Digital Public Square: Recent Episodes
Jason Thacker
Over the past few years I’ve been joined by some of society’s most influential thinkers, writers, and leaders to talk about the important ideas shaping our society today, as well as some of the top issues of life in the Digital Public Square. The purpose of this podcast from the very beginning was to equip you to navigate these issues with wisdom.
For all good things must come to an end, and this is the last episode of the Digital Public Square podcast given my transition late last year to Boyce College and the shift in my role here at the ERLC. We decided to shift our research podcast strategy and combine efforts with the main ERLC podcast, which many of you already know and love. The change will allow me to continue interviewing top thinkers and writers about their work as part of a larger network of listeners at the podcast.
While this may be the end of the Digital Public Square podcast in this season, I hope these resources will continue to bless the church as she engages in the tasks set before us by Christ: to love God and to love our neighbors as our self.
If you’re not already subscribed to the podcast you can visit ERLC.com/podcast as well as major podcast platforms.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In today’s episode, I am joined by Dr. Dennis Hollinger to talk about his new book entitled Creation and Christian Ethics: Understanding God’s Designs for Humanity and the Worldfrom Baker Academic. Today, we discuss how creation speaks to the foundations of the Christian ethic and how we might recover a richer vision of humanity in light of God’s creation.
Meet Dennis:
Dennis Hollinger is president emeritus and senior distinguished professor of Christian ethics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He received the BA from Elizabethtown College, the M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, the MPhil and PhD from Drew University, and did postdoctoral studies at Oxford University. He has written numerous works on Christian ethics, including Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World and The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life.
Resources:
- Creation and Christian Ethics: Understanding God’s Designs for Humanity and the World by Dennis Hollinger
- The Doctrine of Creation: A Constructive Kuyperian Approach by Bruce Ashford and Craig Bartholomew
- You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News by Kelly Kapic
- A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream by Yuval Levin
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Matthew Martens to talk about his new book entitled Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal from Crossway. Today, we discuss the nature of justice in the Christian life and how Christians can think about criminal justice reform through a biblical lens.
Meet Matthew:
Matt is a trial lawyer and partner at an international law firm in Washington, DC. He earned his JD from University of North Carolina School of Law and a Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. He has spent the majority of his twenty-five year legal career practicing criminal law both as a federal prosecutor and as a defense attorney. He served as a law clerk to Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the US Supreme Court and also as a political appointee in the criminal justice division of the US Justice Department.
Resources:
- Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal by Matthew Martens
- Basic Christian Ethicsby Paul Ramsey
- The Collapse of American Criminal Justice by William J. Stuntz
- Locking Up Our Own by James Forman Jr.
- On the Morals of the Catholic Church by Augustine
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Andrew Spencer to talk about his new book entitled Hope for God’s Creation: Stewardship in an Age of Futility from B&H Academic.Today, we discuss the nature of ethics, creation care, and the distinctives of the Christian approach to the environment .
Meet Andrew:
Andrew Spencer (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as associate editor for books at The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of Doctrine in Shades of Green: Theological Perspective for Environmental Ethics, editor of The Christian Mind of C. S. Lewis, and a contributor to Baptist Political Theology. He earned a Ph.D. in Theological Studies with an emphasis on Christian Ethics from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Divinity. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in English from the United States Naval Academy.
Resources:
- Hope for God’s Creationby Andrew Spencer
- Pollution and the Death of Man by Francis Schaeffer
- Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters by Sandra Richter
- Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World by Douglas J. Moo and Jonathan A. Moo
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Bethany Allen of Axios to talk about her new book entitled Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World from HarperCollins.Today, we discuss the global influence of China alongside the rise of authoritarian capitalism in Beijing.
Meet Bethany
Bethany serves as the China reporter at Axios and leads the weekly Axios China newsletter, covering China’s role in the world. She was previously a staff editor and contributing reporter at Foreign Policy magazine, where she wrote investigations, deeply reported narratives, and analysis related to China. She is based in Taipei.
Resources:
- Beijing Rulesby Bethany Allen
- China’s Civilian Army: The Making of Wolf Warrior Diplomacy by Peter Martin
- Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future by Chun Han Wong
- How China Escaped Shock Therapy: The Market Reform Debate by Isabella M. Weber
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Brandon Smith to talk about his new volume entitled The Trinity in the Canon from B&H Academic.Today, we discuss the vital role that trinitarian theology plays in Scripture and how it should produce both right doctrine and living.
Meet Brandon:
Brandon serves as assistant professor of theology and New Testament at Cedarville University in Ohio. He is also the author of The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse and serves as the co-editor of the Christian Standard Commentary series. He is a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal and host of the Church Grammar podcast. He earned his PhD from Ridley College and is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University and Criswell College.
Resources:
- The Trinity in the Canon by Brandon Smith
- On the Incarnation by Saint Athanasius
- On God and Christ: The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledoniusby Saint Gregory of Nazianzus
- The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain
- The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything by Fred Sanders
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Adam Groza to talk about hisnew book he wrote with J.P. Moreland entitled Unraveling Philosophy from B&H Academic.Today, we discuss how Christians can love God with all of our minds through studying the riches of philosophy.
Meet Dr. Groza
Adam serves as associate professor of philosophy and vice president for enrollment and student services at Gateway Seminary. He is a native Californian and has taught philosophy related classes at a variety of institutions including California Baptist University, Scarborough College, and Korea Baptist Theological Seminary.
Resources:
- The Republicby Plato
- Confessionsby St. Augustine
- Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson by Camille Paglia
- The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the research institute at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Joshua Chatrawto talk about hisnew book The Augustine Way: Retrieving a Vision for the Church’s Apologetic Witness from Baker Academic. Today, we discuss how to cultivate a more effective witness and robust apologetic in our post-Christian age.
Meet Dr. Chatraw
Josh currently serves as the Billy Graham Chair of Evangelism and Cultural Engagement at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham Alabama and previously served as the executive director of the Center for Public Christianity in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is an award-winning author of numerous books in the fields of evangelism and apologetics, including Telling a Better Story: How to Talk about God in a Skeptical Age, which won a 2021 Christianity Today Book Award.
Resources:
- The Augustine Way: Retrieving a Vision for the Church’s Apologetic Witness by Joshua Chatraw and Mark Allen
- Telling a Better Story: How to Talk About God in a Skeptical Age by Joshua Chatraw
- Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible’s Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture by Christopher Watkin
- Mere Apologetics: How To Help Seekers And Skeptics Find Faith by Alister Mcgrath
- Narrative Apologetics: Sharing the Relevance, Joy, and Wonder of the Christian Faith by Alister Mcgrath
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nathan Finn to talk about the volume he co-edited entitled A Handbook of Theology from the Theology for the People of God series with B&H Academic. Today, we discuss the centrality of theology in the Christian life and how our faith informs every aspect of our life.
Meet Dr. Finn
Nathan Finn currently serves as provost and dean of the University Faculty at North Greenville University in Tigerville, South Carolina. He is the editor or author of several volumes including the Theology for the People of God series, Historical Theology for the Church, and History: A Student’s Guide. He also serves as teaching pastor at Taylors First Baptist Church in South Carolina and a Research Fellow of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Resources:
- Historical Theology for the Church by Nathan Finn and Jason Duesing
- Rediscovering Holiness: Know the Fullness of Life with God by J.I. Packer
- Ethics as Worship: The Pursuit of Moral Discipleship by Mark Liederbach and Evan Lenow
Theology for the People of God series from B&H:
- The Holy Spirit by Andreas J. Köstenberger and Gregg R. Allison
- A Handbook of Theology by Nathan Finn, Daniel Akin, and David S. Dockery
- Humanityby John Hammett and Katie McCoy
- more upcoming
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the research institute at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Ronnie Martinto talk about hisnew book with Donnie Griggs titled Pastoring Small Towns from B&H Publishing. Today, we talk about the unique opportunities and challenges of pastoring in rural areas as well as the role that technology plays in shaping the culture of small town churches.
Meet Ronnie:
Ronnie Martin is founder and lead pastor of Substance Church (EFCA) in Ashland, Ohio. He holds a masters of arts from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently finishing his doctorate of ministry at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ronnie is also the Director of Leader Renewal for Harbor Network, where he works alongside church planters and pastors in areas related to pastoral care.
Resources:
- Pastoring Small Towns by Ronnie Martin and Donnie Griggs
- The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus by Zack Eswine
- The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction by Eugene Peterson
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the research institute at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Katie McCoy to talk about hernew book To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond from B&H Publishing.Today, we discuss the rise of transgender ideology, the contours of the gender debate, and how Christians can love our neighbors by speaking uncompromising truth with uncompromising grace.
Meet Dr. McCoy
Katie McCoy serves as director of Women’s Ministry at Texas Baptists. She holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where she previously served on faculty. She teaches and writes on the intersection of theology, culture, and women’s issues. She is the co-author of a forthcoming volume on the doctrine of humanity as part of the Theology for the People of God series with B&H Academic.
Resources:
- To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond by Katie McCoy
- Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say by Preston Sprinkle
- God and the Transgender Debate by Andrew Walker
- Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier
- When Harry Became Sallyby Ryan Anderson
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the research institute at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matthew Barrett to talk about hisnew book The Reformation as Renewal from Zondervan. Today, we discuss the reformation, renewal, and the need for retrieval today.
Meet Dr. Barrett
Matthew Barrett is professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, editor-in-chief of Credo, and host of the Credo Podcast. He is also the director of the Center for Classical Theology at Midwestern.
He is the author of numerous books, such as the award-winning Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit (Baker), None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God (Baker), God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture (Zondervan), and Canon, Covenant, and Christology: Rethinking Jesus and the Scriptures of Israel (IVP).
Resources:
- The Reformation as Renewal by Matthew Barrett
- An Apology of the Church of England by John Jewel
- Aquinas Among the Protestants by Manfred Svensson and David VanDrunen
- Thomas Aquinas’ Commentaries on the Book of John
- Heinrich Bullinger’s Sermon “On the Holy Catholic Church”
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Daniel Darling to talk about his new book Agents of Grace: How to Bridge Divides and Love as Jesus Loved from Zondervan. Today, we discuss the nature of Christian unity as well as the relationship of truth and grace in the Christian ethic.
Meet Dan:
Daniel Darling is an author, pastor and Christian leader. He currently serves as the Director of The Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Assistant Professor of Faith and Culture at Texas Baptist College. Prior to his leadership of the Land Center, Darling served as the Senior Vice President for Communications of the National Religious Broadcasters. He also has served the Southern Baptist Convention as the Vice President of Communications at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Resources:
- Agents of Grace by Daniel Darling
- The Mark of Jesus: Loving in a Way the World Can See Timothy George and John Woodbridge
- Mark of the Christian by Francis Schaeffer
- Until Unityby Francis Chan and David Cook
- Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage by Gavin Ortlund
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Daniel Strange to talk about the new edition of J.H Bavinck’s classic work The Church Between Temple and Mosque from Westminster Seminary Press. Today, we discuss missiology and cultural engagement in our secular age.
Meet Dr. Strange
Daniel Strange is director of Crosslands Forum and the vice president of the Southgate Fellowship. He is a fellow of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics and is the author of Their Rock Is Not Like Our Rock: A Theology of Religions, Plugged In, and Making Faith Magnetic. He is a contributing editor for Themelios and an elder of Hope Community Church, Gateshead, U.K.
Resources:
- The Church Between Temple and Mosque by Daniel Strange
- The J.H. Bavinck Reader by John Bolton
- An Introduction to the Science of Missions by J.H. Bavinck
- The Riddle of Lifeby J.H. Bavinck
- Personality and Worldviewby J.H Bavinck, edited by James Eglinton
- Digital Public Square: A conversation with Dr. James Eglinton on Herman Bavinck, theology, and ethics
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Mark Dooley to discuss the life and work of Sir Roger Scruton in light of the new volume Against the Tide: The Best of Roger Scruton’s Columns, Commentaries, and Criticism.
Meet Dr. Dooley
Mark Dooley is an Irish philosopher, author, and journalist who has held lectureships at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and at University College Dublin where he was also John Henry Newman Scholar in Theology. From 2003-2006, he wrote on foreign affairs for the Sunday Independent. From 2006-2018, he wrote a weekly column on ‘Moral Matters’ for the Irish Daily Mail. He is currently a Contributing Editor to The European Conservative magazine. Dooley is Sir Roger Scruton’s Literary Executor.
Resources:
Articles:
- Carl Trueman, Scruton’s Castle in First Things
- Jason Thacker, Roger Scruton on Art and Morality
Books by Mark Dooley:
- Roger Scruton: The Philosopher on Dover Beach
- Conversations with Roger Scruton
- The Roger Scruton Reader
Works by Roger Scruton:
- The Aesthetics of Music
- The Aesthetics of Architecture
- Sexual Desire: A Philosophical Investigation
- Philosophy: Principles and Problems
- Culture Counts: Faith and Feeling in a World Besieged
- The Face of God: The Gifford Lectures
- Modern Culture
- Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Samuel Moyn of Yale University to discuss the nature of human rights in history and his works Christian Human Rights and The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History. Today, we talk about the rise and centrality of human rights in modern discourse.
Meet Dr. Moyn
Samuel Moyn is the Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. He received a doctorate in modern European history from the University of California-Berkeley in 2000 and a law degree from Harvard University in 2001. He came to Yale from Harvard University, where he was Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law and Professor of History.
His areas of interest in legal scholarship include international law, human rights, the law of war, and legal thought, in both historical and current perspective. He has written several books in his fields of European intellectual history and human rights history, including The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (2010), Christian Human Rights (2015), and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World (2018).
Resources:
- Inventing Human Rights: A Historyby Lynn Hunt
- Works by Jeremy Waldron
- Works by John Tasioulas
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Gray Sutanto to talk about his recently co-authored volume Neo-Calvinism with Dr. Cory Brock from Lexham Press.
Meet Dr. Sutanto
Dr. Sutanto is an associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the International Presbyterian Church and has received a visiting fellowship at Kampen Theological University. Other than Herman Bavinck, Dr. Sutanto’s research interests are broad, ranging from modern Protestant theology, prolegomena, humanity and sin, the relationship between philosophy and theology, analytic theology, and Christianity and culture.
Resources:
- Digital Public Square podcast interview with Dr. James Eglinton on Herman Bavinck
- Neo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction by Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock
- Guidebook for Instruction in the Christian Religion by Herman Bavinck
- The Wonderful Works of God by Herman Bavinck
- Abraham Kuyper: A Centennial Reader by James D. Bratt
- T&T Clark Handbook of Neo-Calvinism by N. Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock (coming December 2023)
- Grace in Common Podcast
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this special episode, I discussed why we still need a statement of principles on artificial intelligence as we seek to navigate the fundamental questions being asked about humanity and these emerging technologies. In 2019, the ERLC launched the first faith-based statement of ethical principles in order to aid the church in thinking proactively about AI as well as to participate in the larger conversations about how these tools are shaping every aspect of our lives.
Resources:
- Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles (English or Spanish pdf)
- The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity - Jason Thacker
- The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society - Jason Thacker (editor)
In this episode, I am joined by Leah Savas to talk about thenew book, The Story of Abortion in America: A Street-Level History, which she co-authored with Marvin Olaskyfrom Crossway.
Meet Leah:
Leah reports on abortion for WORLD News Group, where she writes the weekly Vitals roundup and newsletter of pro-life news. Leah lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband, Stephen.
Resources:
- The Story of Abortion in America: A Street-Level History, 1652–2022 by Leah Savas and Marvin Olasky
- Articles of Faith: A Frontline History of the Abortion Wars by Cynthia Gorney
- Choice Words: Writers on Abortion by Annie Finch
- World News Group Vital Newsletterby Leah Savas
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Dr. Keith Plummerto talk about his contribution entitled, “The World Is Watching: Proclaiming Truth and Maintaining Our Witness in a Digital Age”. Today, Dr. Plummer and I talk about the works of the late Francis Schaeffer and how technology is shaping our understanding of and witness to the world around us.
Meet Dr. Plummer:
Keith serves as professor of theology and dean of the School of Divinity at Cairn University. He previously served as a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America. Keith is a contributing author to Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church. He earned his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Resources:
“Five Things We Need to Know about Technological Change.”
He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer
The Mark of the Christian by Francis Schaeffer
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Jeremy Tedesco andto talk about his contribution with Christiana Kiefer entitled, Content Moderation and Suppressing Speech: Are There Limits to Talking about Sexuality and Gender Online?. Today, Jeremy and I talk about the relationship between private companies and free speech as well as how Christians can think about the nature of the digital public square.
Meet Jeremy:
Jeremyserves as senior counsel and senior vice president of corporate engagement for the Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, Tedesco leads ADF’s efforts to combat corporate cancel culture and to build a business ethic that respects free speech, religious freedom, and human dignity. Tedesco was also a part of the legal teams that successfully litigated Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Reed v. Town of Gilbert, and Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, before the United States Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Regent University School of Law.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by David Frenchto talk about his contribution entitled, “Can the Government Save Us from Ourselves?: The Legal Complexities of Free Speech and Content Moderation.” Today, Davidand I talk about the debates over regulating the technology industry in light of the challenges to free expression today as well as the role of personal virtue in the public square.
Meet David:
Davidis an opinion columnist at the New York Times and previously served as senior editor at the Dispatch as well as a contributing writer for the Atlantic. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, a former lecturer at Cornell Law School, and a past president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. David is a New York Times bestselling author, and his most recent book is, Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. He is a former major in the United States Army Reserve and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned a Bronze Star.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, this week I am joined by Brooke Medina to talk about her contribution entitled, “Defining the Limits of Hate Speech and Violence: Dignity, Truth, and Speech in the Digital Public Square.” Brooke and I talk about the widespread debate over hate speech and how Christians must speak both truth and grace in the public square.
Meet Brooke:
Brooke serves as vice president of communications for the John Locke Foundation. She has completed numerous programs with the Charles Koch Institute, including the Koch Leaders Program and Koch Communications Fellowship, focusing on the philosophical underpinnings of market-based management and classical liberalism. She also sits on the board of directors for ReCity Network. Her writing has been published in numerous outlets, such as The Hill, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Signal, and FEE. She is a graduate of Regent University.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Joshua Westerto talk about his contribution entitled, “Free to Believe? The Case for Religious Freedom and Free Expression in the Digital Age.” Today, Josh and I talk about the nature and necessity of religious freedom in our technological society.
Meet Josh:
Josh serves as the lead pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina and is an associate research fellow of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission where he researches issues of public theology, political philosophy, and religious freedom. He holds a ThM in public theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a PhD in Christian ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the author of the forthcoming book A Student’s Guide to Politics with Christian Focus Publications.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Bonnie Kristianto talk about her contribution entitled, “Should We Ban Pornography? Navigating the Complexities of Objectionable Content in a Digital Age.” Today, Bonnie and I talk about the moral plague of pornography in our society and the difficulties of banning objectionable content online.
Meet Bonnie:
Bonnieis a journalist and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). She is a columnist at Christianity Today and a fellow at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank. Her work has been widely published at outlets including the New York Times, The Week, USA Today, CNN, and Politico. A graduate of Bethel Seminary, she lives in Pittsburg with her husband and twin sons.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Patricia Shaw to talk about her contribution entitled, "The Global Digital Marketplace: Engaging International Technology Policy from a Christian Perspective". Today we talk about some of the international aspects of the technology policy debate and how nations around the world are thinking through these important issues in their specific contexts.
Meet Patricia:
Patricia serves as CEO of Beyond Reach Consulting Limited and is based in the UK but advises internationally on AI and data ethics, policy, governance, and corporate digital responsibility. She has twenty years’ of experience as a lawyer in data, technology, and regulatory/government affairs and is a qualified solicitor in England and the Republic of Ireland. She has authored and edited numerous works on law and regulation, policy, ethics, and AI.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Nathan Leamer to talk about his contribution entitled, "The Wild West of Technology: A Convergence of Optimism and Pessimism in the United States". Today, we talk about how Christians can think wisely about the role of government and industry in the technology policy debate in the United States.
Meet Nathan:
Nathan serves as the Executive Director of the Digital First Project and Vice President of public affairs at Targeted Victory. He previously served as Policy Advisor to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Before working at the FCC, he was a Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute where he managed the institute’s government relations and wrote extensively on issues of emerging technology, intellectual property, and privacy.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Dr. Bryan Baise to talk about his contribution entitled, Once More, with Tweeting?: Bracketing a Public Square from the Perils of Notoriety. Today, Bryan and I talk about how technology has altered our understanding of a public square and teaching the next generation about social ethics.
Meet Bryan:
Bryan serves as associate professor of philosophy and apologetics at Boyce College, where he also directs the Augustine Honors Collegium and the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree program. He has contributed to edited academic volumes and writes popular-level essays for several Christian outlets. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife and three children.
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
This is a special episode of the podcast as we kick off a new mini-series themed after a new volume that I had the privilege of editing entitled The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society. This book is published by B&H Academic and is available Wednesday, February 1st wherever books are sold.
This volume along with my other recently released books including Following Jesus in a Digital Age, the companion Bible study, and A Student’s Guide to Social Media are part of a larger research project that I have been leading at the ERLC over the last couple of years. The Digital Public Square research project is designed to help Christians think deeply about the pressing questions of faith and the public square as well as take part in a larger conversation about these pressing challenges of technology and social media whether in the halls of Congress, your state capital, on campuses of the largest and most influential technology companies, in academic gatherings, and most importantly your own home.
I am joined by 11 other contributors who address issues such as political philosophy, technology policy, free speech and content moderation, religious freedom, hate speech and hate crimes, gender/sexuality, pornography, conspiracy theories and misinformation, and digital authoritarianism as well as Christian discipleship and mission in the 21st century.
Over the next couple of months, I am going to be joined by each contributor to talk about their interest in these areas, their chapters, and what if anything has changed since they wrote their chapters given how quickly the field of technology changes.
Download a sample of The Digital Public Square
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The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. John Dyer to talk about the formative power of technology and how it deeply shapes the way we see the world around us including how we read the Scripture given the prominence of digital Bibles today. We discuss the newly revised version of his book From the Garden to the City from Kregel Publications and his new work People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture.
Meet Dr. Dyer
John serves as the vice president for enrollment and educational technology as well as an assistant professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has been a technology creator for over 20 years, and his research focuses on the intersection of faith and technology, including Bible software, digital ecclesiology, artificial intelligence, and transhumanism.
Resources:
- From the Garden to the City by John Dyer
- People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture by John Dyer
- Transhumanism and the Image of God by Jacob Shatzer
- Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age by Alan Noble
- The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- Networked Theology: Negotiating Faith in Digital Culture by Heidi Campbell
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Coleman M. Ford to talk about hisnew book A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine from Lexham Press. Today, we discuss the life and work of St. Augustine as well as his understanding of friendship.
Meet Dr. Ford
Dr. Ford serves as assistant professor of humanities at Texas Baptist College. His research interests include the spirituality and pastoral theology of Augustine of Hippo, the transcendentals (truth, goodness, beauty) in the patristic tradition, virtue and ethics in the patristic tradition, Christianity in late antiquity, and the history of Christian spirituality and formation.
Resources:
- A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine by Coleman M. Ford
- Confessions by St. Augustine and Henry Chadwick (translator)
- Augustine of Hippo: Selected Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality) by Mary T. Clark (translator)
- Friendship and the Moral Life by Paul Wadell
- Made for Friendship: The Relationship That Halves Our Sorrows and Doubles Our Joys by Drew Hunter
- Augustine: A Very Short Introduction by Henry Chadwick
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. David Mathis to talk about his book Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders from Crossway. Today we talk about Christian leadership and the proper role of authority in the Church.
Meet David Mathis:
David serves as senior teacher and executive editor at DesiringGod.org, a pastor at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and an adjunct professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis. He is the author of several books, including Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines.
Resources:
- Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders by David Mathis
- Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines by David Mathis
- The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson
- Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson
- Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne
- Biblical Eldership seminar with John Piper
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Russ Shafer-Landau to talk about on moral philosophy and the landscape of metaethics
Meet Dr. Shafer-Landau
Russ Shafer-Landau serves as a professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of Moral Realism: A Defence, Whatever Happened to Good and Evil?, The Fundamentals of Ethics, and Living Ethics). He is the editor of Oxford Studies in Metaethics. Shafer-Landau served as President of the American Philosophical Association (Central Division) in 2021. He is currently working on a large collaborative project with John Bengson and Terence Cuneo that seeks to offer a new vindication of non-naturalist moral realism, entitled The Moral Universe (Oxford 2023) focusing on the metaphysical and normative dimensions of morality.
Resources:
- Whatever Happened to Good and Evil? by Russ Shafer-Landau
- Foundations of Ethics: An Anthology by Russ Shafer-Landau and Terence Cuneo
- Metaethics: A Contemporary Introduction by Mark van Roojen
- Moral Discourse and Practice: Some Philosophical Approaches by Stephen Darwall, Allan Gibbard, and Peter Railton
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jessica Joustra to talk about Herman Bavinck and the centrality of ethics in the Chrisitan life.
Meet Dr. Joustra:
Dr. Joustra is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer and an Associate Researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute of the Theologische Universiteit Kampen. She is also the Director of Redeemer’s Albert M. Wolters Centre for Christian Scholarship. She earned a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Fuller Theological Seminary and the Free University and an M.Div from Calvin Theological Seminary.
Resources:
- Reformed Ethics: Created, Fallen, and Converted Humanity by Herman Bavinck and John Bolton
- Reformed Ethics: The Duties of the Christian Life (Volume 2) by Herman Bavinck and John Bolton
- Essays on Religion, Science, and Society Herman Bavinck and John Bolton
- Responsible Conduct: Principles of Christian Ethics by Jochem Douma
- John Bolt’s Dissertation on Bavinck’s Two Essays on the Imitatio Christi
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Christopher Kaczor to talk about the ethics of abortion and human personhood in light of his new book The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice from Routledge.
Meet Dr. Kaczor
Dr. Kaczor is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. He graduated from the Honors Program of Boston College and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kaczor did postdoctoral work at the University of Cologne. He was appointed a Corresponding Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life of Vatican City, a fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, and William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. He is also a winner of a Templeton Grant and has written more than 100 scholarly articles and book chapters and over 16 books on a host of issues including bioethics, human dignity, and abortion.
Resources:
- The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice by Christopher Kaczor
- Abortion Rights: For and Againstby Kate Greasley and Christopher Kaczor
- Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments by Randy Alcorn
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Harry Lee Poe to talk about the life and faith of C.S. Lewis in light of the final volume, The Completion of C.S. Lewis, in his three part biography published by Crossway.
Meet Dr. Poe
Dr. Poe serves as the Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University, where he has taught a course on C. S. Lewis for over twenty years. He is the author of twenty books, including Becoming C. S. Lewis and The Making of C. S. Lewis, as well as numerous articles on Lewis and the Inklings. Poe hosts the annual Inklings Weekend in Montreat, North Carolina, and is a regular speaker on Lewis at universities and other venues around the world.
Resources:
- The Completion of C. S. Lewis: From War to Joy by Harry Lee Poe
- The Making of C. S. Lewis (1918–1945): From Atheist to Apologist by Harry Lee Poe
- Becoming C. S. Lewis (1898–1918): A Biography of Young Jack Lewis by Harry Lee Poe
- Mere Christianityby C.S. Lewis
- The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nigel Biggar to talk about his book What’s Wrong With Rights? from Oxford University Press and we discuss the nature of rights and the common good.
Meet Dr. Biggar
Nigel Biggar until his recent retirement was the Regius Professor of Moral & Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford and Director of the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics & Public Life. He has degrees from Oxford, Regent College, and the University of Chicago. He studies the contribution of religion to the health of liberal societies; moral questions about killing (especially in relation to suicide, euthanasia, and war); forgiveness after civil conflict; the public responsibility of the media; and the public vocation of universities. He is the author of numerous books and articles on Christian ethics and public theology.
Resources:
- What’s Wrong with Rights? by Nigel Biggar
- The Idea of Natural Rights by Brian Tierney
- Justice: Rights and Wrongs by Nicholas Wolterstorff
- Natural Rights: A Criticism of Some Political and Ethical Conceptions by David Ritchie
- On Human Rights by James Griffin
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Patrick Schreiner to talk about his new book Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World from B&H Publishing.
Meet Dr. Schreiner
Dr. Schreiner is Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology as well as the the Director of the Residency PhD program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City Missouri. He previously taught at Western Seminary in Portland Oregon and received his Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of a number of books, including a commentary on the book of Acts, The Visual Word: An Illustrated Guide to the New Testament Books, and The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts.
Resources:
- Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy Worldby Patrick Schreiner
- The Mission of the Triune God by Patrick Schreiner
- The Visual Word: Illustrated Outlines of The New Testament Books by Patrick Schreiner
- City of Godby St. Augustine of Hippo
- How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Ageby Jonathan Leeman
- World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Ageby C. Kavin Rowe
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Ronni Kurtz to talk about his new book Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul from B&H Publishing. Today, we talk about how theology can help reorient our entire life toward the fruit of the Spirit which leads to right living before God.
Meet Dr. Kurtz:
Dr. Kurtz earned his PhD from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently serves as an assistant professor of theology at Cedarville University. Before moving to Ohio, Ronni was a pastor in Kansas City, Missouri for seven years where he also taught theology at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College. He is also the author of No Shadow of Turning: Divine Immutability and the Economy of Redemption.
Resources:
- Fruitful Theology by Ronni Kurtz
- No Shadow of Turning by Ronni Kurtz
- God Without Measure by John Webster
- The Culture of Theology by John Webster
- On the Unity of Christ by Saint Cyril of Alexandria
- On the Trinity by Saint Augustine of Hippo
- On the Incarnation by Athanasius of Alexandria
- On God and Christby Saint Gregory of Nazianzus
- Institutes of the Christian Religionby John Calvin
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Bonnie Kristian to talk about our modern knowledge crisis and the rise of misinformation.
Meet Bonnie:
Bonnie Kristian is a seasoned journalist and a columnist at Christianity Today. She previously served as a deputy editor and the acting editor-in-chief of The Week. She is the author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today. Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
Resources:
- Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought by Jonathan Rauch
- The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Travis Dickinson to talk about his new book Logic and the Way of Jesus from B&H Academic. Today, we talk about embracing the life of the mind and role of logic in the Christian life.
Meet Dr. Dickinson
Dr. Dickinson is a professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University. He is the author of three books: Wandering Toward God, Logic and the Way of Jesus and Everyday Apologetics, and the coauthor of Stand Firm: Apologetics and the Brilliance of the Gospel. He holds an MA and PhD in Philosophy from the University of Iowa, an MA in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology, and an MA in Christian Apologetics from Biola University.
Resources:
- Logic and the Way of Jesusby Travis Dickinson
- Wandering Toward God: Finding Faith amid Doubts and Big Questions by Travis Dickinson
- Love Your God with All Your Mind by J.P. Moreland
- Simply Trinity by Matthew Barret and Scott Swain
- The Same God Who Works All Things by Adonis Vidu
As a gift to Digital Public Square listeners, use discount code: wander22 for 30% Wandering Toward God at IVPpress.com.
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Tyler Wittman and Dr. Bobby Jamieson to talk about their new book Biblical Reasoning and how to read the Bible accurately
Meet Drs. Wittman and Jamieson
Dr. Wittman received an M.Div. in Christian Ministry and a Th.M in Systematic Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Divinity from the University of St. Andrews. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and is the author of God and Creation in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth which explores the nature of God’s relation to creation.
Dr. Jamieson received his M.Div and Th.M. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and received his Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Cambridge. He currently serves as an associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. and has authored several books including Sound Doctrine: How a Church Grows in the Love and Holiness of God and Going Public: Why Baptism Is Required for Church Membership among others.
Resources:
- Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis by R.B. Jamieson and Tyler Wittman
- On the Incarnation by Athanasius
- On God and Christ by St. Gregory of Nazianzus
- The Catechetical Lectures of Saint Cyril by Saint Cyril
- Commentary on the Gospel of John by St Thomas Aquinas
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Michael Niebauer, pastor and author of a new book entitled Virtuous Persuasion: A Theology of Christian Mission. Today, we talk about virtue ethics and Christian missions.
Meet Dr. Niebauer:
Dr. Niebauer is pastor of Incarnation Church in State College, Pennsylvania and serves as a teaching fellow at Trinity School for Ministry. He is also an ecclesial fellow in the Center for Pastor Theologians and hosts the Christian catechesis podcast This We Believe.
Resources:
- Virtuous Persuasion: A Theology of Christian Mission by Dr. Michael Niebauer
- Christianity Rediscovered byVincent Donovan
- After Virtueby Alasdair MacIntyre
- An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine by John Henry Newman
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Gavin Ortlund, pastor and author of a recent book titled Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn’t. Today, we talk about Christian theism and the nature of apologetics.
Meet Dr. Ortlund:
Gavin Ortlund earned his PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary and serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai in Ojai, California. He is the author of several books, including Anselm's Pursuit of Joy and Retrieving Augustine's Doctrine of Creation. Gavin and his wife, Esther, have five children.
Resources:
- Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn't by Gavin Ortlund
- The Reason for Godby Timothy Keller
- Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller
- Confronting Christianityby Rebecca McLaughlin
- Pensees (Thoughts)by Blaise Pascal
Today is the official release of my new book, Following Jesus in a Digital Age, with B&H Publishing. On this special episode of the Digital Public Square, I talk about the book and some of the reasons I wanted to write it. You can learn more at jasonthacker.com/digitalage or purchase a copy wherever books are sold.
One of the most common questions I receive is what does the Bible actually say about technology. This question can’t really be addressed by looking up social media, algorithms, or the internet in your concordance. It can be easy for the Church to believe that technology might be an issue we will need to address at some point but that it isn’t a pressing concern for people today. Part of this apathy may stem from the belief that the Bible really doesn’t address the questions we are asking today in our digital society such as the formative nature of social media, questions of content moderation and privacy, how truth is being redefined, or how many of us seek to craft our identities online through these tools.
Following Jesus in a Digital Age was written for the everyday believer, not specifically for academics or even ministry leaders. It was written for the Church to aid all believers in thinking wisely about technology through the lens of Scripture and to expose how these tools are shaping how we perceive the world around us. The book is designed to help us understand the deeply formative nature of technology that is not just simply a tool we choose to use in whatever way we want. In reality, we don’t use technology as much as it uses us.
Purchase a copy of Following Jesus in a Digital Age at Lifeway, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook, Audible, and other major booksellers.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. W. Ross Hastings, an ethicist and theologian who is the recent author of a new book titled Pastoral Ethics: Moral Formation as Life in the Trinity. Today, we talk about pastoral ethics and moral formation.
Meet Dr. Hastings:
Dr. Hastings received his first PhD in Chemistry from Queen's University in Kingston and his second PdD in Theology from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology and Pastoral Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. and is author of several books including Missional Church and Theological Ethics.
Resources:
- Pastoral Ethics: Moral Formation as Life in the Trinity by Dr. Ross Hastings
- Betrayal of Trust by Stanley Grenz and Roy Bell
- Choosing the God by Dennis Hollinger
- Pure Desire by Gary Inrig
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Jay Y. Kim, a pastor and the author of a recent book titled Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age. Today, we talk about the nature of Christian discipleship in a digital age.
Meet Jay:
Jay Y. Kim serves as the lead pastor at WestGate Church in Silicon Valley and on the leadership team of the ReGeneration Project. His writing has been featured in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Missio Alliance, and Relevant Magazine. He is the author of two books with InterVarsity Press titled Analog Church and Analog Christian.
Resources:
- Analog Christian by Jay Y. Kim
- Analog Churchby Jay Y. Kim
- The Tech-Wise Familyby Andy Crouch
- The Life We’re Looking Forby Andy Crouch
- The Shallowsby Nicholas Carr
- Deep Workby Cal Newport
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
This week is a special week for the Digital Public Square podcast as we celebrate the 100th episode with a special mix-tape version highlighting some of my favorite episodes from these past few years.
We hope you enjoy, and we are very excited about some of the episodes coming out over the next few months.
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra who is the editor of a new book from The Gospel Coalition entitled Social Sanity in an Insta World. Today, we talk about cultivating grace and discernment in our age of social media.
Meet Sarah:
Sarah is senior writer and the faith-and-work editor for The Gospel Coalition. She is also the co-author of Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age. Before that, she wrote for Christianity Today, homeschooled her children, freelanced for a local daily paper, and taught at Trinity Christian College. She earned a BA in English and communication from Dordt University and a masters in from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She lives with her husband and two sons in the suburbs of Chicago, where they are active members of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church.
Resources:
- Social Sanity in an Insta-Worldedited by Sarak Eekhoff Zylstra
- SocialSanityBook.com
- Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke
- Risen Motherhood Podcast series “Social Media”
- Recorded by TGC “Scrolling Alone: How Instagram Is Making a Generation of Girls Lonely, Anxious, and Sad”
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dean Inserra, lead pastor of the City Church and author of a recent book entitled Pure: Why the Bible’s Plan for Sexuality isn’t Outdated, Irrelevant, or Oppressive. Today, we talk about Christian culture and the biblical sexual ethic.
Meet Dean:
Dean Inserra is the founding and lead pastor of City Church in Tallahassee Floria, where he leads the vision and preaching. He holds a MA in Theological Studies from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is pursuing a D.Min from Southern Seminary. He is a member of Baptist 21 and serves in various capacities throughout the Southern Baptist Convention. He is the author of several books including The Unsaved Christian, Getting Over Yourself, and Marks of a Disciple.
Resources:
- Pure by Dean Inserra
- The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller
- What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung
- God and the Transgender Debate by Andrew Walker
- Strange New Worldby Carl Trueman
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Paul D. Miller, professor of the practice of international affairs at Georgetown University and author of a recent book entitled The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism. Today, we talk about religion, politics, social ethics, and the rise of Christian nationalism.
Meet Dr. Miller:
Dr. Miller earned his PhD from Georgetown University and holds a masters in public policy from Harvard University. He spent a decade in public service as director for Afghanistan and Pakistan on the National Security Council staff, an intelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency, and a military intelligence officer in the US Army. Miller’s writing has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Dispatch, The Washington Post, Providence Magazine, Mere Orthodoxy, The Gospel Coalition, Foreign Policy, and elsewhere. He is the author of Just War and Ordered Liberty from Cambridge University Press.
Resources:
- The Religion of American Greatness by Paul D. Miller
- The Virtue of Nationalismby Yoram Hazony
- Between Kin and Cosmopolis by Nigel Biggar
- Taking America Back for God by Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry
- How the Nations Rage by Jonathan Leeman
- Politics after Christendom by David VanDrunen
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matthew Barrett, associate professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of a recent book entitled Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit. Today, we talk about the centrality of the doctrine of the trinity in the Christian life.
Meet Dr. Barrett:
Matthew Barrett is also the founder and executive editor of Credo Magazine, where he also hosts the Credo podcast, talking with fellow theologians about the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. He is the author of numerous books, such as Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit (Baker) and None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God (Baker).
Resources:
- Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett
- Nicene Creed
- On the Incarnation by Athanasius
- On God and Christ by Gregory of Nazianzus
- On the Trinity by Augustine
- On the Trinityby Hilary of Poitiers
- Communion with Godby John Owen
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I talk about a recent article I published at Liberty Magazine titled “Free to Tweet?” and the relationship between content moderation and religious freedom in the digital public square.
Resources:
- “Free to Tweet?” by Jason Thacker
- Liberty For All by Andrew Walker
- The Naked Public Squareby Richard John Neuhaus
- Christian Mindset in a Secular Society by Carl F.H. Henry
- Has Democracy Had It’s Day? by Carl F.H. Henry
- “Should the government regulate social media?” by Jason Thacker
- The Twenty-Six Words that Created the Internet by Jeff Kosseff
- “Where do we draw the line on hate speech?” by Jason Thacker
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jarvis Williams, associate professor of New Testament interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of a recent book entitled Redemptive Kingdom Diversity: A Biblical Theology of the People of God. Today, we talk about diversity in the Bible and its place in the Kingdom of God.
Meet Dr. Williams:
Jarvis J. Williams earned his PhD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he now serves as an associate professor of New Testament interpretation. He is the author of numerous books, including For Whom Did Christ Die? The Extent of the Atonement in Paul’s Theology, Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse of the Law: A Jewish Martyrological Reading of Galatians 3:13, a commentary on Galatians, and a forthcoming commentary on Romans. He has also written popular books and articles on race, racism, and reconciliation.
Resources:
- Redemptive Kingdom Diversity by Jarvis Williams
- Beyond Racial Division by George Yancey
- Talking About Race by Isaac Adams
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Thomas Kidd, Vardaman Endowed professor of History at Baylor University and author of a new book with Yale University Press titled Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh.
Meet Dr. Kidd:
Thomas Kidd is the Associate Director of Institute for Studies of Religion and the James Vardaman Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor University. He has written for outlets including the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Kidd blogs at “Evangelical History,” and at The Gospel Coalition website. His recent works include Who is an Evangelical?: A History of a Movement in Crisis (Yale University Press, 2019) and Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father (Yale University Press, 2017).
Resources:
- Thomas Jefferson by Thomas Kidd
- Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson
- Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation between Church and State by Daniel Dreisbach
- The Hemingses of Monticelloby Annette Gordon-Reed
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Derek Schuurman, professor of computer science at Calvin University and co-author of a new book entitled A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers with IVP Academic. Today, we talk about how to responsibly develop technology in light of the Christian worldview.
Meet Dr. Schurrman:
Derek C. Schuurman earned his PhD at McMaster University and previously taught at Dordt University and Redeemer University before coming to Calvin University. Prior to teaching, he worked as an engineer designing embedded systems. He is the author of Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology with IVP Academic.
Resources:
- A Christian Field Guide to Technology by Derek Schuurman and Steven Vanderleest
- Shaping a Digital World by Derek Schurrman
- Responsible Technology by Stephen Monsma
- Creation Regained by Albert Wolters
- Modern Technology and The Human Future by Craig Gay
- After You Believe by N.T. Wright
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Jake Meador, Editor-in-chief at Mere Orthodoxy and author of a new book with IVP titled What Are Christians For? Life Together at the End of the World. Today, we talk about politics, ethics, and the common good.
Meet Jake:
Jake is the author of two books, including his first book was In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World. His work has been published in First Things, National Review, Books & Culture, Commonweal, Christianity Today, Front Porch Republic, and the University Bookman. He lives with his wife and children in his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Resources:
- What Are Christians For? by Jake Meador
- Aggressively Happy by Joy Clarkson
- Christian Worldview by Herman Bavinck
- Bavinck by James Eglinton
- Instruction in Christian Love by Martin Bucer
- Podcast: “A conversation with Dr. James Eglinton on Herman Bavinck, theology, and ethics”
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Trevin Wax, the vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and guide to a newly released version of GK Chesterton’s classic work, Orthodoxy. Today, we talk about GK Chesterton and defending the Christian faith
Meet Trevin:
In addition to his role at NAMB, Wax also serves as a visiting professor at Wheaton College. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed to The Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, and Christianity Today. He has served as general editor of The Gospel Project. He is the author of multiple books, including The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, Eschatological Discipleship, and Gospel Centered Teaching.
Resources:
- Orthodoxyby GK Chesterton, annotated by Trevin Wax
- Defiant Joy by Kevin Belmonte
- Everlasting Man by GK Chesterton
- Heretics by GK Chesterton
- Ballad of the White Horse by GK Chesterton
- In Defense of Sanity by GK Chesterton
- The Man Who Was Thursdayby GK Chesterton
- Manalive by GK Chesterton
- Father Brown Stories by GK Chesterton
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jordan Ballor, director of research at the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy as well as co-editor of Abraham Kuyper’s Collected Works in Public Theology with Lexham Press. Today, we talk about the life and work of Abraham Kuyper, as well as the task of public theology and Christian ethics.
Meet Dr. Ballor:
Dr. Ballor earned his doctorate of theology in reformational history from the University of Zurich and PhD in moral theology from Calvin Theological Seminary. In addition to his role at the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy, he is also the associate director of the Junius Institute for Digital Reformation Research at Calvin Theological Seminary.
Resources:
- Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper
- Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy
- Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper
- Calvinism for a Secular Age by Jessica and Robert Joustra
- Abraham Kuyper: An Introduction by Richard Mouw
As a special treat for newsletter and podcast subscribers, we have partnered with Lexham Press to offer 30% off the newly completed Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper in hardback or Logos editions.
Use code DPSFEB22 or visit lexhampress.com/digitalpublicsquare to learn more. This special discount expires on April 30th.
The Digital Public Square is an audio production of Owens Productions. It’s produced by Jason Thacker and production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Olivia Enos, senior policy analyst in the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation. Today, we talk about human rights issues in China and North Korea.
Meet Olivia:
Olivia Enos is a senior policy analyst in the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. She focuses on human rights and national security challenges in Asia. Her research spans a wide range of subjects, including democracy and governance challenges, human trafficking and human smuggling, religious freedom, refugee issues, and other social challenges in the region.
Resources:
- Olivia Enos (The Heritage Foundation)
- China’s Search for Security by Andrew J. Nathan & Andrew Scobell
- The Aquariums of Pyongyang by Kang Chol-Hwan & Pierre Rigoulot
- China Aid (The Persecuted Church in China)
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Felicia Wu Song, cultural sociologist and author of a recent book entitled Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence, and Place in the Digital Age. Today, we talk about how technological devices form us and how to gain control over them.
Meet Dr. Song:
Felicia Wu Song earned her PhD from the University of Virginia and currently serves as professor of sociology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. Her publications include Virtual Communities: Bowling Alone, Online Together and articles in such scholarly journals as Gender & Society and Information, Communication & Society.
Resources:
- Restless Devices by Felicia Wu Song
- Power Failure by Albert Borgmann
- Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
- The Common Rule by Justin Earley
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Adonis Vidu, professor of theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and author of a new book called The Same God Who Works All Things: Inseparable Operations in Trinitarian Theology. Today, we talk about the doctrine of the trinity and inseparable operations.
Meet Dr. Vidu:
Dr. Vidu earned his Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham and came to Gordon-Conwell from his native Romania, where he previously taught at Emmanuel University and the University of Bucharest. He is a constructive theologian who is involved in a recovery of the patristic and medieval Trinitarian theology for the contemporary church. He is also the author of Atonement, Law, and Justice: The Cross in Historical and Cultural Contexts, Theology after Neo- Pragmatism, and Postliberal Theological Method: A Critical Study.
Resources:
- The Same God Who Works All Things by Adonis Vidu
- Contemplating God with the Great Tradition by Craig Carter
- The Deep Things of Godby Fred Sanders
- Simply Trinity by Matthew Barrett
- Which Trinity? by Thomas McCall
- The Trinity by Augustine
- Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
- The One, the Three and the Manyby Colin Gunton
- God For Us by Catherine Mowry LaCugna
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Tony Reinke, a non-profit journalist and author of numerous books including God, Technology, and the Christian Life. Today, we talk about a biblical theology of technology and how it affects the Christian life.
Meet Tony:
Tony Reinke also serves as senior teacher and host of the Ask Pastor John podcast at Desiring God. He is the author of Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books, Competing Spectacles, and 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You.
Resources:
- God, Technology, and the Christian Life by Tony Reinke
- Common Grace by Abraham Kuyper
- 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke
As a special treat for newsletter and podcast subscribers, we have partnered with Lexham Press to offer 30% off the newly completed Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper in hardback or Logos editions.
Use code DPSFEB22 or visit lexhampress.com/digitalpublicsquare to learn more. This special discount expires on March 15th.
The Digital Public Square is an audio production of Owens Productions. It’s produced by Jason Thacker and production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Benjamin Gladd, associate professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary and editor of a series of volumes on biblical theology with InterVarsity Press. Today, we talk about biblical theology and the image of God.
Meet Dr. Gladd:
Dr. Gladd earned his PhD from Wheaton College and prior to joining the RTS faculty, he served as an adjunct faculty member at Wheaton, teaching New Testament exegesis and interpretation, Greek, and introductory courses on the Old and New Testaments. In addition to his work at RTS, Dr. Gladd has been a member of the editorial board for the online journal, Themelios, since 2019. He is the author of numerous works and serves as the series editor for Essential Studies in Biblical Theology, which includes his work From Adam and Israel to the Church: A Biblical Theology of the People of God.
Resources:
- From Adam to Israel by Benjamin L. Gladd
- Essential Studies in Biblical Theology edited by Benjamin L. Gladd
- Created in God’s Image by Anthony Hoekema
As a special treat for newsletter and podcast subscribers, we have partnered with Lexham Press to offer 30% off the newly completed Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper in hardback or Logos editions.
Use code DPSFEB22 or visit lexhampress.com/digitalpublicsquare to learn more. This special discount expires on March 15th.
The Digital Public Square is an audio production of Owens Productions. It’s produced by Jason Thacker and production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by my Drs. Jessica and Robert Joustra, co-editors of a new volume called Calvinism for a Secular Age: A Twenty-First-Century Reading of Abraham Kuyper’s Stone Lectures. Today, we talk about Kuyper’s influence and a Reformed approach to our secular age.
Meet Jessica:
Jessica Joustra (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary and the Free University of Amsterdam) is assistant professor of religion and theology at Redeemer University and an associate researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute at the Theological University of Kampen (NL). She is an editor and translator of Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Ethics and associate editor for the Bavinck Review.
Meet Robert:
Robert J. Joustra (PhD, University of Bath) is associate professor of politics and international studies and the founding director of the Centre for Christian Scholarship at Redeemer University College. He is the author of The Religious Problem with Religious Freedom and the coauthor of The Church’s Social Responsibility, The Persecuted Church, How to Survive the Apocalypse, and God and the Global Order.
Resources:
- Calvinism for a Secular Age by Jessica and Robert Joustra
- Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper
- Abraham Kuyperby James Bratt
- Abraham Kuyper: An Introduction by Richard Mouw
- To Be Near unto God by Abraham Kuyper
- Honey from the Rock by Abraham Kuyper
- Christ and Culture by Klaas Schilder
As a special treat for newsletter and podcast subscribers, we have partnered with Lexham Press to offer 30% off the newly completed Collected Works of Public Theology by Abraham Kuyper in hardback or Logos editions.
Use code DPSFEB22 or visit lexhampress.com/digitalpublicsquare to learn more. This special discount expires on March 15th.
The Digital Public Square is an audio production of Owens Productions. It’s produced by Jason Thacker and production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Chris Martin, the author of a recent book entitled Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media. Today, we talk about how technology is forming us and what to do about it.
Meet Chris:
Chris Martin is a content marketing editor at Moody Publishers and a social media, marketing, and communications consultant. He has led social media strategy at Lifeway Christian Resources and advised some of the foremost Christian leaders and authors on digital content strategy. He writes regularly at TermsOfService.social.
Resources:
- Terms of Serviceby Chris Martin
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- Irresistibleby Adam Alter
- The Attention Merchants by Tim Wu
- No Filter by Sarah Frier
- “Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change” by Neil Postman
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, the China reporter for Axios. Today, we talk about the Chinese communist party, the upcoming Winter Olympic games in Beijing, and state of global affairs.
Meet Bethany:
Bethany leads the weekly Axios China newsletter and she covers China’s role in the world. She was previously a staff editor and contributing reporter at Foreign Policy magazine, where she wrote investigations, deeply reported narratives, and analysis related to China. She is also writing a book about China for HarperCollins entitled Beijing Rules: Capitalism, the Coronavirus, and China’s Quest for Global Influence due to release in spring 2023.
Resources:
- Red Carpet by Erich Schwartzel
- The War on the Uyghurs by Sean R. Roberts
- The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom by John Pomfret
- Freedom by Nathan Law
- Ai Superpowers by Kai-Fu Lee
- The Third Revolution by Elizabeth C. Economy
The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.
Production assistance is provided by Cameron Hayner. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matt Emerson, co-executive director of the Center for Baptist Renewal and editor of Baptists and the Christian Tradition: Towards and Evangelical Baptist Catholicity . Today, we talk about Baptists and their place amongst the Christian tradition.
Meet Dr. Emerson:
Dr. Emerson is dean of theology, arts, & humanities at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, as well as co-executive director of the Center for Baptist Renewal. His areas of interest include biblical theology, canonical interpretation, theological method, and Baptist theology. He is author of ‘He Descended to the Dead’: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday, and an editor of Baptists and the Christian Tradition: Towards an Evangelical Baptist Catholicity.
Resources:
- Center for Baptist Renewal
- CBR Reading Challenge
- Baptists and the Christian Tradition edited by Matt Emerson, Luke Stamps, and Christopher Morgan
Credits:
Podcast Coordinator: Cameron Hayner
Audio Producer: Mark Owens, Owens Productions
In this episode, I am joined by my ERLC colleague Chelsea Sobolik who serves as our director of public policy in Washington, DC. Today, we talk about the ERLC’s public policy priorities in 2022 and how we engage government officials at both the state and federal levels.
Meet Chelsea:
Chelsea has worked on Capitol Hill on pro-life policies, domestic and international religious freedom, adoption, and foster care issues in a number of different roles prior to coming to the ERLC. She has been published at the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and others. She is the author of Longing for Motherhood – Holding onto Hope in the Midst of Childlessness, and a forthcoming book on women and work. She has a B.A. in International Relations from Liberty University, and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband Michael.
Resources:
- ERLC Public Policy Agenda for 2022
- Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller
- The Common Rule by Justin Earley
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Credits:
Podcast Coordinator: Cameron Hayner
Audio Producer: Mark Owens, Owens Productions
In this episode, I talk about four of the top ethical issues in technology to watch out for this year and how Christians can begin to navigate these issues in the public square.
Resources:
Digital Public Square Research Project
WeeklyTech Newsletter
Pre-order my new book – Following Jesus in a Digital Age (Amazon, Lifeway, Barnes and Noble)
Articles:
Should the government regulate social media?
Jan. 6 was fueled by misinformation. More content moderation won’t fix it.
3 words that will shape digital culture for good and cultivate virtue in the public square
The California Consumer Privacy Act and how it affects you
The purpose of privacy
What is digital authoritarianism?
How the Chinese Communist Party is committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims
In this episode, I am joined by Dan Strange, the author of a recent book entitled Making Faith Magnetic: Five Hidden Themes Our Culture Can’t Stop Talking About and How to Connect them to Christ. Today, we talk about evangelism and apologetics in contemporary culture.
Meet Dr. Strange:
Dan is the director of Crosslands Forum, a center for cultural engagement and missional innovation. He is a contributing editor for Themelios journal and is a member of Hope Community Church in the UK. He is also the vice president of The Southgate Fellowship. His most recent books are Plugged In (The Good Book Company, 2019), and Making Faith Magnetic (The Good Book Company, 2021).
Resources:
- Making Faith Magnetic by Daniel Strange
- Plugged In by Daniel Strange
- The J.H. Bavinck Reader by John Bolt, James Bratt, and Paul Visser
- Christian Worldview by Herman Bavinck
- Thinking Through Creation by Christopher Watkin
Credits:
Podcast Coordinator: Cameron Hayner
Audio Producer: Mark Owens, Owens Productions
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, research professor of English and Christianity and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and editor of a series of guides through classical works of literature with B&H Books. Today, we talk about the importance of reading older books and the value of literature.
Meet Dr. Prior:
Karen Swallow Prior is the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More, and On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books. She is co-editor of Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues (Zondervan 2019) and has contributed to numerous other books. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, Vox, The Gospel Coalition, and numerous other outlets.
Resources:
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
- B&H Classics with Karen Swallow Prior
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- Bookedby Karen Swallow Prior
Credits:
Podcast Coordinator: Cameron Hayner
Audio Producer: Mark Owens, Owens Productions
In this episode, I am joined by Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of the recent book, The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth. Today, we talk about the rise and spread of misinformation and falsehood.
Meet Jonathan:
Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow in the Governance Studies program at the Brookings and the author of eight books and numerous articles on public policy, culture, and government. He is a contributing writer of The Atlantic and recipient of the 2005 National Magazine Award, the magazine industry’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.
Resources:
- The Constitution of Knowledgeby Jonathan Rauch
- A Lot of People Are Saying by Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum
- Truth Decay by Jennifer Kavanagh and Michael D. Rich
- Post-Truth by Lee McIntyre
- On Libertyby John Stuart Mill
- Braver Angels
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Alan Noble, professor and author of the recent book, You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World. Today, we talk about false promises of contemporary life and how the gospel reorients our pursuit of identity in the digital age.
Meet Dr. Noble:
Alan Noble (PhD, Baylor University) is associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, co-founder and editor in chief of Christ and Pop Culture, and an advisor for the AND Campaign. He is also the author of Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age. He has written for numerous outlets, including Atlantic, Vox, BuzzFeed, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things.
Resources:
- You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble
- Lost in the Cosmosby Walker Percy
- Leisure by Josef Pieper
- Liquid Modernity by Zygmunt Bauman
- The Weariness of the Self by Alain Ehrenberg
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Ray Ortlund, longtime pastor and the author of The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility. Today, we talk about a gospel vision for combating pornography in community.
Meet Dr. Ortlund:
Ray Ortlund is the President of Renewal Ministries, the Pastor to Pastors at Immanuel Church Nashville, and a Canon Theologian with the Anglican Church in North America. He is the author of several books, including the Preaching the Word commentaries on Isaiah and Proverbs and Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel. He is also a contributor to the ESV Study Bible. Ray and his wife, Jani, have been married for fifty years.
Resources:
- The Death of Porn by Ray Ortlund
- Gentle and Lowlyby Dane C. Ortlund
- The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Dru Johnson, professor and author of Biblical Philosophy: A Hebraic Approach to the Old and New Testaments. Today, we talk about the Bible and philosophy.
Meet Dr. Johnson:
Dru Johnson is an associate professor of biblical and theological studies at The King’s College in New York City, director of the Center for Hebraic Thought, editor at The Biblical Mind, host of The Biblical Mind podcast, and co-host of the OnScript Podcast.
Resources:
- Biblical Philosophy by Dru Johnson
- The Philosophy of Hebrew Scriptures by Yoram Hazony
- Jesus the Great Philosopher by Jonathan Pennington
- Longing to Know by Esther Meek
- Scripture Knowing by Dru Johnson
- Biblical Knowing by Dru Johnson
- “Jesus Cares About Your Conspiracy Theory” by Dru Johnson
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Ayman Ibrahim, professor of Islamic studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of A Concise Guide to the Quran. Today, we talk about the Quran and the Islamic worldview.
Meet Dr. Ibrahim:
Dr. Ibrahim (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary; PhD, Haifa University) is Bill and Connie Jenkins Professor of Islamic Studies and director of the Center for the Christian Understanding of Islam at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was born and raised in Egypt and has taught in various countries in the Muslim world and in the West. His articles on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations have appeared in the Washington Post, Religion News Service, and First Things, among others. Ibrahim is also the author of The Stated Motivations for the Early Islamic Expansion.
Resources:
- A Concise Guide to the Quran by Ayman Ibrahim
- Basics of Arabic by Ayman Ibrahim
- Conversion to Islam by Ayman Ibrahim
In this episode, I am joined by Samuel James, an editor and writer who focuses on issues of theology, technology, and society. Today, we talk about a recent article he wrote about pursuing truth in our digital age and the effects of social media on society.
Meet Samuel:
Samuel serves as associate acquisitions editor at Crossway Books. He is a columnist at World Opinion, a regular contributor to First Things and The Gospel Coalition, and his writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and National Review. Samuel and his wife Emily live in Louisville, Kentucky with their two children.
Resources:
- The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
- The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
- The Tech-Wise Familyby Andy Crouch
- Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke
- 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- "Live not by outrage" by Samuel D. James
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Rhyne Putman, professor of Christian ministries at Williams Baptist University and author of The Method of Christian Theology: A Basic Introduction. Today, we talk about Christian truth and theological method.
Meet Dr. Putman:
Dr. Putman also serves as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of Worldview Formation at WBU. He also is an associate professor of theology and culture at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he has served since 2010. He has published numerous articles and books, including In Defense of Doctrine and When Doctrine Divides the People of God.
Resources:
- The Method of Christian Theology by Rhyne Putman
- The Drama of Doctrine by Kevin Vanhoozer
- Faith Speaking Understanding by Kevin Vanhoozer
- Finding the Right Hills to Die On by Gavin Ortlund
- When Doctrine Divides the People of Godby Rhyne Putman
- A Practical Primer on Theological Method by Glenn Kreider and Michael Svigel
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Marc LiVecche, executive editor of Providence and author of a new book The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury and we talk about the morality of war.
Meet Dr. LiVecche:
Marc LiVecche serves as the just war and global statecraft scholar with the Institute on Religion and Democracy along with his duties at Providence. He also serves as the McDonald Visiting Scholar at the McDonald Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Life at Christ Church College and is a Leadership Research Fellow at the United States Naval Academy. His first book, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury, was published in the summer of 2021 with Oxford University Press.
Resources:
- The Good Kill by Marc LiVecche
- Achilles in Vietnam by Jonathan Shay
- Odysseus in America by Jonathan Shay
- In Defence of War by Nigel Biggar
- What It Is Like To Go Into War by Karl Marlantes
- Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matthew Kaemingk, an ethics and theology professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and editor of Reformed Public Theology: A Global Vision for Life in the World. Today, we talk about a reformed vision for public theology and ethics.
Meet Dr. Kaemingk:
Dr. Matthew Kaemingk is a public theologian who explores questions facing Christians serving in politics, culture, and the marketplace. He teaches ethics and public theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he holds the Richard John Mouw Chair of Faith and Public Life. He also serves as a research fellow at the Center for Public Justice.
Resources:
- Reformed Public Theology by Matthew Kaemingk
- Work and Worship by Matthew Kaemingk
- Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper
- Calvinism for a Secular Age by Robert and Jessica Joustra
- All That God Cares About by Richard Mouw
- When the Kings Come Marching in by Richard Mouw
- Culture Making by Andy Crouch
Starting September 27th, we are relaunching WeeklyTech as the Digital Public Square podcast. Starting next week, I will be joined by some of our society's most influential thinkers and leaders to talk about the pressing issues of theology, ethics, and philosophy in the public square. If you already have subscribed, you will automatically get the new episodes or you can subscribe here.
In this episode, I am joined by Jeremy Peckham, author of the recent book Masters or Slaves? AI and the Future of Humanity. We talk about ethics and artificial intelligence.
Meet Jeremy:
Mr. Peckham has spent much of his career in the field of artificial intelligence, and founded his first company in 1993 which was listed on the London Stock Exchange. He is part of a growing network of Christians in Europe and North America interested in AI and has spoken regularly at the Annual European Leadership Forum.
Resources:
- Masters or Slaves? by Jeremy Peckham
- Masters or Slaves? Study Guide
- jeremypeckham.com
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. David Koyzis, a Global Scholar for Global Scholars Canada and author of Political Visions and Illusions: A Survey and Christian Critique of Contemporary Ideologies.
Meet Dr. Koyzis:
David T. Koyzis taught politics for thirty years at Redeemer University College. He is the author of the award-winning Political Visions and Illusions (also translated into Portuguese and shortly to be translated into Spanish as well) and We Answer to Another: Authority, Office, and the Image of God.
Resources:
- Political Visions and Illusions by David Koyzis
- Creation Regained by Albert Wolters
- Why Liberalism Failed by Patrick Deneen
- The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
- A conversation with Dr. Carl Trueman on the modern self and the sexual revolution
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jeffrey Bilbro, associate professor of English at Grove City College and the author of a new book entitled Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News.
Meet Dr. Bilbro:
Jeffrey Bilbro is the editor-in-chief of Front Porch Republic and associate professor of English at Grove City College. He holds a PhD from Baylor University. He has written for Christianity Today, First Thing, Comment Magazine, and The Gospel Coalition. He is also the author of Loving God’s Wildness: The Christian Roots of Ecological Ethics in American Literature and Virtues of Renewal: Wendell Berry’s Sustainable Forms.
Resources:
- Reading the Times by Jeffrey Bilbro
- Breaking Bread with the Dead by Alan Jacobs
- The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
- Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich
- Walden or Life Without Principleby Henry David Thoreau
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Evan Lenow of Mississippi College and Dr. Mark Liederbach of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We talk about their new book Ethics as Worship: The Pursuit of Moral Discipleship.
Meet Dr. Lenow:
Dr. Evan Lenow serves as the Director of Church and Minister Relations at Mississippi College. He also serves as the Director of the Clinton Extension of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to arriving at Mississippi College, he served as Associate Professor of Ethics and Director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Christian ethics from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.
Meet Dr. Liederbach:
Dr. Mark Liederbach serves as Professor of Theology, Ethics and Culture, Vice President for Student Services, and Dean of Students at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a PhD from the University of Virginia. He is the author of Chasing Infinity: Discipleship as the Pursuit of Infinite Treasure; Defending the Faith, Engaging the Culture and True North: Christ, The Gospel, and Creation Care.
Resources:
- Ethics as Worship by Mark Liederbach and Evan Lenow
- Introduction to Biblical Ethics by David W. Jones
- Doctrine of the Christian Life by John Frame
- Christian Ethics by Wayne Grudem
- Counter Culture by David Platt
- Basic Christian Ethics by Dan Heimbach (forthcoming)
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Keith Stanglin of the Center for Christian Studies in Austin, Texas and the author of a new book entitled Ethics Beyond Rules: How Christ’s Call to Love Informs our Moral Choices.
Meet Dr. Stanglin:
Keith D. Stanglin (PhD, Calvin Theological Seminary) is Director of the Center for Christian Studies in Austin, Texas, and professor of theology at Heritage Christian University in Florence, Alabama. He is author of several books, including The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation, The Reformation to the Modern Church, and Jacob Arminius: Theologian of Grace.
Resources:
- Ethics Beyond Rulesby Keith Stanglin
- What We Can’t Not Know by J. Budziszewski
- The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
- Brave New Worldby Aldous Huxley
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- Technopoly by Neil Postman
- “A conversation with Dr. Carl Trueman on the modern self and the sexual revolution“
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Christian Miller, professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University and director of the Honesty Project. We talk about his new book from Oxford University Press, Honesty: The Philosophy and Psychology of a Neglected Virtue.
Meet Dr. Miller:
Christian B. Miller is the A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University. He is currently the Director of the Honesty Project. He is the author of over 100 academic papers as well as four books, including Moral Character: An Empirical Theory (2013), Character and Moral Psychology (2014), The Character Gap: How Good Are We? (2017), and Moral Psychology (2021). He is a science contributor for Forbes, and his writings have also appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Dallas Morning News, Slate, The Conversation, Newsweek, and Christianity Today.
Resources:
- Honestyby Dr. Christian Miller
- Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle
- Selected Writings by Thomas Aquinas
- The Road to Character by David Brooks
- “A conversation with Dr. Matthew Arbo on public theology and virtue ethics”
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Gregg Allison, professor of Christian theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and we talk about his new book, Embodied: Living as Whole People in a Fractured World.
Meet Dr. Allison:
Gregg Allison received his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of many books, including 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith, The Baker Compact Dictionary of Theological Terms, Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, and Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church. He serves as secretary of the Evangelical Theological Society and is a book review editor for the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. Gregg is also a pastor of Sojourn Community Church.
Resources:
- Embodied by Preston Sprinkle
- Wonderfully Made by John Kleinig
- Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey
- For The Body by Timothy Tennant
- What God Has to Say about Our Bodies by Sam Allberry
- Embodied by Gregg Allison
In this episode, I am joined by Patricia Shaw, an AI ethics, strategy, policy, and governance consultant, who serves as CEO of Beyond Reach Consulting Limited based in the UK. We talk about AI ethics, digital privacy, and online governance.
Meet Patricia:
Trish has over 20 years’ experience as a Solicitor advising on data, technology, financial services, and regulatory/government affairs. As a writer and public speaker, Trish is an expert adviser on numerous governance initiatives and guidelines in the European Union.
She is also the Chair of the UK’s Society for Computers and Law, on the Board of the iTechlaw, as well as Vice Chair of iTechlaw’s AI Committee, and is on the steering committee of Women Leading in AI. She has recently been listed as one of the 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™.
She is particularly concerned about the role AI and automated decision making can have on individuals, people groups, society, and the planet. As a Christian, she is passionate about raising awareness of AI and being an advocate of responsible AI, AI governance and AI ethics policy regulation mainly in and through the Homo Responsiblis Initiative.
Resources:
- “Principled Artificial Intelligence” by The Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University
- A conversation with Dr. Jacob Shatzer about transhumanism, technology, and parenting
- The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff
- Masters or Slaves? by Jeremy Peckham
- Too Much Information?by Andrew Graystone
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Thaddeus Williams, Associate Professor of Theology at Biola University, and we talk about his recent book, Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth, and the role of social media in these divided times.
Meet Dr. Williams:
Dr. Williams serves as an associate professor of systematic theology at Biola University in California. He has also taught Philosophy and Literature at Saddleback College, Jurisprudence at Trinity Law School, and was a lecturer in Worldview Studies at L’Abri Fellowships in Switzerland and Holland, as well as teaching Ethics for Blackstone Legal Fellowship through the Federalist Society in Washington D.C. He resides in Orange County, CA with his wife and four kids.
Resources:
- Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth by Thaddeus Williams
- Real Christianity by William Wilberforce
- The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman (Who we hosted on WeeklyTech earlier this year)
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Geoffrey Fulkerson, the Director of the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Joel Chopp, Project & Communications Manager at the Henry Center, and we talk about a new volume they co-edited, Science and the Doctrine of Creation: The Approaches of Ten Modern Theologians.
Meet Dr. Fulkerson:
Prior to walking with the Lord and his love for theology, Dr. Fulkerson studied Communications at University of Illinois. He then spent the last decade pursuing theological education, completing a Master of Divinity and PhD in Systematic Theology at TEDS.
Meet Joel Chopp:
Joel Chopp earned a MA in Systematic Theology from TEDS in 2014 and then enrolled at the University of Toronto to pursue a PhD in Systematic Theology. After finishing coursework, Chopp returned to TEDS in the summer of 2016 to assume the role of Project & Communications manager for the Henry Center.
Resources:
- Science and the Doctrine of Creation edited by Dr. Geoffrey Fulkerson and Joel Chopp
- Retrieving Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation by Gavin Ortlund
- Science, Religion, and the Protestant Tradition by James C. Ungureanu
- Reading Genesis Well by C. John Collins
- The Triune Creator by Colin E. Gunton
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Alan Noble, who serves as associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, and we talk about his most recent book Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age.
Meet Dr. Noble:
Dr. Noble also serves as the co-founder and editor in chief of Christ and Pop Culture, and as an advisor for the AND Campaign. He has written for The Atlantic, Vox, BuzzFeed, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things. He is also the author of an upcoming book coming out this year entitled, You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an inhuman world
Resources:
- Disruptive Witnessby Alan Noble
- You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble
- How (Not) to be Secular by James K.A. Smith
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- Technological Society by Jacques Ellul
- Leisure: The Basics of Culture by Josef Pieper
In this episode, I am joined by my friend Ben Mandrell, President & CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, and we talk about the changes to ministry and publishing in this digital age.
Meet Ben Mandrell:
Ben came to Lifeway from his role as lead pastor at Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, Colorado. He is a graduate of Anderson University and also holds a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Mandrell and his wife, Lynley, have been married 18 years, and they have four children.
Resources:
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
- Screwtape Lettersby C.S. Lewis
- The Pursuit of Godby A.W. Tozer
In this episode, I am joined by my ERLC colleague Josh Wester, who serves as the chair of research in Christian Ethics and director of content. We talk to Mary Eberstadt who is an American essayist, novelist, and author of numerous books including How the West Really Lost God and Primal Screams.
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Meet Mary Eberstadt:
Mary Eberstadt holds the Panula Chair in Christian Culture at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C. She is also a senior fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute. She is the author of several books including, most recently, Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics. Her work and updates about her appearances can be found on her website, maryeberstadt.com.
Resources:
- How the West Really Lost God by Mary Eberstadt
- Primal Screams by Mary Eberstadt
- The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
- The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. David VanDrunen, Professor of Systematic Theology and Christian Ethics at Westminster Seminary California, and we talk about his latest book, “Politics After Christendom.”
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Meet Dr. VanDrunen:
Dr. VanDrunen, a minister of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, began teaching at Westminster Seminary California in 2001. He formerly served as a pastor of Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Hanover Park, IL, and currently serves on the Orthodox Presbyterian Church’s Committee on Christian Education and Subcommittee on Ministerial Training. He does much of his current research and writing at the intersection of systematic theology, biblical studies, ethics, and legal and political theory. He was the recipient of the Acton Institute’s Novak Award for 2004, a visiting fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University in 2009, and a Henry Luce III Fellow in Theology for 2016-17.
Resources:
- Politics after Christendom by David VanDrunen
- City of God (Abridged) by Saint Augustine (Book 19)
- Political Church by Jonathan Leeman
- Politics for the Greatest Good by Clark Forsythe
In this episode, I am joined by my friend, Dr. Andrew Walker, associate professor of Christian ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and we talk about his new book “Liberty for All.”
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Meet Dr. Walker:
Andrew Walker also serves as executive director of the Carl F. H. Henry Institute for Evangelical Engagement in Louisville, Kentucky. He previously served as senior fellow in Christian ethics at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He is the author of “God and the Transgender Debate,” named the best book in public theology in 2017 by The Gospel Coalition, coauthor of “Marriage Is: How Marriage Transforms Society and Cultivates Human Flourishing,” and coeditor of the “Gospel for Life'' series.
Resources:
- Natural Law and Religious Freedom by J. Daryl Charles
- Christianity and Freedom: Volume 1 - Historical Perspectives by Timothy Shah and Allen Hertzke
- Christianity and Freedom: Volume 2 - Contemporary Perspectives by Timothy Shah and Allen Hertzke
- Liberty for All by Andrew Walker
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jonathan Armstrong, Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute, and Dr. Darrell Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, and we talk about their latest book, “Virtual Reality Church.”
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Meet Dr. Armstrong:
Dr. Armstrong, lectures in New Testament studies and church history. He consults at the intersection of faith and technology and serves as the president of the Aqueduct Project. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three children.
Meet Dr. Bock:
Dr. Bock has earned recognition as a Humboldt Scholar in Germany, and is the author of more than forty books, including well-regarded commentaries on Luke and Acts and studies of the historical Jesus. He previously served as president of the Evangelical Theological Society and is a consulting editor for Christianity Today.
Resources:
- Virtual Reality Church: Pitfalls and Possibilities (Or How to Think Biblically about Church in Your Pajamas, VR Baptisms, Jesus Avatars, and Whatever Else is Coming Next) by Dr. Jonathan Armstrong and Dr. Darrell Bock
- Creating Church Online: Ritual, Community and New Media by Tim Hutchings
- Habits of the High-Tech Heart: Living Virtuously in the Information Age by Quentin J. Schultze
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matthew Arbo, Associate Professor of Theological Studies and Director of the Center for Faith and Public Life at Oklahoma Baptist University, and we talk about his work in public theology and virtue ethics.
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Meet Dr. Arbo:
Prior to his arrival at OBU, Dr. Arbo served for three years as Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of The Virtues: An Introduction and Outline, Walking Through Infertility: Biblical, Theological, and Moral Counsel for those who are Struggling, and Political Vanity: Adam Ferguson on the Moral Tensions of Early Capitalism. His essays and articles on wide-ranging moral and political questions appear in several edited volumes and top-tier journals.
Resources:
- Major Works on Religion and Politics by Reinhold Niebuhr
- Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
- The Essential Kierkegaard by Søren Kierkegaard
- Ferguson: An Essay on the History of Civil Society edited by Fania Oz-Salzberge
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Matthew Shadle, Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Marymount University, and we talk about ethics, autonomous weapons, and cyber warfare.
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Meet Dr. Shadle:
Dr. Matthew Shaydle joined the Marymount faculty in 2014, and lives in northern Virginia with his wife. His writing focuses on Catholic social ethics, especially the ethics of war and peace, immigration, and economic life. His work has been published in journals such as Horizons, the Journal of Catholic Social Thought, Political Theology, and the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics.
Resources:
- Cyber War versus Cyber Realities: Cyber Conflict in the International System by Brandon Valeriano and Ryan C. Maness
- The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Powerby Shoshana Zuboff
In this episode, Dr. James Eglinton, Meldrum Senior Lecturer in Reformed Theology at the University of Edinburgh, joins me, and we talk about the work of Herman Bavinck and how his example can help us navigate the modern challenges of science and culture.
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Meet Dr. Eglinton:
Dr. Eglinton is the author of “Bavinck: A Critical Biography” and “Trinity and Organism.” He has written for Christianity Today, The Times, The Herald, The Scotsman, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He is a graduate of the Universities of Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Resources:
- The Wonderful Works of God by Herman Bavinck
- Bavinck: A Critical Biography by James Eglinton
In this episode, I am joined by my friend Dr. Kutter Callaway, associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and Co-Director of Reel Spirituality, and we talk about his work on technology, film, and culture.
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Meet Dr. Callaway:
Dr. Callaway has been actively engaged in writing and speaking on the interaction between theology and culture–particularly film, television, and online media–in both academic and popular forums. He has been a steering committee member for the Religion, Film, and Visual Culture group at the American Academy of Religion since 2013. He has also served on the Windrider Film Forum Advisory Board and on the steering committee for the Brehm Center’s Church in Contemporary Culture Initiative since 2011. He is ordained as a Baptist minister.
Resources:
- Strength to Love by Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Resources from Kutter Callaway
This week, I am joined by my friend Klon Kitchen, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and we talk about technology policy, national security, and the rise of China.
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Meet Klon Kitchen:
At AEI, Kitchen focuses on the intersection of national security and defense technologies and innovation. Through his research, he works to understand and explain how emerging technologies are shaping modern statecraft, intelligence, and warfighting, while focusing on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum sciences. Before joining AEI, Mr. Kitchen was director of the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Technology Policy, where he led an enterprise-wide, interdisciplinary effort to understand and shape the nation’s most important technology issues. Prior to joining Heritage, Klon was National Security Advisor to Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska and also the Staff Director of the National Security and International Trade and Finance Subcommittee for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Resources:
- AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the new world order by Kai-Fu Lee
- The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity by Jason Thacker
- The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch
On this episode of WeeklyTech, I am joined by my colleague Josh Wester, Chair of Research in Christian Ethics at the ERLC, and we talk about Amazon, book removals, and content moderation. A few weeks ago, Josh and I wrote a piece at the ERLC titled “Should Amazon be able to ban books?.” Today we dialogue about Ryan Anderson’s book “When Harry became Sally” and discuss its removal from Amazon as well as some of the underlying issues related to digital governance and questions surrounding Section 230.
Since the original recording of this episode, Amazon has provided some clarity to their decision to remove Anderson’s book from the marketplace.
Resources:
- Should Amazon be able to ban books? | ERLC
- Is content moderation stifling public discourse? | ERLC
- Understanding Twitter suspensions and the need for consistent policies | ERLC
- Sign up for the WeeklyTech Newsletter
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Brian Brock, Professor of Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland, and we talk about ethical technology.
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Meet Dr. Brian Brock:
Dr. Brock is the author of numerous books including “Christian Ethics in a Technological Age,” “Singing the Ethos of God: On the Place of Christian Ethics in Scripture,” and “Disability in the Christian Tradition.” He has written extensively on medical ethics and disability theology.
Resources:
- Christian Ethics in a Technological Age by Dr. Brian Brock
- The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power by Shoshana Zuboff
- The Limit of Responsibility: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ethics for a Globalizing Era by Esther D. Reed
In this episode, I am joined by Drs. James Davison Hunter and Paul Nedelisky, both professors at the University of Virginia, and we talk about the nature of science and morality based on their book “Science and the Good: The Tragic Quest for the Foundations of Morality” from Yale University Press.
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Meet Drs. James Davison Hunter and Paul Nedelisky:
Dr. James Davison Hunter is LaBrosse-Levinson Distinguished Professor of Religion, Culture and Social Theory at the University of Virginia and Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. He is the author of “Culture Wars” and “The Death of Character.”
Dr. Paul Nedelisky is an Assistant Director and a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. His research interests center on issues in metaphysics and ethics. Nedelisky received a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Virginia in 2013.
Resources:
- Science and the Good: The Tragic Quest for the Foundations of Morality by James Davison Hunter and Paul Nedelisky
- Culture Wars: The Struggle To Control The Family, Art, Education, Law, And Politics In Americaby James Davison Hunter
- Experiments in Ethics by Kwame Anthony Appiah
- The Atheist’s Guide to Reality: Enjoying Life without Illusions by Alex Rosenberg
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Brent Waters who serves as the Jerre and Mary Joy Stead Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and we talk about theology, science, and technology ethics.
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Meet Dr. Waters:
Dr. Water’s primary interests are in the areas of theology and technology, bioethics, and economics and ethics. He is the author of several books including This Mortal Flesh: Incarnation and Bioethics and From Human to Posthuman: Christian Theology and Technology in a Postmodern World.
Resources:
- “This Mortal Flesh: Incarnation and Bioethics” by Dr. Waters
- “From Human to Posthuman: Christian Theology And Technology in a Postmodern World” by Dr. Waters
- “Technology and Justice” by George Grant
- “Technology and Empire: Perspectives on North America” by George Grant
- “Christian Ethics in a Technological Age” by Brian Brock
My friend Brett McCracken, senior editor for the Gospel Coalition, joins me on WeeklyTech to talk about the search for wisdom in the midst of information overload.
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Meet Brett:
Brett McCracken is a writer and journalist based in Southern California. He is the author of several books and has written for places such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN.com, Christianity Today, and ERLC. He speaks and lectures frequently at universities, churches, and conferences. Brett is a graduate of Wheaton College and UCLA and is currently pursuing a master’s in theology at Talbot School of Theology. Brett and his wife Kira live in Santa Ana, California and are active in their local church, Southlands, where Brett serves as a pastor/elder.
Resources:
- The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken
- Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman
- The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Derek Schuurman, Professor of Computer Science at Calvin University, and we talk about his work in computer science from a faith perspective.
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Meet Dr. Schuurman:
Derek Schuurman worked in industry for several years as an electrical engineer and later completed a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at McMaster University in the area of robotics and computer vision. Besides his technical research, he has also taught and written about a Christian perspective on technology and computer science. He has taught computer science at Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario and at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa and is currently professor of computer science at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Resources:
- Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology by Dr. Schuurman
- The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch
- From the Garden to the City: The Redeeming and Corrupting Power of Technology by John Dyer
- Modern Technology and the Human Future: A Christian Appraisal by Craig Gay
- The American Scientific Affiliation
- Christian Engineering Society
- Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. O. Carter Snead, Professor of Law and the director of the Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame. Today, we talk about his latest book, “What It Means to be Human: The Case for the Body in Public Bioethics.”
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Meet Dr. Snead:
Professor Snead is one of the world’s leading experts on public bioethics. His research explores issues relating to neuroethics, enhancement, human embryo research, assisted reproduction, abortion, and end-of-life decision-making. He has written more than 50 journal articles, book chapters, and essays. His scholarly works appear in such publications as the New York University Law Review, the Harvard Law Review Forum, the Vanderbilt Law Review, Constitutional Commentary, and others.
Resources:
- What It Means to be Human: The Case for the Body in Public Bioethics by Dr. Snead
- Body, Soul, and Bioethics by Gilbert C. Meilaender
- The President’s Council on Bioethics
This week, I am joined by Dr. Carl Trueman, Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, and we talk about his latest book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.
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Meet Dr. Carl Trueman:
Dr. Trueman earned an MA in Classics from the University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in Church History from the University of Aberdeen. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books. He is an esteemed church historian and previously served as the William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and Public Life at Princeton University.
Resources:
- The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Dr. Carl Trueman
- The Ethics of Authenticity by Charles Taylor
- How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor by James K. A. Smith
- Liberty for All: Defending Everyone’s Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age by Andrew T. Walker
- Public Discourse
In this episode, I am joined by my friend David French who serves as senior editor at The Dispatch and a columnist for Time, and we talk about his new book “Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation“ and the role of social media in the divisions we face.
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Meet David French:
A graduate of Harvard Law School and a constitutional lawyer, David most recently worked as a senior writer for National Review and a senior fellow at the National Review Institute. He is also a New York Times bestselling author. David is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and from 2007-2008, he served with the Second Squadron, Third Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Iraq, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Resources:
- Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation by David French
- The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
- Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse by Timothy P Carney
- Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis by Robert D. Putnam
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Ben Mitchell, editor of Ethics & Medicine: An International Journal of Bioethics and a Research Fellow with the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and we talk about bioethics, medicine, and technology.
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Meet Dr. Mitchell:
Dr. Mitchell previously served as the Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union University for 11 years. Prior to joining the Union faculty, he taught ethics, including bioethics and contemporary culture for a decade at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is a senior fellow in the Academy of Fellows of the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity and previously served as its executive director. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles examining the intersection of science and ethics and has contributed to a number of books.
Resources:
- Why We Plan to Get Vaccinated: A Christian Moral Perspective by Matthew Arbo, Ben Mitchell, and Andrew T. Walker
- Bioethics: A Primer for Christians by Gilbert Meilaender
- Christian Bioethics: A Guide for Pastors, Health Care Professionals, and Families by Ben Mitchell and Joy Riley
In this episode, I am joined by my friend Trevin Wax who serves as a vice president at LifeWay Christian Resources, and we talk about his latest book, “Rethink Your Self: The Power of Looking Up Before Looking In” and the rise of individualism, especially with the influence of technology and social media.
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Meet Trevin Wax:
A former missionary to Romania, Trevin hosts a blog at The Gospel Coalition and regularly contributes to the Washington Post, Religion News Service, World and Christianity Today, which named him one of 33 millennials shaping the next generation of evangelicals. His books include Eschatological Discipleship, This Is Our Time, and Gospel-Centered Teaching among other published works. He and his wife, Corina, have three Children.
Connect with Trevin Wax:
- Website: trevinwax.com
- Twitter: @TrevinWax
- Facebook: @trevinwax
- Book: Rethink Your Self: The Power of Looking Up Before Looking In
Resources:
- Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical by Tim Keller
- The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy Crouch
- 12 Ways your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke
On this special episode of WeeklyTech, all of the hosts from the ERLC podcasts are together for one big crossover episode to wrap up 2020 with highlights, favorite things, and the banter that turns co-workers into friends.
This MEGACAST joins the ERLC Podcast crew–Josh Wester, Lindsay Nicolet, and Brent Leatherwood–with the Capitol Conversations team–Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow–and Jason Thacker of the WeeklyTech podcast. Thanks be to Gary Lancaster, our fearless producer and America’s most elite audio engineer!
This episode is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of Searching for Christmas by JD Greear. Find out more about this book at thegoodbook.com.
Resources from the Conversation ERLC Podcast with Josh Wester, Lindsay Nicolet, and Brent Leatherwood * Capitol Conversations with Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, and Travis Wussow * WeeklyTech with Jason Thacker * This Week’s Promos + Check out The Good Book Company + Learn more and apply at ERLC.com/internships + Make an end of year donation at ERLC.com/donate * From the Highlights Conversation + What Hong Kong reveals about the future of China by Travis Wussow + The tension of technology: Hope and fear in the digital age by Jason Thacker + Hidden in Plain Sight: a call to bring hope and help to victims of abuse, winter edition of LIGHT Magazine + Watch The Pearl Brown Documentary + Looking for Truth in Post-Election America by Russell Moore * Favorite Books + Brent | A Time to Buildby Yuval Levin + Chelsea | Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund + A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Loconte + Lindsay | Spy Novels by Daniel Silva + Travis | The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker IIIby Peter Baker and Susan Glasser + Jason | The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul + Josh | Politics after Christendom by David VanDrunen * Favorite Podcasts + Brent | The Remnant + Chelsea | Office Ladies + Lindsay | Crime Junkie + Jeff | The Jamie Weinstein Show + Jason | In Machines We Trust + Josh | More Perfect * Favorite Newsletters* + Jeff | Axios Sports by Kendall Baker + Travis | Jonah Goldberg’s Friday G-File + Jason | The Economist Espresso
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Paul Miller, Professor in the Practice of International Affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and we talk about his forthcoming book, “Just War and Ordered Liberty,” and the use of technology in the international order.
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Meet Dr. Miller:
Dr. Miller also served a Senior Fellow with the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council and a research fellow with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He previously served in the US Army (including a tour in Afghanistan), as an analyst with the CIA, and as Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan on the National Security Council staff.
Connect with Dr. Miller:
- Website: PaulDavidMiller.com
- Podcast: Awkward Conversations
- Twitter: @PaulDMiller2
- Book: Just War and Ordered Liberty
Resources:
- James Turner Johnson
- Eric Patterson
- In Defence of War by Nigel Biggar
- Klon Kitchen
Michael Sacasas, Associate Director for Educational Programming at the Christian Study Center of Gainesville, joins me to talk about the philosophy of technology and some of the most influential thinkers and writers in this area from the past.
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Meet Michael Sacasas:
Michael Sacasas earned his MA in Theological Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2002. He was later a doctoral candidate at the University of Central Florida studying the relationship between technology and society with a particular focus on the work of Hannah Arendt. Along the way he has taught in a variety of settings, served as a school administrator, and written extensively on technology and society. He is an Associate Fellow in Ethics and Culture at the Greystone Theological Institute and, for three years, directed Greystone’s Center for the Study of Ethics and Technology.
Connect with Michael:
- Newsletter: theconvivialsociety.substack.com
- Twitter: @LMSacasas
- Book: The Frailest Thing: Ten Years of Thinking About the Meaning of Technology
Resources:
- The Analog City and the Digital City
- Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology – Neil Postman
- Tools for Conviviality – Ivan Illich
- Power Failure – Albert Borgmann
- The Abolition of Man – C.S. Lewis
Dr. Jonathan Pennington, associate professor of New Testament Interpretation and director of research doctoral studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary joins me to talk about his latest book Jesus the Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Needed for the Good Life and how philosophy connects to our everyday lives.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Dr. Pennington:
Dr. Pennington holds a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the author of numerous works including “The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing,” “Reading the Gospels Wisely,” and “Heaven and Earth In the Gospel of Matthew.” He is also on the preaching staff at Sojourn Church East in Louisville, Kentucky.
Connect with Dr. Pennington:
- Website: www.jonathanpennington.com
- Twitter: @DrJTPennington
- Facebook: @DrJonathanTPennington
- Instagram: @drjtpennington
Resources:
- “Jesus the Great Philosopher” by Jonathan Pennington
- Preaching and Teaching from Jonathan Pennington
- Scripture’s Knowing: A Companion to Biblical Epistemology by Dru Johnson
- Hermeneutic of Wisdom by J. de Waal Dryden
- What Is Ancient Philosophy? Pierre Hadot
Dr. Daniel Strand, Assistant Professor of Ethics at USAF Air War College and contributing editor at Providence Magazine, joins me to talk about AI, ethics, and warfare. We discuss just war tradition, autonomous weapons, and what these things mean for us today.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Dr. Strand:
Dr. Strand’s research interests include the political and moral theology of Augustine of Hippo and the Augustinian tradition, ethics and foreign policy, the just war tradition, bioethics, and moral theory. He is the author of the forthcoming Gods of the Nations (Cambridge University Press), a historical study of Augustine’s political theology in The City of God. He received his BA from the University of Minnesota, MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and PhD in religion and ethics from the University of Chicago.
Connect with Dr. Strand:
Twitter: @DDFStrand
Resources:
- “Army of None” by Paul Scharre
- Providence Magazine
- “Just American Wars: Ethical Dilemmas in U.S. Military History” by Eric Patterson
- “America and the Just War Tradition: A History of U.S. Conflicts” by J. Gerald Charles
Dr. Jacob Shatzer, assistant professor of theological studies and associate dean in the School of Theology & Missions at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, joins me to talk about transhumanism and Christian discipleship. We look at what it means to understand technology in light of our theology and discuss how we can teach our kids to engage rightly with technology.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Dr. Shatzer:
Dr. Shatzer graduated from Union in 2007 before earning his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his Ph.D at Marquette University. He has served at Union since 2017. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and has served congregations in various capacities, including youth ministry and supply preaching and teaching.
Be sure to check out Dr. Shatzer’s book Transhumanism and the Image of God: Today’s Technology and the Future of Christian Discipleship.
Other reading:
- Modern Technology and the Human Future: A Christian Appraisal by Craig Gay
- 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke
- 10 arguments for deleting your social media accounts right now by Jaron Lanier
Emily Wenger, a Computer Science PhD Student and researcher at The University of Chicago, joins me to talk about facial recognition technology and her PhD work. We discuss some concerns surrounding facial recognition technology and how her faith impacts her work.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Emily Wenger:
Emily Wenger is pursuing a PhD in computer science at the University of Chicago with an emphasis on machine learning and privacy. Her research explores the limitations, vulnerabilities, and privacy implications of neural networks. Emily worked for two years as a mathematician at the U.S. Department of Defense before beginning her PhD studies in 2018. She is a graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois with a degree in mathematics and physics.
Connect with Emily Wenger:
Connect with Emily and find some of her work here.
DanDarling joins me to talk about his latest book “A Way with Words” and what it looks like to apply biblical wisdom to our engagement with social media. We discuss ways that we can have a healthier relationship with social media in this cultural moment.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Dan Darling:
Dan Darling is the Senior Vice President for Communications at National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) and served for six years as VP of Communications for ERLC. Dan is the author of nine books, including “A Way with Words,” “The Dignity Revolution” and the bestselling “The Characters of Christmas.” Dan’s work has been featured in outlets such as USA Today, Washington Post, National Review, and Christianity Today. He and his wife Angela have four children. They attend Green Hill Church in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, where Dan serves as Pastor of Teaching and Discipleship.
Connect with Dan Darling:
Visit his website at www.danieldarling.com and check out his book “A Way with Words.” Connect with him on Twitter @dandarling.
Dr. Jamie Aten joins me on the podcast to talk about technology, humanitarian disasters, and some of the psychological aspects of the pandemic. We discuss how technology has been a gift during this season but also some of its pitfalls and how we can navigate those.
Sign up to receive the WeeklyTech newsletter each Monday morning at jasonthacker.com/weeklytech.
Meet Dr. Jamie Aten:
Dr. Jamie Aten is a disaster psychologist and disaster ministry expert. He helps others navigate mass, humanitarian, and personal disasters with scientific and spiritual insights. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Disaster Ministry Conference and holds the Blanchard Chair of Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College.
Connect with Dr. Jamie Aten:
Visit his website at www.jamieaten.com or find the Humanitarian Disaster Institute on Facebook.
I love Sunday mornings, but there is one thing I dread each week about them. Outside of the blessing of gathering together as the church (even remotely in this season) and extra time with my family, I get the dreaded notification on my iPhone. From reading and entertainment to social media and productivity, the screen time activity report on my phone displays the reality of my online activity for the past week. That methodic revelation often comes as a disappointing and discouraging reminder of the toils of this season of remote work, online school, and social distancing.
Our children are likewise fixated on screens, with countless hours spent online for homework, remote learning, gaming, reading, social media, connecting with friends, and even gathering with the church. This generation of children is the first to grow up in the smartphone era, seemingly always connected by social media and digital technology. It will be decades before we see the full effects of these technologies on their development as adults.
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The Rundown
Twitter is building ‘Birdwatch,’ a system to fight misinformation by adding more context to tweets – TechCrunch
In order to combat misinformation in the final month before the election, Twitter has added a new feature that will allow users to flag tweets for moderation and add notes with more details behind posts. This new addition called “Birdwatch” gives users the ability to vote on whether a tweet is false or misleading and add annotations which may be public or private.
Americans are one step closer to a national contact tracing app for Covid-19 – Vox
Catalyzed by a tool developed by Apple and Google, the U.S. has progressed towards a nationwide COVID-19 contact tracing app. This national server created by tech giants helps pave a road toward coordination among states, which up until this point has mainly produced programs that have yet to provide useful tracing information across state lines.
Facebook Widens Ban on Political Ads as Alarm Rises Over Election – The New York Times
On Wednesday, Facebook said that it would take more preventative measures to keep political candidates from using it to manipulate the election’s outcome and aftermath. The company now plans to prohibit all political and issue-based advertising after the polls close on November 3 for an undetermined length of time.
Facebook completely bans QAnon and labels it a ‘militarized social movement’ – The Verge
In its most drastic moderation measure to date, Facebook has decided to ban all profiles, groups, and posts promoting the QAnon conspiracy theory. This move is important in setting the precedent for online content moderation on the part of big tech companies. How this action is received by lawmakers and the public could also have implications for regulative policy in this sector.
Other Resources:
A conversation with Trillia Newbell about parenting, kids, and technology – WeeklyTech Podcast
‘The Social Dilemma’ and the Bigger Dilemma – The Gospel Coalition
You may read that headline and wonder how in the world someone could ask that question when many churches are still not able to meet in person or are having hybrid services to cut down on the spread of COVID-19.
Technologies like facial recognition seem like such a far off dream that you likely haven’t even considered the possibility of using it in your church or ministry.
But in light of the questions concerning regathering together as the church, social distancing, security, health risks, and even new member assimilation, there will be increasing pressure on church leaders to implement these types of tracking tools to keep people safe and connected.
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The Rundown
Uber wins appeal against London ban– The Verge
London’s Uber ban was recently overturned, and the popular ride sharing service was granted a license to operate for the next 18 months. The ruling found that Uber had improved upon some of its practices that prompted the ban in the first place. In a fallen world, the corruption and misuse of services like Uber is far too common, and Christians should be mindful of this reality.
US 2020 election: Social media’s nightmare scenario– BBC
Social media executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, have expressed concern over potential unrest in the aftermath of the election. Because an abnormal amount of votes are expected to be cast by mail due to COVID-19, the time between the closing of the polls and the official announcement of the winner could be a few days or even weeks. While nothing is certain, the concerns expressed by these companies should remind us to use extra care on social media in the coming weeks.
Judge rules TikTok can avoid a ban in the US, for now– CNN
While the deal with ByteDance, Oracle, and Walmart is still shrouded in some uncertainty, a federal judge has issued a temporary block on any government ban of the app from U.S. markets. The recent decision that temporarily protects TikTok from a ban buys the company some more time until the deal is set in stone.
Weeks before election, Facebook shuts down alleged Russian military intelligence operation– CNN
Facebook profiles with direct ties to Russian military personnel were discovered and shut down by the social media company. Tensions on social media are going to continue to grow more and more hostile as we wade deeper into election season. This will make participants on these platforms more susceptible to false information and propaganda that is closely aligned with their political identity.
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Other Resources:
Churchix.com
Churches Need to Start Utilizing Facial Recognition Tech – by Christopher Benek
One of the hidden blessings of 2020 has been the ability to rethink our routines and habits. Some have picked up new hobbies while others have decided to rethink how they approach technology, news, and social media. Early in the pandemic, I decided to try intentionally to get my news from sources outside of social media as a way to combat the constant churning of my social media feeds which are often full of unhealthy obsessions with controversy, underdeveloped stories without context, and a good bit of fake news.
This year, I subscribed to a few different print magazines and email newsletters that I attempt to read through each week. One that I have particularly enjoyed is The Economist because it forces me outside of my comfort zone at times and allows me to gain a global perspective on news and culture. Truthfully, I am not always successful at avoiding the hamster wheel of social media, but these little shifts in my news intake have really helped me so far. One of the most consequential issues that I have read a good deal about recently is the rise of what is called digital authoritarianism and how this movement impacts how we think about matters like international human rights.
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The Rundown
Trump approves TikTok deal. But big questions remain – CNN
Last week, not long after President Trump initially rejected a partnership between Oracle and ByteDance over U.S. operations of TikTok, the President said that the deal had earned his blessing. This deal is significant because it gives these American organizations ownership of the data the app collects from U.S. citizens, reducing the risk of the CCP obtaining and wielding such information for their own means.
TikTok says coordinated attack behind suicide clip uploads – ABC News
Despite TikTok’s concerted efforts to remove a graphic suicide clip from their platform a few weeks ago, the video kept resurfacing. The company says an internal investigation revealed a coordinated effort was behind the traumatizing posts. Disturbing stories like this one should remind us of the harmful content that exists on the internet. This should motivate us to be cautious and vigilant in our online activities.
A new lawsuit may force YouTube to own up to the mental health consequences of content moderation– The Verge
YouTube employees are seeking compensation for the stress induced by the daily task of viewing and removing countless disturbing and violent videos. Platforms like Youtube and Facebook are again facing a decision between relying more on algorithm-based moderators, which will result in the unintentional suppression of harmless speech, or on human moderators, which will result in emotional and mental health issues for employees.
Facebook shuts down 150 fake Chinese accounts– BBC
Facebook has banned a network of 150 fake profiles with a cumulative following of 130,000 individuals. These accounts were found distributing Chinese propaganda and posts pertaining to the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Even as social media platforms crack down on fake accounts posting false information, users should still practice discernment on these sites.
In June 2019, there was a Twitter backlash against the Black Hat security conference and its decision to confirm Rep. Will Hurd (R-Tx.) as a keynote speaker. Black Hat is a technology event series founded in 1997. Many within the national security and cybersecurity fields, along with many long-time attendees, voiced their disgust that Black Hat would choose to highlight Hurd given his pro-life convictions and voting record. Black Hat decided to rescind the invitation, bowing to public pressure.
While the issues of abortion and cybersecurity seem to be separate, the canceling of Hurd’s keynote is a prime example of a phenomenon in our society called “cancel culture.” This happens when a group seeks to cancel someone or something often based on a single disqualifying factor. These factors can be as simple as a past tweet or article, or as large as a deeply held religious or social belief. Those who seek to cancel someone will use anything to silence any dissenting opinion or thought, which leads to a breakdown of civil discourse and a weakening of our social fabric.
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The Rundown
ByteDance picks Oracle as partner to try to save TikTok U.S. – Reuters
Last Monday, ByteDance announced it would partner with Oracle for the app’s U.S. operations. And over the weekend, news broke that the U.S. would ban new downloads of the app in the United States beginning yesterday. Time will tell if these arrangements will adequately address the issues of CCP involvement with ByteDance and the national security concerns with the app.
Portland approves strictest ban on facial recognition technology in the U.S. – The Oregonian
The city council of Portland, Oregon banned the use of facial recognition technology by the city and private businesses. The issues surrounding the use of such technology are ultimately tied to the concern for human dignity. While it is crucial that we develop and use innovations to help make our cities safer, Christians should oppose the use of technology that unjustly targets individuals or is used to exploit vulnerable populations.
Twitter creates online hub for US election info, to combat misinformation – CNet
Twitter has launched a new section in its explore tab dedicated entirely to the 2020 US elections. Even as social media companies like Twitter take steps to promote reliable political sources, users should be aware that these platforms still contain misinformation and inaccurate representations of news and events. As always, we need to be diligent about how we use social media and wise about the information we share online.
Clemson researchers launch ‘Spot the Troll’ tool to fight social media disinformation – USA Today
Two researchers from Clemson University released an online quiz called “Spot the Troll” to help social media users learn how to spot misinformation online. Even with tools like these, users should still be cognizant of the sources of information found online. Because our witness as Christians also applies when we are online, we should be motivated to share content that is truthful and engages our neighbors in a loving and dignifying way.
Other Resources:
Should Facial Recognition Be Used in Policing? – The Gospel Coalition
A friend recently tweeted that she believes ethics to be an impossibility. As she unpacked what she meant, I realized this attitude toward ethics is shared by many, especially in our digital age. With the rise of sophisticated modern technologies—such as artificial intelligence (AI), facial recognition, bioengineering, and social media—our society will increasingly question what’s moral or immoral, as well as how we might pursue an ethical life. Yet these definitions are often based on what seems right in the moment, not on an ethical framework.
Between Google’s AI principles, the U.S. Department of Defense‘s recently adopted guidelines regarding military use of technology, and the European Union’s proposal for an ethical framework for technology, our world is longing for direction in addressing complicated and life-altering technologies in a way that’s good, fair, applicable, and ethical.
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The Rundown
TikTok is racing to stop the spread of a gruesome video – The Verge
Last week, TikTok issued warnings for users to be on the lookout for a disturbing video while it took extensive measures to take the video down. TikTok’s algorithms and “For You” page can make harmful content more accessible on this app than on other services, so Christians should approach this platform with heightened awareness.
Disney hit by backlash after thanking Xinjiang authorities in ‘Mulan’ credits – CNN
Disney is facing boycotts of its newly released live action remake of Mulan which is now available to stream on Disney+. The backlash is a response to the entertainment company’s relationship with Chinese authorities during the film’s production.It is important to be aware of injustices around the world, especially in the technology we use and entertainment we consume.
Samsung reportedly cutting off chip sales to Huawei – The Verge
Two South Korean companies announced they will stop selling computer chips to Huawei. Samsung and SK Hynix will cease trading with the Chinese tech giant on September 15, when new economic regulations go into effect. This situation demonstrates the interconnectedness of technology production and reminds us that there are implications of our technology usage.
America’s great virtual-learning experiment faces glitches nationwide – Axios
Many students across the country have faced technical difficulties as they have returned to school online in recent weeks. As educators and students do their best navigating these issues, churches should be aware of the difficulties families are facing and be attentive to specific ways they can love their neighbors.
Elon Musk has become a household name in the last few years. From the rise and popularity of the all electric vehicles at Tesla to the commercialization of space travel through SpaceX, Musk is a man on a mission to revolutionize our society. According to Forbes, Musk is worth over $86.1 billion dollars, making him one of the most wealthy and recognizable names in the world. A few years ago I read a fascinating biography of Musk by Ashlee Vance with a fitting subtitle of “Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.” Vance describes well that Musk is indeed on a quest for the future, but the question of whether this vision of the future is fantastic is heavily debated today.
A couple weeks back, Musk held a press conference with his lesser known startup company called Neuralink, which is an American neurotechnology company founded in July 2016. Neuralink specializes in the development of brain computer interfaces (BCI) that it hopes will be able to help cure neurological diseases such as memory loss, hearing loss, depression, and insomnia, as well as potentially enhance healthy human beings with abilities ranging from typing with your thoughts, hailing a self-driving car, or even extending your memory.
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The Rundown
Walmart+ launches Sept 15, offering same-day delivery, gas discounts and cashierless checkout for $98/yr – TechCrunch
Walmart announced its Amazon-like service that provides unlimited same-day delivery, gas discounts, and access to a new scan-and-go app that allows shoppers to skip the checkout line. Customers will be able to enroll in a Walmart+ membership beginning September 15 at a cost of $98 per year.
TikTok Deal Is Complicated by New Rules From China Over Tech Exports– New York Times
As the bidding war for TikTok nears a close, China has rolled out new regulations on exports that could put the sale of the Chinese-owned app to a U.S. company in jeopardy. The new restrictions could require ByteDance to obtain a license from the Chinese government in order to sell the app to a foreign corporation.
Google launches Kids Space, a hub for child-friendly apps and videos on tablets – CNet
Google has released a hub called “Kids Space” for Android tablets, which allows young children to access educational and entertaining apps, music, games, and books that are kid-friendly. The material available in this hub has been dubbed “teacher approved.”
Amazon receives U.S. regulatory approval to start drone delivery trials – Reuters
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given approval to Amazon to begin testing for delivering packages with autonomous drones. Amazon is the third organization to be granted approval for this venture, joining UPS and Alphabet, Inc.
Other Resources:
A conversation with Trillia Newbell about parenting, kids, and technology – WeeklyTech Podcast
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Photo attribution: Joshua Lott / Stringer
Amid the cultural upheaval of COVID-19 and what has turned out to be one of the most eventful years in modern history, a dehumanizing and predatory perversion of technology has been spreading in the darkness of our communities: pornography. While the out-of-sight nature of pornography makes it is easier to shrug off its insidiousness, especially given the social unrest of the moment, the rise in predatory marketing plans and expanded pornography use should not be left alone because of the monumental human dignity implications.
As the coronavirus lockdowns went into effect throughout the world in March, Pornhub, the world’s largest online pornography provider, announced that they were providing users in Italy free access and subscriber privileges due to the nation’s outbreak and isolation. The company has also provided similar access to users in other nations such as Spain and France. In light of the free and open access to this pornographic content, Pornhub self-reported on their official blog that daily usage increased by 38-61% throughout these European countries, which led them to also claim that “people all over Europe were happy to have distractions while quarantined at home.” According to the company’s June analytics report, “worldwide traffic to Pornhub continues to be much higher than it was before the Coronavirus pandemic spread worldwide.”
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The Rundown
TikTok sues Trump administration over US ban – The Verge
TikTok has announced that it is suing the Trump administration after President Trump’s executive order banning all transactions with the viral app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, claiming that the executive order violates due process and does not provide ample evidence of national security risks.
Facebook blocks Thai access to group critical of monarchy – BBC
After Thailand’s government threatened to pursue legal action against Facebook, the social media giant blocked access to a group with over a million members that discussed the nation’s monarchy. This move comes amidst nationwide protests against the Thai government.
New Zealand stock exchange halted by cyber-attack – BBC
Two days in a row, the New Zealand stock exchange was thrown offline by a foreign cyber attack. Denial of service attacks (DDoS) disrupt network systems by overwhelming their servers with online traffic, causing them to falter or crash.
New federal centers announced for AI and quantum computing – Axios
The White House has announced a pledge of $1 billion to further research in artificial intelligence and quantum science. This investment will fund 12 federal research centers, seven of which will be established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and will focus on AI research.
Other Resources:
5 concepts to know about human rights abuses in China – ERLC.com
Cybersecurity is a Moral Necessity – Providence
We live in a “smart-everything” world. We have artificial intelligence (AI) at our fingertips for nearly every part of our day. From AI-based wearable technology to phones, tablets, computers, and even appliances, nearly every aspect of our lives is being tracked, recorded, and processed by some form of algorithmic technology. And there are incredible advantages to these technologies. We now have safer and more effective medical treatment and vaccine development. Our neighborhoods are more connected and safer than ever before because of video surveillance and various communication tools. Our homes are even more efficient and comfortable. And our families have convenient access to more information than previous generations could have imagined.
Before the onset of COVID-19, one popular narrative suggested that our technological progress might ultimately lead to the eradication of sickness, disease, and in some cases even death itself. In his New York Times best-seller Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, world-renowned Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari argues that, with small exceptions here and there, humanity has essentially overcome the three big problems that have plagued our lives since the dawn of civilization: famine, war, and plague. He then proudly predicts that we will shift our creative energies toward tackling two other major issues: happiness and death itself. Even granting that Harari’s views of humanity and technological progress are fairly extreme, there is widespread hope and hype surrounding the field of AI and its potential to remake our world.
But how does the turbulent and momentous year of 2020 fit into this grand vision of the future? So far, we have seen devastating famines in Africa, major conflicts between world powers such as the US and China, grotesque racial injustice, and a ferocious worldwide pandemic. And we still have several months to go.
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The Rundown
How an AI grading system missed the mark – Axios
Bias, positive and negative, is a fact of human life — a fact that this AI system was meant to counter. But poorly designed algorithms risk entrenching a new form of bias that could have impacts that go well beyond university placement including criminal justice reform and even policing.
Trump gives TikTok a new deadline: 90 days instead of 45 – The Verge
In an executive order issued on August 14, President Trump extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell or spinoff TikTok to a US-based company. Citing national security concerns in his original executive order on August 6, President Trump gave the Chinese company until September 20; now it has until November 12.
Secret Service reportedly paid to access phone location data – CNet
A recent Motherboard report highlights documents that show evidence that the Secret Service used a product called Locate X to track individuals’ locations via apps on their cell phones. But along with the potential benefits comes the very real possibility of government overreach and invasion of privacy.
Facebook and NYU use artificial intelligence to make MRI scans four times faster – The Verge
This collaborative project called fastMRI uses machine learning to accomplish this incredible feat. The computer uses its neural network to “learn” through exposure to multitudes of sample images what a base medical image looks like.
QAnon groups hit by Facebook crackdown – NBC
Last Wednesday Facebook took down 900 pages, 1,500 ads, and 2,000 groups with ties to QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory notorious for its spread of misinformation and threats of violence. They also banned 10,000 Instagram pages that posted content supportive of QAnon in this massive crackdown.
On Sunday, the country of Belarus held a national election where President Alexander Lukashenko won in a landslide victory, claiming an implausible 80% of the vote. Over the last few days, the nation has experienced mass protests over the controversial election, and the opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, has fled to neighboring Lithuania for safety. Tikhanovskaya became the opposition candidate after her husband Siarhei Tsikhanousk was jailed by the Lukashenko regime.
Tikhanovskaya gained mass support with younger Belarusians by utilizing the power of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube to share her message and organize large rallies. In hopes of quelling protests and widespread unrest in the nation, which is especially high given the failure of the regime to slow down the spread of COVID-19, Lukashenko’s regime reportedly shut down the internet, which allows dissidents to connect with each other and the outside world.
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The Rundown
New documents show QAnon groups have millions of members on Facebook – NBC News
While Facebook has taken previous measures to regulate white nationalism, misinformation, and other extremist hallmarks of QAnon supporters, the company is expected to follow Twitter’s footsteps in taking harsher action combating the group’s harmful content.
TikTok announces first wave of creators set to receive payment for their videos – The Verge
While its standing in America is still in question, TikTok announced that initial payouts from its $200 million Creators Fund are set to be made to a select number of viral users. This is the first phase in a project that the company hopes will grow into a $1 billion fund over the next three years
Facial Recognition Start-Up Mounts a First Amendment Defense – The Verge
Clearview AI is arguing that its actions are protected under the First Amendment, claiming that free speech laws protect its right to use and distribute information that has been made publicly available on the internet. The way these cases are ruled will set a crucial precedent for how the relationship between free speech and privacy will be interpreted.
Landmark UK courtruling finds police use of facial recognition unlawful – Reuters
A lower court had initially ruled that the agency’s use of surveillance was lawful, but Tuesday’s overriding decision cited concerns that the force was given little to no limitation on how the technology could be used.
Over the last few weeks, there has been a cultural firestorm over the viral video sharing app TikTok and a potential ban in the United States. TikTok’s usage surged during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns with millions of users finding reprieve during this difficult season of isolation and social distancing. My colleague Conrad Close and I recently wrote about this application that has taken the world by storm. It is the first major mobile application to be built specifically for the smartphone era and has been wildly successful, with rival social media companies seeking to catch up or even ride the momentum of its innovative approach to video sharing. From Instagram’s newly released Reels to the promised Youtube Shorts, major technology companies see the success of TikTok and desire to be a part of this shift in the way people connect and share information.
Alongside the enjoyable family dance videos, jokes, and even political activism on TikTok, there is a considerable threat to freedom, human rights, and personal privacy that often flies under the radar based on TikTok’s contentious relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and their involvement with private companies. This is one of the main reasons that the United States government has been exploring options of banning or encouraging the sale of the U.S. TikTok operations to a non-Chinese company like Microsoft.
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The RundownInstagram Launches Reels, Its Attempt to Keep You Off TikTok – The Verge
With TikTok’s future uncertain, Instagram is hoping to lure some creators away with the rollout of a direct competitor, Reels, which is launching in more than 50 countries.
With ‘Mulan,’ Disney Tests Out Entirely New Early VOD Model – Variety
In another major blow to movie theaters, Disney announced “Mulan” will forgo its planned theatrical release. Instead, the live-action remake is premiering on Disney Plus on Sept. 4 for a premium rental price.
How new tech raises the risk of nuclear war – Axios
Nuclear war remains the single greatest present threat to humanity — and one that is poised to grow as emerging technologies, like much faster missiles, cyber warfare and artificial intelligence, upset an already precarious nuclear balance.
Will COVID-19 Kill Cash? – Project Syndicate
Reports that the coronavirus could be transmitted by handling cash has given people another reason to steer clear of banknotes. Although untrue, the damage has been done, and a recent survey found that 75% of respondents expect to use cash less in the future.
It's easy for anyone to get caught up in the hype surrounding new technologies. A new innovation often debuts with some helpful benefits and great new features, all of which wow us and lead us to believe that we are on the cusp of something truly revolutionary. Promises are made, and there are countless predictions about what is to come next. But soon after the press conferences fade and the hype dies down, we see these innovations for what they really are—helpful tools with innovative benefits that often do not live up to the hype surrounding their release but also reveal a number of potential misuses, abuses, or failures that we did not account for. Part of this is because we grow accustomed to innovation. But it also happens because we put a level of hope and desire on these technologies to usher in a new era of our world.
OpenAI recently announced their new language model called GPT-3, which is one of the most advanced AI systems in the world to date. This system is truly amazing. It is able to write prose, design and code basic HTML including various mini applications, and even engage in “deep” philosophical conversations about the nature of God and the universe with you. OpenAI released the technical documentation back in May. And according to Morning Brew, GPT-3 “has 175 billion parameters, a 117x increase over its predecessor’s 1.5 billion.” The system was trained on roughly a trillion words. In layman’s terms, it is pretty powerful. The company decided to allow a small group of select users to test out the system, and many shared their experiments online to show off the power of the new system.
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The RundownCEO says TikTok will reveal how its algorithms work – Axios
In his first public statement as CEO of TikTok, former Disney exec Kevin Mayer says the company will be releasing the code that drives its content-moderation algorithms so that experts can observe how its policies are enforced in real time.
Facebook Offers Money to Reel In TikTok Creators – The Wall Street Journal
Facebook Inc.’s Instagram has offered financial incentives to TikTok users with millions of followers to persuade them to use a new competing service, an escalation in a high-stakes showdown between the two social-media giants.
Tech liability fight comes back into focus – Axios
Legislation taking aim at Section 230 is less of a moonshot than seeking to break up tech giants. But it still may be a tall order to move any major tech legislation before the November election.
Google to Keep Employees Home Until Summer 2021 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic – The Wall Street Journal
Google will keep its employees home until at least next July, making the search-engine giant the first major U.S. corporation to formalize such an extended timetable in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
This week Trillia Newbell, author, speaker, and commentator on World Radio, joins me to talk about parenting our kids in this technological day. We discuss Moxie, a forthcoming robot companion for children, from the company Embodied. We consider some of the implications of personifying technology in this way and the need for wisdom in teaching our children about interacting with technology. We dive into what it means to entrust our kids to the Lord and discuss the importance of not simply handing over a tool but taking the time to learn with your child.
Links
- Embodied's Moxie and promotional video
- John Dyer's article on thinking about screen time and using technology actively rather than passively
More about Trillia Newbell
Trillia Newbell is the author of numerous books and her writing focuses on issues of faith, family, and diversity. She is also a commentator for World Radio, the sister platform for World Magazine. She is a sought after speaker and also serves at Moody Publishers as an acquisitions editor. She also serves as the Director of Community Outreach at the ERLC.
This is the second in a new series of interviews on the WeeklyTech Podcast, where a couple times a month we will highlight an interview with leading cultural and thought leaders about the role technology plays in our society.
This week Jay Kim, a pastor at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California, joins me to talk about his new book, Analog Church. We discuss how his book speaks to this cultural moment, the importance of utilizing technology as tools rather than allowing it to utilize us, as well as our need for community in this digital age. We dive into what it means to be embodied creatures and discuss how to find a balance in our responses to technology in order to utilize technology well.
Check out Jay’s new book Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age.
Listen to WeeklyTech online or subscribe at most major podcasting apps such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
More about Jay Kim:
Jay Kim serves on staff at Vintage Faith Church. He is also on the leadership team at The ReGeneration Project, where he co-hosts The ReGeneration Podcast. Some of his written work has been featured in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Relevant Magazine, Missio Alliance, Outreach Magazine, and other places. He is a graduate of Fuller Seminary. In March 2020 he released his first book, called Analog Church (InterVarsity Press). It’s about the challenges and opportunities churches face in the digital age, offering a new and hopeful way forward. He and his wife Jenny, along with their kids Harper and Simon, call the Silicon Valley of California home._
When you read or hear about artificial intelligence (AI), you probably have one of two reactions: fear of the unknown or some level of disregard because of other seemingly more pressing issues. Both reactions are understandable. AI seems like a far off, futuristic technology that doesn’t yet affect daily life. In reality, though, AI is around us all the time and, for all its tangible benefits, major promises have been made about how this technology will revolutionize our lives.
Along with many of these overhyped predictions, there’s a great need for ethical reflection, because these technologies already drive our communication tools, medical innovations, weapons of war, economy, office work, and even the smart devices in our homes. There are many moral concerns about how these technologies will be developed and deployed in our local communities, as well as major philosophical debates over the role of theistic faith in the sciences. But a quick survey of popular AI literature reveals too few thinkers engaging with these issues from a distinctly Christian worldview.
This is exactly where John Lennox’s new book, 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, enters the conversation. Lennox serves as emeritus professor of mathematics at Oxford University and is a prolific writer on the interface of science, philosophy, and religion. In this book he engages a wide swath of AI literature, highlights the promises and perils of this technology, and ultimately shows how the Christian faith is the most coherent worldview for engage the pressing issues of AI.
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The RundownApple WWDC 2020: the 18 biggest announcements – The Verge
Apple’s WWDC 2020 was unique before it even began. There were some big announcements, including some you might have been expecting and others that might catch you by surprise. Here are the biggest announcements.
TheCost of Privacy Report – Okta
To better understand how people perceive both their digital identity and how it is managed, Okta commissioned Juniper Research to conduct an online survey of over 12,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75 in six countries.
An Algorithm That ‘Predicts’ Criminality Based on a Face Sparks a Furor – Wired
Race science was debunked long ago, but papers that use machine learning to “predict” innate attributes or offer diagnoses are making a subtle, but alarming return.
Google employees demand the company end police contracts – The Verge
Over 1,650 Google employees have signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai demanding the company stop selling its technology to police forces across the US.
A book’s publication date is often set as an author signs the contract, and it usually feels far away and distant. But sometimes you read a book that reminds you that God is sovereignly orchestrating the entire universe, including book launches, because one is so perfectly timed that not even a publisher could have planned for the moment. That is true with Jay Kim’s new book, Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age. Neither Kim or his publisher could have predicted the COVID-19 outbreak and the disruption to the normal analog patterns of our churches. In a season of upheaval, Kim’s book is a refreshing reminder of how the church was designed by God and how its rhythms speak to a grander story of hope and witness to a world decidedly digital in our daily life.
Kim serves as pastor of teaching and leadership at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California, outside of Silicon Valley. He is able to see firsthand the influence that technology has on the church. Analog Church is written for ministry and lay leaders alike, calling readers to be purposeful about how we adopt and rely upon technology in our everyday practices and calls us to reexamine how dependent the people of God have become on digital tools that often function as a shallow substitute for real community. Kim helps dissect the motives behind our digital adoption and provides a compelling path forward in the digital age.
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The Rundown
Boston Dynamics Starts Selling Spot Robot for $74,500 – Morning Brew
One of the internet’s most famous (or infamous) robots is officially going on sale. Yesterday, Boston Dynamics added Spot to its online storefront, making the four-legged robot available to any business that’s willing to cough up $74,500.
Twitter starts rolling out audio tweets on iOS – The Verge
Twitter is rolling out the ability to record audio snippets and attach them to your tweets. The new feature is available first on iOS and launching today for “a limited group of people,” according to the company.
NBA restart plan includes using Oura rings to catch COVID-19 symptoms – Engadget
The part that’s specifically interesting to us… is its proposed use of Oura’s smart rings. At least one study showed signs they can help detect COVID-19 symptoms early.
Saving the elderly from coronavirus – Axios
CarePredict sells a wearable device called Tempo that tracks indoor location, pulse rate, blood-oxygen levels and more. Originally targeted as a way for caregivers and family members to monitor the physical and mental health of seniors, Tempo is now being used to tackle COVID-19, including contact tracing.
Imagine a society where a criminal could be tracked down almost immediately by police and taken into custody, all by using his face as identification. Or a world where you no longer need to carry your ID card, insurance information, or even your credit or debit cards because you could pay for your meal using facial recognition, as many do today in the eastern city of Hangzhou, China.
While all this might sound futuristic and far-fetched, it’s already creating a stir in our society. Governments and businesses around the world are thinking through innovative uses of facial recognition technology and are entering into lively debates over its merits and downfalls. And its uses seem to grow more controversial each day.
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For more on the ethics of facial recognition, check out my latest book The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity or the recently released Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles from ERLC.
The RundownIBM will no longer offer, develop, or research facial recognition technology – The Verge
IBM will no longer offer general purpose facial recognition or analysis software, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to Congress today. The company will also no longer develop or research the technology, IBM tells The Verge.
Hawley calls for FTC inquiry into new TikTok rival – Axios
Zynn, a rising TikTok-like service that pays its users, is drawing the attention of China hawk and Big Tech antagonist Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who wants the Federal Trade Commission to look into it.
Schools Turn to Surveillance Tech to Prevent Covid-19 Spread – Wired
When students return to school in New Albany, Ohio, in August, they’ll be carefully watched as they wander through red-brick buildings and across well-kept lawns—and not only by teachers.
TikTok Plans D.C. Office Amid Lawmaker Pressure on Privacy – Bloomberg Law
ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok is opening a Washington office later this year to share information about security practices as lawmakers question its protections for children’s privacy and its ties to China.
By now, you’ve probably heard of the rapidly growing social media app called TikTok that is taking the United States and the world by storm. It’s hard to describe just how influential and far-reaching TikTok has become so quickly. In less than two years since it was released, it has been downloaded over 2 billion times. In just the last quarter, TikTok was downloaded 315 million times—the best quarter for any app, ever. However, many Americans don’t know exactly what it is or how it works. Here are five things you should know about this viral app and how it is changing the nature of social media.
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The RundownMicrosoft Lays Off News Editors – Morning Brew
Microsoft is automating part of its news service. The company laid off about 50 U.S. editors and news staffers, Business Insider reported Friday, and 27 U.K. contractors, The Guardian reported Saturday.
The technology of witnessing brutality – Axios
From news photography to TV broadcasts to camcorders to smartphones, improvements in the technology of witness over the past century mean we’re more instantly and viscerally aware of each new injustice.
Snap says it is no longer promoting Trump’s account, adding to social media backlash against president – The Washington Post
Snapchat will no longer promote President Trump’s account in the “Discover” tab on the social media app, the company said Wednesday, after a week of showdowns between the president and social media companies.
NASA astronauts just flew SpaceX’s Crew Dragon into orbit for the first time – MIT Technology Review
NASA astronauts launched from US soil for the first time in nine years. And they did it on a private vehicle, for the first time in history.
Chinese coronavirus test maker agreed to build a Xinjiang gene bank – Axios
A leading Chinese gene sequencing and biomedical firm that said it would build a gene bank in Xinjiang is supplying coronavirus tests around the world.
This week Dr. John Lennox, a world renown author and Oxford professor, joins host Jason Thacker to talk about his new book, 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity. They discuss artificial intelligence, the origin of the science, as well as the ethical and moral implications of technology. They also dive into the relationship between faith and science and realize that a Christian understanding and a Christian worldview is more than adequate for dealing with a lot of the moral and ethical issues surrounding emerging technologies.
You can pick up a copy of Dr. Lennox’s new book on AI at 2084Book.com
Listen to WeeklyTech online or subscribe at most major podcasting apps such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.
More about Dr. Lennox:
John C. Lennox (PhD, DPhil, DSc) is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an Associate Fellow at the Said Business School. He is author of Can Science Explain Everything? on the interface between science, philosophy, and theology. He has lectured extensively in North America and in Eastern and Western Europe on mathematics, the philosophy of science, and the intellectual defense of Christianity, and he has publicly debated Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Peter Singer.
As stay-at-home orders went into effect throughout our nation in March, I was encouraged to see many pastors take to social media. They sent video updates to their people about the shift to online services and digital discipleship. They were using the tools they had at their disposal in order to bring calming and encouraging words to many who were scared and confused.
Soon, many of us would find ourselves glued to these same devices, seeking answers to the unknowns and hoping to grasp some semblance of control. In the last few years, we have all heard about the dangerous effects of technology in our lives and how we need to balance our use of these tools, but all of that advice and discipline simply went out the door as the virus cut us off from the normal rhythms of our daily lives.
Throughout March and April, most of the headlines about technology were about how we can utilize it to continue working, socializing, and staying connected. Much of the conversation originally shifted away from the negative and polarizing effects of these technologies to how they became a life raft in the midst of this storm. But the public mood is shifting once again, and we are starting to see many of the corrosive effects of technology on our lives.
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The Rundown Amazon’s Audible Goes Beyond Books to Chase Spotify in Podcasts – Bloomberg
In recent months, Audible, the audiobook service owned by Amazon.com Inc., has been meeting with talent agencies and producers to discuss acquiring potential new podcast projects—or, in the terminology that Audible prefers, “Audible Originals.”
The DHS Prepares for Attacks Fueled by 5G Conspiracy Theories – Wired
The claim that 5G can spread the coronavirus has led to dozens of cell-tower burnings in Europe. Now, the US telecom industry is on alert as well.
Facial Recognition Firms Pitch Covid-19 ‘Immunity Passports’ For America And Britain – Forbes
A handful of companies are bidding for business that will help the Trump and Johnson administrations on either side of the Atlantic keep tabs on travel (or attempted travel) of the infected.
Netflix’s Plan to Auto-Cancel Subscriptions Is Radically Sane – Wired
If you don’t watch anything on Netflix for a year after you join, the company will send you an email asking if you want to keep your membership.
According to a 2019 report from NPR and Edison Research, about 53 million Americans own a smart speaker assistant. The consulting firm Ovum predicts that by 2021, there will be more than 7.5 billion of these digital assistants used throughout the world, which is nearly the same number of people living today.
If you don’t own one of these AI empowered smart speakers, I bet that your neighbor or co-worker does. But some people are starting to question what these smart devices are doing to us.
Judith Shulevitz wrote in an article for The Atlantic in the fall of 2018 that she has started to develop an actual relationship with her smart speaker. She explains, “Gifted with the once uniquely human power of speech, Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri have already become greater than the sum of their parts. They’re software, but they’re more than that, just as human consciousness is an effect of neurons and synapses but is more than that. Their speech makes us treat them as if they had a mind.” And if they have minds, then we might be able to develop relationships with them even though we know they aren’t able to know us.
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The Rundown The real reason Facebook bought Giphy for $400 million – Fast Company
When Facebook confirmed that it had acquired Giphy last week for a cool $400 million, the reasons weren’t immediately apparent. Giphy has only the seeds of an advertising business, and GIFs aren’t a revolutionary advertising product.
How a Chinese AI Giant Made Chatting—and Surveillance—Easy – Wired
Alexa can tell you the weather. Siri knows a few jokes. In China, voice-computing company iFlytek built similar smart assistants beloved by users. But its tech is also helping the government listen in.
How Do Just War Principles Apply to Drone Warfare? – Bruce Ashford
Rapidly developing technologies have not been accompanied by ethical reflection on the proper use of those technologies. One such technology is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) which, in this article, will be referred to as drones.
Marco Rubio tapped to serve as Senate Intelligence Committee chairman – Politico
Sen. Marco Rubio will temporarily serve as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Monday.
Big Tech’s aid to small business comes with a catch – Axios
Big tech companies, including Facebook and Google, have made much of their efforts to help small businesses hurting from the pandemic. But the same programs that make life easier for those businesses today could end up separating them from their customers.
Last fall, my wife was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had just recently finished her chemotherapy treatments. Because her immune system has been severely weakened, the COVID-19 threat to her health is potentially lethal. We decided to isolate well before the stay-at-home directives from state and local governments.
By now we’re all familiar with one of the key ethical dilemmas that’s arisen during the pandemic: Do we isolate from one another and risk a catastrophic economic downturn, disproportionately hurting the poor and vulnerable but protecting the elderly and the high-risk, like my wife? Or do we risk public health by keeping the economy open?
Another ethical issue, however, is also emerging. It concerns the question of how best to use data and tracking technology to protect human life, while at the same time not sacrificing our personal privacy.
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The Rundown Twitter Announces Blanket Work from Home Policy, Signaling Shift – Morning Brew
Yesterday, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey wrote in an email to employees that the company will allow almost everyone to work from home permanently.
The Coming Disruption: Scott Galloway predicts a handful of elite cyborg universities will soon monopolize higher education. – New York Magazine
Now, Galloway, a Silicon Valley runaway who teaches marketing at NYU Stern School of Business, believes the pandemic has greased the wheels for big tech’s entrée into higher education.
Can a Smart Watch Detect Covid-19? – Gizmodo
It might sound like science fiction, but there’s reason to believe wearables could be useful in detecting infections. Whether researchers can figure it out in time to make a difference against covid-19 is another story.
Snapchat preps young users to vote in November – Axios
Snapchat is leaning into civic engagement ahead of the 2020 race, and it’s hoping that its defining role is educating young voters about the election, while connecting them to candidates and tools to cast ballots.
Hospitals Deploy Technology to Reduce ICU Staff Exposure to Covid-19 – The Wall Street Journal
Hospitals are exploring the use of artificial intelligence and robotics technologies to assess patients remotely as they look to protect overworked emergency-room and intensive-care personnel from Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Amid all of the cultural conversations surrounding the role of technology in our society, Facebook has been at the top of the headlines. From issues over privacy and a recently announced crypto-currency, public opinion of the platform has shifted in recent years. But Facebook has also been working behind the scenes to collect feedback and put together an external oversight board to advise and guide the company on how it deals with content moderation on its platform. When CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the creation of the board in November 2018, he stated the purpose of the board is to create a mechanism for the public to appeal content decisions through an independent body.
With Facebook having over 2.38 billion active users in the first quarter of 2019, the reach and influence of this company is one of the greatest the world has ever seen. With all of this connectivity and influence, the company has entered into an age-old debate about what constitutes free speech and expression as it tries to manage its global online communication platforms. While there are varying opinions on how this board should function or if it should even exist, the fundamental questions of free speech and the role of corporations and government are paramount as we continue through our social media age. The important thing for believers to ask is: how should Christians approach issues of free speech?
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The Rundown We Are a New Board Overseeing Facebook. Here’s What We’ll Decide. – The New York Times
The oversight board will focus on the most challenging content issues for Facebook, including in areas such as hate speech, harassment, and protecting people’s safety and privacy.
Twitter tests telling users their tweet replies may be offensive – Reuters
Twitter Inc will test sending users a prompt when they reply to a tweet using “offensive or hurtful language,” in an effort to clean up conversations on the social media platform, the company said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Welcome Back to the Office. Your Every Move Will Be Watched. – The Wall Street Journal
Many Americans heading back to the factory and the office as the coronavirus pandemic eases will soon begin to notice that their every move is being watched or recorded.
An Entire City Has Been Told To Download A Controversial Contact Tracing App — Or Face Jail – BuzzFeed News
Residents of a city in India have been issued with an ultimatum: install the government’s controversial coronavirus contact tracing app on their smartphones or be punished.
Clearview AI to stop selling controversial facial recognition app to private companies – The Verge
Controversial facial recognition provider Clearview AI says it will no longer sell its app to private companies and non-law enforcement entities, according to a legal filing first reported on Thursday by BuzzFeed News.
As my wife and I parent our two young sons, we see a world that is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Our boys will not just grow up with dreams of robot maids and space toys, they will grow up alongside AI-empowered devices like our Apple HomePod and even better AI yet to come.
Seemingly every day I see ads for new personalized robots powered by AI. For example, a new home robot, Vector, was released a few months ago. “Meet Vector, the good robot. The robot who hangs out and helps out,” reads the company’s website.
The future is progressing so fast that it is hard to keep up as parents. We feel overwhelmed with the rate of technological innovation and often fearful of what technology will do to our kids. But our role is not to shelter our kids from the world but to disciple them as they grow in wisdom and maturity. So where do we start? How do we teach our kids about stuff that is new to us?
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The Rundown Google Meet video conferencing is now free for anybody – The Verge
Google is opening up its Google Meet videoconferencing service to anybody who wants to use it, instead of just offering it to enterprise and education customers via G Suite.
UPS, CVS Announce Drone Delivery Service In Florida – Morning Brew
Commercial drones haven’t gone mainstream due to technical challenges, scalability, and regulatory barriers. But they’re in high demand during the pandemic and can social distance in three dimensions.
The Apple–Google Partnership to Fight COVID-19: Understanding the Promises and Perils of Digital Contact Tracing – The Heritage Foundation
On April 10, 2020, Apple and Google announced a partnership to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Mobile devices manufactured by the two tech giants will support digital contact tracing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Autocrats see opportunity in disaster – The Economist
All the world’s attention is on covid-19. Perhaps it was a coincidence that China chose this moment to tighten its control around disputed reefs in the South China Sea, arrest the most prominent democrats in Hong Kong and tear a hole in Hong Kong’s Basic Law. But perhaps not.
There isn’t much that Americans seem to agree on these days. Even as COVID-19 brought some national unity, we are beginning to see the fraying of American society once again. Political, social, economic, and religious issues have sorted us into tribes and tribes of tribes. It is difficult to keep up to date on the number of differing viewpoints and interest groups. But there is one concern that seems to bring the fraying parties and proported enemies together: the power and influence of technology on our lives.
Last fall, Pew Research Center released a report that for the first time in their research, Americans now have less faith in technology companies than in churches. This is striking based on the secularization of society and many popular claims that religion only divides us. This study proves what most of us already know—technology is ubiquitous in our society. The power that these tools have over our lives is beginning to be revealed.
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The RundownAmazon Scooped Up Data From Its Own Sellers to Launch Competing Products – The Wall Street Journal
Amazon.com Inc. employees have used data about independent sellers on the company’s platform to develop competing products, a practice at odds with the company’s stated policies.
Zoom users top 300M during coronavirus pandemic despite security concerns – Fox Business
The app grew from just 10 million users to 300 million in a matter of months as people turn to video conferencing to work and connect with family and friends from home during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Instagram Is Rushing To Roll Out A Memorial Account Feature Because Of COVID-19 Deaths – Buzzfeed News
Instagram is speeding up plans for a new account memorialization feature, adding a “Remembering” banner under a username to signal that a person has died.
Mark Zuckerberg: How data can aid the fight against covid-19 – The Washington Post
Better data can help governments determine where to send resources such as ventilators and personal protective equipment — and eventually which areas are safe to start opening up again.