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
518 episodes
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/...
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46:25
Cultural Update: Cancel Culture Resurfaces; Surveillance State in New York
This week's topics:Police surveillance in New York – Sean and Scott discuss the rise of citywide tracking, privacy rights, and biblic...
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58:52
"Dad Deprivation" and the Importance of Fathers (with Anthony Bradley)
What accounts for the dramatic growth of kids living without their biological father in the home? What are some of the social impacts of what is called “dad deprivation?” What is the effect of dads on the mental health of kids? We’ll discuss th...
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41:01
Cultural Update: Charlie Kirk Assassination; Sex Change Regrets; AI's effect on high schoolers
This week, Sean and Scott discuss:How should Christians respond to the assassination of Charlie Kirk?Will the CDC rec...
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1:07:56
Spiritual Warfare and the Powers of Darkness (with Clint Arnold)
Whether in the occult, astrology, or New Age, interest in the supernatural has increased in the past few years. What can we learn about the spiritual realm, and spiritual warfare, from the letters of Paul? Talbot professor Clint Arnold is one o...
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47:19
Cultural Update: Does Marriage Have a Future?; Women's Happiness Around the World
Scott is joined by guest co-host Erik Thoennes this week to discuss:Marriage: A New Atlantis essay argues tech and economics have “unbundle...
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59:39
How Much Can Christians Compromise on Sexuality?
Is it time for the church to set aside theological differences about the morality of same sex unions and gender identity and find common ground in the Gospel? Is same sex marriage a disputable issue that should not divide us believers? Accordin...
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1:18:37
Cultural Update: Is Climate Change a Big Deal?; Adulthood Milestones Delayed; School Shooting
This week, Scott & Sean discuss: A massive new government study challenges com...
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59:11
Is Business a Force for Good? (with Jim Otteson)
What’s a business for? Why is there skepticism about business among younger generations today? What do we say to the notion that business is based on greed, that it creates consumerism and contributes to growing economic inequality? We’ll answe...
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37:36
Cultural Update: Single Dads by Choice; Abortion Pills at Costco; Americans dying more often
This week, Sean and guest co-host Rick Langer discuss:A growing trend of men becoming single dads by choice sparks disc...
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59:21
A Biblical Guide to Navigating Youth Sports (with Ed Uszynski)
How can Christian parents and other Christian leaders best navigate youth sports? What are some of the toxic elements of youth sports that Christians can avoid, or strategically use as an opportunity for ministry and growth? Our guest today, Ed...
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35:26
Cultural Update: AI takeover of education; proposed law overturning same-sex marriage; increased demand for euthanasia
AI's takeover of education leaves rising seniors as the last students to remember high school before ChatGPT, raising questio...
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53:21
Economics and the Fertility Gap (with Clara Piano)
Why is fertility in decline around the world? What is the long term social impact of this decline? And why is marriage so central to fertility rates? We’ll discuss these questions and much more with our guest, University of Mississippi economis...
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28:09
Cultural Update: Teen use of AI chatbots; Canada pushes to expand euthanasia; cash aid lacks results; designer babies fall short
Teen use of AI chatbots is on the rise, prompting concern over emotional dependency, harmful content, and the loss of real human connection.Cash aid to low-income families lacks results, challenging assumptions about...
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59:12
The Pursuit of Safety — At What Cost? (with Jeremy Lundgren)
Does God promise to always keep us safe? What does the Bible have to say about our pursuit of safety for ourselves and our kids? How can the pursuit of safety become a form of idolatry in our lives? We’ll discuss these questions and more with o...
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30:32
[BONUS] An Ex-Abortion Doctor Shares Her Story (with Catherine Wheeler)
Why would an abortion doctor change her mind about the morality of abortion and become a Christian? On this bonus episode of the Think Biblically podcast, Dr. Catherine Wheeler shares her compelling and powerful story of redemption and transfor...
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1:12:09
Scrolling Ourselves to Death (with Brett McCracken)
Screens and social media have reshaped the world and our minds, bringing an appetite for distraction, loneliness, and increased rates of mental health challenges. It is time for Christians to rethink their relationship with screens and to consi...
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34:55
[BONUS] Does the Church Need "Queering"? (with Brandan Robertson)
Does the church need a "queer revolution"? Do we need a new reformation akin to the Protestant Reformation? In this discussion, Sean talks with author and progressive pastor Brandan Robertson about his new book Queer & Christian. They have ...
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1:30:59
Why Religion Went Obsolete (with Christian Smith)
Has traditional faith become obsolete in America? And if so, what are the main contributing factors? Until now, there has not been a thorough sociological analysis of the various factors contributing to the demise of religion in America since t...
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33:00
[BONUS] Deadpool Creator Talks Faith and Comics (with Rob Liefeld)
What happens when a comic book legend sits down to talk about faith? Sean got to interview Rob Liefeld, creator of Deadpool, Cable, and many iconic Marvel characters, to explore the intersection of faith, creativity, and culture. Rob and I disc...
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1:27:48
Living as Outsiders in Our Culture (with Patrick Miller)
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 mo...
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31:57
[BONUS] Debating Miracles (with Paul Rinzler)
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 ...
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1:20:13
Family Unfriendly (with Tim Carney)
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 ...
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31:40
Engaging Controversial Issues Without Getting Too Emotional (with Tim Pickavance)
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 thes...
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37:30