#156: On Brains, Feelings, & the Christian Faith episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 5, 2026 · 16 MIN

#156: On Brains, Feelings, & the Christian Faith

from The Bible (Unmuted)

What does it mean to seek God, and what does it mean to desire God? What role do our emotions play in seeking and desiring God? Can we still desire God even if we feel nothing? In this episode, Matt addresses these and other questions. In the Western Christian world, there’s a tendency to center one’s relationship with God around emotion and feelings. Some Christians turn Christianity into nothing but brainy intellectualism. How can we leave room for both emotions and the life of the mind without reducing everything down to one or the other? Listen to find out! Mentioned in this episode: “Teach me to seek you, and as I seek you, show yourself to me; for I cannot seek you unless you show me how, and I will never find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you by desiring you, and desire you by seeking you; let me find you by loving you, and love you in finding you. Amen." (Anselm of Canterbury / BCP 2019)+++Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matthew's blog: matthewhalsted.substack.comDon't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

What does it mean to seek God, and what does it mean to desire God? What role do our emotions play in seeking and desiring God? Can we still desire God even if we feel nothing? In this episode, Matt addresses these and other questions. In the Western Christian world, there’s a tendency to center one’s relationship with God around emotion and feelings. Some Christians turn Christianity into nothing but brainy intellectualism. How can we leave room for both emotions and the life of the mind without reducing everything down to one or the other? Listen to find out! Mentioned in this episode: “Teach me to seek you, and as I seek you, show yourself to me; for I cannot seek you unless you show me how, and I will never find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you by desiring you, and desire you by seeking you; let me find you by loving you, and love you in finding you. Amen." (Anselm of Canterbury / BCP 2019)+++Support The Bible (Unmuted) via Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matthew's blog: matthewhalsted.substack.comDon't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)!

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#156: On Brains, Feelings, & the Christian Faith

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This episode was published on March 5, 2026.

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What does it mean to seek God, and what does it mean to desire God? What role do our emotions play in seeking and desiring God? Can we still desire God even if we feel nothing? In this episode, Matt addresses these and other questions. In the...

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