This week on The Narrative, Aaron, David, and Mike break down the firestorm that erupted in Cleveland after the City Club’s January 16 event, featuring Aaron, became ground zero in a very public showdown.

LGBTQ activists penned an open letter to pressure the City Club to cancel or modify the event, drawing a response from Attorney General Dave Yost. The Board met on Wednesday, and the  City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop announced on Thursday that the event would proceed as planned.

After the news, stay tuned for the powerhouse keynote from Carl Trueman at the 2025 Essential Summit. Trueman brilliantly uncovers the root of every cultural battle we’re facing by exposing the deeper crisis behind debates on gender, tech, and identity: the fight over what it means to be human.

He shows how modern technology—from smartphones to AI—isn’t just changing how we live, but how we see ourselves. Our society has technology that is actively blurring the very boundaries of human nature. And in that confusion, movements like transgenderism and transhumanism gain ground by treating the human body as nothing more than raw material for reinvention.

Trueman delivers a gripping roadmap for Christians on how to respond with clarity, conviction, and courage in a culture being reshaped by forces most people don't even notice.

More About Carl Trueman

Born and raised in England, Carl R. Trueman is a graduate of the Universities of Cambridge (M.A., Classics) and Aberdeen (Ph.D, Church History), and has taught on the faculties of the Universities of Nottingham and Aberdeen. In 2017-18 he was the William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in Religion and Public Life in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. 

Since 2018, he has served as a professor at Grove City College in the Calderwood School of Arts and Humanities. Originally a specialist in Reformation and Post-Reformation Protestant thought, more recently his work has focused on identity, critical theory, and the impact of the sexual revolution.

He is a Contributing Editor at First Things and a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington DC. His most recent books are The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Expressive Individualism, Cultural Amnesia, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, (with Bruce Gordon) The Oxford Handbook to Calvin, and To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse (B and H). His writing has appeared in Deseret Journal, Wall Street Journal, National Review Online,American Mind, Claremont Review of Books, and Public Discourse. He and his wife, Catriona, a proud Gaelic Scot, have two adult sons, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.

Want to Go Deeper?

This week, ticket sales opened for the 2026 Essential Summit!  Each year, the momentum grows as believers, ministry leaders, educators, and families gather to equip themselves for faithful influence in a rapidly shifting culture. 2026 promises to be even better!

From now until December 31, you can lock in $50 off by using the code FIRSTINLINE at checkout.

This early-bird rate is the lowest ticket price we will offer. Once December ends, the price increases and will not return. Register today, and we'll see you on October 23 for the third annual Essential Summit!

📢 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at thenarrative@ccv.org.

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

This week on The Narrative, Aaron, David, and Mike break down the firestorm that erupted in Cleveland after the City Club&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2026/01/16/faith-policy-and-influence-a-conversation-with-the-president-of-the-center-for-christian-virtue">January 16 event</a>, featuring Aaron, became ground zero in a very public showdown.
LGBTQ activists penned an open letter to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ccv.org/news/christian-free-speech-is-under-attack-in-ohio">pressure the City Club</a> to cancel or modify the event, drawing a <a href="https://www.ccv.org/news/ag-yost-defends-ccv-as-lgbtq-group-continues-silencing-efforts">response from Attorney General Dave Yost</a>. The Board met on Wednesday, and the &nbsp;City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop <a href="https://www.ccv.org/news/free-speech-wins-city-club-of-cleveland-will-host-ccv-president-aaron-baer">announced on Thursday</a> that the event would proceed as planned.
After the news, stay tuned for the powerhouse keynote from Carl Trueman at the 2025 Essential Summit. Trueman brilliantly uncovers the root of every cultural battle we&rsquo;re facing by exposing the deeper crisis behind debates on gender, tech, and identity: the fight over&nbsp;what it means to be human.
He shows how modern technology&mdash;from smartphones to AI&mdash;isn&rsquo;t just changing how we live, but how we see ourselves. Our society has technology that is actively blurring the very boundaries of human nature. And in that confusion, movements like transgenderism and transhumanism gain ground by treating the human body as nothing more than raw material for reinvention.
Trueman delivers a gripping roadmap for Christians on how to respond with clarity, conviction, and courage in a culture being reshaped by forces most people don't even notice.
More About Carl Trueman
Born and raised in England, Carl R. Trueman is a graduate of the Universities of Cambridge (M.A., Classics) and Aberdeen (Ph.D, Church History), and has taught on the faculties of the Universities of Nottingham and Aberdeen. In 2017-18 he was the William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in Religion and Public Life in the James Madison Program at Princeton University. 
Since 2018, he has served as a professor at Grove City College in the Calderwood School of Arts and Humanities. Originally a specialist in Reformation and Post-Reformation Protestant thought, more recently his work has focused on identity, critical theory, and the impact of the sexual revolution.
He is a Contributing Editor at First Things and a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington DC. His most recent books are&nbsp;The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Expressive Individualism, Cultural Amnesia, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, (with Bruce Gordon) The Oxford Handbook to Calvin, and To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse (B and H). His writing has appeared in Deseret Journal, Wall Street Journal, National Review Online, American Mind, Claremont Review of Books, and Public Discourse. He and his wife, Catriona, a proud Gaelic Scot, have two adult sons, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.
Want to Go Deeper?
This week, ticket sales opened for the 2026 Essential Summit! &nbsp;Each year, the momentum grows as believers, ministry leaders, educators, and families gather to equip themselves for faithful influence in a rapidly shifting culture. 2026 promises to be even better!
From now until&nbsp;December 31, you can lock in $50 off&nbsp;by <a href="https://www.essentialsummit.org/">using the code FIRSTINLINE at checkout</a>.
This early-bird rate is the lowest ticket price we will offer.&nbsp;Once December ends, the price increases and will not return. <a href="https://www.essentialsummit.org/">Register today</a>, and we'll see you on October 23 for the third annual Essential Summit!
📢 Talk to Us
We want to hear from you! As a valued listener,&nbsp;your feedback is critical&nbsp;for us to keep&nbsp;The Narrative&nbsp;insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know!&nbsp;We&rsquo;ll answer your questions on an &ldquo;Ask Us Anything&rdquo; episode later, so send in your questions now.
👉&nbsp; Leave us a&nbsp;voicemail&nbsp;or&nbsp;text&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="tel:614-769-7077">614-769-7077.</a>
👉&nbsp; Email&nbsp;us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:thenarrative@ccv.org">thenarrative@ccv.org.</a>
To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ccv.org/join">CCV.org.</a>
⭐️ How are we doing?
If you've found any episode of&nbsp;The Narrative&nbsp;insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying&nbsp;and&nbsp;brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning&nbsp;you're&nbsp;helping equip your neighbors&nbsp;to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!
🔎 About&nbsp;The Narrative
The&nbsp;Narrative&nbsp;breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today&rsquo;s culture and political controversies.
Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

The Narrative breaks away from the script to reveal the driving forces behind the most important and divisive issues facing our culture today.

Visit CCV.org to learn more.

The Narrative breaks away from the script to reveal the driving forces behind the most important and divisive issues facing our culture today.
Visit <a href="https://www.ccv.org/">CCV.org</a> to learn more.

The Narrative

🔊 Talk to Us

We want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and engaging. Have a guest suggestion, a topic you're curious about, or a question you want answered? Let us know! We host “Ask Us Anything” episodes where we respond to your questions on the show.

👉  Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉  Email us at thenarrative@ccv.org.

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ How are we doing?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative to be insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It really helps us to know what you're enjoying and it brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you'rehelping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 About The Narrative

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives, and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture, and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Visit CCV.org/TheNarrative to learn more.

Produced by Wessler Media.

🔊 Talk to Us
We want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and engaging. Have a guest suggestion, a topic you're curious about, or a question you want answered? Let us know! We host &ldquo;Ask Us Anything&rdquo; episodes where we respond to your questions on the show.
👉&nbsp; Leave us a voicemail or text at <a href="tel:614-769-7077">614-769-7077.</a>
👉&nbsp; Email us at <a href="mailto:thenarrative@ccv.org">thenarrative@ccv.org.</a>
To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ccv.org/join">CCV.org.</a>
<hr>
⭐️ How are we doing?
If you've found any episode of The Narrative to be insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It really helps us to know what you're enjoying and it brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning&nbsp;you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!
<hr>
🔎 About The Narrative
The&nbsp;Narrative&nbsp;breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media&nbsp;narratives, and helps you understand the root causes of today&rsquo;s culture, and political controversies.
Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.
Visit <a href="CCV.org/TheNarrative">CCV.org/TheNarrative</a> to learn more.
Produced by <a href="https://www.wesslermedia.com/">Wessler Media</a>.

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