When dealing with delicate, nuanced, disputed, or important issues, should Christians primarily rely on their own judgment or the authority of church leaders in their lives? Derek, Alastair, and Matt bring their own experience to bear, as well as a reliance on Scripture and authority, to answer this listener-submitted question. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Hot Deal [0:00] A Better Question Than It Sounds [2:21] Be Like Alastair [4:14] Clarification of Roles [8:55] Avoidin...
Apr 23, 2024•41 min
Andrew, Matt, and Alastair take up the oft-disputed passage from First Timothy that seems to restrict the authority of women in the church. What’s the best way to handle this in the twenty-first century? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Zwingli the Pastor [0:00] Old Conundrum, New Energy [1:39] One Weird Question [3:18] One Further Question [6:35] Ecclesiastical Evolution [11:22] vv. 11-15 [16:25] Load-Bearing Details [22:12] Autheneo and Didasko [27:27] Restricting Teaching ...
Apr 17, 2024•48 min
Christ is risen indeed, alleluia! The Easter season is upon us, and the regular cast and crew have the Resurrection on their minds. This year Matt, Alastair, and Derek dive into the Gospel of John to discuss what makes this account different than the other gospels, including, but not limited to: why Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch him but invited Thomas to touch him, why John waited for Peter before entering the tomb, and what is going on with those 153 fish. Full show notes at www.merefi...
Apr 02, 2024•49 min
As we approach Palm Sunday, Alastair, Matt, and Derek meditate—and ask incisive questions—upon the Cross, the Resurrection, the Triumphal Entry, the Transfiguration, and the true center of our faith. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: All Glory, Laud, and Honor [1:09] The Bible’s Third Day Problem [2:14] The Crucial Tension [3:12] Holy Saturday [6:13] Resurrection Art [8:42] Satellite Events [13:59] Watershed [17:05] Crossbearing [19:43] Triumphal Entry [22:08] Glorious Defeat ...
Mar 19, 2024•34 min
We can all feel it. Something about social media is just really unhealthy. But what to do about it? That’s the question on the table in this episode of Mere Fidelity. Should we pull the plug entirely? Should we seek balance? Should we embrace it? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: One More Episode [0:00] Like, Follow, Subscribe, Defend Yourself [1:47] Types of Social Media [4:14] The Twitter Shift [6:22] Gamification of Speech [9:20] The Attention Dimension [11:23] Default [14:...
Mar 14, 2024•51 min
In yet another brazen foray into hot topics, Matt, Derek, and Alastair talk with eminent trinitarian theologian, Dr. Fred Sanders, about why masculine terms are used to refer to God. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Pastoral Ethics [0:00] Our Trinitarian Correspondent [1:54] Referring to God [3:22] Matt’s Second Publication [7:19] Personhood & Revelation [8:42] Trinity First, Then Creation [11:47] Now It’s Personal [15:13] Back to the Spirit [19:19] Feminine Imagery &...
Mar 05, 2024•40 min
Is asceticism good for the Christian life? Seems like a simple question at first, but there is a lot more there than you may realize. Matt, Derek, and Alastair unpack this deep issue on this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Davenant [0:00] “Ash What?” says the Presbyterian [2:26] Defining Ascesis [4:44] Negative Over Positive [5:51] Secular-Spiritual Fasting [10:51] Bodily Locus [13:57] Distorted Self-Perception [17:13] Sociology [20:29] Lenten Dysfu...
Feb 20, 2024•40 min
C.S. Lewis is an odd figure. Beloved, cited, and recruited by both progressive and conservative Christians, his works have a very broad appeal. The very fact of this broad appeal raises questions about his legacy. Alastair, Derek, and Matt examine this phenomenon and how Lewis is read both in fundamentalist America and evangelical Britain. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Brits and Yanks [1:24] A Very Broad Fanbase [2:23] Mere Universality [7:50] Lower Influences [9:43] The P...
Feb 13, 2024•49 min
Alistair Begg hit a nerve with Christians online when he said in public that it might be ok for a Christian to attend an LGBTQ wedding. Given his opposition to same-sex marriage, this firestorm brings to the surface many questions about the nature of moral complicity, scandal, fraternal correction, and just how a Christian is to live day-to-day in a world so at odds with the truth. All in all, a perfect topic for Matt, Derek, and Alastair to tackle together. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.c...
Feb 06, 2024•47 min
What does the Gospel of Jesus Christ have to say to those who wrestle with mental illness? This month’s Lexham Press book of the month arrested Matt’s attention. It’s like Augustine’s Confessions in a contemporary idiom as a really profound searching exploration of one man’s personal experience of OCD and his identity in Christ. So, today Matt and Alastair talk to the author, John Bryant. You will better understand how to simply be with a person with mental illness in a way that is best for them...
Jan 29, 2024•48 min
It’s come up on the show before, but this time Andrew and Matt are going to settle this once and for all, with some help from Alastair. How should the church deal with flagrant sins of professing Christians? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Most Irregular [0:00] Digging Up the Past [1:51] Range of Interpretations [3:24] Levels of Affiliation [8:44] Clarifications [16:07] Church Discipline [21:31] A Hard Case [30:34] Publicity [41:24]
Jan 26, 2024•45 min
Dr. Kevin Hector has written the theology for the rest of us. Normal, non-academic persons will find Christianity as a Way of Life approachable and rewarding to dive into. But he just walked into a podcast with an ethicist, a Biblical scholar, and systematic theologian. Will he come unscathed through the grilling that Matt, Alastair, and Derek give him? (Short answer: yes, and it’s awesome.) Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Trustworthy Alastair [0:00] Thrilled [2:24] How Syst...
Jan 09, 2024•46 min
What is the most basic aspect of God’s identity? What do we know Him as first? One potential answer to those questions is God as Creator. Repeat Mere Fidelity guest, Peter Leithart, has written a book that sets out to examine the idea of God as Creator as found in Genesis 1. But this is not without controversy. Matt, Derek, and Alastair push back hard in this very fruitful discussion. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Alastair’s Boss [0:00] What’s the problem with Genesis 1? [...
Jan 03, 2024•54 min
In the wake of a controversial Vatican document favorable toward blessing those in same-sex relationships, Matt, Alastair, and Derek discuss what exactly blessings are, what they do, and why we should get this right. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Vatican Bomb [0:00] Having Been Blessed, We Bless [3:09] Genesis 1:28 [5:49] Asher vs Barak [9:31] Human Procreation [12:59] Priestly Blessing [16:53] But what does blessing DO? [19:28] Blessed Be God [23:24] New Testament [27:20]...
Dec 30, 2023•39 min
In a time when “being canceled” is one of our greatest fears, thinking Biblically about reputation as a category is a very productive exercise. But when we turn to the Bible, there’s a prima facie tension about reputation. On the one hand, we’re told to rejoice when we are reviled; on the other, we’re told to have a sterling image for the sake of the Gospel. Derek, Alastair, and Matt dive into this conundrum and work it out in dialogue. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: A Tayl...
Dec 11, 2023•48 min
Critical Race Theory is not the only sort of critical theory out there. As a matter of fact, Augustine’s City of God may be the first example of critical theory. How can this kind of academic exercise be understood Biblically? What benefit can it give to theology? Dr. Christopher Watkin, author of Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, joins Matt and Alastair to discuss this often confusing topic. Dr. Watkin argues that in order to even ...
Dec 07, 2023•53 min
Can we understand criminal justice Biblically? Criminal justice in America is in need of reform, and attorney Matthew Martens has put his theological mind into a Christian proposal for good reform. In this conversation with Matt, Derek, and Alastair, Martens covers mere sample of issues covered in his book, including coercion, social justice, presumption of innocence, and (this one really gets him going) absolute prosecutorial immunity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Derek ...
Nov 27, 2023•52 min
Occasionally on Mere Fidelity we have taken up difficult passages of Scripture. On this episode we take up an entire book that feels quite difficult: the book of the prophet Zechariah. What do all those oddly specific visions mean? Is Alexander the Great an actual Christ figure? How can you tell the difference between prophetic horizons? With Matt acting as everyman, Andrew asks the sharp questions, and Alastair sorts out the answers. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Anno Bid...
Nov 14, 2023•51 min
With war in Israel functioning as a totemic marker in our polarized political climate, Derek, Matt, and Alastair talk frankly and vulnerably about how all of us can do justice, love mercy, and not lose our souls. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Matt on Trial [0:00] A Hard Season [2:13] An Urgent Question [3:54] Biblical Resources [13:37] Weighing the Victims [22:10] Loving Enemies [31:20] Unequal Deaths [37:10] Mercy [40:53]
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr
Is questioning your faith a good thing? We need not fear questions. By the grace of God, we have the safety and security to rush headlong into them and find ourselves better for it on the other side. Matt has literally written the book on questions. Derek, Alastair, and special guest Brad East join Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Mixed Reviewers [0:00] Ten Years Makes a Difference [3:19] Faith, Doubt, and Wonder [7:48] Church Application [12:25] Good Leading Questions [17:14...
Oct 24, 2023•55 min
Integralism is a philosophy of church and state that seemed to have been definitively rejected. And yet, it has received new life from prominent proponents in recent days. Dr. Kevin Vallier has written a new book that looks at the good and the bad of integralism. Matt, Alastair, and Derek discuss it with him. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Go and Listen [0:00] The Story So Far [1:29] The Revival [8:48] The Opposition [13:39] Liberalism [21:13] Favorite Arguments [28:56] Why...
Oct 17, 2023•57 min
The classic intro to Christianity, Knowing God by J.I. Packer, was published 50 years ago. To celebrate this anniversary, Derek, Alastair, and Matt welcome Fred Sanders back to the show to discuss the distinctives of evangelical spirituality and practice which shine forth in Packer’s book. They also discuss the doctrine of God, classic hymns, the Keswick movement, and the contemporary literary context of which Knowing God may be the apex. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Half...
Oct 03, 2023•46 min
Since at least the time of the Donatists, the Church has wrestled with how to relate to Christians who are just not that good at being Christians. Should we worship with Christians who are living in sin? Should we baptize, marry, and bury those who only attend church twice a year? Prompted by last episode’s discussion of Andrew’s new book, Matt, Alastair, and Andrew examine this question from theological, Biblical, and pastoral perspectives. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: H...
Sep 23, 2023•51 min
When answering the question, “How did we get here?” how far back do you have to go? Mere Fidelity’s own Andrew Wilson has identified a compelling candidate when it comes to the rise of the post-Christian West—namely, 1776. This year contains much more than the obvious historical paradigm shift that we all know. Andrew, Matt, and Alastair unpack this significant date with regard to both church and culture. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Numerical Patterns [0:00] Subtle [1:22...
Sep 13, 2023•54 min
Was the Reformation really as much a break with what came before it as we are often led to believe? Dr. Matthew Barrett says the Reformers themselves thought not. In his substantial new book, he shows how strongly the Reformers sought to establish their connection with the catholic and universal church. Alastair, Derek, and Matt join Dr. Barrett for a lively and fruitful discussion on this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Repeat Guest [0:00] 14.7 lbs...
Sep 06, 2023•58 min
In The Biblical Trinity, Brandon Smith proclaims the Trinity from the Bible. The doctrine arises not from a handful of prooftexts but from the fullness of what the Bible says about God. In this edition of Mere Fi, Alastair and Matt chat with Brandon about what this project means in the broad landscape of contemporary theology. They also take a closer look at how the book of Revelation contributes to a Biblical picture of the Trinity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: That Big ...
Aug 07, 2023•54 min
Does your church display an American flag or Union Jack or some other national flag? It’s been an active debate since the days of Caesar, through Christendom, and into the Modern American context: What should the relationship be between national symbols and Christian worship? Matt, Alastair, and Derek welcome Hillsdale Assistant Professor Dr. Miles Smith, IV, to bring a historian’s perspective to the debate. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: About Five or So [0:00] As a Histor...
Jul 25, 2023•45 min
In Bulwarks of Unbelief, Joseph Minich argues that a felt absence of God, as experienced by the modern individual, offers a better explanation for the rise in atheism. Recent technological and cultural shifts in the modern West have produced a perceived challenge to God’s existence. Andrew, Alastair, and Derek jump right to the heart of the matter and ask some very penetrating and practical questions about Minich’s thesis. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Dun Dun Dunnn! [0:00...
Jun 20, 2023•46 min
Most of what we talk about on Mere Fidelity presupposes a lot of reading. What is the real use of reading? Is what we read more important than how we read? Why do some people who read for years never develop the habits of reading well? Alastair, Matt, and Derek discuss these questions as well as summer reading on this episode. #quitnetflix Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Extremely Illuminating [0:00] Reading well isn’t automatic. [2:56] Social Media Distractions [5:20] Perfo...
Jun 09, 2023•50 min
Friend of the show, Pastor Timothy Keller, has entered into glory. He was a pivotal player in Evangelicalism over the last generation, and a great encourager of many ministers, including the cast and crew of Mere Fidelity. To pay tribute to his life and legacy, Derek, Alastair, and Matt talk to Editor-in-Chief of Mere Orthodoxy, Jake Meador. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The End of an Era [0:00] Dechurching Countercurrent [3:02] Model Pastor [7:56] Collegiality [17:04] Bri...
May 30, 2023•54 min
