Q&A#27 What Does it Mean to Call Marriage a Natural Institution?
August 5, 2018
Alastair Roberts
Today's question: "If marriage is a pre-political institution then none of the measures laid down by the state (e.g. registration, marriage certificates etc.) make a marriage legitimate in God's eyes. In which case, what does constitute a legitimate marriage in God's eyes? One answer I've been given, based on Genesis 1-2, is something along the lines of: a man and a woman who make promises to each other before God and some witnesses. What are you thoughts on this, and which passage(s) would you use to make your case?"
If you have any questions, you can leave them on my Curious Cat account: https://curiouscat.me/zugzwanged.
If you have enjoyed these videos, please tell your friends and consider supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/zugzwanged.
My new Soundcloud account is here: https://soundcloud.com/alastairadversaria. You can also listen to the audio of these episodes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/alastairs-adversaria/id1416351035?mt=2.
More From Alastair Roberts
Q&A#28 What Are the Benefits and Dangers of Bible Software?
Alastair Roberts
August 6, 2018
Today's question: "Do you use any Bible software (e.g., Logos) to support your studies? Do you have any thoughts on how they might help or hinder our
Q&A#29 How Can Peter Describe False Teachers as Having Been 'Bought' By Christ?
Alastair Roberts
August 7, 2018
Today's question: "Why does Peter say that the Lord "bought" false teachers in 2 Peter 2:1? How can Christ be said to have "purchased" or "bought" tho
Q&A#30 Is the Widow with the Two Mites a Positive Example of Sacrificial Giving
Alastair Roberts
August 8, 2018
Today's question: "The story of the widow and her two mites (Luke 21:1-4) is often used to commend sacrificial giving. However, the immediate context
Q&A#26 Does New Creation Undermine Natural Law?
Alastair Roberts
August 4, 2018
Today's question: "What implications does the promise of new creation have for Christian ethics? Specifically does new creation undermine natural law
Q&A#25 Are We Living in the Last Days?
Alastair Roberts
August 3, 2018
Today's question: "How should we understand the description of bad behavior in the "Last Days" in 2 Timothy 3? For one, isn't the list of sinfulness c
Q&A#24 How Should We Understand the People Who Fall Away in Hebrews 6?
Alastair Roberts
August 2, 2018
Today's question: "How do we properly understand what Hebrews 6 refers to as those who "fall away" and the impossibility of their redemption?"
If you
More on OpenTheo
Can You Recommend Good Books with More In-Depth Information and Ideas?
#STRask
January 22, 2026
Questions about good books on Christian apologetics, philosophy, and theology with more in-depth information and ideas, and resources to help an intel
Does God Hear the Prayers of Non-Believers?
#STRask
February 26, 2026
Questions about whether or not God hears and answers the prayers of non-believers, and thoughts about a church sign that reads (as if from God), “Just
What Is Wrong with Wokeness? With Neil Shenvi
Life and Books and Everything
January 19, 2026
In this timely interview, Kevin talks to Neil Shenvi about his new book (co-authored with Pat Sawyer), entitled “Post Woke: Asserting a Biblical Visio
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 18, 2026
Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write the gospels that bear their names? The texts themselves do not name them as the authors and were published and
What Tools of Reasoning Help You Know What’s True, Right, and Good?
#STRask
December 4, 2025
Question about what tools of reasoning help us determine whether something is true or false, right or wrong, good or bad before bringing Scripture int
When I Can’t Stop Thinking About Something, Is That God Speaking?
#STRask
December 1, 2025
Questions about whether having a recurring thought is an indication God is speaking to you, what to say to someone who says they sinned because “God t
What Do You Think About Churches Advertising on Social Media?
#STRask
January 19, 2026
Questions about whether there’s an issue with churches advertising on social media, whether it’s weird if we pray along with a YouTuber, and whether C
Prove to Me That Jesus Is Not a Created Being
#STRask
January 26, 2026
Questions about why we should think Jesus is not a created being, and what it means to say God became fully human if part of being human means not bei
How Could One Person Trust Another Person on the Topic of God?
#STRask
March 5, 2026
Questions about how one person could trust another person on the topic of God, how STR obtained information about God that others haven’t obtained, an
Is This an Argument for Relativism?
#STRask
March 16, 2026
Questions about whether the fact that the truth about one’s age changes over time is an argument for relativism, and how to ground virtues like courag
Why Does the Bible Teach You How to Be a Proper Slave Owner?
#STRask
November 13, 2025
Question about why it seems like the Bible teaches you how to be a proper slave owner rather than than saying, “Stop it. Give them freedom.”
* It s
How Should I Respond to an LGBTQ Person Who Says He Feels Good About Who He Is?
#STRask
March 2, 2026
Questions about responding to an LGBTQ person who says he feels good about who he is, and whether—since we all have sin in our life we don’t consider
Kingdom Priorities: Following the Teachings of Jesus
Knight & Rose Show
February 14, 2026
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose discuss Jesus' teachings from the Gospels, emphasizing truth, evidence, self-denial, and forgiveness. They explore pass
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
March 10, 2026
If you don’t like freewheeling conversation, laughter, and banter among friends, then this may not be the episode for you. But if you are interested i
Does God Really Need a “Pound of Flesh” to Forgive Sins?
#STRask
January 12, 2026
Questions about how to answer the challenge that God doesn’t need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive, and whether the claim in