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260. Radically Personal: A New Philosophy of God — Life Seeking Understanding
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What if theology is not a set of inherited doctrines, but life seeking understanding?
Learn more in Jerry’s latest book, Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age, and subscribe for weekly episodes that explore God, spiritual experience, and the ongoing journey of the soul.
In this second installment of Radically Personal, philosopher Dr. Jerry L. Martin explores what he calls Theology Without Walls — a seeker-centered approach that begins with direct experience rather than boundaries set by any single tradition.
Jerry reflects on the challenge of religious exclusivism, the belief that only one religion is true while others must be rejected, engaging the influential argument by Christian philosopher Alvin Plantinga. Plantinga contends that simple logic requires believers to view other religions as false. Jerry examines this claim carefully, suggesting that many spiritual teachings once assumed to be contradictory may, in fact, illuminate different aspects of divine reality. Truth may not be limited to one place or one people.
The conversation considers how spiritual knowledge grows. Just as scientific understanding expands by taking in new insights rather than discarding what came before, religious understanding can deepen when seekers remain open to what God may disclose beyond familiar walls. Jerry proposes a different epistemic strategy — one grounded in conviction but accompanied by humility — acknowledging that human beings are limited, that divine mystery exceeds our concepts, and that God may be revealing truth in multiple traditions across the world.
This episode is a call to be rooted, open, curious, and responsive — to seek a relationship with the Divine that is radically personal.
Other Series:
The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:
The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.
From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.
Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.
Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.
What’s Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.
What’s On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.
What’s On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue.
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Chapters
1. 260. Radically Personal: A New Philosophy of God — Life Seeking Understanding (00:00:00)
2. Introduction to God: An Autobiography, The Podcast (00:00:17)
3. Introduction to Radically Personal: Life Seeking Understanding (00:01:18)
4. Conservation of Truth: How Science and Faith Expand Understanding and the Case Against Exclusivism (00:03:17)
5. Do Other Religions Actually Contradict Christianity? (00:05:07)
6. One God, Many Names: Torah, Islam, Hinduism, and the Tao (00:07:18)
7. Two Epistemic Strategies: Exclusive vs. Open Approaches to Truth (00:10:17)
8. A Richer Harvest of Spiritual Truth (00:13:42)
9. Faithfulness, Transformation, and the Divine Summons (00:15:03)
10. Outro and Contact: Stay Connected (00:18:20)
260 episodes
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