Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

Cultural Update: Political Realignment; Marriage and Well-Being; Smartphones and Gen Z's Mental Health

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Mar 29, 2024

Sean McDowell and Rick Langer discuss political realignment towards the Republican party, the benefits of marriage for well-being, and the negative impact of smartphones on Gen Z's mental health. They also address challenges in finding love within the church community and integrating secular psychology with biblical views.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Ideas Over Identity: Rethinking Political Allegiances

02:21 • 9min

The Impact of Marriage on Well-being and Society

11:00 • 21min

Impact of Technology on Mental Health and Parenting

32:01 • 12min

Finding Love in a Christian Community

43:35 • 6min

Exploring the Interplay Between Divine Revelation and Understanding God's Will

49:46 • 5min

Navigating Church Division Based on Personal Beliefs and Conscience

54:56 • 3min

This week, Sean McDowell and guest co-host Rick Langer discuss:

Political Realignment and Identity Politics: A discussion based on a New York Times opinion piece by David French, exploring the potential shift in political alignment among voters of color towards the Republican party. The conversation delves into the implications of moving from identity-based divisions to idea-based disagreements, emphasizing the health of democracy when debates are centered on ideas rather than identity.
Marriage and Well-Being: Analysis of a Gallup poll indicating that married individuals report higher levels of thriving compared to their single or cohabiting counterparts. This segment explores how the societal perception of marriage's happiness has evolved and examines the benefits of marriage for personal well-being, children's outcomes, and societal prosperity.
Smartphones and Gen Z's Mental Health: Based on Jonathan Haidt's work, "Generation Anxiety," Sean & Rick discuss the impact of smartphones and social media on the mental health of Gen Z, highlighting a significant increase in anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies among young people.
Listener Questions:
- Good Friday's Significance: Should we call Jesus' crucifixion "good"?
- Single Women and the Soulmate Model in Churches: Challenges in finding a partner within the church community due to prevailing expectations.
- Integration of Secular Psychology and Biblical Views: Concerns about the integration of secular psychology theories in Christian counseling.
- Women Pastors: Should it be a divisive issue among believers?

Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/cultural-update-political-realignment-marriage-and-well-being-smartphones-and-gen-z-s-mental-health.

Join us for ANCHORED: A Conference for Pastors, Church Leaders and the Community June 9-11, 2025. Hosted by Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in Southern California. Learn more and register at https://www.biola.edu/anchored

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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.

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