The Overthinkers

Why Does Forgiveness Matter? (With Yana Jenay Conner)

Why is it important for all of us--but particularly Christians--to forgive others? And how do we do it without allowing evil to triumph? Nathan Clarkson and Joseph Holmes discuss with author and educator Yana Jenay Conner, unpacking lessons from her book: Living Beyond Offense: Doing the Hard Work of Forgiveness God’s Way.References and resources
Forgiveness definitions: 
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgive
https://www.apa.org/topics/forgivenessWebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: https://linktr.ee/JosephHolmesYana Jenay Conner: https://www.yanajenay.com/
 

How Do You Love Your Enemies? (With Dr. Neil Shenvi)

What does it really mean to love our enemies? And how do we do it without allowing evil? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with author, apologist, and theoretical chemist Dr. Neil Shenvi.References and resources:
Rabbi Shai Held on Christianity’s Loving Enemies: https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/3/26/book-review-judaism-is-about-love-shatters-stereotypes-about-the-hebrew-bibleNietzsche on “slave morality” in Christ’s teachings: https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/the-master-and-slave-moralities-what-nietzsche-really-meant/Early Church Fathers on Nonviolence: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/nonviolence-in-the-ancient-church-and-christian-obedience/New Advent: Augustine on will to love our enemies to change them to friends: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/170208.htmMartin Luther King Jr. on Loving Your Enemies: https://www.plough.com/en/topics/life/forgiveness/love-your-enemiesWebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.comNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.comNeil Shenvi: https://shenviapologetics.com/Neil Shenvi's new book: "Post Woke: Asserting a Christian Vision of Race, Gender, and Sexuality"Nathan Clarkson's new book: "I'm the Worst: How Freedom is Found in Admitting Our Faults"Joseph Holmes's new film: "Jim vs the Future"

How Do You Change Your Life?

It's a new year, and everyone wants to make positive life changes. So how do you make real ones that last? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss their own experience and the research on the topic.
References and resourcesAmericans are becoming less satisfied with their lives - record low of 44%: https://news.gallup.com/poll/655493/new-low-satisfied-personal-life.aspx30% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/29/new-years-resolutions-who-makes-them-and-why/?utm_source=chatgpt.comOnly 10% of Americans keep their resolutions: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-years-resolutions-tips-why-they-fail/New years resolutions are global and historical: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/history-of-new-years-resolutionsHow to stick with your resolutions. Actionable steps + accountability. https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/why-most-new-years-resolutions-failSmall steps - knowing why you’re doing it: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arthur-brooks-new-years-resolutions-happiness/Fantasize about process, not results: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/09/manifestation-positive-thinking-happiness/679695/WebsitesOverthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.comNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmes

What is the Appeal of Faith (With Rian Johnson)

Why do so many people choose to be religious? What draws people to embrace belief? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with filmmaker Rian Johnson, his new film "Wake Up Dead Man" and the themes of faith his movie brings up.References and resources
Global religious population: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/09/how-the-global-religious-landscape-changed-from-2010-to-2020/
American religious population: https://religionunplugged.com/news/2025/12/8/us-religious-decline-stalls-as-new-pew-data-shows-stabilization-even-among-young-adults
Jon Stewart on faith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSmrEVjQdG8Arthur Brooks on faith: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/public-leadership-management/happiness-may-be-decline-we-can-allWebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmestudios.comRian Johnson: https://x.com/rianjohnson

Is Giving or Receiving Better? (With Dallas Jenkins)

The Bible--and the wider culture--agree: "It's better to give than to receive". But is that what the data says? And why would that be? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with insights from Dallas Jenkins, who discusses the DVD release of his film "The Best Christmas Pagaent Ever". References and resources:
What happens to your brain when you give vs receive: https://www.apa.org/topics/mental-health/brain-gift-givingWebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.comDallas Jenkins: https://www.instagram.com/dallas.jenkins/?hl=en

What is the Christmas Spirit?

Everyone talks about getting in the Christmas spirit. But what is the Christmas spirit? And how do you have it? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss.
References and resourcesChristmas spirit definition: https://www.facebook.com/fb.oed/posts/oed-wordoftheday-christmas-spirit-na-mood-or-attitude-appropriate-to-the-christm/1136215868511469/, https://www.oed.com/dictionary/christmas-spirit_n?linkId=300000019641113&fbclid=IwY2xjawN314hleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFUSnNKSDY4UGRoSDI4WWFwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvA0QL5PLZnJNTCoP7-DaWOfA5jOZJH18DOtdASApamvn0lrpaHtACOMgfw0_aem_Ah8kEn_mj7ADGUERhyJgwAMeasuring the Christmas spirit: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stretching-theory/202212/now-you-can-measure-christmas-spirit?A Christmas Carol Influence: https://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/anthropology-in-practice/what-is-christmas-spirit/
Religious meaning of the Christmas spirit: https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/straight-paths/the-christmas-spirit/Christmas Stress: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stressWebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.com

How Did CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien Change the World? (With Dr. Joseph Loconte)

What was the world like that CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien wrote their stories in? And how did their work change things? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss with author and historian Dr. Joseph Loconte.
References and resources:
 
Tolkien and Lewis fantasy influence: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-companion-to-fantasy-literature/tolkien-lewis-and-the-explosion-of-genre-fantasy/47A1D63A6D2D6F2553664D98F0F2EC1D
Lewis and Tolkien’s influence through their fantasy writing and school curriculum: https://aeon.co/essays/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-oxford-school-of-fantasy-literature?utm_source=chatgpt.com
 
Lewis and Tolkien influence on Christian thought leaders: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2000/04/books-of-century/
 
Lewis books sold: https://www.cslewis.com/us/about-cs-lewis/
 
Tolkien books sold: https://200.hc.com/stories/j-r-r-tolkien-and-the-trilogy/WebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmesJoseph Loconte: https://sagamoreinstitute.org/joseph-loconte/

What Dreams Should You Pursue?

We hear a lot about the importance of pursuing your dreams. But which dreams? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson discuss.References and resources:
Pew research: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/14/what-makes-for-a-fulfilling-life/#:~:text=When%20asked%20what%20it%20takes,Gender
 
Marriage matters more for happiness than career: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/opinion/marriage-happiness-career.html
 
Fantasizing about dreams kills goals, fantasizing about process helps achieve them: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/09/manifestation-positive-thinking-happiness/679695/
 
Most people do not achieve their goals: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2980864/
Nearly half of Americans very satisfied with their lives: https://news.gallup.com/poll/610133/less-half-americans-satisfied-own-lives.aspx
 
The changing definitions of “calling”: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-do-we-know-our-calling-with-dr-william-klein/id1510271421?i=1000684667698Websites:The Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.comNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.comLink to watch Joseph Holmes' debut feature film, "Jim vs the Future": https://linktr.ee/JosephHolmes

Should We Try to Convert Others? (With Justin Lin)

Should we try to convert others to our beliefs? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson welcome American film director Justin Lin (director of multiple Fast and Furious movies) to discuss his new film "Last Days" about the 26-year-old Christian missionary John Chau, who died trying to convert the North Sentinel Island people.References and resources:Conversion definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conversion
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/conversion_n#8281191Benefits of missionaries: https://www.christianitytoday.com/about/stories/the-unexpected-good-news-about-missionaries/
WebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: linktr.ee/JosephHolmesJustin Lin: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510912/Last Days film: https://www.lastdays-movie.com/

What are the Medieval Virtues? (With Dr. Grace Hamman)

What are the Medieval virtues? How are they related to the seven deadly sins? And how can they help us today? Joseph Holmes and Nathan Clarkson are joined by scholar and author Dr. Grace Hamman to answer these very questions.
References and resources:
https://www.britannica.com/event/Middle-Ages
 
WebsitesThe Overthinkers: theoverthinkersjournal.worldNathan Clarkson: nathanclarkson.meJoseph Holmes: josephholmesstudios.comDr. Grace Hamman: https://gracehamman.com/