PODCAST · religion
Ask Away
by Vince and Jo Vitale
We all have questions: Who am I? Does my life have value? What determines my identity and my purpose? Is there a God? Does he care? What will happen when I die? Is it even possible to know the truth? Vince and Jo invite you to Ask Away.
Episodes
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Why is repentance so hard?
Christians often talk about being a “committed believer”, but how about being a “committed repenter”?! Given how much the call to repentance featured in the preaching of Jesus and the early church, why is it that we so often recoil at the very thought of “having to” repent? In this episode, Vince...
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Is forgiveness still a virtue?
The more offensive and offended we become as a culture, the more out of reach forgiveness seems to be. Oftentimes, it is only once we’ve experienced forgiveness for ourselves that we find the motivation to want to forgive others—so where does that first forgiveness come from, and how can we pass…
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Is the sinful woman in Luke 7 groveling her way to God?
Do you ever feel like you’re spending so much time in Christian spaces and Christian activities, and yet somehow missing out on God Himself? Sometimes we can get so fixated on who we want God to be that we forget to ask Him to show us who He really is. Other times, we want the benefits of an...
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How can we navigate an easily offended and unforgiving culture?
AAA report a stark increase in road rage. Revenge plots are dominating our movies screens. Family members are going “no contact”. In a culture where both offense and unforgiveness are on the rise, how can we respond in a way that doesn’t compound the offense? This week on Ask Away, Jo and Vince...
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FINALS WEEK (PT 2)! Theological true or false?
True or false? Christians spend very little time with God. Making plans is contrary to being led by the Holy Spirit. Effort is the opposite of grace. God the Father loves you as much as he loves Jesus. On this week’s episode of Ask Away, Vince and Jo grill each other on some of the most common...
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FINALS WEEK! Theological true or false?
True or false? Scientific advancement makes it harder intellectually to have faith. Happiness is the opposite of depression. Any prayer is better than no prayer. Atheists should pray. God won’t give you more than you can bear. This week on Ask Away, Vince and Jo grill each other on some of the…
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Is God Playing Hide and Seek? (Repost)
If God wants to be known, why isn’t He more obvious? This week on Ask Away, we're re-posting a conversation between Jo and Vince on a topic that most of us have struggled with at one point or another. As one listener eloquently framed the question: “Why isn’t God more clear in revealing Himself…
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Raising Kids: How does the gospel transform parenting?
Oftentimes, the more advice we get on parenting, the more we feel like we’re failing our kids! We long for them to thrive, but what does thriving look like in this day and age? We want our kids to be successful, but successful at what?! This week on Ask Away, Vince and Jo share some of what…
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If Jesus is God, why would God die?
For those of us living in societies often characterized as “post-Christian”, the symbol of the cross occupies a strange place in our cultural landscape—so familiar that it typically fades into the background, and yet that familiarity has certainly bred contempt. So what are we to make of the…
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How can I become more loving?
Do you ever walk away from a conversation feeling like you weren’t totally present with the person, or honest in the way that you engaged with them? Have you ever felt like there’s a mismatch between the love you wish you had for others and what’s actually in your heart? In this episode of Ask...
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Abraham and Isaac: Does God condone child sacrifice?
One of the most harrowing accounts in the Old Testament, this story from Genesis 22 raises all kinds of troubling questions for us: Does God condone child sacrifice? Does this story teach that it’s permissible for us to commit evil in the name of God? What about the impact on Isaac? And perhaps...
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Can Jesus help me choose a valentine?
While we are always encountering new questions from college students, it is still the case that the topics of singleness, dating, and marriage come up in conversation more frequently than any other. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, this week Jo and Vince are re-posting a previous episode on how to...
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What does the Christian faith say about suicide?
Some of us are hurting so much that living each day is a struggle. Others wake up every morning to the anguish of having lost a loved one to suicide. In either case, the question of what happens after death to those who have taken their lives is a deeply personal and painful question. This week…
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When is someone ready to receive an invitation to follow Christ?
Do you have people in your life who have heard about your faith and have engaged with you on spiritual topics, yet you are longing for them to actually respond to the Gospel? But when is the right time to extend an invitation to them to follow Christ? Are they ready? What if they aren’t? Should…
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Peace on earth—really?
These days, any measure of peace feels hard to come by. Whether we’re at war with one another or at war with ourselves, we are always conflicted over one thing or another. Under such conditions, the angelic announcement of “peace on earth” seems hopelessly naive. But what if peace were more than…
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Does the Bible endorse chattel slavery? (and other Old Testament live Q&A)
Does the Bible endorse chattel slavery? How could a loving and just God command the killing of civilian populations? Does the Bible teach that women's bodies are inferior? Did God tempt Job? Why is it that according to Old Testament law, only women (and not men) had to endure a trial for…
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How can I make sense of life?
Imagine jumping into a game without knowing when it started, when it will finish, what the rules are, or even the objective—without that information, your participation would be totally meaningless! And yet, how many of us are walking through life without answers to those same fundamental...
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How did Jesus engage with a cultural enemy?
For many of us, it feels incredibly stressful to unexpectedly find ourselves in a religious or political conversation with anybody, friend or stranger, who holds radically different views from our own. When that happens, how do you handle the situation? And what does the other person walk away...
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The End of Desire: Are desires good or bad?
We all have desires, but what are we supposed to do with them? Which makes for a better life—pursuing or suppressing desires? Indulging them or fearing them? In this episode of Ask Away, Jo and Vince talk about the role of desire in the Christian faith, and if the real problem might not be that…
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How much time should I spend with God and at church each week?
Perhaps the two greatest callings for a Christian are to live with God and to live with God’s people. Tragically, many who go by the name Christian are doing neither, having been deceived into settling for the counterfeits of believing intellectually in God and going to church. What if we need to...
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Truth or love: do we have to choose?
It's a confusing time to be alive. We celebrate a diversity of people and experiences, but we fear a diversity of thought and beliefs. It's ok to live your truth, so long as you don't infringe on mine. Undergirding this cultural consensus is the assumption that making truth claims inevitably…
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Is Jesus just another ‘influencer’ to follow?
In a world of online connection, we are all a “follower” of somebody—or a multitude of somebodies! So where does that leave Jesus? Is he just one among a multitude of influencers we engage with from afar, or is he looking for something more from us? In this episode of Ask Away, Jo Vitale…
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Is retirement the goal of work?
Many of us will spend more than half of our waking lives working. We frequently joke about “the grind” of work and living for the weekend, but that doesn’t seem like much of a way to live. If the goal of work is retirement, then what does that say about the work in the first place? Is work a...
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Did Jesus make a racial slur by calling a foreign woman a dog?
Christianity has long claimed to be for every person, irrespective of who you are or where you're from. Does Jesus undermine that claim and show himself not to be divine, or even not worth following, by making a racial slur against a foreign woman? In this episode of Ask Away, Vince and Jo talk...
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Is worship just Christian karaoke?
Isn't there something feudalistic and demeaning about "worshipping" God? What modern, rational, free and autonomous person would want to do that? And what is "worship," anyway? Is it just Christian karaoke, or something more? In this episode of Ask Away, recorded at Menlo Church in California, Jo...
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"Jesus died for you": But what does that really mean?
At the heart of the Nicene Creed (325 AD) we find the words: “For our sake [Jesus] was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered, died, and was buried.” But how is it possible that someone who died 2,000 years ago could have died for our sake?! And if Jesus is God, how could He have died? And…
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Is the Trinity a math problem?
"1+1+1 = 1 is not going to get you a pass in mathematics." This comment, made by a Muslim apologist and spoken word artist, is an intriguing critique! When Christians claim that there is one God in three persons, are they making a contradictory statement? When it comes to the nature of God, how...
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The Success Paradox: Can becoming a winner lead to losing at life?
Could it be, paradoxically, that the very things that lead to success in youth can set us up for struggles and hurt later in life? If so, what can we do about this in our own lives and the lives of our children? And how are the notions of success, winning, and competition reconceived and redeemed...
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Holy Communion: Are Christians cannibals?
From the early days of the Christian faith, Christians were mocked for their unusual practice of connecting the eating of bread and wine with the body and blood of Jesus. At times they were even accused of cannibalism! And yet, two thousand years later nearly every Christian church continues this...
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How can I make a clear, concise, compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus?
The Bible makes a very strong claim that God has provided “confirmation for all by raising Jesus from the dead” (Acts 17:31), and the case for the resurrection was right at the center of Vince’s journey to Christ. On this episode, Jo interviews him about the core reasons for the resurrection that...
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Why worship a (Holy) ghost?
If you could choose to live at any time in history, when would you live? I am tempted to answer, “When Jesus walked the earth.” How awesome it would be to be present for the Sermon on the Mount, to talk with Jesus, to laugh with him, to recline against his chest in friendship as John did. But...
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Is life valuable before birth?
We live in a world that is deeply conflicted over when human life begins. Even our language surrounding the unborn is contested—are we talking about a “baby” or a “product of conception”? Are we talking about a potential life or an actual human person? How many bodies and whose rights are…
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How can we hear the voice of God?
In the previous episode “Is God giving us the silent treatment?”, Jo and Vince shared that God is desiring to speak with us consistently and clearly. That is really exciting news, but only if we are able to hear what He is saying. So how can we learn to hear the voice of God? ------ We’re so glad...
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If God, why suffering?
Whatever the differences between us as human beings, one thing that we all have in common is our familiarity with pain. Whether you’ve experienced a season of intense suffering in the past, you’re living through it in the present, or it is yet to come, none of us get through life unscathed. No...
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Is God giving us the silent treatment?
Good communication is essential for any healthy relationship. What, then, does it say about our relationship with God that so often we experience prayer as completely one-sided, as if we're just yelling into the void? Is God truly a loving father, or more like a disinterested parent who won’t…
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Are religions fundamentally the same?
Today it is considered antiquated—even arrogant—to believe that any one religion or worldview has a monopoly on “The Truth.” Does it really matter what story we chose to believe and live, if all roads ultimately lead to the same destination? This is a perspective that jars with Jesus’ claim that...
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Why do I still believe in Santa?
Merry Christmas, everyone! On this week's special Christmas episode of Ask Away, Vince engages with the following questions: Does Santa exist? Can I really believe in a virgin birth? Do Christmas and Christianity worship the same God? What do you want for Christmas this year? We hope this message...
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What about people, like my grandparents, who never heard the gospel?
While there are a lot of questions about Christianity that stretch our thinking, this is a question that many of us deeply feel. At heart, it is a question about God’s fairness. Does God actually desire every person to come to know him, or does he prefer some people over others? And if he truly...
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'Tis the Season To Be in Conflict: Could God reconcile a relationship in your life?
Many of us will be seeing someone over the holidays with whom there is tension, or maybe even full blown conflict. What is God’s heart for that relationship in your life, and practically what does He want you to do? Is the ball in your court or in theirs? What wisdom can the Bible offer us about...
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Is faith necessary for science?
Does evolution undermine belief in God? How about aliens? And what about miracles and the multiverse? In this week’s episode of Ask Away, Jo interviews Vince on whether science points us towards or away from God, and how as Christians we can engage with those who see science as having defeated…
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A case study of Jo(nah): Why do we say “No!” when Jesus says “Go”?
“What about those who’ve never heard the gospel?” is an objection made against God’s fairness, but what if we re-directed the question back at Christians? After all, it’s clear that Jesus intended for his followers to be a solution to that problem by commanding them to “go into all the world and...
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How can I forgive myself?
In our culture today we talk a lot about the importance of “self-forgiveness”, but what does that actually mean? Is it even coherent to “give” something to yourself? Most importantly, how is this relevant to the Christian life when “only God can forgive sins" (Mark 2:7)? If forgiveness is a topic...
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Jersey Shore Outreach: Does God want committed Christians?
We are committed to all sorts of things in life, whether that be our hometown sports team, a political party, a fitness routine, or our religious faith. There can be many reasons to be committed to Christian practices that have little to do with Jesus Christ (e.g. tradition, culture, community,...
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Are Christians Evidence Against God?
The Bible describes becoming a Christian as so transformative that a new believer is likened to a “new creation”. This week Jordach asks, if that is true then how do we make sense of the fact that we often find unbelievers with a healthier balance of self-regulation, EQ, interpersonal…
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Child sacrifice, war brides, and bear attacks: what are we to make of the Old Testament?
Stories that shock us. Laws that unsettle us. Behavior that baffles us. Richard Dawkins once referred to the God of the Old Testament as “arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.” Is Dawkins’ right in his verdict? And if not, how can we read the Old Testament in a way that helps us…
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How can I deal with anxiety? Secular models and a biblical promise
When it comes to dealing with anxiety, some secular models suggest that we are either underestimating ourselves or overestimating our problems—either we are stronger than we think or our burdens are lighter than we think. But what do we do when our fears are not exaggerated and irrational but...
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How do I build a life that’s meaningful?
“I’ve always been more attracted to the idea that we make our own meaning. What do you think about that?” This question, asked by a freshman at UC Berkeley, gives voice to a perspective many hold today. What makes life meaningful? And is that a goal human beings can accomplish by ourselves? If...
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Why believe the whole Bible?
Just because I believe in Jesus, why should I have to believe the whole Bible? Aren’t some passages outdated or even problematic? This week on Ask Away, Vince and Jo respond to a listener who asks if there is any clear and compelling logical rationale for treating the Bible as divinely inspired…
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Is it Christian to want to win?
“Climbing the ladder.” “Winning at life.” “Coming out on top.” “Living the high life.” We use phrases like these to describe success all the time, but is this a healthy paradigm for living well? In this episode of Ask Away, Jo interviews Vince about what motivates us to get out of bed in the...
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Who made God, why does he allow so much suffering, and is he mad at me if I feel anxious or depressed?
“Who made God?” This week on Ask Away, Vince responds to this live Q & A question, followed by two others on the topics of suffering and mental health. Vince wrote his doctoral thesis on the question of why God would allow horrendous evils, and if you want to read more from him on this subject…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We all have questions: Who am I? Does my life have value? What determines my identity and my purpose? Is there a God? Does he care? What will happen when I die? Is it even possible to know the truth? Vince and Jo invite you to Ask Away.
HOSTED BY
Vince and Jo Vitale
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Ask Away have?
Ask Away currently has 64 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Ask Away about?
We all have questions: Who am I? Does my life have value? What determines my identity and my purpose? Is there a God? Does he care? What will happen when I die? Is it even possible to know the truth? Vince and Jo invite you to Ask Away.
How often does Ask Away release new episodes?
Ask Away has 64 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Ask Away?
You can listen to Ask Away on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Ask Away?
Ask Away is created and hosted by Vince and Jo Vitale.
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