WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU?
“We know too much, and are convinced of too little. Our literature is a substitute for religion, and we are deprived of both.”
T.S. Eliot
The Bible: Closer to You Than You Think
Jump Ahead
You might not think the Bible matters to you. Maybe you see it as an outdated book, a relic of history, or just another religious text among many. But what if it’s already shaped your life in ways you’ve never considered?
The values you hold - justice, human dignity, compassion, even your sense of right and wrong - didn’t come from nowhere. They have a source. And whether you realize it or not, the Bible has already impacted you.
But what if it could do more than that? What if, beyond shaping history, it could shape you - your purpose, your relationships, your understanding of the world?
This isn’t about blind faith. It’s about seeing the undeniable influence of these sacred Writings and asking: If this book has changed the world, what could it change in you?
The Ideas That Shaped You
Have you ever stopped to wonder why you believe in the dignity of every human being? Why justice, fairness, and kindness feel so instinctive - so obvious? You might assume these values are universal, but they haven’t always been. Many of the moral principles we take for granted today didn’t simply emerge out of nowhere - they were carefully shaped over centuries by a specific worldview, one that continues to influence the way we think, act, and engage with the world.
The reality is that the air we breathe - our moral and social assumptions—has been profoundly shaped by Christianity, whether we realize it or not. Concepts like human rights, compassion for the weak, and the pursuit of justice feel foundational, but their roots tell a deeper, richer, and sometimes surprising story.
This series of episodes is an invitation to uncover that story. To see how the Christian revolution reshaped not just ancient societies but the very world you live in today. But here’s the challenge: these values do not sustain themselves automatically. They need a foundation - a worldview that nurtures and upholds them. And if we lose sight of that foundation, history suggests we may also lose the very ideals we cherish most.
So what happens when a culture drifts from its roots? What happens when the foundation cracks? Let’s take a journey into the past to understand why the present looks the way it does - and what the future might hold.
Episode 1: The Invisible Roots of Our Morality
The Values We Cherish Didn’t Come from Nowhere—What Happens If We Forget Where They Came From?
Picture a world where mercy is weakness, where the powerful rule with unchecked cruelty, and where human worth is determined solely by status, strength, or wealth. This was the ancient world before Christianity. The Roman Empire, for all its grandeur, was built on hierarchy, conquest, and the assumption that some lives mattered far more than others. Slaves were property. The sick were burdens. Women and children had little to no intrinsic worth. The very idea that every individual possesses inherent dignity was, at the time, radical—almost unthinkable.
Then, something changed.
Christianity emerged, not as just another belief system, but as a revolution in how humans understood themselves and each other. It declared that every person—slave or free, rich or poor, strong or weak - was made in the image of God and was, therefore, of infinite worth. It flipped the social order on its head. Suddenly, the sick deserved care, not abandonment. The lowly were honored, not discarded. The powerful were called to serve, not dominate.
Over centuries, these ideas embedded themselves into the very fabric of Western civilization. Laws began to reflect the intrinsic dignity of all people. The weak and the oppressed were no longer expendable. The very concepts of justice, human rights, and equality that we champion today were, in many ways, forged in the fire of Christian thought.
But not every society has embraced these principles, and history provides stark contrasts. In cultures where Christianity never took root or was later abandoned, the consequences have often been dire. The brutal caste system of pre-Christian India, where entire groups were deemed untouchable and left to suffer, stands in stark contrast to the Christian insistence on the worth of every soul. In Soviet Russia, where Christianity was forcefully eradicated, human life lost its sanctity - resulting in mass purges, forced labor camps, and a state willing to sacrifice millions for the sake of ideology. In Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, an aggressively atheistic regime sought to erase all religious influence, leading to the systematic extermination of nearly a quarter of the population. Without a belief in inherent human dignity, entire classes of people became disposable.
Even today, these differences persist. In North Korea, the state’s totalitarian grip reduces individuals to mere instruments of the regime’s will, stripping them of the personal freedoms and protections that societies influenced by Christianity consider basic rights. Meanwhile, in parts of the Middle East, strict social hierarchies and deeply ingrained tribal systems create environments where women, religious minorities, and the poor have far fewer rights than they would in societies shaped by Christian values. The idea that “all men are created equal” is not, in fact, universally accepted - it is a moral inheritance, one that must be upheld lest it be lost.
And what happens when societies that were once deeply Christian begin to abandon these beliefs? We don’t have to speculate - we can already see the effects. In some secularized Western nations, the decline of Christian influence has led to a rise in moral confusion. Without a belief in inherent human dignity, euthanasia is now increasingly framed not as an extreme last resort, but as a practical medical option - even for the depressed and disabled. In some nations, abortion is permitted up to birth, and in some cases, even after birth, revealing a chilling shift in how life is valued. Rising suicide rates, declining birth rates, and a growing sense of purposelessness in the wealthiest and most comfortable societies all point to a culture unmoored from the convictions that once gave it meaning.
So here’s the question: Are the moral values we cherish - compassion, justice, human dignity - self-sustaining? Or do they require a foundation? Because history shows that when that foundation is removed, these ideals, rather than standing firm, begin to erode. If we assume they will persist without the worldview that brought them into being, we may wake up one day to find them slipping through our fingers.
Episode 2: The Equal Worth of Every Soul
Are Human Rights Really Self-Evident? What Happens When Societies Redefine Who Deserves Dignity?
Imagine living in a world where your worth isn’t based on your humanity but on your usefulness to the state. Where justice bends to the will of the powerful, and equality is nothing more than a convenient illusion. This isn’t just ancient history - it’s the reality in societies where human rights are not grounded in something greater than political expediency.
For most of human history, people were not considered inherently equal. The great civilizations of the past - Rome, Greece, China, India - were built on rigid hierarchies. The powerful ruled, the weak served, and no law, no moral principle, no “universal right” protected those at the bottom. Slaves had no inherent dignity. Women were often seen as property. The poor existed to support the elite. The state determined a person's value, and those without power had no claim to justice.
Then, Christianity introduced a revolutionary idea: every human being is made in the image of God, endowed with unshakable dignity. This was a profound shift. It meant that human worth wasn’t assigned by rulers, societies, or governments—it was intrinsic, woven into the very fabric of creation. No king, no emperor, no system could strip it away.
This belief didn’t just stay in churches or monasteries. It reshaped laws and institutions:
In medieval Europe, it laid the groundwork for the Magna Carta (1215), which placed even kings under the law.
In the abolitionist movement, Christians like William Wilberforce and Frederick Douglass fought to end slavery, believing that no human could be owned because every person was sacred.
In the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr. rooted his vision of equality in biblical justice, calling for the law to recognize what Christianity had proclaimed for centuries: that no one is lesser in the eyes of God.
Even the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) was heavily influenced by Christian moral reasoning, affirming that rights are inherent—not gifts from the government, but something no state has the authority to take away.
But here’s the hard truth: human rights do not sustain themselves. History shows that when societies detach from the worldview that birthed these values, those same rights begin to erode.
What Happens When Societies Abandon This View?
The French Revolution (1789-1799) began with calls for “liberty, equality, fraternity,” but, severed from any higher moral order, it quickly descended into the Reign of Terror, where thousands were executed in the name of progress.
The Soviet Union (1917-1991) erased Christianity from public life and replaced the idea of divine worth with state-defined value—leading to mass purges, labor camps, and the deaths of millions.
Nazi Germany (1933-1945) redefined who counted as “fully human,” showing how quickly rights dissolve when they are conditional rather than absolute.
And it’s not just history—this is happening now.
In some Western nations, euthanasia and assisted suicide are expanding beyond the terminally ill, now being used on the depressed, disabled, and even children.
Abortion laws in some countries now permit the termination of viable infants after birth, redefining which lives are worth protecting.
Authoritarian regimes in places like Eritrea silence dissent and imprison religious minorities because, without a belief in inherent human dignity, power decides who deserves rights.
The idea that “all men are created equal” is not a universal assumption—it is a legacy, one that must be actively upheld.
So, here’s the question: If human rights were not self-evident in the past, why do we assume they will be in the future? If societies abandon the very beliefs that made universal dignity possible, how long before those rights fade away?
Episode 3: When Mercy Became Power
How Christianity Turned Compassion from Weakness into a World-Changing Force
Imagine a world where sickness is a death sentence—not because of the disease itself, but because no one will help you. A world where the poor are seen as burdens, not neighbors. A world where suffering is met not with mercy, but indifference.
This was the reality of the pre-Christian world.
In the Roman Empire, compassion was not a virtue—it was a weakness. Pity was reserved for those within one’s own family or social class, not for the poor, the sick, or the abandoned. The idea that a society had an obligation to care for its weakest members was simply unheard of. Plagues were seen as opportunities to get rid of the weak. Infants born with disabilities were often left to die. The elderly were discarded when they became a burden.
Then, Christianity changed everything.
Followers of Jesus did something unthinkable: they cared for the sick even when it cost them their lives. When plagues swept through Roman cities, Christians stayed behind, nursing the dying—including those who were not part of their faith. When the unwanted were cast aside—whether orphans, widows, or the disabled—Christians took them in, insisting that every person, regardless of status or health, was worthy of love. This was not just charity—it was a radical new way of seeing the world.
And it didn’t stop there.
Christians invented hospitals, believing that healing the sick was a sacred duty. The world’s first free hospitals, hospices, and leper colonies were Christian creations.
The church built orphanages and homes for the elderly, centuries before governments considered caring for the vulnerable a responsibility.
The concept of charity as a societal duty—not just an individual choice—was pioneered by Christianity, transforming the way civilizations thought about justice and social welfare.
But here’s the question: if these values weren’t always part of human nature, can we assume they will always be?
What Happens When a Society Forgets Why It Cares?
The idea that the weak deserve protection is not a universal assumption—it is a Christian inheritance. And in places where that inheritance has been forgotten, compassion has faded.
Post-Soviet states, having discarded Christianity, now experience some of the lowest rates of charitable giving in the world. A culture that once depended on the state for care has not retained a moral framework that sees generosity as an obligation.
In secularized Western Europe, the decline of religious belief has been accompanied by a decline in volunteerism, with fewer people giving their time and money to help others compared to when Christianity was central to society.
In nations where euthanasia is expanding, people who once would have been cared for—like the elderly, disabled, or terminally ill—are now encouraged to end their lives instead.
At the same time, modern philosophies have eroded the very foundation of compassion:
Freudian psychology reduces human behavior to impulses and self-interest, making altruism seem like an illusion.
Marxist materialism views individuals not as unique souls but as players in an economic struggle, making mercy secondary to ideology.
Neo-Darwinism sees morality as an evolutionary tool, meaning that care for the weak is not a duty, but a strategy that can be discarded when inconvenient.
So here’s the uncomfortable truth: The assumption that society will always take care of the weak is just that—an assumption. If the worldview that birthed that belief is abandoned, history shows that compassion does not persist on its own.
The question is, how much longer will it last?
Episode 4: When Kings Bowed to a Higher Throne
How Christianity Tamed Tyrants and Changed the Course of History
Imagine living in a world where the ruler is a god—his word is law, his power unquestioned. To challenge him is to invite death. He controls life, justice, and truth itself. His will is the only authority that matters.
For most of human history, this was how power worked. Pharaohs, emperors, and kings ruled with absolute authority, accountable to no one but themselves. In Rome, the emperor was worshiped as divine. In medieval pagan societies, kings claimed their power through force, not justice. Might made right, and there was no higher law to restrain them.
Then Christianity changed everything.
The Bible introduced an idea that was unheard of in the ancient world: even kings are subject to God. Power was not its own justification. Authority had limits. The weak and the oppressed were not disposable. Rulers were stewards, not gods.
This belief reshaped the course of history:
In the 11th century, Pope Gregory VII stood against the Holy Roman Emperor, declaring that no king was above divine law.
The Magna Carta (1215) forced King John of England to submit to the idea that justice was not his to control, but a moral obligation placed on him by God.
The American and French Revolutions were inspired by the Christian idea that government exists to serve the people, not rule over them.
But what happens when this foundation is forgotten?
When Power Has No Moral Restraint
History gives us a chilling answer. When rulers see themselves as the highest authority, the consequences are devastating:
The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) in revolutionary France led to thousands of executions when a society severed itself from Christian moral order.
Nazi Germany (1933-1945) redefined morality to fit the will of the state, justifying genocide and oppression.
Soviet Russia (1917-1991) erased God from the public square and turned the state into the ultimate power—resulting in mass purges and labor camps.
The Tokugawa Shogunate (17th-19th century Japan) banned Christianity and declared the emperor to be the divine source of all authority. Those who opposed him were executed, and society was strictly controlled under an iron hierarchy where the weak had no recourse for justice.
The Cambodian Genocide (1975-1979) under the Khmer Rouge sought to create an atheist utopia where religion, morality, and historical identity were erased. The result? Nearly two million Cambodians slaughtered under a regime that saw human life as expendable.
The Haitian Dictatorships (1957-1986) under François “Papa Doc” Duvalier and his son ruled with unchecked brutality, using voodoo mysticism to portray themselves as invincible demigods, eliminating opponents without moral restraint.
Even today, authoritarian regimes flourish in nations where power has no higher accountability.
So here’s the question: What keeps power in check?
A ruler can make any law. A government can justify any action. Without a moral order beyond the state itself, what stops tyranny from returning?
For centuries, Christianity acted as a counterweight to unchecked power, reminding rulers they were not gods. But if that influence disappears, what stands in its place? If we forget the hard-earned lessons of history, will we be doomed to repeat them?
Episode 5: The Faith That Built Science
How Christianity Launched the Scientific Revolution and Continues to Inspire Discovery
We live in a world powered by science. Medicine heals us, technology connects us, and physics lets us reach beyond our own planet. The scientific method has transformed every aspect of modern life. But what if everything we take for granted—our ability to reason, our pursuit of knowledge, our trust in scientific progress—rests on something deeper than raw intelligence or human ingenuity?
The truth is, modern science was not born from skepticism alone. It was built on faith.
Not blind faith, but faith in a rational universe. Faith that nature follows laws. Faith that truth exists and that human minds can comprehend it. And where did that faith come from? From Christianity.
For most of history, civilizations saw the natural world as chaotic, unpredictable, or even divine in itself—something to be feared or worshiped, not understood. The Greeks theorized about nature but never pursued systematic experimentation. The Romans advanced engineering but had no interest in uncovering universal laws. The idea that the universe operated according to consistent, discoverable principles simply wasn’t obvious.
Then Christianity changed everything.
The Bible taught that the universe was created by a rational God who imposed order on the cosmos (Genesis 1:1). Nature was not divine—it was the work of a divine mind, and therefore, it could be studied, understood, and harnessed for human good. This belief laid the groundwork for what became the scientific revolution:
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543): Formulated the heliocentric model of the universe, challenging the geocentric view and revolutionizing astronomy.
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642): Advanced the use of the telescope, providing empirical support for Copernican heliocentrism and laying the foundation for modern observational astronomy.
Blaise Pascal (1623–1662): Made significant contributions to mathematics and physics, including the study of fluids and the development of the mathematical theory of probabilities.
Robert Boyle (1627–1691): Known as the "father of modern chemistry," he formulated Boyle's Law and emphasized the importance of empirical scientific methods.
These pioneers, among many others, were not anomalies. The vast majority of early scientists were devout Christians who believed that scientific inquiry was an act of worship. They saw their work as uncovering the divine order of creation.
This legacy continued into the modern era. Between 1901 and 2000, approximately 65.4% of Nobel Prize laureates identified Christianity in its various forms as their religious preference. Christians have won:
65.3% of Nobel Prizes in Physics
72.5% in Chemistry
62% in Medicine
These figures highlight the profound impact of Christian belief on scientific advancement. Prominent Christian scientists of the 20th and 21st centuries include:
Charles Hard Townes (1915–2015): Nobel laureate in Physics (1964) for his work on quantum electronics. A member of the United Church of Christ, Townes saw no conflict between science and faith.
William Daniel Phillips (born 1948): Nobel laureate in Physics (1997) for his contributions to laser cooling. An active Methodist, Phillips speaks openly about his Christian faith.
Francis Collins (born 1950): Geneticist known for leading the Human Genome Project. A devout Christian, Collins authored The Language of God, discussing the harmony between science and belief.
The Myth of the "Atheist Scientist"
Despite the stereotype that science and religion are in conflict, a global study conducted by Rice University in 2015 found that this narrative is largely a Western construct. The survey of over 9,400 scientists across eight regions (including the U.S., U.K., India, France, and Turkey) revealed:
A significant number of scientists identify with a religion. In India, only 6% of scientists identified as nonreligious, while in the U.K., the number was much higher at 65%—showing that belief among scientists varies significantly by culture.
Most scientists do not see science and religion as inherently conflicting. Only 38% of scientists in the U.K. and 18% in India saw an irreconcilable conflict between science and faith. The majority saw no tension between the two.
Many scientists actively practice their faith. In India, 32% of scientists regularly attended religious services, and even in the secular U.K., 12% of scientists were religiously observant.
This data dismantles the myth that "real scientists must be atheists." In reality, many of the world's leading researchers see faith and science not as adversaries, but as complementary paths to truth.
But what happens when science loses the worldview that gave it birth?
Can Science Survive Without Its Foundation?
Today, many assume science no longer needs Christianity. But can science truly stand on its own without the worldview that made it possible? We are already seeing the cracks.
Truth is being redefined. Postmodern relativism challenges the very idea of objective knowledge. If truth is “fluid” or subjective, what happens to science?
Ethics are being discarded. Scientific advancements, from AI to genetic modification, are pushing moral boundaries—but without a higher moral law, what stops science from justifying anything in the name of progress?
Atheistic materialism undercuts reason itself. If the human brain is just the result of unguided evolutionary processes, why should we trust it to produce reliable conclusions about the universe?
Science depends on principles that atheism struggles to justify. Why should we trust that our minds can discern truth? Why should we believe that knowledge is valuable? Why should we assume the universe is intelligible at all?
Christianity answers these questions. It tells us that reason reflects a rational Creator, that truth is worth pursuing, and that the universe was made to be understood. Without these assumptions, science itself starts to unravel.
So here’s the real question: Is science truly independent, or is it living off the borrowed capital of a Christian worldview it no longer acknowledges? If we forget where science came from, how long before it loses its soul?
Episode 6: Living on Borrowed Faith
The Post-Christian World Still Clings to Christian Morality—But For How Long?
We live in a world where many believe we have outgrown religion. The age of faith, we are told, is over. We are enlightened now—moral because we choose to be, ethical because reason guides us. The need for divine authority? Unnecessary. We can build a better world on humanistic ideals alone.
But here’s the problem: The very values that secular societies hold most dear—human rights, equality, justice, and compassion—didn’t arise from pure reason or evolutionary progress. They are the moral inheritance of Christianity.
The post-Christian world still clings to Christian morality, even as it rejects the foundation that made it possible.
Think about it.
Why do we believe in universal human dignity? The ancient world didn’t. Most cultures assigned worth based on status, strength, or social class. The idea that every human being—regardless of race, gender, wealth, or ability—has inherent value comes from the biblical doctrine of the Imago Dei (Genesis 1:27).
Why do we believe in caring for the poor and marginalized? The Romans saw the weak as disposable. Pagan cultures often abandoned the sick and unwanted. It was Christianity that taught radical generosity and the duty to care for "the least of these" (Matthew 25:40).
Why do we believe in justice and equality? The idea that rulers should be held accountable, that oppression is evil, and that every person should have rights under the law stems from biblical morality, not from secular philosophy alone.
And yet, modern secularism assumes it can hold onto these values while severing them from their roots.
The Fragile Foundation of Post-Christian Morality
Secular humanists argue that we no longer need Christianity to uphold ethics. That justice, kindness, and human rights can stand on their own. But history tells a different story.
For a while, post-Christian societies continue to function on the ethical momentum of their Christian past. But over time, moral confusion sets in. Unlike tyrannical regimes of the past (as discussed in Episode 4), today’s cultural drift reveals how the moral assumptions that held societies together begin to fray:
Moral Relativism Replacing Objective Truth
If there is no higher moral law, who decides what is right or wrong?
The definitions of "justice" and "equality" are increasingly fluid, shifting with ideological trends rather than any consistent foundation.
Cultural norms that were once self-evident (such as the dignity of family, the value of life, or the importance of virtue) are now seen as “social constructs” that can be redefined at will.
The Rise of Secular Ideological Extremes
With Christianity removed as a stabilizing force, new ideological movements attempt to take its place—but without the grace, humility, and transcendent moral authority that Christianity provided.
Today’s social justice movements, while rooted in Christian ethics, often abandon forgiveness, redemption, and love for enemies—core biblical principles that historically shaped activism.
Polarization intensifies as different moral visions collide, each trying to impose its own new version of morality without an agreed-upon foundation.
The Loss of Purpose and Meaning
Across secularized nations, there is an observable rise in depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Nihilism is creeping into the cultural mainstream—if life has no higher purpose, what is the meaning of suffering, sacrifice, or morality?
The rise of "anti-natalism" (the belief that having children is unethical) reflects a growing despair about the future and the value of human life.
The Collapse of the Family Unit
Biblical morality shaped strong families, which in turn created strong communities and nations.
Today, the rejection of Christian teachings on marriage, fidelity, and parenthood has led to widespread social breakdown—higher divorce rates, declining birthrates, and entire generations struggling with identity and stability.
Post-Christian Europe now faces a demographic crisis, with fertility rates plummeting below replacement levels. Without new generations to sustain them, many of these nations are facing economic and social decline.
How Long Can a Society Borrow Christian Morality?
Western nations still enjoy relative peace, prosperity, and human rights—not because secularism created them, but because Christianity did. However, as secular culture actively works to erase its Christian foundations, we are already seeing fractures.
Christianity infused Western civilization with a coherent moral vision—one that anchored law, justice, human dignity, and purpose. But remove that anchor, and society begins to drift.
We still insist on human rights—but we can no longer explain why they are self-evident.
We still seek justice—but we can’t agree on what justice even means.
We still pursue progress—but progress toward what?
The reality is, societies that abandon Christianity do not become more just, more free, or more humane. They become confused, divided, and uncertain of their moral future.
So here’s the real question: How long can a society live on borrowed faith before it forgets why those values mattered in the first place?
Episode 7: The Bible and You
What If the Book That Shaped Civilization Could Shape You?
Every day, we make moral decisions without even thinking about them. We instinctively believe in fairness, in helping the weak, in standing up for justice. We assume that treating others with dignity is simply “the right thing to do.” But why? Where do these instincts come from? Are they universal truths—or simply inherited habits from a culture shaped by Christianity?
Many people see the Bible as ancient literature, a historical artifact that may have influenced Western civilization but is now outdated in a modern world. Yet the reality is far more personal: this book, which shaped laws, justice, science, and human rights, also has the power to shape individual lives—including yours.
The Bible does not just offer historical insights; it answers the deepest questions of human existence.
Why does justice matter? Because we are made in the image of a just God (Genesis 1:27).
Why should we care for the weak? Because Jesus taught that loving “the least of these” is the same as loving Him (Matthew 25:40).
Why do we long for purpose? Because our souls were created for something greater than survival (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
A Mirror That Reflects You
When you engage with the Bible, something remarkable happens: it doesn’t just explain the world—it explains you.
It holds up a mirror that shows something unsettling: we are not good. We are not merely flawed or imperfect—we are morally deficient. The Bible makes it clear that morality is not just about isolated actions, but about the intentions of the heart.
We tend to see morality as an individual struggle—some people are “good,” some people are “bad.” But the Bible reveals that morality is more like an economy. Every action, every thought, every selfish choice contributes to a larger network of brokenness.
Just like an economic system functions based on transactions, so does the moral economy of the world.
We all do good things, and we all suffer—but we also make "transactions" of evil, large and small, that collectively fuel a decaying society.
Those we consider the worst among us—criminals, abusers, tyrants—are simply further down the maturity curve of evil than we are. But their path is the same as ours, just accelerated.
Evil is not just an individual issue; it is a collective human condition.
The Bible forces us to come face to face with this truth. It does not let us believe that we are "good people who sometimes mess up." It shows us—undeniably—that we are all contributors to the economy of evil.
And yet, it does not leave us there.
A Better Way: The One Who Changes Everything
If the Bible only revealed our brokenness, it would be a book of despair. But instead, it introduces us to a person—not just any person, but the only person who ever lived unstained by this moral economy of decay.
Jesus Christ is the complete and unequivocal physical representation of the invisible God—the one who created the universe, sustains it, and walks among us. He is not just a good teacher or a religious figure. He is the living embodiment of everything good, true, and beautiful.
And He invites us to leave behind the old way—the decaying, transactional world of sin—and to turn to Him, the better way.
When people encounter Jesus—not just as an idea, but as a living reality—everything changes.
William Wilberforce ended the British slave trade because first, he was transformed by Jesus.
Harriet Tubman risked her life to free slaves because first, she was freed by Jesus.
Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights because first, he surrendered to Jesus.
The great Christian reformers didn’t just wake up one day and decide to change the world. They were changed first. And they knew that their transformation was never complete—that every day, they needed more of Jesus and less of themselves.
Your Invitation: What If the Bible Is More Than a Book?
This series has shown that Christianity shaped the world in ways most people don’t realize. But now comes the most important question: What if this isn’t just about history? What if it’s about you?
The Bible is not just a record of the past—it is a living, breathing invitation to discover truth, meaning, and purpose. It challenges, disrupts, and ultimately restores.
So here’s the real question: If this book shaped the greatest movements in history, what might happen if you let it shape you?
Supporting Sources for Episode 1: The Invisible Roots of Our Morality
Historical Foundations & The Role of Christianity in Moral Development:
Larry Siedentop, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism – Explores how Christian thought transformed ideas about human dignity and individual rights, laying the foundation for modern liberal democracy.
Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity – Documents how early Christian values of compassion, charity, and the sanctity of life reshaped the Roman world and beyond.
Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World – A detailed historical examination of how Christian ethics influenced Western moral and legal structures, even shaping secular humanism.
Examples of Societies That Rejected or Lacked Christian Moral Foundations:
Robert Conquest, The Great Terror: A Reassessment – Provides a thorough analysis of Stalinist purges in the Soviet Union, detailing how the eradication of religious and moral principles led to mass oppression.
Ben Kiernan, The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79 – Examines how the aggressively atheistic Khmer Rouge government led to the deaths of nearly two million Cambodians, dehumanizing entire classes of people.
David Hawk, The Hidden Gulag: The Lives and Voices of Those Who Are Sent to the Mountains – Investigates the brutal human rights abuses in North Korea, a society shaped by totalitarianism in the absence of Christian moral principles.
Martin Meredith, The Fate of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence – Discusses the collapse of moral governance in various African nations, including Eritrea, where religious and political persecution persists today.
Modern Moral Decline & Secularization in the West:
Charles Taylor, A Secular Age – Explores the consequences of Western societies detaching from their Christian foundations and the resulting cultural shifts.
Wesley J. Smith, Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine – Analyzes how secular ethics are influencing debates on euthanasia, abortion, and bioethics, sometimes leading to the devaluation of human life.
Mary Eberstadt, Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics – Connects the decline of Christianity with rising confusion around identity, purpose, and moral relativism in modern Western societies.
Supporting Sources for Episode 2: The Equal Worth of Every Soul
Historical Foundations & The Christian Role in Shaping Human Rights:
Larry Siedentop, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism – Explores how Christian thought radically changed ideas about human dignity, personal freedom, and legal equality in the West.
Rodney Stark, The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success – Examines how Christian moral reasoning shaped legal and economic systems emphasizing human dignity and individual rights.
Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World – Traces how Christian theology led to the development of human rights, equality before the law, and the concept of universal dignity.
Christianity’s Influence on Key Historical Movements:
David Hackett Fischer, Liberty and Freedom: A Visual History of America’s Founding Ideas – Highlights Christianity’s role in shaping the American ideals of liberty and equality.
John Witte Jr., Christianity and Human Rights: An Introduction – A scholarly examination of Christianity’s role in the development of legal human rights frameworks.
Alvin J. Schmidt, How Christianity Changed the World – Chronicles Christianity’s direct influence on the abolition of slavery, the civil rights movement, women’s rights, and public welfare systems.
Case Studies in Societies That Abandoned Christian Moral Foundations:
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution – Details how the Reign of Terror resulted from revolutionary ideals unmoored from a higher moral authority, leading to mass executions and authoritarian rule.
Robert Conquest, The Great Terror: Stalin’s Purge of the Thirties – Explores how the Soviet Union’s rejection of Christian moral values led to the dehumanization of millions.
Ben Kiernan, The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79 – Documents how the Khmer Rouge’s aggressively atheistic policies resulted in the mass extermination of nearly a quarter of Cambodia’s population.
Martin Meredith, The Fate of Africa: A History of Fifty Years of Independence – Examines how post-colonial regimes, severed from Christian influences, often descended into dictatorship and mass human rights abuses.
Modern Challenges & the Decline of Absolute Human Rights:
Charles Taylor, A Secular Age – Analyzes how Western societies are struggling to maintain moral clarity in human rights as they drift from their Christian heritage.
Wesley J. Smith, Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine – Investigates how secular medical ethics are increasingly justifying euthanasia, assisted suicide, and abortion without a firm moral foundation.
Mary Eberstadt, Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics – Explains how societies are replacing objective moral truths, including universal human dignity, with self-defined identity and state-determined rights.
Supporting Sources for Episode 3: When Mercy Became Power
Historical Foundations of Christian Compassion & Charity:
Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity – Documents how early Christians revolutionized care for the sick during plagues, pioneered charity as a societal obligation, and built the first hospitals.
Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years – Traces the historical development of Christian charitable institutions, from orphanages to hospitals.
Peter Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome, and the Making of Christianity in the West – Explores how Christianity reshaped views on wealth, poverty, and charitable responsibility in contrast to Roman norms.
The Development of Christian Social Care Institutions:
Gary Ferngren, Medicine and Health Care in Early Christianity – A detailed account of how Christians established the first hospitals and advanced medical care as a religious duty.
Susan R. Holman, The Hungry Are Dying: Beggars and Bishops in Roman Cappadocia – Examines how early Christian leaders saw feeding the poor and caring for the sick as central to faith.
Andrew T. Crislip, From Monastery to Hospital: Christian Monasticism and the Transformation of Health Care in Late Antiquity – Highlights how Christian monks helped shape modern hospital systems.
The Erosion of Compassion in Post-Christian Societies:
Philip Gorski, American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present – Discusses how the decline of religious belief correlates with declines in charitable giving and social cohesion.
Mary Eberstadt, How the West Really Lost God – Analyzes how secularization has weakened communal responsibility and charitable instincts in Western societies.
David Martin, On Secularization: Towards a Revised General Theory – Explores the link between the loss of religious values and the decline of personal and institutional charity in the modern world.
Modern Ideological Challenges to Christian Compassion:
Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self – Explains how modern individualism and Freudian thought have eroded traditional Christian moral frameworks, including the duty of compassion.
James Kalb, The Tyranny of Liberalism – Critiques how secular progressivism has replaced Christian charity with state-driven social programs, often weakening personal responsibility for the vulnerable.
Yuval Levin, The Fractured Republic – Examines how the decline of religious communities has led to an increase in social isolation and a reduction in charitable engagement.
Supporting Sources for Episode 4: When Kings Bowed to a Higher Throne
Christianity’s Role in Limiting Absolute Power:
Os Guinness, The Magna Carta of Humanity – Examines how Christian principles influenced the development of limited government, the rule of law, and constitutional freedoms.
Francis Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live? – Explores how Christianity shaped Western civilization, particularly in placing moral limits on political power.
Larry Siedentop, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism – Discusses how Christian thought contributed to the idea that rulers must be accountable to something higher than themselves.
Brian Tierney, The Idea of Natural Rights – Shows how medieval Christian scholars laid the foundations for modern constitutional law, limiting the power of rulers.
Historical Case Studies of Tyranny Without Moral Restraint:
Marius Jansen, The Making of Modern Japan – Provides an in-depth analysis of how the Tokugawa Shogunate wielded absolute power after eradicating Christianity from Japan.
Ben Kiernan, The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79 – Details how an explicitly atheist regime erased traditional moral structures, leading to mass atrocities.
Elizabeth Abbott, Haiti: The Duvaliers and Their Legacy – Chronicles how the Duvalier dictatorship used mysticism, terror, and unchecked power to suppress opposition.
Simon Schama, Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution – Documents how the French Revolution, after abandoning Christian principles, led to the Reign of Terror and the rise of authoritarian rule.
Modern Implications of Power Without Moral Accountability:
Ryszard Legutko, The Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies – Examines how modern societies, when severed from their Christian foundations, can drift toward authoritarianism.
Paul Kengor, The Devil and Karl Marx – Explores how ideological regimes that rejected religious morality have historically justified tyranny.
Niall Ferguson, The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die – Investigates how the erosion of moral and religious foundations leads to political corruption and state overreach.
Supporting Sources for Episode 5: The Faith That Built Science
Christianity’s Role in the Birth of Science:
James Hannam, God’s Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science – Examines how Christianity was crucial in developing the scientific method, debunking the myth of a “Dark Age” in science.
Stephen Meyer, The Return of the God Hypothesis – Discusses how modern scientific discoveries align with the idea of a rational Creator, and how Christianity historically provided the foundation for science.
Rodney Stark, For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery – Demonstrates how the belief in a rational God led directly to the development of science.
Stanley Jaki, The Savior of Science – Argues that only Christianity provided the intellectual climate necessary for sustained scientific progress.
Christian Scientists and Their Contributions to Science:
Peter Harrison, The Territories of Science and Religion – Analyzes how Christian theology provided the intellectual framework that made modern science possible.
John Hedley Brooke, Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives – Explores how Christian belief shaped the motivations and discoveries of history’s greatest scientists.
Timothy McGrew, Science and Christianity (Cambridge Companion to Science and Religion) – Discusses how Christian scientists such as Newton, Kepler, and Mendel saw their work as uncovering divine order.
The Theistic Beliefs of Nobel Prize Winners & Leading Scientists Today:
Baruch Shalev, 100 Years of Nobel Prizes – Analyzes religious affiliations of Nobel laureates, showing that over 65% between 1901 and 2000 identified as Christians.
Elaine Howard Ecklund, Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think – A sociological study showing that a significant number of leading scientists are religious and that many see compatibility between faith and science.
Edward J. Larson & Larry Witham, Leading Scientists Still Believe in God (Nature, 1997) – A landmark study showing that a significant percentage of scientists believe in God, challenging the idea that scientific progress requires atheism.
Modern Threats to the Scientific Foundations Christianity Established:
Nancy Pearcey, Finding Truth: Five Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes – Discusses how secular worldviews undermine the assumptions necessary for science.
Alister McGrath, The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World – Explains how materialism and atheism are eroding trust in human reason, which science depends upon.
J.P. Moreland, Scientism and Secularism: Learning to Respond to a Dangerous Ideology – A philosophical critique of scientism and how it threatens the intellectual foundation that allows science to thrive.
Supporting Sources for Episode 6: Living on Borrowed Faith
The Christian Foundation of Western Morality & Its Influence on Secular Culture:
Charles Taylor, A Secular Age – A deep exploration of how the modern secular world is still shaped by Christian moral assumptions, even as it distances itself from religious belief.
Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World – Documents how Christian moral principles continue to shape Western culture, human rights, and social justice movements.
Larry Siedentop, Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism – Argues that Western values of individual rights and freedoms are rooted in Christian theology, not secular enlightenment ideals.
Moral Relativism, Cultural Fragmentation, and the Loss of Objective Truth:
Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory – Examines how modern moral confusion stems from the abandonment of Christian moral foundations.
Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self – Explains how contemporary identity politics and moral relativism emerged as a result of rejecting biblical ethics.
James K.A. Smith, How (Not) to Be Secular – Explores how post-Christian societies struggle to find coherence in ethics after removing Christianity as their foundation.
The Rise of Secular Ideological Extremes & Selective Morality:
Douglas Murray, The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity – Critiques how post-Christian societies have replaced Christianity with secular moral movements that lack the balance of grace, redemption, and objective truth.
Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion – Analyzes how moral foundations shift when religious frameworks collapse, leading to ideological polarization.
Mary Eberstadt, Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics – Discusses how the rejection of traditional Christian ethics has led to an identity crisis in modern culture.
The Loss of Purpose and Meaning in Secular Societies:
Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning – A psychological and philosophical exploration of why humans need transcendent purpose, something post-Christian societies struggle to replace.
Yuval Levin, The Fractured Republic – Discusses the rise of nihilism and social fragmentation as the West moves away from religious belief.
The Breakdown of Family, Declining Birthrates, and Societal Collapse:
Patrick J. Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed – Explains how rejecting traditional (Christian) moral values has led to the breakdown of families, communities, and long-term societal stability.
Jonathan Last, What to Expect When No One’s Expecting: America’s Coming Demographic Disaster – Examines how low birthrates in secular nations signal cultural and economic decline.
Eric Kaufmann, Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? – Argues that secularism leads to demographic collapse, while religious societies continue to grow and thrive.
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
Mark Twain