On The Line

Join us at the long table as we recover the moral imagination, rediscover the wisdom of the ancients, and explore how story—rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness—forms the heart and mind for Christian living in an age of fragmentation. About Today’s Guest Dr. Louis Markos is a professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he teaches classical literature, Chri...

Join us at the long table as we explore how stories shape the Christian imagination, from the parables of Christ to the poetry of Tolkien, where beauty, suffering, virtue, and vocation meet in the narrative of redemption. About Today’s Guest Rev. Jacob Benson is director of admissions and assistant professor of humanities at Luther Classical College in Casper, Wyoming. Ordained in 2019, he previou...

Join us at the long table as we dig into what it means to be wholly citizens of both heaven and earth, recover a robust Lutheran ethic, and consider how virtue, identity, and vocation shape Christian witness in a fragmented age. About Today’s Guest Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann is professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and one of the LCMS’s leading voices on vocation, virtue...

Join us at the long table as we trace the roots of Christian tradition, wrestle with the legacy of the Church Fathers, and recover a vision of doctrine, discipline, and ministry shaped by the clarity and strangeness of the early Church. Dr. James Lee is a scholar of historical theology and teaches Church History and Religious Studies at Concordia University Chicago, where his courses range from Ch...

Join us at the long table as we confront the seven deadly sins not just as abstract categories, but as real spiritual threats—and explore how humility, gratitude, and daily repentance lead us toward the virtues that shape faithful Christian life. Rev. Dr. David H. Petersen has served as Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since 2000. A graduate of Central Michigan University...

Rev. Dr. David H. Petersen has served as Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since 2000. A graduate of Central Michigan University and Concordia Theological Seminary (M.Div., S.T.M., D.Min.), he is known for his deep commitment to the Church’s liturgical and theological heritage. Dr. Petersen is a contributing editor for Gottesdienst: The Journal of Lutheran Liturgy, teaches...

Rev. Dr. Christian Preus is pastor of Mount Hope Lutheran Church in Casper, Wyoming, and Chairman of the Board of Regents for Luther Classical College. He holds a Ph. D. in Classics from the University of Iowa and an M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. A scholar and translator, his works include Philip Melanchthon’s Loci Communes 1521 and contributions to Luther’s Works. Dr....

Rev. Dr. Jamison J. Hardy is a former district president in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and a member of the President of the Concordia University System. A lifelong Lutheran, Hardy was born in Bay City, Michigan, and attended Lutheran schools before earning his bachelor’s degree from Concordia University Wisconsin and his M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. He brings p...

About Today’s Guest Dr. Joel P. Okamoto is the Waldemar and Mary Griesbach Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he has served on the faculty since 1998. A former MIT graduate turned theologian, he brings rigorous thought to questions of truth, Christian witness, and systematic theology in a post-Christian world. His writing explores the intersection of faith, Am...

Caleb Keith is a Lutheran theologian and podcast producer at 1517, where he serves as the voice behind The Thinking Fellows and Outlaw God podcasts and oversees the 1517 Podcast Network. He graduated summa cum laude as an Honors Scholar from Concordia University Irvine and holds an MA in systematic and philosophical theology from the University of Nottingham. In 2018, he published a translation of...

Rev. Dr. Joel C. Elowsky is Professor of Historical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, where he also directs the Center for the Study of Early Christian Texts. A leading scholar of the early church, African Christianity, and patristic exegesis, Elowsky has edited and authored numerous works, including volumes in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts seri...

Dr. Larry Sanger is a philosopher, technologist, and co-founder of Wikipedia, one of the world's most widely used reference platforms. He holds a Ph. D. in Philosophy from The Ohio State University and has spent his career shaping the landscape of online knowledge and advocating for decentralization, transparency, and intellectual freedom. In recent years, Sanger experienced a profound shift...

Dr. Larry Sanger is a philosopher, technologist, and co-founder of Wikipedia, one of the world's most widely used reference platforms. He holds a Ph. D. in Philosophy from The Ohio State University and has spent his career shaping the landscape of online knowledge and advocating for decentralization, transparency, and intellectual freedom. In recent years, Sanger experienced a profound shift...

Please note: We apologize for the audio issues between 45:57 and the first break at 1:05:21. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Rev. Dr. Jon S. Bruss is the seventeenth president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, and is an associate professor of systematic theology. With a Ph. D. in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an M.Div. from Bethany Lutheran Theological S...

​​Felix Loc is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, overseeing the national office's operations and supporting the Synod president's strategic work. With a background in organizational leadership and a deep commitment to the LCMS’s confessional identity, Loc plays a key role in guiding the Church’s mission and structure. His work bridges theology and ad...

​​Rev. Jeff Hemmer is an LCMS pastor serving in St. Louis and a leading voice on recovering godly masculinity within the Church. He is the author of "Man Up! The Quest for Masculinity," a bold theological call to men to embrace their created vocation with courage, responsibility, and faithfulness. With pastoral insight and cultural clarity, Hemmer addresses the crisis of manhood in today...

Rev. Hans Fiene is the pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Crestwood, Missouri. He is the creator of Lutheran Satire, a multimedia project that uses humor to teach and defend the Christian faith. A graduate of Indiana University and Concordia Theological Seminary, Rev. Fiene has served congregations in Colorado and Illinois before beginning his service at Prince of Peace in June 2020. He...

Check Out Our New Website! https://ontheline.net/ Support The Launch of LIT- https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/ ​Rev. Dr. Adam Koontz is a Lutheran pastor and theologian currently serving at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. A 2014 graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), he previously pastored congregations in Lititz and Myerstown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Koontz earned...

Check Out Our New Website! https://ontheline.net/ Support The Launch of LIT- https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/ Todd Wilken is a Lutheran pastor and hosts the radio program Issues, Etc., which he has led since 1998. He graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis with a Master of Divinity degree. He served as a parish pastor in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) for nine years befo...

🎧 Welcome to Episode 64 of the On The Line Podcast! 🎧 Rev. Benjamin Ball serves as the Second Vice President of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), bringing years of pastoral experience and theological leadership to his role. Committed to confessional Lutheran doctrine, he supports the Synod in its mission to uphold biblical truth and strengthen congregations. His work emphasizes faithful...

🎧 Welcome to Episode 63 of the On The Line Podcast! 🎧  Dr. Stephen Pietsch is an associate professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, specializing in pastoral care, counseling, and the pastoral theology of Martin Luther. Before joining the faculty in 2023, he served at Australian Lutheran College, where he taught and held leadership roles in pastoral formation and chapel m...

🎧 Welcome to Episode 62 of the On The Line Podcast! 🎧 🔗 Stay Connected with Us! Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes looks and more updates: https://www.instagram.com/otl_podcast_ Join our Facebook community to engage with other listeners: https://www.facebook.com/onthelinepod 💖 A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by: Trinity Lutheran Waconia: A Local Ch...

🎧 Welcome to Episode 61 of the On The Line Podcast! 🎧 Rev. Rolf Preus graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS), Fort Wayne, IN, with a Master of Divinity in 1979 and a Master of Sacred Theology in 1987. Ordained on July 1, 1979, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, Minnesota, he served Lutheran congregations across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Montana before retiring o...

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Welcome to Episode 59 of the On The Line Podcast! 🎧 🔗 Stay Connected with Us! Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes looks and more updates: https://www.instagram.com/otl_podcast_ Join our Facebook community to engage with other listeners: https://www.facebook.com/onthelinepod 💖 A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors: This episode is brought to you by: Trinity Lutheran Waconia: A Local Ch...