Think Well

How will thinking carefully about the relationship of faith and knowledge influence the way you think about and live out your Christian commitments? "The Great Tradition of Christian Thinking" by David Dockery and Timothy George give an understanding of how Christian faith has related to knowledge throughout the centuries. It then shows how we can apply and advance the tradition today. Come join the conversation and bring your questions! I will be taking calls after the teaching. The show is LIVE every Tuesday at 1:30 pm PT. Content Discussed: 0:00 Intro 2:33 A look at future shows 5:30 An into to the series on Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition 6:52 Have Christians given up on the cognitive focus? Knowledge & Faith 14:57 The role of Scripture in the Christian intellectual tradition 16:28 How challenges throughout church history led to intellectual growth 24:05 How everything fits into the Christian story 27:34 Necessary distinction between "the faith" and "my faith" 34:25 How do we practically apply the Christian intellectual tradition today? 41:08 Why don't Christians assert religious claims as facts? 42:37 Wasn't it Christians, not atheists, who separated faith from evidence? 44:35 Why didn't Jesus clearly write down Christian theology? 47:43 Caller: Panpsychism and why God allows suffering and pain, and how we know God is good 1:09:31 Caller: Does science look at evidence to find a conclusion, and religion starts with conclusions and looks for evidence? 1:14:49 Caller: Do atheists have faith? Do we have to have answers for everything? 1:22:31 Two reasons why you shouldn't say "Think for yourself!"

What should we think about the most recent advances with artificial intelligence? Does it think and behave like humans do? Join the show as we look at a recent video about AI scheming and lying to developers.

When do the unborn become real people? Who has the authority to give and take life? When does life begin? There are many conversations between pro-life and pro-choice advocates. The arguments have been made, but it often feels like we are talking past each other. How can we have better conversations on issues that matter? What are the best ways to communicate the biblical teachings that relate to abortion? Today's show will take a look at abortion as we walk through chapter 2 of Andrew and Christian Walker's new book, "What Do I Say When...?: A Parents' Guide to Navigating Cultural Chaos for Children & Teens." I've done a few shows on this topic (see below), so I aim to keep the teaching short and get to your calls and questions as soon as possible. Join me for an important conversation!

The Bible is not the only source of knowledge about God. Christians believe that God has revealed himself through creation (Ps 19:1, Rom 1:19-20), which means we should be able to find evidence for God in nature. This approach, referred to as natural theology, develops a philosophy of God based on observations about our world. Today's show will attempt to "provide reasons for thinking that classical theism is more reasonable because it has a greater explanatory power than naturalism." We will be taking your pressing questions and strongest objections! This is part 1 of our apologetics study as we work through "The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology." Dr. Charles Taliaferro (professor emeritus of philosophy at St. Olaf College). He also contributed to "Natural Theology: Five Views" from Baker Academic and authored "Evidence and Faith: Philosophy and Religion since the Seventeenth Century" from Cambridge University Press.

Who was Adam? Was he the result of a natural process (evolution) or a unique creation? Did he actually exist, or was he merely a literary figure? Hasn't science proven that an original two humans is impossible? Dr. Fazale Rana, President and senior research scholar at Reasons to Believe, joins me in making a biblical and scientific case for a historical Adam and Eve. When were Adam and Eve created? How does the biblical account line up with the scientific record? Are humans related to Neanderthals? These are just a few questions that we will address in today's show. We also will be taking your questions! So join the show, bring your questions, and consider the biblical account of human origins. Content Discussed 0:00 4:12 How should we approach science and faith questions? 7:18 Does science or Scripture have the ultimate authority? 12:00 A biblical argument for a historical Adam and Eve 14:48 Why does this conversation matter? 20:19 What makes the Reason to Believe model scientifically testable? 23:02 What scientific data could disprove core Christian doctrines? 26:30 Don't the biblical genealogies show that Adam and Eve existed 6,000 years ago? 31:04 When does the scientific evidence date for Adam and Eve? 37:32 Why do humans have Neanderthal DNA if humans didn't evolve from Neanderthals? 42:23 Where were Adam and Eve located? 44:40 Doesn't science show that there's too much genetic diversity in humans to come from a single pair? 49:40 Are secular scientists questioning the minimum population view? 51:35 Why don't we see Neanderthal DNA in humans of African descent? 52:56 Is there a scientific reason for why God created humans at that time? 55:25 Where did Cain get his wife if God didn't create other people? 58:38 Don't genetic similarities and endogenous retroviruses show that humans evolved? 1:04:28 Why do human embryos and some people have tails in a creation view? 1:06:07 Why is your biggest objection to evolution? 1:15:23 Why do so many scientists hold to evolution if it isn't true? 1:20:15 How did God create life? 1:25:00 Did Neanderthals bury their dead, use tools, make jewelry, and have religion? 1:28:38 If humans came from monkeys, then why don't we see 1/2-breed monkey people? 1:30:18 A look at future shows and events

We all believe it is important to be ethical people and make good moral decisions. Right? The problem is if we can ever come to a conclusion about what qualifies as a "moral decision." C. Ben Mitchell writes, "If relativism is true, it also means that the search for enduring, universal moral norms is futile. But the fact that we live in a relativistic world also means that if relativism is not true, we need to know how to respond to a view that is so pervasive in our culture." Join me as we engage in a moral discussion and try to find clarity in a morally confused culture. "Ethics and Moral Reasoning" by C. Ben Mitchell will be our primary text today. Bring your questions and join the show! I'll be taking your calls! Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 2:50 A look at upcoming shows and events 6:15 Intro to our series on reclaiming the Christian intellectual tradition 9:20 Living in a relativistic world 13:31 5 problems with moral relativism 22:45 Can you prove objective morality? 26:43 Do you believe in evolution? 27:05 Relative morality isn't the same as arbitrary morality 29:50 Is this the fallacy of extremes? 31:00 What side of the Euthyphro dilemma do you take? 33:35 A history of moral reasoning 45:52 Issues with Enlightenment Ethics 48:27 Views of Christian Ethics 51:20 An argument for objective morality 1:02:13 Something doesn't have to be objective to be important 1:03:42 How do I control hate in my heart for people who abuse children? 1:08:57 If homosexuality is morally wrong, why are some people born gay? 1:11:51 Caller - Do I read secular authors? 1:14:04 Caller - Why does objective morality matter for our everyday lives? 1:23:14 Caller - Why is indentured servitude immoral? 1:25:37 Caller - How do atheists ground objective morality? 1:32:38 Closing

"Christianity alone provides the best solution for a coherent reason to value a human person and the necessary authority to confidently guarantee it... Can non-Christian systems arrive at a position of human dignity on their own that does not end up being arbitrary?" Human dignity is at the heart of all political views, religious traditions, and cultural systems. For this reason, it matters whose concept of human dignity we adopt as part of our worldview. Today's conversation will look at the importance of human dignity, build a case for a biblical view of human dignity, and give you tools to have better conversations on the topic. Our conversation will be based on chapter 1 of Andrew and Christian Walker's book, "What Do I Say When...?" Bring your questions and join the show! I'll be taking your calls!

"If you don't teach your children, the world will." Isn't this true? If we are not intentional about our own learning and our children for those who are parents, then our culture will disciple us unintentionally, often with greater effectiveness. TikTok is one of the major influences in the lives of students. So, today's show will examine a few TikTok videos about the Bible. While they appear compelling on the surface, each has a deep flaw. Join me as we learn to Think Well about different cultural challenges. Bring your questions! I'll be taking callers at the end. Content Discussed 0:00 Intro 2:42 Cultural Book Study Intro: What Do I Say When...? 8:21 Worldview Book Study Intro: Ethics and Moral Reasoning 10:24 Apologetics Book Study Intro: The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology 13:05 Is there a contradiction in Jesus's birth story? 22:43 Do people have biblical reasons for questioning the length of the creation days? 26:08 Does the Hebrew word "day" paired with a number or "evening and morning" always mean 24 hours? 32:51 Was Jesus a young earth creationist? 42:45 Is the "Word of God" the Bible or Jesus? 49:37 Does the Bible condemn sex outside of marriage? 1:00:19 Is the Bible a pro-life book? 1:07:15 In what way do a husband and wife become one flesh? 1:08:57 Why did God make laws that led to lots of immoral stoning? 1:10:57 Caller 1: Continued conversation on "one flesh" in marriage 1:16:58 Caller 1: Was Jesus's prayer for unity in John 17:21 answered? 1:22:07 Caller 1: Who decides what are the essential Christian doctrines? 1:26:44 Caller 1: What are subjective and objective truth claims?

Have you heard either of these claims? "There are no atheists in foxholes," and "Only an atheist until the plane starts to fall." These claims are often given to show that atheists frequently find themselves pulled toward God during times of stress. Is this true? Can it be used as an argument for God? Atheist Armin Navabi addresses this argument in chapter 18 of his book, "Why There Is No God." He writes, "The existence of 'deathbed conversions' and similar experiences does not prove the existence of God... The idea that fear could drive you toward the belief in God only goes to suggest that religious claims are commonly fear-based and not rooted in actual logic or evidence. Unintentionally, theists are essentially acknowledging that their claims are irrational." Join the show as we walk through Armin's chapter and look at how to think about belief in times of desperation. I'll be taking your calls and responding to your questions as well!

Christians will sometimes point to the violent behavior of atheists like Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong when showing why atheism is false. Is this a fair argument? Can we suggest that the depravity caused by atheists reflects back on atheism? What about Christianity? Do the evil actions of Christians mean that Christianity is evil? Atheist Armin Navabi, author of "Why There Is No God," addresses this topic in chapter 17. He writes, "The violence within Christianity or Islam can often be traced back to the teachings of those religions because it is embedded in the ideology of the religions themselves." But when it comes to atheists, Armin writes, "While it's true that Stalin and Mao were corrupt leaders who denounced religion among their people, suggesting that their depravity was caused by atheism or that their behavior was at all indicative of atheism as a whole simply does not follow." Join the show as we walk through Armin's chapter and look at how the actions of individuals reflect back on their belief systems. Also, is it true that Christianity has dogma that creates excuses for violence or leads to it? I don't think so, but let's chat! As always, your calls and questions are welcome!