New Persuasive Words

In this episode we reflect on the hundredth anniversary of the sermon that was at the heart of the fundamentalist/modernist controversy. It was preached by Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1922 at the Riverside Church in New York City. It's still discussed because it's still relevant. We'll be revisiting this them throughout 2022 so stay tuned! The article we reference in the show can be found here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2022/01/did-the-fundamentalists-win-a-centennial-retrospective/.

In this episode we give our reflections on 2021 as we head into the New Year.

In this episode we share our thoughts on the Rittenhouse verdict. It will be an ongoing conversation in public and private life in North America for sure. This is our initial contribution. We offer it with a lot of mixed emotions. We hope it serves the public good.

In this episode we pose a historical what if: What if the American colonists didn't fight the Revolutionary War in 1776?

In this episode we ponder the relationship between classical liberalism and the contemporary left. Is the left illiberal? When does one get cancelled? And we even tell you how you can get us to do a live show in your neighborhood. Happy listening!

In this episode, after some recap of the news of the week, we ask a question: should we fear God?

We're back...enough said!

We continue talking about the romance of Christian orthodoxy by looking at some of the ideas and figures that challenged it. This episode deals with one of Augustine's most famous opponents: Pelagius. They debated the nature of original sin and the capacity of human beings to choose the ultimate good, God.

In this episode, our first one in the "new bunker", we discuss an article from Commonweal Magazine. In it David Albertson, a religion professor at USC, argues that many conservative intellectuals justify supporting Trump in the name of defending Christianity and fighting a new kind of American paganism. But what is paganism? What if it's not what we think it is? You can find the article here: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/american-paganism.

In this episode, joined by our friend Adam Morton, we discuss a controversial tweet that Tim Keller posted about the Trinity and the Cross. You can find the tweet and a host of replies and comments to it here: https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1221485536415768576?s=20. Special Guest: Adam Morton.

In this episode we talk about the recently released Netflix film The Two Popes.

This is our annual Christmas episode. Have a great holiday!

In this episode, joined by Matthew Milliner, we talk about iconoclasm. The Iconoclastic Controversy, was a dispute over the use of religious images (icons) in the Byzantine Empire in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Iconoclasts (those who rejected images) objected to icon veneration for several reasons, including the Old Testament prohibition against images in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) and the possibility of idolatry. The defenders of the use of icons insisted on the symbolic nature of images and on the dignity of created matter. You can download Matt Milliner's review essay "Everything you know about Byzantine art is wrong" here. (https://www.academia.edu/12082058/Everything_you_know_about_Byzantine_art_is_wrong) Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

We continue our "Romance of Orthodoxy" series. We've been considering the development of Christian orthodoxy and some of the major challenges and debates that helped formulate the heart of the Christian faith. In this episode we consider the Fourth Century controversies that led to the Chalcedonian Council, which declared that Christ had two natures in one person, and the relationship between the natures.

In this episode we continue talking about the Romance of Christian Orthodoxy, considering what many consider to be the grandest heresy of them all: Arianism.

In this episode we continue our series on the Romance of Orthodoxy. We consider the heresy that seems to have perennial appeal in Christian history: Gnosticism.

Continuing our series about the Romance of Orthodoxy, we consider the modalist heresy, which holds that Father, Son, and Spirit are really not persons but more like masks or roles God puts on in relationship to the world.

In this episode we continue to talk about the Romance of Orthodoxy. We talk about Marcionism, a heresy that claims the God of the Hebrew Bible is fundamentally different than the God revealed in Jesus Christ. We find a surprising modern example of the position in renowned theologian David Bentley Hart. We consider a recent exchange he had with First Things contributor Peter Leithart.

Continuing our series on the Romance of Orthodoxy, we discuss the "docetic" heresy, which claims that Jesus Christ was divine, but not really human.

Continuing our discussion of the romance of orthodoxy, we consider controversies in the history of the church. In this episode we discuss the early church's struggle with the role of Torah observance and the inclusion of Gentiles. We reference an atonement chart put together by Brad East. You can find it here (http://resident-theologian.blogspot.com/2019/09/an-atonement-typology.html).

Fresh off of our summer vacations, we talk about how Christian orthodoxy has romanced us both and continues to do so. We reference two podcast interviews in this episode. You can find them below. https://giveandtake.fireside.fm/175 https://giveandtake.fireside.fm/174

We're both looking toward summer vacation! In this episode we mix it up, like the Jeoprady Potpourri category. You never know what's coming next.

In this episode we talk about the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio and how to face what they tell us about ourselves as Americans.

In this episode we talk about renowned former megachurch pastor Josh Harris's announcement that he has left the Christian faith.

In this episode, inspired in part by David Fitch's new book, we talk about the recent inflammatory statements President Trump made about four women of color in the House of Representatives.

Many are troubled by evangelical love affair with President Trump. Sometimes people talk like it means that the sky is falling or that the end is near. Is this overstated? Might historical perspective teach us a thing or two in this cultural moment?

In this episode we talk with a special guest, Christine Sine. Her new book is entitled The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices For Delighting In God (https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Wonder-Creative-Practices-Delighting/dp/0830846530/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=christine+sine&qid=1561126656&s=gateway&sr=8-1). Can you imagine a God who dances with shouts of joy, laughs when you laugh, loves to play, enjoys life, and invites us to join the fun? Like many of us, Christine Sine had spent many years with an image of God who was "a very serious, workaholic type of God." And even when her theology told her this was not true, she struggled to live into this new way of thinking. What she needed was a childlike spirituality. In this book, Christine Sine, online host of the Godspace community, invites us to pay attention to childlike characteristics that have the power to reshape us. Each chapter addresses a childlike characteristic to embrace, including delight, playfulness, imagination, awe and wonder, love of nature, the ability to live in the present, and much more. Fresh spiritual practices that engage all our senses help us live a new spiritual life that embraces the wonder and joy that God intends for us.

In this episode we talk about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and it's connection to reality and everyday life. We reference a book by our friend Glenn Scrivener. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-God-World-You/dp/1909611948.

In this episode we discuss our thoughts on the Game of Thrones Finale and a recent Invisibilia episode on empathy. You can find the Invisibilia episode we reference here: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/11/712276022/the-end-of-empathy.

In this episode we continue to talk about the moral life, with some theological help from Karl Barth and John Milbank. We also talk a bit about Game of Thrones, and consider the reactions to the untimely and sad death of Rachel Held Evans.

In this episode we talk Game of Thrones, legalism and antinominiasm, in that order pretty much.

Check out this crossover episode we did with our friends from Crackers and Grapejuice in New York City. We talk about the nature of the Christian life and what it means to live it.

In this episode, inspired by a post on Facebook by our friend Kenneth Tanner, we talk about how Christians ought to read the Hebrew Bible, which we call the Old Testament.

In this episode, inspired by revelations about Joe Biden's "touchiness", we talk about changing norms and navigating social change.

In this Bullgeschichte episode we're joined by Adam Borneman. He's a Presbyterian minister (PCUSA) and the Program Director of Macedonia Ministries. We talk about 19th century theology, the relevance of the Gospel for public life, and a host of other things. Special Guest: Adam Borneman.

In this episode we talk about the parable of The Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15. We consider what roles we play in it at different parts in our public and private lives, and how it speaks to them all.

In this episode we continue to discuss the Mueller Report now that Attorney General Barr's summary of it has been made public.

We recorded this episode a half hour before the release of the summary of the Mueller report by U.S. Attorney General William Barr. We talk about it what it might mean for the country. We also talk about how people generally deal with uncertainty.

In this episode, inspired by a piece published on the site of our friends over at Mockingbird, we talk about the relationship of the person of Christ to principles that we devise and even cherish. You can find the piece we reference, written by Jared Jones, here: https://mbird.com/2019/03/the-living-christ-and-the-principle-of-grace/.

In this episode, inspired by NY Times op-ed piece, we talk about the problem of contemptuousness in our culture. You can find the NY Times piece we discuss here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/opinion/sunday/political-polarization.html.

In this episode, after a few minutes talking news, we turn to the recent controversy about sexuality and LGBT inclusion in the United Methodist Church.

In this episode we talk about the visible and invisible church, and our ideals and the church's realities.

In this episode, inspired by something we read online, we talk about the inability of facts to change minds. If facts are stubborn things, are our minds even more stubborn? Why is this the case? You can find the article we reference here. (https://heleo.com/facts-dont-change-peoples-minds-heres/16242/)

In this episode, inspired by a piece written by Valerie Tarico, we talk about the strange similarities between some types of conservative evangelicals and woke activists. Most people wouldn't see these groups having much in common. But does their particular sort of tribalism make their similarities greater than their differences? You can find Valerie Tarico's piece here: http://new.exchristian.net/2019/02/the-righteousness-and-woke-why.html.

In this episode we talk with friend and always interesting interlocutor David Fitch. Dave is a theologian, pastor and church planter. He's also a self-described "Neo-Anabaptist." He also identifies as an evangelical Christian. We ask him about his Neo-Anabaptist theological vision and how it relates to the evangelical tradition in North America. Special Guest: David Fitch.

In this our 250th episode, we are joined by our friend Matt Milliner. We discuss a host of issues and ideas and do a lot of laughing along the way. Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

In this episode we talk about grace. Specifically, we talk about the term common grace, and how to us grace always seems particular and special.

In this episode we talk about the things that keep us up at night, and the things that don't.

In this episode we consider two different ancient approaches to the meaning of redemption and the role of Jesus in it, and how it shapes our understanding of Christmas.

In this episode we talk about the blessing of Advent and Christmas traditions and the benefits of living in a culture even superficially shaped by the Christian story.

In this episode we interact with a recent piece that appeared on the Gospel Coalition website. The author claims that there is slippery slope (or natural progression?) from progressive evangelical Christianity to atheism. We're less than convinced. You can find the piece, written by Alisa Childers, here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-beliefs-progressive-christians-atheists-share/.