Questions From The Pew - WOS

On this final episode of season three, we’re doing something a little different. We’re releasing an episode from The Mestizo Podcast, a podcast in the same ministry network we’re a part of, World Outspoken. It’s moderated by Emanuel “Ricky” Padilla, the president of the organization and a guest we’ve had on our podcast before. We’re releasing this episode on our platform because we feel it touches...

With a tent as large as Evangelical Christianity, it is no surprise that Christians have found themselves on opposite, even opposing, sides. With the help of those who claim the identity of “Evangelical” or those who are associated with the movement, Evangelical Christianity garnered a particular reputation during the previous presidency, exposing or causing rifts in many pockets of movement. Publ...

The temperature in the United States is high. People are angry. They aren’t particularly angry with someone they know personally, but rather there is growing frustration with the way the country is being run. It seems like every day a news story breaks that sparks outrage from one group and a heated defense from another. Phrases like Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, anti-vax, mask-mandate, C...

What does a holistic Christian education look like in the 21st century? What is the difference between indoctrination and education? Given our pluralistic cultural context, how should a Christian education interact with the surrounding culture? Is the formal aspect of education the most important in shaping the minds of students? All that and more on this edition of Questions From The Pew. &n...

In early August, Netflix released Pray Away , a documentary that focuses on the ex-gay movement, the harm caused by conversion or reparative therapy, and the journeys of both survivors and leaders of the movement. We were approached with the chance to interview the film’s director, Kristine Stolakis. We were able to talk to her about her experience of filming the documentary and what she hopes the...

With such wide ranging perceptions of the apostle Paul present in our modern context, how should the Christian, one who wants to be faithful to the biblical text but also relevant for his own time, engage with the Pauline letters of the New Testament? Should the writings of Paul be the center of how we understand the Christian faith? Are the epistles supposed to be viewed as theological textbooks...

The Old Testament is a hurdle for many modern readers of the Bible, not least of all Christians. Violent accounts are woven through the Hebrew Scriptures and seem to upset the image of Judaism and Christianity as religions of peace and the image of God as a loving deity. This has led some to conclude that the God of the Old Testament is different from the one found in the New Testament. Others hav...

What should we think about the assertion that Christians are facing persecution in America? Is the American Church making claims of persecution that are unfounded or is this something we should truly be worried about? Is the Christian church in America under religious persecution or is it in need of a reality check? All that and more on this edition of Questions From The Pew. RESOURCES: Religious...

What relationship should Christians have with mental health counseling?  Are there any aspects of Christianity that would push us towards embracing mental health practice or are the two diametrically opposed? How does spiritual formation interact with mental health? Do these ideas represent two approaches to the same goal or do they serve separate purposes? Is the Bible the only thing necessa...

Conspiracy theories, for the most part, have resided on the fringes of society. But in the past two years they have migrated front and center, making headlines and, for some, raising grave concerns. Alarmingly, Christians are caught up in all of this, many times not knowing exactly what to believe as truth. Christians have always understood that there is a reality beyond the present physical one w...

In this bonus episode, we respond to a few questions submitted by listeners and make a few exciting announcements about how you can support our work. All that and more on this bonus episode of Questions From The Pew. Leave us a short voice message or text message at (312) 725-2995. Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/questionsfromthepew

The current state of the world has forced congregations across the nation to reconsider how they do church. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for a bigger conversation that has already been happening for quite some time. From the worship wars that dominated ecclesial conversations for a good decade to the more recent conversations about the validity of the seeker-sensitive model, conversatio...

As if justice and Christianity cannot coexist, the pursuit of a just society has led many to abandon their faith. What should we make of this? Dr. Michael O. Emerson joins us to talk about his recent article “Goodbye Christ. I’ve Got Justice Duty.” Together, we ask how does individualism affect how justice is understood within particular Christian communities? Has justice been politicized? What is...

Immigration. A constant aspect of human life since its inception. From the movement of ancient Near Eastern clans to what we might think of in the world of the modern nation-state, immigration has impacted countless lives throughout history for better and for worse. The Bible does not shy away from this reality and is rife with stories and examples of people groups migrating. Whether they’ve been...

The ethnic and cultural identity of America is changing. As the world continues to globalize year by year, the unwritten law of the land is trending away from traditional American assumptions. What responsibility, if any, do Christians have in welcoming diversity and championing inter-ethnic collaboration? Can members of majority and minority cultures engage one another’s differing values and expe...

College: The gateway to the American dream. With a college education, socio-economic stability can be secured. But recent trends in higher education have caused many to rethink that common assumption. Prospective college students now wonder if college is really worth it. Christian colleges and universities are not immune to these changes either, and many have been forced to try and keep up with th...

With the ever-broadening divide in the civic arena, disagreements have begun to arise about what it even means to be an American. Suddenly, the popular measure for a true American is whether or not they happen to agree with me. What does it look like to be a Patriotic Christian in our present political environment? Is patriotism the same thing as nationalistic zeal? Where does the church fit into...

This special bonus episode is being released in light of Juneteenth , an important holiday on many levels and we hope that this conversation helps our listeners wrestle through this very important and timely question. The perennial problem of race in America has once more crashed onto the national scene. As has so often been the case, people have divided into camps. Very little room, if any at all...

Hello, faithful listener. We deliberated on whether to post this podcast today given the recent protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd. While we certainly do not want to detract from the much needed attention of the country on police brutality and racial inequality, we decided to continue with our normal posting schedule. While this podcast does not directly confront the issue at hand, we...

Societal and political events have caused both insiders and outsiders to ask “Is the Evangelical movement at an end?” Perhaps a better question to ask is, “ Should the Evangelical movement come to an end?” What part of the Christian witness is strengthened by the title “Evangelical”? What is lost? Are we losing more than we gain by calling ourselves Evangelicals? Is it time to give up the title “E...

Season 2 of Questions From The Pew is almost upon us! This season, Lucas and Reichert will be discussing whether the term “Evangelical” is still a useful one in our day and age, ideological deconstruction and reconstruction, Christian higher education, and so much more. You can now also support QFTP financially through Patreon if that is something you would like to do. So join the conversation. Al...

Christianity was birthed from the margins of a world empire. Its founder was no man of power in the traditional sense; neither were its first adherents people of influence. American Christianity is a far cry from those early days. For centuries, Christians have enjoyed a considerable level of influence and comfort. But the culture is steadily severing its ties with historic Christianity in an atte...

Is there any truth to self-help books that teach you how to have a good life or think positively, YouTube channels that offer guided methods of living well, or personality tests which help you discover your true self and unlock your hidden potential? Prayer and personal Bible reading are often seen as the normative Christian practices for spiritual formation. Yet culture’s interest in a more holis...

Questions From the Pew hopes to engage with the questions that are weighing on the hearts and minds of people sitting in the pew, Christian or not, so questions and comments are invaluable. Thanks to all the feedback from listeners, this episode takes on a different feel. It’s time to do a bit of housekeeping. Who are Lucas and Reichert, and what does that mean for the questions asked on the podca...

In our highly divisive and dualistic world, where you’re either one of us or one of them, there seems to be no middle ground. Right in the center of that, and perhaps adding to the division, multiple Christian groups have released so-called “statements” on certain points of theology and practice. While they can certainly provide a point of commonality between all those who sign it, are the advanta...