Wide Margins

The series on church history in the Middle Ages continues with a discussion of the first official split in Christianity between Roman Catholicism in the West and Orthodoxy in the East in 1054. The post Episode 64: The Dark Ages – The Church Splits appeared first on Wide Margins.

Do the Catholics have any historical basis for the papacy? How early did Catholicism arise? Are there any indications of Catholicism in the Bible? And how should we view the Catholic Church today, with its age-old heritage and a papacy that claims to originate with Peter himself? Drew looks into the history of the papacy … Continue reading "Episode 63: The Dark Ages – The Papacy" The post Episode 63: The Dark Ages – The Papacy appeared first on Wide Margins.

The series on the Dark Ages continues with a discussion of the work of Augustine of Hippo. Topics covered: Augustine’s life as revealed in his autobiography, Confessions The Pelagian Controversy Donatism Augustine’s last and greatest work, City of God The post Episode 62: The Dark Ages – Augustine appeared first on Wide Margins.

Part three in the series on the Dark Ages explores monastic life and some important monks who defined the movement. The post Episode 61: The Dark Ages – Monasticism appeared first on Wide Margins.

In the second episode in the series on the Dark Ages, Drew discusses the church’s disputes over the Son’s relationship to the Godhead, and the humanity of Christ. The post Episode 60: The Dark Ages – Controversies about Christ appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew begins a series on the Dark Ages in Church history. In this episode, he defines the period, beginning with the reign of Constantine (306-337), and explores the question, “What happened to the church in the Middle Ages?” The post Episode 59: The Dark Ages – What Happened to the Church? appeared first on Wide Margins.

“A guy dies and meets Peter at the pearly gates…” Have you heard this one before? The one with the punchline: “They think they are the only ones here.” In this episode, Drew explains not only why it is not a funny joke, but also why it’s not accurate. The post Episode 58: The Only Ones Going to Heaven appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses Jorge Luis Borges’s story “The Garden of Forking Paths.” The post Episode 57: Choices appeared first on Wide Margins.

Do we really forget anything? What would it be like if we could remember everything and be able to retrieve information from our memories at will? Listen to see how these questions can teach us that what we do now matters, either in the shame of Judgment, or in the grace of God’s forgetting. The post Episode 56: Memories appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses the recent spate of renunciations by powerful evangelical leaders. The post Episode 55: When Celebrity Christians Fall appeared first on Wide Margins.

Brandon Renfroe sits down with Drew to discuss the very influential Warren-Flew debate. Stick with the conversation till the end to hear the correspondence Brandon shared with Dr. Flew in the early 2000s. The post Episode 54: The Warren-Flew Debate appeared first on Wide Margins.

Abortion is a hot topic in America right now. Alabama and other states have passed laws making most abortions illegal, and everyone is waiting to see what the Supreme Court will decide. The pro-life is hopeful, since there is a 5-4 conservative majority. What should the church do? Is politics the answer, or is there … Continue reading "Episode 53: What Should the Church Do about Abortion?" The post Episode 53: What Should the Church Do about Abortion? appeared first on Wide Margins.

Consumer religion attracts worshipers who come to church to have their “needs” met, but is this neediness good for us? What kind of needs does God supply? The post Episode 52: Needy Worship appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew and guest, Andrew Kingsley, discuss the release of Drew’s new book, Dangerous Playground: The Christian and Social Media, available for $11 through Riddle Creek Publishing (mj5riddlecreek@gmail.com). The post Episode 51: Dangerous Playground Release Party appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew talks with Martin Juarez about P.D. Fight Club, an exercise program developed to help people who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. The post Episode 50: Martin Juarez appeared first on Wide Margins.

Our series on the life of Jacob comes to a close. The post Episode 49: Jacob’s Death appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob blesses his sons. The post Episode 48: Blessings appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob and Joseph are reunited. The post Episode 47: Down in Egypt appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob, a dreamer and schemer, becomes the father of sons who are dreamers and schemers. The post Episode 46: The Law of the Apple and the Tree appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob lets others handle matters in his place with devastating results. The post Episode 45: Patriarchal Passivity appeared first on Wide Margins.

Does Jacob’s story echo throughout the various stories about tricksters? Did Jesus’ disciples think for a time that he might have played a trick on them? The post Episode 44: Tricksters appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew opens up about the time he was hit by a car. The post Episode 43: The Butterfly Effect appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 classic film Stalker. The post Episode 42: Stalker appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob wrestles a mysterious man overnight and emerges a new man at dawn. The post Episode 41: Wrestling with God appeared first on Wide Margins.

Change is slow when it comes to the soul. But a slow realization begins to come over Jacob and Laban. The post Episode 40: Slow Realization appeared first on Wide Margins.

Rachel and Leah are tested, and they fail. The post Episode 39: Failed Tests and a Gracious God appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob’s wedding gets interrupted…which interrupts his life! The post Episode 38: Life Interrupted appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob has a dream involving a blessing, but he is still trying to negotiate with God. The post Episode 37: Jacob’s Ladder appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jacob is called the “Favored Cheat” for a reason. But he isn’t the only schemer in his family. In this episode, Drew discusses three tricks in the covenant family that leads to complete disarray. The post Episode 36: Three Tricks appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew continues his series on the life of Jacob, discussing Esau’s foolish bargain in which a bowl of soup was exchanged for his birthright. The post Episode 35: To Have and Have Not appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew begins his series entitled “Favored Cheat: The Life of Jacob.” In this episode, he talks about the birth of Jacob and Esau, their parents’ confusion, and how this helps us deal with our own confusion over the perplexing will of God. The post Episode 34: “The Perplexing Will of God” appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew considers the renewed earth interpretation of the “new heavens and the new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-3). Sources: N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope. N.T. Wright, Paul. J. Richard Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology. The post Episode 33: The New Heavens and Earth appeared first on Wide Margins.

Ever wonder what God wants you to do with your life? Some decisions can be tough, especially when you are concerned about God’s will. Drew answers the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” by looking at several key passages on God’s will for our lives. The post Episode 32: What Is God’s Will for My Life? appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses a time when J.R.R. Tolkien and his friend, C.S. Lewis, went to see Snow White. The post Episode 31: Tolkien vs. Disney appeared first on Wide Margins.

Who is the best preacher in the world? The answer may not be anything like what you might expect. The post The Best Preacher in the World appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses the miracles of the Bible. Does God use miracles today? This material comes from a chapter in Drew’s new book, Christian Faith. Get it now on Amazon! The post Episode 29: The Reason for Miracles appeared first on Wide Margins.

Social media is a dangerous playground, but Christians can learn to use it responsibly. Drew shares some suggestions. The post Episode 28: Dangerous Playground appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew speaks to the cancer survivor group at the East Ridge Church of Christ in Chattanooga, TN. The post Episode 27 – Survivors appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew discusses a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center and talks about the importance of authenticity in the church. Source: “Young Christians Are Leaving the Church – Here’s Why” by J. Warner Wallace The post Episode 26: Why Young Americans Are Leaving Church appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew talks about his favorite novel, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Specifically, he discusses Ivan’s story “The Grand Inquisitor.” The post Episode 25: The Grand Inquisitor appeared first on Wide Margins.

How do Christians follow Jesus’ demand for self-denial in the context of a culture of self-obsession? The post Episode 24: Selfies appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew talks to Scott Newton about how a motorcycle accident changed his life and how tragedy teaches us to rely on God. The post Episode 23: Knowing Who Is in Charge appeared first on Wide Margins.

Jesus had close friends, but is it fair to say he was in a clique? As Drew explores this question, the discussion turns to the value of friendship and how to make friends. The post Episode 22: Was Jesus in a Clique? appeared first on Wide Margins.

The moral ingenuity of man is his worst enemy. Drew finishes the series on the book of Judges. The post Episode 21: Monstrous Sin appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew ventures into the epilogue of Judges, comparing Micah’s shrine to forms of false religion found today. The post Episode 20: Happy and Lost appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew wraps up Samson’s tale and asks, “Do we focus more on God’s gifts than his mission?” The post Episode 19: Awake appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew continues the tragedy of Samson, discussing Samson’s careless slumber. The post Episode 18: Asleep appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew picks up his study of Judges with Samson. First he looks at the problem of unawareness through the experiences of Samson’s parents. The post Episode 17: Unaware appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew and guest host Tim Layton remember a fascinating character from the past. The post Episode 16: Preacher Man appeared first on Wide Margins.

Drew wrestles with the tough question of Jephthah: Did he really offer his daughter as a burnt offering? Or are other interpretations possible? Correction: At one point, Drew lists Amon as a king of Judah who offered human sacrifices and calls him Manasseh’s grandfather. While Amon probably did offer human sacrifices, he was Manasseh’s son. … Continue reading "Episode 15: The Promise that Should Have Been Broken" The post Episode 15: The Promise that Should Have Been Broken appeared first on Wide Margins.