Kainos Project

A conservative publication recently published an article titled "Over Half of Southern Baptist Universities Have DEI Infrastructures," listing SBC institutions that make references diversity, equity, or inclusion on their websites.

To be sure, the reporter was not seeking to celebrate the efforts of a denomination founded on an affirmation of chattel slavery to move past the racism of the past, but rather to illustrate that the SBC has fallen victim to "liberal drift."

Be that as it may, DEI has become something of a political hot button issue, with a number of Republican politicians and candidates railing against programs aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Similarly, the Supreme Court recently ruled against affirmative action in collegiate admissions, prompting praise from conservatives but leading to an outcry from progressives.

Assuming that people on both sides of the political spectrum are interested in racial justice and the fair treatment of people regardless of their race or ethnicity, why is there such a divide when it comes to these policies?

In this episode, we discuss DEI and affirmative action. We explore the goals of these programs and policies, how they are effective at achieving those goals, and the ways in which they fall short.

We also discuss whether these types of strategies could be helpful to churches, and if so, how we should handle their implementation.

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From time to time, we receive questions from listeners and readers about various topics of theology and biblical interpretation. And while we always do our best to provide responses to those questions on an individual basis, some of them are interesting enough (and important enough) that we wanted to discuss them publicly.

On this episode, we explore the following questions, most of which were recently asked of us personally:

• Will we see our pets in heaven?
• Can you be a Christian and still believe in dinosaurs?
• Should Christians avoid Reiki, healing crystals, or yoga?
• Why do many historically Black churches refer to the pastor’s wife as First Lady?
• Is Hell real?
• How are we to understand Old Testament passages that describe magicians who draw power from ‘other gods’?

If you find this episode helpful and have questions of your own, send us an email at [email protected]!

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A new song has taken the conservative world by storm. It was written and is performed by a former Virginia factory worker named Oliver Anthony, and it’s called “Rich Men North of Richmond.”

At its heart, the song is about the plight of rural Appalachian people who struggle with poverty. It’s a protest song directed at the elites of Washington D.C., who are the rich men who live and work north of Richmond, Virginia. The song's lyrics have resonated with many conservatives, who have praised Anthony for giving voice to some of their feelings and frustrations.

This story also has a faith element. Anthony recently came to faith and is in addiction recovery for alcoholism. He has even recited Scripture at recent shows. As such, a number evangelical leaders have expressed their heartfelt support for him.

Nevertheless, the song isn't without controversy. Some of its lyrics could be characterized as having racial overtones, and the song briefly alludes to conspiracy theories championed by QAnon.

In this episode, we dive into the lyrics of the song, the Scripture that Anthony has pointed his fans' attention to, and common assumptions among conservatives, including many evangelicals, about the "deserving" versus "undeserving" poor.

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In recent years, the enneagram of personality has become widely popular among evangelicals as a tool for people to better understand themselves and the world around them, with many using it as an integral part of their spiritual formation process.

On the other hand, some evangelicals have raised alarm bells about the enneagram, alleging that it has satanic roots and promotes ideas that are fundamentally at odds with a Christian worldview. But are those criticisms fair?

In this episode, we discuss what the enneagram is, its history, and whether Christians can benefit from utilizing it.

Further, if it is a tool that Christians can use to better understand themselves and others, what are the limits of its helpfulness, and how can it be properly placed within our broader vision for discipleship?

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

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Two recent headlines have called into question the type of stories America wants to tell itself about itself. The first is a controversial public school curriculum in Florida, which some argue seeks to diminish the horrors of American slavery. The other is the announcement of a national monument to Emmett Till, a project some have accused of being a liberal "CRT" endeavor.

School curriculum has been a culture war battleground for Governor Ron DeSantis for some time. But his new anti-CRT curriculum came under fire when some accused it of whitewashing the history of American slavery by suggesting that enslaved Africans benefited from their slavery, at least in some small way, because it provided them with practical skills.

Also recently, President Joe Biden announced that a national monument would be built in the honor of Emmett Till. After the 14-year-old Till was brutally lynched in 1955, his mother gave him an open casket funeral as a public protest to Jim Crow and the pervasive racial injustice in America. This event served as the inspiration for many who would become America's civil rights heroes.

Nevertheless, many evangelicals, including one scholar who presents himself as an expert in American political history and theory, deny knowing who Till is or why his story is important to American history.

So, what gives? In this episode, we discuss these recent controversies about American history and how understanding the injustices of the past helps to shape our vision for justice in the present.

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In many ways, the modern day evangelical church runs as a business. We manage buildings, payrolls, marketing budgets, and a host of other things that require business savvy. The modern day evangelical church is also fundamentally a spiritual community, centered on the mission of Christ and (hopefully) sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Are these two things at odds?

In this episode, we dive into some of the ways in which the church in America operates like a business, for better or for worse. We also explore why it is that church has come to be done this way, and how this way of operating may be impacting our faith.

We discuss the ways in which a business mindset may be helpful in advancing the mission of the gospel through marketing efforts or leadership training. We also discuss some ways in which a business mentality has been hurtful or even abusive, as in the case of nondisclosure agreements.

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Earlier this month, "Sound of Freedom" hit theaters to the praise of many evangelicals. The film depicts the real-life events surrounding Tim Ballard, a former federal agent who quit his job to lead operations to free children from child sex trafficking rings in South America. Ballard is portrayed by none other than Jim Caviezel, who is famous for playing the role of Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ."

It would seem that a movie about the fight to end human trafficking—featuring the face of Jesus, no less—would be uncontroversial, but "Sound of Freedom" has been anything but. Critics have accused the movie of misrepresenting human trafficking and how to fight it, and some have even suggested that the movie promotes QAnon conspiracy theories.

In response, some supporters of the film have suggested that those critical of "Sound of Freedom" are deep state Democrats who are involved in a sex trafficking ring of their own. (Notably, the existence of a sex trafficking ring among liberal elites is one of the more prominent QAnon conspiracy theories.)

In this episode of the podcast, we try to make sense of the mess. Are the critiques leveled against "Sound of Freedom" politically motivated, completely fair, or somewhere in between? We also talk about the importance of anti-trafficking work and how Christians can support the effort.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.

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In recent years, conversations around social justice and "wokeness" have dominated the public discourse, both inside and outside the church.

For many evangelicals, opposition to social justice has even emerged as a theological distinctive used to identify who is "one of us."

However, a close observer of the history of American evangelicalism will note that this division over justice is not new. In fact, when it comes to the question of social justice, evangelicals have debated with, and divided from, each other for at least a hundred years.

On this episode, we dive into the more than a century long history that has led to the current "war on woke" within evangelicalism today.

We also discuss how we can engage issues of justice in a manner that keeps us from falling prey to the same mistakes—and, in some cases, outright sins—of those who came before us.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

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In generations past, it was assumed that pastors had attended seminary before being ordained to lead their church. Today, that isn't necessarily the case, as an emphasis on formal theological training has given way to an emphasis on charisma or leadership ability.

This week on the podcast, we discuss: is this trend a good thing, a bad thing, or just a thing? Is it absolutely necessary for a pastor to be seminary trained in order to be considered qualified and well-equipped for local church ministry?

You may have guessed that two people who hold Master of Divinity degrees would recommend that other people attend seminary. And you would be right! Nevertheless, in our conversation, we discuss why we must be careful not to gate-keep where Jesus never told us to put gates up.

While we explore all the ways that seminary can be a valuable experience for church leaders of various stripes, we also discuss what matters most in qualifying a pastor for ministry, which is something that seminary can't actually teach them.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

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In recent years, the existence of infinite parallel universes has become a popular narrative feature, appearing in several films and television shows.

While these stories are full of fantasy about limitless possibilities and alternate realities, to many scientists, the existence of the multiverse is a real possibility. For some, such as Stephen Hawking, its existence can even be used to explain away the intelligent design of our universe.

Not every scientist feels that way though.

In this episode, we dive (lightly) into some of the scientific discussions surrounding theories of the multiverse, as well as what they mean for how we understand God, ourselves, and our place in the cosmos.

We also discuss why it is that so many people find multiversal stories so captivating and compelling.

READ FULL SHOW NOTES HERE

Visit kainosproject.com to find other resources to help you tackle ancient truths in everyday settings, and be sure to subscribe to our email list to get all of our fresh content delivered straight to your inbox.

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.