Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture - Talbot School of Theology at Biola University / Sean McDowell & Scott Rae

Latest Episodes:

The Fine Tuning Argument is Stronger Than Ever (With Jay Richards) Nov 10, 2026

Show notes

Is the universe fine-tuned for life? Or has the fine-tuning argument been defeated? In this conversation, Sean sits down with Dr. Jay Richards, a philosopher, co-author of The Privileged Planet, and one of the world's leading defenders of the fine-tuning argument to explore one of the most compelling cases for design today. Dr. Richards walks through how the fine-tuning argument has improved over 30 years and why even atheists like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins have admitted this is the argument that gives them pause.

Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is Vice President of Social and Domestic Policy and the William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute. Richards is author or editor of more than a dozen books, including the New York Times bestsellers Infiltrated and Indivisible; The Human Advantage; Money, Greed, and God, winner of a 2010 Templeton Enterprise Award; The Privileged Planet with Guillermo Gonzalez

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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.
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 thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Weekly Cultural Update: Identity Politics 2.0; The Supreme Court and Colorado Religious Schools; Family Time Replacing Time With Friends; Doctors and Carbon Footprints Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

Political Identity 2.0: Scott and Sean examine how identity politics is shifting from race and gender toward economic class. They encourage believers to reject zero-sum financial mindsets while engaging civically.

Colorado Pre-K & Religious Liberty: The hosts discuss a Supreme Court case challenging Colorado for withholding funding from religious pre-K programs that maintain biblical views on sexuality. They highlight why institutional religious freedom must be protected in the public square.

Family Time Over Friendships: Evaluating data that shows Americans prioritizing home life over outside social ties, the hosts weigh the trade-offs. They affirm strong family bonds while stressing the biblical necessity of intentional friendships.

Doctors Counseling on Climate Change: Reacting to a National Review piece on bioethicists urging physicians to counsel patients on climate change, the hosts critique expanding medical consultation into political activism. They argue that doctors should remain focused on individual patient health rather than lecturing on planetary care.

Audience Question: Serving on Ideologically Opposing Boards: The hosts advise Christians on navigating boards with conflicting worldviews by drawing on Daniel's diplomatic example in Scripture. They encourage working for positive change from within unless core convictions are compromised.

Audience Question: Duty to Vote with Flawed Candidates: Addressing moral hesitation in elections, Scott and Sean explain voting as a neighbor-loving duty to lessen evil. They remind voters that all political options in a fallen world are mixed bags.

Audience Question: Clarifying the Threat of Sharia Law: Addressing a follow-up question on whether the threat of Sharia Law in the U.S. is exaggerated, the hosts clarify their previous guest's core argument. They explain that while an imminent takeover of American institutions is unlikely under the Constitution, Sharia law fundamentally conflicts with constitutional freedoms.

Sharia Law and the US Constitution (With A.S. Ibrahim) Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

Should Christians be concerned about Sharia law being implemented in the US What is Sharia Law, and is it compatible with the U.S. Constitution? Sean and Scott are shared by Dr. A.S. Ibrahim to discuss his latest book Sharia Versus the U.S. Constitution. Dr. Ibrahim grew up in Egypt, and has two doctorates in Islam, and so he has a unique perspective to speak on this topic.

Weekly Cultural Update: Issues Neglected By Christian Voters; Study on Religious Engagement; AI Anticipates a Crime; Society Still Needs Male Heroes Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Key Issues Ignored by Christian Voters : Host Scott Rae and guest host Rick Langer examine an article highlighting critical societal issues—such as systemic poverty, housing affordability, and long-term care—that Christian voters frequently overlook in favor of high-profile political debates.

Measuring Faith with the Religious Behavior Index: The discussion dives into recent survey data analyzing shifting trends in religious practice, exploring how active engagement is measured and what declining scores signal for the future of the local church.

When AI Anticipates Crime: The hosts unpack the bioethical dilemma surrounding Anthropic's Claude AI flagging a murder plot in Pakistan before it occurred, weighing predictive safety interventions against severe risks to user privacy and free expression.

Thank God for Brave Men: Unpacking Louise Perry’s WSJ piece, the episode highlights the vital role of traditional male heroism and courage in maintaining civil safety and civic flourishing.

Audience Question: Use of AI for Children's Cognitive Development: Scott and Rick respond to a listener's question wondering if AI could have positive uses in helping in childhood cognitive development.

Audience Question: Engaging in Existential Apologetics: Following up on last week's conversation, an audience member wonders what are some good ways of engaging in an Existential Apologetics Dialogue.

Audience Question: Defeated Satan and Spiritual Warfare: An audience member questions how we still engage in Spiritual Warfare even when Satan is defeated. Scott and Rick expand on the idea explaining that Satan's fate is known but that does not mean that the battle is over.

The Most Misunderstood Chapter in Revelation (with Alan Hultberg) Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

Revelation 20 has been called the "most controversial chapter in the Bible." In a single chapter, you have the Lake of Fire, the Great White Throne judgment, and the Millennium. How Christians have read this chapter has shaped two thousand years of theology, missions, and engagement with culture. In this deep dive, Talbot New Testament Professor Dr. Alan Hultberg joins Sean to walk through the three main Christian views on the Millennium and to make the case for the position we both hold: Premillennialism.

Alan Hultberg combines academic research in the Apocalypse, the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament and New Testament theology with a strong desire to see students become biblically oriented disciples of Jesus Christ. He comes to Talbot with formal classroom experience at the elementary, college, and seminary levels and has served in pastoral and lay leadership roles in churches in California and Illinois. Hultberg has published several critical book reviews in New Testament studies and presented papers at the annual conference of the Evangelical Theological Society.

Weekly Cultural Update: French Riots, Michel Foucault's Centennial, Texas Higher Ed, and UK Porn Laws Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

French Riots & Cultural Disillusionment: Host Scott Rae and guest Dr. Thaddeus Williams analyze the recent wave of unrest, looting, and protests across France. They discuss how the riots stem from a history of secular worldview shifts and a "nihilistic resentment" that only the gospel can truly satisfy.

Michel Foucault’s 100th Birthday & Legacy: Marking philosopher Michel Foucault's centennial, the hosts examine his massive influence on postmodernism, critical theory, and the reduction of all objective truth to power plays. They contrast Foucault's deeply tragic, nihilistic worldview with the ultimate meaning, truth, and hope found in Christ.

Texas Higher Education Restrictions: The hosts review new Texas legislation requiring public universities to review course content regarding race, gender, and sexuality. While acknowledging real concerns about academic bias, they discuss the dangers of state overreach and emphasize the need for genuine viewpoint diversity in higher education.

UK Pornography Law Revisions: Addressing new UK laws banning extreme pornography featuring choking and incest, the hosts critique the legislation's underlying assumption that all other pornography is "harmless" adult content.

Audience Question: Update on the Live-Streamed Execution: Responding to listener follow-ups regarding the planned execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, the hosts welcome the decision to cancel the public live stream. They argue that while justice may require capital punishment, taking a human life should never be turned into a public spectacle.

Audience Question: Advice for a 10-Year-Old Believer: In response to a nearly 11-year-old listener asking how to grow in faith, the hosts share their salvation stories and favorite verses (John 17 and Zephaniah 3:17). They encourage young Christians to pray daily for the fruit of the Holy Spirit and humbly seek out answers when tough questions arise.

Audience Question: Theological Issues with Theistic Evolution: Beyond scientific objections, the hosts outline why theistic evolution creates profound theological problems for the Christian worldview.

Audience Question: Underappreciated Theological Subjects: Asked which theological fields deserve more focus, Thaddeus champions a renewed reverence for the Triune God, while Scott highlights the importance of moral theology. Both hosts emphasize that a robust, relational understanding of God directly informs how believers navigate ethical decisions and everyday life.

How Archaeology Supports the Bible (With Paul Weaver) Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

How should Christians think about the discipline of archaeology and how it intersects with our faith? What are the top archaeological discoveries that support the Bible? How do we best respond when a discovery seems to undermine the Christian faith? Our guest today, Dr. Paul Weaver, is the author of the new book Faith-Affirming Findings: 50 Archaeological Discoveries that Validate the Bible.

Prior to teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dr. Weaver taught for eighteen years at the Word of Life Global Bible Institute. Thirteen of those years were on the Hungary campus and five years on the New York campus. In addition to his professorial responsibilities, Dr. Weaver also served in administrative roles (Academic Dean and Executive Dean). Dr. Weaver is passionate about teaching the Bible and training leaders for the church worldwide. He is also the host of the Bible and Theology Matters audio podcast and faith Affirming Findings video podcast. He is married to Jill, and they have a son and daughter.

Weekly Cultural Update: Televised Execution of Fort Hood Shooter; Screens and Youth Mental Health; A New Wave of Feminism; AI Wins Literary Prize Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

Televised Execution of the Fort Hood Shooter: Scott and Sean analyze Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement that the U.S. military plans to execute Fort Hood shooter by firing squad and live-stream the event for public deterrence.
Screen Time and Youth Mental Health: Examining a New York Times opinion piece, the hosts evaluate whether compulsive device usage is the root cause of rising youth anxiety or merely an anesthesia masking underlying relational voids and mental health conditions.
The Next Wave of Feminism: Scott and Sean review a report in The Dispatch covering a new feminist movement and its "Declaration of Interdependence," which rejects radical autonomy and body-denying technologies in favor of mutual community obligations.
AI and Literary Integrity: Responding to The Atlantic's coverage of an AI-flagged short story winning the Caine Prize for African Writing, the hosts discuss the growing crisis of trust across literature and academia. They stress that passing off AI-generated work as original writing violates the Ninth Commandment, noting that technological safeguards can never replace personal character and virtue.
Legal Accountability for Men in Abortions: A listener asks if men who impregnate women should be held legally accountable for abortions, questioning whether an unfair legal and moral burden is placed solely on the woman. The hosts address the query by examining the legal asymmetries surrounding parental rights, financial child support, and instances of male coercion.
Elisha and the Bears (2 Kings 2:23–24): In response to a listener asking if Elisha overreacted to taunts about his baldness, the hosts clarify that the original Hebrew phrase refers to young men aged 12 to 30 rather than small children. They explain that mocking the newly appointed prophet with calls to "go up" derided Elijah's ascent to heaven, making the taunt a direct act of contempt against God Himself during a pivotal period in Israel's history.

Naturalism’s Cosmological Dilemma (With Stephen Meyer) Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

Do the latest discoveries in cosmology point beyond the limits of philosophical naturalism? In this episode, Sean welcomes Dr. Stephen Meyer to discuss a profound dilemma at the heart of modern cosmology. Responding to recent criticisms from renowned mathematical physicist Sir Roger Penrose, Meyer argues that many discussions about the origin of the universe miss a deeper issue. He calls it a "pick your poison" argument: either the universe arose from a set of highly improbable conditions that defy explanation, or we must consider explanations that challenge the assumptions of philosophical naturalism.

Dr. Stephen C. Meyer received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in the philosophy of science. A former geophysicist and college professor, he directs the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle.

Weekly Cultural Update: Botched Execution of Christa Pike; Cornell Rape Allegations & the Sexual Revolution; Secularization Among Evangelicals; Gen Z & Anti-Semitism Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

The Botched Execution of Christa Pike: The hosts evaluate the ethical and theological implications surrounding death row inmate Christa Pike, who survived a botched lethal injection attempt in Tennessee. They examine whether procedural flaws in capital punishment undermine its moral justification under a biblical worldview.

The Sexual Revolution and the Cornell Incident: In light of reopened investigations into an alleged fraternity gang rape at Cornell University, Scott and Sean analyze how a sexual ethic based solely on consent fails to protect young people. They explore recent commentaries arguing that such incidents are the tragic byproduct of post-1968 sexual liberation and widespread pornography consumption.

Secularization Among Evangelicals: The hosts break down new research suggesting that self-identified evangelicals are absorbing secular cultural values and practices at a higher rate than expected. This trend highlights how cultural trends can subtly erode traditional theological convictions over time.

Gen Z, Anti-Semitism, and Covenant Theology: The discussion turns to study findings revealing that the strongest predictor of anti-Semitic attitudes among Generation Z is the belief that God's covenant to the Jewish people has ended. Scott and Sean reflect on how theological views regarding Israel directly impact real-world cultural perspectives among young adults.

Human Nature: Body, Soul, and Spirit: Following up on a recent conversation with Dr. J.P. Moreland, the hosts address whether the human makeup is bipartite (body and soul/spirit) or tripartite (body, soul, and spirit). They clarify biblical terminology to help listeners better understand human nature and spiritual growth.

Culture and the Authority of the New Testament: Responding to a listener's concern that Christians will begin dismissing the New Testament just as many have dismissed the Old Testament, Sean and Scott explore the dangers of aligning faith with popular culture. They offer guidance on maintaining confidence in the full authority of Scripture despite societal pressure.