The Ezra Institute Podcast for Cultural Reformation

Author and pastor David Forsythe joins the  Podcast for Cultural Reformation  to discuss his new Ezra Press book,  Reformation, Not Revolution: Why God’s Law Matters for Society.   In this episode, David shares how his time in missions, pastoral ministry, and politics shaped his conviction that Christ’s lordship extends to every area of life. He and Nate discuss the...

On this Canada Day episode of the  Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Dr. Michael Thiessen is joined by Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Aaron Rock for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of Canada in 2026.   Is Canada a nation to celebrate, lament, or both? They reflect on the spiritual and cultural condition of the country, the continuing relevance of George Grant’s  Lament for a N...

In this episode of the  Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Dr. Michael Thiessen and Dr. Joe Boot continue their discussion on the sanctity of human life by tracing the modern culture of death from the sexual revolution to today’s expanding embrace of abortion and euthanasia.   They argue that these are not merely private medical issues or isolated policy debates, but expressions of...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot continue the Think Christianly series by addressing the sanctity of human life from womb to tomb. Working through Psalm 139, they examine the intimate providence of God, the mystery and wonder of life in the womb, and why the Christian defence of life must begin not with public policy, but with the doctrin...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot revisit Canada’s Bill C-9, now moving toward becoming law, and explain why its implications extend far beyond Canada. They discuss the bill’s vague definition of “hatred,” the removal of religious protections, and the potential consequences for pastors, churches, Christian schools,...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Michael Thiessen and Dr. Joe Boot discuss identity from a biblical worldview. They look at how modern culture has detached identity from God and made it something each person must create for themselves.   They trace how ideas from philosophy, psychology, critical theory, transgenderism, and transhumanism have shaped the modern view...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot continue their discussion on Marxism by tracing how traditional Marxist theory shifted from economics to culture, giving rise to critical theory and the modern sexual revolution.   They examine why Marxist economic revolution failed to take hold in the West, how thinkers like Antonio Gramsci, the Fran...

In this episode of  The Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen think Christianly about Marxism — not as a political or economic theory, but as a religious worldview offering a counterfeit vision of salvation, history, and liberation.   Joe traces Marx's roots in Hegel and Rousseau, unpacks dialectical materialism and conflict theory, and shows why...

In this week’s episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Joe Boot respond to the fall of Sam Allberry and examine what it reveals about Side B Christianity, evangelical accommodation, and the church’s loss of confidence in biblical categories.   Rather than focusing on scandal, they address the deeper theological issues: sexual identity, sinful de...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright, Dr. Joe Boot, and Dr. Michael Thiessen continue their discussion on thinking Christianly about history. They explore how Christians should approach historical facts, disputed narratives, propaganda, and conspiratorial thinking without abandoning confidence in truth or God’s providence.   Rather than interpretin...

In this episode of  The Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Pastor Nate Wright and Dr. Michael Thiessen respond to the latest assassination attempt on President Donald Trump and examine how Christians should think about political violence, revolutionary rhetoric, and justice.   They discuss the difference between reformation and revolution, personal vengeance and lawful authority, and why...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Nate Wright, Dr. Joe Boot, and Dr. Michael Thiessen discuss why history is never neutral and why the battle over its meaning matters so deeply. They show how only the Christian worldview can make sense of the past, present, and future, and why abandoning God’s providence leads either to despair or to control. This episode is a timely c...

In this episode of the  Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Nate Wright, Dr. Joe Boot, and Dr. Michael Thiessen discuss how to think Christianly about science and evolutionism. They challenge the modern myth that Christianity and science are enemies, arguing instead that modern science was born out of a biblical worldview. They also expose evolutionism as more than a neutral scientific theory,...

Bill C-9 is no longer just a troubling proposal. It is moving toward becoming law in Canada, and with it comes serious questions about hate crime legislation, religious liberty, public witness, and the role of the state. In this episode, Michael Thiessen and Nate Wright revisit Bill C-9 to explain what it does, why it matters, and why Christians cannot afford to treat it as just another political...

What happens when progressive politics puts on Christian language and starts quoting Scripture? In this episode of the  Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Joe Boot, Michael Thiessen, and Nate Wright examine the rise of a new public theology on the left, using Texas politician James Talarico as a case study. They discuss how bad exegesis, Gnostic ideas, and counterfeit Christianity are being u...

What does it really mean to defend the Christian faith? Pastor Nate Wright, Dr. Michael Thiessen, and Dr. Joe Boot challenge the popular notion that apologetics is about winning arguments or piling up evidence for God's existence. Drawing from 1 Peter 3:15, they make the case that faithful apologetics begins with Christ set apart as Lord — and flows outward as bold proclamation, not intellec...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Nate Wright, Joe Boot, and Michael Thiessen continue their discussion on God’s law by exploring theonomy, its place in church history, and its fulfillment in Christ. They unpack the relationship between law and love, explain why biblical justice requires restitution and proportionality, and challenge modern misunderstandings that pit g...

This week, Pastor Nate Wright is joined by Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen to help Christians think Christianly about the escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Rather than reacting to headlines or repeating past debates about foreign wars, the conversation examines the issue through a Christian worldview—drawing on Scripture, sphere sovereignty, and the ins...

Is God’s law merely moral advice—or the creational structure that holds all things together? Pastor Nate Wright is joined by Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen to continue their Think Christianly series with “Think Christianly About Law (Part 1): The Meaning of Law, Natural Law, and Politics.” They argue that every “law word” of God orders creation, that all...

In this episode of the podcast for cultural reformation, Nate Wright and Dr. Michael Thiessen continue the Think Christianly series by examining the relationship between the Church, the Kingdom of God, and the mission of God’s people. Is the Church’s mission merely personal piety, church growth, political activism, or evangelism alone? Drawing from Dr. Joe Boot’s Think Christianl...

In this final AmFest 2025 episode, we reflect on the cultural shift unfolding before us. Public leaders are naming Christ. Christian language is re-entering the public square. But is this a revival, a political moment, or simply a starting point? We discuss the dangers of pietism, the church’s failure to disciple nations, and the need to clearly proclaim the lordship of Jesus Christ in every...

In this episode of The Podcast for Cultural Reformation , Pastor Nate Wright is joined by Dr. Joe Boot to walk through key clips from Joe’s keynote address at TPUSA’s AmFest. Joe explains how a last-minute shift—from a planned debate to a 13-minute mainstage address—became a providential opportunity to present Ezra’s core message: the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the...

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Michael Thiessen and Dr. Joe Boot continue their reflections on Ezra Institute’s time at AmericaFest, focusing on Dr. Boot’s interview with Lucas Miles, Director of TPUSA Faith. They discuss the need for cultural and political engagement to be rooted in the Church and shaped by a robust biblical worldview, emphasizing the Lor...

This week on the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Nate Wright, Dr. Joe Boot, and Dr. Michael Thiessen review Russell Brand’s remarks at TPUSA’s AmericaFest and reflect on what they reveal about public faith, repentance, and cultural renewal. They discuss the twin dangers Christians often fall into with celebrity conversions—either uncritically platforming new believers or cynica...

In this episode, Joe Boot, Michael Thiessen, and Nate Wright reflect on an unexpected invitation to AmericaFest and why it became a significant cultural moment. From conversations at Turning Point USA to public engagement at a conference of tens of thousands, they consider what these opportunities reveal about the state of the Church today. They discuss Joe’s interview with Steve Deace, the...