In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I interview Dr. Glenn Peoples in part 2 of our discussion concerning Christian physicalism, challenging him with a number of biblical passages which seem to contradict his position. This second interview spanned 2 hours, so I’ve split it up into two parts, this being the first. See episode 16 for the second part.
Music
- Sam & Dave, Soul Man, from the This is Sam & Dave album, 2009 (orig. 1967)
- Survivor, Eye of the Tiger, from the Survivor: Greatest Hits album, 1993 (orig. 1982)
Promoted Resources
- Unbelievable?, with Justin Brierley.
- Available on Premier Christian Radio in the United Kingdom, Saturdays 2:30-4:00pm.
- Also available in the Unbelievable? podcast (new episodes posted shortly after they air).
- Say Hello to my Little Friend, aka the Beretta Cast, with Glenn Peoples.
- Date Power!, my competitive powerlifting blog
- Physicalism resources
- Christian physicalists
- Books: the Book Depository offers free postage worldwide, and buy purchasing books via these links you will help Glenn Peoples out at no extra cost via his affiliate account with the Book Depository
- Whatever Happened to the Soul? Scientific and Theological Portraits of Human Nature
- What About the Soul?: Neuroscience and Christian Anthropology
- In Search Of The Soul: Perspectives Of The Mind-body Problem
- Did My Neurons Make Me Do It?: Philosophical and Neurobiological Perspectives on Moral Responsibility and Free Will
- Body, Soul, and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible
- “The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting,” in Reason for the Hope Within
Terminology
- Occasionalism: a philosophical theory about causation which says that created substances cannot be efficient causes of events. Instead, all events are taken to be caused directly by God himself.
Biblical References
- Resurrection the only way to survive death
- 1 Corinthians 15:30-32
- 1 Corinthians 15:18 – Physicalists do not believe the dead have “perished”
- 1 Corinthians 15:19 – “Hope in this life” refers not to when hope is felt, but that in which hope is placed
- “With all your soul”
- “Soul and spirit”
- Mediums and “familiar spirits”
- Appearances of the dead
- “Body and spirit”
- “Receive my spirit”
- “My soul is troubled”
- “Restores my soul”
- “God of the living”
- “Has eternal life”
- “Souls” in Revelation
I’m not sure if it was this episode or the following one, but the point was raised along the lines of “well, if I don’t have an immortal soul, how am I recreated as ‘me’ at the resurrection?”
The answer seems simple enough … To put it crudely, God stores our genetic code when we die, and to paraphrase John Polkinghorne: at the resurrection God downloads our software onto the new hardware!
I’ve always been a physicalist (though I did not know that is what it was called), but never made the connection until recently that the immaterial information that is stored in our DNA might define the totality of who we are and that this is what is “with the Lord” at our death. Not some disembodied spirit, but the real “me” that defines what I look like, as well as (I suspect) my motivations, weaknesses, tendencies, etc. The latter still has not been proven scientifically and we need to tread carefully up the slippery slope that would excuse behavior based on our genetics, but it seems like what we have learned in the last 50 years or so about genetics makes for some interesting Biblical insight.
-Tim
G’day Chris!
This was a fantastic set of interviews with Glenn. I’m glad you put these challenges to him. I think as a result I can embrace physicalism a little more and ready to start a debate on it! (That’s how I learn!)
I had some trouble downloading this particular file and after finally downloading it, it died about 5 minutes before the end. Not sure if other people have had similar experiences – but just letting you know. (I use iCatcher).
Cheers
Roy