Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

What does it mean that the Christian is an outsider in one’s community? How do we engage our divisive culture well and faithfully at the same time? What might your particular style for cultural engagement be? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, pastor Patrick Miller, around his new book, Joyful Outsiders: Six Ways to Live Like Jesus in a Disorienting Culture. 

Patrick Miller is a teaching Pastor and Director of Dig...

In this bonus episode, Sean discusses the possibility of miracles with atheist professor Paul Rinzler. This conversation was part of the Veritas Forum at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the spring of 2025. McDowell and Rinzler discuss the evidence for miracles and whether or not it is reasonable to believe in the supernatural today. If you want to watch this exchange live, please check out Sean's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/w...

Parents are spending more time with their kids than in the past, and yet kids are less happy and less healthy. Given that the population of children is shrinking at an alarming rate, we need to figure out what is going on. Could it be that our culture is making raising kids harder than it needs to be? That is the suggestion of our guest today, Tim Carney, parent of six kids, and the author of Family Unfriendly. 

Timothy Carney is a ...

How do we engage our friends, family and others around controversial issues, particularly those in science? Why do these controversial issues trigger emotional responses and how do we manage our emotions in these discussions? We’ll discuss these questions and more with our guest, Talbot colleague in philosophy, Dr. Tim Pickavance around some new research he and other Biola profs have been doing. 

Dr. Tim Pickavance is broadly intere...

This week, Scott is joined by Talbot professor Thaddeus Williams to discuss: 

Why Don’t We Feel We're Thriving? — Despite living in the most prosperous era of human history, many Americans feel anxious and discontent. 

The End of Rainbow Capitalism? — Major corporations are backing away from Pride Month sponsorships. The discussion unpacks “rainbow capitalism,” shifting public opinion, and the limits of associating brands with s...

What is critical theory and why is it so vital for Christians to understand today? What are its historical roots and where do we see it manifest today? Carl Trueman is one of the leading Christian social critics today and he has a new book To Change All Worlds. Sean and Scott talk with him about the motivation behind the book, why it is so timely for Christians today, and offers ideas for navigating our cultural moment in light of ...

This week, Scott is joined by Erik Thoennes, Professor of Theology at Talbot School of Theology. 

• Smartphone Regret Among Parents: A new survey reveals most parents regret giving their kids smartphones and social media too early—many now see platforms like TikTok and Snapchat as more harmful than alcohol or even guns. 
• Assisted Suicide and the Slippery Slope: A New York Times op-ed warns that limiting euthanasia to the terminally...

Despite medicine’s remarkable advances, has it actually taken a wrong turn and lost something pretty important? What is the dominant worldview of medicine and health care today and how has that affected both patients and health care providers? What are the virtues that should govern health care to get it back on track? We’ll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Brent Waters, emeritus professor and founding director o...

This week, Scott and guest host Carmen Imes discuss: 

• Can AI romantic chatbots become dangerously addictive? Exploring the emotional and ethical consequences of these pseudo-relationships.
• What do couples do with leftover embryos after IVF? A Psychology Today article opens a discussion on grief, responsibility, and the image of God.
• New genetic screening allows parents to select embryos based on up to 900 traits—raising urgent que...

How is work connected to one’s purpose and meaning in life? What can churches do to foster a biblical view of work? How do certain lower paying jobs contribute to a person’s sense of purpose? We’ll answer these and more with our guest David Bahnsen around his new book Full Time: Work and the Meaning of Life. 

David Bahnsen is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group, a wealth management firm based in Ne...

This week: 

• Therapy Culture & Childlessness – Sean and Scott discuss a New York Times article suggesting that the rise in childlessness among Millennials and Gen Z may be linked to therapeutic culture and a fear of repeating parental mistakes.
• Charismatic Christianity's Growth – A look at why charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity is the fastest-growing Christian movement globally, and what this spiritual hunger reveal...

How should we think biblically about AI? What are some of the exciting prospects for AI in the future? What should make us nervous about some of the uses of AI that are growing rapidly? We'll discuss these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Yohan Lee, Associate Dean of Technology here at Biola. 

Dr. Yohan Lee holds the Promod and Dorcas Haque Endowed Chair of Technology and is Associate Dean of Technology and Professor of C...

We got so many great questions from our listeners and we only have time for 2-3 in the Weekly Cultural Update. We have quite a backlog so we're devoting this episode entirely to your insightful questions. We'll cover things like How do we disciple our children? Was there animal violence before the Fall? What if education reform leaves behind kids that deserve better? What about Israel’s right to the land? We hope you enjo...

What parts of the world are the most challenging for believers today? How has the relative comfort of American Christianity impacted spiritual growth, compared to communities experiencing persecution? What habits could American Christian adopt to more regularly remember and support our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world? We'll answer these questions and more with our guest, Brian Orme, CEO of Global Christian Rel...

• New federal law targets the removal of deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery online.
• Colorado law sparks controversy over parental rights and biblical views on sex and gender.
• Georgia hospital keeps a brain-dead woman on life support due to state laws.
• The world's first gene-editing treatment used to heal a one-week-old baby.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast fro...

Why 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 a...

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...

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...

This Week's Topics:

• A New Pope has been chosen by the Catholic Church
• The Supreme Court hears a case about government funding for a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma
• a new successful argument against transgenderism that Christians need to be aware of
• A wild conversation about race on the Piers Morgan Show offers important lessons for Christians today

This Week's Questions:

• How to hold Empathy and Biblical Teachin...