Thinking Out Loud

Nathan and Cameron dive deep into the complex relationship between faith-based organizations, the federal government, and religious freedoms. They explore the controversial legal battle involving the Mennonite Church’s lawsuit against the Trump administration over religious rights and sanctuary practices, touching on themes of immigration, sanctuary cities, and the church's role in society. Through an engaging discussion, they navigate the delicate balance between moral convictions and adherence to federal law, drawing parallels with historical examples like the Underground Railroad and the Holocaust. This episode challenges Christian audiences to reflect on the tension between faith and politics, offering insights on how to respond to current events where religious beliefs and governmental policies intersect.

DONATE LINK:https://toltogether.com/donate

BOOK A SPEAKER:https://toltogether.com/book-a-speaker

JOIN TOL CONNECT: https://toltogether.com/tol-connect

TOL Connect is an online forum where TOL listeners can continue the conversation begun on the podcast.

In this episode, Cameron and Nathan dive into the insights of Jonathan Rauch, a homosexual atheist Jew, who has recently shifted his views on secularism and its impact on society. The discussion touches on Rauch's book Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy, where he argues that Christianity plays a crucial role as a "load-bearing wall" for democracy, emphasizing the need for virtuous living to sustain democratic values.The episode explores how Christians can navigate the tension between political engagement and true discipleship, reflecting on the state of the church today. They also explore the concept of civic theology, discussing the balance between religious conviction and the broader needs of society, including an interesting comparison to the Church of Latter-day Saints’ approach to political engagement.Join the conversation as they reflect on how Christians can better embody the Beatitudes, the fruits of the Spirit, and live out their faith in a politically charged world.

In this episode, we dive into why Catholicism still matters—even if you’re not Catholic! We explore the legacy of Pope John Paul II, how he differs from the current Pope, and the Church’s ongoing tensions with the modern world. Plus, we break down Vatican II and its impact. Whether you're religious or just curious, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss!

A lot of ink has been spilled on the subject of the freemasons in the past, but the subject has gone a bit silent in recent years. Why so? No doubt, part of the reason would be the increasing isolation of our cultural moment. In this episode, we consider both the freemasons, as well as the shrinking clubs and organizations that characterize our North American landscape.

In recent years, Christian apologetics has become a full-fledged academic field. But is this really a good thing? And, in a world so captivated by individualistic conceptions of the good life, is apologetics still relevant? Having spent most of our careers in apologetic circles, we’ve got some thoughts on the matter.

Okay, this title is pure clickbait. But you have to admit that Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon certainly sparked its share of strong opinions, the most exasperated of which came from President Trump himself. Join us as we dive into the conversation.

A recent Wall Street Journal article has us asking this question. We’ll give you three guesses on where we land. If you’d like to hear why we landed where we did, however, you’ll have to tune in.

Though the revelations concerning popular author Neil Gaiman are horrifying, they hardly constitute an isolated incident. Taking into account recent news items, we can also add Cormac McCarthy to the mix. Artists are one thing, but what about the people who claim to be ministers of the gospel? Do we continue to draw from their work even when they’ve fallen from grace? It goes without saying that this is a heavy episode, but we invite you to tune in. 

What do we do when we’re confronted with people who claim to follow Jesus, but who appear to unrepentantly depart from his commands on a habitual basis? This question is fraught with tension since we want to avoid both legalism and presuming to know the heart of someone else. But doesn’t Scripture itself indicate that there are times when we need to draw lines in the sand? Join us as we dive into this complex question. 

We’re joined by Stuart McAllister to talk about the seismic cultural shift that’s led us away from self-sacrifice, patriotism, and martyrdom to radical individualism and an addiction to comfort and convenience. Is it really true that dying for a cause has gone the way of the dinosaur? Or are we seeing it emerge once again, albeit in different ways? And how do we as Christians overcome this addiction to comfort and convenience?