The Biblical Mind

Quotes from this episode:

"We're doing a bit like what jazz musicians do. We immerse in the biblical story and we improvise on that biblical story, the Bible in our hand."

"Church is a conversation. Communities that are able to have conversations is really important. We can talk about anything. We can talk about the sermon together. We can talk about pressing issues facing our community, facing our neighborhood that we can get involved with."

In this episode:

— Introduction and Setting the Stage

— Conceptual Hurdles and the Need for Fresh Imagination

— Improvising on the Tradition: Learning from the Biblical Story

— Being Rooted in the Neighborhood: Leadership and the Role of Every Member

— The Challenges of Size: Can Large Churches Safely Improvise?

— Local Aesthetics and the Physical Space of Worship

Byron Borger, owner of Hearts and Minds Bookstore speaks with Dru Johnson about literacy, theology, and the need for bookstores to cultivate the Christian imagination. 

—The decline in reading and literacy rates among Americans is a concern, particularly among younger generations.

Appropriately: An AI generated summary of our conversation:

The conversation explores the influence of technology on humanity and the reciprocal relationship between the two. It discusses the impact of smartphones and identifies key technologies that have shaped the world. The balance between screen time and creativity is examined, along with the concerns and benefits of AI. The importance of foundational knowledge and skills is emphasized, as well as the need for critical evaluation of sources. The conversation also addresses the biases present in AI systems and the challenges of tracing causal links within them. The conversation explores the use of AI in data analysis and interpretation, particularly in the context of Bible study. It raises questions about the validity and limitations of using AI for interpretation and emphasizes the need for critical evaluation.

Takeaways

• AI can analyze vast amounts of data and identify correlations that humans may not be able to perceive.

Chapters

01:31 The Influence of Technology on Humanity

03:26 Technology Shaping Our Experience

04:21 Examples of Technology

06:23 The Relationship Between Technology and Humanity

09:27 The Impact of Smartphones

10:48 Technologies that Have Changed the World

13:24 Balancing Screen Time and Creativity

16:09 The Concerns and Benefits of AI

19:52 The Role of AI in Creativity

25:09 The Importance of Foundational Knowledge and Skills

27:48 The Biases of AI Systems

31:34 The Human Element in AI Systems

36:26 The Need for Critical Evaluation of Sources

39:43 The Human Bias in AI Systems

40:26 The Concerns about Tracing Causal Links in AI

41:29 AI and Data Analysis

42:27 Statistical Method of Interpretation

43:57 Critically Evaluating AI Interpretation

In the first half of this episode, Dru Johnson talks with Preston Sprinkle about his journeys into the LGBTQ+ communities, theologies, and conversations and the psychological research in that field. He also discusses his convictions about biblical views on sexuality that emerged from this quest.

In the second half of this episode, Preston and Dru talk about the theology (and ecclesiology) of podcasting itself. Who should and should not be doing it, and what cautions should they be employing.

Audio editing by Nate Spanos.

In this episode, we discuss Stephen T. Pardue's newest book Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church.

Audio editing (and strategic bleeping) by John Viinalass.

In the first half of this extra long episode:

In the second half of this extra long episode:

We discuss if there is an appropriate roll for various drugs, including psychedelics and MDMA, in assisting the dying, integrating traumas, and more. We also figure out what a "bad trip" on LSD might be. 

The Biblical Mind and the Center for Hebraic Thought are entering a new phase after ending a formal partnership with The King’s College. Additionally, CHT director of operations and TBM editor Celina Durgin will leave her position at the center on July 28, 2023.

In this mini episode, Dru and Celina provide a bit more context, and Celina bids the CHT goodbye and shares a little about where she's going next.

The Biblical Mind magazine and podcast will keep publishing during this transition, though less frequently and regularly than it had been until recently. The CHT’s other partnerships and affiliations will be unaffected. We hope and pray for a new partnership to allow the CHT to emerge from its period of dormancy and resume full programming in the coming months. Thank you for continuing to follow us.

Dr. Michael W. Austin is a Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, an author, and a speaker. He has published 12 books; most recently, he co-edited and contributed to QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christianity and Conspiracy Theories.

Most of his teaching, writing, and speaking is focused on ethical questions related to character and human flourishing. He believes that philosophy has much to offer us, in our individual, social, and spiritual lives. For many years, he's also been a speaker for the Kentucky Humanities Council, and he contributes to a blog for Psychology Today, “Ethics for Everyone.” 

Dru enjoys a more casual conversation with Matthew A. LaPine (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), pastor of theological development at Cornerstone Church and lecturer at Salt School of Theology (Ames, Iowa). Their chat covers theological and pastoral education, considering the in-house models of megachurches and the ways in which seminary can be disconnected from the reality of church life.