Gospel Simplicity Podcast

In this video, I'm joined by Dr. Jordan Steffaniak to discuss Classical Theism, what it is, how it's Biblical, and why all Christians, Protestants included, should hold to it. If you've ever wondered why things like Divine Simplicity or impassibility matter, this video is for you. Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4sISAC9 Get access to my book club, s...

In this video, I'm joined by Fr. Matthew C. Dallman to discuss the distinctive elements of Anglican Spirituality as well as major figures within the Anglican spiritual tradition. Fr. Matthew Dallman is the leading expert on Martin Thornton, and has published a new book on him, alongside republishing his works. Find him on Substack: https://substack.com/@frmcdallman Akenside Institute for Engl...

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Sarah Riccardi-Swartz to discuss how an uptick in converts, especially among young men, is impacting Orthodoxy in America. Dr. Riccardi-Swartz brings an interesting perspective to this topic as she is both an academic anthropologist and an Orthodox Christian herself. Her research is some of the first of its kind regarding Orthodoxy in America.  Pre-order m...

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Richard Gallenstein, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Master of Public Policy program at The Catholic University of America, to discuss Catholic Social Teaching and what it means for us today. We dive into the Church's teaching on Capitalism, Socialism, and how this relates to questions like wealth inequality, AI, and more.  Pre-or...

In this video, I'm joined by Dr. Grace Hamman to discuss how Medieval Christians approached spiritual formation. We give special attention to their understanding of virtue and vice, exploring how that might help enrich our modern approaches to the Christian life. We also talk about how to read medieval theologians wisely, and what to do with some of the more extreme examples of piety that mig...

In this video, I'm joined by the Reverend Dr. Matthew S.C. Olver to discuss the origins and evolution of Christian liturgies. We talk about how Christian liturgies relate to Second Temple Judaism, what we learn from St. Justin Martyr, what happened at Vatican 2, and whether the Episcopalian Eucharistic Prayer C is great or cringe-worthy. Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https...

In this conversation, Dr. Paul Sloan discusses the relationship between Jesus and the law, challenging common misconceptions about the Pharisees and the nature of ritual purity. He emphasizes that Jesus' teachings and actions should be understood within the context of Israel's restoration and the covenantal framework established in the Old Testament. The discussion highlights the importa...

In this interview, I'm joined by Sean Luke of  @anglicanaesthetics to discuss how historic Anglican theology can address some of our contemporary debates about sola scriptura, Protestantism, and more. We discuss whether Anglicans really believe in sola scriptura, how Anglicans have viewed historic schisms, and whether the development of the Church of England was itself schismatic. Prepare to...

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. David Moffitt, one of the world's leading experts on the atonement and the book of Hebrews. We discuss how the ascension is a critical, yet overlooked, part of Christ's atoning work, how misunderstanding Jewish sacrifice causes us to misunderstand the cross, and why Hebrews is every bit as important as Romans for understanding the atonement.  Pre...

In this interview, I'm joined by Kevin Fernandez of  ⁨@SinceAD33⁩ for a friendly discussion about the current state of the sola scriptura debate to see if there are ways in which Protestants and Catholics can productively move the conversation forward. And part of moving forward, we find, is looking backwards, retrieving the best of the past for fruitful discussion in the present. Pre-order m...

In this interview, I'm joined by Fr. James Dominic Rooney O.P. to discuss the role of infallibility and dogma in Christianity based upon his book, Whoever Hears You Hears Me? In essence, Fr. JD argues that all Christians--not just Catholics--need some form of infallibility to make their theological systems work. Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4sISAC9 Get acc...

In this interview, I'm joined once again by my good friend, Dr. Barnabas Aspray. This time, we're picking up a conversation we've been having for sometime offline about whether liberal Protestantism is the most consistent form of Protestantism. In other words, does the Reformation naturally lead to Liberal Protestantism? Note, when we talk about Liberal Protestantism, we're not...

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Dylan Pahman to discuss Orthodox Social Teaching. To that end, we discuss the practicalities of implementing St. Basil's ethics of wealth and poverty, how Christians should think about economics, why capitalism hasn't been all bad, and what Orthodox emphasis on asceticism can contribute to Catholic and Protestant social teaching. Pre-order my nov...

In this interview I'm joined by Deacon Nicholas Kotar to discuss Russian fairytales, the elements of good fiction, why fantasy has lost its way, and how the stories we tell shape our cultures. Pre-Order my debut novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4aF9bze Want to support the channel? Here's how! Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity   Make a one-time donatio...

In this interview I'm joined by Fr. Gregory Pine, OP, to discuss his new book Training the Tongue. Over the course of this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about Lent, AI, Humor, Fraternal Correction, and, naturally, Harry Potter. Pre-Order my debut novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4aF9bze Want to support the channel? Here's how! Give monthly: https://patreon.com/go...

In this interview I'm joined by the Reverend Dr. Thomas Plant to discuss the relationship between Christianity and Platonism, as well as how Platonism might serve as a bridge for inter-religious dialogue. The Rev'd Dr Thomas Plant (Fr. Thomas) was installed and licensed as Rector on Monday 12 May 2025 following four years as a university chaplain in Tokyo. He has previously served in Lic...

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Ryan Burge (aka, Graphs about Religion) to discuss the state of religion in America. We cover claims of a Gen Z revival, the decline of mainline Protestantism, and what the data tells us about polarization. Read the Book: https://amzn.to/3ZrUpqn Want to support the channel? Here's how! Give monthly: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity  Make a one-time...

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Stephen Haynes to discuss the life, thought, and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We pay special attention to the way he has been co-opted by radically different groups, each seeking to draw on portions of his thought to justify their own ends.  Stephen R. Haynes holds a Ph. D. in Religion and Literature from Emory University, the M. Div. from Columbia Theolo...

I've spent the last seven years learning about Catholicism, and I like to think I've learned a bit along the way. However, there are more topics to research than there is time in the day, and, inevitably, a host of secondary and tertiary issues have come up that confused me but I haven't had the time to properly research. So, in this episode, I sat down with Catholic Answers apologi...

The Lord's Prayer is a centerpiece of the Christian tradition. Most Christians have memorized it and many pray it daily. But the very familiarity of the Lord's Prayer can mask its depth. In this video, I'm going to take you through the Lord's Prayer line-by-line, looking at what St. Augustine, St. Cyprian, Tertullian, and Origen have to say about this prayer which they believed...

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Nathan Jacobs, a philosopher, theologian, and filmmaker, to discuss the core differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, tracing the roots of divergences in thinking between the East and West. His channel:  @TheNathanJacobsPodcast His course: https://www.thenathanjacobspodcast.com/the-east-west-series His Substack: https://theologicalletters.com/ Want t...

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Michael Peppard, Professor of New Testament, Early Christian Studies, Religion and Public Life at Fordham University, to discuss his new book, How Catholics Encounter the Bible.  Over the course of the interview, we talk about why Catholics don't read the Bible the way Protestants do, the interplay of liturgy and Scripture, and what's great, and n...

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Brandon Smith to discuss his book, Taught by God: Ancient Hermeneutics for the Modern Church. We talk about how Christians have read Scripture over the course of history, what we can learn from the way the Fathers, the Reformers, and others read Scripture. We also talk about what this looks like in a Protestant context. Smith earned a B.A. in Biblical Studi...

In this interview I'm joined by Craig Truglia to discuss his book, The Rise and Fall of the Papacy, in which he goes through the evidence for and against the papacy century by century throughout the first millennium of the church. Over the course of the conversation, we discuss the nature and extent of the Bishop of Rome's role in the early church, whether there was a bishop in Rome duri...

In this interview I'm joined by Dr. Richard DeClue, Professor of Theology at the Word on Fire Institute, to discuss Catholic ecclesiology. Specifically, we dive into the idea of eucharistic ecclesiology which looks at ecclesiology through the lens of the eucharist. Along the way, we discuss what implications this has for ecumenism, and how this illuminates why Orthodox churches are considered...