Thinking Out Loud

We recently had the privilege of participating in a symposium at Restoration Presbyterian Church devoted to the topic of understanding our cultural moment. This week’s episodes will thus be a bit different: we’re going to release both of the talks we gave at the symposium, starting with Cameron’s. We pray that it’s helpful to you. 

There’s been a concerted effort in recent years not only to construe Bonhoeffer as a card-carrying evangelical (he wasn’t), but also as a right-wing culture warrior who would have voted for Donald Trump. Bonhoeffer’s family, along with a number of scholars, have vigorously protested this use of the man’s name and legacy. Join us as we explore the growing temptation to use respected Christian voice...

Join us as we discuss the election and explore some of its outworkings.

Christians recognize that we live in a fallen world. Nevertheless, when we survey the growing levels of despair among believers, it’s clear that many are suffering because of unrealistic expectations. Here, we do our best to balance hope with realism.

Non-traditional forms of media, whether podcasts, YouTube channels, or substack writers, are outpacing mainstream media. In this episode, we consider what this changing media landscape says about the state of our culture.

It’s our annual Halloween episode where Nathan lets Cameron off his leash to talk about spooky season and horror films. Cameron doesn’t have the most sympathetic audience here, but the discussion is always fun.

In a fascinating discussion , Jordan Peterson and Richard Dawkins grapple with the nature of truth, Christianity, and…the virgin birth. As is usual, Peterson seems reluctant to come down firmly on direct questions regarding the supernatural events of Scripture. We decided to jump in.

As our nation grows increasingly post-Christian, many believers find themselves on the margins. This is a new experience for Christians in North America and one that will require some adjustment. However, one small group seems to have escaped the cultural scrutiny. Ironically, the Amish are more countercultural in their lifestyle and more insular than most believers. And yet they remain strangely...

Social critics have coined the phrase “apocalypse fatigue” to characterize the general weariness that’s a byproduct of our constant catastrophizing. Throughout history, many people assumed that the end was drawing near and that the world had reached such a chaotic state that no recovery was possible. And then the world kept on turning as it does today. In this episode, we consider whether things r...

A recent article detailing the misdeeds of the social media giant is bringing it under scrutiny once again, this time for its role in harming teens, young women in particular. In this episode, we consider the overall value of social media and also pose the question of whether it’s even worth redeeming for the purposes of ministry.

From The Atlantic and National Review to Slate , a slew of recent articles argues that reading among young people is becoming increasingly rare. To be sure, humanities professors have been making this argument for a long time, but the tone has shifted to a more practical concern in these new pieces. Students are simply unwilling (or unable) to read for extended periods of time. In this episode, we...

Wars and rumors of war are rampant at the moment. The sight of hundreds of rockets lighting up the sky over Jerusalem only intensifies these anxieties. In this episode, we discuss the nature of today’s global conflicts and consider how we might think, pray, and behave responsibly, first as Christians and then as citizens. 

Stuart McAllister grew up in post-war Britain and is no stranger to the allure of nationalism. In this episode, we asked Stuart about his past experiences with nationalism, as well as his read on its global resurgence.

A frequent question put to us is, “How do you come up with topics for TOL?” A twice-weekly podcast demands a lot of content after all. In this episode, we discuss our top sources for the podcast and consider how they help us to better frame current events.

On a recent trip to Singapore, Pope Francis made the following statement to an interreligious group: “[Religions] are like different languages in order to arrive at God, but God is God for all. Since God is God for all, then we are all children of God.” He went on to point out that all faith traditions lead to the same destination. Naturally, these off-the-cuff remarks have sparked controversy, pa...

Miles Smith IV recently decided to comb through most of the major publications by self-proclaimed exvangelicals. The end result was a provocative piece for Mere Orthodoxy. We also recommend the interview he did with Aaron Renn. One major factor he identifies is a form of clericalism that stems from a weak ecclesial structure. Join us as we dive into this discussion.  

In this episode, we discuss the events of September 11, 2001 and consider how they changed the world.

We tend to think about cultural influence under the heading of major categories like politics, economics, education, technology, and media. However, what if all of these are outworkings of something much deeper and more mysterious—namely, the human spirit? Join us as we kick the hornet’s nest once again on the topic of cultural engagement.

If you know anything about TOL, you know we have tremendous respect for the sociologist James Davison Hunter. It just so happens that Hunter has released a new book: Democracy and Solidarity. It’s a sobering and at times pessimistic book about the cultural crisis in America. In this episode, we talk about Hunter’s approach to uncovering the deep sources of cultural change.

Gossip is a routine part of most of our lives. It’s also deeply destructive. In this episode, we consider the cultural significance of gossip and examine some of its outworkings in our communities.

It’s an extremely weighty topic, but how do we wrestle honestly with faithful prayer in a world filled with so much that runs counter to God’s will? Join us as we wade into these troubled waters.

A fascinating article in New Atlantis Magazine charts the strange cultural journey of psychedelics. What began as a full-blown Utopian vision to heal a fractured modern society has ended in yet another bland consumer option. We’ve come a long way from Timothy Leary to Joe Rogen. In this episode, we consider this strange trajectory.

It’s a safe bet that the outcome of this deeply contentious election will result in a good deal of bitterness and acrimony. As Christians who have a deep concern for their nation, how do we respond to these circumstances? And how do we avoid succumbing to bitterness ourselves?

In a rare occurrence, we found ourselves not only in the same room, but at the same conference . The organizers thought it might be a good idea to have us record this episode before a live audience. We’ll let you be the judge of whether that was a good idea…

And so much more. Really, this episode is a discussion on the importance (and difficulty) of building, rather than simply critiquing when it comes to the life of the church. This article was particularly wise on the subject. We hope you’ll join us. And for the record, we’re not necessarily telling you to avoid Basham’s new book. We’re just offering thoughts on why it may be more of a distraction f...