In his new book, One Faith No Longer , sociologist George Yancey looks at the polarization within Christianity that reflects the divides in the broader culture. He looks at what he calls "conservative" and "progressive" Christianity, and concludes that they are not two branches of the same tree, but two entirely different religious trees. Join Scott and Sean for this insightful discussion with this eminent sociologist. Dr. George Yancey is Professor of Sociology at Baylor University. He is a spe...
Sep 13, 2021•32 min•Ep. 192
With the advent of abortion inducing drugs such as RU-486 and others, abortion has become increasingly private and available to anyone without a prescription or supervision of a physician. Join Scott and Sean as they interview Dr. Donna Harrison, about this alarming new trend in the availability of abortion and the risks it poses to women. Dr. Donna Harrison is CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNs (the largest non-sectarian pro-life organization in the world) and a long time pract...
Sep 07, 2021•33 min•Ep. 191
How can young people survive the challenges of religion classes in secular colleges? Dr. Michael Kruger is the author of the recent book Surviving Religion 101 , which is a letter to his daughter about how to stand strong for her faith in secular college environments. With clarity and insight, Dr. Kruger addresses some of the toughest questions facing young people (and really all people today) about God, hell, evil, the Bible, and more. Sean and Scott interview Dr. Kruger about his latest book a...
Aug 27, 2021•31 min•Ep. 190
Climate change has been one of the most debated subjects around the world in recent years, with various opinions about its reality, origins and dangers. Join Scott and Sean as they interview theologian Brent Waters about his insightful take on climate change from a distinctly Christian view of the world, that comes out of his book, Just Capitalism. Dr. Brent Waters is Stead Professor of Christian Social Ethics and Director of the Stead Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett Evangelical Seminary...
Aug 19, 2021•30 min•Ep. 189
Bringing the truth of Scripture into discussions of marriage and sexuality can be messy, to say the least. Navigating these potentially messy conversations can be complicated and it helps to have a guide like our guest, Caleb Kaltenbach, from his new book, Messy Truth . Join Scott and Sean as they interview Caleb and draw on his consulting experience with other organizations that are wrestling with these issues. Caleb Kaltenbach (Talbot graduate), is best selling author of several books includin...
Aug 16, 2021•29 min•Ep. 188
Is religious liberty important for all people, including Jews, Muslims, and Hindus, or just Christians? How do we make a public case for the importance of religious liberty? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with Dr. Andrew Walker about his latest book Liberty for All: Defending Everyone's Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age . Andrew Walker is an associate professor of Christian ethics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously served as senior fellow for the Ethics and ...
Aug 05, 2021•31 min•Ep. 187
How do we truly make a difference in the world? How can we fight for justice in a broken world? Lila Rose is the author of the recent book Fighting for Life: Becoming A Force for Change In A Wounded World . In this interview, she shares the story of becoming a pro-life activist and offers some practical tips for how all of us can defend the unborn. Lila Rose founded and serves as the president for Live Action, a media and news nonprofit organization dedicated to ending abortion and inspiring a c...
Jul 29, 2021•32 min•Ep. 186
Since mass migration from Africa and the Middle East into Europe since 2015, there has been a marked increase in the sexual assault and harassment of women, especially in public in Europe. Women's rights activist and best selling author Ayaan Hirsi Ali addresses this in her new book entitled, Prey: Immigration, Islam and Erosion of Women's Rights . Join Scott and Sean for a provocative discussion of this controversial subject. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is founder of the AHA Foundation in New York City, de...
Jul 22, 2021•30 min•Ep. 185
What are the most common mistakes Christians make when approaching the Bible? Seasoned biblical scholar Michael Bird takes on seven of the biggest ones, including how the Bible was put together, how to interpret the Bible, and how we know it is true. This episode offers helpful background information, but also some practical steps for engaging and applying the Bible to life. Dr. Michael Bird is a lecturer in Theology at Ridley College (Melbourne). He is also a visiting professor at Houston Bapti...
Jul 18, 2021•32 min•Ep. 184
In partnership with the Barna Research Group, Impact 360 has commissioned a massive new study on Gen Z. It focuses on caring for young people, and is a second volume to the initial 2018 study. In this interview, I talk with Jonathan Morrow about some of the unique findings and their implications for ministry to young people today. This is a bonus episode that first appeared on Sean's YouTube channel , which is in partnership with the Talbot Apologetics program. Jonathan Morrow is the Director of...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 4 min
"Purity culture" has a complicated legacy. Some is positive and some needs biblical correction. Rachel Joy Welcher has written an excellent book critiquing purity culture, but also offering a hopeful, biblical way forward. Her story is powerful and instructive for the church. This interview was recorded on Sean's YouTube channel , which is in partnership with the Talbot Apologetics program. Rachel Joy Welcher is a columnist and editor at Fathom magazine. She is the author of two books on poetry ...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr
The conventional wisdom concerning same sex parenting is that it is not substantively different from oppoosite sex parenting-the notion that children simply need to be loved and it doesn't matter by whom. Dr. Walter Schumm, a specialist in family studies challenges the conventional wisdom with new empirical data. Join Scott as he as Dr. Schumm discuss this important topic that is highly counter-cultural in today's environment. Dr. Walter Schumm is Professor Emeritus in the School of Family Studi...
Jul 01, 2021•33 min•Ep. 183
Is there actually good archaeological evidence supporting the Bible? Sean interviews archaeologist Joel Kramer about his recent book Where God Came Down. They discuss some of the evidence for the Patriarchs as well as positive evidence that supports the Gospels. This interview was recorded on Sean's YouTube channel , which is in partnership with the Talbot Apologetics program. Joel Kramer serves as an adjunct professor of biblical archaeology at Shepherds Theological Seminary. He is the creator ...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr 8 min
We hear an increasing number of stories — tragic ones — of recognizable Christian leaders abandoning their faith. What contributes to these accounts of de-conversion? Join Scott and Sean as they interview Dr. John Marriott-a specialist in the subject of de-conversion. He will talk about the factors involved in deconversion and what churches and Christian universities can do to prevent these tragic stories from happening. Dr. John Marriott serves on the research staff at the Center for Christian ...
Jun 28, 2021•37 min•Ep. 182
Does life really have any meaning? Are all human beings actually equal? These are some of the big questions of life, which we wrestle with in this episode. At its core, these are deep worldview questions that have powerful and practical implications for how we live our lives. Embracing a biblical perspective on these questions, as opposed to a secular worldview, helps us love our enemies and find joy in hardship. Why You Matter: How Your Quest for Meaning is Meaningless without God Mike Sherrard...
Jun 22, 2021•34 min•Ep. 181
Is the scientific data pointing towards a universe of design or towards a universe that needs no supernatural explanation? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with leading intelligent design proponent Stephen Meyer about his latest book The Return of the God Hypothesis . Dr. Meyer argues that cosmology, physics, and biology all point to the existence of a transcendent mind and that God is making a comeback in both academia and the wider culture. Stephen C. Meyer received his Ph.D. in the phil...
Jun 17, 2021•42 min•Ep. 180
From certain reproductive technologies to divorce and to same-sex marriages, our culture focuses far more on the desires of adults than the rights of children. In her book Them Before Us , Katy Faust argues that we need a movement that restores the rights of children to be raised by their mom and dad in a stable home. In this interview, she discusses how the rights of children is an issue that Democrats and Republicans can both agree on. Katy Faust is the founder and director of Them Before Us, ...
Jun 10, 2021•39 min•Ep. 179
Prayer is often a hard subject to talk about, and one reason for that is the guilt that it induces as people inevitably face up to the challenges and failures in their life of prayer. Talbot spiritual formation professors Kyle Strobel and John Coe, take a new look at prayer , offering helpful realism and insightful practices to make prayer more real and vibrant. Join Scott and Sean as they interview Dr. Strobel about this new book. Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blog...
Jun 02, 2021•38 min•Ep. 178
Since the summer of 2020, Critical Race Theory, and Critical Theory in general, have come out from the academic world and moved into popular culture. Helen Pluckrose, a self-described "exile from the humanities" and James Lindsay, have co-authored a detailed assessment of these Critical Theories . Join Scott and Sean as they interview Helen and she makes a complex subject accessible for those unfamiliar with the topic. Helen Pluckrose is Editor in Chief of Areo Magazine , devoted to free speech,...
May 21, 2021•36 min•Ep. 177
The people of God are called to engage with the issues of the culture, which can involve at times, some difficult and challenging conversations. How to insure that the church's cultural engagement remains a positive contribution instead of furthering division is the subject of well-known scholar Darrell Bock's new book, Cultural Intelligence . Join Sean and Scott for this helpful guidance on engaging culture productively. Dr. Darrell Bock is Executive Director of Cultural Engagement at the Hendr...
May 13, 2021•38 min•Ep. 176
What is "progressive Christianity" and why is it so important to understand today? In this interview, we talk with Alisa Childers about her latest book Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity . As Childers explains, progressive Christianity is a popular movement that holds a different view of the gospel, biblical authority, and a range of important Christian doctrines that thoughtful Christians must recognize with discernment. Alisa Childers is a ...
Apr 30, 2021•33 min•Ep. 176
The intersection of the transgender movement and sport is at the forefront of sport policy discussions. Dr. Higerd recently finished his doctoral dissertation examining the effects that transgender sports policies would have on girl's track and field. In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss with Dr. Higerd why biology matters for sports competition and how deeply transgender athletes would dominate girl's sports. Dr. Gabriel Higerd is a transgender sport policy researcher who completed a doctora...
Apr 23, 2021•30 min•Ep. 175
Is there a difference between sex and gender? What does it mean to be transgender? And what about intersex? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with Dr. Preston Sprinkle about these important questions and more. They discuss his latest book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say . The interview focuses on understanding the transgender phenomenon scientifically and biblically so Christians can love transgender people well. Dr. Preston Sprinkle is a professo...
Apr 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 175
Many consider the Equality Act the most serious threat to religious liberty in our lifetime. What is it? And how should Christians respond? Sean interviews author Caleb Kaltenbach, who has researched the issue extensively, to understand it better and to discuss how Christians can best respond. Caleb consults with Christian organizations in regard to religious liberty, so he has some practical suggestions too. This BONUS episode was first recorded on Sean's YouTube channel , which is in partnersh...
Apr 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min
What does it mean to truly live the abundant life that Jesus described? And why are so many Christians not experiencing it? Ken Baugh is a longtime pastor and writer who offers a roadmap for spiritual growth in this interview and in his latest book: Unhindered Abundance . The book is rooted in Scripture, but also brings in recent scientific findings about the body, the brain, and relationships. Ken Baugh is the founder & CEO of IDT Ministries. He served as a local church pastor for 25 years ...
Apr 09, 2021•26 min•Ep. 174
Is it wrong for pro-lifers to get the vaccine when it was developed through cell lines that come from aborted fetuses? Are Christians obligated to get the vaccine out of love for their neighbor? Scott and Sean discuss these questions, and many more, related to the ethics behind the COVID-19 vaccine. Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2021/taking-the-vaccine ========== Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot Sch...
Apr 07, 2021•47 min•Ep. 173
Join Scott and Sean as they interview well known theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem about his new book on ethical issues at the beginning of life . It moves fast since we cover a lot of ground, but Dr. Grudem does it with clarity and compassion both. Dr. Wayne Grudem is Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary. He is the author of numerous books and articles in theology and one of the most respected theologians on the scene today. Read a transcript of this episode at: htt...
Mar 26, 2021•31 min•Ep. 172
With the election of 2020 and the events surrounding the Capitol on January 6, 2021, the phenomena of Christian nationalism became front page news. While different than loving one’s country, Christian nationalism, described by one observer as "wrapping the cross in the flag" is challenging to define and holds some theological assumptions that merit close scrutiny. Join Scott and Sean as they discuss this unique fusion of Christian faith and country and they answer the questions around the Americ...
Mar 21, 2021•38 min•Ep. 171
What would a modern investigation into demons, exorcisms, and ghosts reveal? What is the evidence they exist? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with journalist Billy Hallowell about his latest book Playing with Fire. They discuss some recent research and public stories that provide compelling evidence for the existence of the supernatural. And then they offer some insights and practical advice for believing Christians today. Billy Hallowell has worked in journalism and media for more than t...
Mar 11, 2021•33 min•Ep. 170
Critical Race Theory (CRT) has recently moved from academic circles to popular culture and has been the subject of both praise and critique. In this episode, journalist and former religious freedom lawyer David French discusses the merits and shortcomings of CRT. Join Scott for this informative conversation that took place during his 2020 visit to Biola's campus. David French is a Senior Editor at The Dispatch, which launched in 2019. French is also a columnist for Time magazine, and previously ...
Mar 05, 2021•39 min•Ep. 169
