Thinking Out Loud

From Columbia University all the way to the University of Georgia, protests against the war between Israel and Hamas are erupting all over the nation. As Nathan observes on the podcast, these kinds of protests are a relatively recent phenomenon and depend upon a political framework that values the dignity and worth of the individual—something firmly rooted in Christianity. In this episode, we cons...

Not all of today’s art is ugly, of course. But there is a rather pronounced flight from beauty in many contemporary cultural artifacts, from movies and television to novels and poetry. Why this principled interest in ugliness? Join us as we explore what some critics refer to as “the uglification of everything.”

In a viral article for the The Free Press , former NPR journalist Uri Berliner highlights a number of striking failures at NPR, as well as a broader push from the organization to stop its audience from thinking for themselves. Berliner’s piece is the latest installment in a growing distrust of mainstream media sources. Join us as we explore some of the implications of trying to separate fact from...

Most people recognize that beauty as a broad category certainly isn’t restricted to a museum or an art gallery. However, the fact that lots of today’s artists seem committed to making aggressively ugly art has led to a widespread distrust. In this episode, we press into that distrust and aim to expand the conversation.

The baleful tone regarding generation z shows no sign of abating. But are these young people really facing such unprecedented challenges because of social media and smartphones? For that matter, isn’t smartphone addiction something that affects all of us, rather than one age demographic? Join us as we dive in.

One of the many predictions concerning the future impact of AI technologies is that the traditional work week will shrink down to 2-3 days. As Cameron wryly observes, “We’re having a cultural crisis of meaning and now we’re going to take away a good portion of our work. What could possibly go wrong?” In this episode, we explore the value of work and consider its place in human life, as well as its...

In an incisive essay for First Things , Mary Harrington dubs the principled opposition to all normative standards that have governed western civilization down the ages as “normophobia.” Though perhaps not the subtlests of neologisms, the concept nevertheless captures a very real dynamic in our culture. Join us as we explore normophobia and we encourage you to read Harrington’s essay.

From the divine creation of the world all the way to the resurrection of Christ, Christians are predisposed to believe in extraordinary things. Or at least, this is what the cultural wisdom of the age would have us believe. But are Christians really uniquely gullible because they affirm the existence of the supernatural? Join us as we dive into this listener question.

In an interview that’s since gone viral, Professor Richard Dawkins, a once-militant atheist, admits to being a “cultural Christian,” effectively breaking the brains of nearly everyone familiar with his work and public persona. While he’s clear that he doesn’t believe in the existence of God, this still represents a stunning reversal. Plenty of Christians are understandably expressing skepticism. W...

From tarot cards to healing crystals and astrology apps, why is paganism so popular today? In this episode, we explore its appeal and consider why today’s practices often seem so shallow. 

Yes, it’s a provocative title and question, but evangelicals in particular have a tendency to view fictional truth with suspicion. No doubt, this stems in part from a Puritan heritage that rejected fiction as a lie. In this episode, we press into this strange heritage and consider how stories can tell the truth in vital ways.

According to the Surgeon General, loneliness is officially at epidemic levels. But why do we continue to treat an inherently spiritual condition as nothing more than a physical problem? And how are loneliness and a deeper sense of purpose connected? Join us as we explore these questions.  

American Christians, we’re not in Kansas anymore. The mood has shifted decisively and Christianity is now widely recognized by our most influential cultural voices as harmful for the individual and society. The list of accusations is as long as it is inaccurate: racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, misogynist, fascist, among others. How do we engage a cultural context this hostile? Join us as w...

One of the fundamental questions facing our world is whether Islam will see reform. There is a key distinction to be made between Islam as a theocratic vision and the many muslims who have peacefully integrated into Western nations. However, it would be naive to overlook the fact that the political aspirations of Islam have made strategic inroads into the West and that this process has been going...

The term “Christian Nationalism” has been steadily gaining traction as an epithet. On the one hand, critics are concerned about what they believe to be theocratic aspirations in certain fringe groups and movements. On the other hand, a growing number of intellectuals, many of them not Christian, are arguing that Christianity is the wellspring of western civilization as we know it. In this two-part...

The term “Christian Nationalism” has been steadily gaining traction as an epithet. On the one hand, critics are concerned about what they believe to be theocratic aspirations in certain fringe groups and movements. On the other hand, a growing number of intellectuals, many of them not Christian, are arguing that Christianity is the wellspring of Western Civilization as we know it. In this two-part...

Many Christian parents have serious reservations about the fantasy genre, the Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings notwithstanding. What are we to make of worlds filled with dark magic and evil sorcerers? In this episode, we delve into these questions and consider a Christian response to the fantasy genre. 

A recent piece in American Reformer makes the case for a “tragic view” of history, one that necessitates a figure like Donald Trump to counteract the civilizational threats that confront us from time to time. But do Christians really have a tragic view of history? Cameron doesn’t think so and Nathan decided to ask him about it. Join us as we push back against our nation’s mounting political despai...

We’ve just launched a free series taught by Stuart McAllister that consists of 7 videos titled, Inconvenient Truths . In this episode, Stuart joins us to discuss the series and offer some insights on how best to use it. There’s only one Al Gore reference.

The word “woke” is in wide circulation these days and has mutated into exclusively negative connotations. Why? And just what is so harmful about woke ideology in the first place? In the first part of this series, we trace the intellectual roots of this mindset and consider what a Christian response looks like. For those who want a concise exploration of wokeism, we recommend this article by Bishop...

The word “woke” is in wide circulation these days and has mutated into exclusively negative connotations. Why? And just what is so harmful about woke ideology in the first place? In the first part of this series, we trace the intellectual roots of this mindset and consider what a Christian response looks like. For those who want a concise exploration of wokeism, we recommend this article by Bishop...

From the ravages taking place in once-great American cities like San Francisco to the farmers challenging the double standards being imposed on them by the European Union, we continue to suffer because of idealists whose policies have little bearing on reality. In this episode, we press into the key differences between destructive idealism and the necessity of having ideals.

The latest “He gets us” ad that aired during the Super Bowl has something to offend everyone. Conservatives saw it as a capitulation to the fashionable issues of our day. Progressives saw it as a kind of Trojan Horse to smuggle in repressive values that we ought to discard. Join us as we dive into the conversation.  

The latest “He gets us” ad that aired during the Super Bowl has something to offend everyone. Conservatives saw it as a capitulation to the fashionable issues of our day. Progressives saw it as a kind of Trojan Horse to smuggle in repressive values that we ought to discard. Join us as we dive into the conversation.  

A Gen Z influencer has a theory about why people his age look older than their millennial peers. It has to do with cosmetic procedures taking place at a much younger age. The issue certainly isn’t generational, though. These days, most of us are beckoned in a narcissistic direction. In this episode, we chat about the self-obsession that’s driving us all crazy.