Culture Brief - Christian perspectives on the week's biggest news, sports & pop-culture stories

In this week’s Brief: Micah Tomasella and Dr. Ryan Denison tackle two pressing cultural conversations — and find a deeper spiritual thread connecting them both.
First, they dig into a troubling trend: antisemitism is no longer lurking in the shadows. Drawing from pieces in The Free Press and Axios, they examine how weakly sourced accusations against Israel are quietly reviving ancient hatred in modern form, and how open threats against Jewish lawmakers are becoming disturbingly casual. They explore the historical and scriptural dimensions of why this hatred tends to rise in times of cultural pain — and why Christians should be paying close attention.
Then Ryan unpacks a Wall Street Journal report showing that Americans' negative feelings about AI may be growing even faster than the technology itself. From graduation speeches getting booed to massive data centers reshaping rural America, they talk honestly about the anxiety AI is stirring — and what our reaction to it reveals about our hearts.
The through-line? Whether it's antisemitism, AI, or any headline grabbing our attention, the deeper issue is the same: a culture losing its grip on truth, dignity, and trust in God. The invitation is to stop reacting and start surrendering.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(0:47) Connor on vacation
(2:07) Anti-semitism rising
(14:55) Americans turning on AI
(17:20) AI in daily life
(21:53) Data centers and division
(26:12) AI and surrender to God
(28:33) Faith over control
(31:48) Conclusion

Resources
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Articles on this week’s top headlines:
Jewish lawmakers face an explosion of antisemitism
A Miscarriage of Journalism at “The New York Times”
The American Rebellion Against AI Is Gaining Steam
Let’s debate: Data centers
FP Data Centers
What Happens When a Data Center Comes to Town

About Dr. Ryan Denison
Dr. Ryan Denison is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum and the author of The Focus newsletter, contributing writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from B. H. Carroll Theological Institute and an MDiv from Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at B. H. Carroll and Dallas Baptist University. He and his wife, Candice, live in East Texas and have two children.
About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

In this week's Brief: Trump lands in Beijing for the most consequential meeting of his presidency. We break down what's at stake as the world's two superpowers sit down—from trade and AI to Iran, Taiwan, and religious freedom for persecuted Chinese Christians—and why we should all be praying for what happens in that room.
Then we preview the summer blockbuster season—from “The Mandalorian and Grogu” to “Toy Story 5”, Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey”, “Spider-Man”, and more. Conner is joined by guest competitor Anna Joy Baxley as Micah hosts them through predictions on which films will flop, break even, or bust the block in Year Two of our annual Bust the Block game.
Plus, the Hantavirus scare hits American shores after a deadly cruise ship outbreak, the UFO file drop finally arrives and delivers… gray blurry videos, and a reminder that no matter what shakes the world this summer—our faith doesn't shake with it.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(1:58) Trump heads to China
(6:01) Pray and respond like Jesus
(14:29) Summer movies kickoff
(18:38) Mandalorian and Grogu
(25:17) Toy Story 5 predictions
(26:35) Screen addiction themes
(27:31) Supergirl box office bet
(31:17) Moana live action debate
(33:03) Nolan Odyssey hype
(40:32) Hantavirus cruise quarantine
(44:33) UFO files faith check
(46:32) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: [email protected]
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe

Articles on this week’s top headlines:
1 big thing: Trump's legacy week
Xi’s China: Dazzling Technology, Military Muscle—and an Economic Mess
2026 SUMMER MOVIE RELEASES: FULL CALENDAR
Summer 2026 movies: 12 of the biggest releases coming to theatres
Summer U.S. Box Office Aims For The Sun With $4 Billion+, But Is Fewer Studio Films The Way To Go? – Season Preview

About AJ Baxley
Anna Joy Baxley is a Graphic Designer at Denison Ministries and an artist who seeks to know the Lord more deeply and glorify him in all she creates.
About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

In this week's Brief: Spirit Airlines is gone. We break down how America's seventh-largest airline collapsed overnight, the bad decisions that led to it, the far-reaching impact on jobs, airports, and travel—and what the wisdom of Scripture says about stewardship versus squeezing every last dollar out of people.
From there, we take a deeper look at what America's 250th birthday should mean to us as Christians. In a culture where some defend the country blindly and others only see what's broken, we explore what Scripture says about God's role in establishing nations, and why our identity must be rooted in Jesus, not a political party or a flag.
Plus, the 76-day DHS shutdown finally ends, Iran ceasefire tensions escalate again, Ted Turner passes away at 87, GameStop tries to buy eBay, the Kentucky Derby delivers an all-time finish, and the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni lawsuit settles.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction
(1:09) Spirit Airlines shuts down and why
(06:48) COVID Shift and JetBlue Merger Blocked
(08:45) Oil Shock and Bailout Talks
(12:58) Ripple effects on travel
(15:48) Lessons on wisdom
(19:41) America 250 big questions
(22:27) God and nations in Scripture
(24:11) Patriotism without extremes
(25:12) Conner on loving America
(25:40) Freedom and flaws
(27:14) Identity over nation
(28:54) Prayer and joy
(31:14) Happiness and church
(32:48) Merch and community
(34:51) Share and subscribe
(37:05) DHS shutdown ends
(38:11) Middle East tensions
(40:15) Ted Turner legacy
(41:11) GameStop buys eBay
(43:03) Derby comeback win
(43:42) Hollywood lawsuit settled
(45:11) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: [email protected]
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe

Articles on this week’s top headlines:
How the Trump Administration’s Spirit Airlines Rescue Unraveled
Spirit Airlines shuts down as company says it can’t keep up with higher oil prices
Airlines reduce, cap fares for Spirit travelers looking to rebook canceled flights
Retiring Spirit Pilot Has Impromptu Celebration After His Final Career Flight Was Canceled Due to Airline’s Closure
X: NBC Sports
Denison Forum: America 250
About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

In this week's Brief: Another assassination attempt on the president. We break down what happened at the White House Correspondents' Dinner—how the evening played out, what we’ve learned about the gunman and how he got past security. More importantly, we dive into why political violence is becoming normalized, how dehumanizing language creates a pipeline to radicalization, and what it means that we're all becoming numb to these situations.
We also check in on the new Jimmy Kimmel-Trump feud reigniting over a controversial joke about Melania being an expectant widow, the FCC threatening Disney's broadcast licenses, and King Charles arriving in Washington as an unlikely diplomatic bridge between the U.S. and Europe.
Through it all, we're challenged to ask: in a culture training us to hate, are we being formed by Christ or by divisive rhetoric? Our identity belongs in Jesus, not a political party.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction 
(1:43) White House attack overview
(5:53) Micah reacts and numbness
(8:50) Security failures at the Hilton
(14:20) Culture of political violence
(18:18) Echo chambers and dehumanizing talk
(20:34) News cycle moves on
(23:10) Christian response to violence
(28:27) Love your neighbor anyway
(30:24) Identity beyond politics
(31:55) Hope for national revival
(33:17) Kimmel vs Trump fallout
(36:56) Royals visit Washington
(39:00) Derby Met Gala wrap
(40:23) Conclusion
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: [email protected]
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
Articles on this week’s top headlines:
Suspect in White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting charged with assassination attempt
The White House correspondents’ dinner shooting.
What we know about security measures at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner
Accused attacker at Washington media dinner is a tutor and computer engineer from California
Denison Forum: White House Correspondents’ Dinner suspect to be charged today
Denison Forum: King Charles III to address joint session of Congress
Denison Forum: Media Bias, the Met Gala, gorilla vs man debate & an Alcatraz theory | Ep. 18

About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.

In this week's Brief: We give a quick update on the Iran ceasefire extension and Tim Cook's announcement that he's stepping down as Apple CEO after 15 years—and what his stewardship of the company teaches us about stewarding our own lives for God.
Then we welcome Parker Jones, pastor, writer, and Conner's younger brother, to break down his recent Denison Forum article on the birth rate crisis in America. With U.S. births falling to 1.57 children per woman, well below the replacement rate, Parker walks us through what's driving the decline, what other countries have tried, and how Christians and the church should respond. In a culture that often treats children as an inconvenience, raising the next generation in faith may be one of the most powerful things we can do.
Parker also sticks around to preview the NFL Draft, spotlighting Fernando Mendoza's faith-driven journey to the No. 1 pick and three names every casual fan should watch for, including an Ohio State star who's been boldly sharing the gospel on campus.
Topics
(0:00) Introduction 
(1:52) Iran ceasefire update
(7:06) Tim Cook steps down
(11:57) Stewardship lessons
(14:45) Meet Parker Jones
(16:21) Birth rate crisis data
(19:31) Global birth rate collapse
(23:46) Economics versus culture
(28:45) Pronatalism movement
(32:07) Christian response
(36:44) NFL draft pivot
(43:20) Wrap up and farewell
Resources
Send us your thoughts, questions, and topic ideas: [email protected]
Culture Brief Instagram
Watch on Youtube 
Sign-up for a Denison Forum newsletter: DenisonForum.org/subscribe
Articles on this week’s top headlines:
Truth Social: Donald J. Trump
NYT: Dealbook 
Fifteen years after Steve Jobs, Tim Cook leaves a dramatically different Apple
Parker’s article: The birth rate crisis is looming: Where do we go from here?
WSJ: Why the U.S. Fertility Rate Has Hit a Record Low
Hear Conner on the Faith & Clarity podcast discussing genetically designed babies
About Parker Jones

Parker is the Groups Pastor at Midway Church in Pilot Point, TX. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Dallas Baptist University and recently completed a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Southern Seminary.
About Conner Jones
Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.
About Micah Tomasella
Micah Tomasella is the Director of Advancement at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.
About Denison Forum
Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.