Reawakening Wonder: How Cultural Apologetics and Reenchantment Lead Us Back to Jesus - w/ Dr. Paul Gould

How the Christian imagination can be restored in a disenchanted world, and why helping others see Christianity as desirable—not just true—is crucial to spiritual renewal. Mike Erre is joined by long-time friend and philosopher Dr. Paul Gould to unpack core themes from Paul's new book, Cultural Apologetics. Through laughter, inside jokes, and deep reflection, they explore how recovering an enchanted view of the world can help both believers and skeptics rediscover the beauty, truth, and goodness of Jesus. Key Takeaways: • What Is Cultural Apologetics? – Understanding how evangelism has shifted from rational defense of Christianity to restoring the sense that the faith is good, beautiful, and desirable—not just true. • The Crisis of Disenchantment – Exploring how our modern, secular culture has silenced transcendence and suppressed deep spiritual longings, even inside the church. • God and the Human Imagination – Why wonder, art, music, literature, and even stories like Harry Potter or Star Wars can awaken our desire for the divine. • Reenchanting Our Faith – Five practical ways to reawaken beauty and meaning in a spiritually numb world—from engaging Scripture on its own terms to embracing beauty in everyday life. • Engaging the Culture Missionally – Why becoming students of culture helps us meet people where they are while inviting them to "return to reality" in the story of Jesus. Guest Highlights: Dr. Paul Gould – Philosopher, professor, and author of Cultural Apologetics. He's also the founder of the Two Tasks Institute, which advocates for showing Christianity as both reasonable and desirable. Paul shares how his own journey—from streaking in college with Mike Erre to writing intellectual works on meaning and morality—has led him to believe that beauty and imagination are essential in today's gospel conversations. Resources Mentioned: • Cultural Apologetics by Paul Gould – Buy the book • Two Tasks Institute – 2tasksinstitute.org • Augustine's Confessions – A spiritual classic exploring desire, beauty, and the search for God • CS Lewis: "Talking About Bicycles" and Mere Christianity • Wendell Berry & Marilynne Robinson – Contemporary authors who explore faith, place, and beauty • Acts 17 – Paul's missionary encounter in Athens Help us bring beauty, truth, and goodness back into the conversation by reimagining what it means to follow Jesus in a culture hungry for wonder. If this episode stirred your imagination or renewed your desire for God, subscribe, leave us a review, and share Voxology with someone on their own journey of faith. Email your thoughts or questions to [email protected], and join us on Facebook and Instagram to keep the dialogue going. Check out Voxology on YouTube: VOXOLOGY TV Grab some rad merch at our ETSY store Learn more at the Voxology Podcast website Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Support us on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre Music by Timothy John Stafford | Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV. Our Merch Store! ETSY Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy