Jordan Peterson refuses to identify as a Christian in viral atheist debate

Canadian conservative philosopher Jordan Peterson repeatedly refused to identify as a Christian during a heated YouTube debate about theology that aired on Sunday, growing increasingly angry as a young atheist vlogger challenged him over his faith.

Peterson, 62, was participating in an episode of Jubilee Media’s series Surrounded,“Jordan Peterson vs Twenty Atheists,” when the spat occurred. The show required the professor to sit at a desk in the center of a circle of would-be challengers who took turns arguing with him on subjects related to religion.

Almost an hour into the session, Peterson was challenged by Danny, a philosophy graduate from the PhilTalk channel, who pushed him on his definition of Christian faith and whether or not the Virgin Mary can be considered a figure of worship.

“Why is that relevant?” Peterson asked him.

“Because you go to a Catholic church. I’m sure you’ve attended recently. You’re interested in Catholicism, aren’t you?” Danny responded. “You’re familiar with their doctrines?… How do they regard Mary?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Peterson asked.

“Because you’re a Christian,” Danny responded.

“You say that. I haven’t claimed that,” the public intellectual snapped back.

“What is this – Christians vs atheists?… You don’t know where you are right now?” Danny scoffed.

After Peterson had admonished the younger man for being a “smarta**” and warned him he would terminate the debate if he kept up his tone, the latter gave him an ultimatum: “Either you’re a Christian or you’re not–which one is it?”

“I could be either of them, but I don’t have to tell you… it’s private,” Peterson responded defensively.

“Am I not talking to a Christian?… I think everyone should look at the title of the YouTube channel. You’re probably in the wrong YouTube video,” Danny persisted, sensing victory.

“You’re really quite something, you are,” Peterson seethed.

“Aren’t I? But you’re really quite nothing,” Danny hit back, drawing audible gasps from his fellow participants, some of whom covered their mouths in shock at the audacity of the insult.

“I’m done with him…” Peterson said, concluding the segment.

A former psychology professor at the University of Toronto, Peterson became an unlikely favorite of the right a decade ago after speaking out on identity politics issues and against political correctness, but has since become as well known for his erratic and emotional media appearances as for his academic work.

In a January 2025 interview with The Spectator, Peterson was asked if he called himself a “Christian.”

“I would say in the deepest sense, yes. But I’m not a typical Christian because I’m striving for understanding above all. I suppose people might pillory me as agnostic, but that’s not true because I don’t believe that the proper relationship between this underlying unity and myself would be established as a consequence of intellectual conquest. I’m a new kind of Christian,” he answered.