Over the last decade and a half, the pervasive use of smartphones has become the norm across the western world. Yet we’re still unaware of the precise long-term consequences. For those brought up without smartphones (or without the internet!) we may not even be in a position to know the full extent of the most negative effects upon child development and socialisation. 

As politicians consider banning smartphones from schools, is there also some drastic reflection the Church needs to do too? How can Christians encourage parents to make wise choices to help their children thrive against the technological tide? If, as some authors suggest, smartphones have made children more anxious and lonely, how might Christians show them a better way?

RESOURCES:

- Jonathan Haidt, "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" (Penguin, 2024)

- Rod Liddle, ‘Kids and Smartphones: An Inconvenient Truth’, The Spectator (24th Feb 2024)

- Tony Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You (Crossway, 2017)

- Anthony Esolen, 10 Ways To Destroy the Imagination of Your Child (ISI Books, 2013)

Episode 79 - Are Smartphones Ruining Our Children?

In this first pilot episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore one of the big questions raised by the COVID lockdown — what *is* church? Is it the kind of thing that can happen online, or is there an essential "in person" element? And what have been the challenges (and opportunities) for the Church in the pandemic?

This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 1 — Is Online Church Really Church?

In this second episode, Aaron, Andy, and Michael explore another massive  question raised by the COVID lockdown — how do the Church and State relate? Can the State tell the Church what to do? Is Romans 13 the sum total of what the Bible has to say about how Christians should relate to their government? How do we know when the State has crossed a line and the Church should say "this far and no further?"

This is a listener-supported podcast. If you enjoy the show and would like us to keep making these episodes, please consider supporting us @ www.patreon.com/wkop

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 2 - Can the Church Resist the State?

In this third episode we discuss the relationship between church and culture. How can we avoid the two opposite pitfalls of simply being shaped by the culture around us or, on the other hand, ignoring it all together? How can the Church be truth and light in our culture and offer a unique and distinct voice into some of today’s culture wars? 

Aaron, Andy, and Michael dig into these questions with the usual mix of theology, apologetics, banter, and bad jokes.

This is a listener-supported podcast: if you'd like to help us to continue recording these shows, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/wkop.

Find links to Apple iTunes, Spotify, and other podcast providers on our home page at http://bit.ly/podofthegaps

Episode 3 - Has the Church Sold Out to the Culture?

An occasional podcast featuring Aaron Edwards and Andy Bannister. Each episode sees the two friends take a contemporary issue in culture and explore it from a Christian perspective.

Featuring banter, philosophy, culture, theology, bad jokes, apologetics, and more — the podcast aims to help Christians think wisely about the challenges of living in the 21st century.

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Theological and Political Disclaimer 

The content of this podcast does not represent the views of any institutions, colleges, networks, churches, or secret government organisations with which we are affiliated or employed."

Episode 79 - Are Smartphones Ruining Our Children?

Pod of the Gaps

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