A paradigm for Christian leadership & engagement with the secular world.

Josh Bowman interviews Dr. Stephen O. Presley, the Director of Education and Engagement at the Center for Research, Culture, and Democracy (CRCD) as well as a Senior Fellow for Religion and Public Life. The CRCD was one of the Tullia Sponsors for the Ciceronian Society’s 2026 conference in Omaha, and a long time partner and friend.

Looking at two of Presley’s recent books, we specifically consider the role of the church in biblical theology, and the notion of “cultural sanctification” as a paradigm for Christian engagement in the secular world.

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The Center for Research, Culture, and Democracy: https://crcd.net/

Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World like the Early Church (Eerdmans, 2024):
https://www.eerdmans.com/9781467468343/cultural-sanctification/

https://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Sanctification-Engaging-World-Church/dp/0802878547

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church: Recovering an Ancient Vision (Baker, 2025):
https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781540966414_biblical-theology-in-the-life-of-the-early-church

https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Theology-Life-Early-Church/dp/1540966410/

Dr. John Wilsey: https://www.sbts.edu/faculty/john-d-wilsey/

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0:00 Introduction to The Sower Episode 92
2:02 What the CRCD Is
7:12 Why These Two Books, and Why Now
11:31 Why We Should Care About the Early Church
15:44 Today's vs the Ancient Church, Similarities & Differences
20:28 What "Ecclesial Biblical Theology" Means
25:10 What "The Church" Is
29:04 How This Method Can Be Extended to Pagan Texts
32:44 Leadership & Sanctification, Virtue & Faith
37:16 Why We Need Christian Intellectuals
47:19 "Grieving the Loss of Christendom"
54:24 Real Hope or Fool's Hope?
58:53 Stephen Presley's Next Projects

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The 2026 Fall Symposium: “Scholars and Educators in a Brave New World”, Oct 22-24 in Holland, MI

The 2027 Spring Conference in Virginia Beach, VA, March 11-13

Proposals due Sept 1, 2026: https://ciceroniansociety.org/conference-spring/call-for-conference-papers/

To learn more about the Ciceronian Society, our events, this Podcast, our journal, Pietas, to sign up for our newsletter, and to make your tax deductible gift, please go to https://ciceroniansociety.org/

Check out our other weekly podcast, Cicero On Duties: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1B7f66VCvfaF3PYETBIJG4AGMpanUNE3

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to The Sower Episode 92
• (00:02:02) - What the CRCD Is
• (00:07:12) - Why These Two Books, and Why Now
• (00:11:31) - Why We Should Care About the Early Church
• (00:15:44) - Today's vs the Ancient Church, Similarities & Differences
• (00:20:28) - What "Ecclesial Biblical Theology" Means
• (00:25:10) - What "The Church" Is
• (00:29:04) - How This Method Can Be Extended to Pagan Texts
• (00:32:44) - Leadership & Sanctification, Virtue & Faith
• (00:37:16) - Why We Need Christian Intellectuals
• (00:47:19) - "Grieving the Loss of Christendom"
• (00:54:24) - Real Hope or Fool's Hope?
• (00:58:53) - Stephen Presley's Next Projects