Claim OwnershipThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture
Subscribed: 1,989Played: 111,493
Subscribe
© 2025 Biola University
Description
A weekly podcast that offers Christian perspectives on some of the most significant issues facing today's church and culture. In each episode, hosts Scott Rae and Sean McDowell — professors at Biola University's Talbot School of Theology — draw upon biblical wisdom and insights from guest experts as they explore how Christians can thoughtfully and faithfully engage with cultural trends and current events.
483 Episodes
Reverse
1Why would a pastor write a theological book on exercise? Would Jesus exercise if he were here bodily today? What does the Bible say about exercise and physical activity? And are Christians sinning if they don't exercise? These are a few of the questions Sean and Scott explore with pastor David Mathis, author of the new book A Little Theology of Exercise. David is senior teacher and executive editor of desiringGod.org, pastor at Cities Church (Saint Paul), and adjunct professor for Bethl...
This week: Are Young Men Lost or Returning to Faith? A deep dive into seemingly contradictory studies on young men: while many are falling behind in education and mental health, others are returning to church and discovering faith through the Bible, not institutional religion. The Role of Fathers and Masculinity Sean and Scott discuss how the absence of fathers, misapplied cultural expectations, and lack of male mentorship contribute to young men's struggles today. Exposing Pornhub’s ...
Is empathy being weaponized by Progressives to manipulate Christians into adopting certain ethical and political views? Is empathy a virtue, or merely an emotion that is sometimes a valuable and important means of loving people? There have been a myriad of Christians books and podcasts on this topic, and so Sean has invited Biola communications professor Tim Muehlhoff to discuss and debate these issues and more. Enjoy! Tim Muehlhoff received his Ph.D. in Communication Studies at the Universit...
This Week's Topics: A New Pope has been chosen by the Catholic ChurchThe Supreme Court hears a case about government funding for a Catholic charter school in Oklahomaa new successful argument against transgenderism that Christians need to be aware ofA wild conversation about race on the Piers Morgan Show offers important lessons for Christians todayThis Week's Questions: How to hold Empathy and Biblical Teaching when talking with LGBTQ NeighborsSunday Mornings and Youth SportsJoin us for ANCH...
Why does God allow disabilities? What is the point of someone's disability? What is disability theology, and what are the implications of this for the church? In what sense will disabilities be healed when we meet the Lord? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr Chris Ralston. Guest Bio: D. Christopher Ralston (PhD Rice University) served on staff at Joni and Friends International Disability Center from 2013 to 2020 and is also a fellow of The Center for Bioethics & Huma...
This week's topics: Abortion Pill Study: A massive study reveals serious health risks linked to the abortion pill mifepristone, with adverse events 22 times higher than FDA estimates—raising ethical and philosophical concerns about privacy, safety, and the personhood of the unborn. Fathers Post-COVID: New research shows American dads are spending more time with their young kids, a trend celebrated for its relational and societal impact—challenging cultural narratives that downplay the i...
What does the Bible say, if anything, about living together before marriage? Given that 70% of Americans now cohabit before marriage, and roughly 2/3 believe it will improve the odds of relationship success, what does the data show about how effective it is? While this is a huge topic in the church and culture today, surprisingly, few people are discussing it. In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss a recent study on cohabitation from the Institute for Family Studies. Download the study: htt...
Topics this week: Controversy after Christianity Today published an article questioning whether Jesus was crucified with nails. The Supreme Court is debating whether parents can opt their kids out of LGBTQ-themed books in elementary schools. The New York Times and USA Today published articles discussing the return to church, particularly among young men, and the increased interest in the supernatural in today's culture. Listener ques...
How many Americans are engaging the Bible today? And in what ways? How does Bible reading affect giving to charity, life flourishing, and experience with loneliness? Sean and Scott discuss these questions, and more, by analyzing the latest report from the American Bible Society. While some of the findings are expected, quite a few are eye-opening and unexpected. Read and download the report here. Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9-11, 2025...
Topics this week: Women's Basketball Player Embraces Her FaithThe UK Supreme Court Rules on GenderFrance's Law on Anonymous Sperm and Egg DonationRichard Dawkins' Blog Post on ChristianityListener Questions: Further questions concerning the life of MLK jr.How should someone approach talking with parents in the midst of deconstruction?Is there continuity of life between now and the new heavens and new earth?Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9...
Michael Heiser is one of the most influential Old Testament scholars over the past decade. In this video, Sean is joined by Talbot Old Testament professor Charlie Trimm to discuss Heiser’s best-selling book “The Unseen Realm.” They discuss these questions and more: Why has Heiser been so influential? Are his ideas orthodox? Should Christians read his works? What does it mean to biblically embrace the supernatural realm? Charlie Trimm received his Ph.D. from Wheaton College in 2012, writ...
Topics this week: An Atlantic article on Elaine Pagels' new book, "Miracles and Wonder." Is she downplaying the supernatural? This episode dives into her controversial take on New Testament miracles.Florida teacher fired for using a student's preferred name without parental consent. Where do parental rights collide with student support? Scientists have brought back the dire wolf. Is this a cool breakthrough or a recipe for disaster? We debate the ethics of de-extinction.Are embryos prope...
What should apologetics look like for this generation? What does it mean that apologetics is for everyone, not just specialists? How is the gospel good news, especially for women? We’ll discuss these questions and more with Sean around his new book Apologetics for an Ever-Changing Culture. Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9-11, 2025. Hosted by Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in Southern California. Learn more and registe...
This week's topics: Polygany Found to Cause Lower Birthrates than MonogamyAI Chatbots can Allow People to Talk with Deceased RelativesNew Tech allows for more Control Over Embryo Selection.Listener Questions: A Listener shares their experience working in secular spaces and using preferred pronouns. Should christians identify as gay? Are near death experiences biblical? Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9-11, 2025. Hosted by Talbot School o...
What is the state of the intelligent design movement today? How is it faring in the scientific realm, the church, and in the public? How has the strategy of the ID movement shifted, and what has it learned over the past 20 years? Our guest today is Biola University Biology professor Doug Axe. Douglas Axe is the Maxwell Professor of Molecular Biology at Biola University, the founding Director of Biologic Institute, the founding Editor of BIO-Complexity, and the author of Undeniable: How Biolog...
This week's topics: The Ethics of Embryo Research: The abortion debate is shifting toward the status and treatment of embryos—especially in light of new scientific experimentation pushing past the 14-day research limit. Science vs. Philosophy: Scott and Sean discuss the crucial distinction between biological life and personhood—and why science can’t answer moral questions about human identity. Christianity’s Resurgence in Silicon Valley?: A Vanity Fair article highlights growing interes...
What is the enduring legacy of MLK?, why has the culture neglected the theological basis for his civil rights work?, what assumptions to white and black people have about each other that are inaccurate or unhelpful? We'll discuss these questions and more in a joint podcast with the Biola Winsome Convictions Podcast and my co-host Tim Muehlhoff. Our guest is Pastor Chris Brooks, pastor of Woodside Bible Church in metro Detroit and host of the radio program, Equipped with Chris Brooks. Ch...
Decline of Romantic Relationships Among Young People – Dating among high school and college students is decreasing due to emotional intimacy fears, digital distractions, and safety concerns, highlighting the theological importance of relationships. Rise of Pornography Over Real Relationships – Many young men now prefer pornography over romantic relationships, leading to emotional desensitization, weakened human connections, and the need for a biblical approach to sexual purity. Need for Digit...
Should Christians identify as gay? Is this a secondary issue that should not divide Christians, or is more at stake? Sean and Preston Sprinkle continue the dialogue from last week and focus on the question of whether homosexuality can be one part of Christian identity. Preston Sprinkle is Biblical scholar, speaker, and the head of the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. He is the best-selling author of multiple books including People to be Loved and Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marria...
This week, Sean and Scott discuss: New Study on Gender Affirming Surgery – A major peer-reviewed study finds increased psychological distress post-surgery, sparking discussion on long-term mental health effects and the importance of pre-surgical mental health assessments.The Future of Faith in America – Pew data suggests the rise of the “nones” (religiously unaffiliated) has plateaued, but experts predict continued secularization due to generational shifts.The Nature vs. Nurture Debate ...
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
My husband and I have struggled with the handling of our finances. I'm a big believer in envelope budgeting, but we struggle in either overspending and not faithfully updating expenses into our budgeting. Shane Enete's Biblical approach showed me why we have failed and how to become successful with our money. Thank you. 🦋👩🦰
MAYBE, immigrants commit crimes at a rate less than the population. The term immigrant however, includes more than people crossing from Mexico. That said, ILLEGAL TV immigrants are criminals as soon as they cross the border ILLEGALLY. Lol. Nice try. Also, we don't need immigrants because of a very minor and temporary population decline. This happens recurringly.. Less people isn't bad, just different.we can't take of the people we have at the mo.wnt.
Russell Moore doesn't know what time it is. "You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times" Matthew 16:3
This book will be a great tool for people to use, preferably before we absolutely need it, before a final decision is made possibly in the negative.
as a victim of spiritual abuse from my lead pastor while serving as an elder, let me just say this is spot-on
Great conversation!!!!
it actually DOES seem like God is saying "you want a world without me?" Good luck with war and resource management. It doesn't seem like like he's got much access to our conscience unless we ask
really good, thank you
Why challenge it? Don't all churches have things that can be argued?
I hope I'm wrong, it sure seemed like your guest thinks that illegal immigration is ok. And you didn't call him on it. Doesn't the immigrant have the responsibility to come legally, not illegally?
Very informative. Great listen. I hope gun banners will listen to this.
👍👍
The episode title should not even be possible. You need to know exactly 1 thing about Jesus to know Jesus is not a socialist. There is a certain story in any Bible I have ever read that involves a fish......
It sure would have been helpful if the speaker had given some concrete examples on how the church should adapt to younger people. ( Other than with music which older Christians already know about.)
Thoughts are always well constructed and insightful. Love it