Podcasts about graham tomlin

Belle has written a book! The co-host of Re-Enchanting joins Justin and Graham Tomlin to talk about manifesting, witchcraft, nature worship and more as they explore Belle's new book 'The Sacred Ache: A Christian perspective on the search for spirituality in witchcraft, crystals and tarot'. Reflecting on many interviews with former podcast guests, the team explore the positive and negative aspects of re-enchantment in contemporary culture.For 'The Sacred Ache': https://spckpublishing.co.uk/the-sacred-ache If you found this conversation interesting, Seen & Unseen, the creators of Re-Enchanting, offers thousands of articles exploring how the Christian faith helps us understand the modern world. Discover more here: www.seenandunseen.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ros Clarke talks to Graham Tomlin and Joshua Hordern about the book they have recently edited, A Voice in the Wilderness: Why should we listen to the Church of England? (SCM Press, 2026). They discuss the nature of having an established church and why we might want to resist disestablishment.

A talk from the 2026 Mockingbird Conference in NYC, Wow to the Deadness: Wonder for the Weary. April 25, 2026. Property of Mockingbird Ministries, all rights reserved (www.mbird.com).

The Rt. Revd. Dr. Graham Tomlin reminds us that the word that underlies all reality has been made flesh for us.

In this episode of GodPod, Graham Tomlin is joined by not one – but two – Michaels. Michael Leyden joins Graham and Michael Lloyd to explore the profound impact of Karl Barth, one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. Known for his resistance to Nazism and his Christ-centered theology, Barth's work continues to resonate in contemporary theological and ethical discussions. Join us as we delve into his life, his theological innovations, and his enduring legacy.For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of GodPod's Visionaries series, Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams delve into the life and legacy of John Calvin, a towering figure in the Protestant Reformation whose intellectual rigor and theological insights have left an indelible mark on Christianity. With the insight of Bruce Gordon, this conversation explores the complexities of Calvin's personality and uncovers the multifaceted contributions of John Calvin, whose ideas continue to resonate in contemporary religious and political thought, shaping the way we understand faith, governance, and community today. For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Graham Tomlin joins Kelsi to discuss the influence and faith of 17th-century polymath, Blaise Pascal, based on Tomlin's most recent book, "Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World." The two discuss his similarities and differences with Martin Luther, his views of 17th-century French society (and how this culture offers many lessons for our modern world), and his contributions to Christian apologetics. Graham is the editor-in-Chief of Seen & Unseen, and a former Bishop of Kensington. He is a regular contributor to national publications and has written many books and articles, both academic and more popular. He founded the Centre for Cultural Witness, home to Seen & Unseen, in 2023. He taught theology within Oxford University for many years before founding St. Mellitus College.Show Notes:⁠⁠⁠Support 1517 Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1517 Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1517 on Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1517 Events Schedule⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1517 Academy - Free Theological Education⁠⁠⁠More from Kelsi:⁠⁠⁠Kelsi Klembara⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kelsi on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kelsi on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kelsi's Substack⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the Show:⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠More from Graham: Order Blaise Pascal:The Man Who Made the Modern WorldSeen & UnseenGraham's Substack

James K. A. Smith joins Graham Tomlin and Michael Lloyd for this latest instalment of GodPod's Visionaries series. Together, they journey through the life and thought of St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the most influential figures in Christian theology. Known for his profound insights into human nature, sin, and divine grace, Augustine's ‘ancient' work continues to resonate in contemporary discussions of faith and ethics. This episode is a rich tapestry of theology, history, and personal reflection.For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Bishop Graham Tomlin & Dr Belle Tindall-Riley at Renaissance London 2025 as they unpack Blaise Pascal's ‘night of fire' - the night that changed the way he interacted with the world around him. So, with Pascal as a case-study, we'll be asking - what is the link between the Holy Spirit and creativity? Does spiritual experience fuel a radical and creative life?For more information about Renaissance, head to https://renaissancemovement.org/ ✨

Get Huel today with this exclusive offer for New Customers of 15% OFF with code alexoconnor at https://huel.com/alexoconnor (Minimum $50 purchase).For early, ad-free access to videos, and to support the channel, subscribe to my Substack.Graham Tomlin is a British theologian, author and former Church of England bishop.LINKS:Get Graham's book, Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern WorldGraham's organisation, Seen and Unseen TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Can Blaise Pascal Be Categorised?03:05 - Who Was Blaise Pascal?11:12 - Pascal's First Conversion17:19 - Pascal's “Night of Fire”21:59 - Did Pascal Reject Reason?31:45 - Pascal's War With Descartes42:31 - Did Pascal Invent the Bus?45:42 - The Heart Has Its Reasons, Of Which Reason Knows Nothing50:03 - How Pascal Invented Probability Theory52:29 - Pascal's Wager1:15:35 - The Pensées1:18:30 - Pascal's “Two Minds”1:22:39 - The Importance of Boredom1:26:58 - Why Should Atheists Read Pascal?1:31:34 - What Would Graham Ask Pascal?

The talk from the morning Service - 11th January 2026

“Our longings are much more powerful than our logic, and our desires are stronger than our reason.” (Graham Tomlin on the thought of Blaise Pascal)The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Tomlin (St. Mellitus College, the Centre for Cultural Witness) joins Evan Rosa for a sweeping exploration of Blaise Pascal—the 17th-century mathematician, scientist, philosopher, and theologian whose insights into human nature remain strikingly relevant. Tomlin traces Pascal's life of brilliance and illness, his tension between scientific acclaim and radical devotion, and his deep engagement with Descartes, Montaigne, and Augustine. The conversation moves through Pascal's analysis of self-deception, his critique of rationalism and skepticism, the transformative Night of Fire, his compassion for the poor, and the wager's misunderstood meaning. Tomlin presents Pascal as a thinker who speaks directly to our distracted age, revealing a humanity marked by greatness, misery, and a desperate longing only grace can satisfy.Episode Highlights“Our longings are much more powerful than our logic, and our desires are stronger than our reason.”“The greatness and the refuse of the universe—that's what we are. We're the greatest thing and also the worst thing.”“If everybody knew what everybody else said about them, there would not be four friends left in the world.”“Only grace can begin to turn that self-oriented nature around and implant in us a desire for God.”“The reason you cannot believe is not because of your reason; it's because of your passions.”Show NotesGraham Tomlin introduces the Night of Fire and Pascal's meditation on “the greatness of the human soul”Evan Rosa frames Pascal as a figure of mystery, mechanics, faith, and modern technological influence.Tomlin contrasts Pascal with Descartes and Montaigne—rationalism vs. skepticism—locating Pascal between their poles.Pascal's awareness of distraction, competition, and “all men naturally hate each other” surfaces early as a key anthropological insight.Evan notes Nietzsche's striking admiration: “his blood runs through my veins.”Tomlin elaborates on Pascal's lifelong tension between scientific achievement and spiritual devotion.The story of the servant discovering the hidden Night of Fire parchment in Pascal's coat lining is recounted.Tomlin reads the core text: “Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy… Let me never be separated from him.”Pascal's distinction: “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers.”Discussion of Jansenism, Augustinian anthropology, and the gravity of human fallenness.Tomlin sets the philosophical context: Pascal as a counter to both rationalist optimism and skeptical relativism.Pascal's core tension—grandeur and misery—is presented as the interpretive key to human nature.Quote emerges: “the greatness and the refuse of the universe—that's what we are.”Tomlin describes Pascal's political skepticism and the idea that politics offers only “rules for a madhouse.”Pascal's diagnosis of self-deception: “If everybody knew what everybody else said about them, there would not be four friends left in the world.”Evan raises questions about social hope; Tomlin answers with Pascal's belief that only grace can break self-love.They explore Pascal's critique of distraction and the famous line: “the sole cause of man's unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.”Tomlin ties this to contemporary digital distraction—“weapons of mass distraction”.The conversation turns to the wager, reframed not as coercion but exposure: unbelief is driven by passions more than reasons.Closing reflections highlight the apologetic project of the Pensées, Pascal's brilliance, and his ongoing relevance.Helpful Links and ReferencesSpecial thanks to the Center for Christian Witness and Seen and Unseen https://www.seenandunseen.com/Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World, by Graham Tomlin https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/graham-tomlin/blaise-pascal/9781399807661/Pensées, by Blaise Pascal https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18269Provincial Letters, by Blaise Pascal https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2407Why Being Yourself Is a Bad Idea, by Graham Tomlinhttps://www.amazon.com/Why-Being-Yourself-Bad-Idea/dp/0281087097Montaigne's Essays https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3600Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23306Augustine's Confessions https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3296About Graham TomlinGraham Tomlin is a British theologian, writer, and church leader. He is the former Bishop of Kensington (2015-2022) in the Church of England and now serves as Director of the Centre for Cultural Witness and President of St Mellitus College in London. He is widely known for connecting theology with cultural life and public imagination. Tomlin is the author of several books, including Looking Through the Cross, The Widening Circle, and Why Being Yourself Is a Bad Idea: And Other Countercultural Notions. His latest book is an intellectual and spiritual biography, Blaise Pascal: The Man Who Made the Modern World.Production NotesThis episode was made possible in part by the generous support of the Tyndale House FoundationThis podcast featured Graham TomlinProduction Assistance by Emily Brookfield and Alexa RollowEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaA production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

Gespräch mit dem Bischof von Kensington, Dr. Graham Tomlin, moderiert von Dr. Helge Bezold (Evangelische Akademie Frankfurt) und Dr. Johannes Lorenz (Katholische Akademie Rabanus Maurus). In seinem unterhaltsamen Buch „Sei du selbst! Und andere schlechte Ideen“ (2025) zeigt der britische Theologe Graham Tomlin, wie verbreitete Lebensweisheiten der westlichen Gesellschaft und der Hang zur Selbstoptimierung auf Social Media heute unser Denken und Handeln prägen. Anschaulich und lebensnah geht er der Frage nach, wie sich das mit der christlichen Theologie ins Gespräch bringen lässt. Er antwortet auf unsere Fragen und geht mit uns seiner theologischen Position auf den Grund.

In this episode, we explore the life and mind of whom historian Tom Holland calls “17th century Europe's supreme polymath": Blaise Pascal. Our guide is Graham Tomlin, a former bishop in the Church of England. Drawing from his book, Blaise Pascal, the Man Who Made the Modern World, Graham brings us on a journey through Pascal's life, his conversion to Christianity, and his famous argument for belief in God known as “the Wager.”Together, we'll explore the ways in which Pascal himself can still be a guide for us today. "What else does [man's] craving and helplessness proclaim—but that there was once in man a true happiness of which all that remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there, the help that he cannot find in those that are. Though none can help. Because this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object. In other words, by God himself."This conversation was recorded in August 2025. You can find the original video and transcript here.Thank you for joining us in exploring timeless wisdom together, to help you gain clarity and courage for your own life, and to help nurture a culture of renewed hope.

Sei du selbst - und andere schlechte Ideen. So heißt das jetzt in deutsch erschienene Buch des britischen Theologen Graham Tomlin. Wir haben mit ihm darüber gesprochen. Rt. Revd. Dr. Graham Tomlin, ehem. Bischof Church of England Im Gespräch mit: Helge Bezold, Evangelische Akademie Frankfurt und Johannes Lorenz, Katholische Akademie Rabanus Maurus

In this enlightening episode of GodPod's Visionaries series, we delve into the profound impact of Thomas Aquinas on modern thought. Join hosts Graham Tomlin and Michael Lloyd as they explore Aquinas' reconciliation of religion with reason, his fearless intellectual curiosity, and his enduring influence on theology, philosophy, and beyond. With insights from Professor Andrew Davison, discover how Aquinas' legacy continues to shape our understanding of faith, reason, and the world today. Tune in for a journey through history that reveals the timeless relevance of Aquinas' ideasFor more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dive into the timeless legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach and discover how his genius continues to shape modern music. In this, the latest episode in GodPod's Visionaries series, Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams, alongside Jeremy Begbie, explore Bach's innovative compositions and their profound influence on contemporary genres, from classical to pop. Join us as we unravel the threads connecting Bach's masterpieces to today's musical landscape, revealing the enduring power of his work and excavating the theology that underpins it. Whether you're a seasoned musician or a curious listener, this episode offers fresh insights into the genius of Bach and his lasting impact on the world of music and theology.For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of GodPod's Visionaries series, we delve into the profound teachings of Julian of Norwich, as explored through the lens of Dr. Claire Gilbert's novel, "I, Julian." We uncover the spiritual insights of this medieval mystic, whose visions and writings continue to resonate in today's world. Discover how Julian's reflections on divine love, suffering, and the promise that "all shall be well" offer timeless wisdom and hope. So, join Graham Tomlin and Micheal Lloyd for a captivating discussion that bridges the past and present, illuminating the enduring relevance of Julian's spiritual journey.For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this, the first installment of GodPod' Visionaries series, Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams delve into the profound impact of Søren Kierkegaard, the enigmatic Danish philosopher whose ideas continue to resonate in today's world. Join us as we explore Kierkegaard's critique of Christendom (or ‘cultural Christianity'), his emphasis on individual authenticity, and his challenge to the herd mentality. With insights from Dr. Stephen Backhouse, an expert on Kierkegaard, we uncover how this 19th-century thinker shaped modern existentialism and continues to influence contemporary discussions on faith, individuality, and societal norms. Tune in to discover why Kierkegaard's legacy is, perhaps, more relevant than ever.For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St MellitusFor more about Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textWhat do Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Alex O'Connor, Matt Dillahunty, Rationality Rules and Genetically Modified Skeptic have in common? They've all commented on Pascal's Wager. And they've all misunderstood him. It's easy to do. Most people misunderstand the French Mathematician and Philosopher (1622-1666).In this podcast, Glen Scrivener discusses common misconceptions of the Wager and, with the help of Rev Dr Graham Tomlin and Tim Keller, brings out Pascal's original intention.Graham Tomlin's book: Pascal, The Man Who Made the Modern World… https://amzn.eu/d/djuoGRjGraham Tomlin's excellent website: https://www.seenandunseen.com/Glen's full conversation with Graham Tomlin (SLP594): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1202891/episodes/17409006Book your place at Responding to the Rebirth: http://rebirthconference.netCheck out the 321 course and The 321 Podcast at: 321course.comSubscribe to the Speak Life YouTube channel for videos which see all of life with Jesus at the centre:youtube.com/SpeakLifeMediaSubscribe to the Reformed Mythologist YouTube channel to explore how the stories we love point to the greatest story of all:youtube.com/@ReformedMythologistDiscord is an online platform where you can interact with the Speak Life team and other Speak Life supporters. There's bonus content, creative/theological discussion and lots of fun. Join our Discord here:speaklife.org.uk/discordSpeak Life is a UK based charity that resources the church to reach the world.Learn more about us here:speaklife.org.ukSupport the show

Send us a textGlen Scrivener interviews Graham Tomlin about his book 'Blaise Pascal:The Man Who Made the Modern World'. They discuss how René Descartes introduced a radical method of doubt which has had a huge impact on how we see the world and the split between fact and value. But Blaise Pascal, living at the same time as Descartes, had a different approach.Book your place at Responding to the Rebirth: http://rebirthconference.netCheck out the 321 course and The 321 Podcast at: 321course.comSubscribe to the Speak Life YouTube channel for videos which see all of life with Jesus at the centre:youtube.com/SpeakLifeMediaSubscribe to the Reformed Mythologist YouTube channel to explore how the stories we love point to the greatest story of all:youtube.com/@ReformedMythologistDiscord is an online platform where you can interact with the Speak Life team and other Speak Life supporters. There's bonus content, creative/theological discussion and lots of fun. Join our Discord here:speaklife.org.uk/discordSpeak Life is a UK based charity that resources the church to reach the world.Learn more about us here:speaklife.org.ukSupport the show

Graham Tomlin is the Director of the Centre For Cultural Witness, and Editor in Chief of Seen and Unseen. As the former bishop of Kensington he has been involved in theological education and cultural engagement for several years. His latest book is ‘Blaise Pascal: The man who made the modern world'.Justin, Belle and Graham explore the life and legacy of Pascal, a polymath who, in a relatively short lifetime, made huge contributions not only to science, mathematics, technology and culture but also offered arguments for Christianity that are still widely discussed today. Blaise Pascal book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blaise-Pascal-Made-Modern-World/dp/1399807641 Seen & Unseen: https://www.seenandunseen.com/contributors/graham-tomlin If you found this conversation interesting, Seen & Unseen, the creators of Re-Enchanting, offers thousands of articles exploring how the Christian faith helps us understand the modern world. Discover more here: www.seenandunseen.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Graham Tomlin reminds us that kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, but Jesus remains the Messiah through it all.

What does the possibility of life on other planets mean for the incarnation? Why is there so much fear and panic around theology? Is it merely a set of rigid rules, or is it something more expansive than that? These are just some of the questions pondered by our three presenters – Jane Williams, Micheal Lloyd and Graham Tomlin – along with Andrew Davison, Canon and Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford University.For more about Professor Andrew Davison: Faculty of Theology and Religion Announces New Regius Professors | Faculty of Theology and Religion (ox.ac.uk)For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For St Mellitus College: Home Page | St MellitusFor Wycliffe Hall: Home | WYCLIFFE HALL (ox.ac.uk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How well do we deal with our own death? What is a ‘technology-dependant death', and should we want it? Just because we can prolong our lives, should we?These are just some of the questions pondered by our three presenters – Jane Williams, Micheal Lloyd and Graham Tomlin – along with physician and ethicist, Dr Lydia Dugdale.Lydia talks the presenters through the historical shifts that have caused us to go from speaking about death openly and honestly, to having a newfound societal imagination that tells us that ‘death won't come to us' – and why that's a problem.This is one of the most thought-provoking episodes of GodPod yet.For more about Lydia and her bestselling book – The Lost Art of Dying: Lydia S. Dugdale (lydiadugdale.com)For more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the cost of ambition? Does it make us a better version of ourselves, or does it diminish us? What's a theological response to meritocracy and comparison? What makes a life worth living?These are just some of the questions pondered by our three presenters – Jane Williams, Micheal Lloyd and Graham Tomlin – along with renowned theologian, Miroslav Volf.Miroslav is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and the founder and director of the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture. He has written or edited more than 20 books, over 100 scholarly articles, and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, and several other outlets.For more from Miroslav: Miroslav Volf | YCFCFor more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cultural Witness – zu diesem Thema trafen sich Mitte Juni über 500 Menschen in Fribourg zu einem christlichen Forum und dachten darüber nach, wie Glaube in der Gesellschaft (wieder) sichtbar werden kann. Sie liessen sich inspirieren von herausragenden Theolog:innen (Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Christine Schliesser, Graham Tomlin), aber auch von Menschen aus Kultur und Kunst wie dem Historiker Tom Holland, der Schriftstellerin Ester Maria Magnis und dem Maler Michael Triegel. Thorsten, Andreas und ihr Gast Manuel Schmid waren dabei und teilen ihre Eindrücke von dieser Tagung: was sie inspiriert hat, wie sie selbst sich zu entscheidenden Fragen (z.B. das Verhältnis von Glauben und Kultur) stellen würden – und was sie vermisst haben.

This episode is a little bit special. Recorded live as a part of HTB's 2024 Leadership Conference, GodPod's Graham Tomlin interviews Dr Johannes Hartl. Johannes is a philosopher, theologian, spiritual leader, musician and author, dealing in topics of meaning, connectedness, beauty and faith. He is also the founder of the House of Prayer in Augsburg and, more recently, Eden Culture.Graham and Joahnnes, joined by a live audience, speak of the self, language, how the transcendent is understood in our cultural moment and the power and beauty of prayer. This conversation is diverse and rich, and absolutely not to be missed. For more from Johannes: Homepage - johanneshartl.orgFor Johannes' talk on the LC main stage (along with other curated highlights for the event): LC24 — Leadership ConferenceFor more from Seen and Unseen: Seen & Unseen | Seen & Unseen (seenandunseen.com)For more about St Mellitus: Home Page | St Mellitus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oliver Dürr und Nicolas Matter gehen der Frage nach, warum es ein kulturelles Zeugnis der Christen braucht und was uns am Forum Glaube und Gesellschaft erwartet. Jetzt hier anmelden: https://www.unifr.ch/glaubeundgesellschaft/de/veranstaltungen/studientage-2024/anmeldung.htmlMit Tom Holland, Michael Triegel, Ester Maria Magnis, Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Graham Tomlin, Gudrun Nassauer, Christine Schliesser, Peter Bouteneff, Ralph Kunz, Benjamin Schliesser, Corinna Schubert und vielen weiteren Referentinnen und Referenten.ERWÄHNUNGEN GOTT BRAUCHT DICH NICHT. Esther Maria Magnis https://www.rowohlt.de/buch/esther-maria-magnis-gott-braucht-dich-nicht-9783499624360EDEN FEST. Johannes Hartl https://eden-fest.de/ SEEN & UNSEEN. Graham Tomlin https://www.seenandunseen.com/SPENDENhttps://www.unifr.ch/glaubeundgesellschaft/de/spenden/spenden.htmlPODCASTPodcast herunterladen: https://www.glaubeundgesellschaft.ch/podcast-1

We're back again.In this, the second episode of the re-launched GodPod, Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams (no Miketoday, but rest assured – he'll be back soon) are joined by Roger Bretherton, Associate Professor ofPsychology at the University of Lincoln, accredited clinical psychologist and regular writer for Seenand Unseen.Together, Jane, Graham and Roger discuss the many places where faith and psychology meet –talking through the nature of humility, mindfulness, grace, self-esteem, community and characterformation. This is a discussion brimming with wisdom, and therefore, not to be missed.For Roger's book: Being Mindful, Being Christian: A guide to mindful discipleship: Amazon.co.uk:Joanna Collicutt, Roger Bretherton, Jennifer Brickman: 9780857217295: BooksFor more from Seen and UnseenFor more about St Mellitus Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GodPod is back.In this, the first episode of the re-launched podcast, Graham Tomlin, Jane Williams and Micheal Lloyd are joined by Prof. Nigel Crook, an expert in AI and robotics. Together, they discuss their hopes and fears when it comes to the impact that AI is about to have on society and culture, as well as our obsession with our own image and our constant desire to ‘play God'.For Nigel Crook's book on the subject: Rise of the Moral Machine: Exploring Virtue Through a Robot's EyesFor more from Seen and Unseen. For more about St Mellitus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check out John Behr's new translation of Gregory of Nyssa's On the Human Image of God.What does it mean to be human? We pay attention to our broken humanity more during Lent. And there's that phrase, when we make a mistake, "I'm only human!" True. But what about the glory and promise of being human? What kind of humanity we see in the pattern of Christ? How do we live now, if our destiny is to be, as the saints tell us, "raised with Christ" who is "seated at the right hand of God"?Today we'll talk with theologian John Behr about St. Gregory of Nyssa's work, On the Human Image of God, and John's new translation of it. We'll listen in as Gregory, like the theological rock star he is, takes a melody from Plato and riffs hard, but with a Christian anthropology, and creates nothing less than an anthem to God's saving work in Jesus.What is a human? How do humans have a special relationship with death? And how does the gospel, and especially John's gospel, peel back the curtain on what Jesus' humanity is doing for all creatures?The Rev. Dr. John Behr is Regius Professor of Humanity at the University of Aberdeen. He previously taught at St. Vladmir's Seminary, where he served as dean from 2007-17. John is also the Metropolitan Kallistos Chair of Orthodox Theology at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Center for Orthodox Theology. (Finally a quick shout-out: if you're interested in this question, What does it mean to be human?, then save the date, friends! The Living Church is hosting a conference this September 26-28 in Oklahoma City entitled The Human Pilgrimage: A Conference on How to Live. We've got a beautiful slate of speakers, including Katherine Sonderegger, Amy Peeler, Victor Austin, and Graham Tomlin. Watch any Living Church space for registration coming soon.)Now brush up on your Greek, because there will be a test on the Timaeus at the end of this. (Just kidding.) We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Christmas has come early on the 'Stay Curious' podcast! On this special episode we're joined by special guest Bishop Graham Tomlin, who is our resident Saint Nicholas expert, answers big Santa questions, and Alex has a shock 40 before 40 challenge. We're curious about big things, small things, theological things, mundane things, totally irrelevant things. If there is something you'd like for us to explore on the podcast, send us an email on uk@alpha.org!

Graham Tomlin is a British theologian, author and Church of England bishop. Since 2022, he has led the Centre for Cultural Witness; he served as Bishop of Kensington, an area bishop in the Diocese of London from 2015 until 2022. From 2007 until 2015, he was dean then principal of St Mellitus College and is now its president. Tomlin was born in 1958. His father was a Baptist minister. He was brought up a Christian but became an atheist during his teenage years. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School; the school was at first an all-boys direct grant grammar school before becoming a private school in 1976. He studied English literature at Lincoln College, Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of Oxford in 1980; as per tradition, this BA degree was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA (Oxon)) degree in 1983.He returned to Oxford to study theology and train for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He graduated from the University of Oxford with another BA degree in 1985. He later completed a PhD in theology at the University of Exeter on St Paul, Martin Luther and Blaise Pascal.[2] His doctoral thesis was titled "Foolishness and wisdom: the Theology of the Cross in Paul, Luther and Pascal".[6] Ordained ministry Tomlin was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1986 and as a priest in 1987. He was curate of St Leonard's Church in Exeter before returning to Oxford to be chaplain (1989–1994) of Jesus College and a tutor in historical theology and evangelism at Wycliffe Hall, where he eventually became the vice-principal. He was for several years a member of the Faculty of Theology of Oxford University, teaching on the Reformation and contemporary mission and culture, before moving to London in 2005. He was the principal of St Mellitus College,[8] a new church training institution set up by the bishops of London and Chelmsford, providing theological education across London, Essex, the south west, and the East Midlands. He was also principal of St Paul's Theological Centre, which is based at Holy Trinity Brompton, and a constituent member of St Mellitus College.[9] Tomlin belongs to the evangelical charismatic tradition of the Church of England.[10] Episcopal ministry On 2 July 2015, it was announced that Tomlin would become Bishop of Kensington, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.[11] On 23 September 2015, he was consecrated a bishop in Canterbury Cathedral by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.[12][13] in 2017 he was involved in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire in west London, and organised the national memorial service in St Paul's Cathedral in December 2017. He was the Vice Chair of the Archbishop of Canterbury's Commission on Housing, Church and Community. It was announced in February 2022 that Tomlin was to resign his See during August 2022, in order to lead a new Church of England Centre for Cultural Witness.[14] He duly resigned his See effective 30 August 2022

Richard Dawkins and the new atheists began a popular anti-God movement in the mid 2000s. But why did the movement sputter out? And could we be seeing the start of a new conversation on God?Re-Enchanting co-host Justin Brierley becomes the guest in this edition of the show as Belle Tindall and Graham Tomlin interview him about his new book 'The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why new atheism grew old and secular thinkers are considering Christianity again.'For the book: https://justinbrierley.com/the-surprising-rebirth-of-belief-in-god/ For Re-Enchanting: https://www.seenandunseen.com/podcastThere's more to life than the world we can see. Re-Enchanting is a podcast from Seen & Unseen recorded at Lambeth Palace Library, the home of the Centre for Cultural Witness. Justin Brierley and Belle Tindall engage faith and spirituality with leading figures in science, history, politics, art and education. Can our culture be re-enchanted by the vision of Christianity? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mickey and Bishop Todd sit down with none other than British theologian and author Graham Tomlin to discuss international faux pas, the current relationship of the Anglican Communion to the Church of England, and the place of Christian cultural witness. Graham's work on the website Seen & Unseen: Perspectives on Just About Everything will inspire [...]

Mickey and Bishop Todd sit down with none other than British theologian and author Graham Tomlin to discuss international faux pas, the current relationship of the Anglican Communion to the Church of England, and the place of Christian cultural witness. Graham's work on the website Seen & Unseen: Perspectives on Just About Everything will inspire [...]

In this special episode of GodPod, +Graham Tomlin and Jane Williams are joined by Revd Dr. James Hawkey. Jamie is the Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey and Chair of the Westminster Abbey Institute. He is also the Chaplain to HM The King. Together they discuss the upcoming Coronation of King Charles III.

In this inaugural episode, Belle Tindall and Justin Brierley chat with Bishop Graham Tomlin, director of the recently established Centre for Cultural Witness, about modern 'dis-enchantment' and whether there is still room for Christian faith in the contemporary West. They discuss the new podcast Re-Enchanting and the Centre's new website Seen & Unseen.https://www.seenandunseen.com/podcastThere's more to life than the world we can see. Re-Enchanting is a podcast from Seen & Unseen engaging faith and spirituality with leading figures in science, history, politics, art and education. Can our culture be re-enchanted by the vision of Christianity? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim is joined this week by Graham Tomlin, the former Bishop of Kensington who now leads the Centre for Cultural Witness. They discuss the Church's drive to make Christianity more relevant and the need to help people make sense of the Gospel. Tim also reflects on why among all the big stories going on in the world, Boris Johnson is again dominating the headlines. Want your question answered next week? Drop a quick email to farron@premier.org.uk.

Eine wert- und zielorientierte Gemeinschaft hat per Definition Grenzen. Das ist auch nicht schlecht, die Frage stellt sich jedoch: "Wie gehen wir mit Menschen um, die nicht in diese Grenzen passen oder diese Grenzen anders ziehen würden?"In dieser Episode geht es um Gemeinschaft, Identität, Inklusion aber auch Ausgrenzung innerhalb von christlichen Gemeinschaften.

Graham Tomlin from HTB - Holy Trinity Church, Brompton on 26/05/2013

"If you don't really understand religion, if you don't understand faith, if you don't understand theology, you can't really understand the modern world.""Words make worlds," says one of my podcasting heroes, Krista Tippett. Ask any poet, priest, or politician, and they'll agree. Language does have that power, for better or for worse.But whatever power our words have to make a world that we can then ourselves inhabit—that power is drawn from the archetypal Word—the Word made flesh, by whom all things are made and in whom all things are held together, and for whom all tongues confess.So this simple definition offered by Bishop Graham Tomlin, that theology is just "words about God" is actually quite expansive. When our words about God are directed first toward God, but then toward the church and the world, theology lives up to its purpose of worship, reform, and witness. Graham Tomlin is President of St. Mellitus College and author of many books of theology and Christian spirituality. He recently completed his tenure as Bishop of Kensington and now leads the Church of England's Center for Cultural Witness. He joins Matt Croasmun today for a conversation about the meaning and potential of theology. Thanks for listening.About Graham TomlinThe Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin is President of St Mellitus College and Bishop of Kensington. He served a curacy in the diocese of Exeter, and among past roles he has served as Chaplain of Jesus College, Oxford and Vice Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, where he taught within the Theology Faculty of Oxford University on Historical Theology, specializing in the Reformation period. He was closely involved in the foundation, and was appointed the first Dean, of St Mellitus College, a position he held for the first eight years of the College's life, before being made Bishop of Kensington in 2015. He has spoken and lectured across the world, and in 2016 was awarded the Silver Rose of St Nicholas, a global award recognizing a significant contribution to theological education and learning. He was very involved in the response to the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. He is married to Janet and has two married children and three grandchildren. He is a keen follower of various kinds of music and sport, suffering a lifelong addiction to Bristol City Football Club.Show NotesThe Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin is President of St Mellitus College and Bishop of Kensington.What's going well with theologyTheology connecting in the church; the church as context for theologySpiritual theology deepening and nurturing human lifeEllen Charry and thinking about eudaimonia in theological contextChallenges to theologyFragmentationThree audiences for theology: God, Church, and WorldAudience 1: God. Theology as prayer and worshipAudience 2: Church. Theology as reform and referendum, enabling the church to be the churchAudience 3: World. Theology as witness, declaring what life looks like, seen through the lens of the gospel.Theology for the World: Pluralism and Secularity"If you don't really understand religion, if you don't understand faith, if you don't understand theology, you can't really understand the modern world."Religious studies and objectivity vs subjectivity in studying religionLived experience and inhabiting faith to understand it.Theology's connection to every other academic endeavorTheos, Logos: Words about GodGod as the source of our being and the one to which we return.Three aspects of Theology: Worship, Reform, and WitnessThe God who reveals himself to usThinking holistically about the worldEngaging heart and mindAbout St. MellitusTheology in the church doesn't mean dumbing it down or removing academic seriousness.Theologians with a passion for the church and see the connection between theology and Christian life.Churches don't always see the need for theology; they stay pragmatic.Production NotesThis podcast featured Graham TomlinEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

This is a brief ‘taster' of an hour long conversation some friends and I had based on a podcast entitled 'Reasons to Believe Beyond Reason: The Faith of Blaise Pascal' with Dr. Graham Tomlin. T.S. Eliot once wrote, “I can think of no Christian writer… more to be commended than Pascal to those who doubt, but have the mind to conceive, and the sensibility to feel, the disorder, the futility, the meaninglessness, the mystery of life and suffering, and who can only find peace through a satisfaction of the whole being.” We will be looking at the life and work of the 17th century French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, a man who peculiarly embodied the anxieties of his age and ours, anticipating the intellectual quandaries of Christian belief posed by the Zeitgeists of the modern and post-moderns worlds. [description from Theology on Tap / Mission Chattanooga] Catch the 'Reasons to Believe Beyond Reason: The Faith of Blaise Pascal' with Dr. Graham Tomlin podcast episode that we listened to before our discussion here: Apple: https://apple.co/3BMVBdd Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3p2ho99 +++ + Special Thanks to.. designer Jonathan Scheele for incredible work, musician Radical Face for use of the tracks "I'll Be There Soon", and "Home Movies" from the album Missing Film, and author J.R.R. Tolkien for the quote from his work, 'The Hobbit: There and Back Again' (1937) in the podcast intro. > ArtistSoulFriend.com / Twitter: @_EdgeoftheWild_ / Instagram: @EdgeoftheWildPodcast / Facebook: EdgeoftheWildPodcast +++ Leave us a message! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/edgeofthewildpodcast/message

We can truly love others as God loves us through sacrifice. Do you sacrifice anything for those you say you love? Do others make sacrifices to show love to you? The Bishop of Kensington, Dr Graham Tomlin, teaches us how to truly love others through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Graham Tomlin from HTB - Holy Trinity Church, Brompton on 25/05/2014

Why being yourself is a bad idea & other counter cultural notions…. What other podcast do  you get to listen to a  Bishop talking about counter cultural ideas on IDENTITY, LOVE ❤️ & FREEDOM ✊?!?  Do you think  we are more like onions or artichokes!?  Email: feedbacktabletalk@gmail.com  LINK TO BUY BISHOP GRAHAM'S BOOK

Facing the Canon this week is Bishop Graham Tomlin, the Bishop of Kensington. Together, they discuss Bishop Graham's new book 'Why Being Yourself is a Bad Idea'.

Graham Tomlin is the Bishop of Kensington, the President of St. Mellitus College, and one of the official Visitors to the OMS. This podcast was recorded at the 2019 OMS Vow Ceremony in Belfast Ireland and in it Bishop Tomlin addresses healthy dynamics between religious orders and local churches.

This episode of CS is titled Luther's Legacy.Long time subscribers to CS know that while the podcast isn't bias free, I do strive to treat subjects fairly. However, being a pastor of a non-denominational, evangelical Christian church in SoCal, I do have my views and opinions on the material we cover. When I share those opinions, I try to mark them as such. So >> Warning; Blatant opinion now ensues …We live in the Era of the Instant. People expect to have things quickly and relatively easily. Technology has produced an array of labor-saving devices that reduce once arduous tasks to effortless, “push a button and voila” procedures. Sadly, many assume such instantifying applies to the acquisition of knowledge as well. The internet enhances this expectation with ready access to on-line information, not just thru a desktop computer, but via smartphones where ever we are.And of course, if it's on the interwebs, it must be true.But knowledge and understanding are different things. Knowing a fact doesn't equal understanding a concept, truth or principle. And many people now want their history in condensed form. They don't really care to understand so much as to “get an A on the quiz” or, be able to answer trivia game questions. They can answer multiple choice but wouldn't have a clue how to write an essay.I say all this as we fill in some of our gaps on Martin Luther for two reasons.First – The very nature of this podcast, short snippets on Church history, can easily foster a cavalier attitude toward our subject. So I need to make a MASSIVE qualifier and say that if all someone listens to is CS, they must never, ever assume they know Church History. My entire aim is to give those who listen reference points, a broad sweep of history with just enough detail to spark your embarking on your own journey of studying this fascinating subject. Pick one era, maybe just 1st C, and one region, then study everything you can find about it. Become an expert on that one span of history. Press in past the dates and people and places, seeking to truly understand. Then use that to expand your study either backward or forward in time.Second – When we think of someone like Martin Luther, we tend to make him an index for a certain idea or movement. “Martin Luther: Father of the Reformation.” The problem with this is that we then tend to assume Luther was born with the intent of breaking away from the Roman church, as our last 2 episodes have shown was not at all the case. The evolution of Luther's thoughts was an amazing microcosm of what was happening in at least hundreds, and probably thousands of people at that time. He just happened to be positioned as the lightening rod of change.In this episode, I want to fill in some of the gaps the previous couple episodes left because of our time-limited routine here on CS. What follows is a bit of a hodge-podge meant to provide a little more context for understanding Luther and how he came to the ideas he articulated and millions ended up embracing.Martin Luther ranks as one of the most influential figures of the last thousand years. While Marco Polo and Columbus opened new lands, Shakespeare and Michelangelo produced some of the most sublime art, and Napoleon and Stalin changed the political face of their times, Luther triggered a change in the human spirit that's reached billions all around the world. The ideas announced in his sermons and written in books have affected virtually every realm and sphere of human activity, from politics to art, work to leisure. Truth be told, Luther's main body of work was a conscious part of the early American character and continued to play a central role until recently. It was Luther who played wet-nurse to the Modern world's emergence from Medievalism. We can neither credit nor blame Luther for the whole of what eventually became Protestantism, but as one who played a critical role in the emergence of a new movement and a new way of life for millions of people, the influence of his actions and beliefs on the past 500 years is beyond calculating. The modern world can barely be understood without Luther and the Reformation he sparked.Once Martin Luther was ordained a priest and settled into his ministry at Erfurt, his    superiors in the Augustinian order decided he should continue with his theological studies. Having gained a Master of Arts, he was qualified to lecture on philosophy. But he knew he needed more study to qualify as a lecturer on the Bible.The first step toward that end was to lecture on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, a standard theology textbook of the Middle Ages, which collected extracts from Scripture and the early church Fathers, arranged under topical headings to enhance discussion of theological issues. Under the guidance of Johann Nathin, a Professor of Theology and a senior member of Luther's order, Luther set to work studying texts such as Gabriel Biel's Dogmatics, a commentary on Lombard's Sentences. Luther devoured Lombard's theology.Meanwhile, Johann von Staupitz had been involved with the German Prince and Elector, Frederick the Wise, in establishing a new university in a small town called Wittenberg, 100 miles NW of Erfurt. In the Winter of 1508–9, he invited Luther to move and teach there. Staupitz was himself Lecturer in Biblical Studies in Wittenberg, so the idea was for Luther to help with the teaching of Aristotle's Ethics. At the same time, he would work towards his doctorate, the ultimate qualification to teach theology in the church and university. After a single term, he was recalled to Erfurt for a further two years to fill a gap in the teaching program, but eventually returned to Wittenberg in 1512. Luther was placed in charge of  teaching younger Augustinian friars in the order's house in town. He received his doctorate in mid-October and enrolled as a full teaching member of the university.These years also saw the growth of Luther's profile within the Augustinian Order. In 1510, he was sent with a fellow friar to Rome to try to sort out a complex internal matter connected with the order. They assumed his training as a lawyer positioned him as perfect for the job. The trip proved unsuccessful, but it was Luther's only trip outside Germany.The Modern and mostly uninformed view of the Middle Ages is that it was a time when the people of Europe assumed they knew everything, and that the everything they knew was colossally wrong. But we Moderns NOW know è WE know everything. Ha!It does not take much investigation to realize this image of medieval thought is far from true. Erfurt, like most German universities of the time, was a place of wide theological variety. For several centuries, theology in the universities of Europe had been dominated by The Scholastics.By the time Luther came on the scene, there were three main types of Scholastic theology in operation. The first two, following the teaching of Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus were by then known as the ‘old way' or Realists. Alongside this was emerging a new kind of theology, called the ‘modern way', o r Nominalists.One central question medieval theologians often pondered concerned the parts played by God and humans in salvation. The question of how we can come into a right relationship with God or, as the theologians called it, the doctrine of justification, was a hot topic. Contrary to what we might think, no one in late-medieval theological circles believed that a person could earn salvation purely by their own efforts. All agreed that God's grace was necessary for salvation. The point at issue was how much and what kind of help was needed, and what part people played in the process. The Church's teaching on this question was far from clear, and a number of different positions were held, not least among the Nominalist faction.One group took their cue from the great 5th C Bishop of Hippo, St Augustine.  When it came to the doctrine of justification, they held that humanity was helpless. Only God himself, by his sovereign mercy, could intervene and save people. Another group of Nominalists, the group that had an early influence on Luther, such as William of Ockham and Gabriel Biel, thought there was something which could be done to initiate the process of salvation.When Luther read Biel's textbook, he was persuaded by the idea that God has entered into a covenant, or pact, with humanity. If the sinner did what lay within him, then God would not deny him grace. Within the framework of this agreement or covenant, sinners were capable of making a small moral effort on their own, without the help of God's grace. This initial effort was required before God would respond. This might involve feeling a genuine sorrow for sin, or generating a sense of love for God. In response to this, God would give a supply (‘infusion' was the technical term) of His grace to help fan this spark into a flame. But this initial gift of grace was not enough to access salvation on its own. The Christian then had to cooperate with God's grace and, by the exercise of good works done with God's help, perfect this contrition for sin and love for God, so that salvation could truly be attained.At the same time one group of Nominalists was scratching this out, another movement with its origins a Century earlier scorned all these movements within scholastic thought. The Renaissance, which had begun in Northern Italy, spread into Germany. It captured the allegiance of many younger scholars, with its exciting promise of returning to the sources of classical Greece and Rome as a model for literature, art, architecture, law and rhetoric.‘Humanism,' as this program was known, isn't to be confused with modern humanism, that is, secular humanism, which is atheistic. While it did have a high view of human dignity, the 16th C version was religious in character, something most colleges and universities today neglect to mention. Renaissance humanism, or the study of the humanities wasn't so much a set of ideas or philosophical opinions, as a yearning for all things classical. The great motivating desire was to acquire eloquence and skill with words and language. So, everything was devoted towards a new kind of education, which involved making the study of classical texts possible—as these were thought the best models of eloquence available. These texts could be Greek literature, Roman law, classical poetry or early Christian theology. So, the humanists promoted the study of Greek and Hebrew, alongside Latin, the language of all scholarly work in the Middle Ages, so that these texts could be read in the original, avoiding what they felt was the misleading filter of medieval translations.Humanists took particular exception to the methods and products of scholastic theology, of every stripe, Nominalist or Realist. They felt that the scholastic method encouraged the asking and answering of a series of irrelevant questions. They also objected to the method of using medieval commentaries, rather than the original texts themselves. For the humanist, lengthy medieval interpretations simply got in the way of the brilliance of the original authors. Humanists wanted a direct encounter with the original text of classical authors, the Bible and the Fathers, rather than have all that muddied by an extra layer of explanations made by lesser, more recent scholars, writing in crude and verbose medieval Latin.So, using the recent invention of the printing press, humanists reproduced of a whole series of ancient Christian texts, which made a new kind of scholarship possible. Three works in particular were important.First, in 1503, Erasmus published the Enchiridion or Handbook of the Christian Soldier. It laid out a program of reform for the Church.Second, in 1506, an 11-volume edition of the Works of Augustine appeared. For the first time in centuries, it was possible to read the greatest authority in Western theology in full, in context, and without the help of medieval commentators.Third, and most important was Erasmus's greatest achievement, his Greek New Testament published in 1516. Although this edition was not as reliable as it might have been since Erasmus had a limited number of texts to work from—it became the first-ever printed edition of the Greek text, so that, for the first time, theologians all over Europe had the chance to compare the standard Latin Bible text with the original. A number of disturbing things emerged. For example, medieval theologians were unanimous in seeing marriage as a full sacrament of the church, alongside holy communion and baptism, on the basis of Jerome's translation of Ephesians 5:32, which referred to it as a sacrament. When Erasmus's edition appeared, it became clear that the original Greek word really meant ‘mystery'. The scriptural basis for regarding marriage as equal in value to baptism and Communion was shaken. So, the work of Erasmus and the other humanists played a major part in loosening the hold of the church's authority in the minds of many educated laypeople.While they didn't engage in outright warfare, scholasticism and humanism jostled in the lecture halls and universities across Germany in the early years of the 16th C. Erfurt where Luther was, was no exception. The two schools of thought were both present in the university, although relationships between them were, on the whole, fairly amiable. Luther was known for his knowledge of classical writers. He likely attended lectures by humanist teachers.This was the theological landscape at the time Luther's mind was being formed. Taught theology by nominalists, Luther believed as long as he did his best, God would give him grace to help him to become better. Humanist texts allowed him to study the great authorities of the Bible and the Fathers with fresh eyes. From 1509–10, he studied Augustine's works and Lombard's Sentences, and some of the notes he made in the margins of these works have survived to this day. They show him to be a not particularly original adherent of the theology of the Modern Way. He'd followed his teachers well, and there was little sign at this stage of departure from them.Luther was often plagued by bouts of depression. He wondered whether God really did hold good intentions towards him, sensing rather the stern stare of Christ as judge, demanding from him an impossible level of purity. He wondered whether these feelings were evidence he wasn't chosen at all, but that he was among those destined to be damned to eternal suffering.On the shelves of the library of the Augustinian friary in Erfurt were copies of several works by Bernard of Clairvaux. Bernard was something of a hero to monks like Luther, having developed a rich spiritual theology in the 12th C, and lots of advice on the spiritual life. Luther read these and heard them read over meals. He noticed Bernard's close attention to Scripture, and a piety which kept returning to the sufferings and humility of Jesus. Bernard advised his readers to meditate on the cross of Christ, especially when anxious or depressed. One of the virtues gained from such meditation was humility, a virtue greatly valued by God. Bernard said humility's abiding image was the crucified Christ, and how God used the experience of suffering, even seasons of doubt, to bring humility to the human soul. à This was a tonic to the oft-tormented Luther.This emphasis on the Scriptures and pondering the cross, passed on by earlier scholars like Bernard and Augustine plowed and planted the field of Luther's mind for the fruit it would later produce in the central doctrine of the Reformation – Justification by Faith Alone.A recent biographer called Martin Luther “A catastrophe in the history of Western civilization.” If we look only at the religious wars which were part of the Reformation, that verdict seems fair. But if we widen the criteria of our evaluation to Luther's role in calling the church to a simpler, more just and communal vision, in puncturing the conceited abuse of power and hierarchical oppression of a moribund institution which nearly all admit was grotesquely corrupt, not to mention the inspiration which his theology has been to countless people over the centuries since, that judgment isn't fair.Luther was a man of immense personal courage, fierce intelligence, and furious stubbornness. A mind steeped in the theology of his time, an ability to see quickly to the heart of an issue, and an eloquence that enabled him to express his ideas with clarity, was a powerful mixture. He inspired deep loyalty, even ardent love on the part of his supporters. He had a capacity to enjoy life in a huge way. He could be both tender and sharp, and his absence left an irreplaceable gap. As Melanchthon put it at Luther's funeral, now they were ‘entirely poor, wretched, forsaken, orphans who had lost a dear noble man as our father'. At the same time, Luther was a man with deep flaws, who made enemies as quickly as friends, and whose brilliant language could be used to hurt as much as to heal.As we end this episode, I wanted to share something I found that I thought was really good in regards to Luther's Enduring Legacy. It has to do with his doctrine of Justification by Faith. These thoughts are sparked by Graham Tomlin's Luther and His World.Our Postmodern culture isn't concerned with the same questions that dominated the 16th C. People today don't agonize, as Luther did, over where to find a gracious God. Modern men and women aren't in the least bit concerned about the demands of a whole series of religious rules. But they do experience the constant demand to live up to standards of beauty set by the glamour industry; to levels of achievement set by business targets, or to standards of talent set by entertainment and sports. How to understand the self is a persistent and difficult problem modern psychotherapy aims to ameliorate.While Luther obviously worked before the development psychology, his doctrine of justification by faith has something to say to modern man. It says that human worth lies not in any ability or quality we possess, but in the simple fact that we are loved by our Creator.At the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, Luther claimed: “Sinners are attractive because they are loved, not loved because they are attractive.” He used to say that our value lies not inside us, but outside us; in Christ himself. The righteousness of the Christian, in which he/she stands before God, is not their own righteousness, but is Christ's own righteousness, received by faith. They can know their true value is found not in any good quality in themselves, nor any good actions they've performed, but in the fact they're loved by God. Luther's location of value entirely ‘outside ourselves', in God's love manifested in Christ, safeguards a sense that our worth is unshakeable. Whether in work or unemployed, able-bodied or disabled; red or yellow, black or white we're ALL precious in God's sight. Even if we experience doubt over our worth through despair at our own capabilities, virtue or reputation, this sense of ultimate value cannot be taken away and can become the foundation of a secure and steady self-image because it's received rather than achieved.But there's more and this is where the doctrine of justification by faith can touch and heal our shattered world. The doctrine reverses the way in which we tend to evaluate other people. If a person's value lies in a quality or feature which they possess, such as a particular skill or ability or ethnicity, it can make distinctions between people. Some people are more valuable and some are less; and we're back to Apartheid, slavery, and the Holocaust. If, however, as justification by faith insists, a person's true value lies not in anything they possess but in something ‘outside themselves'; that they are loved by God—then we can't make such distinctions. Each person has dignity and value, and deserves equal treatment, regardless of age, skills, social utility or earning capacity.The Biblical Doctrine of Justification by Faith utterly upends Critical Theory which carves people into groups and sets worth solely by their identity IN that group. For the Biblical truth of Salvation by Grace through Faith resets human identity in only two groups; the lost and saved = Both of which are loved eternally by God, a love made manifest in the Cross of Christ.There is, however, at the same time a sobering honesty about Luther's doctrine of justification. He insists that the first step to wisdom, to a rock-solid, immovable sense of self-worth, is to take a good look into the depths of one's own soul. It means to face up honestly to the self-centeredness, lack of love for one's neighbor, cowardice and indifference towards those who are suffering that lurks there. This is no easy doctrine which glosses over the reality of sin and evil in the human heart, the capacity to inflict pain and injustice which lies in everyone. For Luther, God has to help us to look into this abyss before we can go any further. This is far from that pleasant middle-class religion which assumes that everyone is good and nice, and which refuses to look beneath the surface. Luther's God insists on facing up to the dark secrets inside, the selfish motivations and hidden desires.But this is only preliminary. Some forms of religion have implied that this is the sum of religion—making us feel bad about ourselves. Luther insists this is merely a necessary first step—a means to an end, but not an end in itself. God breaks up the fragile foundations of a sense of self-worth based in our own virtues, in order to establish a much firmer rock upon which to build. Luther would have been wary of psychological techniques which try to build self-worth by positive thinking and self-talk.Justification by faith is a reminder to Christians that they approach God not on the basis of who they are, but on the basis of who Christ is. Self-worth, value and forgiveness are gifts, not rights. It's nothing to do with achieving an elusive goal of becoming the idealized person they might like to be in their most hopeful moments. It is a reminder that it is only when they stop trying to be someone else, and start being honest about who they really are, that they can begin to receive God's acceptance of them à In Christ.It doesn't get any more Biblical than that!