Lydia McGrew Answered! Black & White Thinking
June 17, 2024

Risen JesusMike Licona
In this episode, part 4 in an 8 part series, Dr. Licona demonstrates Lydia McGrew’s rigid approach that’s founded upon her presumptions pertaining to ancient historical reporting. Her black and white thinking leads to an all-or-nothing approach, exaggerated opinions, and inaccurate conclusions about how the ancients reported the past. Moreover, she often interprets those she criticizes in a manner that’s both inaccurate and uncharitable. These audio clips are taken from Dr. Licona’s YouTube channel, originally published in 2020.
More From Risen Jesus

Lydia McGrew Answered! On Plutarch
Risen Jesus
June 19, 2024
In this episode, part 5 in an 8 part series, Dr. Licona patiently deconstructs Lydia McGrew’s contrived flow chart for determining when it is safe to

Lydia McGrew Answered! More Methodological Missteps
Risen Jesus
June 21, 2024
In this episode, Dr. Licona walks us through more missteps by Lydia Mcgrew, including false dichotomies on the issues of chronological narration, and

Lydia McGrew Answered! On Gospel Differences
Risen Jesus
June 26, 2024
In this episode, part 7 in an 8 part series, Dr. Licona reviews several events in the Gospels to demonstrate how compositional devices are more plausi

Lydia McGrew Answered! On Paraphrase
Risen Jesus
June 13, 2024
In this episode, Dr. Licona gives attention to Lydia McGrew's contentions that historians in antiquity would not have employed the literary exercises

Lydia McGrew Answered! Are the Gospels Greco-Roman Biographies?
Risen Jesus
June 10, 2024
In this episode, part 2 of 8 in a series, Dr. Licona answers Lydia McGrew's contention that the Gospels are not affiliated with Greco-Roman biography.

Lydia McGrew Answered! An Introduction
Risen Jesus
June 7, 2024
In this episode, part 1 of 8 in a series, Dr. Licona describes his research on Gospel differences and introduces us to a critical assessment of his wo
More on OpenTheo

Full Preterism/Dispensationalism: Hermeneutics that Crucified Jesus
For The King
June 29, 2025
Full Preterism is heresy and many forms of Dispensationalism is as well. We hope to show why both are insufficient for understanding biblical prophecy

Is It Problematic for a DJ to Play Songs That Are Contrary to His Christian Values?
#STRask
July 10, 2025
Questions about whether it’s problematic for a DJ on a secular radio station to play songs with lyrics that are contrary to his Christian values, and

Mythos or Logos: How Should the Narratives about Jesus' Resurreciton Be Understood? Licona/Craig vs Spangenberg/Wolmarans
Risen Jesus
April 16, 2025
Dr. Mike Licona and Dr. Willian Lane Craig contend that the texts about Jesus’ resurrection were written to teach a physical, historical resurrection

Licona and Martin: A Dialogue on Jesus' Claim of Divinity
Risen Jesus
May 14, 2025
In this episode, Dr. Mike Licona and Dr. Dale Martin discuss their differing views of Jesus’ claim of divinity. Licona proposes that “it is more proba

What Are the Top Five Things to Consider Before Joining a Church?
#STRask
July 3, 2025
Questions about the top five things to consider before joining a church when coming out of the NAR movement, and thoughts regarding a church putting o

How Is Prophecy About the Messiah Recognized?
#STRask
May 19, 2025
Questions about how to recognize prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament and whether or not Paul is just making Scripture say what he wants

Nicene Orthodoxy with Blair Smith
Life and Books and Everything
April 28, 2025
Kevin welcomes his good friend—neighbor, church colleague, and seminary colleague (soon to be boss!)—Blair Smith to the podcast. As a systematic theol

Is It Wrong to Feel Satisfaction at the Thought of Some Atheists Being Humbled Before Christ?
#STRask
June 9, 2025
Questions about whether it’s wrong to feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought of some atheists being humbled before Christ when their time comes,

Is It Okay to Ask God for the Repentance of Someone Who Has Passed Away?
#STRask
April 24, 2025
Questions about asking God for the repentance of someone who has passed away, how to respond to a request to pray for a deceased person, reconciling H

The Plausibility of Jesus' Rising from the Dead Licona vs. Shapiro
Risen Jesus
April 23, 2025
In this episode of the Risen Jesus podcast, we join Dr. Licona at Ohio State University for his 2017 resurrection debate with philosopher Dr. Lawrence

Are Works the Evidence or the Energizer of Faith?
#STRask
June 30, 2025
Questions about whether faith is the evidence or the energizer of faith, and biblical support for the idea that good works are inevitable and always d

Bible Study: Choices and Character in James, Part 1
Knight & Rose Show
June 21, 2025
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose explore chapters 1 and 2 of the Book of James. They discuss the book's author, James, the brother of Jesus, and his mar

Licona vs. Fales: A Debate in 4 Parts – Part Three: The Meaning of Miracle Stories
Risen Jesus
June 11, 2025
In this episode, we hear from Dr. Evan Fales as he presents his case against the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection and responds to Dr. Licona’s writi

An Ex-Christian Disputes Jesus' Physical Resurrection: Licona vs. Barker - Part 2
Risen Jesus
July 16, 2025
In this episode , we have Dr. Mike Licona's first-ever debate. In 2003, Licona sparred with Dan Barker at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. Once a C

No One Wrote About Jesus During His Lifetime
#STRask
July 14, 2025
Questions about how to respond to the concern that no one wrote about Jesus during his lifetime, why scholars say Jesus was born in AD 5–6 rather than