Jordan Peterson Resists Christian Label in Viral Debate with Atheist
During a recent debate with 20 atheists, Canadian psychologist and author Jordan Peterson refused to identify as a Christian when one atheist asked him whether Catholics worship Mary. On the series called "Surrounded" on the YouTube channel, a young atheist named Danny questioned Peterson whether Christian denominations such as the Catholic Church worship Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Mary is "quite a ways up the hierarchy, but not at the top," Peterson said, asking Danny why his questions are relevant.
"Because you go to a Catholic church, don't you? Or you've attended recently. You're interested in Catholicism, aren't you? ...You're familiar with their doctrines. How do they regard Mary?" the atheist replied.
When Peterson asked why he was being asked these questions, Danny said, "Because you're a Christian."
"You say that. I haven't claimed that," Peterson replied.
Danny, however, mocked Peterson after citing that the title of the debate was between a Christian and an atheist. The 12 Rules for Life author then scolded Danny for being a "smart—" for asking Peterson where he was in his faith.
"Either you're a Christian, or you're not — which one is it?" Danny asked.
Peterson replied, "I could be either of them, but I don't have to tell you. … It's private."
Ultimately, Peterson decided to end his debate with Danny, and another challenger took the atheist's place.
The exchange between Peterson and Danny went viral on social media, with one clip reaching 11.5 million views as of Wednesday morning.
"During a debate titled "One Christian vs. Twenty Atheists," Jordan Peterson was pressed to identify himself as a Christian but awkwardly refused," wrote the X user who shared the clip on Sunday.
During a debate titled "One Christian vs. Twenty Atheists," Jordan Peterson was pressed to identify himself as a Christian but awkwardly refused. pic.twitter.com/H8QoIQvmb1
— YungPut1n (@YungPutin1) May 25, 2025
It is also worth noting that the Jubilee YouTube channel changed the title of the debate after Peterson's denial to publicly identify himself as a Christian.
"The way jubilee changed the title from "1 Christian vs 20 Atheists (ft. Jordan Peterson)" to "Jordan Peterson vs 20 Atheists" after 4 hours is so funny," one person wrote in the YouTube comments section of the full video of the debate.
Speculation regarding where Peterson stands on faith field after his wife, Tammy, converted to Catholicism after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2019. At the time, one of her friends gave her a rosary and prayed with her. They would go on to pray every day in the hospital's atrium for five weeks. Her formal conversion to the Catholic Church, however, took place during the Easter Vigil Holy Mass last year.
"It was on the fifth day of praying those prayers that the leak in my lymph system closed up," Tammy told EWTN in a February 2024 interview.
Although he was happy for his wife's newfound faith, Peterson told EWTN last March that it was unlikely he would convert to Catholicism because he exists "on the borders of things."
Jordan Peterson speaking about the power of the cross and the Easter message. ✝️ We spoke at Holy Rosary Church in Toronto just before his wife Tammy formally entered the Catholic Church. Here is my chat with @jordanbpeterson for @EWTNNewsInDepth pic.twitter.com/GeloWZGh0y
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) April 1, 2024
Meanwhile, Peterson's daughter, Mikhalia Fuller Peterson, said she "found God" through reading the Bible and prayer, describing it as a "very sudden" and "absurd" experience during an episode of her podcast in 2021.
"I'm pretty new to this," she said. "What I've been doing for the last like month or so is reading the Bible and praying. …And I guess, in a way, it's... Protestant probably. …And it's been ...the amount of peace I've had I haven't had before. It's completely absurd. I can't believe it," she added.
Despite the lack of clarity on his faith, Peterson has been part of faith-based series with the conservative news outlet The Daily Wire, including his series on The Gospels and We Who Wrestle With God.
WATCH FULL VIDEO: Jordan Peterson vs 20 Atheists | Surrounded
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Jubilee
Originally published May 28, 2025.
