Coming out of COVID, with gatherings restricted, there is a renewed emphasis on loneliness in the culture at large. As Susan Mettes reports in her new book, The Loneliness Epidemic, many of these trends were in existence long before COVID hit but exacerbated by the 2+ years of restrictions. Join Scott and Sean for this insightful discussion that touches us all.  Susan Mettes is a behavioral scientist and researcher and Associate Editor for Christianity Today. She lives with her husband in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/loneliness-epidemic  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Where is God when tragedy hits? Is it possible that God is at work in the world in ways we often miss? By explaining God's "common grace," Dr. Tim Muehlhoff suggests that God may be revealing himself through science, communication, art, and many more ways than we often realize. This discussion will help in one important step towards making sense of why there is suffering and evil in the world.  Tim Muehlhoff is a professor of communication at Biola University in La Mirada, California, a speaker and research consultant for the Center for Marriage and Relationships, and an author of several books on communication. In addition to being an educator and author, he is the co-host of a podcast entitled The Art of Relationships, which is produced by Biola University and is currently heard in 100 countries. Tim and his wife, Noreen, are frequent speakers at FamilyLife Marriage Conferences. For more information, visit timmuehlhoff.com.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/eyes-to-see-gods-common-grace  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

The Chosen TV series is a compelling look at the lives of Christ and his disciples. Talbot's own Dr. Doug Huffman is one of the 3 script consultants to the show. Join Scott and Sean as they talk with Doug about his role on the show and some of the behind the scenes aspects of the show that the general public is not aware of.  Dr. Doug Huffman is Division Dean of the Undergraduate Division of Biblical Studies and Theology at Talbot. He is a New Testament specialist and the author of several books on NT Greek.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/behind-the-scenes-at-the-chosen  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

This is Part II of our session with Gavin Ortlund from his new book, Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism, that focuses on a specific aspect of why theism is the best explanation for the transcendent power of music-something that is recognized even by some non-theists. Join Scott for this discussion of an argument for God that you might not have considered.  Gavin Ortlund is a scholar, pastor, and writer with a growing profile among the next generation of Christian thinkers. He serves as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai in Ojai, California, and is the author of multiple books. He blogs at gavinortlund.com and has a growing YouTube channel called "Truth Unites."  Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/argument-for-god-from-music  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Is Christian theism really believable? Does God make sense amidst our world that often doesn't? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with author Gavin Ortlund about his latest book. Dr. Ortlund argues that certain signs in nature-such as math, beauty, music, and stories-point to a meaningful, theistic world. We discuss his positive case for theism and respond to some of the most common naturalistic objections.  Gavin Ortlund is a scholar, pastor, and writer with a growing profile among the next generation of Christian thinkers. He serves as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai in Ojai, California, and is the author of multiple books. He blogs at gavinortlund.com and has a growing YouTube channel called "Truth Unites."  Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/why-god-makes-sense  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

How can a loving God be jealous, as the Bible describes? Is God envious? In this interview, Sean and Scott talk with Erik Thoennes about the proper understanding of God's jealousy. According to Dr. Thoennes, godly jealousy is a misunderstood and yet beautiful attribute of God that can deeply shape our daily lives.  Erik Thoennes is committed to teaching biblical and systematic theology so that he and his students love God and people more fully. He strives to make the necessary connections between the study of theology, obedience to Jesus and fulfilling the Great Commission. He has taught theology and evangelism at the college and seminary levels for several years and is a frequent guest speaker at churches, conferences and retreats, in addition to co-pastoring a local church. Thoennes has received the University award for faculty excellence and professor of the year. His research interests include godly jealousy, the atonement, the exclusivity of Christ and theology of culture.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/godly-jealousy  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

This episode is also available as a video on Biola's YouTube channel:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hzJ0yGlHU   The book Jesus and John Wayne has been the topic of immense discussion over the past few months. The subtitle of the book captures the key idea developed by Kristin Kobes Du Mez: "How white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation." She argues that the election of Trump was not an aberration, but the natural result of certain militant, patriarchal views adopted by evangelicals. Is she right? Is she wrong? In this discussion, Sean and Scott highlight some positives of the book (and areas evangelicals need to take seriously), but they also raise some cautions and areas of disagreement with her key premise.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/jesus-and-john-wayne  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Rejecting both the notion of colorblindness and antiracism, Baylor University sociologist George Yancey outlines a path to genuine racial reconciliation. He provides a way forward that includes collaborative conversations and a mutual responsibility model that could overcome the shortcomings of both colorblindness and antiracism approaches. Join Scott and Sean for Part II of their conversation with Dr. Yancey.  Dr. George Yancey is a Professor of Sociology at the Baylor University. He has published several research articles on the topics of institutional racial diversity, racial identity, academic bias, progressive Christians and anti-Christian hostility. His books include Compromising Scholarship (Baylor University Press) a book that explores religious and political biases in academia, What Motivates Cultural Progressives (Baylor University Press) a book that examines activists who oppose the Christian Right, There is no God (Rowman and Littlefield) a book that investigates atheism in the United States, and So Many Christians, So Few Lions (Rowman and Littlefield) a book that assess Christianophobia in the United States.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/beyond-racial-division-part-2  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Rejecting both the notion of colorblindness and antiracism, Baylor University sociologist George Yancey outlines a path to genuine racial reconciliation. He provides a way forward that includes collaborative conversations and a mutual responsibility model that could overcome the shortcomings of both colorblindness and antiracism approaches. Join Scott and Sean for this stimulating two part conversation.  Dr. George Yancey is a Professor of Sociology at the Baylor University. He has published several research articles on the topics of institutional racial diversity, racial identity, academic bias, progressive Christians and anti-Christian hostility. His books include Compromising Scholarship (Baylor University Press) a book that explores religious and political biases in academia, What Motivates Cultural Progressives (Baylor University Press) a book that examines activists who oppose the Christian Right, There is no God (Rowman and Littlefield) a book that investigates atheism in the United States, and So Many Christians, So Few Lions (Rowman and Littlefield) a book that assess Christianophobia in the United States.   Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/beyond-racial-division-part-1  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

In his new book, written with his daughter, NT scholar Scot McKnight takes on the subject of toxic church cultures-how to diagnose them and how to fix them. Their book, A Church Called Tov, outlines how to create and maintain church cultures characterized by goodness (tov) and organizational health. Join Scott and Sean as they unpack this important area for churchgoers, pastors and church leaders.  Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2022/toxic-church-cultures-and-how-to-fix-them  ==========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. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.