A shelter from pigs on the wing... In this episode, how do Christians interface with a godless state, love our neighbors without being complicit in promoting sin, and maintain the tension between the two kingdoms? SHOW NOTES: The Social Doctrine of the Augsburg Confession and its Significance for the Present — In this essay, Hermann Sasse describes the theology of the “two regimens” (more commonly called “two kingdoms”) of the state and the church. Sasse addresses the widespread misunderstanding...
Nov 23, 2020•52 min
You Know Who Else Misunderstood The Kingdom of God? Hitler! In this episode, we read Herman Sasse’s 1930 essay on The Social Doctrine of the Augsburg Confession and its Significance for the Present. We discuss the two kingdoms doctrine, peoples’ station in life, and the need for public discussions of natural law. SHOW NOTES: The Social Doctrine of the Augsburg Confession and its Significance for the Present — In this essay, Hermann Sasse describes the theology of the “two regimens” (more commonl...
Nov 20, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Chairman Mao Loves Ice Cream. In this episode, G.K. Chesterton on what happens when we abolish God, and the government becomes the god. We discuss “unalienable rights endowed by the Creator.” The language of freedom and rights belongs to the law. And we finish with Chesterton’s prompt to consider fraud. SHOW NOTES: Collected Works: Vol. XX https://www.chesterton.org/shop/vol-xx THE HISTORY OF THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR - By Thucydides 431 BC https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7142/7142-h/7142-h.htm Lect...
Nov 17, 2020•1 hr 29 min
The Pirates of Penance part 2. In this episode, we continue to examine Girolamo Savaronola’s sermon on penance. What happened in Florence that occasioned this sermon, and what can it teach us about church and society today? SHOW NOTES: “PENITENZA, PENITENZA…!” http://www.elfinspell.com/ChurchHistory/Petry-NoUncertainSound/GirolamoSavonarola-59.html Girolamo Savonarola (bio) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola Attack on Christianity - Kierkegaard https://archive.org/details/kierkega...
Nov 12, 2020•44 min
The Pirates of Penance, part 1. In this episode, we look at pre-Reformation preaching. Girolamo Savaronola’s sermon on penance is read and discussed. What is penance, what effect did the sacrament of penance have on church and society, and what effect does it have on us at present? SHOW NOTES: “PENITENZA, PENITENZA…!” http://www.elfinspell.com/ChurchHistory/Petry-NoUncertainSound/GirolamoSavonarola-59.html Girolamo Savonarola (bio) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girolamo_Savonarola Attack on Chri...
Nov 10, 2020•46 min
It’s The Most Important Election of Our Lives, Until The Next Election In this special election episode, Gillespie and Riley read David Whitford’s book, "Tyranny and Resistance," and discuss church, state, and the two kingdoms doctrine. SHOW NOTES: Tyranny and Resistance: The Magdeburg Confession and the Lutheran Tradition https://amzn.to/34Pvem8 David Whitford, Ph.D. (bio) - https://www.baylor.edu/religion/index.php?id=933200 Two Who Survived; Keeping Hope Alive While Surviving the Holocaust ht...
Nov 04, 2020•1 hr 56 min
Stop Showing Off and Get Back in Line... In part two of our reading of Clement of Alexandria’s, The Praises of Martyrdom Those Who Offered Themselves for Martyrdom Reproved, we discuss when martyrdom isn’t martyrdom and why the topic is more relevant today than ever. SHOW NOTES: CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (c. 150-c. 215) from The Miscellanies (Stromata) The Praises of Martyrdom Those Who Offered Themselves for Martyrdom Reproved https://ethicsofsuicide.lib.utah.edu/selections/clement-alexandria/ Whet...
Oct 26, 2020•40 min
Easy There, Fella, Everybody’s Gonna Get a Turn... In this episode, we begin a reading of Clement of Alexandria’s, "The Praises of Martyrdom Those Who Offered Themselves for Martyrdom Reproved." What constitutes martyrdom for Christians? Where does the idea of martyrdom originate, and is it still a relevant topic for us today? SHOW NOTES: CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (c. 150-c. 215) from The Miscellanies (Stromata) The Praises of Martyrdom Those Who Offered Themselves for Martyrdom Reproved https://eth...
Oct 23, 2020•44 min
This isn't a plus one... The second part of our episode on Patrick Henry Reardon's book, Christ in the Psalms. Taking a hard look at how we confuse the two kingdoms, avoid controversial topics in the church and the tragic consequences of not taking everything captive to Christ. SHOW NOTES: Christ in the Psalms - Patrick Henry Reardon https://amzn.to/3jNYDSN Siege of Magdeburg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Magdeburg Hillary Clinton email https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/14333 ...
Oct 19, 2020•46 min
This is not a drill... We return to Patrick Henry Reardon's book, Christ in the Psalms. In this episode, we consider Psalm 6 and the very real, earthly effects of God's wrath, along with political bookends. SHOW NOTES: Christ in the Psalms - Patrick Henry Reardon https://amzn.to/3jNYDSN Siege of Magdeburg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Magdeburg Hillary Clinton email https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/14333 Sergio and Rhoda in Israel https://www.youtube.com/c/sergiorhodainisrael...
Oct 17, 2020•51 min
My God can beat up your god... The second part of our discussion of Christ in the Psalms, by Patrick Henry Reardon. What is the temptation when Christians assume that our enemies are God's enemies? How do we pray for and against ourselves at the same time? What's happened to our piety that we are afraid to make demands of God? SHOW NOTES: Christ in the Psalms - Patrick Henry Reardon https://amzn.to/3jNYDSN Rule of St. Benedict http://www.archive.osb.org/rb/text/toc.html PTSD Service Dogs https:/...
Oct 14, 2020•57 min
Why Christians are commanded to pray down curses upon their enemies. This episode, Christ in the Psalms, by Patrick Henry Reardon. What's an imprecatory psalm? Why are we taught by Scripture to pray imprecatory psalms, but have largely excluded such prayers from our churches? How does psalm 5 point us to Jesus and culture simultaneously? SHOW NOTES: Christ in the Psalms - Patrick Henry Reardon https://amzn.to/3jNYDSN Rule of St. Benedict http://www.archive.osb.org/rb/text/toc.html PTSD Service D...
Oct 12, 2020•38 min
The Enemies at the Gate. We conclude our reading and discussion of C.S. Lewis’ speech on Learning in War-time. More reflection on the three enemies, excitement, frustration, and fear. SHOW NOTES: C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view 170: C.S. Lewis - The three enemies which war raises up against the scholar https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/170-lewis 169: C.S. Lewis - Bad philosophy needs to be answered https://www.15...
Oct 05, 2020•35 min
Know Your Enemy! C.S. Lewis explains why excitement, frustration, and fear can drive us to errs in judgment about ourselves, society, and God. SHOW NOTES: C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view 170: C.S. Lewis - The three enemies which war raises up against the scholar https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/170-lewis 169: C.S. Lewis - Bad philosophy needs to be answered https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/169-lewis 16...
Oct 02, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Sometimes You Just Have to Hit The Reset and Start Over... Sometimes You Don’t. What happens to the church and society when we are incapable of critical thinking? Can we learn from our failures, and the attacks of our enemies? What happens to society when Christ isn’t publicly preached against sin, death, and the devil. SHOW NOTES: C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view 168: C.S. Lewis - We need intimate knowledge of the past ht...
Sep 28, 2020•42 min
Steel Our Christian Hearts. We continue with C.S. Lewis’ speech on Learning in War-Time. How important is it for Christians and society to read good books, to learn from our opponents, and to stand up for the truth? SHOW NOTES: C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view 167: C.S. Lewis - Under the aegis of His Church, learning and the arts flourish https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/167-lewis 166: C.S. Lewis - If you don't r...
Sep 26, 2020•41 min
We continue our conversation with C.S. Lewis, as he addresses the distinction between dying and living for one's nation, party, and class. How do we distinguish between the demands of Caesar and God? SHOW NOTES: 166: C.S. Lewis - If you don't read good books you will read bad ones https://www.1517.org/podcasts/... C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view Mad Max: Fury Road https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/mad-max-fury-road Eric ...
Sep 19, 2020•53 min
Gentlemen, You Can't Fight in Here, This is The War Room. C.S. Lewis addresses the distinction between dying and living for one's nation, party, and class. How do we distinguish between the demands of Caesar and God? SHOW NOTES: C.S. Lewis - “Learning in War-time” https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lyp9GcHj67VLTHpWtZ6aGk6Hpvf8JAIa/view Mad Max: Fury Road https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/mad-max-fury-road Eric Schmidt interview “SPECIAL COVERAGE: NOTHING MATTERS BUT THIS” https://mastersofscale.c...
Sep 17, 2020•54 min
Now You're Playing with Power. In this episode, we discuss what happens when a society subverts the power of dominant groups in favor of the oppressed. SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ 160: Timothy Keller - Biblical justice differs in significant ways from all the secular alternatives https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/160-keller 161: Timothy Keller - There...
Sep 06, 2020•52 min
This Hurts You More Than It Hurts Me. Further discussion and analysis of utilitarianism... What happens when we drill down into the harm principle and uncover the truth about human nature? And we jump into post-modernism. SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ 160: Timothy Keller - Biblical justice differs in significant ways from all the secular alternatives https://www...
Sep 04, 2020•42 min
You Gotta Pump Those Numbers, Those Are Rookie Numbers. We continue our examination of Tim Keller's Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory. In this episode, can a society maximize the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people by ignoring original sin? SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ 160: Timothy Keller - Biblical justice differs in sig...
Sep 02, 2020•51 min
You Gotta Serve Somebody, part 3. We continue our reading of Tim Keller’s critique of modern political ideologies and their possible effects on our churches. SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ A Secular Age - Charles Taylor https://amzn.to/3lcHJyg Tribe - Jünger https://amzn.to/3hpQD9p See - Apple TV+ https://tv.apple.com/us/show/see/umc.cmc.3s4mgg2y7h95fks9gnc4pw13m...
Aug 29, 2020•35 min
You Gotta Serve Somebody, part 2. We continue to examine Tim Keller’s critique of modern political ideologies, and whether they study up to a biblical and theological critique of their core principles. SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ A Secular Age - Charles Taylor https://amzn.to/3lcHJyg Tribe - Jünger https://amzn.to/3hpQD9p See - Apple TV+ https://tv.apple.com/u...
Aug 28, 2020•40 min
You Gotta Serve Somebody. Tim Keller breaks down various political ideologies and asks, “What does God’s Word have to say about this?” SHOW NOTES: A Biblical Critique of Secular Justice and Critical Theory https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/a-biblical-critique-of-secular-justice-and-critical-theory/ A Secular Age - Charles Taylor https://amzn.to/3lcHJyg Tribe - Jünger https://amzn.to/3hpQD9p See - Apple TV+ https://tv.apple.com/us/show/see/umc.cmc.3s4mgg2y7h95fks9gnc4pw13m Mathus Overpopulation ...
Aug 27, 2020•55 min
This Little Light of Mine... When we allow feelings of fear and insecurity about our health and well-being dominate discussions about churches opening their doors, are we thereby complicit in the spiritual death of our churches? SHOW NOTES: Churches Aren’t Avoiding Death By Keeping Their Doors Closed. They’re Ensuring It https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/13/churches-arent-avoiding-death-by-keeping-their-doors-closed-theyre-ensuring-it/ The Violence of Modernity - Fr. Stephen Freeman https://blog...
Aug 22, 2020•1 hr 36 min
In this part two, Pastors Riley and Gillespie continue our reading of this contemporary article on the relationship of the Church and State from John MacArthur. SHOW NOTES: Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church: A Biblical Case for the Church’s Duty to Remain Open https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/1988 Episode 157: Part 1, John MacArthur, Christ not Caesar is the Head of the Church https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/157-macarthur The COVID Coup https://americanmind.org/essays/th...
Aug 14, 2020•47 min
Do The Doors Stay Open? John MacArthur addresses the biblical rationale for defying state mandates, and whether the state can prohibit, or put restrictions on, worship. SHOW NOTES: Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church: A Biblical Case for the Church’s Duty to Remain Open https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/1988 Episode 158: Part 2, John MacArthur - God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice, or polity of the church https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/15...
Aug 12, 2020•45 min
What’s So Civil About Disobedience? A pastoral debrief that lays the foundation for a discussion about the theological implications for civil disobedience and rebellion. SHOW NOTES: Poll: 62% of Americans Say They Have Political Views They’re Afraid to Share https://www.cato.org/publications/survey-reports/poll-62-americans-say-they-have-political-views-theyre-afraid-share World Day Against Trafficking in Persons https://www.unodc.org/endht/ Traffickinghub https://traffickinghub.com Operation Un...
Aug 08, 2020•1 hr 38 min
Fire for Effect. In this episode, we wrap up our discussion of Augustine on just war. SHOW NOTES: Augustine through the Ages: An Encyclopedia https://amzn.to/2WDzfFA Episode #64 - John of Damascus - Critique of Islam https://bannedbookspod.com/episodes/64-johnofdamascus Episode #65 - John of Damascus - Critique of Islam, pt. 2 https://www.1517.org/podcasts/banned-books/65-johnofdamascus Portrait of John Brown https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.96.123 Justin Holcomb - Human Trafficking https://www...
Jul 31, 2020•1 hr 29 min
War, What Is It Good For? In this episode, Augustine’s theology of war is introduced. SHOW NOTES: Outlaw God - Steven Paulson https://www.1517.org/podcasts/outlawgod Coronavirus, Conspiracy Theories, and the Ninth Commandment https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-and Sean Parnell - Outlaw Platoon https://amzn.to/3fKotVG Operation Toussaint documentary https://amzn.to/32BjxPl Voltaire - Candide https://www.britannica.com/topic/Candide-by-Voltaire Bernstein - Candid...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 35 min
