Cultural Update: AI Virtual Companions; Sports Gambling; Fidelity Month; Housing Racism

This week, Sean and Scott discuss: Louisiana mandates public schools to display the Ten Commandments, sparking legal debates and opposition.A federal judge in Kentucky blocks Biden's Title IX rules, arguing gender identity and sex are distinct.The U.S. Surgeon General advocates for warning labels on social media to protect adolescents' mental health.Listener question: Navigating self-defense as a Christian in light of Jesus' teachings on non-retaliation.Listener question: Ethics of IVF and alternatives for pro-life couples concerned about genetic conditions.Listener question: Ethical considerations of using a pen name for publishing controversial religious content.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

Why do conversations today so often descend into unhealthy arguments and cancellation? Is it possible to have meaningful, positive conversations on difficult topics with people who see the world differently? And if so, how do we do it? Sean talks with Tim Muehlhoff, Biola communications professor, about these questions and more. They discuss their latest co-written book End the Stalemate and offer some biblical insights for effective conversations across worldview divides.Tim Muehlhoff (Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is a Professor of Communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California where he teaches classes in conflict resolution, apologetics, gender, and family communication.  He is co-director of Biola’s Winsome Conviction Project that seeks to reintroduce compassion and civility into our disagreements.  He’s the co-host of the Winsome Conviction Podcast where people with differing viewpoints are brought on for engaging dialogue.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

This week, Sean & Scott discuss: Canada's Online Harms Act: Potentially draconian free speech restrictions and the debate on its implications for political activism and public discourse.Compassionate Transfer in IVF: Addressing the moral dilemma of excess embryos through a controversial medical procedure aimed at unsuccessful pregnancies.Toxic Masculinity and Boys: Exploring the cultural impact of toxic masculinity on boys, including gender disappointment and the need for meaningful human connections.Listener Questions: Insightful discussions on the ethical considerations of contraception in Christian marriages and the age of the Earth debate among Christians.Upcoming Book: Sean McDowell and Tim Muehlhoff's new book, "End the Stalemate," focusing on building bridges and understanding in a polarized culture.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

What does it mean to be an evangelical? What do non-Christians think about the evangelical movement? Is it a movement worth saving? These are some of the questions Sean discusses with our guest Thomas Kidd, Research Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. They briefly discuss the history of the evangelical movement and its core beliefs. Whether you are part of an evangelical movement or not, this episode will help you understand one of the most significant religious movements in American history.Dr. Thomas S. Kidd serves as Research Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has written multiple books including Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh (Yale University Press, 2022), Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis (Yale University Press, 2019), Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father (Yale University Press, 2017). Kidd has written for media outlets including the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, and he also blogs at “Evangelical History” at The Gospel Coalition website.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/who-is-an-evangelical.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

This week, Scott & Sean discuss:AI and Virtual Companions: Discussion on potential radical changes in AI, with OpenAI and Apple possibly announcing a partnership to integrate advanced virtual companions into devices.Sports Gambling: Examination of the impact of legalized sports betting on the integrity of professional sports and the pressures it places on athletes.Fidelity Month: Introduced by Professor Robert George, the concept encourages a renewal of commitment to faith, family, and community values.Racial Discrimination in Real Estate: A story about a Black woman facing discrimination when attempting to purchase a condo, highlighting ongoing racial bias in housing.Questions from Listeners: Answers to listener questions about managing relationships with people practicing polyamory, navigating workplace diversity groups, and the appropriateness of praying to saints in Christian practice.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

What is cancel culture and why has it burst on the scene so dramatically the past few years? How can Christians best navigate our current cultural moment of canceling people with whom we disagree? In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss the recent book The Cancelling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott. You can also find this discussion on video through the Biola YouTube channel.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/clarity-on-cancel-culture.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

This week, Sean and Scott discuss:Marijuana has Surpassed Alcohol as the Most Frequently Used DrugHow Hamas Refers to Female Captives The Non-Religous May Have Stopped Growing in NumberListener Question: How Can I be a Fulfilled Christian if I Can't Have a FamilyListener Question: Should I publish Christian Media if it will affect my carreer?==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

Jack Hollis is the executive VP of Toyota North America. He loves to say: "I work for Jesus, but get paid by Toyota." How does he lead such a successful business and yet live out his faith? What leadership principles has he learned from Jesus? In this interview, Sean talks with Jack about his journey to becoming a Christian, his story of becoming one of the key leaders within Toyota, and how he integrates his faith into his work.Jack Hollis is executive vice president of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). He is also president of Toyota Motor Sales. In his role, Jack is responsible for product planning, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service for the Toyota and Lexus brands in North America.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/people-first-leadership. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

This week, Sean and Scott discuss:Christian Ethics of ImmigrationAI in Dating AppsNonconsensual Medical ExaminationsListener Question: What determines the morality of our societies relational boundaries, like gay marriage?Listener Question: What should be most meaningful when we reflect back on life?Listener Question: What is the purpose of sex?==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].

Although it may be surprising to some, having two parents in the home provides the greatest economic privilege kids can have. Thus, the decline in marriage has had disastrous cultural implications. In this episode, Sean and Scott discuss the recent book The Two Parent Privilege by Melissa Kearney. They discuss Kearney's 10-year study which shows the host of benefits that are passed on to children who grow up with two parents. While her argument is not biblically-based, it lines up with Scriptural values of the family.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/the-two-parent-privilege.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at [email protected].