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

What does it mean to be accountable to God? Dr. Jim Denison, cultural apologist and founder of Denison Ministries, joins Denison Forum Executive Director Dr. Mark Turman to discuss biblical accountability and judgment, emphasizing the importance for Christians to comprehend and think about their accountability to God. Dr. Denison clarifies misconceptions around guilt, shame, and God's judgment...

Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle joined The Denison Forum Podcast to talk about his latest book, Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of the Empire . Along with host Dr. Mark Turman, they delve into biblical history as a guide for today’s Christians navigating the political arena. They warn against intertwining your religious and political identity, and they advocate for a stronger biblical lens when forming p...

International women’s minister Toni Collier joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss her life journey and her pivotal role in the Unshakable Moxie docu-series from Our Daily Bread. Collier opens up about her own experiences of hardship, brokenness, and redemption, shining a light on how she uses her story in her ministry called Broken Crayons Still Color. She also provides insights into Unshakab...

Tim Alberta , author of The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism , joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss his book and the shift in attitude among evangelicals toward accepting extreme political viewpoints, as well as how their faith has influenced their politics. Alberta shares his experience and research as he explores the historical and contemporar...

In this wide-ranging discussion, Jim and Janet Denison open by sharing their surprising Valentine’s Day tradition. Next, Janet shares why she wrote her book A Great Calm and how it can help those who are suffering. Then, along with cohost Dr. Mark Turman, they talk about why Christians observe the season of Lent. And they conclude with a discussion on the historical value of observing Women's...

Aaron Pierce, the International Mission Director for Steiger International, answers with an emphatic no in his latest book, Not Beyond Reach: How To Share Jesus with the Young, the Deconstructed, and the Non-Religious . But that’s not to say significant obstacles still remain, especially in our post-Christian and hyper-wired yet lonely culture. In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast, Pierce...

“Where we are now is a part of where we were then.” –Tyrone Johnson Introduction Dr. Mark Turman introduces guest Tyrone Johnson, a Dallas-area pastor and worship leader who’s also a friend of both Dr. Turman and Dr. Denison. They set the stage for a conversation on biblical equality and racism in the context of Black History Month. Racial equality and biblical teachings Johnson discusses the orig...

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27, and we must remember its victims and understand its significance in today's world. In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast , Dr. Jim Denison, Dr. Ryan Denison, and Dr. Mark Turman discuss the relevance of remembrance, both for events like the Shoah and in our own lives. Perspectives on remembrance  The conversation begins with Interna...

Abortion is the moral issue of our day. As the National Sanctity of Human Life Day arrives this January 21, Dr. Jim Denison and Dr. Mark Turman discuss why being pro-life matters so deeply. Before they launch into that important conversation, they discuss the historical and biblical significance of the liturgical Christian calendar, including how the season of Lent came about, as well as Denison F...

“You need more than thousand days to hear thousand stories of what happened here in Israel.” In this episode, Israeli citizen and tour guide Rueben Nevo provides insights about the Israel–Hamas conflict from his perspective as an Israeli living in the country. Discussions cover the experiences of Israeli soldiers returning from battle, tensions among citizens, the effects of Hamas' actions on...

“We want to inject spiritual formation on politics into small groups.” David French, Curtis Chang, and Russell Moore have launched a new, free, online resource for Christians called The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics . In this engaging and timely conversation, as we begin a presidential election year, French and Chang delve into the intersection of politics and faith within American...

What is the greatest thing Jesus ever said? How can we listen, follow, and know him more deeply? How will knowing Jesus enable us to love better in every area of life? How can we look back historically and biblically so we can see the future more clearly? In this conversation between Dr. Jim Denison, Dr. Ryan Denison, and Dr. Mark Turman, they discuss: the launch of Denison Forum’s free course The...

In this wide-spanning conversation on current events and the Christmas season, Dr. Jim Denison and Dr. Mark Turman discuss what’s happening in the Israel–Hamas war, Pope Francis' recent declaration concerning the blessing of irregular relationships, and the incarnational miracle of Jesus' birth as the Savior of the world. Topics (00:24): Why are the Houthis disrupting commerce on the Red S...

Cultural apologist Dr. Jim Denison answers a few challenging questions about the Bible from our audience, many of which seemed to ask the same question: Is God just? For example, can people in hell be saved? Did Jesus go to hell after his crucifixion and before his resurrection? If “God is love,” as 1 John 4:16 says, is hell necessary? And what about the millions of people who lived before Jesus c...

“Jesus is not calling people to align themselves with heaven. He calls people to align themselves to him.” Skye Jethani is an award-winning author, former pastor, and speaker. He is also the cohost of the popular Holy Post podcast. In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast, Jethani discusses his latest book, What If Jesus Was Serious about Heaven? . The conversation contrasts Christians’ tradit...

“The goal is to equip Christians to pray powerfully and use their influence effectively for the cause of peace in the Middle East.” Denison Forum recently released a free ebook entitled The War in Israel: What You Need to Know about This Crisis of Global Significance . In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast, Dr. Jim Denison shares what led him to write this book, why the current war in Israe...

Dr. Mark Yarhouse offers practical tools for discussing gender identity with “compassion, civility, and conviction.” Dr. Yarhouse is a professor and the director of the Sexual & Gender Identity Institute at Wheaton College. He is also the author of multiple books, including his most recent, Talking to Kids about Gender Identity: A Roadmap for Christian Compassion, Civility, and Conviction . In...

“The Bible begins and ends with rivers and trees.” Steven Bouma-Prediger, PhD, is an author and professor at the intersection of theology and ecology. In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast , he discusses the concept of “earthkeeping” as a Christian practice, ecological issues like climate change, and the importance of Christianity in driving change—including whether “just one person” can tr...

Is Israel an oppressive occupier? Among the many surprising incidents surrounding the war in Israel, the size and vitriol of many American college students decrying Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza is among the most surprising. What’s spurring their protests? And how can parents and families discuss the war in Israel with their college students with truth and in love so that serious discussions ca...

“They shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)” —Matthew 1:23 Janet Denison is the author of numerous Advent devtionals, including this year’s most recent release, The Gift of Immanuel . As a long-time Bible study teacher, Janet offers accessible insight into God’s word at Foundations with Janet . In this episode of The Denison Forum Podcast, she discusses her newest Advent devotion...

“We are a Bible-haunted nation.” Kaitlyn Schiess is the author of The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here . She joined The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss her latest book, which Publisher’s Weekly called “​​a nuanced look at America's legacy of scriptural language.” Schiess talks about how we can read, interpret, and appl...

Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.” So when terrorists strike, missiles are fired, and ground wars begin in the Middle East, it’s easy to question whether the end times are coming. To add to our anxiety, the words surrounding how Christians discuss the end times are daunting: Eschatology . Premillennialism . Postmillennialism . Dispensationalism . Replacement theology . What do...

The dangers of Christian nationalism Andrew L. Whitehead’s accessible book American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church raises difficult but necessary questions about the influence of Christian nationalism in America. What is Christian nationalism? Why is it dangerous for our faith, our churches, and our country? How can Christians see through Christian...

Texas Baptist Men offers direct ways for you to help those in need.  Denison Forum seeks to help people think biblically and act redemptively as culture-changing Christians. In the midst of the war in Israel, we seek to inform believers with resources on how to think biblically about this current crisis. We are also calling on Christians to act redemptively by praying fervently, giving sacrificial...

As Christians, have we lost our religion? Evangelical altar calls are urgent invitations to respond to the Holy Spirit and the truth of God with humility, repentance, trust, and renewed obedience. Why do American evangelical Christians need to hear and answer such a call? Have some evangelicals turned things like influence, authority, credibility, and stability into idols? How can Christians becom...