Here's another fantastic conversation with Justin Barrett, cognitive scientist extraordinaire, who spends his time at the intersection of science and religion. We dove deep into why developmental psychology is such a powerful lens for understanding human nature - turns out you can't figure out if a zebra is white with black stripes or black with white stripes just by looking at adult zebras, you've got to watch how they develop. Justin walked us through the fascinating story of human evolution and our hyper-sociality, from our massive brains (five to seven times bigger than expected for mammals our size!) to our unique ability to think about each other's thoughts about our thoughts. We explored how kids naturally develop agency detection, theory of mind, and teleological reasoning - basically why three-year-olds spontaneously ask "what's that mountain for?" and start wondering about invisible agents. Then we got into the weeds about how our Stone Age minds are navigating modern technologies like social media and AI, with Justin making a compelling case using his "kudzu analogy" about technologies that spread too fast for us to understand their consequences. From the crisis of masculinity to boomers getting radicalized during COVID lockdowns, we covered how our evolved psychology is both a gift and a vulnerability in our rapidly changing world.
Check out his new book, How Can Your Faith Fuel Scientific Discovery?: Questions and Reflections for Becoming an Integrated Scientist.
Justin L. Barrett is President of Blueprint 1543 and honorary Professor of Theology and the Sciences at St Andrews University School of Divinity. Barrett previously taught in Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Psychology, in the Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University, at the University of Michigan, and at Calvin University.
Justin's Previous Visits to the Podcast
Here are the lectures Dr. Barrett mentioned:What makes cultural innovations attractive? and From AI to social media.
Upcoming Online Class: Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost
"Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. Moving beyond traditional Western theological frameworks, we'll explore feminist interpretations, global perspectives, and innovative approaches to understanding the Spirit in today's world. Whether you've felt the Spirit was missing from your faith journey or are simply curious to deepen your understanding, this class creates space for thoughtful discussion, personal reflection, and spiritual growth.
As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here.
_____________________
Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN.
This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 45 classes at www.TheologyClass.com
Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
