Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture Engaging Controversial Issues Without Getting Too Emotional (with Tim Pickavance)
Jul 1, 2025
Joining the discussion is Dr. Tim Pickavance, a philosophy expert focused on metaphysics and the emotional landscape of controversial topics. He delves into managing emotions during debates, especially around science and faith. Tim highlights the importance of emotional intelligence when discussing contentious issues like COVID and gender-affirming treatments. He provides a six-step process for navigating feelings in discussions and stresses the need for balance between emotional and rational thinking to promote understanding and compassion in complex conversations.
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Third Way on Controversy
- Controversial scientific issues often divide culture and church emotionally.
- A "third way" is needed beyond simply following heart or science alone.
Emotions Guide Reasoning
- Emotions are crucial to reasoning as they highlight what is good, bad, right, and wrong.
- They motivate and focus attention but must be balanced to avoid overwhelming reason.
Emotions and Rationality Misunderstood
- Cultural tradition wrongly separates emotions from rational thought.
- In Christian view, emotions reveal reality but can be broken and need community discernment.