Digital Public Square

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 Jesus by 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 by Vincent Donovan
• After Virtue by 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 God by Timothy Keller
• Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller
• Confronting Christianity by 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 Church by Jay Y. Kim
• The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
• The Life We’re Looking For by Andy Crouch
• The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
• Deep Work by 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-World edited 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 World by 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 Nationalism by 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 Trinity by Hilary of Poitiers
• Communion with God by 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 Square by 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 Monticello by 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:

• Orthodoxy by 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 Thursday by 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.