Episode 270: Patrick Flynn with The Best Argument for God, Part II (October 18, 2023)

This week on The Open Door (October 18), panelists Jim Hanink, Mario Ramos-Reyes, and Valerie Niemeyer dig deeper into arguments for and against the existence of God. These arguments matter greatly, and we think they have a necessary place in Christian evangelization. Is Christianity true? We confess that it is! But if God doesn’t exist, then it is not. Our welcome and returning guest is Patrick Flynn. He’s the author of the new book The Best Argument for God (Sophia Institute Press, 2023). A writer, podcaster, and speaker, Flynn lives in Wisconsin with his wife, five children, and a Saint Bernard. He is the host of Philosophy for the People.

1. We’ve discussed the problem of evil. Do naturalists face what we might term “the problem of good”? How might a naturalist account for the good that people do?
2. Is there a naturalist strategy for explaining the beauty we find in human creativity? In the natural world itself?
3. Could it be that in the end one simply chooses to believe or not to believe?
4. Pope Francis recently wrote an Apostolic Letter on Blaise Pascal. The Letter makes no reference, though, to Pascal’s Wager. How would you evaluate it?
5. What is a worldview? Does everyone have a worldview? Can one change one’s world view on rational grounds?
6. How does scientism differ from science?
7. Is there only one universe? If so, does it show any signs of being “fine-tuned”?
8. What is the principle of sufficient reason?
9. How might one challenge the principle of sufficient reason?
10. Does the principle of sufficient reason support the existence of God? If so, how?