Tag: Millennials

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Know About Creating: How Can Artists Use AI and Other Digital Tools Wisely?

Interview With Ross Boone (Part 1)

Ross Boone (artist name Raw Spoon) is an author, illustrator, mechanical engineer, and theologian. He’s also had his share of doubts about faith and the Bible. Using those struggles as his creative engine, today Ross encourages others through artwork and stories. In Part 1 of his interview with Know Why Podcast, Ross shares how he uses digital tools including AI to create art that enhances biblical understanding. He also discusses how his app Creature Habits aims to reorient our distractions toward positive purposes. Listen and check out more of Ross’s creative resources below.

Doubt, Faith, and People

Ross told Know Why that he used to struggle with guilt over doubts and questions he had regarding Christian faith. He turned to creativity to process those doubts and questions, and now helps others wading through the same questions through his art.

Overtime, Ross realized that doubt is an important part of one’s journey with faith. “If you weren’t ever left in longing or left with questions, you wouldn’t have to dig deeper,” he said. He’s found that seeming dissonances within Scripture actually point to the complexity and nuance of humanity—much like art.


“If you weren’t ever left in longing or left with questions, you wouldn’t have to dig deeper.”

Ross boone

He believes Christian art needs to do a better job of portraying this reality. “Art has alerted me to the fact that we are complex, because I recognize when stories and portrayals of humans are done poorly.”

AI and Art

Ross believes that digital tools, including AI, have the power to bring depth and complexity to our understanding of biblical principles. He uses AI to generate art that accompanies Bible passages available in his app, Creature Habits. He hopes the art will help users visualize and understand biblical morals in fresh ways.

He notes that AI isn’t replacing the creative process for him as an artist. Rather, AI is a tool he is using for the benefit of the viewer in a specific context.

“Every new, modern technology is a tool for us to do what we want to do better,” he told Know Why. “We just have to be careful we don’t become a slave to these tools.”

More Resources

Listen to another perspective on AI and art here.

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Know About Creating: Why Should Christians Value Art?

Interview With John Hendrix

Bestselling author and illustrator John Hendrix joins the Know Why Podcast to talk about the intersection of art and faith. A critically acclaimed artist and lifelong Christian, John shares why beauty has inherent value, argues why Christians should support artists, and explains why pursuing art as a profession matters in today’s world. A professor of art at Washington University in St. Louis, John offers advice and encouragement to aspiring artists. We also discuss some of John’s published (and forthcoming) graphic novels, so don’t miss this episode!

Art and Faith

John told Know Why he has been a Christian and an artist for as long as he can remember. As a child, he was often artistically inspired by the beauty in his home church. He sees art and creation as intrinsic expressions of his belief system.

“You cannot decouple creativity from expression of Christian faith,” he said, noting that “everyone is a creator,” even if they don’t consider themselves artists.


“We are made in the image of a Maker, and that is why we love making stuff.”

John Hendrix

John also shared how throughout his life, he’s wrestled with seasons of doubt regarding Christianity. “I think if you do not have doubts in your faith, you’re probably not really wrestling with it,” he told Know Why. “The doubts are a sign that it means something to you.”

The Value of Beauty

Christians can sometimes have a complicated relationship with the arts, and Johns sees a few reasons for this. For instance, Christians are often focused on practical ways to advance the gospel, and focusing on art can feel like an “indulgence.”

John understands the concern, but thinks the focus on practicality is misguided. “The sunset is not doing a particular work in spreading the gospel, unless you believe that beauty is fundamentally connected to some of God’s intrinsic values, which—news flash—it is,” he said. “So supporting the arts, in some ways, means succumbing to a mystery.”

He believes that churches should welcome artists and even implement programs to support them.

Encouragement for Aspiring Artists

The decision to pursue art professionally can result in both judgment and concern regarding everything from finances to the legitimacy of the pursuit. John encourages young artists, insisting that devoting one’s life to art is not selfish, but sacrificial—and meaningful for the world.

“Artists do not have the same earning power in general as Wall Street brokers, and that’s ok,” he said. “The goal of life on this planet is not to maximize your earning potential.” He says following one’s calling and living rightly are what matter most.


“The calling into the arts is a very broad one and it is totally worthy of your life.” 

John Hendrix

Regarding illustration specifically, John says that “there is no better time to be an illustrator than right now.” There are so many devices and books that need illustration today, he continues, and illustration brings “clarity.”

“What does God value in the world?” John asked. “He values clarity. Clarity is a value. And it’s a value that is very difficult to do and to bring to the world.”

Listen to the entire conversation for more insight, encouragement, and information about John’s forthcoming graphic novel, The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Know About Creating: Why We Love Art

Conversation With Meghan Kitchen and Stephen R. Millar (Part 1)

For the first episode of Know Why’s new series, “Know About Creating,” Liberty is joined in-studio by audio engineer Meghan Kitchen and producer Stephen R. Miller, both of Point of View Radio Talk Show. But for this conversation, Liberty, Meghan, and Stephen are artists. They discuss what they love about their favorite art mediums, why they feel the drive to create stories, music, and performances, and how faith impacts their interactions with art. Enjoy Part 1 of this fun conversation and look for Part 2 next week! 

Art is Life

For people who consider themselves creatives, creating isn’t an option. That’s how Meghan, Stephen, and Liberty feel about their favorite forms of creative work. All three agree that art helps to connect them with other people.

“I love it [acting] because it gives me a chance to open people’s eyes, it gives me a chance to make people laugh or cry and to think deeply about humanity and about how they relate to others, and how others relate to them,” Stephen said.

“Art is to be shared,” Meghan added.

Faith and Art

What does it mean to do art as Christians? Meghan, Stephen, and Liberty share their various feelings on the combination of art and faith, acknowledging that sometimes Christians feel the need to box themselves or other artists in to explicitly and exclusively referencing God in their works.

Stephen argues that even in “dark” stories where the Gospel isn’t explicitly mentioned, people can be pointed to truth.

Listen to the episode for more about how art of various forms points to God, and check back next week for Part 2!

More Resources

  • What Happens in a Dream? Fictional Podcast by Meghan Kitchen
  • Request a free copy of the booklet “A Biblical View on Imagination” by Stephen Miller here, or read an expanded digital edition here.
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Can Localism Ease Partisanship (And Even Anxiety?) Know About Political Engagement

Interview With Dr. Mark T. Mitchell

Does the philosophy of localism offer an antidote to the hostile partisanship that typically marks American politics? Can it even address the cultural problems of anxiety and loneliness? Dr. Mark T. Mitchell, co-founder of Front Porch Republic and Dean of Academic Affairs at Patrick Henry College, joins Liberty to talk about the importance of intentional living, physical space, embodied community, and more.

‘Bodies Matter’

Various episodes in Know Why Podcast’s “Know About Political Engagement” series have highlighted the importance of voting in local elections. But the idea of localism goes beyond voting. It’s a way of thinking and living that emphasizes the importance of physical space and in-person community. Through Front Porch Republic, “We are emphasizing the importance of face-to-face encounters with other human beings,” Dr. Mitchell told Know Why.

In today’s increasingly mobile, global age, face-to-face encounters are becoming less common. Even though many people tout the benefits of online or social media “communities,” Dr. Mitchell argues there can be no such thing.

“A real and legitimate community in its fullest sense requires sharing common space,” he said. “When our online technologies become substitutes for embodied presence, I think we’re in trouble.”

‘Restless Anxiety’

For examples of what kind of “trouble” substituting online “communities” for embodied community leads to, just consider the high rates of anxiety and loneliness among young generations today. Millennials and Gen Z are the most educated generations on record. Many were encouraged to “go far” and “follow dreams,” leading to the abandonment of hometowns for impressive degrees and careers. Happiness has not been their reward, however—but rather isolation, loneliness, and rootlessness.

What if more people chose to truly put down roots right where they are?

“A real and legitimate community in its fullest sense requires sharing common space.”

Dr. Mark T. Mitchell

“We surf. We scroll. All of this terminology is indicative of the kind of transient, unsettled, dissatisfied thumbing through life that is increasingly characterizing so many of our lives,” Dr. Mitchell told Know Why. “That’s no way to live, ultimately.”

“Restless anxiety keeps a people constantly searching—constantly scrolling you might say,” he said. And yet, “So many of the very best things in life are only realized in the wake of commitment.”

To Love Thy Neighbor, Know Thy Neighbor

While localism can help fulfill human needs of physical community and connection, it may also alleviate some of the nastiness of modern politics.

“So much of our political conversation obsesses with national politics, where partisanship is most profoundly obvious,” Dr. Mitchell said. But when more people are focused on working together to solve problems in their local communities, party differences start to matter less and less.

The first step on the path to engaging more with neighbors on local issues is opening yourself up to them—even if that means doing something as simple as sitting on your front porch to invite conversation. This may not always be convenient, but it’s necessary for robust local communities and real human connection.

“‘It’s easy to talk about love of humanity. It’s an abstraction,” Dr. Mitchell told Know Why. “The hard part is loving that bothersome person down the road, or a member of your own family.”

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Why is Anger Unhealthy? Know About Jesus

Interview With Brant Hansen (Part 2)

Brant Hansen is back! The radio personality and author discusses research from an atheist that points to the genius of Jesus’ teachings on anger, forgiveness, and anxiety. Listen and learn why Brant says Jesus is the “smartest man who ever lived.”

Refuse to be Scandalized

Letting go of offense, anger, and anxiety can lead to more opportunities for friendship and even evangelism, Brant said, sharing more stories from his family’s own experiences.

“People are suddenly drawn to you when you’re the one who’s the least judgmental person on the block,” he told Know Why. That doesn’t mean you must abandon your values or morals, Brant explained. But you can refuse to be scandalized by others’ sin, and enjoy a less stressful life as a result.

“Everything we discover about this subject just points again to the genius of Jesus.”

Brant Hansen

Jesus himself refused to be scandalized by others’ behavior, Brant notes. In fact, some have even used the word “relaxed” to describe Jesus.

Don’t Live in Fight or Flight Mode

Scientific research has reinforced the wisdom of Jesus’ teachings. For instance, both animals and humans were created with fight or flight responses, but those responses are supposed to be fleeting, helping us survive and escape threats. Existing in fight or flight mode long-term is bad for our health, research shows. But when we allow ourselves to stay angry and anxious, that’s what we’re doing.

Brant points to Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount,” where he specifically tells listeners not to be angry or anxious.

“He knows how we’re made, how we flourish, and how we thrive,” Brant told Know Why. “Everything we discover about this subject just points again to the genius of Jesus.”

Listen to Part 1 of this interview here.

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Is My Anger Righteous? Know About Jesus

Interview With Brant Hansen (Part 1)

Talking about anger has never been more fun! Radio personality and author Brant Hansen joins the Know Why Podcast to discuss his book Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better. In Part 1 of his interview, Brant explains Jesus’ teachings on anger and forgiveness, sharing personal testimonies revealing that “the way to freedom is the way of Jesus.” 

The Way of Jesus

In Unoffendable, Brant makes an argument many find startling: we are not entitled to hold on to anger. But many of us have been taught that “righteous anger” is justified, and that anger can even be helpful in getting things done.

Brant points to Jesus’ teachings to show this is the wrong way to think about anger. “We are never entitled to harbor anger because we have to do something that Jesus is very big on—it’s called forgiveness,” he told Know Why.


“The way to freedom is the way of Jesus.”

Brant Hansen

That doesn’t mean that we have to ignore injustice, though. Brant says we should be motivated to help others and correct the wrongs in our world because it’s the right thing to do—not because we’re angry.

“I can do the right thing and do it better without anger,” Brant said. As an example, he tells the story of how he once confronted his mayor about a criminal act against his wife that had been ignored by city officials. Approaching the problem with resolution but without anger, he got his result.

Listen to the episode for the full story, and don’t miss Part 2 next week!

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How Did Jesus Treat Women? Know About Jesus

Interview With Dr. Sandra Glahn (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this interview, Dallas Theological Seminary professor Dr. Sandra Glahn offers insight into Jesus’ interactions with women and what it means for Christians today. She explains cultural context surrounding several Bible stories and passages, answering hard questions (such as why Jesus’ 12 apostles were male). Dr. Glahn also exposes certain blindspots that can impede our understanding of—or even hide—women’s presence in the Bible. 

Jesus’ Radical Inclusion of Women

In the agrarian societies to which Jesus preached, women were low in the pecking order—lower than animals, Dr. Glahn explained. Typically, if women had means and influence, it was because they were in proximity to positions of power, not because they held positions of power themselves. Knowing context clues like these is essential in understanding certain stories of the Bible and can illuminate Jesus’ interactions with women—particularly how he bucked the norms of his time by including women in spaces previously reserved for men.

“It’s a sign of the Spirit, not a sign of male failure, that everybody is proclaiming the Good News.”

Dr. Sandra Glahn

In the New Testament, we see Jesus taking the time to talk with women, which surprised his male disciples. He even talks to women about matters of theology, which would have offended many at that time. He has female followers, including those who travel with him and financially support his ministry. He also appears first to a woman after his resurrection from the dead, instructing her to tell his male disciples of the greatest miracle in history. In this way, Dr. Glahn notes, a woman becomes the “apostle to the apostles,” to quote Thomas Aquinas.


“What’s happening here that women are showing their agency as they follow Christ.” 

Dr. Sandra Glahn

Recognizing Our Blindspots

But our worldview is shaped by our own cultural norms and biases, Dr. Glahn told Know Why. This is why important stories about women in the Bible and Church history have been often overlooked, misread, or forgotten. While today’s Christians often debate about the “biblical” role of women in the church, the New Testament and Church history are rich with diverse examples of women’s involvement in both Jesus’ earthly ministry and in the early church.

Be sure to catch Part 2 of Know Why’s interview with Dr. Glahn next week, where she discusses what Christians get wrong about gender stereotypes, and how we can misunderstand what “biblical” manhood and womanhood actually mean.

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What Did Jesus Say About Justice? Know About Jesus

Interview With Jon Noyes (Part 2)

Do Jesus’ teachings on justice conflict with Old Testament teachings on justice? In Part 2 of Know Why’s interview with apologist Jon Noyes, we examine the continuity of biblical justice throughout the Old and New Testaments. Jon even argues that a proper understanding of justice can help us answer this question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Jon shares free resources at the end of the episode for those wishing to read further on this topic. Find the links at the bottom of this article.

A Better Society for Everyone

In Part 1, Jon said that in order to define justice, we have to determine what standard we are basing are concept of justice on. Jon argues that God’s standard justice “actually provides a better and more just society for everybody, believer or non-believer.” Why? Because “true justice is impartial,” and “God’s law doesn’t contort to whether you’re rich or poor.”

Jon says the world often favors those with money or other forms of status, but “God’s standard puts a highlight on the poor.”

The Same Definition?

Did Jesus preach thee same definition of justice as God did in the Old Testament? Jon says the answer is yes.

“God is unchanging and the standards of God are unchanging,” Jon told Know Why. ‘Jesus didn’t shy away from those standards or back off those standards…he actually built on that.”


“True justice is impartial.”

Jon Noyes

Jon says Jesus exemplified this when he said the two greatest commandments are to love God and love one’s neighbor. “This is the foundation of biblical justice,” Jon told Know Why.

What About Suffering?

If God is just, why do bad things happen to people who don’t deserve it? While that’s a heavy question that demands more time to address in full, Jon offered a few thoughts toward the end of the episode.

It’s important, he argues, to remember our sins affect other people. “We live in a world that we corrupted, and corrupted people produce corrupted situations,” he said.

While we don’t like suffering, it can lead us to a deeper understanding of our need for a savior, Jon argues. “We’ve all realized that life is difficult by now,” he told Know Why. “Suffering cries out the need for a savior, for a rescuer. We all need to be rescued, and we just need to come to realize that.”

Resources:

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Is There Evidence for Jesus’ Resurrection? Know About Jesus

Interview With Robby Lashua: Part 2

Historical tests affirm that the New Testament we read today accurately reflects the original documents—but were the authors of the New Testament telling the truth? Did Jesus really do the impossible—come back to life? In Part 2 of our interview with Robby Lashua, an apologist with Stand to Reason, we walk through the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, including what non-Christian historians have to say about the event. 

Is Evidence Possible?

Jesus’ original followers claimed he died and rose from the dead three days later. In fact, Jesus’ followers today still claim that. Can there be evidence for something miraculous? Robby’s answer is yes, and he says there is “a ton of evidence for the resurrection.”


“If Christians study any apologetics, they should study the resurrection.”

Robby Lashua

One indicator of the strength of the evidence of the resurrection is what non-Christian believers believe about the disciples’ claim. “When historians, non-Christian historians, study this, they admit to four or five historical facts that happened surrounding the life of Jesus,” Robby told Know Why. Those facts include that Jesus died from Roman crucifixion (a fact established through secular sources as well as Christian sources), and that his disciples were being sincere; they truly believed that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to them after his crucifixion.

Why Did the Disciples Believe?

So even non-Christian historians believe that the disciples believed in the resurrection. “So the questions for us becomes, what led the disciples to believe that it happened?” Robby said.

Robby explains multiple pieces of evidence in the New Testament and other historical sources to answer “alternative theories”—for instance, the theory that those who claimed to see Jesus after his death hallucinated, or the theory that Jesus never actually died at all.


“These twelve guys turned the world upside down based on the belief that Jesus rose again.” 

Robby Lashua

Many people find early Christians’ lives compelling—the fact that disciples faced torture and martyrdom for the belief that Jesus rose again, and the fact that fierce opponents of Jesus, like Paul, converted to Christianity after his death. What Robby finds especially compelling is that Jesus’ own siblings eventually believed that Jesus was God, even though they didn’t at first. Listen to the episode to learn why this particular point matters.

If you missed Part 1 of Know Why’s interview with Robby Lashua, listen here.

More Resources

See the following resources recommended by Robby for more historical scholarship regarding the resurrection:

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How Can I Improve My Mental Health in 2024?

Interview with Ben Bennett

Want to tackle loneliness, anxiety, or depression in 2024? Improving mental health is a common New Year’s resolution. In this episode of the Know Why Podcast, returning guest Ben Bennett of the Resolution Movement shares practical tips from brain science that can help you go from feeling pressured to feeling empowered. 

Overcoming Loneliness

Ben Bennett, Director of the Resolution Movement, says that isolation is one of the biggest contributors to poor mental health, especially among members of Gen Z. But isolation isn’t just physical; Ben told Know Why. that loneliness is really a “lack of meaningful connection.”


“One of the biggest contributors to poor mental health is isolation … We need one another. We find solution and answers through one another.”

Ben Bennett

“We need one another,” he said. “We find solution and answers through one another.”

Succeeding at Goals

For many people, New Year’s resolutions can result in feelings of pressure—not good for mental health. Ben recommends focusing on the smaller steps rather than the end goal. “We’re trying to set a goal of the result, but really we need to set a goal of the steps,” Ben said.

He encouraged listeners to “keep it simple. Remember to play the long game.” And if setting goals in January doesn’t work best for you, then don’t feel pressured to do it.

No matter when one sets a goal, success is possible when new habits are formed in the brain through neuroplasticity. Listen to the episodes for more tips from Ben, including information about he overcame anxiety through retraining his brain.

More Resources

To read more about overcoming mental health struggles, see The Resolution Movement’s devotional plans available through the YouVersion app, linked below: