Should Christians identify as gay? Is this a secondary issue that should not divide Christians, or is more at stake? Sean and Preston Sprinkle continue the dialogue from last week and focus on the question of whether homosexuality can be one part of Christian identity.

Preston Sprinkle is Biblical scholar, speaker, and the head of the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. He is the best-selling author of multiple books including People to be Loved and Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage? He hosts the popular podcast Theology in the Raw.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

This week, Sean and Scott discuss:

• New Study on Gender Affirming Surgery – A major peer-reviewed study finds increased psychological distress post-surgery, sparking discussion on long-term mental health effects and the importance of pre-surgical mental health assessments.
• The Future of Faith in America – Pew data suggests the rise of the “nones” (religiously unaffiliated) has plateaued, but experts predict continued secularization due to generational shifts.
• The Nature vs. Nurture Debate Evolves – A look at sociogenomics, a new field exploring how genes and environment interact, raising ethical concerns about genetic selection in reproduction.
• Listener Question: Does the Bible Actually Forbid 1st Cousin Marriage?
• Listener Feedback: Are Adoptive Parents Heroes? – A listener challenges the idea of calling adoptive parents "heroes," prompting a discussion on the bittersweet realities of adoption.
• Listener Question: Shifting Pastoral Expectations – A pastor shares struggles with evolving church leadership roles, leading to a conversation on how pastors can navigate changing responsibilities.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Should Christians use preferred pronouns? Is it wise and biblically permissible, or not? While Sean has had this discussion before on the Think Biblically podcast, this episode features a conversation with Preston Sprinkle, and they go even deeper. They also discuss how the LGBTQ conversation has shifted in the church over the past decade.

Preston Sprinkle is Biblical scholar, speaker, and the head of the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. He is the best-selling author of multiple books including Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say and Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage? He hosts the popular podcast Theology in the Raw.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

• Maine Continues to Fight over Transgender Athletes
• A Bill to Recognise First Cousin Marriage
• Is America Becoming a Theocracy?
• A Bill in Washington Challenges Religous Liberty

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

How strong is the evidence for near-death experiences? How has the field of study changed over the past 50 years since doctors, academics, and other experts began studying them? And what do they reveal about the soul or the afterlife? In this episode, Sean and Scott talk with Dr. Steve Miller, a near-death experience researcher and author, about these questions and more. They discuss how the study of near-death experiences, and deathbed experiences, has shifted over the past 5 decades.

Steve is an educator (teaches in the Interdisciplinary Studies Department at Kennesaw State University), researcher, entrepreneur, and speaker, having taught audiences from Atlanta to Moscow. Along with studying near-death experiences, Steve has also researched and written on the topic of deathbed experiences. He is the author of multiple books including Near-Death Experiences as Evidence for the Afterlife and Heaven.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

• Humanoid Robots in the Workforce. AI-powered robots are becoming more common for tasks like stacking and sorting, though their abilities remain limited.
• Medically Assisted Suicide and Alzheimer's: Quebec now allows terminally ill patients to choose assisted death years in advance, sparking ethical debates.
• Christianity’s Resilience in America: New research challenges the idea of Christianity’s decline, showing signs of resilience and growth.
• Planned Parenthood Allegations: Reports reveal botched care, lawsuits, and toxic work environments, raising safety concerns.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

What are the sociological effects for women from trans ideology? How do we think biblically given our confused cultural moment about sex, gender, and identity? And what does all this mean for those who want to reach and disciple Gen Z? Sean and Scott address these questions and more with Katie McCoy, author of To Be a Woman.

Katie McCoy holds a PhD in Systematic Theology from Southwestern Seminary (TX), where she served on faculty for five years. Katie's research includes the patterns of justice for women in Old Testament laws as well as the intersection of theology, gender, and women's studies. She is the author of To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond, as well as co-author of Humanity, part of the Theology for the People of God series.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

In this episode, Scott Rae and guest co-host Dr. Tim Pickavance tackle key cultural issues through a biblical lens:

• Are Traditional Wedding Vows Disappearing? A discussion on the enduring significance of wedding vows and their role in shaping lasting marriages.
• Free Speech in the Digital Age – How platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta are handling (or not handling) hate speech, and the tricky balance between free expression and content moderation.
• Is TikTok Killing Democracy? The impact of social media on students’ ability to think critically and engage in meaningful discourse.
• Another IVF Tragedy – A heartbreaking mix-up at a fertility clinic raises tough ethical and personal dilemmas.
• Listener Q&A: Addressing deep questions on faith, social issues, and bioethics, including how to help young people think biblically, how to acknowledge miscarried children, and the ethics of medical enhancement.

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Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.

Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.
Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video.

To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.