Thinking Out Loud

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 infor...

We’ve witnessed a dramatic spike in antisemitism in the wake of Hamas’s recent attack on Israel. Though certainly not a new development, the animus toward Jewish people, particularly on Northeastern university campuses, is growing more dramatic. In this episode, we discuss this growing antisemitism and consider some of its broader implications. 

Why do so many outside the church see Christianity as little more than a political party? And why is there such a temptation to conflate our spiritual convictions with our citizenship? It’s a perennial problem that intensifies during times of cultural crisis. Join as we explore the co-opting of Christianity.  

William Friedkin’s landmark horror film, The Exorcist, turns 50 this year. It happens to be Cameron’s favorite movie, so Nathan decided to grill him on the subject.

The practice of evangelism has come under scrutiny in recent years. Many young people now question the ethics of missionary work as well. On a more practical note, many of us also shudder at the thought of getting into an awkward conversation about faith with the people around us. And what about discipleship? Is it possible to separate evangelism from discipleship as we often seem to do? Join us a...

The addition of a postgraduate course on magic at Exeter University in England is raising eyebrows. To our minds, however, this fits well with the surging interest in exotic forms of spirituality. But could this also be an opportunity for earnest conversations on the nature of reality? We think so. Join us as we chat about the burgeoning interest in all things magic. 

The conflict between Israel and Palestine brings us face to face with the notion of collective guilt. How do we wrap our minds around individuals being held responsible for the actions of a larger group, or, in many cases, actions and events that preceded their own lifetimes? How do we hold people responsible for somebody else’s behavior? In this episode, we train a theological lens on these vexin...

What do a megachurch pastor and the Pope have in common? No, that’s not the start of a joke. Both of these figures offer a dramatic picture of the continued difficulty to be in, but not of, the modern world. Join us as we explore how issues of sexuality and human identity are continuing to eradicate the comfortable middle for the church.

On the morning of Saturday, October 7th, Hamas carried out a series of coordinated attacks against Israel, killing 700 and wounding over 2000. Over 150 people, including women, young children, and the elderly, have been taken hostage. In this episode, we talk about these terrible events and consider the nature of warfare in today’s world. 

Nathan Rittenhouse recently appeared on the Premier UnBelievable podcast to discuss the question, Do Animals have souls? His interlocutor in the discussion is Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador Emeritus for Compassion in World Farming. Click here to listen to the podcast and to read Nathan’s follow-up article. In this episode, Nathan begins by trying to convince Cameron to become a vegetarian.

Nathan Rittenhouse recently appeared on the Premier UnBelievable podcast to discuss the question, Do Animals have souls? His interlocutor in the discussion is Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador Emeritus for Compassion in World Farming. Click here to listen to the podcast and to read Nathan’s follow-up article. In this episode, we unpack Nathan’s conversation and we press into why the question of animal rig...

Nathan Rittenhouse argues that we live in a moment when our idealism is outpacing our capabilities. In this episode, we explore the tension of wanting to improve the world while facing our human limitations. 

Inspired by a recent article in Plough Magazine by Dr. Kathleen Mulhern, we decided to explore why so many of us drop all spiritual practices after five o’clock.

From road rage to people losing their tempers in public spaces (airports, restaurants, stores, etc.), anger is a dominant emotion in our cultural moment. Is it possible to be angry without losing control? Should we as Christian press toward a life that’s totally free of anger or is that wildly unrealistic? Join us as we press into this volatile emotion.

Swift backlash followed Drew Barrymore’s announcement that her show would move forward in spite of the ongoing writer’s strike. She’s since made the decision to postpone it. In this episode, we delve into the weird world of US entertainment and consider its relationship to work. 

Known as the Postman Pledge , a group of some 37 families have chosen to disavow all social media usage and smartphones in their homes. Predictably, not every member of the household is happy with this arrangement, but it does represent an interesting challenge to our tech-saturated moment. In this episode, we explore Postman Pledge, as well as our dependence on technology. 

Rolling Stone magazine recently published an exposé on the “toxic work environment” of the Tonight Show, pointing specifically to Fallon as a key contributor to the chaotic atmosphere behind the scenes. Known for his endearing mannerisms and affable personality, Fallon seemed to be a paragon of niceness. In this episode, we explore niceness and consider its relatively superficial nature.

A recent article offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the mindset of a pastor leaving his church. In this episode, we explore the pitfalls of a consumer approach to church, as well as some of the daunting challenges facing those who simply want to be faithful pastors, rather than CEOs and administrators.

There’s no avoiding it; this is an AI moment. But many of the fears about AI seem to vastly overestimate its nefarious capacities. In this episode, we explore the confusion surrounding this topic and consider how we might put our fears into perspective.

In a recent piece for First Things , Samuel Klumpenhouwer makes the case for displaced PhDs to find a home at classical schools. The job stability is better, the intellectual community is stimulating, and, perhaps most importantly, the students aren’t yet jaded and cynical. In this episode, we talk about the crisis in higher education and consider what form the education of our children ought to t...

According to a number of recent reports , not only are many evangelicals walking away from church; they’re holding onto their orthodox convictions. That is, they still believe in the Trinity, the virgin birth, and Jesus’ resurrection. They just stopped going to church. Join us, as we explore some of the steps it took to get us here, as well as the larger question of whether all of this waning atte...

Yes, it’s a clunky title, but the topic came from a well-worded listener question about raising boys in today’s world. Join us as we chat about everything from “toxic masculinity” to the changing dynamics of household economies.

Oliver Anthony’s song has become a viral sensation and now every major cultural critic is eager to break the song down and examine its underpinnings. While we didn't want to dissect the song, we did want to explore it a bit, since it’s captured the public imagination in such a powerful way.

Fad diets and weight loss medication seem to offer long term benefits for short term costs. Even though we know these products can’t deliver on their full promises, we continue to buy into them. Why? Join us as we explore the considerable overlap between physical and spiritual health.

China’s refusal to abide by the terms of the Paris Agreement makes it clear that the West doesn’t speak for the world. In this episode, we consider the fact that other cultural perspectives remain a challenge for us, no matter how cosmopolitan we may believe ourselves to be.