Christendom and the World

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World, Pastor Andrew Preus sits down with Pastor Jim Wilshusen to discuss the nature of saving faith and why it matters for the Christian life. Drawing on Johann Gerhard's writings on justification, they explore the difference between merely knowing the facts of Christianity and trusting in the promises of Jesus Christ. They discuss the "coal miner's f...

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World, Pastor Andrew Preus sits down with Rev. Burnell F. Eckardt Jr. to revisit the controversy surrounding the "Prayer for America" service held after the September 11 attacks and the slogan, "It's Okay to Pray." Twenty-five years later, the controversy has resurfaced with the release of a book bearing that same title. What is the difference between...

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World, Pastor Andrew Preus and Pastor Jim Wilsusen discuss the temptation to measure a church's faithfulness by its size. Beginning with Pastor Larry Beane's article "The Big Church Blues," they consider whether larger congregations should have greater influence in the Synod, whether numerical growth is necessarily a sign of God's blessing, and how the...

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus explores the biblical distinction between guilt and shame. Is shame simply a lie from the devil, or does Scripture give us a more nuanced understanding of it? Pastor Preus looks at shame, nakedness, guilt, repentance, and the way God covers our shame through Christ. From Adam and Eve in the Garden to Miriam's punishment and...

What makes church music fitting for Christian worship? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus is joined by Pastor Jim Wilshusen to discuss Lutheran church music, contemporary worship, congregational singing, and the purpose of the liturgy. They discuss the difference between congregational singing and an audience singing along with a performer , the danger of turning wo...

Did the Council of Nicaea decide what books belong in the Bible? Did Constantine invent the doctrine of Christ's divinity? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus addresses these popular claims and traces the history behind them. Beginning with The Da Vinci Code and other modern conspiracy theories, Pastor Preus examines the Gnostic Gospels, the early Church Fathers, the...

In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus continues his discussion of Philip Hahn's "Enthusiasm Among Us" by turning to J.P. Koehler's 1914 essay "Legalism Among Us." Kaler's warning is directed specifically toward conservative, confessional Lutherans: even our zeal for pure doctrine, proper worship, sanctification, and church discipline can subtly become legalistic when w...

What does Christian freedom actually mean when it comes to worship, church traditions, and adiaphora? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus revisits the Lutheran teaching of adiaphora—things neither commanded nor forbidden by God—and considers what Christian freedom means for the church's worship and life together. Drawing on the Wauwatosa theologians and a recent arti...

What exactly is the Gospel? And why does it matter how we define it? In this episode of Christendom and the World , we discuss the distinction between the Gospel in its broad sense and the Gospel in its narrow sense, along with the proper distinction between Law and Gospel. The Gospel in its narrow sense is the promise of forgiveness and salvation freely given through Jesus Christ. The Law exposes...

In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus examines LCMS Resolution 5-09A and the ongoing debate over lay readers and the public reading of Scripture in the Divine Service. Pastor Preus discusses 1 Timothy 4:13, the nature of public Scripture reading as an act of teaching, and the biblical distinction between the various stations and vocations God has given to Christians. H...

This week on Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus is joined by Pastor Jesse Schlie for a conversation about mysticism and enthusiasm and whether there is such a thing as true, biblical Christian mysticism. Luther strongly warned against enthusiasm—the idea that God speaks to us apart from His external Word. But what does that mean for prayer, meditation, spiritual experience, and a Chri...

What does it really mean that Christians are simultaneously righteous and sinners?   In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus is joined once again by Pastors Joseph and Jesse Schlie of the Dynamis Podcast. They begin by answering a listener question about the new heavens and new earth, the resurrection of the body, and what Scripture teaches about the eternal life Christi...

The Schlie Brothers are back for another round of digging deeper than the clichés! Pastors Joseph and Jesse Schlie join Pastor Andrew Preus for another wide-ranging conversation about Lutheran theology, Scripture, tradition, church history, and the phrases Christians often use without stopping to consider what they really mean. This time, the conversation begins with sola Scriptura and what it act...

Why do faithful Christians suffer? Why do bad things happen even to those who trust in God? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus and Pastor Jim Wilshusen dive into Job to examine one of Scripture's most challenging questions. They explore Job's suffering, the accusations of his friends, the role of Elihu, and the difference between earthly wisdom and God's heavenly ju...

In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus and Pastor Jim Wilshusen examine a timely 1916 essay by Francis Pieper written during the early years of World War I. Together, they explore the biblical distinction between Church and State, the Church's responsibility to proclaim God's Word, and why calling sin to repentance is not the same as engaging in partisan politics. The d...

Who were the Nephilim? Were the "sons of God" in Genesis 6 fallen angels, believers, or something else entirely? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus responds to a popular discussion surrounding Genesis 6 and examines its claims in light of Scripture. Rather than relying on speculation or extra-biblical sources, he carefully works through the identity of the Nephilim,...

What is adiaphora —and why has it become one of the most misunderstood words in Lutheran theology? Pastor Andrew Preus and Pastor Jim Wilshusen unpack what the Lutheran Confessions actually teach about Christian freedom, church ceremonies, and worship. They discuss why liturgy, hymnody, vestments, and other practices are never "just preferences," but serve to teach the Gospel, promote good order,...

What is prayer—and who are we supposed to pray to? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus examines the key differences between the biblical teaching on prayer and the practices found in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy—especially when it comes to the invocation of saints. While many argue that asking saints to pray for us is no different than asking a fellow Chri...

What does the Bible actually teach about submission and authority—and where have we gone wrong? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Prues is joined by Pastor Cody Norton (U.S. Army chaplain) to take a deeper look at obedience, honor, and the way God orders our lives. From Romans 13 debates to marriage, vocation, and everyday relationships, this conversation pushes past sur...

In this episode of Christendom and the World , we respond to a listener question from someone navigating the Christian life in a place where confessional Lutheranism is nearly nonexistent. Surrounded by well-meaning friends and family, he's facing real pushback—questions about unity, doctrine, conscience, and whether it's even worth holding firm. We walk through seven common objections: Is "foreig...

What gives human life its value? In this episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew responds to a thoughtful listener question about the imago Dei —the image of God—and whether our worth comes from being created by God or from being redeemed in Christ. We dig into questions like: Did humanity lose the image of God after the fall? Is human dignity based on something in us… or something Go...

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus sits down with Pastor Craig Wehmeyer to talk about Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, and the dangers of "enthusiasm."   What does it really mean to be "Spirit-filled"? In this Pentecost-focused episode, we unpack Acts 2 and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit—what happened, why it mattered, and what it means for the Church today. We...

"What would Jesus do?" It sounds like a simple and helpful question—but is it actually the right one to ask? In this episode, we dig into Christology—who Jesus is —and why that matters more than simply trying to imitate what He would do . While WWJD can seem like a good moral guide, it can subtly turn Jesus into just an example to follow rather than the Savior who redeems. We talk about the danger...

What if the problem isn't your church… But your expectations? In this episode, we respond to real listener questions about feeling disconnected in church, struggling to find strong Christian community, and wondering if you're even in the "right" place. We also tackle a deeper and more uncomfortable topic: the hardening of the heart . Does it mean God has given up on you? Can you come back from it?...

In this week's episode of Christendom and the World , Pastor Andrew Preus reflects on how Christians should respond when everything around them feels like it's falling apart—shrinking congregations, lost traditions, and cultural instability. Looking at Scripture, including Hosea and the exile of Israel, he explains that what may look like chaos is often God's call to repentance and a return to wha...