Podcast appearances and mentions of alastair roberts

Malachi's final disputation exposes Israel's despairing complaint: “It is vain to serve God.” Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, Alastair Roberts, and James Bejon explore the loss of confidence that comes when the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous appear unrewarded. Along the way the conversation moves through Psalm 73, Job, the biblical shape of the problem of evil, the difference between short-term reward and eschatological vindication, and the priestly language of serving and guarding that echoes Adam's task in Eden. The episode closes with Malachi's surprising portrait of the faithful remnant: those who fear the Lord, speak with one another, and are written in His book of remembrance as His treasured possession — a remnant finally distilled in Jesus, the faithful Israelite. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Send us Fan MailKelly Kapic's The Christian Life — the newest volume in the New Studies in Dogmatics series — frames Christian living as a response to divine love, arguing that human agency is always Christological and ecclesial before it is personal. With Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and James Wood.—Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership.Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Classical Theism: A Christian Introduction, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelityApply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships—00:48A Summit Work04:01False Dichotomies in Evangelical Thought08:19Anthropology and Life11:33A Little Summa12:32What's New About the Christian Life?14:35Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation15:42The Response to the Love of God19:20Christ's Vicarious Love and Agency24:44Understanding the Law and Gospel Distinction29:58Capital 'S' Sin37:11Obedience to the law41:38The Role of Liturgy in Corporate Worship49:42Living Out the Christian Life in Community

Carl Trueman joins Mere Fidelity to discuss his book The Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our Humanity. They examine why "desecration" captures something "disenchantment" misses — the frenzied, ecstatic violation of what is still recognized as sacred — and trace its implications for abortion, gender, technology, and end-of-life ethics. Trueman argues the church's answer is consecration: creed, worship, and a code of hospitality that restores genuine personhood. With Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Classical Theism: A Christian Introduction, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship. https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:10 - Why "Desecration" and Not Just "Disenchantment" 06:16 - The Pleasure of Desecration and Alternative Sacralizing 10:07 - Is This a Perennial Problem or Something New? 14:27 - Power, Impotence, and Promethean Shame 17:35 - Dizziness, AI, and the Nothingness of Radical Freedom 22:41 - Nietzsche, Nature, and the Denial of the Given 28:42 - Consecration as Response: Creed, Cult, and Code 33:14 - The Church and End-of-Life Ethics 39:18 - Vitalism, False Friends, and the Logic of the Cross 45:38 - Two Cheers for Christianity and the Opportunity Before Us 48:51 - Freedom, Belonging, and the Gospel

Send us Fan MailGet your tickets to see Alastair live in Sydney, Wednesday 17th June - https://singleminded.community/?event=cross-relatedOn this episode of Her Theology,  I'm joined by theologian, writer and cultural commentator Alastair Roberts to explore how the Gospel transforms our understanding of relationships, community, identity and the church.We live in a culture marked by loneliness, isolation, fractured families, digital connection without true community, and growing confusion around identity and belonging. So how should Christians think about relationships in a deeply individualistic age?Together we discuss:how modern culture has reshaped relationshipsthe rise of autonomy and radical individualismloneliness and isolation in the digital agehow technology and social media affect communitywhy human beings are relational by designthe church as the household and family of Godthe Gospel's power to restore broken relationshipsfriendship, marriage and community in Scriptureembodied relationships vs online relationshipsrelationships between men and womengenerational relationships in the churchbiblical view of relationshipspatterns and themes throughout Scripture and relationshipshealing from church hurt and relational painwhy Christian community matters more than everAlastair explains how the Gospel doesn't simply improve relationships — it fundamentally reorders them. From family and friendship to church and society, Christianity offers a radically different vision of what it means to belong, love, forgive, serve and live together as human beings made in the image of God.This conversation will especially resonate with those wrestling with:lonelinesschurch hurtisolationidentityfriendshipbroken familiesmodern dating cultureChristian communitydiscipleshipbelongingTopics Covered:Christian relationships, theology of relationships, Gospel and community, loneliness, church family, Christian friendship, biblical community, individualism, identity, modern culture, social media and isolation, discipleship, embodiment, church life, family, theology and culture.Resources & Links Mentioned:Cross Related X Single Minded Event - https://singleminded.community/?event=cross-relatedhttps://theopolisinstitute.com/https://davenantinstitute.org/https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/mere-fidelity/id885758537https://argosy.substack.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmkS1-6kt64WIHegj-h25_gFollow @hertheology on Instagram & YouTube. Head to hertheology.com to find out more.

Was the Apostle Paul Torah-observant — not just before the Damascus road, but throughout his apostleship to the nations? Brad East stakes out a thesis drawn from Messianic Judaism and the Paul Within Judaism school: that Acts 21 should be read straight, that James is telling the truth about Paul, and that Genesis 12 and 17 still bind Jewish believers. Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts push back hard, working through Galatians 2, 1 Corinthians 9, and the question of whether the law's force after Christ is divine command or Hookerian adiaphora — with the future of Jewish identity in the church in view. — Get the free ebook Spiritual Formation for the Family at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 - Welcome and the Disclaimer 01:00 - The Thesis: Paul Remained Torah-Observant 01:34 - Messianic Judaism and Paul Within Judaism 04:29 - Acts 21: Is Paul Lying or Walking the Law? 08:04 - Alastair's First Move: Affirming, Not Practicing 10:33 - A Law You Need Not Obey Is Not a Law 12:17 - Law as Covenant vs. Law as Instruction 15:34 - Circumcision as the Test Case 16:13 - Adiaphora, Hooker, and Binding Authority 17:40 - 1 Corinthians 9 Enters the Conversation 18:08 - The Halakhic Question: Should Elders Discipline? 21:11 - Acts 15 and Internally Differentiated Norms 23:13 - Alastair on Existing Authorities and Custom 26:36 - The Canonical Vision: Revelation 7 29:50 - Adiaphora's Sociological Problem 33:22 - Galatians 2: What Was Peter Doing? 38:18 - Permission vs. Prohibition 41:04 - Why Reduce Genesis 12–17 to Local Custom? 44:02 - Baptism, Circumcision, and Covenant Signs 47:55 - Does God Want Jews in the World? 50:10 - Providence and the Future Conversion 56:42 - One Body in Christ and the Complementarian Parallel 57:08 - Reinterpreting "Under the Law" 1:01:18 - Difference Without Division 1:04:13 - The Empirical Problem for Both Views 1:07:51 - Reading Our Situation Back into Paul 1:10:46 - Closing

Picking up at Malachi 2:13, Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, Alastair Roberts, and James Bejon turn to Yahweh's second charge against Judah in this section: the treacherous dismissal of the wives of their youth. The conversation traces the double register of the passage (the covenant of individual marriage and Yahweh's own bridal relationship with Israel and his sanctuary) and asks whether the same typological layering found in verses 10–12 continues here. Considerable attention falls on the notoriously difficult verse 15, with James Bejon guiding the group through the Hebrew: the one father who makes husband and wife one, the remnant of the spirit, and the seeking of godly (zera' Elohim) seed. The discussion moves into the imagery of the garment covered in violence in verse 16, and closes with a debate over the ESV's departure from the traditional "I hate divorce" rendering — the group lands in agreement that the third-person reading ("the man who hates and divorces") is both textually defensible and theologically clarifying. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

How do we hold together confidence before God and a proper sense of his holiness? Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Joe Minich take up a pastoral question at the heart of Christian worship and prayer. Working from the Lord's Prayer, the Psalms, Job, and John 8, they discuss the dangers of both presumption and paralyzing anxiety, the relationship between knowledge of God and knowledge of self, and why assurance is less a fact we verify than a relation we inhabit. Along the way: Isaiah's vision, Calvin on "stupid" prayer, and what Alcoholics Anonymous teaches about showing up. — Spiritual Formation for the Family ebook: http://mereorthodoxy.com/family Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — 00:00 - Introduction 01:17 - Confidence and holiness: the central tension 02:52 - The Lord's Prayer and the dynamic of approach 04:48 - The honesty of the Psalms and Job 09:16 - Boldness in prayer: the unjust judge and friend at midnight 11:11 - Hebrews and the two mountains 13:45 - Name-it-and-claim-it vs. petitionary prayer 14:45 - Being seen by God rather than seeing God 16:50 - John 8 and the woman caught in adultery 19:50 - Owen, Calvin, and "hard thoughts about God" 23:51 - "There is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared" 24:34 - Judgment and absolution in forgiveness 29:13 - The joy of approach and the glory of God 31:13 - Calvin, Isaiah, and the knowledge of God and self 33:58 - The erasure of sin in Waugh and Eliot 36:25 - Assurance as relation, not calculation 39:13 - Adoption, marriage, and secure identity 41:11 - Two kinds of self-absorption 45:48 - Alcoholics Anonymous and staying in the game 50:10 - Distorting the game itself: Jeremiah and the den of thieves 52:30 - Pastoral wisdom: who needs what 55:05 - Closing

Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts, Jeff Meyers, and James Bejon continue their series on Malachi, opening with a reflection on Malachi 2's portrait of the ideal Levitical priest — one whose lips carry true Torah, whose mouth pronounces righteous judgment, and who walks as a messenger of the Lord of hosts — drawing out implications for pastoral ministry in the new covenant. The conversation then turns to Malachi 2:10–16, tracing the repeated theme of treachery that binds the section together, with careful attention to the interconnection between Israel's betrayal of one another, their unfaithfulness to Yahweh, and the intermarriage controversies addressed by Ezra and Nehemiah. The panel explores the layered resonances of "abomination" in verse 11 — its evocation of Canaanite defilement, Solomonic apostasy, and the husband-bride typology of Yahweh and his sanctuary — while probing the puzzling idiom of verse 12 and leaving its mystery suggestively unresolved. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts, Jeff Meyers, and James Bejon continue their series on the book of Malachi, beginning with a reflection on the literary texture of the book - its ragged, agitated syntax and its striking use of repetition. They then take up remaining threads from Malachi 1:6–14, with particular attention to verse 11 and its vision of pure incense offered to the Lord among the nations — exploring what this means for the dispersion of temple worship, provocation to jealousy, and the Messianic age. The conversation moves into the opening verses of Malachi 2, where the Lord addresses the priests not merely as those who preside at sacrifice but as those entrusted with Torah on their lips — a portrait of priestly ministry that sheds light on the pastoral office in the new covenant. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts continue their series in Malachi, working through the second half of chapter one (verses 6–14). The conversation opens by revisiting the Jacob/Esau passage and the question of whether Paul's use of Malachi in Romans 9 is a systematic proof text for election or an evocation of Malachi's broader historical context. From there the discussion moves to Israel's defiled sacrifices, the priestly failure to guard the altar, and the frightening logic of bringing an unworthy gift before a holy God. ____________ This episode is sponsored by Audio Deacon. Audio Deacon is a curated music streaming app for families and thoughtful listeners — built around music that is good, true, and beautiful. New artists added every week.

Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts dive into the text of Malachi itself, beginning with the book's distinctive structure — a series of dialogues in which Yahweh voices both his own declarations and Israel's skeptical objections. The team explores how this rhetorical form shapes the entire book, and how Malachi fits into the broader literary sequence of the Book of the Twelve. From there, the conversation moves into Malachi 1:2–5 and the Lord's declaration of love for Jacob over Esau — unpacking the history of Edom as a prototype nation, the nature of God's jealous love and wrath, and the famous "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated" quotation as it appears in Romans 9. The discussion raises sharp questions about predestination, the election of peoples versus individuals, and whether Paul's use of Malachi is best read as a statement about sovereign predestination or as a confirmation that God's prior choice has worked itself out in the long history of two nations. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

What if death's presence in the cosmos is not native to creation but a wound running all the way down to its foundations, inflicted before Adam ever reached for the fruit? Philip Porter joins Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East to discuss his new book, which retrieves Augustine, Aquinas, Milton, and Tolkien to argue that the angelic fall precedes and precipitates every other form of evil, and that contemporary theology has been too quick to make peace with death. —— Hosts: Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, Brad East Guest: Philip Porter, assistant professor of theology at Saint Louis University (Madrid) and author of Unnatural Death: Creation, Sin, and the Angelic Fall. He completed his doctoral work under Paul Griffiths at Duke Divinity School. —— Get the free ebook Spiritual Formation for the Family at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for Beeson Divinity School's Ph.D program by April 1 for Fall 2026 admission here: https://bit.ly/BeesonPhD —— Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 3:50 - Porter's thesis: why death as enemy matters and what contemporary theology gets wrong 8:40 - Augustine's rationes seminales: the seed-like reasons at the heart of creation 10:15 - Angels as administrators of creation and how their fall wounds the cosmos 13:30 - Tolkien's Silmarillion, Melkor's discord, and the felix culpa logic 17:30 - The conditio and administratio: God's atemporal creation vs. its unfolding in time 20:00 - Three false paths: Kelsey, McCabe, and Darwin 27:00 - Does scripture naturalize death? The grain of wheat, 1 Corinthians 15, and Alastair's question 39:10 - The double fall: Romans 5, the angelic fall, and how they fit together 42:00 - Satan's envy of the hypostatic union: what Lucifer saw and why he turned 52:00 - Refracted and diffracted light: a metaphor for holy and fallen angels 1:01:40 - Deep time, hominins, and what it means for Adam to be unfallen in a devastated cosmos 1:05:05 - The Johannine thread: destroying the works of the devil and what the devil actually wants 1:12:30 - Universalism, David Bentley Hart, and the problem the angelic fall poses for it 1:20:35 - Supralapsarianism and the incarnation-anyway position Books Mentioned Philip Porter, Unnatural Death: Creation, Sin, and the Angelic Fall Paul Griffiths, Decreation David Kelsey, Eccentric Existence J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion David Bentley Hart, That All Shall Be Well Ambrose of Milan, On the Good of Death

Peter Leithart, Jeff Meyers, James Bejon, and Alastair Roberts kick off a new series on the book of Malachi, beginning with a wide-angle look at the restoration era in which Malachi prophesied. Rather than treating this period as a mere gap between covenants - a so-called "intertestamental" silence - the team argues it represents a distinct and dynamic phase of covenant history, with its own new arrangements for the priesthood, the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and Israel's relationship to the Gentile nations. The conversation ranges from Ezra and Nehemiah's narrative logic to the dating of Malachi, the myth of 400 years of divine silence, and the ways Malachi's concerns anticipate the New Testament world Jesus enters. Timestamps (Aproximate) 0:00 — Welcome and introduction; transitioning from Hebrews to a new series on Malachi 1:00 — Overview of the restoration era; why "intertestamental" is a misleading term 3:00 — Jim Jordan's "Through New Eyes" and the idea that Israel never goes backward in covenant history 4:30 — "Latter days" / "last days" language; the 70 Weeks of Daniel as a framework for this period 5:30 — New features of the restoration era: the elevated role of the high priest 6:30 — A new temple, new geopolitical arrangements, and Israel's changed relationship with Gentile powers 8:30 — The holiness of Jerusalem extended to the city walls; Ezekiel's vision of the sacred territory 10:30 — Continuity with the law of Moses through Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi 12:00 — Ezra's role as teacher of the law; rebuilding the people alongside the house 13:00 — Malachi's focus on hypocrisy and priestly failure rather than open idolatry; anticipating New Testament concerns 15:00 — The sequence in Deuteronomy 30, Jeremiah 31, and Ezekiel 36 — scattering, regathering, new covenant, outpouring of the Spirit 17:00 — A partial outpouring of the Spirit in the restoration era; Zechariah's lampstand vision 18:30 — The spread of Judaism through the diaspora as a stage in Israel's mission to the Gentiles 19:30 — Why did the exiles not bring back idolatry from Babylon and Persia? 21:30 — Exile as the moment the law became an existential lifeline for Jewish identity 23:30 — The legacy of Daniel, Esther, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as a unifying memory 25:00 — The restoration era as both the birth of the new covenant and the "thinning out" of the old 27:30 — Malachi's final word — cherem (curse of utter destruction) — and the doom hanging over the old covenant order 29:00 — The three phases of Ezra-Nehemiah — temple, people, city — as one unified project; the role of Haggai and Zechariah 37:00 — Dating Malachi: most likely during or after Nehemiah's absence from Jerusalem 40:30 — Malachi 3:1 ("I send my messenger") as potentially having a near fulfillment in Nehemiah's return 41:30 — The significance of Malachi's name meaning "my messenger" 42:30 — The chronology of Ezra-Nehemiah and the 70 Weeks; arguing for a compressed (~50-year) timeframe 45:30 — Debunking the "400 years of silence" myth — gaps in the canon are not gaps in God's speech 47:00 — 99% of God's people never witnessed a theophany; scrolls were always the ordinary means 48:30 — Daniel's visions as a prophetic bridge connecting the restoration era to the New Testament 49:30 — The rise of the synagogue and lay scriptural literacy in the diaspora; parallels to the Reformation 50:30 — Malachi 2 and the priests' neglected teaching vocation

Derek Rishmawy, James Wood, and Alastair Roberts welcome Dr. Lyndon Jost, author of Transfiguring Headship: A Figural Theology of Gender. Jost argues that headship is rooted in Old Testament figural theology rather than Greco-Roman culture, that it fundamentally means representation rather than authority, and that this reframes debates between complementarians and egalitarians alike.  — Get your copy of our free ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for Beeson Divinity School's Ph.D program by April 1 for Fall 2026 admission here: https://bit.ly/BeesonPhD — Chapters 01:15 - Overview of Transfiguring Headship 03:06 - Headship as Representation, Not Authority 06:09 - Critiquing Complementarian and Egalitarian Readings 10:32 - Figural Theology and the Fourfold Senses of Scripture 17:05 - Against Greco-Roman Readings of Headship 20:13 - 1 Corinthians 11:3 and Trinitarian Headship 25:35 - Ivan Illich, Gender vs. Sex, and Vernacular Gender 32:48 - Headship, Marriage, and the One-Flesh Union 43:23 - Essentialism, Gender Realism, and Minimalist Claims 50:36 - Headship as Unity, Not Opposition 55:59 - Male Responsibility and the Final Account 58:28 - Headship, Creation Order, and External Representation 01:02:14 - Closing Remarks  

In this final episode of our Hebrews series, Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts, and James Bejon conclude their journey through the epistle by working through the closing exhortations and benediction of Hebrews 13. They explore the Church's sacrificial life in the new covenant - marked by praise, hospitality, generosity, endurance, and faithful life together under Christ. Along the way, they reflect on the meaning of “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” and the call to go to Jesus “outside the camp.” The conversation also highlights the Eucharistic and liturgical patterns woven through the chapter. The episode concludes with reflections on Hebrews as a whole, including its use of the Psalms, its vision of perseverance in a time of upheaval, and its presentation of Christ as priest, sacrifice, shepherd, and king. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts explore the Ten Commandments — their structure, their two tables, the bookending parallel between the first and tenth commandments, and how the law is always oriented toward delight rather than mere prohibition. The law shapes the Christian life, testifies to Christ, and reflects the character of God. — Get the free ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, at http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering A Biblical Vision For Lifelong Discipleship, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship.: https://bit.ly/OurRisenLord   —   Chapters 00:00 Exploring the Ten Commandments 04:48 The Structure and Order of the Commandments 08:35 The Heart of the Commandments: Internal Motivation 12:38 Positive and Negative Aspects of the Law 18:08 The Law as a Source of Delight 23:03 The Law in the Context of Freedom 29:51 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Ministry 32:10 Understanding the Nature of God's Law 36:07 The Role of the Ten Commandments 40:20 The Law as a Reflection of Christ 44:45 The Law and Holiness in Christian Life 46:50 Delighting in the Law of God

Peter Leithart, James Bejon and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 13:1-7. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East consider what Christian theology actually has to say about aliens — from the populated Christian cosmos to the angelic fall, demonic deception, and the Christological anthropocentrism that runs through Lewis, Edwards, and Aquinas. Are UFO encounters spiritual phenomena in disguise? And does any of this unsettle orthodox faith? — Get the ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/family. Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for Beeson Divinity School's Ph.D program by April 1 for Fall 2026 admission here: https://bit.ly/BeesonPhD — Chapters 00:00 Aliens Are In The Air 06:38 What Counts As Alien? 12:22 The Nature of Alien Phenomena 19:08 Close Encounters of the Heavenly Kind 25:40 Lewis vs. L'Engle 32:52 Testimony 39:37 The Uniqueness of the Incarnation 45:30 Angels, Humanity, and Salvation 50:48 Christological Considerations 53:07 Be Fruitful and Explore Space!

Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts take up the problem of Christian doomerism in an age of AI development, geopolitical instability, and algorithmic anxiety — diagnosing why our moment feels uniquely threatening, then building a theology and practice of realistic hope from the Sermon on the Mount, the Psalms, eschatology, and the concrete habits (prayer, scripture, crocheting) that keep despair at bay. — Get your copy of Mere Orthodoxy's ebook, Spiritual Formation for the Family, by going to http://mereorthodoxy.com/family Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for fall 2026 admission to Beeson Divinity School's MDiv (or M.Div., your choice) and be considered for a full-tuition scholarship: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – The Problem of Living in Interesting Times 05:05 – I Call All Times Interesting 11:52 – Agency 17:34 – Hope at Rock Bottom 28:03 – The Benefits of Apocalypse 32:39 – Eschatology 36:13 – Practically Constructing Hope 42:03 – Investing in Future Generations 49:06 – Back to Basics  

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Jeff Meyers and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 12:22-29. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts host Jake Meador for a wide-ranging conversation on why evangelical institutions struggle with leadership transitions and long-term succession. They explore how evangelicalism's emphasis on discontinuity, charismatic personality-driven leadership, and brand-over-institution thinking undermines durability. The discussion touches on the boomer generational bottleneck, the producer-consumer framework shaped by technology, and what healthier models—like RTS or long-tenured churches—might teach us about building things that outlast their founders. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, R30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to: http://bakerbookhouse.com/pages/mere-fidelity Apply for a full-tuition scholarship for Beeson Divinity School's M.Div program that begins Fall 2026 here: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – Introduction & Framing the Problem 02:48 – Evangelicalism's Built-In Bias Toward Discontinuity 06:34 – Charisma, Personality, and the Exoskeleton Problem 08:46 – Brands vs. Institutions 11:22 – RTS as a Positive Case Study 15:24 – Market Forces and Media Adaptability 17:33 – Long-Tenured Churches and the Mold vs. Platform Distinction 24:18 – The Boomer Generational Cliff 30:16 – Carson, Piper, Keller, and Golden Age Expectations 39:23 – Evangelical Anxiety About Institutional Betrayal 43:31 – Technology, Formation, and the Performing Self 51:26 – Birth Rates, Legacy, and Thinking About Succession

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, Brad East, and James Wood trace the evangelical spiritual formation movement from Richard Foster through Dallas Willard to John Mark Comer. They explore why disciplines resonate today amid technological distraction and desire for embodied faith, while navigating tensions between individual and communal formation, liturgy's role, and concerns about practices becoming self-optimization divorced from gospel foundations. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership. Get 30% of the Baker Book of the Month, 30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity: Inspiring True Stories from the Early Church Around the World, by going to  Apply for a full-tuition scholarship for Beeson Divinity School's M.Div program that begins Fall 2026 here: https://bit.ly/beesonscholarships — Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 01:06 – Tracing the Spiritual Formation Movement 08:35 – Why Spiritual Disciplines Resonate Today 19:45 – Technology, Attention, and the Appeal of Forms 25:00 – Critiques: Self-Optimization and Theological Drift 33:12 – The Role of Set Prayers and Liturgy 44:50 – Inhabiting Forms vs. Formalism 53:00 – Suffering as Spiritual Formation 58:47 – The Danger of Christian Elitism 01:12:54 – The Parable of the Three Bricklayers

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Jeff Meyers and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 12:12-24. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Jeff Meyers and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 12:5-17. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts and Brad East talk with Dr. Jason Staples about his book 'Paul and the Resurrection of Israel.' The discussion explores the themes of restoration eschatology, the role of Gentiles in Paul's theology, and the nature of Israel's restoration. Staples argues that Paul's understanding of Israel is broader than just ethnic Jews, emphasizing the inclusion of Gentiles in the restoration narrative. The conversation also touches on the concept of infectious holiness and the church's role as the assembly of Israel, highlighting the theological implications of these ideas for contemporary Christianity. — Mere Fidelity is a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy and is listener-supported. If you would like to support this work, become a Mere Orthodoxy Member today at http://mereorthodoxy.com/membership Get 40% of the Baker Book of the Month, Reading The Psalms As Scripture by James Hamilton and Matthew Damico, by using the promo code MEREFIDELITY at checkout. Get the book here: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/products/9781683597766_reading-the-psalms-as-scripture — 00:00 Introduction to the Conversation   01:30 Not All Israelites Are Jews   09:47 Restoration Eschatology Explained   18:00 They're ALL Coming Back   26:08 Infectious Holiness   30:28 Reassimilation of the Other Tribes   40:15 Symphonic Gospels   47:27 The Transformation of Jews and Gentiles   01:02:51 Cut Off and Grafted In   01:09:13 Nations Qua Nations  

James Bejon, Alastair Roberts and Brian Moats discuss the magnificat and Luke's Christmas story. To listen to this ENTIRE series right now (with class notes!), download the Theopolis App! Use the code "theopolitan" to get your first month for FREE. app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu

Brian Moats, James Bejon, Jeff Meyers and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 11:32-40) GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

The New Testament presents Christ as the one in whom the deeper meaning of the Scriptures is disclosed. How does Chrsit transform the way that we hear the words of Scripture? Does this do violence to the literal meaning of the biblical texts?Please note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L'Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

Peter Leithart, James Bejon and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 11:7-12. GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East discuss the nature of preaching, exploring its purpose, context, and the role of the preacher. They discuss the importance of engaging the heart and conscience of the audience, the need for contextualization in sermons, and the common pitfalls that preachers face. The conversation emphasizes the collective nature of engaging with scripture and the significance of avoiding jargon to ensure accessibility for all listeners.

Peter Leithart, James Bejon and Alastair Roberts discuss Hebrews 11:4-7) GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts discuss how minds actually change—through paradigm shifts, careful arguments, or accumulated experience. They explore why steel-manning opponents and engaging charitably with the strongest versions of opposing views is more persuasive than antagonistic debate. The key insight: the best positions emerge when you're willing to incorporate real strengths from other viewpoints and make warranted concessions, which requires moving beyond polarized combat toward genuine good-faith dialogue.

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:34-11:3) Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

In this episode of Mere Fidelity, Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and James Wood engage in a deep conversation about the evolving landscape of evangelism and contextualization, particularly focusing on the concept of 'reality respecters'—individuals who are open to the gospel due to their recognition of certain truths in a world increasingly alienated from reality. They discuss the cultural shift towards a more right-leaning openness to Christianity, the importance of understanding individual contexts in evangelism, and the need for a balanced approach that acknowledges both right and left perspectives. The conversation emphasizes the necessity of speaking truthfully about reality while remaining rooted in the gospel's message, ultimately aiming to connect with diverse audiences in meaningful ways. Chapters   00:00 The Context of Evangelism Now 07:02 Understanding Reality Respecters 12:41 Missional Opportunities on Your Right 17:52 Ad Fonte 21:08 Connecting the Dots 28:05 Context and Meta-Context 33:15 Who Are You Preaching At? 37:04 Winsome Strategies 40:51 Problematic Reality 48:13 Spiritual Hunger on the Left 53:06 God Is In Control

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:27-33) Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy and Alastair Roberts explore the Bible as a technological medium, discussing its historical context, the impact of the Reformation on biblical engagement, and the shift from oral to written culture. They delve into the implications of modern technology on scripture interpretation and the importance of internalizing the word of God. The conversation also touches on eschatology and the balance between technology and tradition in the church's life. Chapters   00:00 Bible as Technology 04:25 From Performance to Page to Pixels 12:50 The Reformation 20:16 Eschatology 28:16 Steel Man the Tech 36:52 Metabolizing the Word 45:34 The Collective Encounter with Scripture

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:22-26) Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:15-21) Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

In this episode of Mere Fidelity, Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, James Wood, and Joseph Minich engage in a deep and sobering discussion about the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, reflecting on the implications of violence in society, the reactions to such events, and the role of social media in shaping narratives. They explore the need for a Christian response to violence, emphasizing the importance of prayer, community engagement, and the teachings of Augustine on justice and retaliation. The conversation highlights the fragility of societal discourse and the necessity of maintaining a Christ-centered perspective amidst chaos.   Chapters 00:00 - Reflections on a Tragic Event 03:57 - Identifying with the Victim 06:35 - Political Assassination 09:06 - Weight of Darkness 14:32 - Shocking Reactions Uncovered 19:44 - Meme Warfare 23:22 - Responsible or Reckless Rhetoric 27:22 - Asymmetrical in Narrative and Victimhood 33:29 - Girard Everywhere 38:09 - Time to Process 42:45 - Do Not Fear or Retaliate 48:47 - The Power of Prayer in Crisis

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:8-14) Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East explore the theological significance of the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament, discussing their roles as divine dwellings, their relationship to Israel's kingship, and their implications for understanding God's presence among His people. The conversation also looks into the destruction and rebuilding of the temple, the church as the new temple, and the counter-temple polemic in the New Testament, ultimately reflecting on how these themes shape our understanding of God's dwelling with humanity. Chapters 00:00 Theology from the Tabernacle 02:51 Orienting To the Tabernacle 05:49 Tent of Meeting 09:04 The Relationship Between the Tabernacle and the Temple 14:31 Architecture of Kingship 18:07 Nearness and Danger 21:58 The Lord at War 25:45 The Ark of Noah 28:08 Destruction and Rebuilding 36:10 Representation, Punishment, and Vindication 38:21 God's Presence in Exile 41:45 The Church as the New Temple 44:52 Counter-Temple Polemic in the New Testament 48:00 Finding Theology in Everything

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Brad East engage in a discussion about the concept of 'holy ambition' within the context of ministry. They explore the balance between ambition and faithfulness, the impact of social media on pastoral ambitions, and the fears associated with ministry today, including the fear of cancellation. The conversation emphasizes the importance of seeking God's approval over personal recognition and the need for pastors to dream big while remaining grounded in their faith. Chapters 00:00 - Exploring Holy Ambition 06:57 - The Tension of Ambition and Faithfulness 13:04 - The Nature of Ambition in Ministry 19:24 - Social Media and the Amplification of Ambition 25:37 - The Fear of Cancellation and Its Impact 31:42 - Finding Justification in God's Approval

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 10:1-7. _____ Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, James Bejon, Alastair Roberts, and Jeff Meyers discuss Hebrews 9:22-28. Timestamps: 0:00 – Platonic terms: Why Hebrews draws on the language of Philo and others. Distinction between heavenly and earthly realms, similar to Plato's “intelligible” and “sensible” realms.The realm of ideas/forms accessed by intellect vs. the sensible world below as a copy of the higher realm. 4:00 – Plato's Cave. 7:20 – What Platonic terms doesn't Hebrews use? How should we think about the relationship between various forms of Platonism and Hebrews? Is there overlap, and if so, how much? 10:00 – Does the heavenly realm need purification? Jesus destroys the Platonic divide between material and immaterial. 12:30 – Are Platonic terms used only for rhetorical or conceptual leverage? 15:30 – Jesus enters heaven as one who shared our flesh and blood. Human ascent, not intellectual ascent. 17:45 – Does stressing Platonic parallels offer any exegetical payoff? 20:30 – Today's text: Why does heaven need cleansing? 28:50 – Blood taken into the holy place: “strange” or “alien” blood. 35:00 – The purpose of Leviticus and how Jesus fulfills it. 36:20 – Hebrews 9:26. 38:00 – Jesus reaches the end of human history. 40:40 – A puzzling analogy: the “second appearance” of Christ in v. 28. Is there a preterist answer? _____ Check out the Audio Deacon Podcast www.audio-deacon.com/ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, James Wood, and Joe Minich explore whether modernity deserves our praise or criticism. They examine the goods and challenges of the modern world, from medical advances to technological disruption, asking how Christians should thoughtfully engage rather than simply retreat or embrace uncritically. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setup 02:10 Defining Modernity - What Are We Talking About? 07:54 The Goods of Modernity - Why People Embraced Change 17:13 The Revolutionary Character of Modern Life 25:33 Freedom From vs. Freedom For 30:44 The Problem of Collective Agency 39:05 Rising Risks and Diminished Control 46:00 The Church as Ark - Finding a Third Way 55:33 Critical Engagement vs. Simple Acceptance

In this episode of Mere Fidelity, Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, Brad East, and James Wood engage in a deep conversation about the complexities of inhabiting and leaving religious traditions. They explore the implications of a recent theological shift by Matthew Barrett from Baptist to Anglican, discussing the personal and theological dimensions of such transitions. The conversation delves into the nature of tradition, the challenges of maintaining ecclesial identity, and the virtues of leaving a tradition with grace and gratitude. The hosts emphasize the importance of honoring those who have shaped their faith journeys while navigating the intricacies of theological retrieval and the fragility of denominational identities in contemporary Christianity.   Chapters   00:00 Ecclesial Location 03:09 The Dynamics of Leaving a Tradition 05:31 Retrieval 10:18 Conscious & Unconscious Choice 17:32 The Nature of Tradition and Confessions 22:03 Engaging Outside One's Tradition 24:13 Different Levels of Accountability 27:07 The Fragilization of Denominational Identities 32:30 Tradition or "Vibes"? 35:00 Stronger Ecumenism 42:49 You Keep Using That Word... 49:35 Leaving a Tradition Gracefully

Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts and James Bejon discuss Hebrews 9:11-14. _____ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres

Peter Leithart, Alastair Roberts and James Bejon discuss Hebrews 9:9. _____ GIVE TO THEOPOLIS! theopolisinstitute.com/give/ Get the Theopolis App! app.theopolisinstitute.com/menu Use Code "theopolitan" to get your first month free! Sign up for In Medias Res mailchi.mp/0b01d726f2fe/inmediasres