Faith & Clarity - Biblical Perspectives and Biblical Wisdom on News & Cultural Issues

The crisis between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas based in the southern region of Israel called Gaza is now in its fifth day. News media includes startling reports of horrific atrocities by Hamas. The Israeli government and military are mobilizing for a strong and significant response. Innocent people and children on all sides are caught in the middle. Countries around the world are on heightened alert as more violence is feared. Blame is being randomly assigned. How should Christians understand this conflict from a biblical perspective? How can people be so cruel and brutal to each other? Where can we find hope as we watch and pray and seek to help? Additional resources: Unedited transcript (PDF) Current DF resources on the war in Israel

As war in Israel begins, questions abound. What is the crisis in Israel? Who is Hamas, and why did they attack Israel? How is Israel responding? Why should Christians care, and how should we pray and help? What might this new conflict mean for larger nations? How is faith and religion sometimes used as a cloak to cover a relentless pursuit of power? Dr. Jim Denison discusses these and other critical issues connected to the new war between Israel and Hamas. Note: This episode was recorded on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Topics ●      Who is Hamas? | 03:02 ●      How does Hamas view Christians? | 05:15 ●      Understanding Israel’s geography | 07:21 ●      Defining “occupied territory” | 12:30 ●      Why did Hamas attack now? | 19:10 ●      What are the larger ramifications of war in Israel? | 21:59 ●      Defining radical Islam | 29:14 ●      Cloaking power in religious garb | 36:08 ●      How should Christians view this conflict? | 41:46 ●      A prayer for the crisis | 51:25 Resources ●     Unedited transcript (PDF) ●     War in Israel resource page ●     Hamas and Radical Islam: What Christians need to know ●     How did the war in Israel happen? Israeli intelligence failures and spiritual warfare ●     “This is our 9/11”: Why did Hamas attack Israel? What comes next? ●     How to think biblically about Israel About Dr. Jim Denison Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. He speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.  

Can our faith be as bold as the first Christians’ faith? The Holy Spirit who moved through the first-century church is still the same today. God’s power is still just as powerful. So why aren’t most of us experiencing his power in our churches and in our personal lives? Dr. Jim Denison joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss Bold Faith: First-Century Lessons for Twenty-First-Century Christians, his biblical commentary on the Book of Acts. Topics How should we discuss the book of Acts? | 02:28 How do we discern abiding truth within the narrative parts of the Bible? | 03:49 Who should read Bold Faith? | 09:05 What is the kingdom of God? Why does it matter? | 11:28 The beauty and joy of obeying Christ as king | 15:37 Why does the Bible offer macro and micro stories? | 19:44 Do you believe in a big God? | 22:23 Every Christian needs an Acts 1:8 strategy | 24:30 What are we getting right, or wrong, about the Holy Spirit? | 30:05 On being Pentecostal, evangelical, and sacramental | 34:00 How does Acts 8 show God turning evil to good? | 42:00 Why God is concerned about all of us—and each of us | 49:30 Why the book of Acts is still relevant today | 55:10 Resources Unedited transcript (PDF) BOOK: Bold Faith: First-Century Lessons for Twenty-First-Century Christians, by Dr. Jim Denison ARTICLE: See the one: An excerpt from "Bold Faith" by Dr. Jim Denison BOOK: Evangelical, Sacramental, and Pentecostal: Why the Church Should Be All Three, by Gordon T. Smith PODCAST: “The most exciting moment in my lifetime for the gospel in Cuba”: A conversation with Proclaim Cuba About Dr. Jim Denison Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. He speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

“The early church is still walking and running around the streets of my Cuba.” With a population of more than 11 million people just ninety miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba was once considered the "paradise of the Caribbean," welcoming tourists from around the world. Today, its history, culture, and faith are shrouded in legend and myth.  But God has not abandoned Cuba. He is present, active, and igniting both revival in the church and awakening across this beautiful island.  In this episode, we talk with Cuban natives Pastor Carlos Alamino and his son Carly about their thirty-plus years of planting churches and creating relevant gospel ministries to children, students, women, and sports enthusiasts.  You'll also hear about Proclaim Cuba's strong work in discipleship and ministry training and its vision to plant seven hundred new churches and eighteen ministry hubs across Cuba. Topics The best of Cuba | 02:09 How Dr. Denison met Pastor Carlos | 04:40 Spiritual awakening in Cuba | 08:03 The power of ideas | 09:53 Visiting Cuba | 12:05 How Pastor Carlos Alamino came to faith | 14:32 Proclaim Cuba and the Cuban church today | 19:55 Proclaim Cuba’s sports ministry | 21:19 What is seminary like in Cuba? | 23:00 Equipping Cuban Christians to share the gospel | 27:13 Church planting in Cuba | 31:24 Establishing ministry centers throughout Cuba | 37:26 On being Christian in Cuba | 39:37 How to pray for Cuba | 48:17 A prayer for Cuba | 51:11 Resources Unedited transcript (PDF) Proclaim Cuba Proclaim Cuba’s resources Denison Forum articles on persecution About Proclaim Cuba Proclaim Cuba’s “ministry divisions include a seminary, church planting, pastoring pastors, children’s and youth ministries, women’s ministry, sports evangelism, intercessory prayer, an institute for the arts, and international missions” in Cuba. Their mission is to “reach Cuba and the nations for Christ.  Because we are empowered by God, we empower others. Much work still remains, but we know that God has been and always will be faithful. ‘To God be the glory, great things He has done!’” About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

“I know people who are better apologists for the Dallas Cowboys than they are for their own beliefs as a Christian.” J. Warner Wallace’s enduringly popular book on apologetics, Cold-Case Christianity, has been thoroughly updated and expanded for its tenth-anniversary edition. He joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss the book, how to read the gospels as an investigator, how conspiracy thinking works, why the church should be overflowing with apologists, why we’re addicted to crime shows, and more. Topics Updating Cold-Case Christianity | 02:03 Reading the gospels as an investigator | 05:54 How the gospels’ differences show reliability | 13:02 Subjective truth vs. objective truth | 18:31 Proving Christianity | 26:02 If Christianity is true, then what? | 30:42 The necessity of humility | 35:34 Understanding evidence | 41:41 How conspiracy thinking works | 43:53 Determining reliability | 45:32 Employing common sense | 48:15 Cold-Case Christianity 10 years later | 53:09 The problem of being an abbreviated Christian | 58:43 Why are we addicted to crime shows? | 1:03:22 Resources Unedited transcript (PDF) ColdCaseChristianity.com Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospel The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teaches Us About the Meaning of Life (May 2024) Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible Forensic Faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, Richard Bauckham About J. Warner Wallace With a master’s degree in theological studies, J. Warner Wallace is an award-winning detective who has been featured on Dateline more than any other homicide investigator.  A popular national speaker and podcast host, he is the bestselling author of numerous books including Cold-Case Christianity, Person of Interest, Forensic Faith and God’s Crime Scene.  An adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, a senior fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries, Jim and his wife live in Southern California. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

When is enough enough? Art Rainer is the founder of Christian Money Solutions and the author of Money in the Light of Eternity. He joined The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss our collective money problems (and their solutions), seeking contentment in our finances and in our lives, the importance of giving to the church, and more. Topics Art Rainer’s testimony | 01:42 Why do Christians struggle to honor God with their money? | 06:00 Why the rich young ruler walked away from Jesus | 11:22 Is enough ever enough? | 17:12 Art’s foundational Bible passages | 26:43 What common money problems do Christians often face? | 36:00 Building financial confidence | 47:00 The importance of generosity in the church | 48:57 How the “great wealth transfer” could reach every tribe with the gospel | 55:21 Resources Designed for generosity: An excerpt from Money in the Light of Eternity Unedited transcript Free resources at Christian Money Solutions Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose The Money Challenge: 30 Days of Discovering God's Design for You and Your Money ArtRainer.com About Art Rainer Art Rainer is the founder of Christian Money Solutions. He writes and speaks widely about issues related to finance, wealth, and generosity. He is the author of The Money Challenge: 30 Days of Discovering God's Design for You and Your Money. You can read and hear more from Art at ArtRainer.com. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

Christian, how now shall you vote? America is more divided and hostile along political lines and tribes than ever before. For some, politics may have become their substitute religion in place of a true faith in Christ Jesus as King of kings.  So how can Christians understand and engage in our political processes as culture-changing Christians who use their influence in redemptive ways for the glory of God and the good of others?  Dr. Jim Denison joins Dr. Mark Turman to discuss the presidential political season and the intersection of faith, hope, and love with politics, government, and power. Topics How did Denison Ministries start? | 03:01 “Use new words to communicate the same truth” | 8:26 Dr. Denison’s greatest hope in this political season | 12:03 Dr. Denison’s greatest fear in this political season | 18:58 How are AI, social media, and tech affecting politics? | 19:51 How can Christians prepare themselves well for voting? | 22:15 When politics is exhausting | 27:33 4 anchoring biblical truths for political engagement | 30:15 Billionaire political influence | 36:05 Are humans fundamentally good or as fundamentally flawed? | 39:44 What does it mean to be made in the image of God? | 43:56 Is politics our new national religion? | 46:49 The rise of secular religion | 57:16 Should Christians protest? | 1:01:08 Resources Download the unedited transcript Denison Ministries Denison Forum First15 Christian Parenting Foundations with Janet Podcast episodes How can doubt and disbelief become transforming faith? A conversation with Alister McGrath How the arts and sciences reveal God’s genius: Dr. Jonathan Witt discusses “A Meaningful World” What happens when a theoretical physicist meets God? A conversation with Dr. Tom Rudelius Books The Coming Tsunami Respectfully, I Disagree How Does God See America? Articles How do you spot a deepfake video? What does the Bible say about politics? What does the Bible say about religious liberty? “The highest obligation and privilege of citizenship” Citizens of two countries A majority of Americans aren’t proud to be American: Why the difference between pride and patriotism matters About Dr. Jim Denison Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. Jim speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

“Gen Z will be suicide free” That’s Stay Here’s opening line on their website. As a "mental health organization and movement dedicated to ending suicide and healing the broken hearted,” Stay Here aims to lower the tragic suicide rate of one person every 40 seconds through “equipping millions of individuals in hope-filled suicide prevention training and awareness.” Founder Jacob Coyne joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss how you can help prevent suicides by watching the Giants–Cowboys NFL game on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day. He also shares how to talk with others considering suicide, the training resources that Stay Here offers, as well as a prayer on behalf of those who are struggling with this issue. NOTE: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please get help immediately. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Topics ●      Jacob Coyne’s testimony | 02:39 ●      How suicide has affected Coyne | 08:37 ●      When to talk to others who are wrestling with suicidal thoughts | 11:30 ●      What does Stay Here do? | 14:47 ●      When someone admits to suicidal thoughts | 22:35 ●      Why the church needs to speak up about suicide | 27:06 ●      Why is Gen Z struggling so much? | 35:59 ●      Why 57 NFL QBs are uniting on Sept. 10 | 47:21 ●      Jacob’s prayer for those considering suicide | 55:25 Resources ●     StayHere.live ●     QBUnited.org ●     988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline ●     Episode transcript (PDF) ●     What does the Bible say about suicide? About Jacob Coyne and Stayhere.live Jacob Coyne is a preacher, a Christian content creator, and the founder of Stay Here, a mental health organization that raises awareness through bold and encouraging messaging and equips others to save lives from suicide. With more than 1.4 million social media followers, Jacob is known for offering tangible hope and help for the brokenhearted and hurting. He and his wife, Mariah, have three daughters and live in east Tennessee. Learn more at stayhere.live. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.  

Is the world a meaningless churning of random intersecting events or a beautiful place of genius that reveals the reality of God as the ultimate Genius?  Dr. Jonathan Witt joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss this central question of his book, A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature When we encounter, discover, or help to create things in our world that express the unmistakable qualities of depth, harmony, clarity, and elegance, how do we explain them? What are they pointing us to?  From great literature to music, to mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics, the majestic fingerprints of an all-powerful, good and majestic creator are all around us—if we have the eyes, ears, and heart to receive them.  It just may be that breathtaking beauty and order will lead us to the greatest discovery of all. Topics Introducing Dr. Jonathan Witt | 00:00 Dr. Witt’s journey of faith | 03:42 Why do the beliefs of Darwin, Dawkins, and similar thinkers hold so much sway in our culture? | 10:03 How did Christianity influence the rise of modern science? | 15:19 What’s the difference between science and scientism? | 21:11 Post-pandemic, should we “trust the science”? | 22:04 Why Dr. Witt wrote A Meaningful World | 25:19 How Hamlet reveals God (The four characteristics of genius) | 28:58 What does genius mean? | 38:16 How does human genius reflect God’s genius? | 39:38 How does elegance reveal God’s genius? | 43:33 How does mathematics reveal God’s genius? | 50:48 How can a loving, genius God allow pain? | 54:49 Where can listeners learn more about Dr. Witt? | 1:00:43 Resources Read the prologue to A Meaningful World. Download the unedited transcript (PDF). Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature, Dr. Jonathan Witt The Discovery Institute Center for Science & Culture Return of the God Hypothesis: A conversation with Dr. Stephen Meyer, The Denison Forum Podcast Your Designed Body, Steve Laufmann and Howard Glicksman The Wonder of Water, Michael Denton About Dr. Jonathan Witt Jonathan Witt, PhD, is Executive Editor of Discovery Institute Press and a senior fellow and senior project manager with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. His latest book is Heretic: One Scientist’s Journey from Darwin to Design (DI Press, 2018) written with Finnish bioengineer Matti Leisola. Witt also authored Intelligent Design Uncensored (IVP, 2010) with William Dembski, and A Meaningful World: How the Arts and Sciences Reveal the Genius of Nature (IVP, 2006) with Benjamin Wiker. He is also the author of The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom That Tolkien Got, and the West Forgot (Ignatius, 2014), written with Jay Richards. Witt is also the lead writer and associate producer for Poverty, Inc., winner of the $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award and recipient of over 50 international film festival honors. He also scripted three other documentaries that aired widely on PBS and were translated into multiple languages for airing in countries around the globe: The Privileged Planet (written with Lad Allen), The Birth of Freedom, and The Call of the Entrepreneur. Additionally, he scripted two Acton Media DVD curricula carried by Zondervan, including Effective Stewardship, and he served as the lead writer for The PovertyCure DVD Series and the PovertyCure initiative, which includes a content-rich website, more than a million Facebook followers, and a network of 400+ poverty-fighting organizations from around the world. Witt also has provided editing or deep editing work for several successful books, including three New York Times bestsellers. Before returning to work full time again with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, Witt served as the managing editor for the news and commentary site The Stream, and as a research fellow for the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Witt’s academic essays have appeared in various periodicals and he has been interviewed by numerous regional and national radio programs. He is a regular annual speaker for Discovery Institute’s summer seminar on science and culture and has spoken at universities on a range of topics connected to political and economic freedom, cultural renewal, and the arts. Witt previously served as a tenured professor of literature and writing at Lubbock Christian University. He has a Ph.D., with honors, in English and Literary Theory from the University of Kansas. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.  

How the atheist writings of Richard Dawkins led Alister McGrath—and many other intellectuals—to the Christian faith Dr. Alister McGrath was an atheist when he entered Oxford University to study natural sciences. Through a series of influences he switched to theology and became a Christian. In his new book, Coming to Faith through Dawkins, coauthored with Denis Alexander, McGrath compiled twelve essays from fellow scientists, an engineer, a graphic designer, a journalist, and others who were led to question their atheism by reading the work of atheist Dr. Richard Dawkins. In our conversation, McGrath explains how he and others from around the world admire much of the scientific work of Dawkins. But Dawkins’ sometimes-scathing attacks on religion led them to discover the credibility of Christ and Christianity—and eventually to their personal conversions to faith. Download the unedited transcript here (PDF). Summary Introduction 0:01 Coming to faith through atheism 2:42 The current state of faith in the UK 5:00 The motivation of the New Atheists 11:53 Johanna Erasmus and the journey of faith 18:13 The most transformative essays in Coming to Faith through Dawkins 26:58 The myth of a conflict between science and faith 32:58 The story of a young atheist turned Christian 37:41 Open about faith lead to job loss? 44:00 The role of science and faith 49:07 The power of intellectual pursuit and personal story 52:22 Download the unedited transcript here. About Dr. Alister McGrath Dr. Alister E. McGrath is a former atheist who studied natural sciences at Oxford before switching to theology and becoming an Anglican priest. He served as the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford from 2014 to 2022. He holds three doctorates from Oxford in molecular biophysics, theology, and intellectual history. McGrath is also the author of the international bestseller The Dawkins Delusion?, as well as C. S. Lewis: A Life and his latest book, Coming to Faith Through Dawkins: 12 Essays on the Pathway from New Atheism to Christianity. About Dr. Mark Turman Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture. About Denison Forum Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.