Shows
Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureIs Empathy a Sin? (with Tim Muehlhoff)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 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is a professor of Communications at Biola University. He is a popular...2025-05-1359 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: Ethics of Embryo Research; Christianity in Silicon Valley; Vigilante JusticeThis 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 interest in Christianity in tech culture—but is it genuine faith or just a useful tool for success...2025-03-281h 00Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: Limits of Online Free Speech; TikToking Democracy to DeathIn this episode, Scott Rae and guest co-host Dr. Tim Pickavance tackle key cultural issues through a biblical lens:Are Traditional Wedding Vows Disappearing? A discussion on the enduring significance of wedding vows and their role in shaping lasting marriages.Free Speech in the Digital Age – How platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta are handling (or not handling) hate speech, and the tricky balance between free expression and content moderation.Is TikTok Killing Democracy? The impact of social media on students’ ability to think critically and engage in meaningful discourse.Anot...2025-02-211h 00Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: Resurrected as a chatbot; Young men falling behind; IVF followupThis week, Sean and Scott discuss: A murdered teenager was resurrected as a chatbot, raising ethical and theological concerns about AI misuse.A Harvard study suggests that race matters less than it used to for achieving the American dream, with economic mobility improving for Black Americans.Young men in America are falling behind in education, employment, and mental health, facing a crisis of purpose and increasing isolation.Listener question: ethical dilemmas around IVF, including the moral treatment of frozen embryos.Listener question: How Christians can uphold Sunday worship in light of the Sabbath command being fulfilled in Christ. ...2024-11-0155 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: Canada's Online Harms Act; Compassionate Transfer in IVF; Toxic MasculinityThis week, Sean & Scott discuss: Canada's Online Harms Act: Potentially draconian free speech restrictions and the debate on its implications for political activism and public discourse.Compassionate Transfer in IVF: Addressing the moral dilemma of excess embryos through a controversial medical procedure aimed at unsuccessful pregnancies.Toxic Masculinity and Boys: Exploring the cultural impact of toxic masculinity on boys, including gender disappointment and the need for meaningful human connections.Listener Questions: Insightful discussions on the ethical considerations of contraception in Christian marriages and the age of the Earth debate among C...2024-06-141h 00Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureThe Gift of Kidney Donation (with Mark Rae)Our host Scott Rae recently donated a kidney to his brother, Mark. It was a long, arduous journey in which God was clearly present along the way. How did it affect each of them spiritually? How did it affect their relationships with family? And how can we think biblically about a life-saving medical procedure such as this? Sean interviews both Scott and Mark to hear about their emotional journey.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and...2024-04-3039 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: Political Realignment; Marriage and Well-Being; Smartphones and Gen Z's Mental HealthThis week, Sean McDowell and guest co-host Rick Langer discuss:Political Realignment and Identity Politics: A discussion based on a New York Times opinion piece by David French, exploring the potential shift in political alignment among voters of color towards the Republican party. The conversation delves into the implications of moving from identity-based divisions to idea-based disagreements, emphasizing the health of democracy when debates are centered on ideas rather than identity.Marriage and Well-Being: Analysis of a Gallup poll indicating that married individuals report higher levels of thriving compared to their single...2024-03-2957 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureCultural Update: China's Baby Bust; France Puts Abortion in Constitution; New Tech May Allow Embryo from Two MenThis week, Scott Rae and guest co-host Rick Langer discuss:China's Baby BustFrance Enshrines Abortion in ConstitutionDisturbing Leaks from WPATHNew Tech May Allow Embryo from Two MenListener Question: AI PornographyListener Question: How will doctors leaving abortion banned states affect quality of medical care?Listener Question: Balancing the rights of adults to do drugs vs. the rights of children to be safe from drugsRead a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/cultural-update-china-s-baby-bust-france-puts-abortion-in-constitution-new-tech-may-allow-embryo-from-two-men.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of...2024-03-1550 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureSocial Justice FallaciesWhat is social justice and how does it compare and contrast with biblical justice? In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss the recent book by economist Thomas Sowell called Social Justice Fallacies. According to Sowell, many things thought to be true today about justice efforts do not line up with the facts. As a result, many social justice efforts have had catastrophic consequences. Join Sean and Scott for a provocative discussion.You can also watch this episode on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/aoG8r8X4biE.A transcript of this episode is available...2024-02-2042 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureDo Animals Have Rights?What does it mean to assert that animals have rights? Can Christians consume meat? How concerned should Christians be about the treatment of animals? In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss these questions, and many more, as they review the influential book by Princeton philosopher Peter Singer: Animal Liberation Now. Book mentioned by Scott: God, Humans, and Animals: An Invitation to Enlarge Our Moral Universe by Robert N. Wennberg.Read a transcript of this episode at https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/do-animals-have-rights. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture...2024-01-3056 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureHow to Deconstruct Your Faith (with John Marriott)What does it mean to say that someone is deconstructing their faith? Can that be a good thing, or is it the first step in someone eventually abandoning their faith? How do you help someone to re-examine their faith in a constructive way? Join us as Scott interviews his co-host Sean McDowell and his co-author Dr. John Marriott, of the new book, Set Adrift.Dr. John Marriott serves at Biola University as the Research and Program Coordinator for the Biola University Center for Christian Thought and teaches in the Department of Philosophy. A former pastor, he holds...2023-08-2447 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureGame Changing Archeological Finding (with Scott Stripling)Once in a generation archeologists unearth something that is truly a game changer. Recently found material turn much of OT critical scholarship on its head. Join Scott as he discusses this finding with archeologist Scott Stripling—spoiler alert—it’s a very exciting find!!Scott Stripling, provost and director of the Archaeology Institute at The Bible Seminary, is the director of excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research at ancient Shiloh (2017 to present). He previously directed the excavations at Khirbet el-Maqatir (2014–2016). He serves as president of the Near East Archaeological Society.Read a transcript of this epi...2022-12-1926 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureLive Episode! — Reaching the World for Christ (with Josh McDowell)At a special event & live recording celebrating the 5-Year Anniversary of the Think Biblically podcast, Sean & Scott sit down with Josh McDowell to discuss his decades of legacy in reaching the world for Christ.This episode is also available as a video on Biola's YouTube channel.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/reaching-the-world-for-christ. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. 2022-10-2731 minThink Biblically: Conversations on Faith & CultureA Rebel's Manifesto (with Sean McDowell)Today's episode is also available as a video on Biola's YouTube channel. How can Christians navigate the difficult ethical issues that plague this generation? How can followers of Jesus stand for truth in a way that is loving to their neighbors? Scott interviews Sean about his latest book: A Rebel’s Manifesto. They discuss how Christians can rebel against certain cultural expectations and live in the bold and gracious fashion that Jesus calls us to. Sean McDowell (Ph.D.) is an associate professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbo...2022-09-0147 min