#44 - Christian Apologist: Morality, Meaning, and the Case for God | Joshua Spatha

Jeffrey van Leeuwen Podcast

Joshua Spatha majored in anthropology with a minor in Old Testament studies and has served in full-time missions since 2006, primarily across the Middle East and Asia. An ordained minister and disciple‑maker with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Joshua blends frontline ministry with academic insight, as he prepares for long-term ministry in Central Asia.

In our conversation, you'll hear how Western culture’s reliance on materialism and humanism has fueled a deep meaning crisis, and why happiness alone no longer sustains us. Joshua shares compelling analogies to illustrate how adopting a self‑centered framework inevitably leads to emptiness and incoherence. He challenges the question, “What’s in it for me?” as the wrong foundation.

This episode is not just about morality: it’s about how reason and spiritual depth intertwine, why faith isn’t a blind leap, and how a rational embrace of the supernatural reclaims meaning.

Thank you for listening.

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OUTLINE:

00:00 Introduction

01:44 The Modern Meaning Crisis

07:48 Enlightenment’s Impact on Faith

11:23 From Religion to Self-Focus

14:55 Science, Truth & Worldviews

20:02 Personal Meaning vs Objective Reality

31:45 Christianity’s Case for Human Flourishing

36:49 Secular Morality Under the Microscope

44:42 Chaos, Materialism & Ethics

01:07:16 Implicit Spirituality & Cognitive Dissonance

01:16:29 The Universal Conscience

01:19:29 Free Will and Belief Change

01:53:39 Miracles: Chance or Design?

02:22:05 Practicing and Testing Faith

02:32:47 Final Thoughts & Outro

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This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.