Épisodes

  • What Makes a Cult? Here Are the Defining Characteristics

    What Makes a Cult? Here Are the Defining Characteristics
    Oct 22 2026
    What are the defining characteristics of a cult? Hank Hanegraaff uses the memorable acronym C-U-L-T-S — Counterfeit, Unbiblical Revelations, Linguistic Subversion, Theological Perversion, and Sociological Deviance — to expose the teachings and practices of Eastern Lightning, also known as The Church of Almighty God.

    Hank examines Eastern Lightning’s claim that Jesus Christ has been reincarnated as a female christ in China, its rejection of the Bible as outdated and unreliable, its subversion of biblical language, its denial of essential Christian doctrine, and its use of intimidation and threats to demand unwavering obedience.

    With millions of first-generation Christians worldwide vulnerable to false teaching, Hank explains why equipping Christian leaders to recognize and respond to movements such as Eastern Lightning is central to the worldwide work of the Christian Research Institute — and why a special issue of the Christian Research Journal is devoted to helping Christians contend for “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

    For more information about this special issue of the Christian Research Journal (48:02–03) The Eastern Lightning Cult: Christ Returns to Earth as a Female, click here.To receive this issue with your partnering gift, click here. https://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/the-eastern-lighting-cult-christ-returns-to-earth-as-a-female-special-print-issue-48-02-03/

    For information on receiving the special dual-language “flip” edition — English and Chinese — click here.https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-special-dual-language-flip-english-and-chinese-print-issue-48-02-03-the-eastern-lighting-cult-christ-returns-to-earth-as-a-female-wa/


    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).
    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.
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    28 min
  • Sharia Law in the West? What Would Life Be Like? | Part 4

    Sharia Law in the West? What Would Life Be Like? | Part 4
    Oct 8 2026
    What would life in Western civilization look like under Islamic law (sharia)? In Part Four of his series on sharia, Hank Hanegraaff looks to Islamic Spain, where religion was law, and sharia governed both public and private life. He examines the consequences for religious freedom, women, art, music, intellectual inquiry, and those who lived as non-Muslims under Islamic rule.

    Hank also considers the modern West, where calls to accommodate aspects of sharia have raised fundamental questions about religious liberty, free speech, equality before the law, and the preservation of Western jurisprudence.

    Can Western civilization accommodate sharia practices that conflict with its own legal and cultural foundations? Understanding the history and implications of sharia is essential to answering that question.

    For a more comprehensive treatment, see Hank Hanegraaff’s MUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion.

    https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-0926va/


    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).
    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on
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    18 min
  • Does Sharia Mandate War? | Part 3

    Does Sharia Mandate War? | Part 3
    Oct 1 2026
    In Part Three of his series on sharia law, Hank Hanegraaff examines what sharia has historically taught about jihad and warfare.

    Hank argues that Islamic jurisprudence has given warfare against non-Muslims a central place within sharia. He considers Qur’anic texts concerning fighting, the traditional division between the “house of Islam” and the “house of war,” and the rapid military expansion of Islam following the death of Muhammad.

    Hank then traces Islamic conquest from the Middle East and North Africa into Spain and Europe and challenges the popular portrayal of medieval Andalusia as a golden age of peaceful religious tolerance. Drawing on the work of historian Darío Fernández-Morera, he points instead to the persecution and killing of Christians under Muslim rule and asks why this history is so often minimized or recast.

    While jihad can refer to inward spiritual struggle, Sharia made armed expansion a religious duty.

    This is Part Three of an ongoing series on sharia. In the next podcast, Hank plans to examine the impact of sharia on Western civilization.

    For a more comprehensive treatment, see Hank Hanegraaff’s MUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion.https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-0926va/


    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).
    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.
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    22 min
  • Can Women Ever Be Free Under Sharia Law? | Part 2

    Can Women Ever Be Free Under Sharia Law? | Part 2
    Sep 24 2026
    In Part Two of his series on Islamic law (Sharia), Hank Hanegraaff examines the status and treatment of women under Sharia and contrasts Islamic law with the biblical worldview.

    Hank considers Qur’anic teachings concerning marriage, polygamy, divorce, and relations between husbands and wives, arguing that the inequalities embedded within Sharia have profound consequences for Muslim women. He also responds to former President Barack Obama’s criticisms of biblical law concerning slavery and rebellious children, contending that such criticisms badly misconstrue the historical and literary context of Scripture.

    Against claims that Sharia may be favorably compared with Christian canon law or biblical ethics, Hank argues that the contrast could hardly be more consequential—particularly when it comes to the dignity and treatment of women.

    This is Part Two of an ongoing series on Sharia. In the next podcast, Hank turns to the Sharia perspective on war and the traditional distinction between the “house of Islam” and the “house of war.”

    For a more comprehensive treatment, see Hank Hanegraaff’s MUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion.


    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).
    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.
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    14 min
  • Understanding Sharia: Is It Really Like Christian Canon Law? | Part 1

    Understanding Sharia: Is It Really Like Christian Canon Law? | Part 1
    Sep 17 2026
    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 purpose of Mosaic law; and the Christian understanding that the Mosaic covenant finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

    Hank also looks at the contemporary application of Sharia in nations such as Brunei and explains why understanding what Sharia actually teaches and how it functions matters enormously in the modern world.

    This is Part One of Hank’s examination of Sharia law. In the next episode, he turns specifically to the impact of Sharia on women.

    For a more comprehensive treatment, see Hank Hanegraaff’s MUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion.https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-0926va/
    1. “El-Sayed GRILLED: ‘I Don’t Think You’re Very Good at Math’” Jesse Watters Primetime, Fox News video, 25:25, August 24, 2026, relevant discussion at 10:56–13:40, https://youtu.be/9j0e6Ur7S6g?si=HWkda5fqfZI0snQD&t=656.



    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.
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    16 min
  • Can We Trust Iran’s Islamic Leadership?

    Can We Trust Iran’s Islamic Leadership?
    Sep 3 2026
    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.

    Hank also considers the historic expansion of Islam through conquest and migration, the transformation of formerly Christian centers such as Constantinople, and the profound differences between the examples set by Muhammad and Jesus Christ.

    Jesus commanded His followers to love their enemies, pray for those who persecute them, and be peacemakers. Ultimately, He gave His life so that others might live.

    As Hank often says, “Contrast is the conduit to clarity.” And in this episode, he contends that the contrast between Christ and Muhammad—and between Christianity and Islam—could hardly be more consequential.

    Topics include Iran, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Muhammad, jihad, Yasser Arafat and the Oslo Accords, Islam in Europe, Constantinople and Hagia Sophia, Christianity and Islam, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

    For more information on Islam please see Hank’s book MUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-muslim-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-worlds-fastest-growing-religion-wa0426/

    • 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 cultural change agent.
    • Archived episodes are on our Website and available at the additional channels listed below.
    • You can help spread the word about Hank Unplugged by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on.
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    21 min
  • Fr. Stephen Freeman | Christian Atheism: God as an idea is no God at all (Preview of Commitment to Reality)

    Fr. Stephen Freeman | Christian Atheism: God as an idea is no God at all (Preview of Commitment to Reality)
    Jun 23 2026
    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 Fr. Freeman’s book Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe please click here. https://www.equip.org/product/cri-resource-everywhere-present-christianity-in-a-one-storey-universe/

    To hear the full conversation, search for Commitment to Reality wherever you listen to podcasts and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.

    You can also watch full episodes and clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ACommitmenttoReality
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    36 min
  • Martin Shaw | What Part of You Has Come to Die? (Preview of Commitment to Reality)

    Martin Shaw | What Part of You Has Come to Die? (Preview of Commitment to Reality)
    Jun 9 2026
    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 listen to podcasts and subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.

    You can also watch full episodes and clips on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ACommitmenttoReality
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    40 min