Can imagination lead us closer to God? Can beauty, art, and even pain reveal something deeper than naturalism allows?

In this conversation with Charles Taliaferro, we explore the role of forgiveness, theological imagination, beauty, suffering, and art in pointing us toward transcendence. From the challenges of teaching about evil and forgiveness, to the limits of naturalism, to the ways literature, film, and music stir the soul, this episode shows why theology is not a dusty textbook but a living encounter with truth.

💡 Topics we cover:

Why forgiveness is both beautiful and painful

How imagination shapes faith and Scripture reading

The tension between naturalism and theism in philosophy

Iris Murdoch, consciousness, and the transcendent

The power of beauty and art (Rembrandt, Casablanca, The Beatles, Four Quartets)

Why the Gospel should always surprise us

If you’re interested in how philosophy, theology, and imagination come together to answer life’s hardest questions, this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this conversation sparks new thoughts for you.

Let us know in the comments: Which role do you think imagination plays in faith?

Is theology disappearing from the church and public life? In this conversation with Roger Olson, we explore the decline of theology in evangelical culture, the rise of anti-intellectualism, and how “feelings over doctrine” has reshaped faith communities. From the 1966 Time cover declaring “God is Dead,” to seminaries closing their doors, to personal stories of rejection for being “too theological,” Olson traces how we entered a post-theological era—and why he still can’t stop doing theology.