For years, Nate Hanson was deeply committed to Christianity. Influenced by voices like Francis Chan and immersed in ministry, he devoted his life to radical discipleship and church planting. But after years of burnout, disappointment, and difficult questions, cracks began to appear in the faith he had always known. What followed was nearly a decade of public deconstruction through his podcast Almost Heretical, where he wrestled honestly with doubt, theology, and whether Christianity could withstand serious scrutiny.
Yet what Nate expected to be the end of faith became the beginning of a new search for truth.
In this episode, Nate shares how engaging skeptical arguments, historical scholarship, and the evidence surrounding Jesus led him to reconsider the very faith he thought he had left behind.
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Guest Bio:
Nate Hanson is the co-host of Faith Lab, a podcast dedicated to exploring thoughtful Christianity and helping people wrestle honestly with questions of faith. For nearly a decade, he hosted the popular podcast Almost Heretical, where he openly chronicled his own journey through deconstruction and engaged in conversations surrounding doubt, theology, and spirituality.
Today, Nate seeks to create space for gracious conversations and to help skeptics, doubters, and seekers thoughtfully engage the truth claims of Christianity.
Nate is also a tech professional, specializing in AI and coding. He lives in Oregon with his wife and children.
Resources Mentioned:
eX-skeptic Guides: https://exskeptic.org/bookstore/
Nate’s Resources:
- Podcast Website: Faith Lab Show www.faithlabshow.com; He recently shared his personal journey back to Christianity in the episode Deconstruction Led Me Back to Christianity.
Nate’s Recommended Resources:
- Tim Mackie, The Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com
- Tim Keller, Questioning Christianity video series: https://qcpodcast.gospelinlife.com
- Tim Keller, Reasons for God
- Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eye Witnesses
- Lydia McGrew, https://lydiamcgrew.com
- Peter J. Williams, https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/peter-williams
- Shane Rosenthal, The Humble Skeptic podcast
- NT Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God
- James D. G. Dunn, New Testament Scholar
- John Lennox, https://johnlennox.org
- Stephen C. Meyer, The God Hypothesis, https://www.discovery.org/p/meyer/
- Justin Brierley, Uncommon Ground, https://justinbrierley.com
- John Dickson, Undeceptions Podcast, https://undeceptions.com/podcast/
Chapters
00:00 Why Nate Returned to Christianity
00:26 Introduction to Nate Hanson's Story
02:54 What Is Christian Deconstruction?
06:25 Growing Up in a Christian Family
09:13 Church was Life
12:09 Francis Chan and Radical Faith
17:10 Pursuing Full-Time Christian Ministry
21:49 Ministry in San Francisco's Toughest Neighborhoods
28:07 Gunfire and a Crisis of Faith
31:44 When Blind Faith Began to Unravel
33:14 Exploring Different Christian Traditions
36:30 The Almost Heretical Podcast and Deconstruction
41:32 The Dominoes Falling
42:40 Giving Christianity One Last Chance
45:20 Investigating the Historical Evidence for Jesus
49:48 Can Christianity Stand Up to Skepticism?
52:43 The Resurrection and 1 Corinthians 15
55:32 Questioning God, Science, and Alternative Worldviews
58:00 Why Nate Became a Christian Again
01:01:55 Rebuilding Faith After Deconstruction
01:06:02 Advice for Parents of Children Who Leave Christianity
01:11:49 Advice for Anyone Questioning Their Faith
01:18:31 Closing
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