Finding God Through Science, Mysticism, and Mystery: A Conversation - w/ Science Mike McHargue

Voxology

Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2016

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How does science intersect with faith, and what happens when that intersection helps you find your way back to God? In this episode, Mike Erre and Andy sit down with Science Mike (Mike McHargue), co-founder of The Liturgists and host of "Ask Science Mike", for a funny, thoughtful, and wide-ranging conversation about evolution, neurotheology, gender, sexuality, spiritual trauma, and how science can invite us deeper into wonder — not away from faith.

With a background in marketing and zero formal scientific credentials, Science Mike built a massive following by offering nonjudgmental, inclusive dialogue about life’s biggest questions. This episode explores how neuroscience supports different conceptions of God (angry vs. loving), the science of identity and orientation, and how shame-based religion causes lasting harm to those who dare to doubt.

Key Takeaways:
• Science as a Bridge to Faith – Mike shares his journey from devout Southern Baptist to atheist to mystic, helped along the way by cosmology, quantum physics, and neuroscience.
• Neurotheology & God’s Nature – The brain’s picture of an angry God leads to fear and control, while a loving God actually rewires your brain for empathy and grace.
• Spiritual PTSD – What happens when churches mirror authoritarian power structures, and how people can find healing from spiritual abuse through safe relationships and storytelling.
• Sexuality and Gender in Science – A look at the surprising research on transgender identity, intersex births, and how simplistic gender binaries fail to reflect biological realities.
• Faith and Evolution – The five major Christian views on Genesis and creation, and how belief in evolution doesn’t disqualify someone from being a devoted follower of Jesus.
• The Missing Middle – Mike discusses why his work resonates with people disillusioned by both hard-line atheism and rigid theology — and how open conversations can heal.
• Prayer and Bible Meditation – Scientific insight into how practices like contemplative prayer and Lectio Divina literally reshape the brain for connection to a loving God.

Guest Highlights:
Mike “Science Mike” McHargue – Author, speaker, and podcast host who explores the intersection of science, faith, and human experience with curiosity and compassion. Known for his work on The Liturgists podcast and Ask Science Mike, his new book Finding God in the Waves shares his personal story of losing religion and finding a mystic faith rooted in both reason and mystery.

Resources Mentioned:
• Science Mike's website & book: findinggodinthewaves.com
• Ask Science Mike Podcast – asksciencemike.com
• The Liturgists Podcast – theliturgists.com
• BioLogos (Science + Faith) – biologos.org
• Andrew Newberg’s work on Neurotheology – Center for Spirituality and the Mind

If this conversation moved you, challenged you, or made you curious to learn more, consider sharing it with a friend. And don’t forget to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, leave a review, and join the ongoing conversation on social media.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We’re on YouTube (if you’re into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everybody.
0:05.0	Hi everybody.
0:22.4	Hi, internet.
0:23.7	Or is Seth Eerie would say, hi, I'm internet.
0:26.5	Eminem.
0:27.3	I'm, it's so funny.
0:30.1	Ever since he interrupted, totally, it was awful.
0:35.5	Ever since he interrupted, it was just incredible. He's been just walking up to the microphone saying, hi, internet. And it's been great. We need to capture that little bit of audio. And that's like our always our intro. Instead of me saying hi internet, it's just seffy. Yeah, it's kind of how I got onto the show originally. Just being in the room and then wanting to get on the microphone and finally you allowed me right and now and now you're look at look at you're getting all the
1:00.4	love and and I hope you listen to last week's episode and and heard the hurt in my heart at
1:08.0	all of the attention you're getting and so I'm keeping an eye on you, Andy,
1:11.9	because it was initially, yeah, I'll show you how to do it. And then it was, well, here, let me
1:16.3	produce it. And now it's let me take it over. Yeah. And, um, and, and there's all this sympathy from all
1:23.1	these coffee drinkers and IPA lovers and hockey fans and people that wear weird jeans.
1:31.0	That's just, I haven't seen that crowd yet, but if you're out there, I'd love to know what pants you have on.
1:35.9	No, no, no.
1:38.2	So we've got a great show because we had a truncated show for you last time.
1:44.6	We've got extra. Oh, get rid of my gum.
1:47.5	Sorry.
1:48.4	I wanted to have good internet breath.
1:50.9	So I wanted to do that.
1:52.8	So we've got an extra full show for you today.
1:57.4	So I never had podcasts.
	...

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