Banned Books

Featured text: "St. Anselm's Book of Meditations and Prayers" — Anselm You May Be Right… In this episode of Banned Books, we read Anselm of Canterbury's Meditation on Sin and Penance. We discuss the consequences of sin, the Fountain of Mercy, Jesus' excuses, the doctrine of simul iustus et peccator , theological presuppositions, and how we speak influences our behavior. SHOW NOTES:   St. Anselm's...

Featured text: "On Wealth and Poverty" — John Chrysostom Dig, Lazarus, Dig! In this episode of Banned Books, we read St. John Chrysostom's sermon on the Rich Man and Lazarus — wealth, poverty, Satanic feasts, ivory beds, spiritual warriors, Chaldean comfort dogs, and the dangers of actors and perfume on this podcast episode. SHOW NOTES:   On Wealth and Poverty: St. John Chrysostom https://amzn.to/...

Featured text: "The New Testament Devotional Commentary, Volume 1" — Bo Giertz Leper Messiah. In this episode, we read Bo Giertz's commentary on Jesus' healing of a leper and Cornelius' servant… boy… slave boy. Giertz addresses textual criticism, catechesis, miracles, and the liturgy of the Church, and we delve into the effect of disbelief in Jesus' power to heal and make whole affects modern Chri...

Featured text: "Understandings of the Church" — Origen Good Christians, One and All Rejoice? In this episode, we read Origen's response to Celsus about whether or not Christians are detrimental or beneficial to society. Does the Church uplift or undermine culture? What part does faith play in living a virtuous life? SHOW NOTES:   Understandings of the Church by E. Glenn Hinson https://amzn.to/4iTK...

Featured text: "Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans" — Origen Superabundance. In this episode, we read Origen's commentary on St. Paul's epistle to the Romans. We discuss the accusations leveled at Origen's orthodoxy, exegetical method, and critique of Marcion and discuss how what was written so long ago is relevant to Christians today. SHOW NOTES:   Origen - Commentary on the Epistle to the R...

Featured text: "Early Christian Writings: Pliny, Clement, and Justin" — Pliny the Younger, Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr Same Old Story. In this episode, we read various Christian and non-Christian sources from the first two centuries, discussing their understandings of Jesus Christ, the church, law, and the Gospel, and the effect of the Christian faith on people in Roman society. SHOW NOTES:   N...

Featured text: "A Sermon for Christmas Day" — Norman Nagel That's How Love Goes. In this episode, we read a Christmas sermon by Norman Nagel and discuss the nativity, the mother of God, iconography, Bible translating, story-telling traditions, teaching through the story, God's strange way of loving people, and people's expectations of Christmas and how it affects the Church. SHOW NOTES:   Norman N...

Featured text: "Luther's Works Volume 57" — Martin Luther Tighten Up. In this episode, we read Martin Luther's Advent 3 ordination sermon, discussing rites and ceremonies, church traditions, God's mysteries versus the devil's, and much pastoral talk about transparency and honesty amongst brothers and sisters in the Gospel. SHOW NOTES:   Luther's Works Volume 57:45 https://amzn.to/4ieJbO6   The Mys...

Featured text: "Luther's Works Volume 57" — Martin Luther Countdown to Armageddon. In this episode, we read Martin Luther's Advent 2 sermon (1532) and discuss signs and symbols, the liturgical calendar, funerals, preaching, and many many other things of an episodic nature. SHOW NOTES:   Luther's Works Volume 57:45 https://amzn.to/4ieJbO6   Ordering Our Days in His Peace https://amzn.to/3CXXEht   W...

Support 1517 This Giving Tuesday This is Caleb Keith, director of the 1517 Podcast Network. Today, as many of you may know, is Giving Tuesday. On this special day, I have a question for you: Does this podcast bring Jesus and His Gospel of peace into your life on a regular basis? At 1517, our mission—and the mission of the 1517 Podcast Network—is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forg...

Reach for The Sky. This episode discusses the Augsburg Confession, the Church, and what makes a good fanatic. We dig into the Church's language, symbolism, meaning, and rites today. How can we best use narrative theology to catechize? Did Jesus have to die for your traditions and worship? Is there anyone in heaven that hasn't fallen into sin? This and much more today on the show! More from 1517: S...

Featured text: "The Foolishness of Preaching" — Robert Capon Break on Through (To The Other Side). In this episode, we discuss preaching to the dead and how to unlock doors when one doesn't have a good lock pick. We also discuss Robert Capon's book, Foolishness of Preaching, reading his Easter sermon on John 10. This podcast episode includes preaching, polity, pastoral care, and renegade priests....

Featured text: "A Little Exercise for Young Theologians" — Helmut Thielicke That's the Power of Love. In this episode, we discuss the shock of infatuation with theological concepts and young theologians' conceit while reading Helmut Thielcke's A Little Exercise for Young Theologians. We converse about laity and clergy's relationship to theology, piety, and polity. What is the purpose of theology,...

Featured text: "Once Upon a Curse" — Cindy Koch Once Upon A Time in Genesis. In this episode, we talk with author Cindy Koch about her new book, Once Upon A Curse. We discuss Semitic poetry, the Psalms, Genesis, curses and promises, child-bearing, biblical versus earthly wisdom, freedom and bondage, and the ever-needed reality that is explained and defined by the story of Jesus Christ, the Lamb cr...

Featured text: "Faith Victorious" — James Nestigen Watch Me Work. In this episode, we continue our discussion of justification and vocation as we read "Justification, Vocation, and Location in Luther's Reformation" by James A. Nestigen. Part two of our conversation continues with themes of vocation, location, repentance, humility, personal agency, divine instrumentality, atonement, the relationshi...

Featured text: "Justification, Vocation, and Location in Luther's Reformation" — James Nestigen They Call Me Rhetorical Working Man. In this episode, we discuss Luther's teaching on justification and vocation while reading James Nestingen's essay on the same topic. We cover feudalism, the rise of capitalism, how the reformation took hold in the cities in Germany, the three estates, the two kingdom...

Featured text: "The Last Supper: The Testament of Jesus" — Reinhard Schwarz Reign in Blood. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss the Lord's Supper while reading The Last Supper: The Testament of Jesus by Reinhard Schwarz. We discuss why the distinction between a covenant and a testament is of utmost importance for exegesis, sacramental theology, and Christian life, why promise and gift are...

Love, Rain On Me. In this episode, we answer listener questions about whether baptism has an expiration date, why people avoid joining a church, and comfort for women who've suffered a miscarriage. SHOW NOTES:   Luther Genesis Lectures https://www.gutenberg.org/files/48193/48193-h/48193-h.htm Luther's Counsel for Miscarriage https://www.1517.org/articles/luthers-counsel-for-miscarriage Luther's Co...

Featured text: "Liturgy as 'Action'" — Oliver K. Olson Runnin' Down A Dream. In this episode, we dig deeper into liturgy and "action"—who's doing what and why in Christian worship? How did the ancient pagans worship their gods, and why? What did the 16th-century Reformers teach about worship? Why should we moderns care? Mimesis, anamnesis, liturgical action, ritual, myth, sacrifices, and sacrament...

Featured text: "Putting Second Things Second" — Oliver K. Olson Do The Thing. In this episode, we discuss liturgy. What is the difference between a sacramental rite and a sacrificial rite? Why are' member berries' so juicy and delicious? Can a priest or the church affect God's actions? Can a church integrate non-Christian rites into its worship? SHOW NOTES:   Discord, dialogue, and concord: Studie...

Featured text: "The Duty of Resistance" — Oliver K. Olson Street-Fighting Man. In this episode, we continue our discussion of the question of when it is permissible for Christians to oppose civil authority. It's more important than ever for Christians to grasp the fundamentals of vocation, the relation of politics to liturgy, the place of the sacraments within the worship of the church, and the li...

Featured text: "Politics, Liturgics, and Integritas Sacramenti" — Oliver K. Olson We Worship & Adore… You? In this episode, we discuss the intersection of liturgy and politics as we read Oliver Olson's essay, Politics, Liturgics, and Integritas Sacramenti. It's a historical survey of liturgical practice and politics from ancient Israel to the present, discussing the importance of symbolism, meanin...

Ramble Tamble. In this episode, we do a pastor's table talk that centers on inculcating a deeper appreciation for heavenly mystery and earthly reality: prayer at home, worship on vacation, the connection of the land to God's judgment and salvation of his people, the early church's exegesis, Genesis and Revelation, and Logos theology that binds the Trinity and Creeds. More from 1517: Support 1517 :...

Featured text: "Commentary on Romans" — Philip Melanchthon Tick, Tick, Boom. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss Romans 3 while reading Philip Melanchthon's commentary on Paul's epistle. The main topics of conversation are the limitations of the law, faith that saves, gratuitous forgiveness and the living, and the present tense power of the gospel. SHOW NOTES:   Commentary on Romans by Mel...

Featured text: "Fear and Trembling" — Søren Kierkegaard Life Isn't Fair, and The World Is Mean. In this episode, we discuss Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac while reading Kierkegaard's commentary and comparing it to Martin Luther and Rene Girard's comments. It's a meta-meta episode, and one of us confuses Kierkegaard's biography with that of Nietzsche for much of the episode. SHOW NOTES:   Fear and Tr...