Orthodocs.faith

In this fourth episode of their introduction to basic Christian Theology, John and Ron tackle the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  Who is the Spirit?  What role does the Spirit play?  They also take the opportunity to step back and treat the doctrine of the Trinity.

John and Ron continue their introduction to basic Christian theology, and in this episode they reach the doctrine of Jesus Christ at the heart of the Christian message.

In this second episode of their introduction to basic Christian theology, Ron and John tackle the doctrine of God: Who is God? What is God like? They navigate the difficult terrain of talking about God in a way that represents responsibly what we can know but avoids bold claims about the things we cannot.

John and Ron begin their introduction to basic Christian theology with a session on "prolegomena," the things that need to be said at the beginning.

In this episode, John and Ron conclude their series on the letter of 1 John, and this time it's no holds barred as they go after misreadings of the letter!

In this episode, John and Ron reach the heart of the letter: God is love. But does it mean what we think? Or is the author of 1 John saying something about love we don't expect?

In this second episode of the series on First John, John and Ron delve into the division that lay behind the letter's sharp admonitions to its readers.

John and Ron introduce a new series on the letter of First John. The letter opens with an emphatic statement about the concrete reality of the gospel, and it moves quickly to the difficult topic of love in the context of bitter division.

The final episode in the Book of Joshua series reviews the results of Israel's campaigns to take the land of Canaan and God's instructions for its distribution to the tribes. The text appears to report that Israel both did and did not subdue the whole of Canaan. Ron and John discuss how we should read this in order to understand the final section of the book.

In this fourth episode of their series in Joshua, Ron and John tackle the exciting but difficult episodes that describe the conquests of Jericho and Ai. Before those battles, however, important rituals set up what follows in order to keep the focus on the real message of the Book of Joshua: God's covenant faithfulness.

In the discussion this time, Ron and John follow the people of Israel as they cross the Jordan River into the promised land. In Joshua 3-4, God arranges their passage in a spectacular way. This episode takes a close look at how that happens and how the story is told—and retold.

In the second installment of their series on Joshua, John and Ron take a close look at chapter 2. Joshua—once a spy for Moses—now dispatches his own spies to scope out Jericho. Their encounter with a woman named Rahab proves intriguing.

Ron and John begin a new series in the Book of Joshua by looking at how Joshua's story fits into the biblical narrative and how Israel begins its final preparations to enter the promised land. "Be strong and courageous" is the word in chapter 1 as Israel moves toward the fulfillment of an ancient divine promise.

John and Ron conclude their treatment of the Sermon on the Mount, but there are still some surprises to come in the statements Jesus makes during his epilogue.

In this episode, John and Ron reach the end of the primary instruction in the Sermon on the Mount with the Golden Rule as the grand finale. Along the way, though, they have to confront the challenging address about worrying.

John returns from a recent trip to the Holy Land, and in this episode he and Ron explore the background and significance of Jesus' teaching on prayer. The Lord's Prayer is a central part of this teaching, and a special treat related to it waits for you at the end of the episode.

With one example after another, the surprises continue as Jesus challenges his audience in the Sermon on the Mount. Ron and John continue their treatment of Matthew 5-7 and the question of what righteousness looks like in the kingdom of God. Jesus gives his answer to this question in increasing detail as the Sermon on the Mount unfolds.

Ron and John continue to work through the Sermon on the Mount. In this episode, they deal with the claim Jesus makes early in the Sermon that he fulfills the Law. The question of "What is righteousness?" also comes up as Jesus continues to surprise those listening to him teach.

What does life in the kingdom of God look like? Jesus takes on that question in the Sermon on the Mount, and in this first episode of a new series Ron and John begin a close look at his answer. He starts with some surprises and raises some unexpected expectations.

In this final episode of the Day of the Lord series, John and Ron examine the letters of Paul and the New Testament books associated with the apostle John. They conclude (as they must, of course!) with the baffling book of Revelation. This episode released on Christmas Eve, 2021. What does Christmas have to do with the end of the world? Come find out.

New Testament Christians insisted that all our hopes are fulfilled in the work God accomplished in Jesus Christ. A cursory examination of the world around us suggests that all our hopes are not yet fulfilled. What gives? Concentrating on the story that Luke tells in the books of Luke and Acts, Ron and John continue their discussion of the "Day of the Lord" to which the Bible looked—and y...

Ron and John kick off a new season and a new series with the topic "The Day of the Lord". The Bible looks forward to a future time when God would make all things right. In this first of three episodes, they look at the Old Testament foundations for a Christian perspective on the future. How did Israel's prophets describe how God finally resolves all things?

Season 2 is over!  Season 3 is here.  As they prepare for a new Advent series in the Year of our Lord 2021, Ron and John pause to reflect on where they've been and where they're headed. Also: come see what Christmas has to do with the end of the world!

In this episode John and Ron conclude their episode on the problem of evil. They ask what we can say when we're confronted with evil — as well as what we should not say! They also dive back into scripture. How does this account of the problem of evil square with what scripture says, and how does God confront evil in Jesus Christ?

In this episode John and Ron dive into the core of the problem of evil.  They consider the "argument from evil"—an argument that because of evil God cannot exist as Christians describe God—and they offer the free will defense as an answer.