Thinking Out Loud

Health care workers are four times more likely to experience workplace violence than any other profession. Given this staggering number, hospitals across the country are assembling their own police forces and work is underway to intensify laws protecting these spaces. In the past, medical facilities were viewed mainly as places to seek medical attention. Today, the expectations are higher. In this...

Today, many incisive thinkers speak of Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic as a prophecy. “Welcome to our Brave New World,” they say with a grimace. In this episode, we explore Huxley’s novel and consider some of the ways it parallels (and departs from) our cultural moment.

Why do sexual sins get all of the focus in our churches, while pride often gets a free pass? Worse, pride is often celebrated and rewarded. In this episode, we explore some practical strategies for overcoming pride. 

As of Tuesday, TV and movie writers are on strike. The tense discussions leading up to this impasse terminated in a failure on the part of studios to issue a new contract. It's easy to get lost in the weeds on this story, but one aspect we find interesting is how little value we seem to place in the actual makers of our society, whether they're artists, farmers, or craftsman. On the other...

From the immorality of sex before marriage to the necessity of cultivating an active prayer life, the so-called basics of Christian life aren’t so basic anymore. How did we get to a place where grace is understood in mainly passive terms, obedience is viewed as legalism, and God is seen as a distant figure who doesn’t interfere in our day-to-day lives? Join us for an intense discussion.

Yes, we’re discussing one of the most misunderstood of the seven deadly sins. Though we might be tempted to equate sloth with laziness, this is not its true meaning. An actual glimpse into this particular vice offers a picture that’s equal parts practical and convicting. The cure is even more challenging. Sound uplifting? Join us as we dive into acedia. 

In a previous episode, we talked about staying at a church where you’re not happy. But what if you’re not happy with your denomination? How do we know when to leave? And how can we work to ensure that our decision isn’t just shaped by matters of personal preference? This won’t be the last time we talk about this subject, but it is the first time.

Now that we got your attention with that title, we invite you to join us for what we hope is a fair and careful discussion about the nature of Christian cultural engagement. As our title suggests, this episode will likely push you a bit in your thinking. All we ask is that you give it a fair shake.

Is there intelligent life out there? What about the uptick in credible UFO incidents? More importantly, would the existence of intelligent life beyond earth represent a threat to Christianity? Join us as we delve into this weird territory.

What do Elon Musk, Bud Light, and the new Super Mario Bros movie have in common? No, that’s not the start of a joke. In this episode, we explore the apparent disconnect between the general public and our cultural elites. Our conclusions might surprise you. Here’s a hint: St. Peter doesn’t call Christians “resident aliens” for nothing.

“Chreaster”: a word that combines Christmas and Easter to describe people who only attend church twice a year. It’s not a particularly elegant word, but it does offer a concise summary of an interesting social phenomenon. In this episode, we consider “Chreasters,” as well as the various strategies churches use to draw them in.

Wanna know why we’ve got the word “rationality” in scare quotes? Tune in and find out. We’re exploring the resurrection, TOL style.

There seems to be a rather pronounced generation gap regarding the issue of cussing among Christians these days. Is it okay to cuss? What’s the difference between “cussing,” “cursing,” and “swearing”? Join us for an exploration of these crucial questions.

We entered into this recording with fear and trembling, and we pray that it might play some small but healing role as we wrestle with this latest atrocity.

The term “woke” has gone through many different transformations since it burst onto the scene of public discourse. Once a phrase that designated a kind of moral awakening, it has since mutated into a term of moral opprobrium. What did it mean? What does it mean now? Is it even worth using anymore? Join us for these questions and more.

The sociologist Max Weber famously coined the term “disenchantment” to describe the mood of the modern world. In recent years, however, there’s been a pronounced attempt to recover enchantment under the guise of various exotic spiritual practices (crystals, occult rituals, wicca, psychedelic drugs, etc.), and this burgeoning interest has crept its way into the church as well. But were we ever dise...

Gladwell being Gladwell, he has a theory on the various approaches to justice in modern entertainment. We’ve all heard of a “Western,” of course, but have you ever heard of an “Eastern”? How about a “Northern”? Join us as we do our best to take the joy out of your entertainment habits. Just kidding. Sort of…

What happens when our earnest prayers for healing don’t meet with success? And what should characterize our posture toward faith healing in the first place? Join us as we consider this crucial topic.

Do these two words go together at all, or do they signify an outright dismissal? Didn’t C.S. Lewis himself say that in Christ “myth became fact”? Join us as we explore the ways in which the word “myth” is applied to Scripture and consider how we might be more clear in our communication.

If you haven’t noticed, we try to read widely. Inevitably, this leads us to voices with whom we have serious disagreements. But aren’t ideas dangerous? Don’t they have, you know, consequences? In this episode, we try to make a responsible case for engaging with books and voices outside the church and how this can enhance your ministry and your spiritual growth.

“Are we a podcast that does ministry, or are we a ministry that does a podcast?” That was Nathan Rittenhouse’s question as we resigned from our former jobs and stepped out in faith to found Thinking Out Loud. It’s been nearly two years since that day, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to provide an update on the current shape of our ministry and where we hope to go.

The recent catastrophic train wreck in Ohio has led to a familiar public response: politicization, scapegoating, and wild speculation. In this episode, we pose the question, Is there such a thing as a genuine accident in the modern world?

Rest is likely one of the most undervalued aspects of human life today. Our culture is frenetic in its pace and ruthless in its demands. Sadly, those of us who follow Jesus often get swept into this dynamic, trying to justify our existence through our productivity. In this episode, we consider the importance of rest and seek to recover a biblical understanding of its crucial place in human life.

Our title begs the question, Is Roald Dahl being censored? Publishers are softening some of the language in classic children’s tales like James and the Giant Peach , Matilda , and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in order to cater to current sensibilities. Doesn’t this set a dangerous precedent? Join us as we dive into the discussion.

With the recent launch of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics , Tim Keller has finally caught up with TOL in recognizing the importance of this mode of engagement. Okay, we’re patting ourselves on the back a bit too hard, but we did want to jump into the discussion as this important new project will no doubt bring a more missional slant to the apologetic task.