Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture

Alan Hultberg, a New Testament professor at Biola’s Talbot School of Theology, explores Revelation 20, its Millennium, final judgment, and the Lake of Fire. He compares amillennialism, postmillennialism, and premillennialism, including classical and dispensational perspectives. The conversation also examines Israel’s future, Satan’s binding, cultural engagement, and the hope of Christ’s return.

Thaddeus Williams, a Christian philosopher, author, and Biola theology professor, joins a wide-ranging cultural discussion. Topics include the nihilism behind France’s riots, Michel Foucault’s legacy, academic freedom and Texas higher education, pornography laws, public executions, theistic evolution, and nurturing faith in young believers.

Paul Weaver, a Dallas Theological Seminary professor and author of Faith-Affirming Findings, explores how archaeology intersects with Christian faith. He discusses the Tel Dan inscription and David, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Sennacherib’s Prism, early John manuscripts, Belshazzar, and Khirbet Qeiyafa. He also addresses skeptical and maximalist approaches, plus how Christians should respond when evidence appears contradictory.

A televised execution sparks debate over justice, dignity, and public spectacle. The discussion explores screens, anxiety, fractured relationships, and youth mental health, along with a feminist push toward embodiment and interdependence. AI-generated fiction raises questions about literary trust and character. Listener questions address male accountability in abortion decisions and the troubling story of Elisha and the bears.

Stephen Meyer, a Cambridge-trained philosopher of science and former geophysicist, examines cosmology’s biggest philosophical challenge. He discusses Roger Penrose’s models, the struggle to explain cosmic beginnings, fine-tuning in past-eternal universes, and why attempts to avoid a beginning may create new problems. The conversation explores whether modern cosmology leaves room for explanations beyond philosophical naturalism.

A botched execution prompts a searching discussion of justice, deterrence, proportionality, and human dignity. Reopened Cornell rape allegations spark debate over consent, pornography, and sexual ethics. The conversation examines evangelical secularization, Gen Z antisemitism and covenant theology, biblical views of body and soul, abortion prosecution, and the New Testament’s authority in a changing culture.

Jason McMartin, a theology professor specializing in psychology and theology, explores the hardest questions surrounding suffering and faith. They discuss whether God causes suffering, how pain disrupts identity and purpose, and what redemption can mean amid brokenness. The conversation also examines lament, Romans 8:28, finding meaning without complete answers, and preparing spiritually for life’s painful journeys.

Eric Thomas, a Biola theology professor and longtime pastor, joins a lively cultural briefing. They explore the return of traditional dating values, Jehovah’s Witnesses’ revised blood policy, Pope Leo’s surprising reception in France, and why Chinese parents favor kids’ smartwatches over smartphones. They also tackle church hopping, overparenting, and whether true neutrality exists in public life.

J.P. Moreland, a philosopher, author, and Christian apologist, reflects on a life shaped by faith and relentless inquiry. He shares lessons from 25 surgeries, anxiety, doubt, and spiritual formation, explores evidence for God, resurrection, and heaven, and offers candid guidance on apologetics, politics, suffering, and preparing to face death without fear.

Are biblical teachings becoming outdated for younger Christians? The conversation explores polyamory, family stability, and the challenge of discussing difficult doctrines with compassion. It examines how China’s ideology shapes AI safety, the hidden values embedded in algorithms, and Christian advocacy against assisted dying. Privacy risks from surveillance cameras and free will in heaven round out the discussion.