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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

By: Talbot School of Theology at Biola University / Sean McDowell & Scott Rae
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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.© 2026 Biola University Christianity Spirituality
Episodes
  • Weekly Cultural Update: Paper Drugs in Prisons; Public Muslim Prayer; The Catholic Church and Social Justice; Meta and Youtube Lawsuit
    Mar 27 2026

    The New Frontier of the Drug War: Hosts Sean McDowell and Scott Ray discuss a terrifying "quantum leap" in the drug trade where synthetic, lab-made drugs are being sprayed onto innocuous items like books and letters to be smuggled into prisons.

    Public Prayer and Religious Liberty: The hosts examine the implications of thousands of Muslims praying publicly in New York City, balancing the Judeo-Christian roots of religious freedom with the need to maintain the right to disagree with different worldviews.

    A Shift in Catholic Priorities?: Sean and Scott examine an Atlantic article suggesting the U.S. Catholic Church is pivoting from abortion to immigration as its most urgent issue, reflecting a broader trend in leadership messaging toward social justice and migrant care.

    Meta and Youtube Negligence Lawsuit: he hosts break down a recent case where Meta and YouTube were found negligent for using addictive design features that caused mental health distress to young users.

    Listener Question: Just War Theory and Iran: Following up on last week's discussion, the hosts discuss whether a war with Iran could be considered "Just War," noting that while Iran is an imminent threat to Israel, it is not currently one to the U.S. unless it acquires nuclear weapons.

    Listener Question: Biblical Perspectives on Cremation: In response to a listener's question, Scott and Sean discuss the theological precedents for burial over cremation, answering whether or not that's a barrier to funeral attendance.

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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.

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    1 hr
  • Reading Scripture as a Gift and not a Burden (with Uche Anizor)
    Mar 24 2026

    What are the different gifts we get from being immersed in God’s Word? How do we develop a hunger for Scripture? And why do we so often see reading Scripture as a burden rather than a blessing. We’ll tackle these questions and more with our guest, our Talbot colleague in theology, Dr. Uche Anizor around his new book, The Goodness of God in the Gift of Scripture.

    Dr. Uche Anizor is Professor and Chair of the Undergraduate Theology at Talbot. He is the author of eight books, including the award winning book, Overcoming Apathy: Gospel Hope for Those Who Struggle to Care, and How to Read Theology.

    ==========

    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.

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    44 mins
  • Cultural Update: Is Iran War Ethical?; Rigging March Madness; Sexual Recession
    Mar 20 2026

    This week, Scott and Sean discuss:

    Just War, Modern Targets: Sean and Scott weigh whether Israel’s targeted killings of Iranian leaders can fit within just war reasoning while warning against pulling Old Testament examples out of context.

    March Madness, Trust Erodes: A college basketball betting scandal raises the bigger fear that even suspected game-rigging can make fans wonder whether what they’re watching is real.

    The Sexual Recession: Two new books spark a conversation about why fewer people are having sex, with the deeper issue framed as loneliness, screen-shaped isolation, and collapsing relational confidence.

    UK Abortion Alarm: The final segment takes up a proposed UK bill that they say would remove penalties for self-induced abortion at any stage of pregnancy, prompting a blunt moral critique.


    ==========

    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.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
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