Legacy and Power: A Reflection on Pope Francis and Big Tech

Join Conner Jones and guest host Josh Miller on this week's episode of Culture Brief. With Micah on vacation, Josh joins Conner as they discuss the significant passing of Pope Francis and his progressive papacy, the intriguing process of electing a new pope, and the impact of antitrust cases against tech giants like Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon with a focus on the significance of humility. Josh also delivers a fiery hot take on a common American coffee habit and the guys offer quick insights into this weekend’s NFL draft!

Topics

• (00:31):  Special guest: Josh Miller
• (02:22): Remembering Pope Francis
• (04:18): The Conclave process
• (09:40): Pope Francis' legacy
• (19:16): Big Tech antitrust trials
• (27:23): Google's market dominance
• (28:50): Chrome and Safari: browser wars
• (30:42): The power of Big Tech
• (34:09): AI and the future of search
• (39:33): Coffee hot take
• (43:11): Updates on trade wars and the economy
• (46:06): NFL draft and sports highlights
• (49:10): Conclusion

Resources

• Mailbag: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
• Subscribe to The Daily Article by Dr. Jim Denison
• Culture Brief on Instagram
• Pope Francis dies at the age of eighty-eight
• The life and legacy of Pope Francis
• Pope Francis calls for same-sex civil unions: Why this is so important and how to respond biblically
• Why I hope you won’t see “Conclave”
• Pope Francis allows priests to bless same-sex couples
• Why should the death of Pope Francis matter to Protestants?
• Pope Francis, groundbreaking leader of Catholic Church, dies at age 88 - CBS News
• What Happens After the Pope Dies? A Visual Timeline of Rituals and Traditions - The New York Times
• Conclaves through time - the long and short | Euronews
• The Justice Department and Google battle over how to fix a search engine monopoly : NPR
• U.S. Asks Judge to Break Up Google - The New York Times
• Google could use AI to extend search monopoly, DOJ says as trial begins | Reuters
• Justice Department Sues Monopolist Google For Violating Antitrust Laws
• The Best Quotes from Pope Francis During His Pontificate - Exaudi
• E.U. Takes Aim at Big Tech’s Power With Landmark Digital Act - The New York Times
• Academy Sets New Oscars Rules for 2025: You Need to Watch All Nominated Films to Vote in a Category

About Josh Miller

Josh Miller is the Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer at Denison Ministries. He is also a disciple of Jesus, husband, and father. A Christian leader, author, and songwriter, Josh brings over 20 years of ministry experience—from global worship tours to pastoral leadership. He lives in Plano, Texas, with his wife and two sons, fueled by faith, craft coffee, and a love for tacos.

About Conner Jones

Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.