AUTHENTIC with Shawn Boonstra

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.

The internet has supercharged the spread of conspiracy theories and urban legends both old and new. Many Christians have been caught up in its web. But their evangelizing, as Shawn Boonstra explains, has little to do with the core message of the Gospel. It may even be poisoning the faith for others. This week on Authentic: a plea for a return to Bible basics in a conversation that's gone off the walls and down weird rabbit holes.

If you were to build the perfect society, how would you do it? In this episode of Authentic, Shawn Boonstra breaks out his old copy of Plato's "Republic" to examine some of the allegedly best ideas for creating utopia. Somewhere between philosopher-kings, warrior-kings, and despots, the dream starts to dissolve... Can we find it for real?

This week we're tackling a big question: how do we know if God is actually speaking to us? Shawn shares some rock-solid guidance on telling the difference between our own thoughts and feelings and divine communication.

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 Authentic's next segment on the history of the Bible, 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.

The baby Jesus wasn't just born to die—as an eventual sacrifice at the cross. Christ was born to LIVE! Host Shawn Boonstra charts how 33 authentic years became eternity's liberating bridge between heaven and earth, and how Christmas is no mere birthday party.

This week on Authentic, Shawn gets to the heart of what exactly "inspired by God" means when it comes to Scripture—writing it, compiling it, interpreting it. And what about all those "extra" books of the Apocrypha? Are they Scripture? Join us for part 2 of our series on how the Bible came to be.

Almost one-third of humanity sees the Bible as “God-breathed.” But it didn’t appear out of thin air...so where did these scriptures come from, and who decided they were authoritative? Join Shawn Boonstra for a new Authentic series on the astounding history of the Bible. We’ll start with the rich cultures of ancient Mesopotamia—and take a moment to debunk a popular myth from “The Da Vinci Code.”