 9/16/26 | Where Demons Actually Come From, According to Heiser | Most of what Christians picture when they hear "angel" came from medieval art and Vacation Bible School, not from the biblical text. Dr. Joel Muddamalle worked alongside Michael Heiser at Logos Bible Software and became a friend and protégé. In this conversation he walks through what Heiser argued about the unseen realm, where he thinks Heiser pushed the church in the right direction, and where he'd refine him. READ: The Unseen Battle, by Joel Muddamalle: (https://amzn.to/4xyQnM9) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org 0:00 — Intro 2:35 — Working with Michael Heiser 4:34 — The traditional picture, and where it came from 9:54 — Cherubim, seraphim, archangels, sons of God 14:06 — "Angel" as a job description 15:05 — The divine council and the hasatan 19:07 — Where Heiser was right, and where Joel would refine him 29:50 — The traditional picture of demons 31:55 — Deuteronomy 32 and the gods of the nations 39:38 — Genesis 6 and the Nephilim 45:22 — Why "unclean spirits" meant something specific 48:26 — The three rebellions 52:42 — Azazel and the scapegoat 1:00:06 — Jesus in the wilderness 1:04:51 — Where Satan fits 1:13:24 — The angel of the Lord as pre-incarnate Christ 1:16:14 — What this changes for the church Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 21m 50s | ||||||
| 9/11/26 | The "Lost" Gospels Are Back. What Do They Really Say About Jesus? | Bart Ehrman posed it as a hypothetical question: What if the canon had ended up containing the Gospels of Peter, Thomas, and Mary instead of Matthew, Mark, and Luke? I put that question to Dr. Greg Lanier, who has just written a GREAT BOOK on the Apocryphal Gospels. His answer is that the scenario has no historical basis, and that if you actually had only those three, you'd have no coherent story of Jesus at all. Dr. Lanier's argument throughout is that the Apocryphal writings are downstream of the canonical Gospels, not competitors with them. CHECK OUT: Greg's channel: https://youtube.com/@GregLanier-d5r CHECK OUT: Consider Supporting the Ministry! (https://seanmcdowell.org/give) READ: Apocryphal Gospels: Separating the Real Jesus from Fan Fiction (https://amzn.to/4qqO3nM) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org Timestamps 0:00 — Do these writings threaten the historical Jesus? 0:51 — Responding to Ehrman's what-if 3:36 — Why write a book on fake gospels? 6:42 — What "apocryphal" actually means 11:08 — Sayings, fragments, and full compositions 16:57 — Peter, Mary, Thomas, and Judas 22:28 — How much history is in them? 27:04 — Why scholars now say they're downstream 31:11 — From the Jesus Seminar to the Da Vinci Code 33:33 — The Jesus Wife fragment 41:56 — Bad apologetics on both sides 44:05 — The Infancy Gospel of Thomas 52:15 — The Protoevangelium of James 57:16 — Your nativity scene isn't in Matthew or Luke 1:00:07 — How the apocryphal gospels argue for the four 1:07:19 — What the church fathers actually said 1:12:04 — Why he does this work Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 17m 31s | ||||||
| 9/8/26 | principlesfaith+4 | — | BIOLA | — | principlesDaniel+5 | Logos Bible | 31m 31s | ||
| 9/4/26 | archaeologytabernacle+4 | Scott Stripling | Sean McDowell | ShilohMiddle East | tabernacleexcavation+6 | Logos Bible | 46m 10s | ||
| 9/1/26 | resurrectionhistorical evidence+3 | Gary Habermas | BIOLAseanmcdowell.org+1 | — | resurrectionGary Habermas+5 | Logos Bible | 55m 04s | ||
| 8/28/26 | Book of MormonGospels+4 | Dr. Rob Bowman | Jesus' Resurrection and Joseph's Visions | — | Book of MormonGospels+5 | Logos Bible | 1h 28m 09s | ||
| 8/26/26 | MormonismLDS beliefs+3 | Aaron ShafovaloffBrandi Bronson | Mormonism Research Ministry | — | MormonismLDS+6 | Logos Bible | 1h 08m 45s | ||
| 8/21/26 | Asking a Mormon Leader My Hardest Questions | I got a tour inside the San Diego Latter-day Saint temple and now I'm following up with an interview with Neal Walton who is a stake president in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Diego. Apparently, I was the first Christian apologist who'd ever shown up with a film crew and asked for an interview. We worked through the differences plainly. The Trinity. Whether God the Father has a physical body. Baptism for the dead. Faith and works. Exaltation versus salvation. Whether Jesus is the uncreated, eternal God. Neither of us pretended those are small, and neither of us tried to win. READ: End the Stalemate, by Sean McDowell (https://amzn.to/4eLrUdM) CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) CHECK OUT: Full Mormon Temple Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfgyW-s5KTE&t=1065s *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org 0:00 — What a stake president actually does 0:47 — "Has an apologist ever shown up before?" 1:20 — No pay, no degree, no formal training 2:05 — The morning I went to seminary at 5 a.m. 2:48 — Losing a four-year-old daughter 3:14 — "If your God is good, why would he allow this?" 4:40 — Did it make you doubt? 5:21 — The verse that settled him 6:26 — Do you have doubts now? 7:51 — What am I missing out on? 9:03 — Temples, service, and interfaith work 10:28 — Pushing back on "one big happy family" 11:01 — "Go straight to the source" 12:04 — Seven questions to gauge whether you love truth 12:21 — I read it. I prayed. I wasn't settled. 12:57 — "So what's my next step?" 14:44 — My dad's story 16:13 — "Son, love truth" 16:44 — Is there evidence behind the Book of Mormon? 17:12 — Questions versus doubts 19:16 — What a Sunday sermon looks like 21:26 — How he defines faith 22:36 — The biggest misconceptions 23:26 — Three distinct beings 25:13 — Where we actually differ 27:20 — The Trinity 28:16 — A physical body, baptism for the dead, faith and works 29:02 — Exaltation, and whether Jesus is uncreated 29:30 — His response 32:36 — Temple recommends and the celestial kingdom 32:54 — "There's order in God's house" 34:38 — He turns the question on me 35:50 — Why I actually came 36:19 — "I don't find it true or compelling — and I think I get it" Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 42m 01s | ||||||
| 8/20/26 | moralityethics+4 | Scott Rae | — | — | moralityethics+6 | Logos Bible | 44m 08s | ||
| 8/14/26 | sufferingdoubt+4 | J.P. Moreland | — | — | sufferingdoubt+5 | Logos Bible | 1h 06m 33s | ||
| 8/11/26 | problem of evilsuffering+4 | — | — | — | Acts 12Peter+5 | Logos Bible | 36m 40s | ||
| 8/10/26 | Bible studyChristian education+3 | — | BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE programlifeaudio.com | — | Bible studyChristianity+3 | Logos BibleMcDowell | 39m 36s | ||
| 7/24/26 | Does Evil Actually Prove God Exists? | Christian vs. Atheist Dialogue | "If God is good, why is there pain and suffering?". Today, we have a video of atheist professor Paul Rinzler and I to discuss evil. This is our return to the Cal Poly Veritas Forum for a second year this time on the hardest question in apologetics. Not a debate to be won. A real conversation between two people who disagree deeply and like each other anyway. CHECK OUT:Paul Rinzler - Professor Emeritus at Cal Poly State University https://music.calpoly.edu/faculty/rinzler/index.html WATCH: Are Miracles Real? A Christian & Atheist Explore (Veritas Forum) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cWui4CRfZc CHECK OUT: Logos Bible 60 Day Free Trial (https://logos.com/mcdowell) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [smdcertdisc] for 25% off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://x.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sean_mcdowell?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome and framing 00:28 – Sean's opening: four points on evil and suffering 08:19 – Paul's opening: the case from natural suffering 15:43 – A time you experienced pain 21:23 – Is pain part of God's plan? 22:47 – Would a "bad God" explain the world better? 24:04 – Does evil actually exist? 25:47 – Moral evil, free will, and determinism 33:46 – Does the moral project require agency? 36:23 – Making sense of randomness in natural disasters 42:25 – When suffering seems cruel and unnecessary 47:20 – Where do you find hope? 51:21 – What's more powerful: death or love? 54:01 – Advice for students in hard seasons 59:00 – What's the purpose of life for an atheist? 1:02:30 – Can objective morality exist without God? 1:04:46 – Why pursue justice if suffering is endless? 1:08:08 – The biggest doubt about your own worldview 1:10:18 – The question of hell 1:15:02 – Morality, evolution, and caring beyond your tribe 1:20:05 – How do you define love? 1:24:42 – Closing thoughts Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us. | 1h 31m 31s | ||||||
| 7/17/26 | near-death experiencesChristianity+4 | Randy Kay | Heaven Encounters: 140 Near-Death Experiences Revealing the Afterlife | — | near-death experienceheaven+5 | Logos Bible | 1h 17m 59s | ||
| 7/15/26 | Michael Heiserspiritual warfare+4 | Dr. Clint Arnold | — | — | Michael HeiserUnseen Realm+5 | Logos Bible | 1h 02m 49s | ||
| 7/7/26 | RaptureChristian eschatology+4 | Dr. Alan Hultberg | — | — | RaptureDr. Alan Hultberg+8 | Logos Bible | 54m 09s | ||
| 7/3/26 | Jesus' returneschatology+5 | John Bevere | BIOLAThe King Is Coming | — | Jesusreturn+8 | Logos Bible60 Day Free Trial | 1h 02m 15s | ||
| 6/30/26 | near-death experienceschildren+3 | Dr. Steve Miller | — | — | near-death experienceschildren+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 09m 49s | ||
| 6/26/26 | near-death experiencesbiblical objections+4 | Steve Miller | BIOLAHebrews 9:27 | — | near-death experiencesChristian objections+7 | Logos Bible60 Day Free Trial | 1h 09m 44s | ||
| 6/24/26 | Old Testament propheciesJesus as Messiah+3 | Jeff Morgan | lifeaudio.com | — | propheciesMessiah+3 | Logos Bible | 1h 25m 48s | ||
| 6/16/26 | cultural debatessexual revolution+5 | Carl Trueman | lifeaudio.comThe Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our Humanity | — | CS LewisNietzsche+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 49m 08s | ||
| 6/12/26 | Christian thoughtautobiography+3 | John Lennox | My Story | — | John LennoxCS Lewis+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 49m 15s | ||
| 6/9/26 | Michael JacksonBillie Jean+4 | La Nej | The Sean McDowell Show | — | Michael JacksonBillie Jean+5 | Biolasmdcertdisc | 1h 17m 49s | ||
| 6/5/26 | cosmologyuniverse+3 | Stephen Meyer | lifeaudio.comThe Sean McDowell Show | — | Conformal Cyclic CosmologyRoger Penrose+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 04m 20s | ||
| 6/3/26 | TrinityChristianity+3 | — | MASTERS IN APOLOGETICSSCIENCE AND RELIGION+2 | — | TrinityChristianity+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 03m 29s | ||
| 5/26/26 | miraclesprayer+4 | Dr. Josh Brown | Proving a MiracleIndiana University+1 | — | miracleneuroscience+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 06m 15s | ||
| 5/26/26 | TrinityIslam+3 | Tomas Samuel | lifeaudio.comThe Truth Unveiled: A Defense of the Trinity | — | TrinityChristianity+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 58m 53s | ||
| 5/8/26 | naturalismcosmology+4 | Dr. Stephen Meyer | lifeaudio.comlifeaudio.com/contact-us | — | naturalismcosmology+6 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 54m 43s | ||
| 5/1/26 | fine-tuningintelligent design+3 | Jay Richards | lifeaudio.com | — | fine-tuningintelligent design+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 02m 01s | ||
| 4/24/26 | fine-tuning argumentdesign+5 | Dr. Jay Richards | The Privileged PlanetThe Story of Everything | — | fine-tuninguniverse+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 09m 40s | ||
| 4/22/26 | Darwinismmolecular biology+3 | Dr. Doug Axe | CaltechCambridge+3 | — | Darwinismmolecular biology+4 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 55m 55s | ||
| 4/17/26 | Big Banguniverse origin+3 | Dr. Tim Pickavance | lifeaudio.com | — | Big Bangmetaphysics+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 00m 52s | ||
| 4/15/26 | Big Bangphilosophy of science+4 | Dr. Stephen Meyer | Fathom EntertainmentThe Story of Everything | — | Big BangGod+6 | BIOLASMDCERTDISC | 1h 12m 07s | ||
| 4/10/26 | Islamic Dilemmaquestions facing Islam+3 | David Wood | The Apologetics Roadshowlifeaudio.com | — | Islamapologetics+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 07m 11s | ||
| 4/8/26 | moralityphilosophy+3 | Bart Ehrman | lifeaudio.comLove Thy Stranger: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West+1 | — | moralityobjective+3 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 50m 42s | ||
| 4/3/26 | Middle Eastbiblical prophecy+4 | Mark Hitchcock | — | — | Middle Eastbiblical prophecy+6 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 55m 53s | ||
| 4/1/26 | existence of Goddivine hiddenness+4 | — | lifeaudio.comThe Sean McDowell Show | — | Godapologetics+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 03m 31s | ||
| 3/27/26 | moral argumentteachings of Jesus+4 | Bart Ehrman | lifeaudio.comLove Thy Stranger: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West | — | moral argumentobjective morality+6 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 03m 52s | ||
| 3/24/26 | arguments for God's existencephilosophy+4 | William Lane Craig | Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume IIb: Excursus on Natural Theology, the Trinity | — | God's existenceapologetics+5 | BIOLAsmdcertdisc | 1h 01m 38s | ||
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Chart history for The Sean McDowell Show
Peaked at #43 in MY, currently #43 in MY.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MY | — | #43 | #43 | — |
| India | — | #76 | #76 | — |
| Japan | — | #94 | #94 | — |
| Norway | — | #115 | #115 | — |
| MY | — | #135 | #135 | — |
| Australia | — | #146 | #146 | — |
| Mexico | — | #154 | #154 | — |
| New Zealand | — | #169 | #169 | — |
| CL | — | #173 | #173 | — |
Chart Positions
9 placements across 8 markets.
Chart Positions
9 placements across 8 markets.