Hank Unplugged
Dig Deeper with Hank Unplugged — Hank Unplugged is a podcast brought to you by the Christian Research Institute, where Hank Hanegraaff takes you beyond the sound bites and into thoughtful, in-depth explorations of the critical issues confronting Christians today. Drawing on Scripture, history, theology, and culture, Hank equips listeners to think Christianly about the questions that matter most and to contend for “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). For more information, visit www.equip.org. To support CRI and our global outreaches, visit www.equip.org/donate/.
Understanding Sharia: Is It Really Like Christian Canon Law? | Part 1
In a recent exchange with Jesse Watters, Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed compared Sharia law to Christian canon law, arguing that Muslims should simply be free to practice their faith just as Christians practice theirs.1
But are Sharia and Christian canon law really comparable?
In this episode of Hank Unplugged, Hank Hanegraaff examines that claim and explains the fundamental differences between Sharia, Christian canon law, and the Mosaic law of the Old Testament. He considers the scope of Sharia as a comprehensive system governing religious, political, social, and private life; the historical and theological p...
Can We Trust Iran’s Islamic Leadership?
As America seeks an agreement with Iran amid the current war, Hank Hanegraaff asks a crucial question: How should we understand the thinking of Iran’s Islamic leadership?
In this episode of Hank Unplugged, Hank looks back to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Muhammad’s ten-year truce with the Meccans in A.D. 628, and examines its enduring significance in Islamic history and political thought. From Muhammad’s eventual conquest of Mecca to Yasser Arafat’s invocation of Hudaybiyyah during the Oslo peace process, Hank argues that the past provides an important lens through which to assess negotiations with Iran today. <...
Fr. Stephen Freeman | Christian Atheism: God as an idea is no God at all (Preview of Commitment to Reality)
Fr. Stephen Freeman is one of the best there is when it comes to calling out our contemporary world and the false and flattened view of reality which he calls a two-storey universe. The truth is this—we live in a one-storey universe. And it is enchanted.
This is a preview of an episode of Commitment to Reality, where Fr. Stephen Freeman joins Dave Hanegraaff to explore how we can recover a a right vision of the universe in an age that has taught us to see reality as cold, secular, and disenchanted
For more information on...
Martin Shaw | What Part of You Has Come to Die? (Preview of Commitment to Reality)
Martin Shaw is one of those people who challenges you by asking provocative questions like “what part of you has come here to die?”
Shaw offers these kinds of provocations to a world where Christianity has been domesticated and desperately needs to recover its wildness.
This is a preview of an episode of Commitment to Reality, where Martin Shaw joins Dave Hanegraaff to explore how to recover a wild Christianity in a world where faith for many has become cold, abstract, and domesticated.
To hear the full conversation, search for Commitment to Reality wherever you l...
The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Has No Biblical Basis
Popularized in the 19th century, the pre-tribulational rapture is the idea that millions of Christians will suddenly vanish before a future seven-year tribulation. This is one of the most widely held beliefs in modern Christianity—but is this teaching actually grounded in Scripture? Hank Hanegraaff examines the case on this episode of Hank Unplugged.
Drawing from key biblical passages—including John 5, Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, and Revelation 21—Hank argues that the Bible presents a very different picture: One unified resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteousOne visible, final return of ChristOne redeemed creation, liberated together with the people of God H...
Was the Iran War Prophesied in the Bible?
Hank Hanegraaff addresses the popular claim that the present conflict in Iran is a direct fulfillment—or foreshadowing—of biblical prophecy. Some modern prophecy pundits suggest that current events point to an “Ezekiel 37 (or 38) scenario,” involving a future alliance between Iran and Russia against Israel.
Hank challenges these interpretations by emphasizing the importance of historical and biblical context. He examines Matthew 24, arguing that commonly cited “rapture” passages are misunderstood when removed from their immediate setting—particularly Jesus’ reference to judgment in the days of Noah and His prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Turning to the book of E...
Hank Reflects on Visiting Iran: Many Iranians Are Peaceful But Islam is not a Religion of Peace
Hank Hanegraaff reflects on his personal experiences in Tehran during the anniversary of the shah’s overthrow, remembering repeated encounters with the warmth, kindness, and hospitality of ordinary Iranians—from fellow travelers to late-night walks through the city.
He sets these experiences alongside a broader argument distinguishing individual Muslims from the religion of Islam itself, raising the question of whether Islam is inherently a religion of peace and tolerance.
Hank explains that Islam is the only significant religious system in the history of the human race with a sociopolitical structure of laws that mandate violence against the...
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Changed Everything
Hank Hanegraaff reflects on the significance of Holy Week and the transformational power of Christ’s resurrection.
Why do Eastern and Western Christians celebrate Easter (Pascha) on different calendars? And what happened as a result of the resurrection?
In just a few centuries, a small band of seemingly insignificant believers turned an empire upside down, facing persecution, suffering, and death with unshakable conviction.
It is conceivable they would suffer for what they believed to be true—but inconceivable they would die for what they knew to be a lie.
Quoting Simon Greenleaf, one of...
The War in Iran—A Clash of Civilizations and Perspectives on Eternity
Hank Hanegraaff reflects on the death of Iran’s supreme leader as a stark reminder of the reality of death and eternity.
Hank contrasts Islamic and Christian views of the afterlife, highlighting Islamic concepts such as barzakh and tantalizing descriptions of paradise that have been used as jihadist recruitment tactics, while also raising concerns about demographic shifts, cultural change, and the global influence of Islam.
Hank argues that neither military action nor political engagement alone can address the broader civilizational and spiritual crisis in the West. Ultimately, the only real solution to a disintegrating West and a resur...
Jay Richards—Reality, AI, and the Courage to Change Your Mind (Preview)
Jay Richards has made more appearances on Hank Unplugged than any other guest. As the longtime producer of the podcast, Dave Hanegraaff thought it would be fitting to have Jay be one of the first guests to join him on his new podcast, A Commitment to Reality.
In this preview from A Commitment to Reality, Jay and Dave explore the importance of listening to those we disagree with, how social media distorts our perception of reality, and why embodiment—simply going outside and being present—may be one of the most important disciplines we’ve forgotten.
They al...
Frederica Mathewes-Green — Making a Commitment to Reality (Preview)
Frederica Mathewes-Green was the very first guest on Hank Unplugged. As the longtime producer of the podcast, Dave Hanegraaff thought it would be fitting for Frederica to also be the first guest on his new podcast, A Commitment to Reality.
In this preview episode, Frederica Mathewes-Green and Dave Hanegraaff explore what it means to live in alignment with reality.
To hear the full conversation, search for A Commitment to Reality wherever you listen to podcasts and follow the show so you never miss an episode.
You can also watch full episodes and clips onYouTube: h...
Because Truth Matters, Reality Matters–Hank Hanegraaff on A Commitment to Reality
Hank Hanegraaff brings an important announcement about a brand-new initiative at the Christian Research Institute: a new podcast titled A Commitment to Reality, hosted by his son, Dave Hanegraaff.
This podcast is not only timely but extraordinarily relevant. Why? Because we live in an era of “reality rot.” To paraphrase Blaise Pascal, we live in an age in which truth is so obscure and falsehood so established that, apart from “a commitment to reality,” you simply cannot know it.
Our new podcast is a powerful complement to CRI’s other podcasts and publications, extending our ministry and mission...
Why Commitment to Shared Reality Matters
Frederica Mathewes-Green and Dave Hanegraaff unpack why the most important word in A Commitment to Reality is commitment—because reality doesn’t disappear when we deny it. This clip gets at why a commitment to shared reality matters.
We are living through one of the most disorienting periods in human history—leaving many to wonder: What is reality? As artificial intelligence accelerates and institutional trust erodes, our shared sense of what is real continues to crumble.
A commitment to reality is a dedication to discerning what is true and developing the discipline to live in alignment with tha...
When a Culture Can’t Name Reality–What Happens Next?
What happens to a culture that can no longer name what it sees?
In this clip from A Commitment to Reality, Jay Richards argues that when a society rejects basic realities—biological, moral, and metaphysical—it begins to unravel in ways that don’t stay theoretical. Dave and Jay talk about what “commitment to reality” actually means, and why denying reality has civilizational consequences.
We are living through one of the most disorienting periods in human history—leaving many to wonder: What is reality? As artificial intelligence accelerates and institutional trust erodes, our shared sense of what is real...
They Want You Angry–TV and the Internet–Architects of Anger
Frederica Mathewes-Green explains how TV and the internet are engineered for outrage—training us to argue instead of understand.
This clip comes from A Commitment to Reality.
We are living through one of the most disorienting periods in human history—leaving many to wonder: What is reality? As artificial intelligence accelerates and institutional trust erodes, our shared sense of what is real continues to crumble.A commitment to reality is a dedication to discerning what is true and developing the discipline to live in alignment with that truth—with reality. This podcast is an apologetic for realit...
I Used to Hate You–What Changed My Mind
Dave Hanegraaff tells Jay Richards: “I used to hate you.” What changed? He listened.
In this clip from A Commitment to Reality, Dave and Jay talk about how we caricature people we disagree with, why actually listening to people matters, and how misconceptions can block us from thinking clearly.
We are living through one of the most disorienting periods in human history—leaving many to wonder: What is reality? As artificial intelligence accelerates and institutional trust erodes, our shared sense of what is real continues to crumble.
A commitment to reality is a dedication to discer...
Why Reality Matters
A Commitment to Reality is a podcast for a post-truth—and increasingly post-reality—age.
We are living through one of the most disorienting periods in human history—leaving many to wonder: What is reality? As artificial intelligence accelerates and institutional trust erodes, our shared sense of what is real continues to crumble.
A commitment to reality is a dedication to discerning what is true and developing the discipline to live in alignment with that truth—with reality. This podcast is an apologetic for reality—each episode serving as an intentional act of grounding our existence together as we commi...
Fake ID: How AI and Identity Ideology Are Collapsing Reality―and What to Do About It with Abdu Murray
AI and identity ideology are not issues that we are able to ignore. And yet, they are dramatically altering the way that the world perceives reality. As Christians, it is critical for us to respond with clarity amidst the confusion.Abdu Murray joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss the disrupting forces of AI and identity ideology and how we—as Christians—can approach these disorienting developments with discernment.For more information on how to receive Fake ID: How AI and Identity Ideology Are Collapsing Reality―and What to Do About It for your partnering gift please click here. https://www.equip.org/prod...
The Forgotten Discipline We Must Recover– A Message from Hank Hanegraaff
Time is flying by so fast—it’s hard to believe. “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” As Hank reflects on another year, a phrase has been echoing through his mind: “You will be the same person next year as you are right now except for two things—the people you meet and the books you read.” Hank would add a third: the things you memorize.Some of the greatest breakthroughs Hank has ever experienced have come directly from reading.Both in America and abroad, reading is in decline across the board. That’s the bad n...
Christ is Born—Glorify Him! A Message from Hank Hanegraaff
We wish you a Merry Christmas—and a reminder of the proverbial reason for the season. Our prayer is that, amid the noise surrounding modern-day Christmas celebrations, we may as yet hear the faint echo of Isaiah's earth-shattering pronouncement: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel." And, "he will save his people from their sins."Merry Christmas from Hank Hanegraaff and the rest of the Christian Research Institute family. Behold a strange, most glorious mystery:Heaven—The Cave;The Cherubic Throne—The Virgin;The Manger—The Place Where Christ Lay;The Uncontainable God, Whom...
Is Annihilationism Biblical?
Annihilationism is the view that no one suffers for eternity in hell--because according to annihilationism there is no hell. Rather, those who persist until death in their rejection of God’s gracious gift of salvation are snuffed out of existence entirely. Just as universalism is the rage in liberal Christianity, so too annihilationism has gained momentum in conservative Christian circles, with the concept once again entering into the cultural consciousness due to comments made by Kirk Cameron. Hank saw those comments and decided to weigh in on the matter in order to address whether or not annihilationism has any Biblical bas...
Has Christ Returned as a Female? The Dangerous Cult Making This Claim with Hank Hanegraaff
Has Christ returned as a female in China? Believe it or not, this is the shameless assertion of the Church of the Almighty God, also known as Eastern Lightning. Unfortunately, this is not a fringe group of fanatics, but a cult that is growing globally with millions of devotees and deep pockets. This edition of Hank Unplugged is dedicated to discussing the dangers of Eastern Lightning, what CRI is doing to combat the cults and how you can help make a difference.For further study: CRI Resource: The Eastern Lighting Cult: Christ Returns to Earth as a Female? https://www.e...
Why You Should Read Proverbs Every Day
Hank Hanegraaff reads The Book of Proverbs every single day. On this short edition of the Hank Unplugged podcast Hank tells you why that is such an important practice in his life and why you should begin doing the same thing every single day. We promise you won’t regret it. For further study: CRI Resource: Little Red Book of Wisdom. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-the-little-red-book-of-wisdom-updated-and-expanded-edition/
Listen to Hank’s podcast and follow Hank off the grid where he is joined by some of the brightest minds discussing topics you care about. Get equipped to be a cultu...
Is Mormonism Christianity?
In the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, Hank Hanegraaff would like to propose an all too relevant question: “Is Mormonism Christian?”
Why? Because a prevalent narrative surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk in Orem Utah, is that Tyler Robinson, Kirk’s alleged assassin, grew up in a good conservative Christian family. In truth, Tyler Robinson was raised in a Mormon family—and Mormonism is hardly Christian.
As such, Hanegraaff believes this to be as good a time as any to equip listeners to delineate the differences between Mormonism and Christianity so that we can all be prepared to...
Charlie Kirk: Casualty of the Woke War on the West
On September 10th Charlie Kirk was killed in broad daylight on a college campus in Utah by the alleged assassin Tyler Robinson. Another casualty of the woke war on the West. An insidious revolt that many Christians have a hard time wrapping their minds around, which is why this edition of Hank Unplugged is dedicated to summarizing the issue at hand in memorable fashion via the word W–O–K–E.
“W” representing the word Worldview. Students, particularly in the West, are being propagandized by a WOKE WORLDVIEW. Charlie Kirk was committed to dismantling the absurdities...
The Little Red Book of Wisdom with Mark DeMoss
If wisdom is so important in the life of a Christian, why is it that so many of us fail to develop disciplines that will lead us to lives of wisdom?
Hank Hanegraaff has been friends with Mark DeMoss for over 40 years and on this episode, Mark joins the Hank to discuss a passion that they both share in common--wisdom literature. Mark DeMoss is so passionate about the subject that he wrote The Little Red Book of Wisdom to pass on what he has learned throughout his life about the importance of the pursuit of wisdom. No matter w...
God’s View of Time: Kairos vs. Chronos with David Hanegraaff
God doesn’t see time the way we do. While we live according to hours, deadlines, and a focus fixed on the future (chronos), God operates in kairos—sacred moments filled with purpose and a pursuit of being fully present. We can sanctify chronological time by living with eternity in mind—sensing God’s presence in every moment.
In this episode, David Hanegraaff explores the importance of a proper theology of time—Kairos—as opposed to a human understanding of time—Chronos. Learning to trust God’s timing can reshape our daily lives, reorient our expectations, and draw us deeper into comm...
When God Calls You He Equips You with David Hanegraaff
Have you ever felt like the least qualified person in the room? David Hanegraaff discusses what it is like growing up as the son of the “Bible Answer Man” and how he does his best to say yes to the call of the Lord even when he feels unqualified. David has learned to overcome self-doubt by trusting the Lord and taking those leaps of faith—because when God calls you, he equips you.
Recorded during a talk at the Set Apart retreat for young adults at Gospel for Asia in Wills Point, Texas, this candid presentation by David Ha...
Exposing Eastern Lightning: Hank Hanegraaff’s Urgent Fiscal Year-End Message
Make sure to listen to this special message as Hank Hanegraaff reflects on the fiscal year’s end, he underscores Christian unity and global missions while warning of The Church of Almighty God (Eastern Lightning), which claims a Chinese woman is the reincarnated Christ and fulfillment of Jesus’s Olivet Discourse. Doctrinally deviant and sociologically subversive, this group masquerades as a persecuted Christian movement to advance dangerous dogmas. In CRI’s special issue of the Christian Research Journal, believers are equipped to recognize and confront such cults. Hank shows how your prayers, partnership, and generosity make an eternal difference in fulfillin...
Nothing Left to Prove, So Much Left to Do with Larry Johnston
The following interview is from 2017, when Hank Hanegraaff was joined by the eminently quotable Larry Johnston, a friend and colleague of over forty years, for a wide-ranging conversation certain to send you searching for a dictionary. Today, Larry is absent from the body, present with the Lord. We don’t know the date of our death, but apart from the return of the Lord, we know that day will come. Larry’s testimony will impact your life, and we hope that you will walk away with a greater perspective of eternity—“Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Ch...
Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why America’s Christian Leaders Are Failing — and What We Can Do About It with John West
What if American culture isn’t collapsing because of crusading secularists? What if it’s failing because many leading Christians identify more with secular elites than with their fellow believers? Dr. John West joins Hank Hanegraaff to discuss how he wrote Stockholm Syndrome Christianity as a warning to the body of Christ—a warning not to capitulate to the culture, but to transform the culture.To receive Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why America’s Christian Leaders Are Failing — and What We Can Do About It for your partnering gift, please click here
https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resources-stockholm-syndrome-christianity-why-americas-christian-leaders-are-failing-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/
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Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an Ahistoric Age with Sarah Irving-Stonebraker
How can Christians engage meaningfully with history?
In an age underpinned by the idea that life is about self-invention and fulfilment, contemporary Western culture holds that the past has little to teach us. We live in an age that historian Sarah Irving-Stonebraker terms as the “Ahistoric Age,” in which we are profoundly disconnected from history.
In the attempt to appear relevant, the church often embraces this ahistoric worldview by jettisoning the historic ideas and practices of Christian formation. But this has unintended consequences, leaving Christians unmoored from history and losing the ability to grapple with its ethica...
Does the West Need a Religious Revival? with David Hanegraaff
Does the West need a religious revival?
This was the subject of a debate hosted by The Free Press at the Paramount Theater in Austin Texas on February 27th. The debate pitted two religious advocates—Ayan Hirsi Ali and Ross Douthat—against two avowed atheists—Michael Shermer and Adam Carolla—in search of an answer. The scene of current affairs in the West was set by The Free Press as follows:
“The West has experienced a rapid erosion of our shared culture. Political polarization, loneliness, depression and addiction have surged, while marriage and birthrates have plummeted. There’s a crisis of...
Are you ready for Humans 2.0? Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Perspectives on Transhumanism with Fuz Rana
Are you ready for Humans 2.0? Whether you like it or not—this is happening. From transhumanism to AI, science and technology are progressing at a pace unprecedented in human history and this rate of change can leave many people—Christians or otherwise—feeling disoriented. But these are not subjects that Christians can simply ignore—we must educate ourselves so that we understand what is at stake and are able to discern and advocate for or against based on the moral and ethical guidance of a Christian worldview.
Dr. Fuz Rana joins Hank Hanegraaff for a wide-ranging conversation that will undo...
Unnatural Death: Medicine’s Descent from Healing to Killing with Richard Weikart
What was the 5th leading cause of death in Canada in 2023? Shockingly, it was medical assistance in dying (MAiD) and accounted for one out of every twenty deaths. Unfortunately, Canada is not an anomaly, but part of a global trend in terms of how societies are changing when it comes to sanctity of life—and death.
How did we reach this place? Hank Hanegraaff is joined by Dr. Richard Weikert to discuss his book Unnatural Death: Medicine's Descent from Healing to Killing. Weikart explains how the Judeo-Christian tradition has always encouraged a culture of life, but the se...
The Harvest is Plentiful, The Workers Are Few with K.P. Yohannan
This year was a reminder of the ephemeral reality of our earthly experience. Last Christmas we sent out a Christmas card featuring a joyful photo of Hank from a trip to India—a trip with his dear Friend K.P. Yohannan where they witnessed firsthand our ongoing Going Global efforts in the 10-40 window and excitedly discussed plans to continue to carry out the great commission as commanded by our Lord. https://www.equip.org/product/going-global-10-40-window-training-support/
This Christmas season, K. P. is absent the body, present with the Lord.
But we are still here! H...
The Greatest Partition in Human History—Christmas 2024
Once again you and I find ourselves perched on the eve of the annual Christmas day celebration. And as such, we do well to remember our Lord’s words concerning the reason He condescended to cloak Himself in human flesh. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). This Christmas Eve may you and I not trivialize the Christmas celebration but rather be transformed by the greatest cleavage in human history. That of a Second Adam who clothed Himself in fallen humanity and in doing so returned fallen humanity to the life of Eden. “To him w...
God Saved My Life 5 Years Ago—What Now? A Personal Message From Hank
I am five years removed from a stem-cell transplant that saved my life. And seven years removed from an initial cancer diagnosis of stage four mantle cell lymphoma. I greet you with a heart of gratitude but also a spirit of resolve. Resolve to remember that life is fleeting. Resolve captured by the words, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”During the past twelve months, users have accessed our website equip.org from more than 230 countries—benefiting from our vast reservoir of unrestricted resources, such as the Bible Answer Man broadcast, Hank Unplugge...
The Paradisaical Transformation of the Cosmos
What does Hank Hanegraaff mean when he talks about the "Paradisiacal Transformation of the Cosmos?" It is a message with a mandate—a reminder of the energy by which we are able to transform the cosmos. The energy that St. Paul invoked when he spoke of being energized by all His energy which so powerfully energizes me. This is the energy that alone is sufficient to empower the body of Christ in the present clash between sacred and secular. A contrast between the paradisiacal transformation of the Cosmos and the pagan transformational imperative. An imperative largely fueled by the transhumanist my...
Apostle to the Hungry: Bishop Themi of Sierra Leone
A rock star, atheist, Marxist, world-class theologian, African missionary, and a Greek Orthodox Bishop all in one lifetime? Hank Hanegraaff is joined by Bishop Themi—a personal hero of his and a beacon of hope and inspiration to millions of Christians around the globe. Bishop Themi earned degrees in theology, languages, and Biblical studies at some of the most prestigious universities in America and became a distinguished scholar—however in the 90s Themi questioned his life’s direction. Was he serving Christ best as a top-tier academic? A series of events led him to follow another path, serving the poor in his...
