Show notes
What happens when Christians stop thinking for themselves — and hand that job to AI? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Ben Holloway — philosopher, professor at Judson College at Southeastern Seminary, and incoming Bruce Little Chair of Christian Philosophy — to explore why classical Christian education depends on mastering language, logic, and the great books. From defending the faith against hard questions to why you simply cannot outsource your thinking to a machine, this is a conversation that will challenge and equip every homeschool family to love wisdom and pursue truth.
Dr. Ben Holloway grew up in England, spent his 20s playing in a band and preaching the gospel with no formal education, then moved to America at 34 with his wife, two kids, and 29 boxes — and started his bachelor's degree at Moody Bible Institute. That late-in-life educational journey shapes everything about how he teaches and what he believes education is for.
The conversation opens with a rich discussion of Christian philosophy — not as an abstract academic exercise, but as the indispensable tool Christians have always used to answer the questions the Bible doesn't directly address. From the early church borrowing the language of "substance" and "persons" from Greek philosophy to describe the Trinity, to the everyday challenge of interpreting a difficult passage of Scripture, philosophy and language are inescapably central to the Christian life.
Dr. Holloway makes a compelling case that language is foundational to how we know God. Because God chose to reveal himself through 66 books, Christians are permanently and inescapably committed to the hard work of interpretation. You cannot outsource that to anyone — and certainly not to AI. He explains that AI isn't a reasoning machine; it's a pattern-matching product built to please customers, not to pursue truth. Students who try to use it before developing their own thinking ability won't just miss the learning — they'll also be incapable of evaluating what AI produces.
What You'll Learn:
- What Christian philosophy actually is — and why you can't do good theology without it
- Why language is one of the most mysterious and important features of God's creation
- How to read the Bible the way the author intended — not just the way it "speaks to you"
- Three practical techniques for interpreting any difficult text correctly
- Why Christians specifically cannot outsource their thinking to AI — and what's at stake if they try
- Why using AI before you've learned to think is worse than not using it at all
- The surprising connection between Homer's *Iliad* and the biblical meaning of glory and honor
- Why hard-earned education is one of God's greatest gifts — and what we rob students of when we shortcut it
00:00 — Introduction & Dr. Holloway's Background
01:44 — Growing Up in England, Ministry Without a Degree & Coming to America
03:11 — Discovering a Calling to Teach at Moody Bible Institute
04:22 — What Makes Judson College Unique: Theory Meets Practice
05:07 — What Is Christian Philosophy — and Why Does It Matter?
06:27 — How the Early Church Used Philosophy to Describe the Trinity
08:26 — Language, God's Creation & Why It's So Mysterious
10:07 — How Language Connects to Truth and Education
12:11 — Why Christians Can't Outsource Bible Reading to AI
13:43 — Who Gets to Fix the Meaning of a Text? The Author, Not You
15:03 — Why You Shouldn't Skip the Parts of Scripture That Don't "Apply" to You
17:02 — Three Techniques for Interpreting Difficult Texts Correctly
21:25 — Honor, Glory & What Homer Teaches Us About the Bible
24:17 — Bethlehem, Lambs & the Depth of God's Storytelling (with Robert)
25:38 — AI, Thinking & Why You Have to Learn Without It First
29:10 — The Ethics of AI in the Classroom: Why It's a Form of Deception
31:05 — Handwriting, Blue Books & Seeing Students' Work
36:19 — The Satisfaction of Hard-Earned Learning
39:36 — Philosophy Means "Love of Wisdom" — and That's the Point
41:12 — About Judson College: Preview Days, Campus Visits & April 16 Experience Day
43:07 — Closing Thoughts: Christians, Culture & the Duty of This Generation
Resources:
https://judsoncollege.com/
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Worldview Academy:
Students call Worldview Academy the best week of their lives. Through week-long summer leadership camps for teens, Worldview Academy trains Christians to think and live in accord with a biblical worldview so they can better serve Christ and engage the culture around them. Worldview Academy reinforces what students are learning at home and at church and trains this generation to apply that knowledge to the challenging cultural issues they're facing.
To find a camp near you or learn more about Worldview's weekend conferences and other resources for families, visit www.worldview.org
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