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
506 episodes
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
Cultural Update: Why Don't We Feel We're Thriving?; The End of Rainbow Capitalism; Democratic Socialism
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
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57:21
Understanding Critical Theory (with Carl Trueman)
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
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24:53
Cultural Update: Regretting Smartphones; Can Moms Have It All?; Assisted Suicide and the Slippery Slope
This week, Scott is joined by Erik Thoennes, Professor of Theology at Talbot School of Theology. Smartphone Regret Among Parents: A
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1:01:05
Medicine’s Wrong Turn? (with Brent Waters)
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? ...
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29:19
Cultural Update: Selecting embryos; AI romantic chatbots; Is sunlight and fresh air a human right?
This week, Scott and guest host Carmen Imes discuss: Can AI romantic chatbots become dangerously addictive? Exploring the emotional and e...
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56:35
Work and the Meaning of Life (with David Bahnsen)
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 Bah...
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35:39
Cultural Update: Is Therapy Causing Childlessness?; Gene Editing Moratorium; Charismatic Christianity's Growth
This week: Therapy Culture & Childlessness – Sean and Scott discuss a New York Times article suggesting that th...
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1:03:50
AI: Prospects and Perils (with Yohan Lee)
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,
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40:46
Answering Your Questions!
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 disci...
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46:57
The State of the Persecuted Church Today (with Brian Orme)
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 ...
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30:17
Cultural Update: Non-Consensual Intimate Imagery; Colorado Gender Laws; A Braindead Pregnant Woman Kept on Life Support; Personalized Gene-Editing
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 wom...
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59:50
Thinking Biblically about Exercise (with David Mathis)
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 ...
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35:25