Introduction

On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (02/15/23), we present an episode of the Hank Unplugged podcast. Hank’s guest is Oxford-educated classicist Spencer Klavan, author of How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises. Hank and Spencer discuss the crisis that ensues when we fail to communicate even when we disagree, how we define Western civilization, and if maintaining the traditions of Western civilization matters.
NOTE: Hank Hanegraaff and the Christian Research Institute hold to the historic Christian orthodox view of marriage and sexuality; namely, that marriage is the exclusive, permanent, and comprehensive union of one man and one woman, the proper end of which is the bearing and rearing of children (Girgis, Anderson, George, What Is Marriage? Encounter Books; 1st Edition (December 11, 2012 ). Indeed, biblical marriage and sexuality constitute essential teaching of the faith—not an area about which Christians can simply agree to disagree. Nonetheless, professing Christians who have strong disagreements on primary doctrines can work together as cobelligerents on common cause issues. Guest Spencer Klavan, who is married to a man, brings brilliant scholarship and deep understanding to bear on the specific areas addressed in his book, How to Save the West, and the Hank Unplugged/Bible Answer Man conversation. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin from another context, we either hang together against the common threats to society or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. In not allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good, it is our prayer and hope that Hank’s modeling of an uncomfortable conversation will benefit all listeners. For further study, see Scott Klusendorf, “Should Christians Be Cobelligerents in Ecumenical Coalitions?,” Christian Research Journal 29, 03 (2006), Rev. Matthew M. Kennedy, “Marriage is about the Gospel: Clarifying the Boundaries of Christian Orthodoxy,” Christian Research Journal 45, 2/3 (2022): 16–23.