Mortification of Spin

Reaction from both sides of the debate to the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade has been swift and predictable. So, what exactly happened that Friday in June? Did the Supremes actually vote to make abortion illegal? And where do we go from here? Frank Beckwith is a philosopher who publishes, speaks, and teaches on religion, jurisprudence, politics, and ethics at Baylor Universit...

It seems a lot of “New Testament Christians” would prefer to simply dispose of the Old Testament. Perhaps that’s because it’s often difficult for modern believers to find relevance in the rules and wrath of a seemingly angry, vengeful Old Testament God. Today’s guest posits that simply writing off the Old Testament is not an option, so perhaps we might start our study of the Old by examining key c...

Having established that Carl has neither the hair nor the physique to hang with Snooki and company at the Jersey Shore, our curmudgeonly cohosts welcome the much better-behaved Chad and Emily Van Dixhoorn into the mix. The pair met at seminary, married, and—five children later—offer sound advice for couples desiring to build a Gospel-Shaped Marriage. Those who struggle with concepts like “headship...

Iceman and Maverick (aka J.V. Fesko and Craig Carter) are feeling the need…the need for creeds. Though neither will claim the title of “top gun,” both will speak of the necessity of creeds in the life of the Church as they headline the 2022 Prince George’s Conference on Reformed Theology in September. In addition, Iceman—uh, Fesko—has penned an exceptional book on the subject, which provides the f...

From his high perch within a “boutique denomination,” Carl feels comfortable taking shots at Todd and the much larger PCA. With the sniping finally in check, the didactic duo brings aboard a special guest. Dr. Steven Duby is the author of Jesus and the God of Classical Theism: Biblical Christology in Light of the Doctrine of God. He’s associate professor of theology at Phoenix Seminary and has wri...

After revisiting the “trouser color” debate of 2019 (Carl claims a sort of “sartorial panache”), our hosts settle into a more serious discussion. A rather high-profile government appointee publicly displays what is—to most—a rather deplorable lifestyle. Should the Christian say nothing about what this man does in his “private life?” Or should a public servant’s behavior be held to a higher standar...

Carl’s ongoing tour in support of his best-selling book provides numerous opportunities to hear from others striving to explain the paradigm of this strange new world. A voice that particularly captured the professor’s attention joins our conversation today. Is identity primarily defined by race? Monique Duson reminds us that, as a believer, your identity begins with who you are in Christ. Thus, t...

It’s one of the more intriguing titles one might encounter--Confessions of a French Atheist: How God Hijacked my Quest to Disprove the Christian Faith. And as our heroes settle in to discuss the book, Messieurs Trueman and Pruitt find its author to be just as engaging. No longer an atheist (but still very much French), Guillaume Bignon is an analytical philosopher and computer scientist working in...

Carl welcomes a rare participant into today’s discussion: a former student still willing to acknowledge the experience! Kyle Davis is an American serving in South Africa as the Bible Translation Fellowship executive director. Kyle asserts that there are over 7300 languages in the world, yet a complete translation of the Scriptures is available in only 10% of those tongues. Such sobering statistics...

The “Lady Writer” who (perhaps unwittingly) bestowed upon our own Todd Pruitt his “Major Pastor” credentials is today’s special guest. Co-host, professor, and rap artist Carl Trueman joins in to welcome Megan Basham, culture reporter for the Daily Wire. All superfluous titles aside, the three discuss an essential topic: the disturbing state of what is currently referred to as "responsible journali...

Though pastoral duties call Todd away from the podcast today, Carl nonetheless enjoys a pleasant conversation with Geoffrey Thomas. Our guest is a seminary professor and conference speaker who served over 50 years behind a pulpit in Aberystwyth, Wales. Geoffrey’s outstanding autobiography, In the Shadow of the Rock, recalls the friendships gained and lessons learned over decades of ministering the...

"Major Pastor" Pruitt and "the Reverend Dr." Trueman condescend to welcome Tony Reinke to the podcast. He's a journalist, author, and senior teacher for Desiring God. Tony's focus on Christian theology and ethics has led him to write a number of books examining technology's influences, including his latest: God, Technology, and the Christian Life. Is technology morally neutral? Has your smartphone...

Jonathan Edwards characterized sin as an unbearable weight that—without the securing hand of God—would inevitably drag the unbeliever down a slippery slope into hell. In recent times, however, many have reduced sin to merely “missing the mark” or “experiencing brokenness.” In his new book, Canadian PCA pastor Mark Jones helps his readers see the neglected doctrine of sin through the eyes of the Pu...

As newly-minted grandfather Carl Trueman settles into his cardigan sweater and comfortable shoes, the always-youthful and vibrant Todd Pruitt steps up to help welcome a special guest. Terry Johnson is the 34-year senior minister of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia, and a respected author. Terry’s latest release—Understanding Family Worship—is a companion piece to his landmark 2...

No longer concerned about offending his boss, Carl welcomes his friend and fellow professor (and former Grove City provost) David Ayers for a return visit to the infamous virtual bunker. With a COVID-y Todd maintaining a few hundred miles of social distancing, the three sit down to discuss the subject matter of David’s forthcoming book, After the Revolution: Sex and the Single Evangelical. In the...

Best-selling author (the Reverend Dr.) Carl Trueman steps away from his world book tour, condescending just long enough to share his thoughts with Todd Pruitt on the topics of institutional coffee mugs, Reformed seminaries, and the mujahideen. But it’s a different type of combatant on our co-hosts’ radar: the culture warrior.  Is it a term of endearment or a dismissive insult? How do “culture warr...

Your favorite grumpy, middle-aged pod partners welcome a good friend, and—according to Carl—the mastermind behind the marketing and sales department at Banner of Truth publishing. Pat Daly has been one of the fast-moving wheels at Banner for quite some time, but—this coming summer—he’ll assume the duties of a vice president at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Before he departs, Pat ta...

Keeping up with all that’s happening in the evangelical world is a real challenge! Today our intrepid hosts tackle one of the latest examples of dysfunction at the intersection of church and culture. This week’s head-shaker comes courtesy of Life Church, pastored by Craig Groeschel. It’s the newest, super-cool, and innovative approach to “doing church”: the metaverse. Yes, it’s virtual reality (VR...

Together for the Gospel (T4G) directors have announced that they will be meeting for the final time in 2022, triggering a wide-ranging discussion on parachurch organizations. Todd waxes nostalgic as he recalls the many years he attended T4G and how those conferences influenced his life and ministry. Today, Pastor Pruitt shares his thoughts about the ministry’s dissolution as our two friends reflec...

After a few weeks of solo hosting chores, Carl and Todd are back together and ready to tackle some pressing current affairs. The hot button issues of the day include the notions of “personhood” and “identity” as represented by Revoice, the PCA study committee report, and the opposition to passing overtures 23 and 37 to amend the Book of Church Order. Is the definition of “identity” ambiguous or un...

The Blessings of the Faith series recently published by P&R is a valuable resource highlighting the distinctives of the Presbyterian and Reformed faith. The series, written for Church laity as an introduction to Presbyterian ecclesiology and polity, is particularly helpful for Christians with backgrounds in other traditions. Carl’s guest is Jason Helopoulos, editor of the series and author of Cove...

Mortification of Spin is now a biweekly podcast. As we adjust to the new schedule, we’d like to introduce you to another Alliance podcast: Theology on the Go, with Jonathan Master and James Dolezal. A new episode of MoS is coming November 24th. Dale Ralph Davis has been a minister at a few traditional Reformed churches in the US. For some time, he was Old Testament professor at Reformed Theologica...

A new series is available from P&R Publishing, produced in collaboration with some very accomplished and devoted pastors and theologians. Written for the Church, The Blessings of the Faith Series edited by Jason Helopoulos introduces and explores the distinctives of the Presbyterian and Reformed faith. Current topics include expository preaching, covenantal baptism, and persistent prayer, and more...

While Carl is globetrotting, fulfilling speaking engagements about what is (thus far) his magnum opus, Todd makes a promise to the loyal listeners of this podcast. As he’s the only host present, our megachurch minister sits down with a good friend to discuss a pressing issue in their common denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).  It’s Fred Greco, pastor of Christ Church in Katy, T...

He’s a “Thought Leader”…an “American Theologian”…and an “Anti-Social Media Influencer” (or is that, an “antisocial Media Influencer?”). Yes, the great Carl Trueman and his faithful sidekick Todd “Tonto” Pruitt sit down to chat about some very contemporary issues, as they also share an important family development! The progress of information technology has our generation asking questions and deali...