Banned Books

Featured text: "Tyranny and Resistance: The Magdeburg Confession and the Lutheran Tradition" — David Whitford Resistance to Tyranny is Obedience to God. In this episode, we discuss tyranny and resistance while reading a book of the same title by Reformation scholar David Mark Whitford. What is tyranny? When are Christians called to resist tyranny, and what does that entail? Are there any standards...

Featured text: "Baalism in the Life of the Church" — Warren Graff We Need to Get Ba'aled Out. In this episode, we read Warren Graff's article, "Baalism in the Life of the Church," and discuss the roots of Baal worship in Israel and its consequences for Israel and churches today. Pastor Warren Graff (Grace Lutheran Church, Albuquerque) holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of...

Featured text: "Luther on Marriage, Vocation, and the Cross" — James Nestigen All In The Family. In this episode, we discuss marriage, vocation, and cute theology of the cross. How can Luther's teaching and preaching on marriage and vocation help Christians at present resist the temptations of the world and Satan, which pervert and disrupt God's will for marriage? What does baptism have to do with...

Featured text: "Pastoral Care of the Sick" — Wilhelm Löhe Spiritual War, What Is It Good For? In this episode, we discuss pastoral care to the healthy and sick and spiritual warfare while reading Wilhelm Loehe's book, The Pastor. SHOW NOTES:   The Pastor - Wilhelm Loehe https://www.amazon.com/Pastor-Wilhelm-Loehe/dp/0758650272 Three Books on the Church - Wilhelm Loehe   Drei Bücher von der Kirche...

War, What Is It Good For? In this pre-show discussion, we warm up with a conversation about Martin Luther, current events and headlines, and spiritual warfare. SHOW NOTES:   Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel https://amzn.to/3Q7EJoO   Peter Santenello https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterSantenello/ Nomad and Gen-X https://www.thegenxfiles.com/tag/nomad/ G.E.M. Anscombe https://plato.stanford.edu/entr...

Featured text: "Letters of Spiritual Counsel" — Martin Luther Shout At The Devil. In this episode, we discuss various questions regarding spiritual warfare while reading Martin Luther's letter to his friend and pupil, Jerome Weller. SHOW NOTES:   Luther: Letters of Spiritual Counsel https://amzn.to/3Q7EJoO   Peter Santenello https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterSantenello/ Nomad and Gen-X https://www.th...

Don't Pull Anything… In this pre-show discussion, we warm up with a conversation about Rene Girard, current events and headlines, and Jesus and the Christian faith. SHOW NOTES:   The End of Scapegoating BY S. MARK HEIM https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/264317.pdf Summary of Girard's Christianity | René Girard's Mimetic Theory https://youtu.be/2sT2u2THf9A   Girard bio https://iep...

Featured text: "The End of Scapegoating" — René Girard Hey Man, Nice Shot. In this episode, we discuss Rene Girard's argument for why Jesus' death as a scapegoat is unique to all other sacrifices in human history. What is violence for? What is a scapegoat, and why is one necessary for peace and good order? How does Jesus break the law machinery that demands a victim? SHOW NOTES:   The End of Scape...

Featured text: "I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning" — René Girard Satan Drives Out Satan? In this episode, we dig deep into Jesus' question, Can Satan drive out Satan? With the help of Rene Gerard's book, I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightening. This episode goes into some extremely deep waters regarding the mimetic tradition, the nature of sacrifice, scapegoating, Satan's power, and Jesus' crucifixion. SHO...

Featured text: "The Captivation of the Will: Luther vs. Erasmus on Freedom and Bondage" — Gerhard Forde Sermonator 2: Judgment Day. In this episode, we read two sermons from Gerhard Forde and Steven Paulson, then discuss preaching to bound wills, the consequences for Christians when free will sermons are preached, and what's to be done about bad preaching. SHOW NOTES:   The Captivation of the Will...

Featured text: "Preaching Categorically to Bound Wills" — Steven Paulson A Total Eclipse of The Heart. In this episode, we discuss preaching to bound wills, and the consequences for both preachers and listeners, as we read Steven Paulson's essay, Preaching Categorically to Bound Wills. SHOW NOTES:   Concordia Pulpit Resources • Volume 19, Part 4, Series B https://concordiahistoricalinstitute.libra...

Featured text: "Proclamation: The Present Tense of the Gospel" — Gerhard Forde In this episode, we discuss the good and bad of preaching, the difference between proclamation and teaching, how we lie to ourselves about God, and how to "preach the text" so that Christ is delivered "for you" for the forgiveness of sin. SHOW NOTES:   Proclamation: The Present Tense of the Gospel https://archive.org/de...

Featured text: "Letters to Lutheran Pastors: Volume 1" — Hermann Sasse It's the Cross, Stupid. In this episode, we discuss how God makes a theologian of the cross, how the theology of glory infiltrates churches and their doctrine, and how the cross of Christ reveals the truth about human history. SHOW NOTES:   Letters to Lutheran Pastors: Volume 1 https://amzn.to/45HmRXf   President Dwight D. Eise...

Featured text: "Charis: God's Scandalous Grace for Us" — Preston Sprinkle Diving for Gomers. In this episode, we have a much-needed conversation about slavery to sin, Ezekiel's whore metaphor for God's relationship with his people, and why it's important that Christians not shy away from difficult conversations about how God describes sin and grace in the Bible. SHOW NOTES:   Charis: God's Scandal...

Featured text: "On Christian Doctrine" — Augustine Walk Like An Augustinian. In this episode, we discuss preaching while reading Augustine's, On Christian Teaching, where he explains the importance of heavenly wisdom, eloquence, and getting out of the way of God's Word. SHOW NOTES:   On Christian Doctrine https://ccel.org/ccel/augustine/doctrine/doctrine.xiii.html   Augustine Bio https://www.brita...

Featured text: "Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness" — Eugene H. Peterson Drowning The Branch Manager for Christ. In this episode, we discuss Jonah, ministry, and the aches and pains of church life while reading Eugene Peterson's book, Under The Unpredictable Plant. SHOW NOTES:   Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness https://amzn.to/3...

Featured text: "Medicine of Immortality and Antidote against Death" — Norman Nagel Honey, Where Did This Thing Come From? In this episode, we discuss the Lord's Supper, early church tradition, worship, and the question, "Where did this come from?" At the same time, we read Dr. Norman Nagel's essay, "Medicine of Immortality and Antidote against Death." SHOW NOTES:   Nagel obituary: https://reporter...

Featured text: "Cyprian Epistle 75" — Cyprian Who Controls Baptism? In this episode, we discuss the baptismal controversy in the early church. Cyprian, Novation, and a whole cloud of witnesses join us on the podcast this week. SHOW NOTES:   Cyprian Epistle 75 https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/050675.htm Cyprian bio https://www.theopedia.com/cyprian Novatianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novatia...

Featured text: "On Free Will" — Anselm Riley Suffers An Aneurysm. In this episode, we discuss the topic of the will while reading Anselm's treatise on free will and its ramifications for faith, piety, and pastoral care. SHOW NOTES:   On Free Will https://faculty.fordham.edu/klima/Blackwell-proofs/MP_C41.pdf   Ontological Arguments https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/ Moral inf...

Featured text: "The Book of Common Prayer 1662" — Thomas Cranmer Living on a Prayer! In this episode, we discuss the collects of Thomas Cranmer, which turns into a discussion of the collects of Veit Dietrich, which then turns into a discussion about a myriad of other topics regarding the Reformation teaching on prayer and vocation. SHOW NOTES:   The Book of Common Prayer 1662 https://www.churchofe...

And We Are Live! In this episode, we go live for Holy Week and answer listeners' questions: election, repentance, the church, law and gospel, and on and on we go. SHOW NOTES:   Formula - Epitome XI. Election https://thebookofconcord.org/formula-of-concord-epitome/article-xi/ Sin and Confession on the Eve of the Reformation (Princeton Legacy Library, 1568) Hardcover – April 19, 2016 by Thomas N. Te...

Featured text: "The Two Kingdoms Distinction: An Analysis with Suggestion by JAMES ARNE NESTINGEN" — James Nestigen Distinct, But Not Divided. In this episode, we discuss the Christian doctrine of the two kingdoms and its consequences for the Christian life while reading James Nestigen's "The Two Kingdoms Distinction." SHOW NOTES:   The Two Kingdoms Distinction: An Analysis with Suggestion by JAME...

Featured text: "A Grief Observed" — C.S. Lewis Are We Just Rats in a Maze? In this episode, we discuss grief, mourning, death, and hope while reading C.S. Lewis's book, A Grief Observed. SHOW NOTES:   A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis https://amzn.to/3K62Gtl   A portrait of Joy Davidman https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/helen-joy-davidman-mrs-c-s-lewis-1915-1960-a-portrait/   SUPPORT : 1517...

Featured text: "The Joy of Eternal Life" — Philipp Nicolai I've Got That Joy, Joy, Joy, Down in My Heart. In this episode, we discuss death, rebirth, and eternal life as examined and explained in The Joy of Eternal Life by Philipp Nicolai. SHOW NOTES:   The Joy of Eternal Life https://amzn.to/3Jm0vQN Hymn Sing Happy Hour https://learn.1517.org/hymn-sing-happy-hour     SUPPORT : 1517 Podcast Networ...

Featured text: "The Problem of Suffering: A Father's Hope" — Gregory P. Schulz A Harsh & Necessary Conversation About Death. In this episode, we discuss death and resurrection concerning the death of a child from Gregory P. Schulz's book, The Problem of Suffering: A Father's Hope. SHOW NOTES:   Gregory P. Schulz - The Problem of Suffering: A Fathers Hope https://amzn.to/3T2FRJT   Hymn Sing Happy H...