eX-skeptic

What happens when atheism is taken seriously all the way to its logical conclusions?

For Luke Thornton, raised in a deeply secular culture in the UK, honesty about those implications led not to certainty but to discomfort and eventually to an argument he couldn’t ignore.

Luke Thornton grew up in northern England in a culture where belief in God felt irrelevant at best and irrational at worst. An intellectually curious student, Luke embraced atheism not out of apathy but out of a commitment to truth. Science, progress, and reason seemed to leave no room for God.

But as Luke followed atheism to its logical conclusions questions about morality, free will, meaning, and human value began to press in. When a philosophical argument for God’s existence challenged assumptions he’d long held, Luke was forced to reconsider whether disbelief was as intellectually satisfying as he once thought.

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Guest Bio:

Luke Thornton is a Christian creative entrepreneur and evangelist.

Raised in Yorkshire, England, in a non-Christian home, Luke was an atheist until he embraced Christianity as an adult.

He runs a marketing agency full-time while dedicating his spare time to studying apologetics and enjoying life with friends in London.

Resources Mentioned:

Luke’s Recommended Resources:

The Bible Society Study Course: The Bible Course is an eight-session small-group resource designed to help people explore the whole Bible’s story from Genesis to Revelation. For more information, go to: https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/

The Alpha Course: The Alpha Course is a multi-week, conversational introduction to the basics of the Christian faith designed for anyone who is curious about life, meaning, and God.

William Lane Craig. Reasonable Faith is the official ministry and resource hub of Christian philosopher and apologist Dr. William Lane Craig, dedicated to providing articulate, intelligent, and gracious support for the truth of the Christian faith. See: https://www.reasonablefaith.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lukethornton___/

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What if the worldview you trusted most began to crumble under its own weight?
Chris Wright grew up in a deeply Christian home, surrounded by Scripture, church life, and belief. But as he moved into adolescence, competing ideas like evolutionary theory, cultural pressure, and hidden personal struggles pulled him steadily away from the faith he knew.

By the time he reached college, Chris was confronted by bold professors, each insisting that Christianity was intellectually weak, morally suspect, or simply outdated. But instead of convincing him, their hostility toward Scripture and the dismissal of the faith of his childhood awakened something unexpected: a desire to test everything for himself.

Guest Bio:

Chris Wright is a writer, apologist, and creator of the Allegiant Faith Network Substack, where he focuses on apologetics, theology, biblical studies, and worldview formation. After a season of deep doubt fueled by cultural pressures, academic skepticism, and personal struggles, Chris set out on a rigorous search for truth that led him back to Christianity through evidence and reason.

He holds a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and writes to help skeptics, seekers, and believers think clearly, question well, and understand why Christianity offers a coherent, intellectually grounded view of reality. Chris is active on Substack and X, where he engages thoughtfully with skeptics and equips Christians for meaningful conversations about faith.

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Resources Mentioned:

C.S. Lewis Institute: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/

Chris’s recommended resources:

Book: Reasons for God, Tim Keller

Book: Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell

Author/Website: Frank Turek, www.crossexamined.org

Book: The Big Book of Christian Apologetics – an A to Z Guide, Norm Geisler

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What if denying Christianity felt like freedom—but that path slowly revealed itself to be hollow?

In this episode of eX-skeptic, Jana Harmon sits down with Grenville Kent, an Australian theologian, filmmaker, and former skeptic who once believed Christian faith would restrict his joy rather than enrich it.

Grenville shares how a hedonistic, achievement-driven worldview eventually collapsed under its own weight, and how unexpected conversations, honest doubt, atheist thinkers, and a simple prayer cracked the door open to something more. Come and hear how Grenville began to experience the personal, loving God who was already pursuing him.

Guest Bio:

Grenville Kent, PhD, is an Australian theologian, filmmaker, and storyteller who blends rigorous scholarship with creative, accessible communication. He holds a PhD in Old Testament from the University of Manchester, a Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics, and several additional degrees across film, commerce, and education. He is the author of God Walks Into a Bar, a lively and engaging exploration of evidence for belief, and the creator of the internationally broadcast documentary series Big Questions. Grenville has taught Old Testament and apologetics and continues to speak and write in ways that resonate deeply with skeptics, seekers, and Christians alike.

Resources Mentioned:

Grenville’s Resources:

• Book: God Walks Into a Bar…

• Film documentary series: Big Questions

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Grenville+Kent+Big+Questions

• Academic research: https://morlingcollege.academia.edu/GrenvilleKent

Grenville’s recommended resources:

• Apologists: C.S. Lewis, Frances Schaeffer, William Lane Craig, John Lennox,

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What if the questions that once pulled you away from faith could be the very questions that lead you back?

That’s exactly what happened to Matt Schmidt. As a naturally inquisitive kid, Matt felt the weight of questions that no one around him could answer — questions about science, origins, morality, and whether the Bible could be trusted. With no guidance or satisfying explanations, he walked away from Christianity and embraced atheism.

But the same relentless curiosity that distanced him from belief slowly began to unravel the foundations of his atheism. How do you get something from nothing? Where does morality come from? Why do humans care about meaning at all? Listen to what Matt discovered through his journey.

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Guest Bio:

Matt Schmidt is the co-founder and CEO of Engage 360, a ministry dedicated to helping everyday Christians share their faith with clarity, confidence, and compassion in everyday conversations. Matt holds a master’s degree in philosophy with studies in theology, apologetics, and biblical studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Resources Mentioned:

Matt’s Resources:

•        Website: Engage 360 www.e360m.org. Engage 360 Core Training online courses and community: www.e360m.org/reset . A course track designed to help people learn to lead an investigative Bible study in their home or church: www.e360m.org/bible

Matt’s recommended resources:

•        Alistair Begg, www.truthforlife.org

•       R.C. Sproul on the reliability of scripture: https://www.truthnetwork.com/show/renewing-your-mind-rc-sproul/44894/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Before she became one of today’s leading Christian thinkers, Nancy Pearcey walked away from Christianity. Disillusioned by shallow answers and a painful home life, she turned instead to atheism, relativism, and Eastern spirituality in search of something she could truly believe. After studying at Francis Schaeffer’s L’Abri in Switzerland, her search led her back to the exploration of a robust, intellectually grounded faith.

Listen and hear Nancy share how rigorous thinking, honest doubt, and lived experience converged to reveal Christianity as not only true, but as the most coherent explanation of reality.

Guest Bio:

Nancy Pearcey is a professor and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University and a former fellow at the Discovery Institute. Once a skeptic who abandoned her childhood faith, she became convinced through careful study that Christianity offers the most rational account of reality.

She is the award-winning author of Total Truth, Finding Truth, Love Thy Body, and The Toxic War on Masculinity. Her work has been described as “C. S. Lewis for the modern age,” helping believers think clearly and helping skeptics see the intellectual and moral depth of the Christian worldview.

Resources Mentioned:

Website: www.nancypearcey.com

Mentioned Books:

Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity

Finding Truth: 5 Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes

Nancy’s recommended resources:

Mere Christianity, Miracles, C.S. Lewis

Escape from Reason, The God Who is There, Francis Schaeffer

The Dust of Death, Os Guinness

America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU): https://americaschristiancu.com/Jana/

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