This is beautiful and very helpful to me. God bless your ministry, Dr. Ortlund!

This video helps me greatly. There have been countless moments I wish I never opened a book about theology or philosophy. I might have preferred to stay ignorant about all this. I’ve spent countless nights praying and crying about what to believe in. East vs. West; Catholic or Protestant; theism and atheism. Your channel has been a great blessing with helping me control my anxiety and improve my personal studies. May God bless you Gavin.

GAVIN! My thoughts exactly. I’m an overthinker AND a theology geek. My brain is non-stop going back and forth between arguments for theological systems and ideas. My anxiety is non-stop sometimes.

I began having panic attacks, anxiety and depression in 2012. Luckily it only lasted for a month or so, but it ended up being the very thing I needed to snap out of my malaise and begin examining my life, my meaning, my purpose.. my WHY.. which led me back to God, and to Christ.

I honestly believe God worked this out for good. Just yesterday I’d resigned myself to accepting my fate of being overwhelmed by infinite possibilities because I thought the best or only way out was to read yet another theory. You’ve inspired me to not give up on studying but use my despair to make my faith stronger. God bless you and all that you do!

Truth Unites, and this video in particular, are expressions of God's lovingkindness to me. I will testify that spiritual anxiety harnessed to sincerity, curiosity, patience, experience, and faith, are working together to give me greater peace. And for the questions still remaining, the prayer, "I believe. Help my unbelief!" leaves it in His hands.

This has been a big struggle for me lately. My whole identity is wrapped up in my faith. It's scary to find out people have legitimate reasons to think differently about essentials of the faith like baptism and Communion and which church we should be a part of. It feels like the core of who you are is coming under attack. I'm thankful we can trust in Jesus, the immovable, unchangeable Rock.

There has definitely been anxiety in my life when examining the claims of Rome and the East. But we need to trust in God and realize that He is in control. Love your videos Gavin, you're an excellent Protestant apologist.

I have a test on this in an hour and a half! Divine intervention to reduce my anxiety that Gavin posted this right in time!

Thank you for your heart for those of us in a season such as this. Your kind heart and personal testimonies have been a comforting presence for many of us. I find that the words of God in the Holy Scriptures can also bring a comfort that no amount of rational thought can. Lamentations 3 has sort of been my rallying cry in this season. “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust- there may yet be hope;” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬-‭29‬

I'm a convert to Christianity and I know that I am Christian and that my faith is in the Christian God but I'm so lost in all the denominational spiraling and argumentativeness. I'm glad this video exists because Lord knows I've seen about every video on everything from Roman Catholicism to Presbyterianism to Mormonism to Eastern Orthodoxy. I hope it helps others too.

Thank you so much Gavin. It’s been a tough two years as I’ve gone down all these rabbit trails. Thank you for the constant reminders to trust in the Lord. He will lead us in all truth. I trust him with my soul.

I never really realized I had this at the beginning of the pandemic. I had severe anxiety during this time and I remember vividly one night just looking at the light cast by the moon in my room and felt such existential dread of what eternity is, and who God is, and what I don't know - it almost felt like I was disassociating and losing my sense of reality. This was the time I was really beginning to grow in my faith and was consuming a lot of intellectual things for and against the existence of God, it was overwhelming. I now have peace not because I know more, but because I trust the Lord more. The cross is where all my emotional and intellectual thought hinges upon, I may not know everything and I may still feel anxious, but the truth of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection overwhelms any doubt and calls me to trust in Him.

I'm moved to see so many brethrens share in this struggle. Your effort has been immensely helpful.

Thank you brother, your words are a healing balm for those struggling

Kierkegaard is a guide for all seasons. He has functioned both as the safety net of my faith when it is wavering, and a fire fueling and prompting my greatest growth. Thank you Dr. Ortlund for making his thought so accessible for those struggling. For any interested in diving deeper into Kierkegaard I’d suggest books by C. Stephen Evans, Mark A. Tietjen, and Marold Westphal. The book “Philosopher of the Heart” by Clare Carlisle, and “Kierkegaard, a single life” by Stephen Backhouse are both wonderful biographies.

I needed to hear you say there's no shame in seeing a professional. Thank you.

Gavin, I can't thank you enough for this. I personally believe this is in the top most important videos you have done so far. It most certainly has helped me. I'm 37 and have been a strong protestant my entire life, going to the same Bible church. These last 3 years or so, I found myself in a crisis as I looked at the Catholic and Orthodox points of view over issues of the Papacy, Apostolic Succession, Sola Scriptura (the lack of), Sacramental views and other major theological points. I have weeks sometimes where I've thought I was losing my mind, panic attacks and everything. This video was really something I've needed to see. Keep up the good work and don't let the mean spirited folks get you down.

Thank you once again! It’s so helpful listening to how these theologians/philosophers dealt with their anxiety/doubt. I totally agree with being curious whilst remaining patient amidst the storm. The metaphor of the storm bending the tree but actually loosening the soil so the roots can become strong is so powerful. I’ve went through a long time agonising over Calvinism and How God can be all good and yet not offer IG to everyone amidst other concerns regarding it. The process isn’t done but God used it to show me a fundamental flaw within me, and also used it to improve my understanding of His sovereignty. I’m at a place now where even if Calvinism is true, I can trust in Gods goodness

Thank you for this video. It popped up on my feed at the right time. The anxiety is debilitating but I know it’s Jesus that will show me through this.

I have to give a talk about my faith experience at church on Sunday and I didn't know how to describe the struggles I have experienced with intellectual anxiety. This video has given me way more clarity and has spoken to my struggle more than any video I have every watched. Thankyou Dr Ortlund!

Such an important topic - there is a real sense of despair in today's world. We shouldn't shy away from these conversations. Great work!

I am from Scandinavia and have been very interested in Kierkegaard but sadly most Christian KZfaqrs don't seem to discuss him at all. Thank you for making this video!

Thank you Dr Ortlund. Few words can describe how comforting and helpful your video was. Christendom and the world is blessed for a man like you, for the ministry you do.

For all those feeling anxiety God Bless you all ,I pray for you all and ALWAYS remember this! 🙏 Ephesians 1:13-14 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of his glory. Trusted,believed,sealed,GUARANTEED,Amen 🙏

Thank you for this video. I have been exploring my faith as a Christian, and the further down the rabbit hole of Christianity I go, the more it exacerbates my depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, this has led me to turn to my old nemesis, alcohol, just to help quell my anxious mind. I am trying to learn about different denominations so that I can find a church to attend. I have great interest in Eastern Orthodoxy, but unfortunately the parishioners and clergy seem to be very exclusive and stand offish. It is my understanding that you have to go through periods of "initiation" that could take years before you are accepted into the church. I only wish to worship Christ. Why is it so damn difficult to do that? It is causing my more grief and heartache than anything else has ever caused me in my life. God bless.

I find it good to often "re-center" on the Gospel by asking a few questions: 1. Does this have any impact on my understanding of the Gospel? 2. Could an early Christian have lived and died in the Grace of Christ without having ever thought about this topic? 3. Does my current understanding of this require me to separate from fellow believers? (Just a few examples). Ultimately, it's just theological triage but it helps me keep things in perspective. Most of the things we worry about are not of salvific consequence and, therefore, should be kept at bay in our minds regarding our assurance.

I think the hardest aspect of this struggle is the threat of eternal damnation if you ‘get it wrong’…. These topics would be so much more enjoyable if I did not believe that my eternal destiny was at stake.. Trying to find life’s answers has done nothing but paralyze me and fill me with despair. I honestly do not like any of the answers at all.

Thank you so much for this video. It definitely makes me think I need to study up on Kierkegaard. Intellectual anxiety is something I struggle with as well and I'm thankful for the clarity and peace of mind this approach gives me.

I really needed this video. My struggle is with baptism: Credo vs paedo (and even in this, Covenantal vs Baptismal Regeneration). I've read so much, and I see validity to all of the arguments. It's been a struggle for sure. Thanks for the encouragement, Dr. Ortlund!

Over 40 years ago, a high school teacher of mine commented that something he read by Kierkegaard completely changed his life. He didn't elaborate. I've always wondered precisely what he was referring to.

I had extremely horrible intellectual anxiety for almost 2 years after 2 years of being a christian. i wish i had seen this video back then. It was so horrible i thought im going mad... it also mixed with depression at the end, i had no joy in life and i was afraid of god because i was so scared of believing the wrong things... what helped me was to truly let go and but it into his hands, hoping and praying for his grace and mercy because i knew ill (at least for now) never find the "right" denomination by my intellectual strength... it helped me immensely - i still have intellectual anxiety but it doesnt affect my daily life as much as it used to, and im doing a lot better... when i look at this theological mess and chaos were in with all these denominations i just hope that god is more gracious then any man and church could ever be... if you suffer from intellectual anxiety- dont lose heart! Youre not alone. Have hope that Jesus CHrist who cured the sick can also cure and calm the mess inside your head

Thank you Gavin. After wrestling for months and even longer since this summer, I’ve hit a turning point in my doctrinal questions. It’s forcing me to leave my current church, but the amount of peace and grace I’ve gained from Christ is evidence that He is the center of it all. Your videos are a blessing to many people. Keep up the wonderful work.

Dr. Ortlund, thank you so much for this video! I am struggling with a plethora of issues that are causing me crippling intellectual anxiety. It’s gotten to the point where I’m not sure whether to put my Christian life on pause because praying, going to church, and more makes it worse. Some friends and I were blessed with the opportunity to tell someone about Christ and I felt like I was lying whenever I spoke. I so desperately want to believe, but I have that niggling doubt in the back of my head that Christianity isn’t true, especially when confronted with ambiguous evidence. Thank you for your words of advice and encouragement! God bless!

I'm working on a Master's degree in theology. Whenever I am in my studies is when I have the greatest sense of despair. I think for me it is more nihilistic than anxious. I will come across some obscure journal article written 100 years ago by someone working on the same problem as me. Sometimes their insights are good, but it seems they never made a difference (hence the obscurity). Sometimes they seem just as speculative and inconclusive as all the various positions I read from contemporary sources. I resonate greatly with a story I've heard about Aquinas (not sure if it is true or not, maybe this could be the topic of another Truth Unites video!) that at the end of his life he said “I can write no more. All that I have written seems like straw.” I guess I thought that scholarship would give me a sense of purpose. But I am learning that scholarship for scholarship's sake is not good. I put hours upon hours of work into a research paper and will feel proud of the results, but then within a few days I will already be wondering, "what was the point? I should have just gone out with friends or watched a movie or something."

Really appreciate this video Gavin! Kierkegaard has been my favorite author since I read his book Works of Love in high school, which is more devotional than some of his popular philosophical works. I certainly would not claim complete understanding of Kierkegaard, but it often makes me quite sad to see him caricatured among Christian thinkers that I have a lot of respect for. As a result, it brought me a lot of joy to hear your appreciation for him! Like you mentioned, I think the pseudonyms make his books somewhat difficult to understand and his actual views elusive. In addition, his expression "leap of faith" is often understood as Kierkegaard advocating a complete abandonment of reason in pursuit of faith, which I believe he would wholeheartedly disagree with. Thank you for doing justice to such a great author, and thank you more generally for the time and study you put into these videos! P.S. I want to go to Copenhagen very badly as well to see his statue in the Royal Library and his grave. One day!

Gavin, thank you so much for this video. I have been wrestling with intellectual anxiety for over a year at this point, particularly on (using your triage system) urgent and important doctrines. Praise the Lord it has improved in recent weeks through various people and resources (add to that list you and this video). As a full-time seminary student, I am unable to financially support your ministry at this time, though I hope to do so one day. However, may my thanksgiving and prayers be a small token of reimbursement at this time.

Thank you Gavin, Kierkegaard has helped me so much in this exact place. Thankful for God by all your work! God bless!

Gavin, this is your best piece yet. Thank you SO MUCH. I've been going through this kind of anxiety for a few years now and I never knew it was a more common thing. I thought I was just really going insane. And I just feel desolate because I try to be so static, but I lost being alive along the way. This is such a helpful part and it's honestly really the first time I've felt intellectual peace at all. I can finally take a breath goodness me. It's hard to express in a youtube comment section, but for real and again man, THANK YOU SO MUCH. Glory to God. Why aren't more people talking about this stuff?

For those listeners whose intellectual anxiety is about beliefs essential to salvation, I recommend making sure to include in how they deal with it the two facets Gavin brings up at the very end, experience and faith. Though I understand that for some people (such as myself!) acquiring apologetical info can be necessary in order to get to the point of being able to receive the gift of unshakable belief and devotion, God deliberately refrained from giving us objective "proof" that COMPELS belief. As Gavin said, it doesn't work to require oneself to be more knowledgeable and smart than every skeptic who might come out with a new book. But God gave us enough evidence to make it fully JUSTIFIABLE intellectually to believe. Then if a person is still hesitating, he can ask God for help, and God is very likely to pull him over the finish line. That's how it went for me.

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13 [12] For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. [13] And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

My wife struggles with anxiety even after she offers a particular issue to God in prayer. I hope some of this advice will help her, even if it's not directly regarding intellectual anxiety.

Thank you for championing Kierkegaard. His work is dense, and it is difficult for me to get through his books with a clear understanding of his points. Still, I can read a few passages and see deep truth resonating from his writing. Some Christians dismiss his writings as not particularly edifying or even paint him as a corrupting existentialist. As with Kierkegaard's work, I will likely be returning to this video to glean kernels of knowledge that I missed the first time.

Such a fantastic video. I think this is a great reminder that the things most important to us occupy our minds incessantly-to various degrees and across the spectrum of human experience, for sure. Beyond that, realizing that these deep profound struggles are necessary steps for intellectual worship and progression is such an important perspective to have in that knowing and having hope in the eventual outcome and the generality of this specific experience as well. I have often felt like I was drowning in incomplete or inconclusive information and in panic, feared my own ineptitude when in actuality, that ineptitude-like you asserted in the quoted section of your essay-is an integral part of the human experience. Though I have caught loose sight of this over years periodically, having this video clearly define these dynamics with truth, evidence, observation and judgment really helped me close the loop on this. Gavin, man, thank you. Really needed this reminder/refinement. May the LORD keep you and bless your ministry's outreach.

This is the only video that correctly captures Kierkegaard

Such a great video. 10 years of study and school, grueling work going over the top many times, and becoming a well rounded philosopher, and I finally calmed down. It's been a few years, but eventually you do reach a place of quiet. And that's when the real work begins....

I had just watched your video on divine hiddeness with Alex o Connor. I pressed on this one right after because it’s something I’ve been dealing with. As soon as I clicked on it, I was overwhelmed with joy, saying, “I love this man, he’s so beautiful, I love you Gavin Ortlund.” You are such a great help that one video from you comforted me greatly. Thank you so much for your work. You are a beautiful soul

as someone who is struggling with intellectual anxiety , i thank you for this video. there are lots of anxiety related videos out there, but most seem to want you to see a physician or suggest medication. for some people this certainly might be helpful. not all anxiety is equal in strength or causes, but i have been looking for a Kierkegaardian and/or spiritual approach to the topic, and those kind of videos are much less common.

Wow. Thank you for explaining all of this. But I have to listen to it again, because it’s a lot to take in.

Excellent video! Kierkegaard makes me a proud Dane.

Fantastic stuff!!

This is great. Well done.

Thank you Gavin. Really helpful.

Gavin, I have enjoyed all of your content but this one is especially helpful. Thank you for showing us a way out of the endless forest.

Very cool video, Gavin. Thank you.

I read Fear and Trembling and it was quite awesome. I hadn't really thought that deeply about Abraham before.

Great video, Dr Ortlund!

Excellent video, truly excellent

Your work and channel are pure gold. Thank you, once again!

Great video. And right on time. Thank you Dr Ortlund

Thank you for the video. This subject matter is so relevant to me.

Love Kierkegaard. Thanks.

Thank you for this. I couldn’t even put words for this until now. Another thing that helped me today was Abraham Heschel on the topic of Awe and wonder, which surpasses reason and fear. The peace that passes understanding.

Thank you

This is very well timed for me and it might be one of the most helpful videos I’ve ever watched on this subject. Thank you so much.

3:46 That's so true! I used to think very low of anxiety crisis when I was younger because I had not felt it before, but after I did, I completely understand this particular suffering.

This is a very good video the only problem I struggle with is trying to not be bias when looking into things because of outside factors like family or significant others.

Great video! I have a lot of stuff to read through as a new Christian, next year I will mainly be reading John Calvin, but with this video and a couple others that have for some reason found their way into my recommended, I have been inspired to look into Kierkegaard also! Anxiety about which branch of Christianity to go down has been a massive issue for me recently, so I am thankful God could work through this video and bring me some comfort!

It took me about a year to read Confessions fully, it's a heavy experience to say the least. Augustine broke through, so to speak, after looking for some time "though a glass darkly" he reasoned his way to God as an immutable, incorruptible Truth for which nothing is "co-eternal". Before his scene in the yard, he was among a group of teachers (for lack of a better word) deliberating and deciding whether or not to serve the emperor or run off to become monks. As he listened, he reflected "You placed me before my face so that I could see how ugly I was, how deformed and vile, blistered and ulcerous. . . I would encounter my iniquity and hate it. I had known this, but denied it, pushed it away and forgetting it." He became inspired, or impressed, by the teachers who decided upon to take the path of devotion who argued, basically, "why serve the emperor when we can serve the Lord?" This point is highly relevant to intellectual anxiety as you put it. Augustine's struggle was with lust. That was his ultimate barrier in his "glass darkly phase" He really, really did not want to give up sexual pleasure although he was keen to become devout like the others. His intellectual anxiety was the conflict between who he believed he was and who he believe he should be. To put it crudely, he couldn't wholly transform into a man of god without giving up his temptation for sex. Until this point, he wasn't certain that he *could* change, "My conscience rebuked me: 'Will you remain silent? Did you not say that for an uncertain truth you did not want to cast off your burden of vanity? Behold! Now the truth is certain, and yet your burden is still smothering you, while others with freer shoulders are granted wings though they did not wear themselves out with questioning.'" He flees the building where the teachers are deliberating, and into the garden, he reasons: "I only knew that I had embraced insanity to gain sanity, embraced death to gain life. I knew how ill I was but did not know how healed I would soon be." By the way, this book is incredibly dense with poignant lines like this one. And it illustrates beautifully his reasoning and transformation into faith. One more thing I'd like to add, I'm always star-struck by you, Gavin, your elocution is dizzying. Please keep doing what you do and God Bless.

So wonderful and encouraging. Very grateful for this! Would be helped by some points about the problem of foundationalism/baconianism thanks

Personally I think Kierkegaard's key influence Johann Hamann was even better. Not only was he dvout Lutheran who utilized church fathers but was rather critical of Catholics for borderline turning reason into an idol

I would love for you to do a video with Bryan Wolfmueller one day

Since you asked the one question that'd still leave me with some anxiety (please forgive me if you did in fact address this) is how do I know when to stop? As in how do I know when to stop digging and questioning my stance on certain salvation-level doctrines? Do I? And if I do how do I strike a balance between being steadfast in my faith while not feeling intellectually dishonest by shutting out oposing opinions? Thank you as always, I found this video very easing to my soul

Thank you so much for this video. This video describes my situation exactly along with other issues that I am facing. Along with intellectual anxiety, I am also facing the struggle of trying to develop an identity. I feel lost trying to understand whether I should attach who I am to the things of this world or whether my identity should be entirely wrapped around Christ. I have heard pastors say things like our identity should be in Christ but I do not know what that means. A video discussing this would be incredible.

Thank you for this video. I find myself in a season of intense intellectual angst. I did not go looking for it. I was merely curious. Growing up in Lutheran and protestant spaces, I developed a love for the Lord and hope in his son Jesus which was and is my greatest treasure in life. Last year, I briefly dated a Catholic girl. While the relationship did not last, it was my first exposure to Catholics in a non-critical way. I enjoyed some of what I observed and had a feeling that maybe these people too share my hope in Christ. Then I encountered online a mob of Catholics claiming they were the one true church and mocking anyone who would say otherwise. Reconciling these two experiences has been very difficult for me. I do not feel I can reject Catholicism because of the beauty and hope I observed when I was curiously attending its masses. However, I shudder at the arrogance I experienced from those who proclaimed that the Roman church was the true church and if I didn't agree, well, too bad. This video has encouraged me that to have a curiosity about the Catholic tradition is not wrong. To have intellectual anxiety over the logical consequences of its outcomes is also not wrong. That this anxiety may be productive. That to listen to the best of Catholic teaching, not just the caricatures I grew up with, may lead me through this anxiety. And that with patience, prayer, sincerity, and faith, God may grant me a stronger faith and trust than the convictions which I held from my youth.

Thank you Gavin, this was very helpful, but something I would love to hear you talk about in a little more detail is why do so many people have those experiences that you talked about and others don't. You and I've heard many others say something like if you pray for God to reveal Himself He will, but I have prayed many times and still have no comfort. I don't know why I can't feel the presence of God, I can know Him intellectually but not emotionally, and than the passage that says "leave me for I never knew you" brings so much fear to me. So I guess the real question is why do I not feel God? Why do I not relate to God on an emotional level? Thanks for all your work Gavin. I have loved your Chanel.

Hey Gavin, you check out Johann Georg Hamann if you haven't already. He was a Lutheran philosopher who wrote a lot against the folly of putting your trust in reason, saying at one point, "I look at reason the way a well-bred girl looks at a love letter." The guy was a hero to Kierkegaard and Goethe as well as a friend and fierce critic of Immanuel Kant. I'd recommend reading translations of his works before reading any of the books written about him because everyone seems to have a radically different interpretation of his beliefs; I've seen him labeled as everything from a conservative reactionary to a post-modernist. And also, he's just very entertaining to read.

There is no way in this fast past life here in the Northeast can one escape anxiety especially if one has been exposed to not so great of an upbringing. One has to recognize that there are many good gifts and then there is a whole lot of evil in the world. The evil does a great deal of harm, but how God manifests himself in it all is nothing but miraculous. I didn't have a journey like Augustine's, but when I came to faith it was at a young age and I heard and I believed. I was too young to be thinking critically at the time, but it was no less a conversion than say someone like a C.S. Lewis. But I need to go back to Kierkegaard, for I think I may have not understood him as well as I first thought. Thanks for your contributions to this intellectual figure in history!

Gavin, this video is beautiful. You might have attempted to alleviate intellectual anx, but I imagine you succeeded in helping to alleviate many other forms of anx for many listeners. Excellent job here - this was the work not just of a scholar but a pastor. Do you have a good Kierk biography recommendation? I have the Chamberlain Reader, but you mentioned reading his bios; I should, too.

There's something to be said about pressing through our anxiety while clinging to our faith that is purifying to the soul. Each trial is a step closer to where we are going. Like a parent out of a child's line of vision, still present and watching; The silence of God does not equal the absence of God.

Intellectual anxiety is tough. This is really the case with theological study, as we think as Christians think that our beliefs and practices have eternal ramifications and that with this life, we get only one shot at doing this right. The stakes are high. So what if I leave this world with false theological beliefs? What if I leave this world with a false ecclesiology? I don't have the infinite time to turn every stone, argue every point, understand every theological position and nuance. Is the gospel enough to save me if I do church wrong? Is it enough if I teach and argue for a theological or doctrinal point that turns out to be wrong? Is it a sin if I teach a wrong doctrine or eccelsiology? I look to the story of the man beside Jesus on the cross as my hope. "Lord, remember me!" He had no time for church, no time for theological study, he didn't even have time to read a Bible. He just had this moment to call upon the Lord, not even to forgive him, but to remember him. For Jesus, this was enough. I hope that my genuine faith, given by grace, in his gospel be enough.

I think a big thing for me is that i have a form of Christianity that pushes me and makes me excited and happy, but since i discovered the church fathers and realized what they say has relevance, ive not been sure who is correct and how i can follow the "right" course. I was happy being a baptist who was deconstructing and reconstructing and figuring out what the bible said. Now im getting caught up in "liberal" vs "conservative" and im not finding the same joy in teachers i love. This comment is over reacting and its really not as bad as i made it sound but i just wanted to throw this out there

This is fascinating. As someone who struggles with anxiety in various forms, it is refreshing to hear a theologian actually engage with the lived experience of the anxious person. I hear too many pastors/theologians who take a finger-wagging and dismissive approach and it has caused myself and my loved ones great harm. Thank you! On another note, where would you recommend I begin with reading Kierkegaard?

What biographies on Kierkegaard would you recommend for someone who wants to begin to study him and his work? And are there any particular books by him that you would especially recommend? Everything I've heard so far from him I have absolutely loved

Suggested reading for those that have a deeper and more ‘clinical’ anxiety: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest - Ed Welch

This is such a struggle! I’ve been studying so much and I feel like I’m “reconstructing” everything I believe. I don’t even know which denomination I should be a part of, help!

Hey Gavin I would love to see a video of yours defending the book of Daniel’s early dating. God bless

I greatly appreciate this. But I still have the same question at the end of it: how is it that earnest and intelligent people are being led in different directions? People converting into Catholicism and others converting out of it. Catholics are quick to point out that our God is not a god of confusion, and ask why the Spirit would lead people to different theological conclusions. If we are to appreciate our anxiety, does this mean that our struggle must go on until we have that conversion? That all Protestants with anxiety should study until they become Catholic, and that all Catholics should study until they become Protestant? I think for a lot of us the issue is that we want to be confident in where we currently are. I often feel a burden that my salvation is incumbent upon me to do sufficient study if for no other reason than to prove to God my earnestness. Hope that articulates the feelings. Bless you!

Man I was struggling with this last night. I pray constantly that if there is anything in my beliefs that are incorrect, that God would show me, guide me, and correct me. Last night I was struggling with the subject of the Trinity. Though I have believed it my whole life, I don’t know the Bible enough to fully support my beliefs. I want to see both sides. I want to know, to discern the truth. Trinitarians and Unitarians both have supporters who say the other side is not saved. Even if I knew everything, I know I’m not smart enough to come to a good answer in my own strength. My only desire is to love God with all that I am, and I do not want an incorrect belief corrupt my views or even my relationship with Him. Any guidance would be appreciated

Thank you for this video. Your ministry is much appreciated. I do wonder why the advice is to do all we can do on our own first, before going to Christ. Shouldn't we submit our intellect to Him before we even engage with ideas and pursuits?

This video pretty much flew over my head, because I've never struggled with irrational anxiety. Of course, I have rational anxiety like everyone: waiting to be reprimanded for something, realizing you're accidentally trespassing, a feral dog approaching you, etc. I will add that anxiety disorders affect women more than men, and there's a lot of research that suggests birth control pills are the cause in many women.

1 Corinthians 15 has been a great anchor for me over the years. So much else is either secondary or outright irrelevant depending on whether or not Jesus rose from the dead. The centrality of the resurrection helps me prioritize the intellectual "noise" that can often creep in. I am convinced that Jesus rose from the dead, and everything else finds a place to fall in line behind that.

Letting go of trying to control things is a terribly difficult process. Jesus had an entire sermon encouraging people to let go and trust. "Who by being anxious can add a cubit to his life span?" The OT Proverbs also addressed it: 'Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.'

I'd love to go to Copenhagen and explore with you.

Kierkegaard’s "edifying discourses" is a must read for all Christians. Same with "sickness unto death"

I went through some intense intellectual anxiety over Calvanism...took a few years to wrestle through. And I came firmly to the opposite conclusion as Gavin. haha. Thoughtful, interesting topic - Thanks, Gavin! I have loved Kierkegaard since high school. A deep thinker...do I agree with everything he says? Nah. But who do I really agree with on all topics?

Hi Gavin, I'm someone who has been struggling with doubt my whole life, and especially in recent weeks (not triggered by anything in particular). I've really enjoyed this video and your video on divine hiddenness, I feel that I can really relate to the angst that Pascal and Kirkegaard felt. You suggested at the end of the video to articulate what kind of things that we may need further help with. I was wondering if some of the things I struggle with could be things with which you have some advice? I recently wrote down a series of reflections about specific areas that cause me doubt, but that is way too lengthy for here. Would I be able to email you some of these things? Perhaps not the whole document (I know you are quite busy), but maybe just a brief summary of each area? Thanks.

As someone with pretty severe OCD, this feels very pointed 😅

Gavin, I notice you make nice replies to certain philosophies and positions. I saw the one you did on Buddhism. Have you considered making a video about Stoicism? It has a growing popularity today with figures like Ryan Holiday. Even though the principles they espouse typically seem sound, it’s usually a philosophy perused independent of Christianity.

My roommate in college called Kierkegaard her Danish Cinnamon Roll.