Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture
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.
Episodes
BONUS: Bart Ehrman on the Moral Argument and the Teachings of Jesus
Did the teachings of Jesus actually transform the moral conscience of the West? And if they did… does that point to objective moral truth or just cultural evolution? Sean shares a bonus episode from his YouTube channel in which he invited Bart Ehrman, one of the leading atheists/agnostics today, to explore one of the most important questions in philosophy and faith: Is morality objective or is it
Lovingly Confronting Silence & Arrogance (With Shane Idleman)
America is in a divided and angry moment. Should "niceness" be our goal? When is it right to confront another Christian and how should we do so? What is the key to balancing grace and truth? In this conversation, Sean talks with pastor and podcaster Shane Idleman about some of the toughest challenges Christian face today.Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian
Cultural Update: What Americans Think When No One Is Watching; Gen Z and Risk-Taking; High Schoolers and Turning Point USA; Hidden Awareness in Vegetative States
What Americans Think When No One is Watching: Scott and Rick analyze "The Honesty Project" by The Free Press, highlighting the stark contrast between what Americans tell pollsters publicly versus what they actually believe in private. Gen Z and Risk-Taking: Discussing an article on Gen Z's "great retreat from risk," Scott and Rick look at why fewer young adults are driving
The Vanishing Church (With Ryan Burge)
Is it true that the moderates are a vanishing breed, both in the culture and the church? Who are the religious moderates and what are the implications of their disappearance? How has religion shifted from a faith journey to a tribal identity? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr Ryan Burge, from his new book, The Vanishing Church.Ryan Burge is professor of practice at the John
Cultural Update: World Cup Faith; When Faith is Just an App; The No-Human Future
Scott is joined by Greg Ganssle, Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, to discuss: World Cup Faith Goes Public: World Cup stars from the U.S., Brazil, England, Belgium, and beyond bring Christian faith into the public spotlight with unusual openness and confidence.American Christianity Faces Its History: A New Yorker essay sparks a wide-ranging look at how revivalism, evangelicalis
Billie Jean's Daughter: How God's Grace Redeemed My Story (With La Nej Garrison)
Most people recognize Michael Jackson’s 1983 mega-hit “Billie Jean,” but few know the human story behind the headlines. In this episode of Think Biblically, Sean sits down with Biola and Talbot graduate and educator La Nej Garrison, whose mother was a partial real-life inspiration behind the famous song.La Nej Garrison is a dedicated family woman, editor, senior writer, and minister deeply passion
Weekly Cultural Update: Peter Singer critiques the Pope; The Neurobiology of Fatherhood; Gene Editing; Gen Z Men Resisting Temptation
Peter Singer critiques the Pope on Human Dignity: Scott and Erik discuss philosopher Peter Singer’s reaction to the Pope’s recent encyclical, analyzing how a purely functional definition of human value leads to terrifying ethical conclusions. The Neurobiology of Fatherhood: Discussing a recent New York Times piece, Scott and Erik break down the scientific evidence showing how active fatherhood pos
The Desecration of Man (With Carl Trueman)
Has Western culture merely forgotten God, or is the problem even deeper? In his remarkable new book The Desecration of Man, Dr. Carl Trueman argues that we have reached a new point in which culture has not only rejected God, but now desecrates Him. We can see this in the "shout your abortion" movement or the reveling in the mistreatment of immigrants. In this episode, Carl discusses the
Cultural Update: Rethinking Just War; Screen-Free Summer; Separation of Church and State
This week, we discuss: Rethinking Just War: Pope Francis’s comments on just war theory spark a timely conversation about self-defense, civilian harm, AI warfare, and whether Christian ethics needs fresh application in modern conflict.Marriage Shapes Young Men: New research suggests that having marriage on the horizon can motivate young men toward work, maturity, commitment, and lower-risk choices.
Moral Choices (With Scott Rae)
Maybe you have heard some of these kinds of claims:"Religious views don’t belong in politics." "Jesus said never judge–so don’t." "You can’t legislate morality." These are some of the most common moral slogans proclaimed today. But they are deeply misguided. Today, Sean interviews Scott to get his responses to the top ten misguided moral claims that need debunking! Sc
Cultural Update: Pope's Encyclical on AI; Research on Politics in Church; Texas Creates Clinic for De-transitioners
The Pope's New AI Encyclical: The hosts discuss a groundbreaking 250-page encyclical from Pope Leo XIV that explores the intersection of Catholic faith and artificial intelligence. The encyclical calls for AI to serve humanity rather than displace it, emphasizing that our inherent human limitations and vulnerabilities are actually a good design by God. Pew Research on Church Politics: A surpr
When God Seems Distant (With Kyle Strobel)
Why have we misunderstood what is normally involved in spiritual growth? What does it mean to say that our God is a withdrawing God?” And what do we do when the bible becomes boring and prayer seems pointless? We’ll discuss these questions and more with our guest Dr. Kyle Strobel around his new book When God Seems Distant.Kyle Strobel (Ph.D. University of Aberdeen) is the director of Talbot's
Cultural Update: The Threat to Christian Colleges; Harvard's Reparations Collapse; Turning the Page on Campus Coddling; A Lesson in Political Shrewdness
The Financial Metric Threatening Christian Colleges: Rick and Erik discuss a new federal regulation requiring college degree holders to out-earn non-degree peers, explaining how it creates an "existential threat" by penalizing faith-based programs that prioritize service over high salaries.The Collapse of Harvard's Reparations Initiative: The hosts explore why Harvard University’s $
The Devil Reads Nietzsche (With Greg Ganssle)
How do we live out our faith in a post Christian age? How do we react to thinkers who are aiming to undermine Christianity, such as Frederich Nietzsche? What is the enduring impact of someone such as Nietzsche on our culture today. We’ll discuss this and more around a new book entitled The Devil Reads Nietzsche, with our resident Nietzsche expert, our colleague in philosophy Dr. Greg Ganssle.Greg
Cultural Update: China Rewrites the Bible; Going "No Contact"; AI Tests Academic Honor
This week, Sean and guest co-host Thaddeus Williams discuss: AI Tests Academic Honor: Princeton’s return to proctored exams shows how generative AI is exposing deeper questions about virtue, trust, and human nature. China Rewrites Scripture: The Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to reshape the Bible highlight the clash between state power and the lordship of Christ. Ben Sasse Faces Death: Ben Sass
The Unseen Spiritual Battle (With Joel Muddamalle)
What have modern Christians missed about spiritual warfare? Have we overly focused on demonic exorcisms and missed the cosmic worldview, as found in Scripture, and what that means for how we encounter the spiritual realm? In the spirit of Michael Heiser, Dr. Joel Muddamalle argues that there is an unseen battle taking place that helps us make better sense of evil powers and equips us to conquer th
Cultural Update: Smartphone Ban Outcomes; The Rise of Teen Takeovers; Abortion Pills & Access; The Speed of the Expanding Universe
Smartphone Bans in Schools: Scott and Sean discuss a new large-scale study revealing that while banning phones hasn't significantly boosted test scores, it has notably increased students' sense of well-being and encouraged more face-to-face social interaction. "Teen Takeovers": Cities are seeing a rise in spontaneous, large-scale youth gatherings organized via social media, lea
The Gospel and My Black Skin (With JP Foster)
How has Christianity been weaponized to harm black people? How is the gospel being distorted today to harm black people? How does the hope of the gospel lead to racial reconciliation? We’ll look at these questions and more with our guest Dr. and Pastor JP Foster around his new book The Gospel in My Black Skin.Dr. JP Foster is senior pastor of Faithful Central Church in Inglewood, California and Mi
Cultural Update: Silicon Valley and the Catholic Church; The Ethics of Microlooting; High IQ Political Attackers; Rising Belief in the Afterlife
The Ethics of AI and the Catholic Church: Silicon Valley is increasingly consulting the Catholic Church to address complex AI ethics through the "Minerva Dialogues," a partnership that has lasted for over a decade. While tech companies seek to rehabilitate their reputations, the Church aims to insert theological and ethical considerations into a field often dominated by transhumanist vie
Transformed: A Detransitioner Speaks Out (With Kyla Gillespie)
Why would a professional Canadian hockey player, who grew up as a Christian, transition from female to male, and then detransition back? How did God’s word transform her life and what did she learn through the process of gender confusion, reassignment surgery and detransitioning? In this episode, Sean talks with author Kyla Gillespie about her new riveting book Transformed.Kyla Gillespie was born
Cultural Update: Supreme Court Religious Liberty Case; The Ethics of Consensual Non-Monogamy; Virtuous AI Chatbots; Policy Shifts on Psychedelics
Supreme Court Case on Religious Liberty: Sean and Scott discuss a new case involving Catholic preschools in Colorado that were denied public funding for refusing to enroll children from LGBTQ families. The debate centers on whether the state can mandate non-discrimination policies for faith-based organizations receiving public funds.The Ethics of Monogamy and Infidelity: Despite a near-unanimous A
Suffering Used for Our Good? (with Clay Jones)
How does God use our suffering for our good? What does it mean for us honor God in our suffering? And how does our eternal hope give us comfort in the midst of suffering? We’ll address these questions and more with our guest and former colleague, Clay Jones around his new book co-authored with his wife, How Does God Use our Suffering for our Good?Dr. Clay Jones served as a Professor of Christian A
Cultural Update: Rise of Religiosity in Men; Trump's Messianic Imagery; The Ethics of Sports Gambling; Awareness in Vegetative Patients
Rise of Religiosity Among Young Men: A recent Gallup survey shows a significant 14% increase in men under 30 who say religion is "very important" to them, even as interest among young women has dropped.Trump’s Messianic Imagery: The hosts examine the controversy surrounding Donald Trump’s social media posts, specifically a meme depicting himself as a messianic figure, and how it relates
The Body God Gives (With Robert S. Smith)
What is a biblical response to transgender theory? What is the relationship between sex and gender? How can Christians best navigate our cultural moment with biblical conviction and compassion? In our discussion, Dr. Smith argues that God's design is for a person's gender to be rooted in his or her biological sex, which is the body God gives. Smith offers a helpful and pastoral critique
Cultural Update: Fertility Rates Drop in the US; Canada's "Online Harms" Bill; Finland Pushes Back on Gender Affirming Care; The Ethics of Parents Using Their Kids for Clicks
Declining U.S. Fertility Rates: Scott and Sean discuss how the U.S. fertility rate has hit a historic low. They explore how economic pressures and a secular worldview that prioritizes personal "settling" over family are driving this decline.Canada’s "Online Harms" Bill (C-63): They examine a new Canadian bill that aims to combat hate but may threaten religious liberty. Concerns
The New Pornocracy and Why It Matters
In terms of influence and economic power, the porn industry is one of the largest and most influential industries in the world. A new book has been released which offers a secular critique of the "pornocracy," which means that it is no longer just conservatives proclaiming that porn rewires the brain and normalizes sexual violence. Sean and Scott discuss this disturbing new book and what
Cultural Update: The Pope Speaks on War; Supreme Court Rules on Conversion Therapy; Christian Crypto Culture
The Pope’s Call for Peace: Scott and Erik analyze Pope Francis’s Palm Sunday homily, where he argued that Jesus cannot be used to justify war. They discuss whether this represents a shift toward pacifism and how it contrasts with the historic Christian "Just War" tradition.Supreme Court & "Talk Therapy": The hosts break down the recent 8-1 SCOTUS decision favoring a Christi
The Jewish Roots of American Liberty (with Stuart Halpern)
What is the contribution of Judaism and the Hebrew Bible to Western concept of liberty? How did the Hebrew Bible influence Western concepts of law in particular? And how did the experience of Israel and the main characters in Israel’s history impact the American founders? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest Rabbi Stuart Halpern around his book, The Jewish Roots of American Liberty
Weekly Cultural Update: Paper Drugs in Prisons; Public Muslim Prayer; The Catholic Church and Social Justice; Meta and Youtube Lawsuit
The New Frontier of the Drug War: Hosts Sean McDowell and Scott Ray discuss a terrifying "quantum leap" in the drug trade where synthetic, lab-made drugs are being sprayed onto innocuous items like books and letters to be smuggled into prisons.Public Prayer and Religious Liberty: The hosts examine the implications of thousands of Muslims praying publicly in New York City, balancing the J
Reading Scripture as a Gift and not a Burden (with Uche Anizor)
What are the different gifts we get from being immersed in God’s Word? How do we develop a hunger for Scripture? And why do we so often see reading Scripture as a burden rather than a blessing. We’ll tackle these questions and more with our guest, our Talbot colleague in theology, Dr. Uche Anizor around his new book, The Goodness of God in the Gift of Scripture. Dr. Uche Anizor is Professor and Ch
Cultural Update: Is Iran War Ethical?; Rigging March Madness; Sexual Recession
This week, Scott and Sean discuss: Just War, Modern Targets: Sean and Scott weigh whether Israel’s targeted killings of Iranian leaders can fit within just war reasoning while warning against pulling Old Testament examples out of context. March Madness, Trust Erodes: A college basketball betting scandal raises the bigger fear that even suspected game-rigging can make fans wonder whether what they’
Living in the Shadow of Grief (with Dave Keehn)
Is it possible to find hope and healing in the shadow of grief? How can we move forward after the loss of a loved one, such as a child, and both trust God and appropriately grieve? In today’s episode, Sean talks with Talbot professor Dr. Dave Keehn, who is the author of a new, heart-wrenching, hopeful, and biblically-based book about processing grief after the premature loss of his son, Adam. Dave
Cultural Update: American Support for Israel; Researchers Uncover Evil AI; Wealth of Nations; Talarico's New Style
American Support for Israel: Support for Israel among younger evangelicals has dropped significantly, moving from 75% in 2018 to just 34% in 2021. This shift is attributed to younger generations being less tethered to traditional end-times theology than their predecessors.Evil AI and Virtue Ethics: Researchers found that even small coding errors in AI can lead to "blatantly evil" suggest
Hell in the Bible: Eternal Torment or Annihilation? (with Paul Copan and Chris Date)
Is hell eternal conscious punishment or does the Bible teach that the wicked will ultimately be destroyed? This is one of the most debated theological questions among Christians today. Today, we have two leading scholars to explore the biblical case for two different views of hell: eternal conscious punishment and conditional immortality (annihilationism). Together they examine key passages from b
Cultural Update: Talarico's Progressive Christianity; Epstein Files and Moral Unity; Supreme Court Backs Parental Rights
Supreme Court Backs Parental Rights: The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 emergency injunction blocking California's policy that required schools to hide students' gender transitions from their parents, affirming that parents—not the state—hold primary authority in their children's upbringing.Progressive Christianity Enters Texas Politics: James Talarico, a self-described progressive Chri
The Virtues of Capitalism, Part 2 of 2
Should Christians support capitalism? How effective has capitalism been in elevating people out of poverty? In this episode, which is the second part of a two-part series, Sean and Scott lay out the positive case for capitalism (aka, market economics). In the first part of this series, they offer a critique of socialism. In this episode, they advance a moral and biblical case for free markets and
Cultural Update: AI Date Cafe; Skincare for Toddlers; Questions on Youth Gender Treatment: Iranian Doctors and Nurses on Massacre
AI Date Cafe: A New York City cafe is offering "tables for one" designed for people to take their AI chatbots on public dates, prompting a discussion on isolation and the value of messy, real-life relationships.The Toddler Skincare Trend: Major brands are now marketing multi-step skincare routines to toddlers and elementary-aged children, raising concerns about the early onset of vanity
Why Christians Should Not Be Leftists, Part 1 of 2
What is Leftism and can it be consistently wed with a Christian worldview? And is Leftism gaining ground in the culture and church? In this episode, Sean and Scott explore these questions and more in their review of the book Why Christians Should Be Leftists by Phil Christman. They carefully define Leftism, look for positives and common ground in the case made by Christman, and then compare Leftis
Cultural Update: The Monetization of Loneliness; Hospital Ends Youth Gender Treatment; Alarming U.K. Abortion Data
The Monetization of Loneliness: A new study shows that Americans spend more on OnlyFans than on ChatGPT and The New York Times combined, suggesting the platform is monetizing deep-seated cultural loneliness.Manhattan Hospital Ends Youth Gender Treatments: Sean and Scott discuss reports on NYU Langone Health's decision to discontinue its transgender youth medical program following federal fund
Finding Freedom in Jesus (with JP Foster)
What does it mean to experience genuine freedom today? And how can a study of God’s attributes bring that freedom? In this episode, we talk with pastor JP Foster about his new book (co-written with Talbot professor Matt Williams): Finding Freedom in Jesus: The 21 Attributes of Your Identity in Christ. We discuss how understanding God’s character can transform our understanding of who we are, and a
Cultural Update: Social Network for Bots; AI Revolution in Jobs; Science of Happiness
This week: AI Bots' Social Network: Moltbook platform allows AI agents to interact with each other while humans can only observe, raising questions about whether artificial general intelligence (AGI) is emerging as bots create their own theology, dating profiles, and secret communication systems.NYT Reverses Marijuana Stance: The New York Times published an article admitting many of its earli
Suffering and our Spiritual Lives (with Craig Keener)
Does God cause our suffering? How is it a privilege to suffer for Christ? And what happens to a person’s faith when experiencing suffering, and how can we have joy in adversity? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest Dr. Craig Keener, around his new book entitled, Suffering: Its Meaning for the Spirit-Filled Life. Dr. Craig S. Keener is F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical St
Cultural Update: $2 Million Gender Medicine Verdict; AI Boyfriends; Politics at the Grammys
This week, Scott and Erik Thoennes discuss: $2 Million Gender Medicine Verdict: A New York jury awarded $2 million to a detransitioner who underwent a double mastectomy at age 16, marking a landmark legal decision that could significantly impact gender medicine practices as about 30 similar cases wind through the legal system.The Rise of AI Boyfriends: Women are increasingly using AI companions, r
A Psychologist Watches "The Chosen" (with Liz Hall)
How would a psychologist view the TV series, The Chosen? What does the portrayal of the characters, namely Jesus, say about how we connect with God? We’ll talk about these questions and more with our guest, Rosemead colleague and psychologist, Dr. Liz Hall, who contributed to a new book, Watching The Chosen. Dr. Liz Hall is Professor of Psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University
Cultural Update: UK Revival Questioned; Child Safety on Social Media; Posthumous Sperm Retrieval
This week: UK Revival Claims Questioned: A new Pew Research study challenges recent claims of spiritual revival among young adults in the UK, suggesting that opt-in surveys may be misleading and random sampling shows Christian identification is actually declining, not increasing.Social Media Child Safety: Social media giants face a landmark legal case regarding child safety, raising important ques
Serving God Under Siege
What is like to serve God under the siege of the war in Ukraine? What theological questions are raised as a result of the war, especially about the goodness and sovereignty of God? And how are the churches dealing with the trauma of war? We’ll address these questions and more with our guest Anna, faculty member at Talbot's Kyiv Theological Seminary. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations o
Cultural Update: "Looksmaxxing"; Grok's Sexual AI-Generated Images; Crime in Decline
This week, Scott and Sean discuss: America's Historic Crime Drop - The U.S. has experienced its largest homicide rate reduction in 125 years, with all seven categories of violent crime falling below pre-pandemic levels. Baltimore serves as a compelling case study, cutting homicides by nearly 60% through proactive outreach to at-risk individuals and community investment.The Dark Side of AI - E
Why We are Protestants (with Fred Sanders)
Why are we committed to a Protestant understanding of Christianity? What is a unique Protestant view of the Bible, the gospel, and the ordinances? In this episode, we talk with Biola professor Fred Sanders about the historical and biblical reasons to be Protestant. We also carefully define what is meant by “Protestant” and respond to common objections such as the claim that Protestantism shifts th
Cultural Update: Is 2026 the year of AI slop?; Iran protests; Transgender athlete bans
Topics this week: Will AI slop take over in 2026? How AI-generated media is breaking our ability to tell what’s real, and why rebuilding trust and virtue matters more than just better tech. AI manipulation + Iran protests: How AI can distort protest footage and narratives, making propaganda easier and truth harder to confirm in real time.Affirmative action after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling: Is a
Why The Church Still Matters Today (with Carmen Imes)
With churchgoing in decline in the US, what is the relevance of the church today? What’s the significance of the Bible using the language of family to describe the church? And what do we say to the person who insists that they can have a vibrant spiritual life but don’t need the church? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest colleague in OT, Dr. Carmen Imes, from her new book, Becomi
Cultural Update: Religious Trends Ahead in 2026; Is Killing Organ Donors OK?; Near-Death Experiences
To kick off 2026, Sean and Scott discuss:The Top 5 Religious Trends to Watch in 2026A federal judge's ruling about teachers' rights to inform parents about a child's gender identity.Arguments for allowing organ donation prior to deathA New York Times feature on near-death experiencesListener followup on our recent episode about alcohol==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Fai
What to Make of Alternative Medicine? (with Donal O'Mathuna)
What is alternative medicine? What does the Bible have to say about it? What is the connection between one’s faith and one’s health? We'll answer these questions and more with our guest, Ohio State University Professor Dr. Donal O'Mathuna, around his book, Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook. Dr. Donal O'Mathuna, a native of Ireland, is Professor in the College of Nursing a
The Bible and The Use of Alcohol (with John Anthony Dunne)
What does the Bible say about the use of alcohol? How is alcohol both God’s gift and a curse at the same time? What does the use of wine in the Eucharist say about acceptability for other uses? We’ll address these questions and more with our guest Dr. John Anthony Dunne around his book The Mountains Shall Drip Sweet Wine. Dr. John Anthony Dunne is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Bethel Sem
The American Religious Landscape (with Ryan Burge)
America has a religious landscape unlike any other country on earth. But it is rapidly changing. In this episode, we interview Ryan Burge, a leading demographer on religious trends in America. We discuss the present state and future of evangelicalism. And we explore the growth and status of other religious groups such as Jews, Muslims, Latter-day Saints, Black Protestants, Secularism, and more. Fi
Cultural Update: Disobeying Unlawful Orders; The Truth Physics Can No Longer Ignore; Rightward Shift Among Young Men
Stories this week:A woman in Japan “marries” an AI chatbot, raising serious questions about the nature of marriage, human relationships, and how emerging technologies blur the line between real and artificial intimacy. An Atlantic article suggests physics may be reaching the limits of reductionism, as living systems exhibit emergence, self-organization, and information that can’t be explained by p
The AI Revolution: Expert Roundtable
It is not an understatement to say that AI has revolutionized virtually every aspect of human life. What should characterize a Christian posture towards AI? Should we be concerned? Optimistic? How do we think biblically about it the emergence of new AI technology? In this unique episode, Sean is joined by three Biola/Talbot professors who are experts in their fields and in AI: Yohan Lee, Associate
Cultural update: Australia's Social Media Ban; Marijuana and Youth Health; Study on Charlie Kirk Death
Stories this week: Marijuana and youth health: New medical studies show legalization has coincided with a sharp rise in adolescent ER visits, including severe physical and psychiatric effects, raising ethical and biblical concerns about bodily stewardship. Australia’s social media ban: Australia enacted the world’s first nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16, shifting respo
The Remarkable and Influential Life of Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop
Who was Dr. C. Everett Koop and why is his life so significant? How did he become so passionate about abortion? How did he navigate bioethical controversies during his tenure as Surgeon General under President Ronald Reagan? We’ll discuss these questions and more with our guest and Dr. Koop’s biographer, Dr. Nigel Cameron. Biographer Nigel Cameron is President Emeritus of the Center for Policy on
Cultural Update: Jesus Bots; UCSD Education Crisis; The New Singlehood Dilemma; Guns in Church
This week: “Jesus Bots” & AI Spirituality: Sean and Scott discuss a New York Times piece on religious chatbots, raising concerns about me-centered faith, shallow “AI Jesus” advice, and how tech may distort spiritual formation.UC San Diego’s Education Crisis: A Wall Street Journal editorial reveals that 1 in 12 UCSD freshmen can’t perform middle-school math, prompting a conversation about grade
Biola's Commitment to Biblical Truth: A Conversation with President Corey
Is Biola University staying true to its biblical mission? In this candid episode of the Think Biblically podcast, Biola University President Dr. Barry H. Corey joins hosts Dr. Sean McDowell, associate professor of Christian apologetics, and Dr. Scott Rae, senior advisor to the president for university mission and professor of philosophy and Christian ethics, for a conversation about the pressures
Seeing Good in the World (with Tim Muehlhoff)
Why is it that Christians tend to focus on the brokenness of creation rather than its goodness? What if we shifted our attention to highlighting that God made the world to be our home, and as a result, focused on loving the world? Sean and Tim Muehlhoff discuss the proper balance we can find between recognizing the sinfulness and goodness of the world and what this means for discipleship and evang
The Cost of Ambition (with Miroslav Volf)
While God has made us to be ambitious, there can be a deep spiritual cost for striving to be better than others. Miroslav Volf is one of the leading public theologians. In this episode, based on his book "The Cost of Ambition," Dr. Volf explains how the teachings of Jesus and Paul offer a means for how we can aim for excellence without being plagued by our own sense of inferiority. Miros
Cultural Update: The Loneliness Epidemic; Tesla’s Robot Army; Why Orthodoxy is Surging in the U.S.
Loneliness & Misinformation: Sean and Rick unpack new research linking rising loneliness, especially among young adults, to increased susceptibility to conspiracy theories and online misinformation, emphasizing the need for real community and diverse conversation partners.Tesla’s ‘Robot Army’: They discuss Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to deploy one million humanoid robots, raising concerns about
The Long Term Impact of the Sexual Revolution (with Jennifer Morse)
What are the main tenets of the sexual revolution and who are some of the main victims? How do the debates over gender connect to the overall sexual revolution? Who are some of the main victims of the sexual revolution? What is the view of the body in gender ideology and how is that different from a Christian view of the body? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Jennifer Mors
Cultural Update: Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson; Animal to Human Organ Transplants; Abortion Access
Abortion access after Dobbs: Sean and Scott unpack a New York Times editorial on how telehealth and the abortion pill have reshaped the landscape, debate concerns about safety and framing, and address misleading claims around emergency care. Rising antisemitism: The hosts analyze the resurgence of antisemitism across the political spectrum—including Tucker Carlson platforming Nick Fuentes—and dist
Godly Ambition (with Ruslan KD)
How can we unlock our talent, treasure, and time for the kingdom? Ruslan KD is a highly successful YouTuber, entrepreneur, and rapper. He has a new book out called "Godly Ambition." He and Sean discuss his journey to faith and how to develop a platform for Christ without falling into many dangerous traps of our social media age. Ruslan KD, a hip-hop artist, content creator, and entrepren
Cultural Update: Zohran Mamdani; AI Erotica; Surrogacy in Crisis
NYC’s New Mayor: Sean and Scott discuss the election of progressive Muslim democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor—exploring socialism’s renewed appeal, the moral framework behind market economies, and biblical principles of work, property, and caring for the poorSurrogacy in Crisis: Troubling trends in the surrogacy industry—lack of oversight, exploitation of low-income
Tim Tebow: Behind the Scenes
Tim Tebow is known for being a Heismann Trophy winner and an NFL quarterback. But he also spearheads one of the most influential anti-trafficking organizations today. He has a new book out, Look Again, in which he talks about the importance of understanding human value and caring for the vulnerable amongst us. Sean and Tim have a fun, intense, and impactful conversation. ==========Think Biblically
Cultural Update: Gambling and Sports; Growing Discontent in Relationships
Relational Discontent: Sean and Rick discuss a New York Times piece on growing unhappiness in modern relationships, exploring how dating apps and individualism have replaced duty and community with self-focused fulfillment. They contrast fleeting “happiness” with the deeper pursuit of meaning.Gambling and Sports: They unpack the NBA betting scandal and the rise of legalized gambling in America, wa
Common Ground on Women in the Church and Home (with Gregg Allison)
Is there a way to reconcile differences in the body of Christ over the role of women in the church and the home? In some ways, this issue is tearing the church apart, and our guest on this episode has a unique proposal of how the church can move forward with unity on this topic amidst significant differences. Professor Gregg Allison is the author of a new book, Complementarity and he is here to ta
Answering Your Questions
We have so many great questions that come in each week and only have time for a handful of them on our Weekly Cultural Update. So we’re devoting this entire episode to your questions. This time the questions deal with the following: Is there a biblical mandate to vote?Should we use gene editing to cure Down syndrome?Where does national identity fit with our allegiance to God’s Kingdom?Does God con
How the Intricacy of the Human Body Points to a Designer (with Rick Zimmerman)
What are some of the aspects of the human body that point to the design of God?; For example, how does the function of your eyes, lungs and even the function of your individual cells point to God as an intelligent designer? How does religious observance affect a person’s physical and mental health? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Rick Zimmerman, a physician and an infecti
Cultural Update: Hostages Released; Gen Z Christianity and Suicide; Nigerian Persecutions
Scott is joined by guest co-host Erik Thoennes to discuss:Hostage Return in Gaza: Celebrating the return of all surviving Israeli hostages and discussing the theological and political complexities of the Israel–Gaza peace accord. Faith and Gen Z: Exploring new data showing a rise in Christian faith among Gen Z—even as suicide rates among the same generation reach record highs—and how both trends r
Unearthing Colossae: Excavation of Paul’s Ancient City (with Clint Arnold)
After centuries of anticipation, the ancient city of Colossae—the site of Paul’s letter to the Colossians—is finally being excavated. Dr. Clint Arnold, one of the world’s foremost experts on Colossians, joins Sean McDowell to share breaking news from the dig in modern-day Turkey. They explore why this excavation is historic, what discoveries could illuminate the New Testament, and how this project
Cultural Update: Israel-Hamas Ceasefire; Conversion Therapy and Free Speech
Topics this week:Marijuana’s Real Impact: A new study finds 40% of fatal crash victims in one Ohio county had high levels of THC, sparking discussion on how far legalization has gone and why Christians must discern between what’s legal and what’s right. AI and the End of “Seeing is Believing”: Sean and Scott unpack the dangers of AI-generated videos like OpenAI’s Sora, the flood of deepfakes, and
Dangerous Devices? (with Trevor Sutton)
Why have so many “time saving” devices actually not saved us any time? How do you know if your devices work for you or you work for them? What guidance is there for an appropriate use of AI? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Trevor Sutton, pastor and professor specializing in the intersection of theology and technology. A. Trevor Sutton is senior pastor at St. Luke Lutheran
Cultural Update: Faith and Politics after Charlie Kirk; Human Eggs from Skin Cells; Pregnancy Robots
Scott is joined by colleague Rick Langer to discuss: Faith and Politics after the Kirk Shooting – A provocative article on whether Christians should see themselves as warriors or servants, contrasting combative approaches with Dallas Willard’s vision of gentleness in apologetics and civil discourseAbortion Statistics: Good News and Bad News – New data shows reduced abortions in some states with re
A Christian Response to Physician Assisted Suicide — Perspective from Canada (with Ewan Goligher)
What is the state of assisted suicide/euthanasia in Canada today?; How significant are the financial pressures on the Canadian health care system and is that a reason that PAS/E is encouraged?; What is involved in a Christian response to PAS/E? We’ll address these questions and a few more with our guest Dr. Ewan Goligher, critical care physician and professor of medicine and physiology at the Univ
Cultural Update: What About Those Rapture Promises?; Charlie Kirk and Faith in Politics
Scott & Sean's topics this week: Failed rapture predictions once again made headlines, fueled by social media hype, raising questions about biblical teaching, authority, and how Christians should respond with truth and compassionReflection on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the role of faith in politics, with insights from David Brooks’ concerns about blurring Christianity and parti
Can Christlikeness and Competitiveness Go Together? (with Erik Thoennes)
What does it mean to play sports for the glory of God? How do you keep someone from tying their identity to their success in sports? And why do parents sometimes have a greater interest in their child’s success in sports than the child himself/herself? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, our Talbot colleague in theology, Dr. Erik Thoennes. Erik Thoennes is committed to teaching t
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