What is the heart of the sexual revolution and who are the key thinkers behind it? Given the tensions about sexuality and identity, how can Christians best respond in our cultural moment? In this episode, Sean and Scott interview Carl Trueman about his timely and important book Strange New World . Carl discusses key historical figures who have helped lead to the sexual revolution and how these ideas are practically manifest today. Carl Trueman is a professor of biblical and religious studies at ...
Oct 11, 2022•27 min•Ep. 245
If Jesus were physically present today, would he use social media? And if so, to what end? What can we learn from the life and teachings of Jesus about how to "comment" well on social media? In this video, Sean and Scott discuss ways Christians can approach and use social media in a way that honors the Lord and loves others. At the end, they offer five lessons from Jesus about how to comment on social media. This episode is also available as a video at: https://youtu.be/ujoRBKtGpmk Read a transc...
Sep 29, 2022•45 min•Ep. 244
We freely admit that truth and goodness are important, but not so much for the concept of beauty. Frankly, art bores lots of us. How do we make art more relevant and interesting to the non-artist? Many of the great artists have such interesting back stories. Russ Ramsey is a pastor not an artist, who’s uncovered the back story to many of our well known, and some lesser known artists. Join Scott and Sean as they discuss his new book, Rembrandt is in the Wind . Russ is a pastor and author living i...
Sep 22, 2022•31 min•Ep. 243
We often get excited when a celebrity comes to faith in Christ—they can use their platform for the gospel. But what happens when pastors and Christian leaders become celebrities in their churches and communities? Isn’t there also a dark side to Christian celebrity? Is that an oxymoron, or should it be? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest Katelyn Beaty in her new book Celebrities for Jesus . Katelyn Beaty is a journalist, editor, and keen observer of trends in the American church...
Sep 15, 2022•32 min•Ep. 242
How did we come to believe virtually universally in concepts such as freedom, equality and compassion? How did those concepts come to be part of the “air we breathe” today? Join Scott and Sean in this fascinating interview with pastor and evangelist Glen Scrivener about his new book The Air We Breathe . Glen Scrivener is an ordained Church of England minister and evangelist who preaches Christ through writing, speaking, and online media. He directs the evangelistic ministry Speak Life. Originall...
Sep 08, 2022•31 min•Ep. 241
Jack Phillips was taken before Colorado Civil Rights Commission for refusing to design a custom cake for a same-sex wedding. The case went to the Supreme Court and his side won. In this interview, Sean asks Jack to share his reasons for not designing the cake, but also his journey to faith and why he started the bakery in the first place. Jack shares how his faith informs everything he does. This interview was first recorded on Sean's YouTube channel, which is in partnership with the Talbot Apol...
Sep 06, 2022•58 min
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 profess...
Sep 01, 2022•48 min•Ep. 240
What does the Bible have to say to a culture obsessed with body image, hookup sex, abortion and alternative sexualities? Jen Oshman identifies the empty promises the culture has made to us, especially women, and gives us a way forward that is faithful to the gospel. Join Scott and Sean for this interview, in which Jen also suggests that even marriage and motherhood can become idols making empty promises. Jen Oshman is a former missionary to Japan and the Czech Republic and now is a staff writer ...
Aug 25, 2022•31 min•Ep. 239
Why would a Navy Seal come to faith? How would he reconcile questions about the use of violence with his Christian beliefs? These are just a few of the questions Sean explores with Chad Williams, former Navy Seal. This bonus episode was first recorded on Sean's YouTube channel , but falls right in line with typical content we have on the Think Biblically podcast. Chad Williams is a frequent guest on Fox News Channel, CNN News Room, Anderson Cooper 360 and more. He draws from his experience in mi...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Is evangelical faith in decline today? Is abortion the main political issue for Christians? Do pastors talk about politics too much from their pulpits? Political scientist Ryan Burge upends much of the conventional wisdom about the mixture of religion and politics. Join Sean and Scott as they discuss Dr. Burge's surprising findings about the intersection of Christian faith and politics. Ryan Burge is Assistant Professor of Political Science as well as the Graduate Coordinator at Eastern Illinois...
Aug 18, 2022•32 min•Ep. 238
Did God sanction genocide in the Old Testament? The biblical passages concerning the Israelites and Canaanites are some of the most challenging texts in all of Scripture and have been a major stumbling block for people interested in Christian faith and a difficult one for followers of Jesus to answer. Join Scott and Sean as they talk with Talbot colleague and OT professor, Dr. Charlie Trimm, as he lays out the various options for how to think about these perplexing texts in his most recent book,...
Aug 11, 2022•32 min•Ep. 237
Do miracles still happen today? How would we recognize a miracle as genuine? In this bonus episode, which Sean recorded on his YouTube channel, J.P Moreland discusses his latest book . Then they take live questions at the end from both believers and skeptics. JP Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is the author of multiple books including The Soul: How We Know Its Real and Why It Matters. Read a transcript of this episode at: https...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min
** This episode is also available as a video on Biola's YouTube channel ** How important is unity for Christians today? What issues and circumstances should we divide over? In this discussion, Scott and Sean offer some biblical insights about unity in the church today. They discuss what issues we should "die on" and what issues we should seek unity over. Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/hills-to-die-on-discussing-unity ========== Think Bibli...
Aug 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 236
What does it mean to think like Jesus? How can Christians better learn to use logic to discover truth and avoid "fake news"? In this interview, Sean talks with Dr. Travis Dickinson about his latest book . They discuss why critical thinking is so important today, what it means to love God with our minds, and some practical steps for recognizing faulty thinking. Travis Dickinson, Ph.D. is a professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University. He graduated from Biola with an M.A. in Apologetics. H...
Jul 28, 2022•31 min•Ep. 235
What is cancel culture and why is it so prevalent today? How should Christians respond to the phenomenon of canceling people? In this bonus episode, Sean interviews Joe Dallas about his latest book Christians In A Cancel Culture . This episode was recorded on Sean's YouTube channel, which is in partnership with the Biola Apologetics program. Joe Dallas is an author, speaker, and pastoral counselor who conducts seminars nationwide. He is the founder of Genesis Biblical Solutions in Tustin, Califo...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr
How strong is the archaeological and historical evidence for Jesus and the Gospels? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with Dr. Titus Kennedy, a field archaeologist and adjunct professor at Biola, about his latest book: Excavating the Evidence for Jesus . They discuss some of the key discoveries that offer illumination and historical support for key events in the life, ministry, and burial of Jesus. Dr. Titus Kennedy is a field archaeologist working primarily with sites and materials related...
Jul 21, 2022•30 min•Ep. 234
What is critical theory and why is it so influential today? How might Christians respond to current controversies surrounding gender and race? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with philosopher Doug Groothuis about his latest book Fire in the Streets . Dr. Groothuis defines critical race theory, explains some of its history, and discusses how Christians can best respond. Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., is Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary, where he has served since 1993. He is the author...
Jul 14, 2022•34 min•Ep. 233
After many years of study and experience of how people come to faith in Christ, professor Tim Yoder proposed what he calls “action apologetics,” a powerful way of bearing witness to the gospel by acts of love, charity, justice and sacrifice, to supplement traditional intellectual apologetics. Join Scott for this discussion of the various means of defending the truth and goodness of Christian faith. Timothy Yoder is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has...
Jul 11, 2022•24 min
So much of our spiritual formation comes when we’re not thinking about it—in the course of our everyday lives. Understanding the role of “ordinary life” in shaping us spiritually is so important. We realize that “ordinary life” may sound boring, but this session with our friend and theologian Dr. Brent Waters is anything but that! Join Scott and Sean as they explore an area you might not have thought that much about. Brent's latest book is Common Callings and Ordinary Virtues: Christian Ethics f...
Jul 07, 2022•33 min•Ep. 232
What are the best steps to find a meaningful life? What can we learn from the most influential thinkers in history about how to find truth and meaning? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with Os Guinness about his latest book: The Great Quest . Os shares his personal journey to faith and they discuss practical ways for living an examined life. Os Guinness is an author and social critic. He has written more than 30 books. Since moving to the United States in 1984, Os has been a Guest Scholar ...
Jun 30, 2022•32 min•Ep. 231
In this bonus episode, Sean talks with progressive Christian pastor Colby Martin about Scripture and same-sex unions. They discuss what the Bible says and how Christians can best love their LGBTQ neighbors. This episode was first recorded on Sean's YouTube channel and is longer than typical interviews here. But if you enjoy our regular interviews, you will love this one too. Colby Martin is the author of two books (“ UnClobber: Rethinking our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality ” and " The Shif...
Jun 26, 2022•1 hr 33 min
What do we say to some of the hard questions skeptics raise about the Bible? Some of the Bible is hard to understand and gives us pretty tough questions to answer. Dan Kimball, author of How Not to Read the Bible , goes through some of these hard questions and gives answers that make sense. Join Scott and Sean for this insightful interview about his new book. Dan Kimball is Pastor for Mission and Theology at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California and professor at George Fox University. H...
Jun 23, 2022•35 min•Ep. 230
What exactly is the connection between Darwinian evolutionary theory and what is often called “social Darwinism” that emerged out of it—that includes eugenics and race based selection and preferences. Historian Richard Weikart has been with us before on the ideological roots of Naziism, and he extends his past work to connect the philosophy underlying Darwinian evolutionary theory and the race based implications coming out of it, both in Nazi Germany and the current white nationalist movement. J...
Jun 16, 2022•29 min•Ep. 229
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus today? What unique challenges do Christians face in our present culture and how can we grow in our faith in our present moment? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with pastor Jim Putman about his latest book The Revolutionary Disciple . They discuss unique challenges that Christians face today in the church and family and what barriers often prevent us from following Jesus today. Speaking from his own success and failures, Pastor Putman offers a bo...
Jun 10, 2022•29 min•Ep. 228
Is the gospel really inclusive for all people? What does the Bible really say about LGBTQ relationships? In this discussion, which can also be watched on Biola's YouTube channel , Sean and Scott discuss a recent book that makes an affirming case for same-sex unions. The book is The Gospel of Inclusion by Brandan J. Robertson . They discuss the most common arguments for LGBTQ inclusion by considering the biblical passages in context and ancient culture. Read a transcript of this episode at: https...
Jun 02, 2022•52 min•Ep. 227
Many people consider the "American Dream" to be the goal of someone trying to get out of poverty. Both in the US and around the world, we have found that simply having more material goods doesn't necessarily lead to increased happiness. Join Scott and Sean for part II of Scott's earlier discussion with economist Dr. Brian Fikkert, as he critiques some of the most prominent poverty alleviation efforts and insists that flourishing involves more than accumulating material goods. His latest book is ...
May 31, 2022•33 min•Ep. 226
Economics touches virtually every aspect of our lives on this side of eternity. Not surprisingly, the Bible has a great deal to say about economic life. How we think about economic life from a Christian worldview is a critical part of our engagement with our culture and helps us understand what it means to love our neighbors. Join Scott for this insightful discussion with economist Brian Fikkert about the intersection of economics and the image of God. Dr. Brian Fikkert is Professor of Economics...
May 19, 2022•37 min•Ep. 225
Roe vs. Wade (1973) was one of the most consequential Supreme Court rulings in America history, allowing abortion in all 50 states. It appears that the Supreme Court is overturning this case. A rough draft of the ruling was recently leaked to the public. In this discussion, which was recorded live on Sean's YouTube channel, Scott and Sean discuss the implications of the ruling and analyze the reasoning behind it. Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/...
May 17, 2022•52 min•Ep. 224
This podcast episode is also available as a video on Biola's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvSlsNMJkB4 Biblically speaking, is our biological sex an essential part of our identity? Are there unique differences and roles for men and women? In this live interview, Sean and Scott talk with Biola professor Erik Thoennes and Scripture and gender. They also discuss some practical ways to love people with gender dysphoria. Dr. Erik Thoennes is committed to teaching biblical and syste...
May 13, 2022•52 min•Ep. 223
Have you ever wondered how this podcast got started? How do Scott and Sean pick guests and topics? What's the future of this podcast? In this unique episode, Scott and Sean offer a "behind the scenes" look at their favorite episodes, some memorable stories of impact, and a few lessons they have learned since starting the podcast in 2017. Enjoy! Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/story-behind-think-biblically-podcast ========== Think Biblically...
May 10, 2022•36 min•Ep. 222
