Thinking Fellows

Lutherans started the Protestant Reformation. However, they shy away from the term today. The Thinking Fellows discuss why the term became contentious but why Lutherans must still identify with it. The conversation highlights Lutherans' challenges in identifying themselves within the broader Christian community and the need for more effective engagement with other traditions. The episode concludes...

The Fellows continue their conversation about Lutheran identity. This time, they discuss the term "evangelical." Lutherans have used the term to describe themselves since the early Reformation. In recent times, confessional Lutherans have turned away from the term. Caleb, Scott, Adam, and Bruce discuss why the word is worth using and qualifying, even though it has come to gain new definitions in W...

The Thinking Fellows continue discussing the issue of a Lutheran identity crisis. This week, they deal with the moniker: confessional. They define confessional and explain why it is essential to Lutheranism. They also cover how the term has been used within specific movements in American Lutheranism, particularly the LCMS, to bludgeon people over a reasonable disagreement. Overall, Lutherans must...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith engage discuss an ongoing identity crisis within Lutheranism. They explore various terms such as confessional and missional, their meanings, and the implications for the Lutherans. The conversation explores the historical context of Lutheran identity, the role of tradition and doctrine and...

How should Christians navigate the shoulds and shouldnots of daily life, especially on matters not explicitly covered in Scripture? The Fellows look at common questions about civil behavior that Christians ask online. They also consider the idea of Christian behavior as a witness to their neighbor.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Appl...

There are lots of objections to infant baptism floating around in American Christianity today. In this episode, the Fellows respond to some common objections leveraged against advocates of baptizing infants. The objections came from X-post comments; they do not represent the most sophisticated arguments for the credo-baptist position but rather some ordinary objections that real people believe and...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith discuss the relevance of the gospel in contemporary society. The conversation delves into the roles of law and gospel, cultural contextualization, and the challenges faced by churches in effectively communicating the gospel message. The Fellows emphasize that while the gospel itself cannot...

In this episode of  The Thinking Fellows , the hosts take on a challenging question: Are Christians hypocritical when it comes to sexual sins? This discussion is often raised in conversations about LGBTQ issues and the Church's stance on morality. The Fellows explore how the Sixth Commandment applies to all sexual sins and emphasize that the Church's teaching should be consistent—preaching repenta...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, and Adam Francisco engage in a friendly discussion about the current state of university education. They explore whether the traditional concept of the university is dead, the role of universities in preparing students for the job market, and the cultural influences that shape modern education. The conversation also touches...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, the Fellows answer, "Did Martin Luther invent a new religion?" They explore the historical context of the Reformation, the theological implications of Luther's teachings, and the ongoing debates between Catholicism and Protestantism. The conversation highlights the role of humanism in the Reformation and the centrality of scripture for understanding...

The Thinking Fellows talk about the limitations of scientific progress. Skepticism of previous scientific advancements in medicine and chemical engineering has paved the path for more people to question technological progress and the good it can do for humanity. Yet many skeptics still look to the future and advancing technology as a solution for death, suffering, and sin. By understanding the rea...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, and Adam Francisco discuss the relevance of epistemology versus worldview in the context of Christian engagement with culture and society. They explore the historical development of these concepts, their utility for understanding different belief systems, and the challenges of navigating a pluralistic society.  Show Notes:...

In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, the Fellows explore the complex history of the Crusades, their origins, motivations, and the theological implications that arise from them. They discuss Pope Urban II's call to arms and the evolution of the Crusades from a war of liberation to a series of hard-to-follow conflicts. The conversation emphasizes the distinction between political and rel...

In this episode, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, and Adam Francisco discuss the viral appearance of Wesley Huff on Joe Rogan's podcast. They explore the impact of the conversation on Christian apologetics, the nature of truth and science, and the role of miracles in faith. The discussion also delves into textual criticism, cultural context, and the theological insights presented during the interview. Th...

The Thinking Fellows dive into the life and work of the Venerable Bede, one of the most influential figures in early Christian history. Often called the "Father of English History," Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People shaped our understanding of the Church's growth in Britain. This episode explores Bede's contributions to theology, historiography, and education, and considers how h...

The Fellows discuss medieval theology by surveying Bonaventure's The Soul's Journey Into God and note the scholastic tendency to speculate from God's general natural revelation. These developments in scholastic theology, in part, led to the necessity of the Reformation. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedul...

Eusebius was one of the greatest historians of the early church. The Fellows discuss his contributions to theology and history. The episode pays special attention to the way Eusebius treats the Old Testament. Eusebius starts his history of the church at the beginning of Genesis and asserts that Christianity is not a novel faith but the faith of all Old Testament believers.  Eusebius Church History...

Amy Mantravadi joins Caleb and Bruce to discuss her novel  Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation.  Amy was inspired to follow the lives and conflicts of Martin Luther, Desiderius Erasmus, and Philipp Melanchthon. The episode dives into the history behind the novel and the significance of Luther's  The Bondage of the Will. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube Br...

Support 1517 This Giving Tuesday This is Caleb Keith, director of the 1517 Podcast Network. Today, as many of you may know, is Giving Tuesday. On this special day, I have a question for you: Does this podcast bring Jesus and His Gospel of peace into your life on a regular basis? At 1517, our mission—and the mission of the 1517 Podcast Network—is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forg...

The Fellows discuss St. Gregory of Nyssa's Catechetical Discourse, a series of objections and answers to confessions of the Christian faith. It was designed to educate new Christians on essential doctrines like the Trinity and atonement. Caleb leads the conversation by asking how the catechesis of the past can inform Christian education today. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts...

The Thinking Fellows are starting a new series highlighting the history of Christian thought. For the next several weeks, the Fellows explore books written by great thinkers throughout Christian history. Bruce Hilman leads this first episode and covers St. John Chrysostom's  On the Priesthood.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network On the Priest Hood Free Online Popular Patristics 1517 Podcasts...

High stakes and emotions regarding national politics produce situations Christians must meaningfully and thoughtfully navigate. Christians are embodied and specifically located creatures with vocations that demand political conciseness and often involvement. Yet these political situations and outcomes are not the object or sum of the faith. This episode explores the consequences of winning and los...

This special episode of the Thinking Fellows was recorded live at the Here We Still Stand conference. Magnus Person joins the Fellows to discuss a response to the feeling that the church is in decline. They acknowledge the real pressure Christians in America and the West, in general, are feeling right now while confidently confessing that the church belongs to God and will continue forever.  Show...

The Thinking Fellows give readers a short list of books they find essential for understanding Lutheranism. The list below includes books that contextualize the story and doctrinal formation of the Reformation. This Library should help both people who are unfamiliar with Lutheranism and those familiar with Lutheran doctrine but would like a better historical picture of who the Lutherans are.  Berg,...

The Thinking Fellows recall the legacy of renowned apologist John Warwick Montgomery. Before his death Dr. Montgomery was a senior fellow at 1517 and had a tremndous impact on the field of Christian apologetics. The fellows recall time they had spent with Dr. Montgomery and his impact on the founding members of 1517.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network John Warwick Montgomery at 1517 1517 Po...