The Ethics of AI and the Catholic Church: Silicon Valley is increasingly consulting the Catholic Church to address complex AI ethics through the "Minerva Dialogues," a partnership that has lasted for over a decade. While tech companies seek to rehabilitate their reputations, the Church aims to insert theological and ethical considerations into a field often dominated by transhumanist views.

The Rise of "Microlooting": A new trend reveals that some individuals feel morally justified in stealing small items from large corporations, viewing it as a form of "theft as justice". This mindset often stems from the belief that corporations are inherently oppressive and that the cost of stolen goods is already factored into their bottom lines.

High IQ Political Attackers: Scott and Sean discuss a concerning emergence of highly intelligent individuals who use their intellectual capabilities to orchestrate sophisticated political attacks.

Increasing Belief in the Afterlife: Recent data suggests that belief in the afterlife is on the rise in the United States, sparking a conversation on how this trend impacts modern culture and spirituality.

Audience Question: Writing and Time Management: The hosts offer practical advice on how to balance creative pursuits like writing with the demands of a busy schedule, emphasizing discipline and priority-setting.

Audience Question: Follow-up on Catholic Schools and LGBTQ Parents: Building on a previous episode's article, the hosts address a listener's follow-up question regarding the Colorado case where a Catholic school denied re-enrollment to children of a same-sex couple, the hosts discuss the importance of schools being clear about their mission and religious convictions while acknowledging the difficulty of the situation for the child.

Humanization and Rights for AI: In a speculative look at the future, a listener asked whether AI models might eventually be "humanized" to the point of being granted legal or moral rights—a concept the hosts analyze through the lens of intrinsic human dignity and embodiment.

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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.

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.

Why would a professional Canadian hockey player, who grew up as a Christian, transition from female to male, and then detransition back? How did God’s word transform her life and what did she learn through the process of gender confusion, reassignment surgery and detransitioning? In this episode, Sean talks with author Kyla Gillespie about her new riveting book Transformed.

Kyla Gillespie was born in BC, Canada. Being raised in a Christian home, she came to faith in Jesus Christ at a young age. As early as the age of five, she began to experience gender dysphoria. In her teens, wrestling with both same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria, life became difficult. She spent her late teens and adult years as a Professional Women's Hockey Player. After a lifelong battle with Gender Identity, in 2011 she fully transitioned from female to male. While living as a male for six years, God revealed himself to her in a powerful way. Since then she has fully de-transitioned and is now living out her God-given gender and sexuality as a woman in pursuit of Jesus. Kyla is an active and involved member of her local Church, Gospel City, in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada.

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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.

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.

Supreme Court Case on Religious Liberty: Sean and Scott discuss a new case involving Catholic preschools in Colorado that were denied public funding for refusing to enroll children from LGBTQ families. The debate centers on whether the state can mandate non-discrimination policies for faith-based organizations receiving public funds.

The Ethics of Monogamy and Infidelity: Despite a near-unanimous American disapproval of infidelity, the hosts analyze a recent article questioning if it is time to move beyond traditional monogamy. They explore the rise of "consensual non-monogamy" and how individualistic cultural tendencies are shifting moral perspectives on relationships.

Developing Virtuous AI Models: The team examines an article discussing a new AI model from Anthropic that incorporates religious and philosophical principles to create a "virtuous" chatbot. They question the effectiveness of using technology to simulate wisdom and the theological implications of "religious" machines.

Policy Shifts on Psychedelics: A discussion regarding an executive order loosening restrictions on psychedelics explores the potential medical benefits and moral risks of these substances. The hosts weigh the clinical applications of such drugs against the biblical call for sobriety and sound-mindedness.

Audience Question: AI Actors and Necromancy: In response to an audience question on using AI to represent deceased actors, the hosts discuss whether this technology crosses a line into digital necromancy. They explore the ethical boundaries of interacting with simulations of the dead versus using them as creative tools.

Audience Question: AI as Tools vs. Beings: The team addresses whether AI models should be viewed strictly as machines or if treating them like social beings compromises our understanding of personhood. They emphasize maintaining a clear distinction between human "Imago Dei" and man-made technology.

Audience Question: AI in Job Interviews: Responding to employers who use AI to conduct job interviews, Scott and Sean discuss concerns about algorithmic bias and the loss of human connection. They argue that the hiring process should recognize the dignity of individuals rather than reducing them to data points.

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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.

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 does God use our suffering for our good? What does it mean for us honor God in our suffering? And how does our eternal hope give us comfort in the midst of suffering? We’ll address these questions and more with our guest and former colleague, Clay Jones around his new book co-authored with his wife, How Does God Use our Suffering for our Good?

Dr. Clay Jones served as a Professor of Christian Apologetics at Biola University and is former Chairman of the Board for Ratio Christi, a university apologetics ministry. He is the author of two other books, Why Does God Allow Evil? and Immortal: How the Fear of Death Drives Us and What We Can Do About It.

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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.

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.

Rise of Religiosity Among Young Men: A recent Gallup survey shows a significant 14% increase in men under 30 who say religion is "very important" to them, even as interest among young women has dropped.

Trump’s Messianic Imagery: The hosts examine the controversy surrounding Donald Trump’s social media posts, specifically a meme depicting himself as a messianic figure, and how it relates to historical tensions between heads of state and religious leaders.

Sports Gambling as the New Pornography: Scott and Sean explore the cultural impact and addictive nature of the burgeoning sports gambling industry, drawing parallels to the social harms of pornography.

Hidden Awareness in Vegetative Patients: New research into the consciousness of patients in vegetative states is analyzed, raising profound ethical and theological questions about human value and medical care.

Audience Question: Politicians and the Bible in War: A listener asked about the ethics of politicians using biblical passages to justify military conflict, leading to a discussion on the "just war" tradition and the potential for scriptural misappropriation.

Audience Question: Favorite Movies of All Time: In a lighter segment, the hosts share their personal favorite movies, discussing how film can reflect deep human truths and provide meaningful entertainment.

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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.

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 is a biblical response to transgender theory? What is the relationship between sex and gender? How can Christians best navigate our cultural moment with biblical conviction and compassion? In our discussion, Dr. Smith argues that God's design is for a person's gender to be rooted in his or her biological sex, which is the body God gives. Smith offers a helpful and pastoral critique of transgender theory and talks about where this debate may be headed.

Dr. Robert S. Smith is an Australian ordained minister in the Anglican church and a writer in theology, ethics, and music ministry. He formerly taught at Sydney Missionary & Bible College. He is the award-winning author of The Body God Gives: A Biblical Response to Transgender Theory.

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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.

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.

Declining U.S. Fertility Rates: Scott and Sean discuss how the U.S. fertility rate has hit a historic low. They explore how economic pressures and a secular worldview that prioritizes personal "settling" over family are driving this decline.

Canada’s "Online Harms" Bill (C-63): They examine a new Canadian bill that aims to combat hate but may threaten religious liberty. Concerns are raised about increased penalties for "hate crimes" and how broadly "hate" might be defined by the government.

Finland’s Shift on Gender Care: A peer-reviewed study from Finland is highlighted, showing that young people who undergo gender reassignment surgery often require significant psychiatric care years later. This has prompted a more cautious approach to gender-affirming care in Finland.

The Ethics of "Sharenting": The episode addresses the growing backlash from children raised in "sharenting" families who are unhappy that their childhoods were broadcast to the world for clicks. The hosts discuss the moral implications of parents using their children for social media content.

Audience Question: Ancient Atheistic Cultures: The hosts respond to a question about whether there have ever been successful atheistic cultures in history, noting that most civilizations have been rooted in some form of religious belief.

Audience Question: AI and the Future: They discuss the rapid development of AI, specifically its potential role in shifting human relationships and contributing to social isolation.

Audience Question: Faith and Fiction: An aspiring author asks for advice on whether to include LGBTQ characters in their stories, sparking a conversation on how to represent reality truthfully while remaining faithful to a biblical worldview.

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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.

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 terms of influence and economic power, the porn industry is one of the largest and most influential industries in the world. A new book has been released which offers a secular critique of the "pornocracy," which means that it is no longer just conservatives proclaiming that porn rewires the brain and normalizes sexual violence. Sean and Scott discuss this disturbing new book and what it means for the church. *Warning: this episode is not for children.

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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.

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.