Tangible: Theology Learned and Lived

For a year, seminary student Drew Oswald spent 10 hours a week sitting in a coffee shop. He said the people he met have enriched his ministry and his life. Dr. Ely Prieto joins the conversation to discuss the vocation of shared spaces.

Coping with hurt by ignoring it or reliving it can lead us to sink deeper into bitterness. Ted Kober and Dr. Mark Rockenbach share the radically different approach that Jesus offers. Their new book "Unforgivable?" explores the psychological and spiritual impact of forgiveness.

Dr. Joel Okamoto and Dr. Charles Arand, professors of systematic theology, discuss the difference between knowing a lot of theology and having good theology. Their conclusion might surprise you.

The topic of Christian nationalism is hot in the media. How does our theology influence our political involvement? "Luther is brilliant in his understanding of the two realms," says Dr. Joel Biermann, professor of systematic theology. "It's one of the most substantial areas where we see the tangible reality of theology hitting life."

Dr. Michael Fieberkorn's new book Battle of the Soul: Luther Reforms Vice and Virtue explores our perception of sin and our role in developing virtue. "We don't need to be afraid that we're selling out our Lutheran faith tradition…the more seriously you take sin, the more seriously you need to take the reality that Christ said it is finished." Dr. Michael Fieberkorn

What started as a pastor's personal interest grew to a community of neighbors working together and growing closer. Hear the story of an urban church that's reaching out in a surprising way.   " Our passion for beekeeping has really connected us with lots of people…people you may never see in the pew." - Rev. Bill Wilson

Jessica Bordeleau speaks with Dr. Michael Zeigler, speaker of The Lutheran Hour , about his book "Christian Hope Among Rivals" and what he's learned from people outside of the church. Zeigler spoke on the topic at the 2023 Theological Symposium at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. "It isn't just giving them the right information or telling them the right things to do. It's showing them the faithfulne...

Guests Jacob Rhodes and Dr. David Maxwell discuss the ways in which our vocabulary and attitude towards unmarried adults influences their perception of value. "Over half the population now is single...How does [the church] actually talk about singleness?" - Jacob Rhodes  

Guests Drew Oswald and Dr. Tim Saleska discuss prayers of lament and the ways in which they lead us to hope. "Laments are a prayer that tell God the horrible things that are going on and then really demand that He answer." – Drew Oswald

Guests Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Joel Okamoto explore the deep significance of the five women listed in the genealogy of Jesus. "When you read the genealogy and see those women, it's not really obvious why they're there… it's kind of a slow reveal." Dr. David Lewis

"The image is that the Bible is like an anvil on your chest that crushes the life out of you…this is the kind of thing that I think makes people want to hide." Dr. Maxwell  In this episode we talk with Dr. David Maxwell and explore the ways in which our understanding of the law influences our honest repentance.  

As dad to seven children, Dr. Kevin Golden has some experience with fatherhood. The sayings he heard from his own father shaped his ministry and his life. Tune in to hear how his theology is guiding his parenting. 

"At the end of the day…Christians should think, first of all that they're children of God, and then they should reflect on how they performed. And that will drive each one of us to repentance and to faith." Dr. Robert Kolb

"We have this really dramatic visual presentation of what it looks like when Jesus rises from the dead. It looks like this swirling phoenix fire and he's standing in triumph over this great inferno!" Join Dr. Thomas Egger and Dr. Peter Nafzger as they explore one way in which theology has become tangible through art.

How do recent technological advancements in artificial intelligence and GPT4 impact the church? According to Dr. David Maxwell "The theological implication is that if AI starts acting human, we're going to think of it as human."  Join the conversation between Dr. David Maxwell, Dr. Joel Okamoto and Jessica Bordeleau as they discuss artificial intelligence and what it means to be human.

Dr. Dale A. Meyer and Dr. David Schmidtt begin by discussing the symbolism in the new artwork in the Concordia Seminary chapel. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Dr. Meyer asks "Where is Jesus now ? If we don't emphasize what Christ is doing  now ... you create a vacuum, and a number of things happen in the vacuum …" 

The sudden onset of a vocal cord disfunction left preacher Dr. Joel Elowsky unable to speak for four years. "It was truly one of those dark tunnels. You don't really see any light except for that little pinprick." This candid discussion explores Elowsky's understanding of God's nature.