Cultural Update: Was Jesus crucified with nails?; Young men return to church; Are Megachurches Ethical?

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Cultural Update: Was Jesus crucified with nails?; Young men return to church; Are Megachurches Ethical?

Sean McDowell, Scott Rae — April 25, 2025

Topics this week:

Controversy after Christianity Today published an article questioning whether Jesus was crucified with nails.
The Supreme Court is debating whether parents can opt their kids out of LGBTQ-themed books in elementary schools.
The and published articles discussing the return to church, particularly among young men, and the increased interest in the supernatural in today's culture.
Listener question on the ethical and theological implications of the rise of megachurches and ultra-rich pastors.
Listener question on how to test the reliability and reputability of news sources in the age of disinformation.

Episode Transcript

Transcript coming soon.

Scott Rae

Scott Rae is professor of Christian ethics and dean of the faculty at Talbot School of Theology. A noted Christian scholar and ethicist, Scott is the author of such books as Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics; Business for the Common Good; and Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in social ethics from the University of Southern California, a Th.M. in Old Testament from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a B.A.S. in economics from Southern Methodist University. He has served in a variety of teaching and leadership roles, including a term as president of the Evangelical Theological Society in 2015. Along with Sean McDowell (Ph.D.), Scott co-hosts the Think Biblically podcast at Biola University.

Sean McDowell

Sean McDowell (Ph.D.) is an associate professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the Church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. Sean travels throughout the United States and abroad, speaking at camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. He is the co-host for the Think Biblically podcast, and he has authored or edited over twenty books, including and . Sean hosts one of the leading apologetics blogs at , and he hosts some great conversations on his . Sean and his wife, Stephanie, have three children and live in San Juan Capistrano, CA.