Digital Public Square

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Mark Dooley to discuss the life and work of Sir Roger Scruton in light of the new volume Against the Tide: The Best of Roger Scruton’s Columns, Commentaries, and Criticism.Meet Dr. DooleyMark Dooley is an Irish philosopher, author, and journalist who has held lectureships at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and at University College Dublin where he was also John Henry Newman Scholar in Theology. From 2003-2006, he wrote on foreign affairs for the Sunday Independent. From 2006-2018, he wrote a weekly column on ‘Moral Matters’ for the Irish Daily Mail. He is currently a Contributing Editor to The European Conservative magazine. Dooley is Sir Roger Scruton’s Literary Executor.Resources:Articles:Carl Trueman, Scruton’s Castle in First ThingsJason Thacker, Roger Scruton on Art and MoralityBooks by Mark Dooley:Roger Scruton: The Philosopher on Dover BeachConversations with Roger ScrutonThe Roger Scruton ReaderWorks by Roger Scruton:The Aesthetics of MusicThe Aesthetics of ArchitectureSexual Desire: A Philosophical InvestigationPhilosophy: Principles and ProblemsCulture Counts: Faith and Feeling in a World BesiegedThe Face of God: The Gifford LecturesModern CultureFools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Samuel Moyn of Yale University to discuss the nature of human rights in history and his works Christian Human Rights and The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History. Today, we talk about the rise and centrality of human rights in modern discourse.Meet Dr. MoynSamuel Moyn is the Chancellor Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. He received a doctorate in modern European history from the University of California-Berkeley in 2000 and a law degree from Harvard University in 2001. He came to Yale from Harvard University, where he was Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law and Professor of History.His areas of interest in legal scholarship include international law, human rights, the law of war, and legal thought, in both historical and current perspective. He has written several books in his fields of European intellectual history and human rights history, including The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (2010), Christian Human Rights (2015), and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World (2018).Resources:Inventing Human Rights: A History by Lynn HuntWorks by Jeremy WaldronWorks by John Tasioulas—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Gray Sutanto to talk about his recently co-authored volume Neo-Calvinism with Dr. Cory Brock from Lexham Press. Meet Dr. SutantoDr. Sutanto is an associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the International Presbyterian Church and has received a visiting fellowship at Kampen Theological University. Other than Herman Bavinck, Dr. Sutanto’s research interests are broad, ranging from modern Protestant theology, prolegomena, humanity and sin, the relationship between philosophy and theology, analytic theology, and Christianity and culture.Resources:Digital Public Square podcast interview with Dr. James Eglinton on Herman BavinckNeo-Calvinism: A Theological Introduction by Gray Sutanto and Cory BrockGuidebook for Instruction in the Christian Religion by Herman BavinckThe Wonderful Works of God by Herman BavinckAbraham Kuyper: A Centennial Reader by James D. BrattT&T Clark Handbook of Neo-Calvinism by N. Gray Sutanto and Cory Brock (coming December 2023)Grace in Common Podcast—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this special episode, I discussed why we still need a statement of principles on artificial intelligence as we seek to navigate the fundamental questions being asked about humanity and these emerging technologies. In 2019, the ERLC launched the first faith-based statement of ethical principles in order to aid the church in thinking proactively about AI as well as to participate in the larger conversations about how these tools are shaping every aspect of our lives.Resources:Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles (English or Spanish pdf)The Age of AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity - Jason ThackerThe Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society - Jason Thacker (editor)

In this episode, I am joined by Leah Savas to talk about the new book, The Story of Abortion in America: A Street-Level History, which she co-authored with Marvin Olasky from Crossway.Meet Leah:Leah reports on abortion for WORLD News Group, where she writes the weekly Vitals roundup and newsletter of pro-life news. Leah lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband, Stephen.Resources:The Story of Abortion in America: A Street-Level History, 1652–2022 by Leah Savas and Marvin OlaskyArticles of Faith: A Frontline History of the Abortion Wars by Cynthia GorneyChoice Words: Writers on Abortion by Annie FinchWorld News Group Vital Newsletter by Leah Savas

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Dr. Keith Plummer to talk about his contribution entitled, “The World Is Watching: Proclaiming Truth and Maintaining Our Witness in a Digital Age”. Today, Dr. Plummer and I talk about the works of the late Francis Schaeffer and how technology is shaping our understanding of and witness to the world around us.Meet Dr. Plummer:Keith serves as professor of theology and dean of the School of Divinity at Cairn University. He previously served as a pastor in the Evangelical Free Church of America. Keith is a contributing author to Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church. He earned his PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.Resources:“Five Things We Need to Know about Technological Change.”He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis SchaefferThe Mark of the Christian by Francis Schaeffer—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Jeremy Tedesco and to talk about his contribution with Christiana Kiefer entitled, Content Moderation and Suppressing Speech: Are There Limits to Talking about Sexuality and Gender Online?. Today, Jeremy and I talk about the relationship between private companies and free speech as well as how Christians can think about the nature of the digital public square.Meet Jeremy:Jeremy serves as senior counsel and senior vice president of corporate engagement for the Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, Tedesco leads ADF’s efforts to combat corporate cancel culture and to build a business ethic that respects free speech, religious freedom, and human dignity. Tedesco was also a part of the legal teams that successfully litigated Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Reed v. Town of Gilbert, and Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, before the United States Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Regent University School of Law.—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by David French to talk about his contribution entitled, “Can the Government Save Us from Ourselves?: The Legal Complexities of Free Speech and Content Moderation.” Today, David and I talk about the debates over regulating the technology industry in light of the challenges to free expression today as well as the role of personal virtue in the public square.Meet David:David is an opinion columnist at the New York Times and previously served as senior editor at the Dispatch as well as a contributing writer for the Atlantic. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, a former lecturer at Cornell Law School, and a past president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. David is a New York Times bestselling author, and his most recent book is, Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. He is a former major in the United States Army Reserve and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he earned a Bronze Star.—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, this week I am joined by Brooke Medina to talk about her contribution entitled, “Defining the Limits of Hate Speech and Violence: Dignity, Truth, and Speech in the Digital Public Square.” Brooke and I talk about the widespread debate over hate speech and how Christians must speak both truth and grace in the public square.Meet Brooke:Brooke serves as vice president of communications for the John Locke Foundation. She has completed numerous programs with the Charles Koch Institute, including the Koch Leaders Program and Koch Communications Fellowship, focusing on the philosophical underpinnings of market-based management and classical liberalism. She also sits on the board of directors for ReCity Network. Her writing has been published in numerous outlets, such as The Hill, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Signal, and FEE. She is a graduate of Regent University.--The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Joshua Wester to talk about his contribution entitled, “Free to Believe? The Case for Religious Freedom and Free Expression in the Digital Age.” Today, Josh and I talk about the nature and necessity of religious freedom in our technological society.Meet Josh:Josh serves as the lead pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina and is an associate research fellow of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission where he researches issues of public theology, political philosophy, and religious freedom. He holds a ThM in public theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a PhD in Christian ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the author of the forthcoming book A Student’s Guide to Politics with Christian Focus Publications.—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Bonnie Kristian to talk about her contribution entitled, “Should We Ban Pornography? Navigating the Complexities of Objectionable Content in a Digital Age.” Today, Bonnie and I talk about the moral plague of pornography in our society and the difficulties of banning objectionable content online.Meet Bonnie:Bonnie is a journalist and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). She is a columnist at Christianity Today and a fellow at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank. Her work has been widely published at outlets including the New York Times, The Week, USA Today, CNN, and Politico. A graduate of Bethel Seminary, she lives in Pittsburg with her husband and twin sons.--The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Patricia Shaw to talk about her contribution entitled, "The Global Digital Marketplace: Engaging International Technology Policy from a Christian Perspective". Today we talk about some of the international aspects of the technology policy debate and how nations around the world are thinking through these important issues in their specific contexts.Meet Patricia: Patricia serves as CEO of Beyond Reach Consulting Limited and is based in the UK but advises internationally on AI and data ethics, policy, governance, and corporate digital responsibility. She has twenty years’ of experience as a lawyer in data, technology, and regulatory/government affairs and is a qualified solicitor in England and the Republic of Ireland. She has authored and edited numerous works on law and regulation, policy, ethics, and AI.—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Nathan Leamer to talk about his contribution entitled, "The Wild West of Technology: A Convergence of Optimism and Pessimism in the United States". Today, we talk about how Christians can think wisely about the role of government and industry in the technology policy debate in the United States.Meet Nathan: Nathan serves as the Executive Director of the Digital First Project and Vice President of public affairs at Targeted Victory. He previously served as Policy Advisor to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Before working at the FCC, he was a Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute where he managed the institute’s government relations and wrote extensively on issues of emerging technology, intellectual property, and privacy.--The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

As we continue our mini-series on our recently released volume The Digital Public Square with B&H Academic, I am joined by Dr. Bryan Baise to talk about his contribution entitled, Once More, with Tweeting?: Bracketing a Public Square from the Perils of Notoriety. Today, Bryan and I talk about how technology has altered our understanding of a public square and teaching the next generation about social ethics.Meet Bryan: Bryan serves as associate professor of philosophy and apologetics at Boyce College, where he also directs the Augustine Honors Collegium and the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree program. He has contributed to edited academic volumes and writes popular-level essays for several Christian outlets. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife and three children.—The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

This is a special episode of the podcast as we kick off a new mini-series themed after a new volume that I had the privilege of editing entitled The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society. This book is published by B&H Academic and is available Wednesday, February 1st wherever books are sold.This volume along with my other recently released books including Following Jesus in a Digital Age, the companion Bible study, and A Student’s Guide to Social Media are part of a larger research project that I have been leading at the ERLC over the last couple of years. The Digital Public Square research project is designed to help Christians think deeply about the pressing questions of faith and the public square as well as take part in a larger conversation about these pressing challenges of technology and social media whether in the halls of Congress, your state capital, on campuses of the largest and most influential technology companies, in academic gatherings, and most importantly your own home. I am joined by 11 other contributors who address issues such as political philosophy, technology policy, free speech and content moderation, religious freedom, hate speech and hate crimes, gender/sexuality, pornography, conspiracy theories and misinformation, and digital authoritarianism as well as Christian discipleship and mission in the 21st century.Over the next couple of months, I am going to be joined by each contributor to talk about their interest in these areas, their chapters, and what if anything has changed since they wrote their chapters given how quickly the field of technology changes.Download a sample of The Digital Public Square--The Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. John Dyer to talk about the formative power of technology and how it deeply shapes the way we see the world around us including how we read the Scripture given the prominence of digital Bibles today. We discuss the newly revised version of his book From the Garden to the City from Kregel Publications and his new work People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture.Meet Dr. DyerJohn serves as the vice president for enrollment and educational technology as well as an assistant professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He has been a technology creator for over 20 years, and his research focuses on the intersection of faith and technology, including Bible software, digital ecclesiology, artificial intelligence, and transhumanism.Resources:From the Garden to the City by John DyerPeople of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture by John DyerTranshumanism and the Image of God by Jacob ShatzerDisruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age by Alan NobleThe Tech-Wise Family by Andy CrouchNetworked Theology: Negotiating Faith in Digital Culture by Heidi CampbellThe Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Coleman M. Ford to talk about his new book A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine from Lexham Press. Today, we discuss the life and work of St. Augustine as well as his understanding of friendship.Meet Dr. FordDr. Ford serves as assistant professor of humanities at Texas Baptist College. His research interests include the spirituality and pastoral theology of Augustine of Hippo, the transcendentals (truth, goodness, beauty) in the patristic tradition, virtue and ethics in the patristic tradition, Christianity in late antiquity, and the history of Christian spirituality and formation.Resources:A Bond between Souls: Friendship in the Letters of Augustine by Coleman M. FordConfessions by St. Augustine and Henry Chadwick (translator)Augustine of Hippo: Selected Writings (Classics of Western Spirituality) by Mary T. Clark (translator)Friendship and the Moral Life by Paul WadellMade for Friendship: The Relationship That Halves Our Sorrows and Doubles Our Joys by Drew HunterAugustine: A Very Short Introduction by Henry ChadwickThe Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. David Mathis to talk about his book Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders from Crossway. Today we talk about Christian leadership and the proper role of authority in the Church.Meet David Mathis:David serves as senior teacher and executive editor at DesiringGod.org, a pastor at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and an adjunct professor at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis. He is the author of several books, including Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines.Resources:Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders by David MathisHabits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines by David MathisThe Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. CarsonMemoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. CarsonSticky Teams by Larry OsborneBiblical Eldership seminar with John PiperThe Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker. Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Russ Shafer-Landau to talk about on moral philosophy and questions of metaethics. Today, we talk about his books Moral Realism: A Defence and The Fundamentals of Ethics.Meet Dr. Shafer-LandauRuss Shafer-Landau serves as a professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of Moral Realism: A Defence, Whatever Happened to Good and Evil?, The Fundamentals of Ethics, and Living Ethics. He also is the editor of Oxford Studies in Metaethics. Shafer-Landau served as President of the American Philosophical Association (Central Division) in 2021. He is currently working on a large collaborative project with John Bengson and Terence Cuneo that seeks to offer a new vindication of non-naturalist moral realism, entitled The Moral Universe (Oxford 2023) focusing on the metaphysical and normative dimensions of morality.Resources:Whatever Happened to Good and Evil? by Russ Shafer-LandauFoundations of Ethics: An Anthology by Russ Shafer-Landau and Terence CuneoMetaethics: A Contemporary Introduction by Mark van RoojenMoral Discourse and Practice: Some Philosophical Approaches by Stephen Darwall, Allan Gibbard, and Peter RailtonThe Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jessica Joustra to talk about Herman Bavinck and the centrality of ethics in the Chrisitan life.Meet Dr. Joustra:Dr. Joustra is an Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer and an Associate Researcher at the Neo-Calvinist Research Institute of the Theologische Universiteit Kampen. She is also the Director of Redeemer’s Albert M. Wolters Centre for Christian Scholarship. She earned a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Fuller Theological Seminary and the Free University and an M.Div from Calvin Theological Seminary. Resources:Reformed Ethics: Created, Fallen, and Converted Humanity by Herman Bavinck and John BoltonReformed Ethics: The Duties of the Christian Life (Volume 2) by Herman Bavinck and John BoltonEssays on Religion, Science, and Society Herman Bavinck and John BoltonResponsible Conduct: Principles of Christian Ethics by Jochem DoumaJohn Bolt’s Dissertation on Bavinck’s Two Essays on the Imitatio ChristiThe Digital Public Square is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and is produced and hosted by Jason Thacker.Production assistance is provided by Kadin Christian. Technical production provided by Owens Productions. It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.