EXS9-Almost Heretical - Deconstructing Christian Finds His Way Back - Nate Hanson s Story - eX-skeptic

In this episode of eX‑skeptic, host Jana Harmon sits down with former church planter and podcast host Nate Hansen to trace a path that began with a family‑deep Baptist tradition, surged through radical discipleship with Francis Chan, and later unraveled into a decade‑long process of deconstruction. Nate recounts growing up in a multigenerational congregation outside Portland, Oregon, where faith was as routine as breathing. He describes his teenage encounter with Chan’s preaching, the decision to abandon conventional comforts for a radical, full‑time ministry, and his subsequent work in Christian radio at KKLA while studying at Eternity Bible College.The conversation turns to the moment when questions about biblical evidence, historical reliability, and personal suffering—especially a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis—forced Nate to step back and examine the foundations of his belief. He explains how his curiosity about how things work, nurtured by dismantling appliances as a child, resurfaced as a methodological deconstruction of doctrine. Over ten years, his podcast Almost Heretical became a laboratory for testing faith against scholarship, leading him to an evidence‑based renewal of belief.Nate shares practical advice for anyone in the midst of deconstruction: clarify the reasons behind the break, seek community beyond one’s immediate church culture, and engage with resources that model honest dialogue. He points listeners to the Unbelievable podcast with Justin Brierley, John Dixon’s Undeceptions, and Shane Rosenthal’s Humble Skeptic, while highlighting his own Faith Lab show as a venue for scholarly conversation. The episode closes with a call for kindness, openness, and intellectual honesty in all faith conversations, underscoring that doubt can be the catalyst for a deeper, more resilient faith.Listeners will come away with a nuanced portrait of a believer who has walked the full spectrum—from unquestioning devotion to rigorous skepticism and back—offering both comfort and challenge to anyone navigating their own spiritual crossroads.

Categories: Faith