Nearly everyone thinks the world has gone off the rails, and nearly everyone has a theory why, from kids these days to the moral breakdown of the West to the internet. We return to the conversation started by French Protestant philosopher Jacques Ellul more than 80 years ago, and find him startlingly, alarmingly prescient. In this episode we consider his proposal that technique, in the sense of efficient means by technological instruments, has become our all-defining reality, and answer the ques...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Popularly considered the last of the church fathers, John of Damascus gathered up the fruit of early church reflection on the Trinity and the person of Christ in his learned tome, The Orthodox Faith. But in addition to the usual wrangling with the Greek philosophical heritage and the monotheistic challenge of Judaism, John had a new adversary to consider: the even more radically monotheistic Islam. In this episode, Dad and I sort through John's record of Chalcedonian orthodoxy from the 8th centu...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 6Ep. 9
The Council of Chalcedon (451) gave us the famous christological formula that Jesus Christ is one person in two natures, without change, division, separation, or confusion. It also gave us a lot of conundrums, enough to cause the first major split of the church between the Syriacs and the Greeks. Among others trying to sort out the perplexities of Chalcedon was Martin Luther himself, whose own christological formulations might just run afoul of Chalcedonian orthodoxy. So in today's episode we en...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 6Ep. 8
What's worse, being bound by the Law or untethered from it entirely? It probably depends on where you're standing. In this episode, Dad and I trace out two kinds of challenges Christians have had to work out with respect to the Law—whether the Law given to Israel applies also to Gentile believers in Jesus Christ, and whether the Law in any respect contributes to justification. Then, we explore working definitions of legalism and antinomianism as misconstruals of the Christian's relationship to t...
Apr 09, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 6Ep. 7
My second appearance on the All About Agatha podcast, talking to host Kemper Donovan about Agatha Christie's speculative-mariology-fanfiction story, "The Island"! Here's a link to my previous All About Agatha appearance: Star over Bethlehem And if that still isn't enough Agatha Christie for you, check out my article in the new issue of the fabulous magazine The Mockingbird, " Agatha Christie, a Very Elusive Christian. "...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr 47 min
Death! Disaster! Panic in the streets! In this episode Dad and I try to understand how fear and fear-mongering have come to grip our wealthy and (historically speaking) unprecedentedly free societies. Toward that end, we also explore the metastasis of the psychiatric diagnosis of debilitating phobias to a biopolitical strategy for accusing and shutting down anyone who doesn't agree with or approve of certain things. But above all, it's a call to the courage of conscience for anyone tired of havi...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 6
The prayer our Lord Jesus taught his disciples, in address to his and their heavenly Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit! And probably the most-prayed prayer of all time. (Well, except maybe "HELP!") In this episode Dad and I pore over each petition, with a great deal of help from Luther's Catechisms, discuss why it is we should pray, and the greater truth that we can and are invited to pray. Notes: 1. Related episodes: All About Prayer , Sermon on the Mount , Revival and Renewal with the Bl...
Mar 12, 2024•59 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Sarah sits down to chat with Roger Lowther of the Art Life Faith podcast! Also, in the unlikely event you missed it, the Transfiguration book Kickstarter mentioned in this episode has already ended (after exceeding all expectations! ). But you can preorder the ebook on Amazon , where it will be published on August 6, 2024....
Mar 05, 2024•34 min
In remembrance of an event that took place 50 years + 1 week ago, Dad tells the story of the internal schism in the Missouri Synod, the "walkout" of professors and students from Concordia Seminary St. Louis, and the founding of a seminary in exile, popularly known as Seminex. It is the founding story of why American Lutheranism looks the way it does today and mirrors the wider cultural polarization, yet with uniquely theological elements all its own. Triumphalists on either side beware; this is ...
Feb 27, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Andrew Christiansen of Doth Protest and Dad discuss Karl Marx's reception and use of Martin Luther.
Feb 20, 2024•54 min
We've discussed the Crucifixion and the Resurrection , Anselm and Aulen , and salvation itself all over the place... but until now, never "the Atonement." Could that be because the word itself tends to dictate the outcome? In this episode we talk about the origins of the English word "atone," exchange some thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and then dive deep into an essay by theologian Robert Bertram commenting on Luther commenting on Galatians. Joyful exchanges abound! Notes: 1. Bertram, ...
Feb 13, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Season 6Ep. 3
In church, do your sins actually get forgiven, or are you only assured that in general God likes to forgive sins? Do you have to be penitent for the absolution to work? How penitent? Can a mere human absolve on God's behalf? And if so, how do absolvers know whether they ought to loose something or whether they'd better keep it bound up? In this episode, Dad and Sarah discuss Luther's little known 50 Theses on the Remission of Sins, from the year 1518, which has been dubbed by scholar Oswald Baye...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Sarah talks with Katie and Gretchen of Freely Given about her forthcoming book, Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration (Kickstarter's closed, so look for it in July 2024!).
Jan 28, 2024•25 min
Sarah talks with Katie and Gretchen of the Freely Given podcast about her forthcoming book, Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration (Kickstarter's closed, so look for it in July 2024!).
Jan 25, 2024•29 min
John Drury of Fresh Text and Sarah discuss all things Transfiguration in light of her forthcoming book, Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration (Kickstarter's closed, so look for it in July 2024!). And, if you want to hear their next two conversations about the Transfiguration, including the mind-blowing discussion of the Gospel of John, be sure to subscribe to Fresh Text right away!
Jan 23, 2024•33 min
Jason Micheli of Crackers and Grape Juice and Sarah discuss all things Transfiguration in light of her forthcoming book, Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration (Kickstarter's closed, so look for it in July 2024!).
Jan 19, 2024•52 min
All about the Transfiguration of our Lord! And, to be perfectly honest, all about Sarah's new book, Seven Ways of Looking at the Transfiguration (which, as you'll hear, launched as a Kickstarter, and will be available for purchase starting July 2024). Among other topics: Why Elijah and Moses of all possible visitors from Israel's past? Why does Peter offer to build booths, of all weird things (and is he really as much of a dope as every Transfiguration sermon you've ever heard claims)? How does ...
Jan 16, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 6Ep. 1
I have a new podcast! For people who need good fiction and good theology at the same time. Two final episodes here to whet your appetite—so if you enjoy them, please hop on over and subscribe to Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Stories so you won't miss a single episode!
Jan 09, 2024•20 min
My lecture at the Parkville Plus seminar hosted by Australian Lutheran College in Adelaide, South Australia, on "Three Nineteenth-Century German Lutheran Saint Calendar Proposals."
Jan 02, 2024•51 min
I have a new podcast! For people who need good fiction and good theology at the same time. Two more episodes here to whet your appetite—so if you enjoy them, please hop on over and subscribe to Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Stories so you won't miss a single episode!
Dec 26, 2023•19 min
Dad speaks about preaching to political and cultural issues as an exercise of both Christian discipleship and lefthand-kingdom stewardship at the Love Teach Heal Academy for lay preachers and teachers.
Dec 19, 2023•49 min
I have a new podcast! For people who need good fiction and good theology at the same time. Two episodes here to whet your appetite—so if you enjoy them, please hop on over and subscribe to Sarah Hinlicky Wilson Stories so you won't miss a single episode!
Dec 12, 2023•25 min
What makes human beings to be in the image of God? A rational soul? A capacity for action? An openness to the divine? Is it a given or an achievement? Who or what has it, and who or what doesn't? And does the image of God tell us only about humans, or can it tell us something about God, too—without remaking God in our own image? We wrap up Season 5 of Queen of the Sciences tackling these fraught questions! And looking toward 2024 and Season 6, here are some fun things you should most definitely ...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 24
Is it a brain? Is it a mind? Is it a soul? What hath neuroscience to do with theology? In this episode Dad and I discuss recent work on the function of the brain and especially its hemispheric differences, and what this has to do with rationality, bodiliness, and faith. Notes: 1. Kandel, There Is Life after the Nobel Prize 2. Doidge, The Brain That Changes Itself 3. McGilchrist, The Master and His Emissary 4. I discuss "transgenre theology" on episode 19 of my new podcast, Sarah Hinlicky Wilson ...
Nov 21, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 5Ep. 23
The brand-newest of any theological writing Dad and I have ever covered on the podcast! We discuss "The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Me," the recently released statement of the International Lutheran-Pentecostal Dialogue, following discussions that took place from 2016 to 2022. Full disclosure: Sarah worked as a consultant to the dialogue on behalf of the Institute for Ecumenical Research, an independent house of studies that delegates consultants to all the ecumenical dialogues of the Lutheran Wo...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 22
Dad discusses the upcoming lectionary reading from Joshua 24 with Rachel Wrenn and Tim McNinch of the First Reading podcast !
Oct 31, 2023•42 min
After giving Tillich his due in the last episode, in this one Sarah goes off, more or less blaming Tillich and his book The Courage to Be for everything that has gone wrong in American Lutheranism for the past 75 years. Overwrought and unjust? Probably. Dad makes the case for Tillich at least asking the right questions, and not accepting certain false solutions. But we both agree there is a more excellent way. If nothing else, you'll enjoy hearing the generation gap on display as you've never be...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Season 5Ep. 21
Dad and I respond to the Hamas terror attack on Israel. Notes: 1. Related episodes: Good Tillich , Before Auschwitz , Luther and the Jews 2. Please read Dad's Before Auschwitz ; I also commend Dara Horn's People Love Dead Jews 3. Statement from Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the ELCA...
Oct 16, 2023•37 min
The little-known story of expatriate German theologian Paul Tillich's radio addresses from America to the German people in the depths of World War II, exhorting them to name and reject the false idol that was holding them hostage and driving millions of people to death. In this episode Dad and I explore how Tillich drew on the depths of the Bible's prophetic speech to analyze the Third Reich and the Germans' own complicity with it, the uniqueness of that situation, and what we might be able to l...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 5Ep. 20
Sarah discusses premillennialism, postmillennialism, amillennialism, and Revelation 20 with Katie Langston and Kathryn Schifferdecker of the Enter the Bible podcast. Check out Katie's memoir of leaving Mormonism and becoming a Christian, Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace , and listen to Dad's and my discussion of it on a bonus episode of Queen of the Sciences!...
Oct 03, 2023•29 min
