AUTHENTIC with Shawn Boonstra

Join Shawn Boonstra on Authentic as he begins tackling some truly tough questions posed by skeptics about faith, God, and the Bible. First up: why does God stay silent and hidden? The answer may be closer than you think...

In the devil’s final temptation to Jesus, he offers to give Jesus the kingdoms of the world in return for worshipping him. Host Shawn Boonstra highlights the vital message that there are no shortcuts to glory—that is, to a meaningful relationship with God.

Doubt can be useful—healthy, even!—but it can also be poisonous. Saints and skeptics alike have wrestled with suspicions about God, His character, and His words and promises. In "The Temptation of Christ, Part 2," Shawn Boonstra looks at the sharp impulse to doubt that confronted Jesus and entraps us today.

Times of desperation can often tempt us to shift our values—make us consider things we’d never consider under any other circumstances. Shawn Boonstra talks about why you can trust Jesus to help you overcome Satan's temptation just like He did. 

Have you ever heard someone say that the stories in the Bible are just a rip-off of older pagan documents? On this week’s Authentic episode, host Shawn Boonstra explores some of those claims comparing the Jesus we find in the Bible to the heroes and gods of the pagans.

What makes us think that life should be fair? Why do we feel that someone owes us something when they do something wrong to us? We all seem to have a profound sense of justice. Shawn Boonstra says it's because we are the work of a profoundly just Creator.

It's a fact you'll find all throughout history: people who unwittingly become leaders by accident or in times of sudden crisis quite often make better leaders than people who spend their lives trying to gain power. On this week’s episode of AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra takes a look at Cincinnatus, an ancient Roman statesman who was quickly made dictator in wartime—and just as quickly resigned after victory. His unusual story points us to the true nature of human rule, power, and corruption.

What do you imagine when you think of the devil? A lot of people think he's a red-skinned monster with horns, sharp teeth, and a pitchfork. But it turns out that image is rooted in pagan mythology—not the Bible. In this episode, AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra talks about what the devil really looks like and why you should care.

Losing someone to death can be heartbreaking, especially if that person was young. And it's far from rare: studies show young Americans are TWICE as likely to die as their counterparts in other developed nations, like Germany, France, and Japan. The mortality rate for U.S. babies is scarily high, too. How do we cope? AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra says there is something we can do to help make these painful moments less difficult.

If you didn't see it, hear it, or feel it yourself—did it REALLY happen? Learn how your experiences and the way you rely on them can trick you when it comes to miracles. Join Shawn Boonstra as he takes a closer look at famous philosopher David Hume, who didn't believe in miracles. This week's episode of AUTHENTIC will make you think a little differently about the world around you!

Is it possible for miracles to be scientifically proven? Join Shawn Boonstra on this week's episode of AUTHENTIC as he explores one of history's most influential philosophers, David Hume, and his controversial view on miracles. There's plenty to discuss at this fascinating intersection of philosophy, religion, and science—don't miss this week's show!

Churches risk losing their way when they prioritize business and marketing strategies over their core mission. They may be filling the pews, but in the process they're unintentionally compromising the message they stand for. This episode of AUTHENTIC with Shawn Boonstra explores the dangers of putting church growth and popularity ahead of Gospel truth.

Do you really control every decision you make? There’s an increasing number of people who believe that free will is only an illusion—that the decisions you make today are solely caused by events from your past.In this episode, AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra discusses research from neuroscientist Benjamin Libet and the determinism of Dutch-Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza. It's a deep dive into the debate over free will versus the law of Nature.

Your life is finite: you'll live and die, having occupied a limited space for a limited amount of time. But in the end, we all seem to sense that there’s something infinite to grab hold of. Where does it take us? This week on AUTHENTIC, Shawn Boonstra peers into the beyond.

Lots of people talk about Jesus' miracles—whether they did or didn't happen. Christians believe they were real. But what's important is that the miracles are not the reason one believes. They're not the foundation of Christian faith. AUTHENTIC host Shawn Boonstra explains how the story of Jesus as Messiah stands strong regardless of the supernatural signs and wonders He performed.

More and more people in North America seem to believe the Bible is a book that oppresses humans and shuts down personal freedom. On this week’s program, Shawn Boonstra argues that the opposite is true—that many freedoms Americans enjoy today are largely inspired by the Bible itself.

Back in the earliest years of Christian history, a lot of deep thinkers struggled to wrap their minds around the concept of Jesus being not just a man, and not just God, but instead BOTH things at the very same time. 🤯 How could the eternal Almighty Himself come to this earth as a real flesh-and-blood human? Shawn Boonstra takes a little time to examine that claim in this special Christmas episode.

Lots of people are cool with Jesus, and even Yahweh...except for that pesky claim of exclusivity. What’s His deal? Some have diagnosed God as an egomaniacal control freak.This week Shawn Boonstra analyzes the first commandment—“no other gods before Me." Yet what IS a god to us? An idol? It all has to do with the dynamics of Creator, created, and the trust that builds or breaks us.

True freedom or lawful obedience? In the human mind, these concepts are at war, just as modern Christian thought severs our lives today from the Old Testament era: the age of the law (many claim). Join Shawn Boonstra as he unearths the truth—it has ALWAYS been an age of grace—and the ensuing question: if we’ve never had to buy our salvation, what’s the point of God’s law?

Standing as mortals at the foot of Mount Olympus, what would we see as we gazed up at the gods? How would it compare with the view of God at Mount Sinai? Join Shawn Boonstra this week for a study in divine character. In the world of our ancestors and their gods, Yahweh was shockingly unique—and much of it has to do with the Law He gave at Sinai.

The Thanksgiving holiday gives us an incredible opportunity to practice real gratitude AND quit living with brutal anxiety. Watch this episode to find out why Shawn Boonstra thinks Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year.

Public schools required to display the Ten Commandments? Such a rule sounds surprising, but recently lawmakers made it real in Louisiana. (Update: And in Texas, as of the airing of this encore show.) If you’ve kept up with the news, you know there's an active lawsuit challenging it. Shawn Boonstra dives into the controversy, exploring not only the line between church and state but also God’s reason for sharing His moral law with us in the first place.

Enacting someone’s last will and testament is a sacred duty. Still, inspired by a “gut feeling,” some like to redefine the deceased’s last wishes…often erupting familial wars. Is it possible that YOU, right now, are responsible for executing Someone’s will? Shawn Boonstra suggests you could be, and your fellow executors are quarreling over what this will and (New) Testament means.

As a dark wave of fatalism and existentialist despair rolled over from Europe in the nineteenth century, one brilliant American thinker dared to stem the tide. What if we are MORE than machines? he asked. What if our choices actually matter? Join us as we explore the impact of psychologist-philosopher William James and his quest to make meaning out of the vibrant life of the mind.

Imagine for a minute that you’re an ambassador of Earth to an alien civilization. You’re asked, “What’s this RELIGION thing all about? Why do you all believe something’s WRONG with your world?” Be honest: would you have answers? In this episode of Authentic, Shawn Boonstra pursues a coherent definition for religion, shining a light on why humanity’s always trying to improve…and why our efforts tend to backfire.

"You can't tell me what to do!" From crib to nursing home, we all bristle like porcupines at claims of authority. Something in us HATES being commanded. Is it any surprise the Most High God gets massive pushback? But what if, Shawn Boonstra asks, this target is a painted one? Scripture reveals Someone wholly unlike the tyrant of our imagination...

Thinking outside the box isn't just for artists and engineers. We can all benefit from challenging assumptions that hold us back. But what happens when "radical = good" becomes an assumption itself? Shawn Boonstra ponders the consequences for a society obsessed with erasing all the lines, boundaries, and principles that built us.

It takes a skeptic to prove reality. Shawn Boonstra revisits an old "friend," René Descartes, and his groundbreaking decision to doubt everything and how he concluded, "I think, therefore I am." The way Descartes starkly split mind from matter, though, should trigger our own skeptical instincts.

What causes YOU to lose your cool? The roots of our anger are deep and varied, but Shawn Boonstra suggests it's usually less about cosmic justice and more about personal injury. So, how to name and tame this dragon of rage? A centuries-old Christian practice may be the key.

Wrath. It's known as one of the seven deadly sins—and yet Scripture is filled with descriptions of God getting wrathful. So what IS the problem with anger? Shawn Boonstra explores this dynamite emotion and how our personal experiences with anger can cloud our view of heaven's righteous outrage.

Some today say that for centuries Christians believed in a flat earth. So what does the evidence say? Join Shawn as he looks into the fascinating history of the connection between the flat-earth theory and the Christian church. The story may be just a tad different from what you’ve learned to believe.

Join Shawn Boonstra for the story of one remarkable redemption at the hands of one VERY unlikely redeemer. All hope and holiness seemed lost when God's people and Temple fell to Babylon. But God had a wild card to play, a king to inspire, and some precious vessels to protect...

Whether you identify as a total Gemini, take a passing interest in the Chinese zodiac, or regard all horoscopes as ripe for mockery, you can't deny their massive popularity. This week Shawn Boonstra dissects the appeal of astrological signs. Are we seeking a cosmic destiny? Guidance? Order? Whatever it is, we can't help but look up.

Tick. Tock. The clock of life is running out. The shadow of the Reaper’s scythe darkens every minute and every year. Sure feels like we’re all sitting on death row... But what if there was a way to escape that tyrannical clock? What if you could make every moment count—could make sure even the most ordinary life REALLY meant something in the grand scheme of things? This week on Authentic, Shawn Boonstra shares how you can break free of the prison yard of life.

Many today struggle to understand their true significance and where they fit into this world. Out of this struggle has flowed untold sadness and tragedy. In this week's episode of Authentic, Shawn Boonstra explores how our understanding of our cosmic origins affects the value we place on ourselves and our role in the universe.

This week we're discussing the disturbing legacy of a different Reich in the 20th century. The sexual liberation movement promised to cast off the chains of oppressive morality—to let "free love" reign and hearts fully flourish. In the radical new thinking of figures like Wilhelm Reich, self-control and boundaries were now dangerous repression. But has the new paradigm truly delivered us from evil? Shawn examines the cost of divorcing biblical morality from sex.

Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by something so incredibly beautiful, it leaves you with a twinge of sadness? Shawn Boonstra explores this perplexing paradox of how experiencing beauty can produce joy and sadness, all at the same time.

Translating ancient Hebrew and Greek scriptures is hard enough WITHOUT the monarchy and Church coming for your head! Shawn Boonstra relates the astonishing journey of the English Bible, from radical idea to royal-approved release.

Say you've got a set of well-established Scriptures. How exactly do you come along and add a whole NEW set to it? In this week's encore episode, Shawn Boonstra investigates the origins of the New Testament. Did its authors think they were writing Scripture? And what role do councils play in determining whether texts were inspired?

In a pain-choked world, we see the face of evil everywhere. And there's plenty of blame to fling around, which we do. Constantly. But maybe it's time, Shawn Boonstra says, for a good long look at the face in the mirror—half in light, half in shadow.

The book of Genesis is widely perceived as myth—on the same shelf as Gilgamesh and Zeus. So let's line them up side by side, shall we? Shawn Boonstra weighs the differences and charts strikingly separate worlds of meaning.

You slip on a ring, and SNAP! You're invisible. What will you do with this power? This week, Shawn Boonstra turns to an old fable of Plato's to confront who we are in the dark, when no one is looking. But while it's easy to sin in secret, the ancient wisdom of Proverbs reminds us: there's a real cost even in this life...and a REAL path to your authentic self.

Crucifixion on its own is horrific enough...but if you believe Jesus' death on the cross was the punishment for our sins, it's even WORSE. Some object and say the cross was about pure love—nothing to do with judgment or wrath. Shawn Boonstra investigates the feelings and reasoning at play, and why the biblical framing of Christ's death still holds such power to both disturb and astound us.

Desperate to find the meaning of life? It’s only human. Philosophers and theologians have long invented ideas to build an understanding of the universe. But they’ve reached a dead end. In this episode, Shawn Boonstra traces humanity’s precarious path to nihilism and confronts modern misconceptions about divine justice. To understand God and hell, we must turn to the Bible. The WHOLE Bible.

Shivering in the shadow of life’s darkest problems, will we ever think our way to the light? Inspired by Thomas Aquinas, nineteenth-century philosophers argued that we could. Shawn Boonstra claims the opposite. Learn why human reason often paves the way to corruption—and discover what it really takes to find the answers to those deepest of life’s questions.

We often credit the Greeks with inventing Western philosophy. But how often were they borrowing from another great society? This week, we’re exploring the ancient world to uncover the hidden influences behind Plato, Pythagoras, Democritus, and more. The real roots of popular thought—and your own worldview—may shock you.

Is it wrong to want more? In this episode, Shawn Boonstra breaks down what the Bible really says about envy, greed, and material possessions. Turns out, the tenth commandment is about a lot more than wanting a nicer car—this law is a cosmic clue pointing us to the only source of real happiness.

What does it really mean to “bear false witness”? Does the ninth commandment warn us against ALL falsehoods? Shawn Boonstra doesn’t think so. From gossip to political spin, lies intended to wound another’s reputation can—like wildfire—spiral out of control, causing irreparable damage. Join us for a fresh look at this law on deception . . . and the powerful truth it reveals.

Some claim that the road to a perfect society starts with abolishing private property. But the Bible—and a history littered with failed utopian experiments—tells a different story. In this episode, Shawn Boonstra analyzes infamous history, popular philosophy, and the eighth commandment: “You shall not steal.” Could this simple law contain answers for modern issues?

Is the sanctity of marriage collecting dust? Shawn Boonstra breaks down modern culture’s take on marriage, infidelity, and passion vs. reason. When so many have thrown away God’s seventh commandment, he argues that this law against adultery holds timeless truths—revelations about God’s character that can enrich our lives today.