Podcasts about protestant reformation

Schism within the Western Christian Church in the 16th century

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All Souls Presbyterian Church
The Cosmic Christ

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2026 35:11


In Revelation 1:9–20 the apostle John sees a glorious vision of Christ in heaven. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage, helping us to better understand the glory of Jesus, the fear of Jesus, the grace of Jesus, and our service to Jesus. Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, March 15, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: When you imagine the scene John describes, which specific image feels the most overwhelming or weighty to you? We often prefer a “plastic Jesus” who is manageable and safe. How does John's encounter with the cosmic Christ challenge the version of Jesus we typically carry around in our day-to-day lives? The One who holds the stars in his hand is the same One who reaches out to touch a terrified man. What does this reveal to you about how Jesus uses his immense power toward those who are broken or afraid? In what ways does beholding the majestic, cosmic glory of Christ actually provide more stability for your soul than a “safer,” smaller version of him? What would change in your Monday morning routine—your stress, your interactions, or your inner monologue—if you truly believed the cosmic King was standing right there with his right hand on your shoulder? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Be Quranic
Night 22: Two Realms, One Human Being

Be Quranic

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 12:54


This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comEight nights left. Make them count.Quick reminder before we get into the tafseer: Zakatul Fitr is wajib on every Muslim — $20 per head this year. It's due before Eid prayer, so don't leave it to the last minute. If you're not sure where to give locally, I'll post the details for MWSC — Muslim Welfare Support Centre — in the Qaswa Community Group. Six Days — Picking Up From Last NightWe were in the middle of something last night and I want to finish it properly.Allah created the heavens and earth in six days — sittati ayyam. We established last night that no classical scholar ever read this as six 24-hour days. The word yawm in Arabic simply means a span of time — an epoch. Allah Himself uses the same word elsewhere in the Quran to mean 1,000 years, and in another place 50,000 years. The six-day literalism came from the Protestant Reformation, not from Islamic tradition, and it quietly seeped into some Muslim circles when logic (mantiq) got stripped out of the curriculum.So what do the six days actually mean?A paid subscription includes a free digital copy of the Surah Al-A'raf Study Guide and Workbook. One of my teachers — Professor Muhammad Mahdi Jenkins, formerly Gary Jenkins, a nuclear physicist turned psychologist who eventually became Muslim — spent years building a theory that maps the six stages of cosmic creation to the Quranic account. Is this the traditional tafsir? No. But does it violate the Arabic, contradict established tafsir, or conflict with what the Prophet ﷺ or the early generations said? No. So it sits within the acceptable range of new tafsir.Here's what the physics looks like:Stage one: light. The universe began as a singularity — a point of infinite density containing intense concentrated energy. That energy expressed itself across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. When we say light, don't just picture what your eyes can see. Visible light is actually a tiny sliver of the full electromagnetic spectrum. The rest — radio waves, microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays — is all light we cannot see. That was stage one.Stage two: particles. When energy exceeds E=mc² — energy equals mass times the speed of light squared — matter emerges. The first particles came into existence. But here's where it gets interesting. Physics tells us that whenever matter is created, equal amounts of antimatter are also created. And when matter meets antimatter, they annihilate each other. Cancel out completely. Leave nothing but energy. By pure theory, nothing should exist in this universe — because every particle of matter should have been cancelled by its antimatter counterpart.And yet. Here we are.

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Your Kingdom Come

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 36:15


Whether we know it or not, all people long for the coming of the Kingdom. For a world rightly ordered under God. A world of justice, righteousness, and peace. The good news is that God is the King. He comes bringing justice. He comes to fight for his people. And every cry for justice, every longing to be filled is ultimately answered by the coming of God's Kingdom. In this sermon on Revelation 1:9–20, in which the apostle John sees a glorious vision of Christ in heaven, Pastor Luke Herche helps us rest in Jesus' present reign and hope in his coming return as he talks about the people of the kingdom, the presence of the kingdom, and the glory of the King. Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, March 8, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: How do you experience the tension between the kingdom and tribulation today? How does this shape the way you view the accounts of injustice we see in the news? When you look at the brokenness of the world or your own heart, are you more tempted to give in to despair (expecting too little of the kingdom) or to demand that heaven appear fully right now (expecting too much of the “overlap of the ages”)? How does the already and not-yet of the kingdom shape what you mean when you pray “your kingdom come”? If you began tomorrow morning truly believing that you are part of a kingdom where the old divisions no longer matter, how might that change the way you interact with those who are different from you in your workplace or community or world? What can you do to proclaim and manifest the coming of the kingdom in its present form today (i.e. to proclaim Jesus and be his hands and feet in the world)? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Wisdom Cries Out

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 31:34


Wisdom warns us of the coming disaster, but we refuse to listen. Jesus faces the disaster, so we can dwell secure. Learn more in the sermon on Proverbs 1:20–33 from Pastor Josué Pernillo. Part of a series on the book of Proverbs. From Sunday Evening Worship, March 8, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Mt Zion Baptist Chula: Sermons
The Protestant Reformation (1483-1564)

Mt Zion Baptist Chula: Sermons

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 52:57


Part 6 of our study on Church History.Using the Core Seminar from Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DCMarch 8, 2026Pastor Aaron Frasier

Behold Your God Podcast
Letters of John Calvin V: Letters of John Calvin V: The Reformer's Love and Loss

Behold Your God Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 28:27


This week Dr. John Snyder continues our series on the letters of John Calvin, one of the most influential figures of the Protestant Reformation. In this episode, we take a different approach: instead of reading a single letter, we explore an article by Michael Nelson in Credo Magazine (link below) that sheds light on Calvin's marriage and personal life. Nelson's article traces Calvin's search for a godly wife, his thoughtful approach to finding her, and how God graciously provided her. Through these events, we witness Calvin's humanity, humility, and dependence on God—qualities that shaped both his personal life and his ministry. We also see Calvin's pastoral heart become deeply personal as he faces the loss of children and eventually the death of his gentle bride. It is a story of tragedy and comfort, grief and solace, revealing how faith sustains a believer even through the heaviest trials. We pray this episode, unique in the series, gives you a deeper appreciation for John Calvin, his writings, and the faith he modeled in the midst of suffering. May it encourage you to read his letters and reflect on the steadfast God he followed through all circumstances. Show Notes Michael Nelson article: https://credomag.com/2017/11/the-best-companion-of-my-life-john-calvins-search-for-a-wife-michael-nelson/ The Tracts and Letters of John Calvin - https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/tracts-and-letters-of-john-calvin-8/ The Church Bible Study - https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/the-church Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Christianity is not merely a philosophy. It is fundamentally a story, the true story of what God has done, is doing, and will do in the world. A philosophy can give you a perspective, or even some direction in life, but only God's story can give you what you need the most: a savior. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on Revelation 1:7, examining this one verse with four points: the coming of Christ is the great hope of the Christian. The coming of Christ is a great terror to the guilty conscience. Christ came to bear our guilt, that he might come again to save the guilty. Set your mind on the coming of Christ to face the trials of this age. Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, March 1, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Short History Of...
The European Middle Ages (Part 1 of 2)

Short History Of...

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 58:10


The period known as the Middle Ages was defined by more than knights and warfare. It began centuries before the First Crusade was called, in the confusion that followed the end of Roman rule in western Europe. And it persisted for a thousand years, until the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the discovery of the so-called New World ushered in the beginnings of modernity.   But just how important was the fall of Rome for people across the continent? What political and religious institutions sprang up to fill the power vacuum left behind? And who were the leaders who strengthened Europe sufficiently to once again launch armed expeditions across the sea? This is a Short History Of The European Middle Ages, Part 1 of 2. A Noiser podcast production. Hosted by John Hopkins. With thanks to Martyn Whittock, author of many books on the medieval period, including A Brief History of Life in the Middle Ages. Written by Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow | Produced by Kate Simants | Production Assistant: Chris McDonald | Exec produced by Katrina Hughes | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design by Oliver Sanders | Assembly edit by Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cody Reynolds-Shaw | Fact Check: Sean Coleman Get every episode of Short History Of… a week early with Noiser+. You'll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions ⁠A Short History of Ancient Rome⁠ - the debut book from the Noiser Network is out now! Discover the epic rise and fall of Rome like never before. Pick up your copy now at your local bookstore or visit ⁠⁠noiser.com/books⁠⁠ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pulp Writer Show
Episode 292: The Four Thomases Of The English Reformation (with one bonus Thomas!)

The Pulp Writer Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 27:32


In this week's episode, I take a historical digression to look at the four major Thomases of the English Reformation - Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store: QUEST25 The coupon code is valid through March 9 2026. So if you need a new ebook this winter, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 292 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is February 27th, 2026. Today we are taking a digression into history by looking at the four Thomases of the English Reformation (with one bonus Thomas). We'll also have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing and publishing projects. First up, let's do Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is QUEST25 and as always, the links to the store and the coupon code will be available in the show notes of this episode. This coupon code is valid through March 9th, 2026. So if you need a new ebook this winter, we have got you covered. Now for an update on my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. I am very nearly done with Cloak of Summoning. As of this recording, I am 35% of the way through the final editing pass. This episode should be coming out on, let's see, March the 2nd. I'm hoping Cloak of Summoning will be available a few days (hopefully like one or two days) after this episode goes live, but we'll see how things go. In any event, it should be out in very early March, which is not far away at this point. I'm also 14,000 words into Blade of Wraiths, the fourth book in my Blades of Ruin epic fantasy series. Hopefully that will be out in April, if all goes well. That's my secondary project right now, but once it gets promoted to primary project once Cloak of Summoning is available, my new secondary project will be Dragon Mage, which will be the sixth book in the Rivah Half-Elven Thief series. I'm looking forward to that since it is going to bring to an end a lot of ongoing plot threads. So it should be quite a fun book to write and hopefully to read. That should hopefully be out in May or possibly June, depending on how things go. In audiobook news, Cloak of Titans, the audiobook narrated by Hollis McCarthy, should be available in more audiobook stores than it was this time last week, though it's still not on Amazon, Audible, or Apple. Brad Wills is working on recording Blade of Storms and I think the first six chapters are done. Hopefully we should have those audiobooks available to you before too much longer. So that is where I'm at with my current writing, publishing, and audiobook projects. 00:02:18 Main Topic: The Four Thomases of the English Reformation Now without further ado, let's get to our main topic and it's time for another of my favorite topics overall, a digression into obscure points of history. I've mentioned before that Wolf Hall (both the TV show and the book) is a lot easier to understand if you are at least passingly familiar with the key figures of the English Reformation, which happened during the reign of King Henry VIII. But who were these key figures? I had a history professor who said that to understand the English Reformation, you need to know about the four Thomases of the English Reformation: Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer, since each one of them altered events in a major way. Fun fact: only one of the four died from natural causes and right before he was about to go on trial for treason, which would have likely ended with his execution. The English Reformation was a tumultuous time and the Tudor court was not a place for the faint of heart or the morally scrupulous. So let's talk about the four Thomases and one bonus Thomas today. But first to understand them, we should look at three background trends that converged and boiled over during their lifetimes. #1: Henry VIII needs an heir. King Henry VIII was quite famously married six times and executed two of his wives in his quest for a male heir. To the modern era, this sounds odd and chauvinistic, but one of the errors of studying history is assuming that the residents of the past had any interest in 21st century standards of behavior. By the standards of Henry's time, having a male heir to assume the kingdom after his death was absolutely vital. In fact, an argument could be made that Henry was attempting to act responsibly by going to such lengths to father a male heir, though naturally he went about it in a spectacularly destructive and self-absorbed way. Remember, Henry's father, Henry VII, came to the throne after a 30-year civil war, and there were noble families that thought they had a better claim to the throne than Tudors and would be happy to exercise it. A good comparison is that the lack of a male heir for Henry VIII was as serious a crisis as a disputed presidential election in 21st century America would be. You can see evidence for this in Henry's famous jousting accident in 1536. For a few hours, people were certain that he was dead or was about to die, and this incident caused a brief constitutional crisis. If Henry died, who would rule? His daughter, Mary, who he had just declared a bastard? His young daughter Elizabeth from Anne Boleyn? His bastard son, Henry FitzRoy? A regent? One of the old families who thought they had a claim to the throne? Now, these are the sort of questions that tend to get decided by civil wars, which nobody wanted. So Henry needed a male heir and it weighed on him as a personal failure that he had been unable to produce one, which was undoubtedly one of the reasons he concluded that several of his marriages had been cursed by God and needed to be annulled. Though, of course, one of Henry's defining traits was that his self-absorption was such that nothing was ever his fault, but a failing of those around him. #2: The Reformation is here. At the same time Henry was beginning to have his difficulties, the Protestant Reformation exploded across Europe. The reasons for the Reformation were manifold. There was a growing feeling across all levels of society that the church was corrupt and more concerned about money than tending to Christ's flock, a feeling not helped by the fact that several of the 15th and 16th century popes were essentially Renaissance princelings more interested in luxury, money, and expanding the power of the papal states than in anything spiritual. Many bishops, archbishops, abbots, and other high prelates acted the same way. The situation the early 16th century church found itself in was similar to American higher education today. Many modern professors and administrators go about their jobs quietly, competently, and diligently, but if you want to find examples of corruption, folly, and egregious waste in American higher education, you don't have to try very hard. Reformers could easily find manifold examples of clerical and papal corruption to reinforce their arguments. Additionally, nationalism was beginning to develop as a concept, as was the idea of the nation state. People in England, Scotland, Germany, and other countries began to wonder why they were paying tithes to the church that went to build beautiful buildings in Rome and support the lavish lifestyle of the papal court when that money might be better spent at home. For that matter, the anti-clericalism of the Reformation was not new and had time to mature. At the end of the 14th century, Lollardy was a proto-Protestant movement in England that challenged clerical power. In the early 15th century, the Hussite wars in Bohemia following the teachings of Jan Hus were a preview of the greater Reformation to come. Papal authority had been severely damaged by the Great Schism at the end of the 14th and the start of the 15th century when two competing popes (later expanded to three) all tried to excommunicate each other and claim control of the church. In the aftermath, Renaissance Humanists had begun suggesting that only the Bible was the proper source and guide for Christianity, and that papal authority and many of the church's practices were merely human traditions that had been added later and were not ordained by God. A lot of the arguments of the Reformation had their earliest form from the writers of the 15th century. Essentially, the central argument of the Reformation was that the believer's personal relationship with God is the important part of Christianity and doesn't need to be mediated through ordained priests in the official sacraments of the church, though such things were still important. Of course, all the various reformers disagreed with each other about just how important and what the nature of that relationship was, how many sacraments there should be, and what the precise relationship between the individual, the church, and the state should be (and that argument got entangled with many other issues like nationalism), but that was a central crux of the Reformation. So all these competing pressures have been building up, and when Martin Luther posted his statements for debate on church reform in October of 1517, it was the equivalent of lighting a match in a barn that had been stuffed full of sawdust and was suffering from a natural gas leak. #3: The printing press. So why did Luther's action kick off the Reformation as we know it and not the other proto-Protestant movements we mentioned? I think the big part of that is the printing pass, perhaps the biggest part. The printing press did not exist during the early proto-Protestant movements, which meant it was a lot harder for the ideas of reform to spread quickly. The Lollards in particular wanted to translate the Bible into English instead of Latin, but the Bible is a big book and that is a lot of copying to do by hand. In 1539, after a lot of encouragement from Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII decreed that an English Bible should be placed at every church in England. In 1339, that would have been an impossible amount of copying by scribes. In 1539, thanks to the printing press, it was essentially on the scale of the government embarking on a mid-sized industrial project, perhaps a bit of a logistical and organizational challenge and you have to deal with contractors, but by no means impossible. The printing press made it possible for the various arguments and pamphlets of the Reformers to spread quickly throughout Europe. Luther published tracts on a variety of religious and political topics for the rest of his life, and those tracks were copied, printed, and sold throughout Europe. In fact, he had something of a flame war with Thomas More over Henry VIII's "Defense of the Seven Sacraments". Kings and governments frequently tried to suppress printers they didn't like, but the cat was out of the bag and the printing press helped drive the Reformation by spreading its ideas faster than had previously been possible. AI bros occasionally compare modern large language model AIs to the printing press as an irreversible technological advancement, but one should note that the printing press of the 16th century did not require an entire US state's worth of electricity and an unlimited supply of water. So those were some of the undercurrents and trends leading up to the English Reformation. With that in mind, let's take a look at our four Thomases. #1: Thomas Wolsey. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was Henry's right hand man during the first 20 years of his reign and essentially the practical ruler of England during that time. He started his career in Henry's reign as the almoner, essentially in charge of charity, and it ended up becoming the Lord Chancellor of England. Since Henry was not super interested in actually doing the hard work of government, Wolsey ended up essentially running the country while Henry turned his full enthusiasm towards the more ceremonial aspects of kingship. Wolsey was an example of the kind of early 16th Century church prelate we mentioned above, more of a Renaissance princeling than a priest. However, as Renaissance princelings went, you could do worse than to have been ruled by someone like Wolsey. And if you were a king, you would be blessed to have a lieutenant as diligent in his work as the Cardinal. Granted, Wolsey did amass a large fortune for himself, but he frequently patronized the arts, education and the poor, pursued some governmental reforms, and deftly maintained England's position in the turbulent diplomacy of the time. He was also much more forgiving in questions of religious dissent than someone like Thomas More. Wolsey was the most powerful man in England at his apex, and the nobility hated it for him because his origins were common. So long as he had Henry's favor, Wolsey was untouchable and the nobility couldn't move against him. But the royal favor came to an end as Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon was unable to produce a son. Since Catherine had previously (and briefly) been married to his older brother Arthur before Arthur's death, Henry became convinced (or succeeded in convincing himself) that his marriage was cursed by God for violating the prohibition against sleeping with your brother's wife in the book of Leviticus. His eye had already fallen on Anne Boleyn and Henry wanted an annulment and not a divorce in his marriage with Catherine. In the eyes of God, he would never have been married at all, and then he could marry Anne Boleyn with a clear conscience. Here, Wolsey's gift for diplomacy failed him, but perhaps it was an impossible task. Catherine of Aragon was the aunt of Emperor Charles V, who at the time was the most powerful man in Christendom. All of Wolseley's efforts to persuade the pope to annul the marriage failed, partly because the pope had already given Henry VIII dispensation to marry his brother's widow. Wolsey's failure eroded his support with the king. Anne Boleyn likewise hated Wolsey partly because she believed he was hindering the annulment, and partly because he had blocked her from marrying the Earl of Northumberland years before she had her eyes set upon Henry. Finally, Henry stripped Wolsey of his office of Lord Chancellor, and Wolsey retired to York to take up his role as archbishop there. Wolsey's popularity threatened Henry and Anne, so Henry summoned him back to London to face treason charges. Perhaps fortunately for Wolsey, he died of natural causes on the journey back to London. His replacement as Lord Chancellor was Thomas More, the next of our major for Thomases. #2: Thomas More. More was an interesting contrast-a Renaissance Humanist who remained a staunch Catholic, even though Renaissance Humanists in general tended towards proto-Protestantism or actual Protestantism. He was also in some ways oddly progressive for his time. He insisted on educating his daughters at a time was considered pointless to educate women about anything other than the practical business of household management. Anyway, More's training as a lawyer and a scholar led him to a career in government. He held a variety of posts under Henry VIII, finally rising to become the Lord Chancellor after Wolsey. In the first decades of his brain, Henry was staunchly Catholic and despised Protestantism, in particular, Lutheranism in general and Martin Luther in particular. In 1521, Henry published "Defense of the Seven Sacraments" against Luther, and More helped him write it to an unknown degree. In their dislike for all forms of Protestantism, More and Henry were in harmony at this point. More was involved in hunting down heretics (i.e. Protestants) and trying to convince them to recant. During his time as the Lord Chancellor, More ended up sending six people to be burned at the stake for heresy, along with the arrest and interrogations of numerous others. This rather clashes with his "humanist man of letters" aspect, but More was undoubtedly convinced he was doing the right thing. And while he might have believed in education, he most definitely did not believe in freedom of conscience in several areas. To be fair to More, in the view of many at the time, Protestants, especially Anabaptists, were dangerous radicals. Likely More viewed hunting heretics in the same way as some modern politicians view hunting down covert terrorist cells or surveilling potential domestic terrorists. Harsh measures true, but harsh measures allegedly necessary for the greater good of the nation. However, the concord between More and Henry would not last. Henry wanted to set aside Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn, which More staunchly opposed. More especially opposed Henry breaking away from Rome and becoming head of an independent English Church. At first, More was able to save himself by maintaining his silence, but eventually Henry required all of his subjects take an oath affirming his status as head of the church. Thomas Cromwell famously led a deputation to try and change More's mind, but he failed. More refused, he was tried on specious treason charges, and beheaded in 1535. Later, the Catholic church declared him the patron saint of politicians. This might seem odd given that he oversaw executions and essentially did thought police stuff against Protestants, but let's be honest-it's rare to see a politician even mildly inconvenience himself over a point of principle, let alone maintain it until death when he was given every possible chance to change his mind. Probably the most famous fictional portrayals of More are A Man For All Seasons and Wolf Hall. I would say that A Man For All Seasons was far too generous to More, but Wolf Hall was too harsh. #3: Now for the third of our four Thomases, Thomas Cromwell. After Wolsey's fall and More's refusal to support Henry's desire to either annul his marriage to Catherine or to make himself head with the church so he couldn't annul the marriage, Thomas Cromwell rose become Henry's new chief lieutenant. Cromwell is both a fascinating but divisive figure. For a long time, he was cast as the villain in Thomas More's saga, but Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall really triggered a popular reevaluation of him. Like A Man For All Seasons was too generous to More, I would say Wolf Hall was too generous to Cromwell. Nonetheless, I suspect Cromwell was and remained so divisive because he was so effective. He got things done on a scale that the other three Thomases of the English Reformation never quite managed. Cromwell's origins are a bit obscure. It seems he was either of non-noble birth or very low gentry birth and his father Walter Cromwell was a local prosperous tradesman in a jack of all trades with a reputation for litigiousness. For reasons that are unclear, Cromwell fled his birthplace and spent some time in continental Europe, possibly as a mercenary soldier. He eventually made his way to Italy and started working for the merchant families there, gaining knowledge of trade in the law, and then traveled to the Low Countries. When he returned to England, he became Cardinal Wolsey's right hand man. After Wolsey's fall, Cromwell went into Parliament and defended his master whenever possible. This loyalty combined with his significant talent for law and administration caught the eye of Henry and he swiftly became Henry's right-hand man. Amusingly, Cromwell never became Lord Chancellor like More or Wolsey, but instead accumulated many lesser offices that essentially allowed him to carry out Henry's directives as he saw a fit. Unlike More and Wolsey, Cromwell had strong Protestant leanings and he encouraged the king to break away from the Catholic Church and take control of the English Church as its supreme head. Henry did so. His marriage to Catherine of Aragon was nulled. The rest of Europe never accepted this until Catherine died of illness and it became a moot point. In 1533, he married Anne Boleyn. Like Cromwell, Anne had a strong Protestant bent and began encouraging reformers to take various offices and began pushing Henley to make more reforms than he was really comfortable doing. For example, Cromwell was one of the chief drivers behind the English Bible of 1539. This, combined with Anne's inability to give Henry a son, contributed to Anne's downfall. Unlike Catherine, she was willing to argue with Henry to his face and was unwilling to look the other way when he wanted a mistress, and this eventually got on Henry's nerves. Events are a bit murky, but it seems that Henry ordered Cromwell to find a way he could set aside Anne and Cromwell complied. Various men, including her own brother, were coerced and confessing to adultery with Anne on charges that were most likely fabricated and Anne's "lovers" and Anne herself were executed for treason in 1536. Cromwell had successfully used a technique that many modern secret police organizations and dictatorships employ- if you want to get rid of someone for whatever reason, accuse them of a serious crime, coerce them to a confession, and then have them executed. Joseph Stalin did basically the same thing when he purged the Old Bolsheviks after Lenin's death. Henry married Jane Seymour shortly after Anne's execution, and she finally gave Henry his long-waited son, though she died soon afterwards of postpartum complications. Cromwell also oversaw the dissolution of the English monasteries in the 1530s. Monasticism had become quite unpopular even before the Reformation, especially among humanist writers. The concentration of property in the hands of monasteries made for a ripe target. Using Parliament and with Henry's approval, the monasteries of England were dissolved, the monks and nuns pensioned off, and the various rich properties held by the monasteries were given to the king and his friends. Cromwell himself profited handsomely. This was essentially legalized theft, but there was nothing the monasteries could do about it. Cromwell pushed for more religious reforms, but that combined with the dissolution of the monasteries caused "The Pilgrimage of Grace" in 1537, a rebellion that Henry was able to put down through a combination of lies, stalling, outright bribery, and brutal repression under the Duke of Norfolk (more about him later). Cromwell was at the zenith of his power and influence, but his reformist bent and made him a lot of enemies. For that matter, Henry was increasingly uncomfortable with further religious changes. He wanted to be head of his own church, but essentially his own Catholic Church, not his own Reformed or Lutheran one. Cromwell's alignment with the reform cause gave his more traditionalist enemies a tool to use against him. Cromwell's foes had their chance in 1540 when Henry married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Cromwell had heavily pushed for the match, hoping to make an alliance with the Protestant princes of Germany against the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor. For whatever reason, Henry took an immediate dislike to Anne and never consummated the marriage, which was swiftly annulled and Anne pensioned off. Henry blamed Cromwell for the failed marriage and Cromwell's enemies, particularly Duke of Norfolk and Bishop Gardiner of Winchester, were able to convince Henry to move against him. Cromwell was arrested, stripped of all the titles and property he had amassed, and executed in July of 1540. The sort of legal railroading process he had born against Anne Boleyn's alleged lovers and numerous other enemies of Henry's was used against him. This was one of the very few executions Henry ever regretted. Within a year, the French ambassador reported that Henry was raging that his counselors had misled him into putting to death the most faithful servant he had ever had. Once again, nothing was ever Henry's fault in his own mind. The fact that Henry allowed Cromwell's son Gregory to become a baron and inherit some of his father's land shows that he likely changed his mind about the execution. For once in his life, Henry was dead on accurate when he called Cromwell his "most faithful servant". He never again found a lieutenant with Cromwell's loyalty and skill. The remaining seven years of Henry's reign blundered from setback to setback and all the money Henry obtained from the dissolution of the monasteries was squandered in indecisive wars with France and Scotland. I think it's fair to say that the English Reformation would not have taken the course it did, if not for Cromwell. As ruthless and as unscrupulous as he could be, he nonetheless did seem to really believe in the principles of religious reform and push such policies whenever he could do so without drawing Henry's ire. #4: Now the fourth of our four major Thomases, Thomas Cranmer. If Thomas Cromwell did a lot of the political work of the English Reformation, then Thomas Cranmer wrote a lot of its theory. Cranmer was a scholar and something of a gentle-minded man, but not a very skillful politician. He seemed happy to leave the politicking to Cromwell. I think Cranmer would have been a lot happier as a Lutheran pastor in say, 1950s rural Nebraska. He could have married a farmer's daughter, had a bunch of kids, and presided at weddings, funerals, and baptisms where he could talk earnestly about Jesus and Christian virtues, and he probably would have written a few books on obscure theological points. But instead, Cranmer was destined to play a significant part in the English Reformation. He started as a priest and a scholar who got in trouble for marrying, but when his wife died in childbirth, he went back to the priesthood. Later, he became part of the team of scholars and priests working to get Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled. While he was at university and later in the priesthood, he became fascinated by Lutheran ideas and became a proponent of reform. As with Cromwell, Henry's desire to marry Anne Boleyn gave Cranmer his great opportunity. Anne's family were also in favor of reform, and they arranged for Cranmer to become the new Archbishop of Canterbury. The new archbishop and the like- minded clerics and scholars laid the legal and theological groundwork for Henry to break with Rome and become head of the English church with Cranmer and the rest of the reform faction wanted to be used to push for additional church reforms. He survived the tumults of Henry's reign by total loyalty to the king – he mourned Anne Boleyn, but didn't oppose her execution (though he was one of the few who mourned for her publicly), did much the same when Cromwell was executed, and personally sent news of Catherine Howard's adultery to the king. Because of that, Cranmer had a great chance to pursue the cause of reform when Henry died and his 12-year-old son Edward VI became King. Edward's uncle Edward Seymour acted as the head of the King's regency council, and Seymour and his allies were in favor of reform. Cranmer was at last able to steer the English church in the direction of serious reform, and he was directly responsible for writing the Book of Common Prayer and several other key documents of the early Anglican church. But Cranmer's of luck ran out in 1553 when Edward VI died. Cranmer was part of the group that tried to put the Protestant Lady Jane Grey on the throne, but Henry's daughter Mary instead took the crown. Mary had never really wavered from her Catholicism despite immense pressure to do so, and she had last had a chance to do something about it. She immediately brought England back to Rome and started prosecuting prominent reform leaders, Cranmer among them. Cranmer was tried for treason and heresy and sentenced to be burned, but that was to be commuted if he recanted his views in public during a sermon, which he did. However, at the last minute, he thunderously denounced his previous recantation, asserted his reformist faith, and vowed that he would thrust the hand that signed the recantation into the flames first. Cranmer was immediately taken to be burned at the stake, and just as he promised, he thrust his hand into the flames, and his last word is that he saw heaven opening and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Cranmer had spent much of his life trying to appease Henry while pushing as much reform as possible, but in his final moments, he had finally found his defiance. When Mary died and Elizabeth took the throne, she returned England to Protestantism. Elizabeth was much more pragmatic than her half siblings and her father ever were, so she chose the most expedient choice of simply rolling the English church back to as it was during Edward VI's time. Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer and religious articles, lightly edited for Elizabeth's sensibilities, became the foundational documents of the Anglican church. So these four Thomases, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer were central to the events of the English Reformation. However, we have one bonus Thomas yet. Bonus Thomas: Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk. Thomas Howard was a powerful nobleman during the reign of Henry, and the Duke of Norfolk was frequently Henry's lieutenant in waging various wars and putting down rebellions. He was also the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry's second and fifth queens. He was also involved in nearly every major event of Henry's reign. So with all that, why isn't Norfolk as remembered as well as the other four Thomases of the English Reformation? Sometimes a man would be considered virtuous by the standards of the medieval or early modern age, yet reprehensible in ours. For example, for much of the Middle Ages, crusading was considered an inherently virtuous act for a knight, whereas in the modern age, it would be condemned as war mongering with a religious veneer. However, by both modern standards and Tudor standards, Thomas Howard was a fairly odious character. For all their flaws and the morally questionable things they did, Wolsey, More, Cromwell, and Cranmer were all men of conviction in their own ways. More and Cranmer explicitly died with their faith. Cromwell's devotion to the Protestant cause got him killed since he insisted on the Anne of Cleves match. Even Wolsey, for all that he enriched himself, was a devoted servant of Henry after his downfall never betrayed the king. By contrast, Norfolk was out for Norfolk. This wasn't unusual for Tudor nobleman, but Norfolk took it to a new level of grasping venality. He made sure that his daughter was married to Henry's bastard son, Henry FitzRoy, just in case FitzRoy ended up becoming king. He used both his nieces, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, to gain power and lands for himself, and then immediately turned against him once he became politically expedient. In fact, he presided over the trial where Anne Boleyn was sentenced to death. After the failure of the Anne of Cleve's marriage, Norfolk made sure to bring his young niece Catherine Howard to court to catch Henry's eye, and to use the Anne of Cleve's annulment as a lever to get rid of Thomas Cromwell. Both stratagems worked, and he attempted to leverage being the new Queen's uncle to bring himself to new power and riches, as he had with Anne Boleyn. Once Henry turned on Catherine Howard, Norfolk characteristically and swiftly threw his niece under the bus. However, as Henry aged, he grew increasingly paranoid and vindictive, and he had Norfolk arrested and sentenced to death on suspicion of treason. Before the execution could be carried out, Henry died, and Norfolk spent the six years of Edward VI's reign as a prisoner in the Tower of London. When Edward died and Mary took the throne, she released Norfolk since she was Catholic and Norfolk had always been a religious traditionalist suspicious of reform. He spent the remaining year of his life as one of Mary's chief advisors before finally dying of old age. As I often say, history can be a rich source of inspiration for fantasy writers, and the English Reformation is full of such inspiration. Wolsey, More, Cromwell, and Cranmer can all make excellent inspirations for morally ambiguous characters. For that matter, you can see why the reign of Henry VIII has inspired so many movies, TV shows, and historical novels. The real life events are so dramatic as to scarcely require embellishment. So that's it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show and thank you for listening as I went on one of my little historical digressions. I hope you found the show enjoyable. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.

Christian Family Fellowship
After Darkness, Light

Christian Family Fellowship

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2026 41:36


The sermon presents the Protestant Reformation not as a radical innovation but as a recovery of the ancient gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, grounded in Scripture alone—truths rediscovered by Martin Luther and the Reformers amid the spiritual darkness of medieval Catholicism. It traces Luther's personal journey from despair over his inability to earn salvation through asceticism to the life-changing realization of justification by faith, sparked by his study of Scripture and the distinction between law and gospel. Drawing on biblical precedents such as Isaiah's prophecy of light in darkness and Jesus' ministry in Galilee, the sermon affirms that the Reformation was a divine restoration of the church's foundation in Christ and His Word. The enduring call of the church—Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, secundum verbum Dei—reminds believers to remain perpetually reformed under the authority of Scripture, relying on the ordinary means of grace—Scripture, sacraments, and prayer—to sustain faith, foster holiness, and bear witness to the gospel in a culture that often drifts from truth.

Behold Your God Podcast
Letters of John Calvin IV: On a Royal Conversion

Behold Your God Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 12:24


What happens when a queen discovers Christ in the midst of wealth, luxury, and political turmoil? John Calvin's letter to the Queen of Navarre offers timeless wisdom for every believer. In this episode of the Whole Counsel Podcast, Dr. John Snyder explores a 1561 letter from John Calvin to a recently converted queen. Learn how God's mercy transformed her life and the lessons Calvin shares for all who seek to walk faithfully with Christ. This week Dr. John Snyder continues our series on the letters of John Calvin. We have seen him write to friends with both admonishment and encouragement, and we have seen him write to royalty to clarify matters of faith. But this time, Calvin writes to a recently converted queen of a bygone kingdom, offering guidance and counsel during a time of both personal and political upheaval. The Kingdom of Navarre existed from 834 to 1841, its former territory now divided between France and Spain. During Calvin's lifetime, it was a small but vibrant kingdom, and its queen had come to faith in Christ. She possessed every human comfort: wealth beyond measure, endless distractions, and every luxury a princess could desire. Yet in the midst of worldly abundance, God revealed himself to her and rescued her. In a 1561 letter from Geneva, John Calvin reflects on the mercy of God that awakened her soul and called her to himself. He warns of how easily the gospel can be choked out by the love of the world and the busyness of life—a truth as relevant for a 16th-century queen as it is for us today. We all need rescue from our sins, focus amidst distractions, and the saving grace of Christ. The counsel Calvin offers this young monarch reminds us that God's mercy calls each of us to treasure his truth, to walk faithfully, and to live fully for him. This episode offers a window into Calvin's pastoral heart and the Protestant Reformation, showing how even royalty can be brought low and lifted up by God's grace. It is a story of spiritual awakening, divine mercy, and a reminder that no throne, no wealth, and no worldly pleasure can replace the joy found in walking with Christ. Show Notes The Tracts and Letters of John Calvin - https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/tracts-and-letters-of-john-calvin-8/ The Church Bible Study - https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/the-church Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Way of the Fathers with Mike Aquilina
5.29 St. John of Avila: The Master

Way of the Fathers with Mike Aquilina

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 16:02


St. John of Avila (1499 - 1569) At the dawn of the Protestant Reformation, St. John of Avila stood in a long and noble tradition of preachers for reform within the Catholic Church. His down-to-earth, but pull-no-punches preaching style brought people back to the sacraments, and he often found that after he preached, he spent the rest of the day hearing confessions.  Links A selection of 8 sermons by St. John of Avila: My Burden is Light: Suffering and Consolation in the Christian Life, translated by Brandon Otto https://tanbooks.com/products/books/my-burden-is-light-suffering-and-consolation-in-the-christian-life/ The volume on St. John of Avila in the Classics of Western Spirituality series: https://www.paulistpress.com/Products/4200-7/john-of-avila.aspx SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  https://jimpapandrea.wordpress.com/ Dr. Papandrea's latest book is The Original Church: What it Meant - and Still Means - to Be a Christian: https://scepterpublishers.org/products/the-original-church-what-it-meant-and-still-means-to-be-a-christian Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/    

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Glorious God of Sovereign Grace

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 33:55


Pastor Luke Herche preaches on Revelation 1:4–8, addressing three questions: Where do you live? How big is your God? And why does that matter? Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, February 24, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Smarty Pants
The Carnifex of Čachtice

Smarty Pants

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 38:19


Elizabeth Bathory is alleged to have been the most prolific serial killer of all time, responsible for butchering as many as 650 virgins and bathing in their blood. Her Hungarian water castles are the sites of gruesome ghost tours, a metal band named itself for her, and for years she was in the Guinness Book of World Records. The number of women she's said to have killed is four times the population of an average 17th-century village, but when it comes to Bathory's story, even the Guinness Book concedes that “it is impossible to separate fact from fiction.” Shelley Puhak disagrees: In her new book,The Blood Countess, she contends that Bathory was instead the victim of possibly the greatest misinformation campaign in history, brought against a powerful, wealthy woman at a tumultuous time. Lutherans and Calvinists were at one another's throats at the height of the Protestant Reformation, the Ottoman Empire lurked just across the border, and medicine in upheaval, with both new and old practices bringing accusations of heresy and witchcraft. It was a dark time to be a woman—especially one with 17 castles to her name, and no husband to defend her.Go beyond the episode:Shelley Puhak's The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a MonsterTune in every (other) week to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek and sponsored by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.Subscribe: iTunes/Apple • Amazon • Google • Acast • PandoraHave suggestions for projects you'd like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why Catholic?
#171 - The Protestant Revolution

Why Catholic?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2026 19:41


Justin Hibbard continues our series on the 21 Ecumenical Councils by exploring the uprising against the Catholic Church in Europe known as the Protestant Reformation. But was it really a reformation, or was it a revolution? Who were the key players in this movement, and did the movement ultimately succeed in its goals?SOCIAL LINKS* Follow Why Catholic on Instagram.* Subscribe to Why Catholic on YouTube.* Follow Justin on Facebook.SOURCES:* The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History by Joseph Kelly* Video: General Councils 13: Lateran V and Trent - Fr Timothy Matkin - St Francis Dallas* 95 Theses - Martin Luther* Papal Encyclicals Online: Exsurge Domine - Condemning the Errors of Martin Luther - Pope Leo X - 1520* Papal Encyclicals Online: Decet Romanum Pontificem - Papal Bull of Excommunication of Martin Luther and his followers - Pope Leo X - 1521* Episode 56: Indulgences - The Most Misunderstood Catholic Doctrine* Episode 120: The Deuterocanonicals and Protestant Budget BiblesPREVIOUS EPISODES IN THIS SERIES* Episode 146: Introduction to the 21 Ecumenical Councils* Episode 147: The World that Led to the Council of Nicaea* Episode 148: The First Council of Nicaea (325)* Episode 149: From Nicaea to Constantinople* Episode 150: The First Council of Constantinople (381)* Episode 151: The Council of Ephesus (431)* Episode 152: The Council of Chalcedon (451)* Episode 153: The Second Council of Constantinople (553)* Episode 154: War Among the Monotheists* Episode 155: The Third Council of Constantinople (680-681)* Episode 156: The Second Council of Nicaea (787)* Episode 157: Reflections on the First Seven Ecumenical Councils* Episode 158: The Fourth Council of Constantinople (869-870)* Episode 159: The Great Schism* Episode 160: The First Lateran Council (1123)* Episode 161: The Second Lateran Council (1139)* Episode 162: The Third Lateran Council (1179)* Episode 163: The Fourth Lateran Council (1215)* Episode 164: The First Council of Lyon (1245)* Episode 165: The Second Council of Lyon (1274)* Episode 166: The Council of Vienne (1311-1312)* Episode 167: The Avignon Papacy & The Great Western Schism* Episode 168: The Council of Constance (1414-1418)* Episode 169: The Council of Florence (1431-1445) * Episode 170: The Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517) Get full access to Why Catholic? at whycatholic.substack.com/subscribe

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Building God's House

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2026 37:32


“Groundbreaking,” “the foot of a mountain,” and “flying off the handle” are all dead metaphors, once vivid and fresh, but now separated from their original imagery and impact. According to Pastor Luke Herche, much of Biblical language has become like dead metaphors to us. We have become dull to the power and punch of Scripturural language. In this sermon on 2 Samuel 7:12–13, 2 Chronicles 36:22–23, and Matthew 28:16–20, Pastor Luke revitalizes some of our dead metaphors for the mission of the church as he tells the story of God's house, beginning with creation and ending in Revelation. From Sunday Worship, February 15, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: How do you understand your role in God's temple-building mission? What most hinders you from filling that role? How does Christ model our role as well as free, empower, and motivate us to fulfill our role in God's work? What is the next step you can take to fulfill God's call in your life? Take some time to pray for wisdom and strength to move forward and be faithful in God's temple-building work. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Conrad Rocks
The Bones That Refused to Stay Buried: John Wycliffe and the Birth of the English Bible

Conrad Rocks

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2026 27:01


Imagine a scene so haunting it echoes through six centuries: high-ranking officials digging up a man dead for 44 years just to burn his bones and scatter them in a river. Why? Because he dared to give the common man the Word of God in his own tongue. Join us as we journey back to the 14th century to meet John Wycliffe, the "Morning Star of the Reformation," and explore how he broke the "Latin chains" to end a spiritual famine. This episode is a deep dive into the courage, chaos, and linguistic revolution that paved the way for the Bible you hold today. Key TakeawaysThe Famine of the Word: Understanding the spiritual starvation of the Dark Ages and the fulfillment of the prophecy in Amos 8:11: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."Dominion by Grace: Wycliffe's radical idea that spiritual authority comes from God's grace, not an office—echoing Psalm 118:22: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."The Lollard Movement: How "poor priests" and "mumblers" created an underground distribution network for the forbidden English scriptures.Linguistic Legacy: Discovering how Wycliffe didn't just translate the Bible; he molded the English language, giving us words like "glory," "mystery," and "treasure."The Global Ripple Effect: Why burning Wycliffe's bones failed to stop his message, eventually flowing from the River Swift to the great ocean of the Protestant Reformation.Call to ActionSubscribe to Coffee with Conrad for more deep dives into church history and prophetic insights.Share your thoughts: How does knowing the cost of the English Bible change the way you read it today? Leave us a review or a voice message!Visit the Site: For more "rocks of revelation," head over to conradrocks.net.LinksBlog: https://conradrocks.netBook: Open Your Eyes → https://amzn.to/3RJx7byBook: Night Terror → https://amzn.to/3XRFohlAmazon Ministry List → https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2GSBT99APHFQR?ref_=wl_shareInner Circle Email Subscription: https://eepurl.com/dhtqlP My Books: * Open Your EyesNight TerrorT-Shirts: Team Jesus 4 Store PayPal: Support the Show Social Media:FacebookInstagramTwitter/XTikTok

Way of the Fathers with Mike Aquilina
5.28 St. John of Avila: Apostle of Andalusia

Way of the Fathers with Mike Aquilina

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2026 12:47


St. John of Avila (1499 - 1569) In the aftermath of the reestablishment of Christendom in Spain, and at the dawn of the Protestant Reformation, St. John of Avila was a powerful and effective preacher for Catholic reform and evangelization. He brought the people of southern Spain back to the Church, and brought the clergy of southern Spain back to holiness.  Links A selection of 8 sermons by St. John of Avila: My Burden is Light: Suffering and Consolation in the Christian Life, translated by Brandon Otto https://tanbooks.com/products/books/my-burden-is-light-suffering-and-consolation-in-the-christian-life/ SIGN UP for Catholic Culture's Newsletter:  https://www.catholicculture.org/newsletters/ DONATE at:  http://www.catholicculture.org/donate/audio Dr. Papandrea's Homepage:  https://jimpapandrea.wordpress.com/ Dr. Papandrea's latest book is The Original Church: What it Meant - and Still Means - to Be a Christian: https://scepterpublishers.org/products/the-original-church-what-it-meant-and-still-means-to-be-a-christian Dr. Papandrea's YouTube channel, The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed:  https://www.ccwatershed.org/  

Saybrook Meetinghouse
Ben Keller: Daniel 6 - Saybrook Meetinghouse - Season 7 • Episode 4

Saybrook Meetinghouse

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2026 57:58


#christianity #protestant #reformationThere is a solitary, humble, wooden structure on a windswept hill in rural New England. To open the door is to engage our minds, our hearts, and our imaginations. In this place, preachers and professors, past and present, come alive as they walk the aisle, ascend the pulpit stairs, and teach…from theology, from history, and from the Word of God. Welcome to the Saybrook Meetinghouse, an audio production of Saybrook Ministries. Saybrook Ministries' vision is to inspire and invigorate Christians with imaginative and intellectual content.Saybrook Ministries' mission is to provide didactic and devotional content from the Christian faith delivered to the saints; recovered and refined by the Protestant Reformation.Saybrook Ministries' prayer is that our content will be (1) to Christians convinced of Reformation truths: encouraging & powerful; (2) to Christians unconvinced of Reformation truths: educational & persuasive; (3) to non-Christians: engaging & prophetic.Saybrook Ministries' four foundational scriptures are: The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand (Daniel 11:32b-33a). And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:10). Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3).

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Wisdom To Understand Consequences

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2026 34:21


Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on Proverbs 1:8–19, helping us to reflect on the passage with four questions: What is the principle? What is the promise? How does the gospel speak into it? And what is our response? Part of a series on the book of Proverbs. From Sunday Evening Worship, February 8, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church of Houston
Where Did the Orthodox Church Come From? (Part 4) | Me-to-We Ministry (Fr. Matthias Shehad)

St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church of Houston

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 11:57


In this part of the series, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the origins of the Orthodox Church by tracing the historical developments that led to various Christian denominations. He discusses how the Protestant Reformation introduced the principle of sola scriptura, resulting in multiple interpretations of the Bible and the proliferation of thousands of denominations. Fr. Matthias explains the differences between Protestants, whom the Orthodox Church considers Christians due to core shared beliefs, and groups like Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, classified as cults for their divergent views on the nature of God. He also covers the formation of the Church of England as a distinct entity stemming from political motives rather than theological revelation. Fr. Matthias emphasizes the importance of adhering to the original faith revealed by God and preserved through church tradition to maintain unity and truth in Christian belief. This teaching invites viewers to consider the significance of church history in understanding where their faith comes from and why it matters. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Praying with the Spirit

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 29:58


Prayer is difficult. This is commonly known among all followers of Jesus. Even Peter, James, and John could not stay awake in prayer with Jesus at Gethsemane, though he asked them twice. When writing Romans, the apostle Paul assumes that prayer is difficult for the believer, that we are weak, that we need help. The good news is that God has given us help. Listen as Pastor Ethan Brown preaches from Romans 8:15–17, 22–23, 26–27, showing that God has not left us alone in our prayers––he has given us the Holy Spirit, and whenever we pray, whenever we truly pray, we pray with the Holy Spirit. From Sunday Worship, February 1, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The Logos Podcast
The Hidden Mystical Roots of the Protestant Reformation

The Logos Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 38:11 Transcription Available


This video is a clip of my stream "Kabbalah & the Reformation: The Esoteric Roots of Protestant Thought (Sponsored Stream)" If you would like to watch the entire stream please click the following link. https://youtube.com/live/qVSU-i3shw4

Saybrook Meetinghouse
Ben Keller: Daniel 5 - Saybrook Meetinghouse - Season 7 • Episode 3

Saybrook Meetinghouse

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 50:42


#christianity #protestant #reformationThere is a solitary, humble, wooden structure on a windswept hill in rural New England. To open the door is to engage our minds, our hearts, and our imaginations. In this place, preachers and professors, past and present, come alive as they walk the aisle, ascend the pulpit stairs, and teach…from theology, from history, and from the Word of God. Welcome to the Saybrook Meetinghouse, an audio production of Saybrook Ministries. Saybrook Ministries' vision is to inspire and invigorate Christians with imaginative and intellectual content.Saybrook Ministries' mission is to provide didactic and devotional content from the Christian faith delivered to the saints; recovered and refined by the Protestant Reformation.Saybrook Ministries' prayer is that our content will be (1) to Christians convinced of Reformation truths: encouraging & powerful; (2) to Christians unconvinced of Reformation truths: educational & persuasive; (3) to non-Christians: engaging & prophetic.Saybrook Ministries' four foundational scriptures are: The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand (Daniel 11:32b-33a). And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:10). Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3).

Behold Your God Podcast
Letters of John Calvin II: Reconciliation and Encouragement toward John Knox

Behold Your God Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2026 15:07


In this week's episode of The Whole Counsel podcast, Dr. John Snyder continues reading from the letters of John Calvin. As he noted in the previous episode, Calvin's correspondence was addressed to an impressively diverse range of individuals—prisoners, pastors, fellow reformers, nobles, and monarchs. For those interested in church history and the Protestant Reformation, Calvin's letters offer a rare window into the personal relationships, struggles, and pastoral concerns that shaped the movement from within. This episode focuses on a letter written by Calvin to the Scottish reformer John Knox. Both men were being greatly used by God to advance and strengthen the Protestant Reformation, and yet, through no deliberate fault on either side, tension arose between them. Dr. Snyder carefully explains the circumstances that led to this strain, providing historical context while allowing Calvin's own words to reveal the spirit in which the letter was written. Rather than responding defensively or dismissively, Calvin models Christian humility and wisdom. He takes care to clarify a misunderstanding, to explain his actions, and to assure Knox of his continued affection and respect. At the same time, Calvin uses the opportunity to encourage Knox in his labors and to offer pastoral counsel regarding church reform, unity, and endurance under pressure—counsel that remains strikingly relevant for believers and church leaders today. This letter reminds us that faithfulness in ministry does not remove the possibility of misunderstanding or wounded feelings, but it does shape how such moments are addressed. Calvin's careful, brotherly response provides a helpful example of how truth, patience, and love can preserve unity even in difficult circumstances. Show Notes The Tracts and Letters of John Calvin - https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/collected-workssets/tracts-and-letters-of-john-calvin-8/ The Church Bible Study - https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/the-church Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app  

All Souls Presbyterian Church
The Revelation of Jesus

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 32:35


In the second of two introductions to the book of Revelation, Pastor Luke Herche examines passages from Revelation with a focus on our hope. Addressing three questions (Why must we hope? How can we hope? And what happens when we do?), Pastor Luke shares that we can hope because Revelation reveals what is and what will be, the lamb reigns and wins, his enemies are restrained and will be judged, and his people are safe and will be raised. Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, January 18, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What are some places in your life where you need hope? What specifically is wrong in you, your circumstances, or our world? What is our natural response to hard things? What are some ways we respond poorly to tragedy, temptation, and turmoil? Why do we respond this way? How does the message of Revelation (as summarized in the sermon) speak into the hard things? If you had hope in the midst of hard things, how would that shape your response and what might your new response be? Take some time to pray that the message of this book would sink into your heart and that God would give you opportunity to share it with others. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Christadelphians Talk
500 years of the English Bible... How it changed the world. #2-

Christadelphians Talk

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 21:17


A @Christadelphians Video: Inspiring, thought-provoking and revealing, join us as we explore the incredible legacy of William Tyndale and the birth of the English Bible 500 years ago. This insightful expositional presentation delves into how one man's courageous work changed history, challenged powerful religious institutions and made God's Word accessible to all. We uncover Tyndale's revolutionary—and often overlooked—beliefs, comparing them with scripture to reveal the outstanding and wonderful power of the ancient gospel.**Chapters:**00:00 - Introduction: A Legacy of Courage20:48 - Challenging Religious Authority21:13 - The Seeds of Reformation & The Christadelphian Community21:38 - Tyndale's Unusual Beliefs22:36 - Our Responsibility to Search the Scriptures23:06 - What William Tyndale Believed23:45 - Translation Choices: Undermining Church Institution25:50 - A Summary of Tyndale's Groundbreaking Beliefs26:44 - An Open Challenge to Mainstream Christianity27:11 - Letting Scripture Interpret Scripture28:24 - The Biblical Truth About Hell and the Resurrection33:22 - The Apostolic Comfort: Christ's Return and the Resurrection36:53 - The Deeper Influence: The English Bible and Zionism38:34 - Tyndale's Final Witness and Unwavering Courage40:03 - Conclusion: What Will We Do With This Gift?**Bible Verse Category:**

FUMC Bentonville Podcast
December 28th, 2025 - "The Use and Misuse of Romans: I Am Not Ashamed" - Rev. Dr. Michelle Morris

FUMC Bentonville Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 17:10


Romans 1:15-17 This sermon sets up the series where we examine how the letter to the Romans often gets misused, by quoting the passage that kicked off the Protestant Reformation and is often is cited as justification for biblical literalism. There are problems with both understandings that we need to confront.

Living Words
To the Saints and Faithful Ones in Messiah Jesus

Living Words

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2026


To the Saints and Faithful Ones in Messiah Jesus Ephesians 1:1-2 by William Klock Last week I was on my gravel bike, riding the logging roads through the foothills to Campbell River and back while pondering St. Paul's letter to the Christians at Ephesus.  As I passed the turn for Rossiter Mainline I was remembering the first time I made that gruelling climb.  It goes up to the top of the north shoulder of Mount Washington, so it's not just a big climb; it's a steep climb.  And it's a commitment.  Round trip is over a 100km.  I'd been looking at topographic maps and it looked to me that if you got up to the top, there ought to be a really spectacular view of the inland mountains you can't see from down here: Alberta Edward, Alexandra Peak, Golden Hinde.  Maybe, I thought, you might even be able to see down to Buttle Lake.  So off I went.  In mid-March.  And at about 600m of elevation, after the worst of the climbing, I hit snow.  But I'd committed too much already so I kept pushing on.  I rode in the ruts left by a lone truck that had been there recently.  Then those ended and I pushed my bike through shin-deep snow.  And the whole time I was looking up in expectation.  And finally I got to the top.  And what a let down.  All I found was a huge gravel clearing in the trees where the logging trucks turn around to go back down the mountain.  And the trees were tall and thick.  There was zero view.  Absolutely nothing to see.  At all.  I was not a happy camper.  I was cold.  My toes were wet and frozen.  I was tired.  It was about 60km home.  At least a lot of it was downhill.  So back down I went, through the trees, across the clear cuts, and then I rounded a corner and the view took my breath away.  It wasn't the view I expected.  I was so focused on the view I expected at the top, I never thought to look behind me at the view of where I'd been.  The real view was looking down over the Comox Valley and the Strait and over the coast range on the Mainland.  And it was all snowy and green and blue.  And as I stood there looking around, I noticed I was also looking down on at least half a dozen of my favourite gravel rides.  I noticed, not only how different everything looked from above, but how those trails and logging roads weren't really how I imagined.  I had a map of the mountain in my head that I'd got from ground level, but that bird's eye view changed a lot.  It was really neat.  It was worth the exhaustion and the wet, frozen toes. I say this to introduce St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians.  Lord willing, we'll be making our way through this six-chapter epistle over the next several months.  And I think the best way to describe it is that it's the unexpected view from the mountain top.  Emphasis on unexpected, because too often too many of us read Ephesians with the wrong expectations.  Like me looking for one view and finding the real gem was an entirely different one.  We've got Paul's other letters and he was always writing to a church in crisis.  In Rome the Jewish and Gentile believers were splitting the church into factions.  In Corinth they thought Christian liberty meant tolerating sin, engaging in chaotic worship, and abusing the Lord's Supper.  In Galatia, fear of persecution and false teachers were temping the people to retreat back into the Jewish law.  But Paul didn't write to the Ephesians to address any particular crisis or problem they were having.  He was in prison when he wrote.  Maybe in Rome, in the early 60s, waiting to appeal his case to Caesar, but possibly right there in Ephesus in the early or mid 50s.  It's hard to be sure.  But he was in prison and he wrote this letter to the Christians in Ephesus and the surrounding cities to encourage and exhort them.  The church there had been established by Apollos, but Paul had been their pastor for about three years.  He loved these people.  He couldn't be with them.  So he wrote to them.  And what he wrote to them was about how to be the church. All this makes Ephesians the perfect place to get a view of what the church is supposed to be.  It's easy to get lopsided views if we put all the emphasis on, say, Romans or Galatians.  This happened at the Protestant Reformation and the end result was that a lot of modern scholars decided that Ephesians probably wasn't written by Paul at all—because it doesn't fit with Romans and Galatians.  But, if we let Ephesians take us up to the lookout on the mountain and look down on Romans and Galatians and Paul's other epistles from there, if we let that view shape how we read Paul's letters as a whole, everything starts to harmonise and make sense and it's easy to see that it really was Paul all along. The structure of Ephesians is really pretty simple.  In the first three chapters Paul writes about our calling as the church, as the people of God.  And then, in Chapters 4 to 6 he writes about living that calling out.  4:1 is the pivot between the two.  A lot of you probably know that verse by heart: “I appeal to you as a prisoner in the Lord, to walk in a way worthy of your calling.”  To walk.  Some translations say “live”.  It's this wonderful Greek word paripateo that literally means “to walk around”.  It's a great image of life as we go our way, as we make our journey together as the church.  Paul writes that as we embark on this journey of life as the Messiah's people it's essential that how we do it in a way worthy of our calling.  But what does “worthy” mean.  Here's another Greek word, axios.  It's the idea of bringing a scale into balance.  Picture an old-fashioned scale.  You've got A on one side and to get it to balance out you've got to add just the right amount of B to the other until they're both hanging at an equal height.  Or, in modern terms, you might think of adjusting a crescent wrench, dialing it in, so that it perfectly fits the nut you need to unscrew.  Or finding that pair of shoes or that dress or those pants that just fit perfectly.  Not sort of fit.  But perfectly fit.  Like the balanced scale.  That's axios.  The calling we've been given by Jesus and the Spirit is hanging on one side of the scale.  Now we've got to walk in such that we match it.  That's a big ask.  But Paul's also clear: We've got God's word to show us what and how and we've got God's Spirit to make it possible. Brother and Sisters, that's Ephesians.  Let your walk be worthy of your calling.  And the emphasis isn't on “you” singular, but on “y'all” plural.  He's talking to us as the church, as the people of God.  Of course, that's going to have implications for us as individuals, but Paul's emphasis here is on our life together in Jesus and the Spirit.  So…we're ready to jump into it…Chapter 1, verses 1 and 2.  Paul writes: “Paul, an apostle of Messiah Jesus through God's purpose to the saints in Ephesus who are also faithful in Messiah Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.” This is Paul's salutation, but even here he gets to the church's calling.  He introduces himself as an apostle of Jesus the Messiah.  In this case he doesn't dwell on his authority.  He could have.  He'd met the risen Jesus and had been given his calling to take the gospel to the gentiles, he could speak with authority as one of the eye-witnesses and as someone specially equipped for this apostolic ministry, but Paul doesn't need to do that here.  He might do that, for example, writing to the Corinthians.  He had to remind them of his credentials, because they'd sort of kicked him to the curb.  But here he's writing to friends.  I think Paul's main emphasis here is, instead, on the purposes or the will of God.  He'll come back to this idea of God's purposes in the verses that follow and especially in Chapter 3.  But I think this is his real reason for bringing up the fact that he's an apostle.  Because Paul knew that there was no way he ever would have found himself in this position if it hadn't been for God—and the same is true for the Ephesian Christians in their own ways.  Remember, Paul was a Pharisee, he was a member of the governing council of the Jews, and he hated Christians with a passion.  As far as he was concerned, Christians—at that point they were almost all Jewish—were traitors to their people and their God.  They were following a man who had been crucified as a false messiah and Paul didn't believe for one second the reports that Jesus had been raised from the dead.  When they stoned Stephen for preaching about Jesus, Paul held everyone's coats so that they'd be less encumbered throwing their stones.  He was the last person who would ever become a follower of Jesus. And then it happened.  On the way to Damascus to round up more Christians, Paul met the risen Jesus.  Not a ghost, not an apparition, not a dream, but the real and actual Jesus.  And everything changed.  It took Paul a good long while to sort out what it meant, but he knew from the beginning that if Jesus was really alive, then he really was the Messiah—the anointed King of Israel and the world's true Lord.  It meant God's new age, his new creation had begun.  Somehow.  Some way.  So Paul went off to Arabia by himself to think it all through in light of the scriptures and the story of Israel that he knew so well.  And when he'd done that and came back, he knew: God had a plan all along.  Jesus wasn't some fluke.  He was the plan.  Everything in history had been working towards Jesus and everything from now on would be working from Jesus. And just as God had had a purpose in calling Israel and making them his people to be a light to the nations, so it meant that everyone who believed and found themselves part of this new Israel, part of this new people of God centred in Jesus the Messiah, they were part of God's continuing plan.  Paul had been called and set apart as a messenger of this plan, but the Ephesian Christians were called and set apart in their own way as well, to live and to proclaim and to witness it. So, remember that Ephesians is about what it means to be the church.  Paul starts out reminding us that none of this is random.  God had a purpose and that's why he's called us.  Again, think of 4:1 right in the middle of Ephesians, where Paul reminds them (and us) to walk worthy of our calling—to walk according to the plan God has for us.  Christianity isn't just some therapeutic thing that provides forgiveness of sins, a feel-good life, and heaven when you die.  It's about being born again in Jesus the Messiah and then credibly living that new life, God's new creation, in the midst of the old, proclaiming the good news of the king and growing his kingdom until it fills the earth.  The church, empowered by the Spirit of God, is Jesus means fulfilling the mission of renewal he began at the cross.  So that's Paul's introduction of himself. Next he addresses them.  He calls them the saints who are also faithful in Messiah Jesus.  First, saints.  Paul's literally addressing the “holy ones”.  He's not singling anyone out, as if there were some especially holy people in the Ephesian church and he's writing to them and not to the rest of the ordinary Christians.  He's talking about all of them.  Brothers and Sisters, understand, holiness or sainthood isn't some status to be achieved that sets us apart from ordinary Christians.  The Christian who struggles with sin every minute of the day is just as much a saint as the most mature of believers.  It's not a status we earn.  Holiness, sainthood is conferred on each of us by Jesus and the Spirit.  To be holy is to be set apart.  That's what Israel was: a people set apart to fulfil God's purposes in the world.  To be light in the darkness.  He set them apart by giving them his law—a way of life that was different from everyone else in the world.  And he gave them the visible mark of circumcision.  He made them a holy people.  Saints.  And now, in Jesus the Messiah, God has done the same for us, for the church. But before I get ahead of myself, there's the second thing Paul addresses them as.  He calls them “faithful” or the “faithful ones”.  And it's important to understand what “faith” or “faithfulness” means, because we've often reduced it to just believing the right thing.  We've got this idea that to be a Christian means believing the right thing about Jesus and about the good news of his death and resurrection.  Jesus died for our sins and if we believe that, if we give our intellectual assent to it, well then, that's that.  When I was a kid, our family was involved for a few years with an organisation with the mission to evangelise children.  It was a popular programme, because the kids that signed up got to leave school early once a week.  We'd walk over to a nearby church and we'd hear Bible stories and sing gospel songs and we'd hear about Jesus.  And every week the leaders would close by inviting everyone to say a prayer with them to acknowledge Jesus as their Saviour.  When they asked who prayed the prayer and kids raised their hands, they marked them down as successes.  They were good to go.  They'd said the prayer.  They were Christians now.  Except there was no discipleship.  There was no church.  There was no Christian community.  Never mind, what all us Christian kids seemed to understand that the adult leaders didn't: Those non-Christians kids were just coming and were just raising their hands because they liked getting out of school early.  Saying a prayer, even giving our intellectual assent to Jesus as Saviour, isn't being “faithful”.  For that matter, baptism alone isn't “faithful” either.  It's God's covenant sign that marks us out as his people—externally—but Paul is clear elsewhere that—as has always been the case for God's people in the old covenant and the new—it's faithfulness that truly marks us out.  And faithfulness, yes, means belief, but it also means trust and loyalty and allegiance.  As St. James writes in his epistle: faith without works is dead—it's not faith at all.  Faith means walking worthy of our calling.  Admire Jesus, confess Jesus all day long.  Great.  But until you've actually committed to him and faithfully start walking with him according to his plan, not yours, friend, you're not a Christian. But then the key thing about all this.  Paul doesn't just address them as the faithful saints.  He addresses them—and us—as the faithful saints in Messiah Jesus.  “In the Messiah”.  Paul uses that phrase a lot.  He uses it in Ephesians more than he does anywhere else.  And for Paul “in the Messiah” is shorthand for “belonging to the Messiah”.  Brothers and Sisters, you can't make yourself a saint.  And if you're going to be faithful, you've got to be faithful to something.  Jesus.  Without him, we're wretched sinners, enemies of God, faithless and committed to idols to self and to sin and doing all the things that make this broken world broken.  We serve ourselves and we worship idols.  We hurt others, we abuse others, we use others for our own purposes.  We break our relationships.  We break our promises.  We build unjust and unfaith systems and institutions.  We exploit creation itself in unsustainable ways.  We take no thought for the wellbeing of others or for generations to come, whether it's polluting the world they'll have to live in or running up obscene levels of debt that will leave them encumbered.  Even Israel, called and set apart by God and given his law to make them a light in the darkness, even thy ended up being all but swallowed by all this brokenness and darkness. Enter Jesus.  If you're following along in a Bible, you may have noticed that when I read our text and read the word “Messiah”, your Bible probably reads “Christ”.  About ten years ago I made the decision to start using “Messiah” instead of “Christ” in my translations of the New Testament.  I did that as I realised way too many people have no idea what “Christ” means and an awful lot of people think it's Jesus' last name.  It's not.  Christos is just the Greek word for the Jewish title, “Messiah”.  And “Messiah” refers to the anointed king that God had promised to his people through David and through the Prophets.  The anointed king—meaning the king called and set apart as holy in order to fulfil God's purposes.  That's who Jesus is.  That's what the title “Christ” or “Messiah” means.  Jesus is the one set apart by God to set this broken world to rights, to inaugurate God's new creation and the age to come and to rule it through his Spirit-renewed people until all his enemies have been put under his feet.  And Jesus did this first by dying the death his people deserved.  He didn't deserve it.  They did.  But he paid the wages of their sin.  And then God raised him from the dead, defeating sin and death, and began the work of fulfilling God's promise to bring life back to a world mired in death.  Jesus' resurrection was the beginning of God's new creation.  And here's why Paul stresses that we are saints and faithful in the Messiah: because it is when we let go and turn away—that's “repentance”—when we turn away from sin and self, from our idols and false gods, rejecting the corrupted principalities and powers of this world, and instead believe the good news of Jesus' death and resurrection, trusting him and giving him our loyalty and allegiance—our faithfulness—we find ourselves united with him.  He forgives our sins and makes us holy.  And—this is important for Ephesians and the whole question of what the church is and is to be.  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus' calling becomes our calling. And that brings us back to the whole “walking worthy of our calling” thing.  It brings us back to the fact that faith is more than just believing the right thing.  Because if we believe that Jesus, when he rose from the dead has inaugurated God's new creation, that he's begun the process of setting this fallen world—and fallen humanity—to rights, that he's begun the process of wiping away the tears and making all the sad things of the world come untrue.  That he has, as Paul highlights here, poured out his grace on us and given us peace—the Hebrew idea of shalom, of wholeness and of well-being rooted in our fellowship with God.  Brothers and Sisters, it means that he's called us into that same messianic mission.  He's made us heaven-on-earth people.  In forgiving us and lifting the weight of our sins from us and in pouring his Spirit into us to give us a foretaste of the life to come, Jesus has given us a vision of this world set free from sin and death and a vision of life lived in God's presence and fellowship.  Jesus has given us hope.  And that's more than mere belief, it's more than intellectual assent to a creed.  It's not less than that.  But it's also so much more.  It's life and it's hope.  And not just for us.  It's life and hope that, once we've known and experienced it, should become our passion.  With the foretaste we've been given, with that hope before us, we ought to be a transformed people doing everything we can, with the help of the Spirit and following the scriptures, to be a people who forsake the sins and the selfishness that have made the world such a dark place; it ought to make us a people full of light and life, a people eager to bring God's grace and God's peace to everyone around us.  To lift the veil on God's new world, to give them a glimpse of redemption and new creation, to share with them the hope we have. Brothers and Sisters, remember that hope when you come to the Lord's Table this morning.  Here he reminds us that Jesus changes everything.  Here he reminds us that it is Jesus body and blood, shed on the cross, that purify us from sin.  Here he reminds us that it is Jesus who makes us his people.  And here he reminds us of the hope—the great feast of new life and fellowship with God—that is our hope.  Come and remember that you are his saints.  The ones made holy and set apart by Jesus to fulfil his purposes.  And then go out into the world as the faithful ones, filled with grace and peace, equipped to walk worthy of your calling. Let's pray: Almighty God, through Jesus your son, the Messiah, you have poured out your grace and your peace on us, you have forgiven our sins, you have welcomed us into your fellowship, you have given us hope; remind us, we pray, that you have also given us a calling, a purpose: to proclaim that Jesus is Lord to the ends of the earth, and be living, walking, breathing pockets of your new creation in the midst of the old.  Make us faithful to that calling.  Give us the grace necessary to turn aside from sin and from self and walk worthy of that calling; through Jesus the Messiah, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

All Souls Presbyterian Church
Introduction to the Proverbs

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 30:19


In this first installment in a new sermon series on the book of Proverbs, Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on Proverbs 1:1–7, teaching us that the proverbs draw us to wisdom by showing the gifts of wisdom, the help of wisdom, and the source of wisdom. Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, January 11, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What is an area in your life where you feel you need wisdom? What gift of wisdom do you feel most drawn to? Which one do you feel you practice well and which one do you want to grow in? When was a time in your life when you felt like you grew in wisdom and understanding? How is God being the source of Wisdom comforting to you and in what ways is that challenging? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

All Souls Presbyterian Church

In Revelation 21:4, we receive the promise that one day God “will wipe away ever tear.” But in the present, we weep. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage, addressing four questions: Why must we weep? Why don't we weep? How can we weep? And what do we do now? From Sunday Evening Worship, January 11, 2026. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The Libertarian Christian Podcast
MAGA Christianity and the Protestant Reformation, with Jacob Winograd

The Libertarian Christian Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 68:05


In this episode of the Libertarian Christian Podcast, host Cody Cook and guest Jacob Winograd (host of Biblical Anarchy) dissect the provocative Dispatch article “Is MAGA Christianity True Christianity?” by Michael Renaud and Paul D. Miller.The article's authors frame “old-guard” conservatism as the heir to the magisterial Protestant Reformation (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli) — elite, intellectual, and state-aligned — while casting MAGA Christianity as a modern echo of the populist, emotional, and disempowered Radical Reformation (Anabaptists). Cook (Anabaptist) and Winograd (reformed Baptist) find the parallel historically flawed and politically irritating, yet valuable for discussion. They critique the article's oversimplifications and discuss whether true Radical Reformation principles align more closely with libertarianism's emphasis on voluntary society and rejection of state violence.The conversation explores whether political positions can ever disqualify Christian faithfulness, the dangers of conflating anti-elitism with anti-statism, and why both establishment conservatism and MAGA ultimately fail to challenge coercive power meaningfully.A thoughtful, nuanced critique of Christian political engagement that challenges listeners across the spectrum to examine the gospel's true implications for power, authority, and liberty.Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com ★ Support this podcast ★

christianity baptist maga libertarians dispatch protestant reformation audio production zwingli winograd radical reformation paul d miller jacob winograd biblical anarchy podsworth media
All Souls Presbyterian Church
Revelation Teaches Us How to See

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 36:24


In this introduction to the book of Revelation, Pastor Luke Herche looks at various passages (Revelation 1:1–2, 10–12, 19; 5:1–2, 6; 6:9; 7:1; 9:17–19; 10:1; 13:1; 16:13; 17:3, 12; 19:11; 20:11; 21:1–2; 22:8–9) and shows us that Revelation is a picture book. Listen as Pastor Luke explains, addressing four questions: What does that mean? Why is it important? How do we understand it? And what does it show us? Part of a series on the book of Revelation. From Sunday Worship, January 4, 2026. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: As we begin this journey through the final book of the Bible, what vivid image from the book (whether mentioned in the sermon or not) stirs your imagination or curiosity the most and why? The sermon suggests that Revelation is less like a puzzle to be solved and more like a picture book intended to show us spiritual realities. How does that shift in perspective change the way you feel about opening this book? If this book truly “pulls back the curtain” on the inner workings of our world, what is one area of life where you are longing to see things as they really are from God's perspective? In what ways have you become so consumed with cultural pleasures or social ills (things we can see with our eyes) that you've lost sight of God's sovereign grace at work in the world? Since things are often not what they appear in this age, what is one practical way you can proceed with humility and trust God's “corrective lenses” rather than your own self-confidence this week? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The Logos Podcast
Did Jewish Kabbalah Shape the Protestant Reformation? (The Hidden History No One Teaches)

The Logos Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 71:15 Transcription Available


In this video I read an article written from Anthony Westgate from his SUbstack discussing the very interesting relationship between the Reformation and Jewish Kabbalah. Check it out and let me know what you think. God Bless

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Pastor Luke Herche preaches on Luke 2:21–32, in which Jesus is presented in the temple after he was born and seen by Simeon. Pastor Luke shows that Jesus is Israel's Glory. He is her embodiment. He is her salvation. He fulfills her mission. And he calls us to be taken up into her story. Part of an Advent sermon series, "The Questions of Christmas." From Sunday Worship, December 28, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: How does seeing Jesus as the one who perfectly embodies all that humanity (and Israel) was meant to be change the way you view God's expectations for your life? Where have you felt the “ache” of seeking glory in the present life (whether your own accomplishments or reputation, or other created things), only to find those things leaving you wanting more? The “Suffering Servant” was pierced for our transgressions to bring us peace. How does Jesus' choice to be “born under the law” and to bear our grief show us what true glory looks like? Considering that we “become what we worship,” what would it look like for you to be a “walking advertisement” for Jesus' glory in your home or workplace this coming week as you both delight in and reflect that glory? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

End Time Podcast with David Heavener: What you Won't Hear in Church

Join David Heavener and Terry Mortenson as they delve into biblical stories, challenging conventional interpretations and exploring the foundations of Genesis. This engaging discussion covers the authority of scripture, the role of miracles, and the historical context of the Protestant Reformation and Enlightenment. They address common misconceptions about the Garden of Eden and discuss the implications of modern theology on Christian beliefs. A must-watch for those interested in deepening their understanding of biblical history and theology.

End Time Podcast - What you Won't Hear in Church (audio)
Eve Never Ate the Apple! Terry Mortenson

End Time Podcast - What you Won't Hear in Church (audio)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 13:42


Join David Heavener and Terry Mortenson as they delve into biblical stories, challenging conventional interpretations and exploring the foundations of Genesis. This engaging discussion covers the authority of scripture, the role of miracles, and the historical context of the Protestant Reformation and Enlightenment. They address common misconceptions about the Garden of Eden and discuss the implications of modern theology on Christian beliefs. A must-watch for those interested in deepening their understanding of biblical history and theology.

Saybrook Meetinghouse
Ben Keller: Luke 11:5-13 - Saybrook Meetinghouse - Season 7 • Episode 2

Saybrook Meetinghouse

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 42:48


#christianity #protestant #reformationThere is a solitary, humble, wooden structure on a windswept hill in rural New England. To open the door is to engage our minds, our hearts, and our imaginations. In this place, preachers and professors, past and present, come alive as they walk the aisle, ascend the pulpit stairs, and teach…from theology, from history, and from the Word of God. Welcome to the Saybrook Meetinghouse, an audio production of Saybrook Ministries. Saybrook Ministries' vision is to inspire and invigorate Christians with imaginative and intellectual content.Saybrook Ministries' mission is to provide didactic and devotional content from the Christian faith delivered to the saints; recovered and refined by the Protestant Reformation.Saybrook Ministries' prayer is that our content will be (1) to Christians convinced of Reformation truths: encouraging & powerful; (2) to Christians unconvinced of Reformation truths: educational & persuasive; (3) to non-Christians: engaging & prophetic.Saybrook Ministries' four foundational scriptures are: The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times (Psalm 12:6). The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand (Daniel 11:32b-33a). And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:10). Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3).

History Analyzed
Johannes Gutenberg's Printing Press Created the First Information Age

History Analyzed

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2025 59:09


Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press. The mass production of books and other printed texts revolutionized the world. Gutenberg created a transformation in knowledge acquisition and communication. This kicked off the first information age. The printing press had a bigger effect on the world than the computer or the internet.

All Souls Presbyterian Church
What is the Significance of the Virgin Birth?

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 31:57


In this sermon on Matthew 1:18–23, Pastor Luke Herche preaches on the significance of the virgin birth, showing that in the virgin birth God identifies with the weak; God confounds the wise; God keeps his promise; and God does it all for us. Part of an Advent sermon series, "The Questions of Christmas." From Sunday Worship, December 14, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: Which detail in Matthew 1:18–23—–Joseph's quiet resolve, the angel's dream, the promise of the name Immanuel (“God with us”), etc.—–stands out to you as the most surprising or significant moment in this story, and why? What about the Incarnation is most puzzling to you? What do you struggle to understand about “God-made-flesh” in Jesus? In what ways are you tempted to explain the mystery away rather than wonder and worship? What does it mean for your perspective on life's current challenges that the all-powerful and eternal King of kings chose to enter the world not as a muscled warrior, but as a helpless baby? In what way does the humility of Jesus, God with us, shape the way you think about your own life, especially the way you relate to the people around you day by day? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

All Souls Presbyterian Church
How Did God Prepare the World for the Coming of Jesus?

All Souls Presbyterian Church

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2025 30:28


RUF Campus Minister Ethan Brown preaches on Zechariah's prophecy from Luke 1:67–80. Part of an Advent sermon series, "The Questions of Christmas." From Sunday Worship, December 7, 2025. allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Start the Week
Histories, emotions and identity

Start the Week

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2025 41:47


Three prize-winning authors in today's discussion programme hosted by Tom Sutcliffe:The German Peasants' War of 1524–1525 was the greatest popular uprising in Western Europe before the French Revolution. Tens of thousands of peasants rose up to demand a new, more egalitarian order—only to be crushed in a brutal counterattack that left up to 100,000 dead. The historian Lyndal Roper argues that this rebellion was far from chaotic: it was a coherent mass movement inspired by the radical ideals of the Protestant Reformation. Her book Summer of Fire and Blood is the winner of the 2025 Cundill History Prize. The neurologist Masud Husain explores the human mind through the stories of seven patients. In asking what it is that makes us who we are, he explores how our identity can shift when we lose just a single cognitive ability. He examines the stories a man who ran out of words, a woman who stopped caring what others thought, and another who, losing her memory, believed she was having an affair with her own husband. His account of the science of identity, Our Brains, Our Selves, won the Royal Society's 2025 Trivedi Science Book Prize. The historian Hannah Durkin explores the stories of the survivors of the Clotilda, the last ship of the Atlantic slave trade. Based on her original research she uses first hand accounts to tell the stories of the enslaved in their own words. Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade is the winner of the 2025 Wolfson History Prize. Producer: Ruth Watts

Adventure On Deck
When Poetry is the New Sensation. Week 35: Shelley, Byron, Coleridge, and the Romantic Poets

Adventure On Deck

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2025 32:43


This week is all poetry—our first all-poetry week of the Immersive Humanities project! After struggling through young Werther, I decided I needed to step back and understand Romanticism as a movement. I offer a brief review of the history leading up to Romanticism; after all, most movements are reactions against what precedes them. The printing press and Protestant Reformation blew open European thought, leading to centuries of philosophical upheaval. Empiricists like Bacon and Hume insisted that knowledge must be tested; rationalists like Descartes and Spinoza trusted pure reason. Kant eventually tried to unite both. Their world gave rise to the Enlightenment—and then came the Romantics, pushing back with emotion, imagination, and nature.That's the world our poets wrote in. This week I used Pocket Book of Romantic Poetry and read Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats (skipping Novalis and Hölderlin). I loved some poems, disliked others. Blake's mystical, anti-Christian tone left me cold. Wordsworth's childhood wonder won me over. Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner shocked me--it's gripping, almost epic. Byron was brilliant, scandalous, and endlessly readable. His Prisoner of Chillon might have been my favorite poem of the week. Shelley felt dreamlike and visionary, while Keats, to me, seemed talented but young. What did the world lose when he died?Reading these poets in their historical context changed everything. They're passionate, experimental, and surprisingly radical—not quaint! We are missing out when we resort to tired anthologies to get to know these poets--something that I didn't expect to feel so strongly about! Paired with Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Chopin's preludes, this week was a revelation.LINKTed Gioia/The Honest Broker's 12-Month Immersive Humanities Course (paywalled!)My Amazon Book List (NOT an affiliate link)That cool Medieval Science Book The Genesis of Science by James HannamCONNECTThe complete list of Crack the Book Episodes: https://cheryldrury.substack.com/p/crack-the-book-start-here?r=u3t2rTo read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/ LISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bdApple Podcasts -

The Living Waters Podcast
Ep. 365 - Important Highlights From Church History

The Living Waters Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2025 62:47 Transcription Available


Looking back at church history may not sound exciting to some, but it's vital to understanding how God has worked through time. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar reflect on the church as the story of believers, emphasizing that history reveals God's ongoing movement beyond the book of Acts. Though historians tell it in an exciting way, church history shows the evidence of faith lived out in different eras. Biographies of faithful men and women remind Christians of how the Lord worked through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things, inspiring believers to live with the same devotion today.Oscar begins by discussing Paul's conversion, a pivotal moment in the spread of the gospel. The guys trace how the church grew organically from that point, not emerging centuries later as some assume. E.Z. focuses on the Council of Nicea, which addressed theological controversy and affirmed Christ's deity. While Constantine allowed Christianity to be practiced, he did not truly Christianize the empire. Oscar highlights Basil, credited as the father of the first hospital, whose compassion reflected the image of God in all people. His example shows that true faith always leads to action and care for others.The fall of Rome marks another turning point, when the church preserved art and literature but also took on roles it was never meant to hold. The guys note how pagan influences crept into traditions over time and stress that truth must come from Scripture alone. Ray points out that Acts remains the blueprint for the church, calling believers back to gospel proclamation and discipleship. The modern church, he warns, risks valuing entertainment over genuine transformation. The group agrees that true renewal comes from giving prominence to God's Word and from pursuing historical theology rather than trends or rituals.Finally, they explore the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther's stand against the Catholic Church, sparked by his 95 theses, ignited a call for revival rather than rebellion. Though the Catholic Church branded him a troublemaker, Luther sought to restore biblical truth through Scripture, faith, and grace alone. The Reformation was not about creating something new but recovering what had been lost. Reformers relied on Scripture and the writings of the early church fathers to return Christianity to its roots. Their courage paved the way for believers today to read God's Word freely and pursue authentic faith. Through these key moments, the guys remind listeners that understanding history deepens gratitude for the gospel and renews passion to live it out now.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

The Living Waters Podcast
Why Church History Still Matters: The Stories That Shape Your Faith. – Highlight Episode 365

The Living Waters Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2025 9:57 Transcription Available


What can the past teach believers about how God continues to move today? Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar walk through the story of the church, showing how each era reflects God's ongoing work beyond the book of Acts. From Paul's conversion to the Council of Nicea and the compassion of Basil, the guys highlight moments where faith inspired action and truth triumphed over compromise. They warn how the fall of Rome and the rise of worldly influence pushed the church toward roles it was never meant to hold, reminding believers that Scripture alone remains the foundation of truth. As they explore the Protestant Reformation, the guys point to Martin Luther's bold stand for Scripture, faith, and grace, which restored the heart of Christianity. Through these pivotal events, they encourage believers to see history as a reminder of God's faithfulness and a call to live out the gospel with renewed conviction today.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

Outrage and Optimism
Inside COP: Al Gore on Fossil Fuel Lobbying and (In)convenient Truths

Outrage and Optimism

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2025 56:58


It's the mid-point of COP30 and all four of our hosts have gathered in Belém to take stock.In the Blue Zone, the mood is its usual blend of high-stakes and surreal. The Presidency is calling its consultations a “collective therapy session,” China would prefer “massage and yoga,” and delegates are deep in the weeds of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.To sift the signal from the noise, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac, Paul Dickinson and Fiona McRaith take on the questions listeners keep asking. Why are there so many fossil fuel lobbyists here? Do recent host country venue choices undermine the process? And does the Amazon road story point to a deeper hypocrisy? The team dig into the numbers, assumptions and stories shaping public distrust and legitimate concern.Then: what connects the Protestant Reformation, Agora of Athens and the No Kings Movement? Yes, it's Vice President Al Gore.In an expansive discussion that charts where we are now and how we got here, the former VP offers a wide angle diagnosis of the forces that have polarised climate politics in his own country - from decades of fossil-fuel-funded disinformation to the shockwave of Citizens United - and explains why linking climate to public health, backed by real-time emissions data, could transform global accountability.Learn more:

Your Daily Prayer Podcast
A Prayer to Commemorate Reformation Day

Your Daily Prayer Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2025 5:39


Reformation Day, celebrated on October 31st, marks one of the most transformative moments in church history — the day Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517. In today's prayer and devotional, we reflect on the fact that though Luther never sought to divide the Church, his bold stand for truth and his devotion to Scripture became a catalyst for reformation and renewal across the Christian world. As Lynette Kittle reflects, Luther wasn’t a rebel or revolutionary — he was a truth seeker who rediscovered the heart of the Gospel: we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8). His translation of the Bible into German opened the Word of God to everyday people, making Scripture accessible to all who longed to know God personally. Today, we commemorate Reformation Day not only as a historic event but as a call to continue valuing God’s Word above all else. Scripture is living and active — teaching, correcting, and equipping us for righteousness. Let us be inspired by Luther’s example to study God’s Word deeply and boldly share the Good News of salvation by grace alone. Today's Bible Reading:“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” – 2 Timothy 3:16

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul
From Luther to the Lightning Bolt

Renewing Your Mind with R.C. Sproul

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 26:24


How did a lightning bolt help spark the Protestant Reformation? Today, R.C. Sproul takes us back to 1505, when Martin Luther experienced a life-changing crisis of faith. Get a Reformation resource bundle with your donation of any amount: The Legacy of Luther book, R.C. Sproul's teaching series Luther and the Reformation (DVD plus digital messages and study guide), and his Justified by Faith Alone teaching series (digital messages and study guide): https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4343/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request The Legacy of Luther ebook, the digital teaching series and study guide for Luther and the Reformation, and the digital teaching series and study guide for Justified by Faith Alone: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Join us at one of our upcoming Renewing Your Mind Live events: http://renewingyourmind.org/events  Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey
Ep 1257 | Demonic or Christian? How Believers Should Approach Halloween

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025 61:53


Today, we dive into the heated Halloween debate about Halloween's origins and whether Christians can celebrate it biblically without compromising their faith. We will unpack Halloween's convoluted history, from ancient pagan festivals to modern commercialization of the holiday, and determine whether satanists have taken over All Hallows' Eve. We also reflect on Martin Luther's influence on the Protestant Reformation that was sparked on October 31. Learn how to discern wisely, engage culture boldly, and make faith-driven choices without paranoia. Join us to anchor your decisions in biblical truth and navigate Halloween with clarity and courage. Watch the full replay of the 2025 Share the Arrows conference exclusively on BlazeTV today. You can get a discount on your BlazeTV subscription now by going to ⁠⁠BlazeTV.com/Allie⁠⁠⁠. Buy Allie's book "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion": ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.toxicempathy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Timecodes: (00:00) Introduction (02:15) The History of Halloween (10:50) Modernizing Halloween (16:20) Psychiatric Disturbances (22:50) Unnecessary Christian Paranoia (35:40) Allie's Response (45:10) Celebrating The Reformation --- Today's Sponsors:   Good Ranchers — Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodRanchers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe to any of their boxes (but preferably the Allie Beth Stuckey Box) to get free Waygu burgers, hot dogs, bacon, or chicken wings in every box for life. Plus, you'll get $40 off when you use code ALLIE at checkout. We Heart Nutrition — Get 20% off women's vitamins with We Heart Nutrition, and get your first bottle of their new supplement, Wholesome Balance; use code ALLIE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.WeHeartNutrition.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Patriot Mobile — go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PatriotMobile.com/ALLIE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or call 972-PATRIOT and use promo code 'ALLIE' for a free month of service! EveryLife — The only premium baby brand that is unapologetically pro-life. EveryLife offers high-performing, supremely soft diapers and wipes that protect and celebrate every precious life. Head to ⁠⁠EveryLife.com⁠⁠ and use promo code ALLIE10 to get 10% of your first order today! Constitution Wealth Management — Let's discover what faithful stewardship looks like in your life. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Constitutionwealth.com/Allie⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a free consultation. --- Episodes you might like: Ep 1058 | Ex-Witch Reveals LA's Dark World of Sex Cults and Blood Offerings | Guest: Jac Marino Chen https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-1058-ex-witch-reveals-las-dark-world-of-sex-cults/id1359249098?i=1000666820850 Ep 1046 | Ex-Psychic on Demonic Possession & Taylor Swift | Guest: Jenn Nizza https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-1046-ex-psychic-reveals-truth-about-taylor-swift/id1359249098?i=1000664520231 Ep 697 | Revealing the Real Origins of Halloween | Guests: Jeremiah Roberts & Andrew Soncrant (Cultish) ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-697-revealing-the-real-origins-of-halloween/id1359249098?i=1000583868843⁠  Ep 666 | Confronting the Occult, Demonic Symbolism & Witchcraft | Guests: Jeremiah Roberts & Andrew Soncrant (Cultish) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-666-confronting-the-occult-demonic-symbolism/id1359249098?i=1000577242915  --- Buy Allie's book "You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love": ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://alliebethstuckey.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Relatable merchandise – use promo code 'ALLIE10' for a discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.blazemedia.com/collections/allie-stuckey⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FLF, LLC
Protestantism and Modernity [The Pugcast]

FLF, LLC

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 61:08


Recently, Trad Catholics and Orthobros who are no fans of modernity have been blaming it on the Protestant Reformation. The argument takes a variety of forms, but how should we evaluate it? Using Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age as a jumping off point, the Pugs weigh some of the key pieces of the argument and place them in the larger context of intellectual movements in Europe in the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It turns out it’s not as simple as the argument makes it. Thank you to our Patron Kenneth for the question! Support the Theology Pugcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thetheologypugcast?fbclid=IwAR17UHhfzjphO52C_kkZfursA_C784t0ldFix0wyB4fd-YOJpmOQ3dyqGf8 Learn more about WPC Battle Ground: https://www.solochristo.org/ Connect with WileyCraft Productions: https://wileycraftproductions.com/