Mere Fidelity

Mere Fidelity's own Andrew Wilson (teaching pastor at King's Church London) has written a stunning book, devotional in nature, but premised on examining things as Things, theologically. So in this episode Andrew gets to be both guest and host as he converses with the other hosts, Alastair, Derek, and Matt. Since you deal with things every day, you will definitely get something valuable out of this...

Hannah Anderson is captivated by Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Her writing comes from that deep wonder at God's creation, and she approaches practical-theological issues in a poetic-devotional mode. This is a delightful conversation with the entire Mere Fidelity team. They talk about being formed in the school of nature, why we have lost the ability to read natural revelation, and so much more. There...

In the second part of the Mere Fidelity discussion of the Beatitudes, Matt, Alastair, and Derek tackle the first bombshell that Jesus drops: Blessed are the poor in spirit. There's a strong urge in most of us to spiritualize the "poor in spirit" part of that phrase. But it seems as if Jesus is talking about people who are literally lacking in money. How do we reconcile that with our Christian fait...

Dr. James Eglinton from the University of Edinburgh joins us to discuss the great theologian Herman Bavinck. Dr. Eglinton just released Bavinck: A Critical Biography. The conversation ranges from a deep exploration of Bavinck's polymathic tendencies to the very basics of where to begin learning about him. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

With all four of the Mere Fidelity crew on mic, the theological insights fly fast and furious as they take up the discussion of the Beatitudes. Highlights of this episode include: What is a blessing? What are the two kinds of blessings in the Bible? Why the Beatitudes are different in Matthew and Luke? Do the Beatitudes replace the 10 Commandments? And which authors should you skip to listen to Me...

There are so many questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Are they safe? Are they ethical? Do they work? In this episode, Matt, Derek, and Alastair ask the really burning questions really well, and the guest give really good and insightful answers. Dr. C. Ben Mitchell was a long-time professor at Union University and is now a fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. Full show notes at...

Bioethicist Dr. Gilbert Meilaender published a short article in the Hastings Report questioning whether bioethicists should be making expert pronouncements about public policy. But if we can't turn to bioethicists for answers, where do we turn? Our local pastors? Dr. Meilaender helps Matt, Alastain, and Derek think through the hard questions about masks, vaccines, and church. You will be intereste...

For the first episode of 2021, Matt, Derek, and Alastair apply their expertise and experience to thinking theologically about the pro-Trump protest that turned into an attack on the U.S. Capitol. Is this the fruit of ejecting God from our public life? Is it possible to seek power in good faith? How should the church shepherd their congregations in this chaos? Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.c...

As 2020 ends and 2021 begins, the entire cast and crew of Mere Fidelity has gathered to examine in their own inimitable way how this year has affected both the church at large and the individual Christian. Matt, Derek, Andrew, and Alastair share their personal experiences of joy and anxiety in 2020, and they offer practical advice on how they have thrived and what their plans are going forward. Yo...

Merry Christmas! For the Mere Fidelity Christmas show this year, Matt, Derek, and Alastair examine the theology embedded in three perennially favorite Christmas hymns. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Can you think of a single issue—political, cultural, religious, or anything—that is uniting Americans more than it is dividing them? David French joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss the nature, causes, and responses to our current extreme polarization. David French's new book on this very topic is Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Full show notes at...

Alastair, Derek, and Matt dive into a rousing discussion of the role of John the Baptist in salvation history. Is he the end of the Old Testament or the Beginning of the New? Why did Jesus call him the "greatest born of woman?" What's his connection to Elisha? And what's with the camel hair? Get your answers, or at least better questions, here. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/m...

Dr. Carl Trueman has written the book of the moment for Christian intellectuals this winter. He joins the entire Mere Fidelity cast and crew in this episode to where the modern notion of the self came from (at least since Rousseau) and how it led to the victory of sexual identity politics. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Derek, Matt, and Alastair are so excited about this book by Dr. Matthew LaPine. You will be too. LaPine tells the story of the separation of psychology from theology in the modern era, and what was lost, and how it can be regained. They also discuss practical issues about emotions and trauma that touch on very personal experiences. Show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Every year Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a secular, not a Christian, holiday. But gratitude is baked into the very foundation of Christianity, and even of Creation itself. On this episode, Matt, Derek, and Alastair unpack the role of gratitude in theology and in Christian practice. One could even say Christianity is gratitude. And at the end, they enjoy an awkward moment of traditional shari...

How does Evangelicalism differ between the UK and the US? The Mere Fidelity crew is perfectly situated to address this question from personal experience and expertise. Andrew Wilson joins this episode to round out the full complement. The two Brits and the two Yanks discuss how the profit incentive affects Christian writing for good and for bad, the effect that a state church has on excellence, ho...

If all being originates in God, and God is One, how can there be many beings? This is just one of the questions that Dr. Thomas Ward discusses here with Matt and Derek, and in his book, Divine Ideas. Dr. Ward and Matt go way back. And Duns Scotus gets no fist bumps from Derek, even though he might be the hero of Divine Simplicity. Lexham Press Book of the Month discount code: MEREFIDELITYNOV

In the Christian Life, there is often a disconnect between our hearing and confessing and our doing. In light of this perennial problem, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer joins Matt, Alastair, and Derek to discuss his work, "Hearers and Doers: A Pastor's Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine," and share why we should never be content to let doctrine live in the abstract untethered from our he...

What is the everlasting destiny of animals? This is just one of the many fun and stimulating questions we recently discussed with our Patreon supporters. Enjoy a sample of this discussion, and if you wish to hear all 1 hour and 8 minutes of this particular episode, consider signing up and becoming a Patron of Mere Fidelity. Once you do so, you will instantly be able to hear this episode and be inv...

How do people keep ahold of the goodness of God in the face of the horror of death? While there is no easy answer to such a question, Dr. J. Todd Billings—professor of Reformed theology at Western Theological Seminary and a terminal cancer patient himself—joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his recent book, 'The End of The Christian Life: How Embracing Our Mortality Frees Us to Truly Live.'...

Jake Meador, Editor-in-Chief at Mere Orthodoxy, joins Matt and Derek to discuss religious institutions. Listen in to hear discussions on what makes institutions different than websites, how to avoid institutional drift, what to do when charismatic figures effectively function as the institution itself, and more.

The pitfalls surrounding our speech and public proclomations are many: Why is it that we avoid topics so as to appease certain constituencies, and why is it that we are more than happy to engage others and make a show out of the speck in another's eye? The full cast and crew of Matt, Derek, Alastair, and Andrew sitdown to discuss these issues and divulge when and why they each decide to speak out...

What hath Jerusalem to do with Paris, or Carthage with Milan? Dr. Robert Covolo joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his latest work, 'Fashion Theology,' where he gives an account of the dynamic relationship between theology and fashion through the rich history of Christian thought as well as recent political, social, aesthetic, literary, and performance theory.

When considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure, many today depict Jesus as a prophet who, in his ministry, was against Jewish laws and purity rituals. However, does this telling of the gospel accounts do justice to Jesus's handling of the impure and the dying? Dr. Matthew Thiessen joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his work, 'Jesus and the Forces of Death: The Gospels' P...

Matt, Derek, and Alastair discuss the recent scandal of Jerry Falwell Jr., former President of Liberty University, and what biblical and theological resources Christians have to view scandals in the church more broadly. Listen in to hear about the corporate implications of our sin, the difficulty and necessity to expose scandals, and how sin can take us from being Nathans one day to Davids the nex...