Banned Books

Featured text: "Church Yearbook of 1932" — Hermann Sasse Click on the button with the picture of the Nazi on it. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss an excerpt from Hermann Sasse's 1932 article against National Socialism. What happens when the message of the church and state are indistinguishable? Text: Sasse, Church Yearbook of 1932   Show Notes:   Sasse biography   — Questions? Comments? Show I...

Featured text: "The Cost of Discipleship" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer Cheap Grace, a monument to compromise. Gillespie and Riley continue their conversation about Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship. This episode, more talk about grace, Nazis, and why the Gospel "but" is so important. Text: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship , p.45-49   Show Notes:   Part 1 Rudolph Bultmann Trial...

Featured text: "The Cost of Discipleship" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer Cheap grace... some people would pay top dollar for that kind of breakthrough. Gillespie and Riley take a listener request and discuss Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, The Cost of Discipleship. Grace, discipline, Nazis, and why context matters in this episode. Text: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship , p.45-49   Show Notes:   Bonhoe...

Featured text: "Why Celebrate Christmas?" — Augustine Christmas? This Is Pretty Much The Whole Package. Gillespie and Riley read and so discuss Augustine's sermon "Why Celebrate Christmas?" This episode, more rabbit trails, laughs, and discussion of Psalm 85 as the perfect Christmas sermon text. Text: Excerpt from Sermo 185: PL 38, 997-999   Show Notes:   Calientitos, Ponche Navideño Selected work...

Featured text: "The Spirit of Christmas: Stories, Poems, Essays" — G.K. Chesterton Break the cycle. Rise above. Focus on Christ in the manger. In their monumental 100th episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss G.K. Chesterton's "The Christmas Ballads." This episode, it's a lot of incarnation talk and a few rabbit trails along the way. Text: G. K. Chesterton, "The Christmas Ballads" from "The...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Sometimes, the end is just the beginning. Gillespie and Riley conclude their reading of Martin Luther's treatise on The Bondage of The Will. This episode, they discuss the relation of emotions to God's Word and why Christians aren't skeptics. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther   Show Notes:   Free edition of "the Bondage of the Will" E...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther I'm sorry, but your opinion means very little to me. Gillespie and Riley start to wrap up their reading of Martin Luther's Bondage of The Will with a discussion of the Bible's clarity and why personal feelings and our need to find meaning in everything can hijack God's Word. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther   Show Notes:   Free editi...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther What about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley wrap up (but, not really) their series on Martin Luther's treatise on The Bondage of the Will. This episode, Erasmus and Luther butt heads about how to interpret Scripture, and Luther lays out how he interprets Scripture, which will form the rest of his argument about the relation (o...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Free choice? It'll blow your mind and crush your soul. Gillespie and Riley start to wrap up their series on Martin Luther's treatise on The Bondage of the Will. This episode, what is free choice according to Erasmus? What's at stake in his argument for our ability to participate in our own salvation? Where does that leave God's Word and gift...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Law and Gospel? Let us grab our whiteboard. This has been a long time coming, anyways. Gillespie and Riley talk about what happens when we fail to distinguish God's word of Law from Gospel. More talk about why grammar matters. Finally, we follow a rabbit trail to it's theological conclusion and explain why we always default to law talk rathe...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Worshipping the hidden God is basically a funeral with cake. Gillespie and Riley discuss the distinction between God hidden and revealed, and the consequences for how we read the Bible, preach, teach, and care for each other. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther   Show Notes:   Free edition of "the Bondage of the Will" Episode #86 , #87...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Break the cycle. Rise above. Focus on letting God be God. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther's treatise on the Bondage of The Will. This episode, why Erasmus, deep down, doesn't want to let God be God for him. Also, why we let God's Word stand unless we need it to take a knee. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther   Show N...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther C'mon. Free choice? It's a thought we've all had. Gillespie and Riley discuss why free choice is nothing in relation to God and Satan. Why do we insist on participating in our salvation? What's our end game in arguments for choice? How do we play fast and loose with the Bible to get us there? Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther   Show N...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther But, what about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley discuss original sin and free choice as they continue to read Martin Luther's treatise on "The Bondage of The Will." In this episode, free choice, grace, and Paul paint old Adam into a corner. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther, Free Choice is of the World   Show Notes:  ...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Oh, wow... that's an intense line of questioning. Gillespie and Riley discuss the vital distinction between the righteousness of works and faith in Martin Luther's "The Bondage of The Will." In this episode, it's Abraham, Paul, and the destruction of all our good and virtuous works. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther, Free Choice is of...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Gotta rip the bandaid off now. You'll thank us later. Gillespie and Riley continue to read and discuss Martin Luther's work on The Bondage of The Will. This week, reading the Bible categorically, doing theology categorically, and why rejecting election is rejecting Christ and his gifts. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther, Free Choice i...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther Look: You've Got Two Choices, Well, Maybe One... Or None. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther's work on The Bondage of The Will. This week, the discussion focuses on where there's room for choice [as regards to our salvation] when right and left-hand kingdoms are already ruled by Christ and Satan. Text: Bondage of the Will, Ma...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther What I Choose Is My Choice! Gillespie and Riley continue their reading and discussion of Luther's treatise on the bound will. This episode, what happens when God's election of sinners in Christ Jesus is de-emphasized? Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther, Conclusion Show Notes:   "Crucifying Religion" by Riley Free edition of "the Bondag...

Featured text: "The Bondage of the Will" — Martin Luther You Want The Truth? You Can't Handle The Truth! Gillespie and Riley begin their series on "The Bondage of The Will," one of only two books Martin Luther wrote that he claimed were worth preserving. In this episode, we begin at the end. Text: Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther, Conclusion Show Notes:   "Crucifying Religion" by Riley Free edit...

Featured text: "Your God is Too Glorious: Finding God in the Most Unexpected Places" — Chad Bird Sane People Would Pay Top Dollar for This Kind of Podcast. Gillespie, Riley, and special guest Chad Bird read from his book, "Your God is Too Glorious." They then discuss baptism, suffering, and vocation. Text: Chad Bird, "Your God is Too Glorious," Chapter 10, p. 171. Show Notes:   "Crucifying Religio...

Featured text: "The Spirit's Gifts in the Confessions and in Corinth" — Norman Nagel I'm spiritual, not Spiritual. Gillespie and Riley continue hijacking their podcast to honor their spiritual father, Norman Nagel. This week, we discuss how to sort out gifts we give ourselves and gifts given by God. Show Notes:   Order "Crucifying Religion" by Riley Solid Declaration - Good Works J.S. Bach in Japa...

Featured text: "The Spirit's Gifts in the Confessions and in Corinth" — Norman Nagel There was Gospel, and blood, and he killed a guy with a trident. Gillespie and Riley continue hijacking their podcast to honor their spiritual father, Norman Nagel. Show Notes:   Order "Crucifying Religion" by Riley The Book of Concord - The Large Catechism The Astonished Heart series Riley's "Forgiveness Is The F...

Featured text: "The Spirit's Gifts in the Confessions and in Corinth" — Norman Nagel Gillespie and Riley hijack their own podcast to pay tribute to their theological hero, Norman Nagel. Show Notes:   Order "Crucifying Religion" by Riley The Soul of Christianity — Questions? Comments? Show Ideas? Send them to us at BannedBooks@1517.org . Please subscribe, rate, and review the show on Apple Podcasts...

Featured text: "The Pilgrim's Progress" — John Bunyan This Is The End... Gillespie and Riley wrap up their discussion of John Bunyan's story about the Pilgrim's Progress. This week, we get apocalyptic. Text: The Pilgrims Progress in Modern English Hardcover – 1979 Show Notes:   Order "Crucifying Religion" by Riley Past Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" episodes: #73 , #74 , #75 , #76 , #77 , #78 , #79...

Featured text: "The Pilgrim's Progress" — John Bunyan What about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley get to the last chapter of The Pilgrim's Progress. This episode, baptism, carrot on a stick Jesus, and why verbs matter. Text: The Pilgrims Progress in Modern English Hardcover – 1979 Show Notes:   Order "Crucifying Religion" by Riley Donavon Riley on 1517 , FB , and Instagram Persevera...