RZIM: Thinking Out Loud Broadcasts

By Ravi Zacharias

What's RZIM: Thinking Out Loud Broadcasts about?

Thinking Out Loud is podcast for Christians who want to welcome difficult conversations. Every other Thursday, Nathan Rittenhouse and Cameron McAllister will discuss these timely issues and draw from their experience as frontline apologists to show how Scripture addresses all of our most pressing cultural concerns.

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RZIM: Thinking Out Loud Broadcasts episodes:

12.17.2020
A Very Strange Christmas and a Very Real Hope
Last year's Christmas episode provides a study in contrast. Nathan and Cameron hosted a jovial discussion on Santa. This year, that kind of tone seems utterly out of place. In this episode, Nathan and Cameron discuss the nature of our...
12.03.2020
Eating Together in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
For most of us, a significant part of Thanksgiving involves food and lots of it. More importantly, it involves a shared meal with those we love (and often struggle with). Of course, this year things looked a bit different. Some...
11.12.2020
Are We Friends?
This week, Nathan and Cameron discuss the challenges of friendship in the digital world as well as the nature of their own friendship. (Cameron also tries not to take offense at Nathan's initial question about the status of their friendship). Follow...
11.05.2020
Thinking Out Loud Live! Discussing the Election
In this re-run of a Thinking Out Loud episode recorded last year, Nathan and Cameron discussed the election and how to follow Christ through a turbulent time. While the US wait for the 2020 election results, we thought it would be...
10.29.2020
Wrestling with Halloween
Many Christians feel conflicted about Halloween, even as they usher their costumed kids out the door for tricks or treats. In this episode, an enthusiast (Cameron) and a naysayer (Nathan) try to make sense of this deeply strange American holiday,...
10.23.2020
Fighting Against Despair
Nathan and Cameron feel a bit down in this episode and they have a feeling that some of you may be in the same boat. That's 2020 in a nutshell. In this episode, they discuss what it looks like to...
10.08.2020
Is Christianity More than a Personal Relationship?
The term "religion" is wildly unpopular and many contemporary Christians sidestep the issue with the neat phrase "personal relationship with Jesus." While the phrase is not necessarily false, it leaves both Nathan and Cameron uneasy. In this episode, they discuss...
09.24.2020
The Fantasy of Being Ageless: A Discussion on Our Mortality
For the first time in history, it's possible to "bracket death." But death is the one thing we can all be certain of. So, what does it mean to be mortal? Why do many struggle in Western culture with elderly...
09.10.2020
Why Are We So Obsessed with Conspiracy Theories?
One of the surprising national pastimes that have emerged during the pandemic is a growing obsession with conspiracy theories. A phenomenon that touches all points of the political spectrum, what does this new hobby say about us? In this episode,...
08.27.2020
Peace That Isn't Peace
In a time of deep cultural unrest, many of us long for "things to go back to normal." But if this is what our nation looks like under extreme stress, what does that say about our sense of normal? And...
08.13.2020
Racism, Civil Unrest, and the Hope of the Gospel: A Difficult Yet Necessary Conversation, Pt. 2
Few would dispute that the past few weeks have been some of the more tumultuous America has experienced in recent years. Far from merely political or cultural tensions, the most recent crisis is a matter of life and death and...
07.23.2020
Let's Talk about Gardening
It seems 2020 has been full of difficult news. In this episode, Nathan and Cameron push pause on the relentless news cycle to discuss gardening. As usual, this seemingly light-hearted topic leads into a much deeper discussion of the human...
07.09.2020
Racism, Civil Unrest, and the Hope of the Gospel: A Difficult Yet Necessary Conversation, Pt. 1
Few would dispute that the past few weeks have been some of the more tumultuous America has experienced in recent years. Far from merely political or cultural tensions, the most recent crisis is a matter of life and death and...
06.25.2020
The Moral Necessity of Being Wrong
We live in a cultural moment that vigorously punishes mistakes, often in a very public fashion. Indeed, this is one of the key aspects of our deeply polarized landscape. Yet, if we aren't allowed the freedom to make mistakes—to be...
06.11.2020
Empathy and the Limits of Distance
Given the deep divisions that define our cultural moment, empathy is often touted as the central virtue of our age. But our growing tribalism continues to undermine our efforts to understand people who remain culturally remote. Add a pandemic to...
05.28.2020
A Discussion About Home From Two Guys Stuck at Home
What distinguishes a home from a mere physical shelter? And why do so many of us long to escape our homes? Since COVID-19 continues to keep many of us confined to the places we live, Nathan and Cameron discuss how...
02.28.2020
Do Our Devices Own Us?
Do you actually own your technological devices or are you just leasing the software that's running them? From Apple to John Deere, it's increasingly clear that these companies are securing their ownership through the very design of their devices. This...
02.14.2020
The Global Challenge of the Coronavirus
Though Nathan and Cameron recorded this episode before the coronavirus received its official name (Covid-19), their discussion reflects the dynamic nature of this story—we still have way more questions than answers—and attempts to counter the growing anxiety and animosity with...
01.30.2020
Kobe Bryant and the Challenges of Public Grief
The world is still reeling from the tragic events that claimed the lives of nine people, including basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. For most of us, celebrities are people we feel personally attached to, but who...
01.16.2020
Making Sense of the Growing Mental Health Crisis
Experts continue to point to a growing mental health crisis. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among teens, and depression and anxiety seem to be the rule, rather than the exception. On the face of it, this...
12.19.2019
Should We Believe in Santa Claus?
December is upon us. Traffic is outrageous, stress levels are escalating, and budgets are taking a serious hit as we cross items off of our swelling Christmas lists. But what about the guy in the red suit who yells "ho-ho-ho"...
12.05.2019
Making Sense of Mister Rogers' Legacy
From the recent HBO documentary to the feature film starring Tom Hanks, Fred Rogers is having a moment. But why is this cardigan-donning TV host getting so much attention now? In this episode, Nathan and Cameron aim to push past...
11.21.2019
Thinking Out Loud Live!
In this special episode of Thinking Out Loud, Nathan and Cameron discuss the upcoming presidential election before a live audience. The specific focus is on the Christian posture that characterizes our political lives. Follow the Thinking Out Loud hosts on Twitter: Cameron...
11.07.2019
Thinking Out Loud about Kanye West's JESUS IS KING
Kanye West's latest album, JESUS IS KING, offers a striking reversal from his earlier work, and has inspired elation, fury, and bewilderment in nearly equal measure. Gone are tracks like "POWER" and "I Am A God," replaced by songs like...
10.17.2019
Wrestling with Hypocrisy in the Church
As our newsfeeds continue to fill with disheartening headlines about the state of the church in North America, Nathan and Cameron discuss the perennial challenge of hypocrisy, and argue that Christianity helps us make sense of our consistent moral shortcomings. Follow...
07.18.2019
Making Sense of the Old Testament
Recent remarks about "unhitching" ourselves from the Old Testament have renewed the controversy surrounding the challenging material found in these ancient pages. In this episode, Nathan and Cameron seek to redress some of the confusion by discussing the continuity between...
06.20.2019
A Rollicking Conversation on Game of Thrones and the Power of Media in Our Daily Lives
HBO's massively popular Game of Thrones recently went out with a whimper, according to most fans. Due to its highly graphic nature, the show continues to ignite heated discussions among Christians. In this episode, Nathan and Cameron discuss why they've...
06.07.2019
Limitations, Delicacy, and Beauty
A wise man once said that "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die" (Ecc 3:1-2 NIV). The entire concept of "limitation" is...
05.23.2019
Saying Goodbye to Rachel Held Evans and Exploring the Sanctity of Life
Cameron McAllister and Nathan Rittenhouse discuss author and speaker Rachel Held Evan's life and legacy, and then turn to consider the Christian understanding of the sanctity of life, and its bearing on the current abortion debates. Follow the Thinking Out Loud...
05.09.2019
Are We Really "Setting up a Generation for Failure"?
With The Coddling of the American Mind, authors Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff offer a sobering diagnosis of the state of our universities, arguing that the best of intentions have led to severe consequences for many of today's young adults....
04.25.2019
Fire at Notre Dame, the Massacre in Sri Lanka, and the Enduring Significance of Christianity in a Post-Christian Time
In this episode, Nathan and Cameron discuss the tumultuous events surrounding Easter, and consider the light they shed on the power of the gospel in dark times. Follow the Thinking Out Loud hosts on Twitter: Cameron McAllister - @CamMcAllister7Nathan Rittenhouse -...
04.12.2019
Alright, the Culture Is Increasingly Hostile to the Church. Now What?
In this episode, Nathan and Cameron discuss the growing resistance to Christianity in North America, and offer a hopeful reminder of the ever-present tension of being in the world, but not of it. Follow the Thinking Out Loud hosts on...
03.14.2019
Are We Living in a Post-Humor Moment?
One of the byproducts of outrage culture is an increasing anxiety about humor. It's one of the reasons celebrities are more and more reluctant to host awards shows, and it's also why many of us are treading much more carefully...
02.28.2019
From the Oscars to Jussie Smollett, Where Does the Performance End?
Nathan and Cameron begin with a lighthearted consideration of the Oscars, which quickly morphs into a searching conversation on the ability of the arts to tell us about what it means to be human. The two hosts then turn to...
02.14.2019
Finding Forgiveness in the Post-Truth Era
From Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to actor Liam Neeson, our news is filled with people seeking forgiveness for the misdeeds of their past. In this week's podcast, Cameron and Nathan wrestle with the ambiguity of what secular apologies actually mean and...
01.31.2019
"Options Not Restrictions": Wrestling with Changing Abortion Laws
The recent New York abortion law known as the Reproductive Health Act, which allows for abortions as late as 24 weeks, has given new urgency to the debates surrounding the issue. The Virginia Bill aims to push the timeline even...
01.17.2019
Are Millennials Really "The Burnout Generation"?
Writer Anne Helen Peterson recently made waves with her BuzzFeed News article "How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation." In it, she draws on the psychological concept of "burnout" to describe the day-to-day condition of most people who fall into this...
01.03.2019
Witches: Our New National Obsession?
Recent years have seen a surge in people who self-identify as witches. From Netflix's wildly popular The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to articles in Harper's Bazaar, it's hard to avoid this growing cultural obsession. Though it may sound exotic, many Christians...
12.20.2018
Rogue or Martyr? John Chau and the Complexity of 21st Century Missions
The story of missionary John Chau's untimely death at the hands of North Sentinelese tribesmen has captured the public imagination in a startling fashion, inspiring opinion pieces in publications as diverse as The Washington Post and The New Yorker. Many...
12.06.2018
A Discussion of James K. A. Smith's How (Not) to Be Secular
For those intimidated by Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor's doorstop-sized magnum opus, A Secular Age, Smith's book functions as a helpful primer. In this episode, Nathan and Cameron discuss How (Not) to Be Secular, and consider some of the subtle ways...
11.08.2018
"Sokal Squared": 3 Scholars, a Hoax, and the Future of Academia
Recently, three scholars submitted twenty bogus papers to the most prestigious, peer-reviewed journals in the field of cultural studies. Seven of these papers were published, and it's likely that more would have seen the light of print if the Wall...
10.25.2018
A Discussion of Rod Dreher's "The Benedict Option"
Recently, journalist and popular blogger Rod Dreher made waves with the publication of his book, The Benedict Option. In it, Dreher argues that the Christian church is far from immune to the precipitous cultural decline in the West, and that...
10.11.2018
Natural Disasters and the Problem of Human Control
The recent Hurricane Florence left behind devastation—drenching North Carolina with 8 trillion gallons of water and causing $266 million worth of damage–and now with Hurricane Michael's landfall this week, a number of interesting questions are raised regarding human agency and...
09.13.2018
Nike, Kaepernick, Serena, and a Disastrous Cartoon
Should we burn our Nikes? How should Christians respond to the cartoon depicting Serena Williams and deemed as racist? From Serena Williams to Colin Kaepernick, there've been no shortage of controversies in the world of sports recently. In this episode,...
08.31.2018
A Discussion on James Davison Hunter's "To Change the World"
In 2010, James Davison Hunter's book To Change the World was greeted with a great deal of fanfare and controversy. Nearly ten years later, the book's sobering critique of the many well-meaning efforts to change the world appears truly prophetic....
08.31.2018
A Discussion on James Davison Hunter’s “To Change the World”
In 2010, James Davison Hunter’s book To Change the World was greeted with a great deal of fanfare and controversy. Nearly ten years later, the book’s sobering critique of the many well-meaning efforts to change the world appears truly prophetic....
08.16.2018
Alex Jones, Online Communities, and the Muddy Waters of Free Speech
The recent campaign against popular talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has once again ignited discussion about the nature of free speech. What exactly constitutes hate speech? What speech should and shouldn't be protected? How do online communities,...
08.16.2018
Alex Jones, Online Communities, and the Muddy Waters of Free Speech
The recent campaign against popular talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has once again ignited discussion about the nature of free speech. What exactly constitutes hate speech? What speech should and shouldn't be protected? How do online communities,...
08.02.2018
How Do We Decipher Today's News?
Why are we so suspicious of the news today? How do we avoid "fake news"? For that matter, how do we avoid the habit of chasing headlines just to stay in the conversation? How do we stay informed without succumbing...
08.02.2018
How Do We Decipher Today's News?
Why are we so suspicious of the news today? How do we avoid "fake news"? For that matter, how do we avoid the habit of chasing headlines just to stay in the conversation? How do we stay informed without succumbing...

What's RZIM: Thinking Out Loud Broadcasts about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

RZIM: Thinking Out Loud Broadcasts episodes:

A Very Strange Christmas and a Very Real Hope

Eating Together in the Midst of a Global Pandemic

Are We Friends?

Thinking Out Loud Live! Discussing the Election

Wrestling with Halloween

Fighting Against Despair

Is Christianity More than a Personal Relationship?

The Fantasy of Being Ageless: A Discussion on Our Mortality

Why Are We So Obsessed with Conspiracy Theories?

Peace That Isn't Peace

Racism, Civil Unrest, and the Hope of the Gospel: A Difficult Yet Necessary Conversation, Pt. 2

Let's Talk about Gardening

Racism, Civil Unrest, and the Hope of the Gospel: A Difficult Yet Necessary Conversation, Pt. 1

The Moral Necessity of Being Wrong

Empathy and the Limits of Distance

A Discussion About Home From Two Guys Stuck at Home

Do Our Devices Own Us?

The Global Challenge of the Coronavirus

Kobe Bryant and the Challenges of Public Grief

Making Sense of the Growing Mental Health Crisis

Should We Believe in Santa Claus?

Making Sense of Mister Rogers' Legacy

Thinking Out Loud Live!

Thinking Out Loud about Kanye West's JESUS IS KING

Wrestling with Hypocrisy in the Church

Making Sense of the Old Testament

A Rollicking Conversation on Game of Thrones and the Power of Media in Our Daily Lives

Limitations, Delicacy, and Beauty

Saying Goodbye to Rachel Held Evans and Exploring the Sanctity of Life

Are We Really "Setting up a Generation for Failure"?

Fire at Notre Dame, the Massacre in Sri Lanka, and the Enduring Significance of Christianity in a Post-Christian Time

Alright, the Culture Is Increasingly Hostile to the Church. Now What?

Are We Living in a Post-Humor Moment?

From the Oscars to Jussie Smollett, Where Does the Performance End?

Finding Forgiveness in the Post-Truth Era

"Options Not Restrictions": Wrestling with Changing Abortion Laws

Are Millennials Really "The Burnout Generation"?

Witches: Our New National Obsession?

Rogue or Martyr? John Chau and the Complexity of 21st Century Missions

A Discussion of James K. A. Smith's How (Not) to Be Secular

"Sokal Squared": 3 Scholars, a Hoax, and the Future of Academia

A Discussion of Rod Dreher's "The Benedict Option"

Natural Disasters and the Problem of Human Control

Nike, Kaepernick, Serena, and a Disastrous Cartoon

A Discussion on James Davison Hunter's "To Change the World"

A Discussion on James Davison Hunter’s “To Change the World”

Alex Jones, Online Communities, and the Muddy Waters of Free Speech

Alex Jones, Online Communities, and the Muddy Waters of Free Speech

How Do We Decipher Today's News?

How Do We Decipher Today's News?