The Dialog

At bedtime, Nick's six-year-old asked him, "Dad, is Santa real?" Nick wasn't going to lie to him. So he told him Santa was a real person, St. Nicholas, and what he did. Then he told him that in the way he brings presents, he's not real.

I believed in Santa Claus until I was 13. And I still think you must believe in Santa Claus. Not the guy in the red suit. The real man behind him. In our Christmas episode, my co-host Nick Surface and I tell the story of St. Nicholas of Myra and talk about why people stop believing in good.

Should Christian parents let their kids believe in Santa?
If God and Santa Claus are on the same level in your kid's mind, something already went wrong. When Nick's son learned the truth about Santa, he never once questioned God.

Who was the real St. Nicholas?
The story goes that he was born around 270 AD, lost his parents to a plague, and used his inheritance to help people. He threw three bags of gold through a poor father's window so his daughters could marry. As bishop of Myra, he challenged emperor worship, was imprisoned under Diocletian, and walked out a confessor: someone who would not deny that Christ is Lord.

Did Santa Claus really punch a heretic?
That's the legend: at the Council of Nicaea, Nicholas ended a heated debate with Arius over whether Jesus is fully God by punching him.

What is Christmas actually about?
Hope. Jesus was set apart for an intended use, and so are we. If a person can be this great, can you imagine how great God is?

People
St. Nicholas of Myra · Arius · Decius, Valerian and Diocletian · Constantine · Tacitus · Dan Sullivan (Strategic Coach)

Chapters
0:00 Cold open and show intro
0:52 A steakhouse surprise and the joy of giving
6:20 Believing in Santa until 13
7:12 Will believing in Santa hurt your kids' faith?
7:53 "Dad, is Santa real?"
10:55 What does it mean for something to be real?
11:41 The death of innocence
14:23 Villains, hunting and the Mighty Men
17:07 Who are you a hero to?
19:10 Why my kids will believe in Santa
21:00 Who was St. Nicholas of Myra?
21:32 Three bags of gold through a window
22:34 Bishop of Myra and emperor worship
23:17 Rome persecutes Christians
28:52 St. Nicholas stops an execution
30:42 Confessors
33:39 The Council of Nicaea and the legendary punch
34:38 Secret gifts and the hope of Christmas
36:01 Are we entitled to more?
37:54 If Christians lose power, the gospel moves forward
38:34 Do you see God the way kids see Santa?
39:50 Where St. Nicholas found his hope
41:11 Why you must believe in Santa Claus
42:45 O Holy Night: set apart for an intended use
43:22 Be a Santa Claus

Previous: 1.10 / Values vs. virtues: what's the difference?
Next: 1.12 / One degree off: when church tradition drifts from truth

New episodes most weeks.
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What is The Dialog?

Ancient philosophers used the dialog to find answers to life’s greatest questions. The Dialog is a search for truth in modern life through the lens of ancient philosophy, history, and theology. This podcast will challenge your assumptions, change your thinking and show you how to master modern living.