Thinking Out Loud

Not all of today’s art is ugly, of course. But there is a rather pronounced flight from beauty in many contemporary cultural artifacts, from movies and television to novels and poetry. Why this principled interest in ugliness? Join us as we explore what some critics refer to as “the uglification of everything.”

Most people recognize that beauty as a broad category certainly isn’t restricted to a museum or an art gallery. However, the fact that lots of today’s artists seem committed to making aggressively ugly art has led to a widespread distrust. In this episode, we press into that distrust and aim to expand the conversation.

The baleful tone regarding generation z shows no sign of abating. But are these young people really facing such unprecedented challenges because of social media and smartphones? For that matter, isn’t smartphone addiction something that affects all of us, rather than one age demographic? Join us as we dive in.

One of the many predictions concerning the future impact of AI technologies is that the traditional work week will shrink down to 2-3 days. As Cameron wryly observes, “We’re having a cultural crisis of meaning and now we’re going to take away a good portion of our work. What could possibly go wrong?” In this episode, we explore the value of work and consider its place in human life, as well as its role in our eternal destiny. 

From the divine creation of the world all the way to the resurrection of Christ, Christians are predisposed to believe in extraordinary things. Or at least, this is what the cultural wisdom of the age would have us believe. But are Christians really uniquely gullible because they affirm the existence of the supernatural? Join us as we dive into this listener question.

From tarot cards to healing crystals and astrology apps, why is paganism so popular today? In this episode, we explore its appeal and consider why today’s practices often seem so shallow. 

Yes, it’s a provocative title and question, but evangelicals in particular have a tendency to view fictional truth with suspicion. No doubt, this stems in part from a Puritan heritage that rejected fiction as a lie. In this episode, we press into this strange heritage and consider how stories can tell the truth in vital ways.

According to the Surgeon General, loneliness is officially at epidemic levels. But why do we continue to treat an inherently spiritual condition as nothing more than a physical problem? And how are loneliness and a deeper sense of purpose connected? Join us as we explore these questions.  

American Christians, we’re not in Kansas anymore. The mood has shifted decisively and Christianity is now widely recognized by our most influential cultural voices as harmful for the individual and society. The list of accusations is as long as it is inaccurate: racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, misogynist, fascist, among others. How do we engage a cultural context this hostile? Join us as we dive in on this vexed topic.

One of the fundamental questions facing our world is whether Islam will see reform. There is a key distinction to be made between Islam as a theocratic vision and the many muslims who have peacefully integrated into Western nations. However, it would be naive to overlook the fact that the political aspirations of Islam have made strategic inroads into the West and that this process has been going on for a long time. The ongoing immigration crisis plays a huge role in this challenge. Join us as we consider a Christian response to this challenge.

The term “Christian Nationalism” has been steadily gaining traction as an epithet. On the one hand, critics are concerned about what they believe to be theocratic aspirations in certain fringe groups and movements. On the other hand, a growing number of intellectuals, many of them not Christian, are arguing that Christianity is the wellspring of western civilization as we know it. In this two-part series, we delve into the meaning of the term and its positive and negative outworkings. This episode considers the abuses of Christian Nationalism.

The term “Christian Nationalism” has been steadily gaining traction as an epithet. On the one hand, critics are concerned about what they believe to be theocratic aspirations in certain fringe groups and movements. On the other hand, a growing number of intellectuals, many of them not Christian, are arguing that Christianity is the wellspring of Western Civilization as we know it. In this two-part series, we delve into the meaning of the term and its positive and negative outworkings. This episode considers the positive influence of Christianity on nations.

Many Christian parents have serious reservations about the fantasy genre, the Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings notwithstanding. What are we to make of worlds filled with dark magic and evil sorcerers? In this episode, we delve into these questions and consider a Christian response to the fantasy genre. 

From the ravages taking place in once-great American cities like San Francisco to the farmers challenging the double standards being imposed on them by the European Union, we continue to suffer because of idealists whose policies have little bearing on reality. In this episode, we press into the key differences between destructive idealism and the necessity of having ideals.

The latest “He gets us” ad that aired during the Super Bowl has something to offend everyone. Conservatives saw it as a capitulation to the fashionable issues of our day. Progressives saw it as a kind of Trojan Horse to smuggle in repressive values that we ought to discard. Join us as we dive into the conversation.  

The latest “He gets us” ad that aired during the Super Bowl has something to offend everyone. Conservatives saw it as a capitulation to the fashionable issues of our day. Progressives saw it as a kind of Trojan Horse to smuggle in repressive values that we ought to discard. Join us as we dive into the conversation.  

The popular conservative pastor, Alistair Begg, recently found himself at the center of controversy when he assured a grandmother that it was okay for her to attend her grandchild’s marriage to a transgender person, provided she was clear on her opposition to the matter. Begg promptly found himself disinvited from a number of conferences. Most seriously, Truth for Life—the program based on his sermons—was dropped by American Family Radio. Given that we just discussed the cancellation of Calvin Robinson from the Mere Anglicanism conference, we thought we’d turn our attention to this latest controversy.    

The question, What does it mean to be human? is at the center of our fiercest cultural battles. Within our Christian subcultures, it also underwrites seminars on topics like “Biblical Manhood” and “Biblical Womanhood.” In this episode, we press into the countercultural security represented by the men and women who find their identity in Christ, rather than in themselves.

Apologetics has been unfashionable among many believing intellectuals for a while. In the shadow of this disapproval, apologetics has also emerged as a full-fledged academic field and as a result, a new generation of apologists are bringing a higher level of rigor and sophistication to the enterprise. But this is often a mixed blessing, leading many to believe that apologetics is only for professionals. In this episode, we push back on this assumption and try to offer a holistic assessment of apologetics.

Sociologists are quick to point out that our culture is awash in pagan spiritual practices. Does this fervent seeking point to a genuine spiritual hunger? Or are we simply incorporating pagan elements into our consumer habits? Join us as we dive into this topic.

It’s no secret that loneliness is a growing problem in our world, but why is this the case? On the face of it, we seem to be more connected than ever. The problem isn’t limited to relational breakdown, either. Even in the midst of relationships, countless people still feel desperately lonely. In this episode, we delve into this sobering topic and consider how the church might begin to address the problem.

All 379 passengers aboard a Japan Airlines plane escaped with their lives after a collision with a Coast Guard plane on the runway. Sadly, 5 out of the 6 passengers on the smaller plane perished in the accident. Clearly the result of a serious logistical error, the successful deplaning of the commercial airliner has been singled out for praise. It’s also led people to ask whether something like this could have been pulled off in an American context. Join us as we reflect on this telling question. 

Ready or not, the new year is upon us. Queue the inevitable lists of resolutions, goals, and dreams. And yet we live in a cultural moment that resolutely refuses to define what makes a good human being. In this atmosphere, how do we honor Christ’s supreme command of loving God and neighbor above all else?

Cameron watched it. Nathan didn’t. Cameron sort of liked it. Nathan is intrigued. Join us as we close out 2023 by discussing its most popular movie.

With attention spans plummeting, some critics are arguing that watching a movie in one sitting is today’s equivalent of reading a book. Implicit in this argument is the notion that watching movies is inferior to reading books. But is that true? Nathan and Cameron have some differences here, but we’ll let you guess who stands where on the issue. Tune in to hear them hash it out.

Indisputably, one of the greatest Christmas films ever made, with a surprising existential gut-punch. In this episode, Nathan grills Cameron about the enduring greatness of Frank Capra’s classic.

From efforts to classify religious prohibitions as hate speech to pro-Palestine demonstrations on college campuses, the issue of free speech has taken on a new note of urgency in recent years. Add to this the power of the web to amplify these messages. As Christians, how do we conduct ourselves in such times? Join us as we kick the hornet’s nest on a fairly volatile topic. In the end, we hope to bring more light than heat. 

One of the standard objections to Christianity is that God isn’t more obvious. Amazingly, we’ve never talked about it on TOL and we decided to fix that in this episode.

Thought the authenticity craze was all played out? Think again! In the wake of AI, the social media landscape, and widespread institutional distrust, we’re desperate for it. Join us as we explore some of the ironies and possibilities surrounding authenticity.

It’s Giving Tuesday, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to explore the Christian understanding of generosity. Why do we give and what does it mean to live in the light of the fact that we have nothing that we have not received? Join us as we dive into this important topic.

Famed tattoo artist Kat Von D is yet another unlikely recent convert to Christianity. Though portions of her story have been exaggerated by the press, it’s a dramatic story. Join us as we consider this growing trend of high profile figures joining the church.

With a number of high profile conversions to Christianity recently, many people continue to challenge the motives involved. In this episode, we press into some of those reservations and try to move in a more hopeful direction. 

Philosophy of mind has become a hot topic in recent decades for one major reason: The mystery of consciousness seems to present insuperable challenges to a materialistic conception of reality. In this episode, we delve into this subject and consider its bearing on the question of what it means to be human. 

A steady diet of news often leads to a sense of pessimism and helplessness. Most of what happens around the world is completely outside of our control and reading about current events only amplifies this feeling. Is it okay to ignore some news items? Is it okay to say, “This has no practical relevance for my life”? Join us as we talk about ignoring the news in a culture that fetishizes being informed.