Thinking Fellows

Spirituality is not a friend of Christianity. More and more people abandon Christianity while maintaining spiritual beliefs, practices, or superstitions. Dr. Michael Horton joins the Thinking Fellows to discuss the deep history and gnostic roots of the spiritual problems in the West today. Dr. Horton has researched and addressed this topic in numerous ways over the last 30 years and has compiled h...

Adam, Bruce, and Caleb discuss eschatology. What are Christianity's essential teachings regarding the last things or end times? Why do some sects of Christianity hyper-fixate on the end times? The fellows address these questions and more this week.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free...

In this week's episode, Scott, Bruce, and Caleb discuss the doctrine of election. They emphasize the importance of God's electing through his Word. This locates election in an external act done for you rather than solely in the mind of God. This Lutheran distinction avoids the pitfall of free choice while not relying on the logical constructs of double predestination.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Pod...

The Fellows discuss the doctrine of public ministry. The conversation focuses on why it is necessary for Christians to gather togteher as a church and call a pastor. God has made his saving work public through the proclimation of the Word.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's...

Caleb and Bruce have a conversation about the doctrine of the church. They work to define how the church is all those with faith in Christ and the gathering of individual believers whom God has called together in specific locations. The conversation focuses on the distribution of the Gospel, which is the unique and essential purpose of gathering together for worship. Bruce and Caleb also emphasize...

This episode of the Thinking Fellows gives an overview of the Lutheran doctrine of the Lord's Supper. The fellows discuss the how and why of the Supper, primarily referencing Christ's institution of the Sacrament before his crucifixion. They also discuss some controversies and disagreements Christians have regarding belief and practice.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517...

The Thinking Fellows talk about the saving power of Baptism. They cover the how and why of Baptism and have a long conversation about its various controversies. The Fellows strongly argue infant baptism and explain why Christian doctrine is not a pick-and-choose situation.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy -...

Scott, Adam, and Caleb discuss the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. During the ceremonies, an LGBTQ rendition of the Last Supper was acted out with transexuals and gay icons. This was an apparent offense to Christians all over the world and highlights the destructive religious ideologies at play in our culture today. The Fellows discuss why Christians should not be surprised that their faith is under a...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the distinction between law and gospel. They explain what it means that this distinction exists in all the Scripture. They also speak about the distinction between preaching and reading the Bible and why law and gospel are essential for preaching.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy...

The Thinking Fellows discuss how the means of grace preserve and sustain us in the faith. The fellows identify how God delivers his saving Word through means and the importance of gathering together to revive God's promises. The power to remain in the faith is a gift that comes from outside of the Christian and not a power from within.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 o...

The Thinking Fellows discuss sanctification, a doctrine from which Lutherans and other Protestants differ significantly. Here, we assert that the doing of good works does not accomplish sanctification but instead that good works result from the gift of sanctification already delivered in faith.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts Caleb Keith Sanctification Talk   Banned Books T...

Justification is famously called the article upon which the church stands or falls. It is the article upon which The Lutheran Reformation stood boldly and confessed the Scriptural truth that we are made right before God by grace through faith on account of Christ alone. The Thinking Fellows address the central concepts that help us orginze and understand justification as a doctrine whihc the churc...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the doctrine of faith. Faith is not an ability or power inside of you but a gift from God. They highlight how faith and its gifts are given as a certainty, not as a series of lifelong questions and challenges. God has given and preserved your faith by the power of his Word and Spirit and not by your will or works.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1...

What does it mean that Jesus Christ is Prophet, Priest, and King? Throughout salvation history, God ordained offices to serve His people. Jesus Christ is the total fulfillment of each office. The Fellows describe how Christ fulfills each office and how the work of salvation in Christ is for you.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Networ...

The Thinking Fellows introduce the doctrine of Christ. They discuss why topics like the two natures in Christ, the communication of attributes, and the co-equality of the trinity matter. The Fellows describe why this doctrine can be summarised quickly in creeds or explored extensively in tomes.  Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the doctrine of man. What is humanity? What is human nature? What does it mean that man is sinful? These essential theological questions are building blocks of dogmatic theology in that they reveal the broken relationship between humanity and God. The doctrine of man sends us to our need for a savior and redemption. Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtub...

The Thinking Fellows are live from the Here We Still Stand regional event in North West Arkansas. Bob Hiller and John Moffit join Caleb and Scott Keith. The Fellows discuss the Reformation's shift on grace and why it is essential to locate God's grace and graciousness not generically but firmly in Christ.   Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcas...

Jennifer Roback Morse joins the Thinking Fellows to discuss the sexual revolution. Jennifer is the founder and president of the Ruth Institute and has authored several books concerning the consequences of the sexual revolution. This conversation helps reveal that the sexual revolution is more than the normalization of hypersexualized behavior. Instead, the sexual revolution is a combination of wor...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the doctrine of God. Who is God? is a foundational question that every major thinker and religion has attempted to answer. What is truly amazing is that we do not need to speculate about who God is. Instead, God reveals himself to us through His Word and lets us know exactly who he is and what he has done for us.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube...

Scripture is the source of Christian theology. What do we mean by Scripture, and what does it mean to have a norm? The Thinking Fellows discuss how proper theology is not speculative or originating from personal revelation, but is instead from the font of the prophetic and apostolic books of the Old and New Testament.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the basic methodological principles of theology. Commonly called prolegomena, the front matter of Christian dogmatics is outlining your purpose and methods. The fellows focus on the centrality of Sola Scriptura for Christian dogmatics and why differing conclusions arise between Christians.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on...

What is dogmatic or syetsmatic theology and why should you care about it? The Thinking Fellows introduce a new series on dogmatics. In the coming weeks and months, the Fellows will follow the outline of Franz Piepers dogmatics. Each episode will cover a common theological topic and teach the essence of these categories.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network o...

To what extent should Christians engage with methodological materialism? This week, the fellows address the harms that the general adoption of materialism has caused. However, they also discuss the benefits of engaging with the material world and utilizing methodologies that arise out of materialism.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 151...

The Thinking Fellows discuss the importance of the Christian community. How do we serve and preserve this community? The conversation focuses on how the distinction between law and gospel is essential. in the advancement and life of the community.  Show Notes: Support 1517 1517 Podcasts The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 on Youtube What's New from 1517: Remembering Rod Rosenbladt New...

Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, and Bruce Hilman address the opinion that Roman Catholics are not Christians. The fellows conclude that Roman Catholics are not by necessity excluded from saving faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This leads to a conversation about how specific confessions and denominations are still necessary, even if affiliation with the correct group is not the sole indicator of savin...