Banned Books

Featured text: "Young Goodman Brown" — Nathaniel Hawthorne Was It Only A Dream? We conclude our reading and discussion of "Young Goodman Brown" by Nathanial Hawthorne. What happens when sin, death, and Satan are unaddressed by Christians, and especially the churches? What kind of damage does hypocrisy do to a community, congregation, and our Christian relationships? SHOW NOTES: Young Goodman Brown...

Featured text: "Young Goodman Brown" — Nathaniel Hawthorne Good Christian People? In this episode, we read and discuss the parable of Young Goodman Brown, a short story by Nathanial Hawthorne. What happens when Christians don't have a Gospel preacher? What happens when we carry our guilt and are tempted by the devil? How do we distinguish between God and the devil? SHOW NOTES: Young Goodman Brown...

Featured text: "The Grand Inquisitor" — Fyodor Dostoyevsky It's For Your Own Good. We conclude our reading and discussion of Dostoevsky's, The Grand Inquisitor. What are we willing to sacrifice to accept the devil's offer of miracles, mystery, and authority? Why do we surrender to temptation, and what do we expect are the consequences? What can we learn from Jesus' rejection of the devil's temptat...

Featured text: "The Grand Inquisitor" — Fyodor Dostoyevsky Happiness in Slavery. We continue to read and discuss the parable of the Grand Inquisitor in Fyodor Dostoevsky's, The Brothers Karamazov. In this episode, the Grand Inquisitor details why Jesus' rejection of Satan's temptations in the wilderness doomed humanity. SHOW NOTES: The Grand Inquisitor By Fyodor Dostoyevsky https://stephenhicks.or...

Featured text: "The Grand Inquisitor" — Fyodor Dostoyevsky Why? Why? Why? We read and discuss Dostoevsky's parable of the Grand Inquisitor. What happens when we discuss evil and the work of the evil one apart from God's Word, his preacher, and Christ's cross? SHOW NOTES: The Grand Inquisitor By Fyodor Dostoyevsky https://stephenhicks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DostoevskyF-Grand-Inquisitor-text...

Featured text: "Before the Law" — Franz Kafka Gatekeepers & Madmen. We read and discuss two parables, by Franz Kafka and Friedrich Nietzsche. What happens when people don't have a preacher sent by the Holy Spirit to declare forgiveness? Without the Gospel, where does the law end? SHOW NOTES: Before the Law by Franz Kafka https://www.kafka-online.info/before-the-law.html   Friedrich Nietzsche, The...

Featured text: "Parable of the Geese & the King and Maiden" — Søren Kierkegaard Humble Kings & Flightless Geese. We read and discuss two parables by Soren Kierkegaard. In this episode, the purpose of parables, the condescension of God, and why there's no forgiveness in Kierkegaard's parables. SHOW NOTES: The Minister's Black Veil - Nathaniel Hawthorne https://www.owleyes.org/text/ministers-black-v...

Featured text: "The Minister's Black Veil" — Nathaniel Hawthorne The God Behind The Veil. In this episode, we read Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Minister's Black Veil, and discuss the hidden God, divination, and the mirror of the law. SHOW NOTES: The Minister's Black Veil - Nathaniel Hawthorne https://www.owleyes.org/text/ministers-black-veil   The Withertongue Emails: A Pastor's Satanic Temptation,...

Featured text: "London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann" — Johann Hamann Killer-Comforter-Praying Spirit. We conclude our reading and discussion of Johann Hamann's London Writings. In this episode, we focus particularly on the Advocate and prayer. SHOW NOTES: London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann https://ballastpress.com/sho...

Featured text: "London Writings" — Johann Hamann It's What You Can't See That Can Kill You. We continue our reading and discussion of Johann Hamann, The London Writings, focusing primarily on spiritual warfare and how it manifests in daily life and pastoral ministry. SHOW NOTES: London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann https://ballastpress.com/shop/ols/products/l...

Featured text: "London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann" — Johann Hamann Two Books, One Condescending God. In this episode, we discuss the exegesis of Johann Hamann. What are the implications for Christians when God's Spirit and Word translate us into the church and the world? SHOW NOTES: London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Haman...

Featured text: "London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann" — Johann Hamann How long? Not Long. In this episode, we introduce the works of Johann Georg Hamann, specifically the London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann. SHOW NOTES: London Writings: The Spiritual & Theological Journal of Johann Georg Hamann https://ballastpress.com/...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe You're Elected! As we conclude our conversation of The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe, we read the conclusion to chapter eight of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. In this episode, we talk about what God's election in Christ means for the ungodly in an ungodly and evil world. SHOW NOTES: The Justificatio...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe He's Got The Whole Futile World in His Hands! We continue our series on The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, the old and new creation, the futility of the world, and new hope. SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/jonathan-f-grothe/the...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe Freedom Jackpot! We continue our reading of The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, freedom, life, and the work of the Holy Spirit. SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/jonathan-f-grothe/the-justification-of-the-ungodly/hardcover/product...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe There's no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in simul. We continue to read and discuss The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, the simul, old-world heroism, and the trouble with justification. SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/jonathan...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe Not Husbandry Law, Husband Law. We continue reading The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, old and new life, letter and Spirit, and what husband law is all about. SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/jonathan-f-grothe/the-justification-...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe Hurry Up And Die so that You Can Live. We continue our reading and discussion of The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, what happens when God sends us a preacher, baptizes, and sets us free from the demands of the Law and Sin. SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe http...

Featured text: "The Justification of the Ungodly" — Jonathan Grothe Holy Watered. This week on the podcast, we begin our series on The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe. In this episode, we focus on Romans 6, baptism, sanctification, and the "simul." SHOW NOTES: The Justification of the Ungodly By Jonathan F. Grothe https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/jonathan-f-grothe/the-justificati...

Featured text: "What Is the State? (1932)" — Hermann Sasse Old Adam Creates Six Alternate Legal Theories. In this episode, we conclude our discussion of Hermann Sasse - What is the State? What's the relation of the state to the church as regards authority, law, justice, and morality? SHOW NOTES: Hermann Sasse - What is the State? (1932) https://www.academia.edu/12723224/Hermann_Sasse_1895_1976_  ...

Featured text: "What Is the State?" — Hermann Sasse Changnesia About God's Original Revelation. In this episode, we discuss Hermann Sasse - What is the State? What's the difference between God's law preached lawfully and old Adam's legal theory. SHOW NOTES: Hermann Sasse - What is the State? (1932) https://www.academia.edu/12723224/Hermann_Sasse_1895_1976_   The Seculosity Creed https://mbird.com/...

Featured text: "Living By Faith: Justification and Sanctification" — Oswald Bayer A Very Merry Apocalypse! In this episode, we conclude our reading of Living By Faith: Justification and Sanctification by Oswald Bayer. We discuss the old world and new creation, death and new life, God unpreached and preached, and much more! SHOW NOTES: Living By Faith: Justification and Sanctification by Oswald Bay...

Featured text: "Living By Faith: Justification and Sanctification" — Oswald Bayer We Don't Progress, We Die… And Live Anew. In this episode, we read and discuss Living By Faith: Justification and Sanctification by Oswald Bayer. What's the impact of distinguishing between God unpreached and preached? Why does God attack and kill us, and why is it necessary that we die and rise to live a new life in...

Featured text: "Life without a Preacher: Darwin's Origin of Species" — Steven Paulson No Weaklings in The Gene Pool! In this episode, we conclude our discussion of Darwin's Origin of Species. What is so appealing to Darwin about Genesis 1? Why would one choose death by the law to the Gospel? How does Jesus up-end one's reading of Genesis and the law? SHOW NOTES: Life without a Preacher: Darwin's O...

Featured text: "Life without a Preacher: Darwin's Origin of Species" — Steven Paulson The Unpreached Selector. In this episode, we continue to discuss Charles Darwin and life without a preacher. What is the purpose of procreation for natural selection? How does one survive without a preacher? How much law is too much law when the true God is hidden and unpreached? SHOW NOTES: Life without a Preach...