Day Trippin’. In this episode, we talk about Easter, altars, cosmic mountains, church history, open fonts, restored virtue, saints, angels, powers of darkness, idols, icons, images, searching for the truth, and how Jesus is the archetype of all archetypes, and in between we read Luther on the Old Testament by Heinrich Bornkamm. SHOW NOTES:  Luther and the Old Testament https://amzn.to/3xpUUXk Archive.org link https://archive.org/details/lutheroldtestame0000born   SUPPORT: Support 1517...

Passion. In this episode, we read Irenaeus on Christ’s passion and discuss Holy Week, the consequences of following Christ, what happens when things lack clear definition, and the consequences for the Church. SHOW NOTES:  Proof of the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon https://archive.org/details/proofofapostolic0001iren/page/90/mode/2up Disenchantment (Weber) https://www.britannica.com/topic/disenchantment-sociology   SUPPORT: Support 1517...

Just My Imagination. In this episode, we read Eugene Peterson’s book, Under the Unpredictable Plant, and discuss theological imagination at length. What are the consequences when the church takes its cues from a culture with no imagination? Can Christians tell biblical stories without a theological imagination? What happens when the earthly and heavenly are divided by a lack of imagination into merely rationalized explanations? SHOW NOTES:  Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in...

Plug In, Baby. In this episode, we read St. Ambrose’s work, On the Mysteries, enjoying his exegesis and defense of the body and blood of Jesus. We also discuss recognizing patterns in the Bible, testing the spirits who want to separate out the heavenly from the earthly, and the importance of symbol and meaning for Christian comfort.  SHOW NOTES:  Ambrose - On the Mysteries https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3405.htm Ambrose Bio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrose Open Library...

Let’s Get Weird. This episode discusses Cyril of Jerusalem’s mystagogical catechesis, especially the Lord’s Supper. We converse about the biblical patterns of the sacraments, anointing, and the higher truth about Jesus as bread from heaven. SHOW NOTES:  Cyril - Catechetical Lectures https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3101.htm   SUPPORT: Support 1517 http://www.1517.org/donate-podcasts 1517 Podcasts http://www.1517.org/podcasts The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts...

Everybody’s Working for the Weekend. In this episode, we continue our Lenten tradition of reading Luther’s Galatians commentary in March, discussing past and present idolatry and why we keep falling for the same sales pitches from the same gods. SHOW NOTES:  Martin Luther's Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle To the Galatians (1535) https://shop.1517.org/products/martin-luthers-commentary-on-galatians-1535-lectures, p. 478 Banned Books - Luther’s Galatians Lectures episodes...

Hey, You Guys! In this episode, we discuss the dominant spirit of our age, acedia, by reading and discussing St. John Cassian’s exposition of acedia in The Institutes. SHOW NOTES:  The Spirit of Acedia From the Institutes of John Cassian https://www.pathsoflove.com/acedia/cassian-acedia.html#10.1  John Cassian bio https://orthodoxwiki.org/John_Cassian Large Catechism on Acedia https://thebookofconcord.org/large-catechism/part-i/#lc-tc-0099 Panpsychism...

There’s Power in the Blood. In this episode, we read a homily on John’s Gospel, the power of Christ’s blood, and a whole lot of symbolism in John Chrysostom’s exegesis. SHOW NOTES:  St. John Chrysostom HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0345-0407,_Iohannes_Chrysostomus,_Homilies_on_The_Gospel_Of_John,_EN.pd Absurdity of Moralistic Platitudes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4WHi6Ykmo0    SUPPORT: Support 1517 http://www.1517.org/donate-podcasts...

Sure Shot. In this episode of Banned Books, we read Rod Rosenbladt’s essay, Christ Died for the Sins of Christians Too. We talk about theological mentors, the Reformation, law and Gospel, justification, sanctification, the Church, and where we find our comfort at all times, in all places. SHOW NOTES:  Christ Died for the Sins of Christians Too https://www.modernreformation.org/resources/articles/christ-died-for-the-sins-of-christians-too  St. Ephraim - Hymns on Paradise...

The Chairman’s Intent. In this episode of Banned Books, we converse about the Gospel, ritual, and how and why God embodies his grace while reading John Kleinig’s article, Rituals and the Enactment of the Gospel. SHOW NOTES:  Rituals and the Enactment of the Gospel http://www.ctsfw.net/media/pdfs/RitualsandtheEnactmentoftheGospelKleinig.pdf John Kleinig resources https://www.johnkleinig.com Spiritual Warfare: For the Care of Souls https://a.co/d/6iduYYc  Leviticus (Concordia Commentary)...

Simple Man. In this episode of Banned Books, we read G.K. Chesterton and discuss everything from simple living to the death and resurrection of Christ as the foundation of reality, the higher meaning of cups, and why a tomato is just a tomato. SHOW NOTES:  G.K. Chesterton - Heretics https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/470/pg470-images.html#chap10 Biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._K._Chesterton Rituals and the Enactment of the Gospel ...

Keep The Beat. In this episode, we converse about good and bad sermons as defined by J.R.R. Tolkien. We discuss cosmology, truth, love, and why how we use words matters. SHOW NOTES:  63 To Christopher Tolkien, 24 April 1944 (FS 19), The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien https://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/the_letters_of_j.rrtolkien.pdf There is No Literal Meaning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VLPDSRL5f4 The Craft of Preaching https://www.1517.org/craftofpreaching   SUPPORT: ...

The Art of Noise. In this episode, we discuss the ins and outs of pastoral care — the art, the discipline, and the experience of pastoral care — while reading The Rule of Gregory the Great. It’s all about church leadership and pastoral ministry in this week’s episode of Banned Books. SHOW NOTES:  Rule of St. Gregory https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/36011.htm Gregory Bio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_I SUPPORT: Support 1517 http://www.1517.org/donate-podcasts 1517 Podcasts...

The Man Who Sold The World. In this episode, we discuss what attachment to things rather than Christ gets us while reading George Macdonald’s Unspoken Sermons. The conversation leads us through the topics of higher and lower things, bread-making, willing and wanting, God-gifted vocations, and how to properly end a sermon. SHOW NOTES:  George MacDonald - Unspoken Sermons https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/9057/pg9057-images.html Wikipedia Bio...

The God Who Stole Christmas. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss Christmas Eve and Christmas Day readings, prayers, hymns, and traditions. We also have a lot of fun jesting and critiquing time-held hymns and traditions. We talk translations, history, worship, and why Christmas is the best time to embrace the enchanting absurdity of Jesus — the God-in-the-flesh, who’s come to be a Light in the darkness, a shield against sin, the world and the devil, and the Door opened and welcoming us...

Won’t Get Fooled Again. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss all things Advent - repentance, John the Baptist, preaching Christ, pastoral care to the afflicted and the unrepentant, and how to get to hell - while reading Norman Nagel’s Advent 3 sermon. SHOW NOTES:  Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis by Norman Nagel https://amzn.to/3GKRks4  Audio sermons: https://logia.org/audio-downloads/in-the-name-of-jesus-sermons-by-norman-e-nagel-part-1   SUPPORT: ...

All Day and All of the Night. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss Advent and the second coming of Jesus Christ while reading a sermon by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Along the way, we talk about the symbols and meaning of Christmas, how preaching a biblical sermon doesn’t mean it’s a gospel sermon, and why that matters. SHOW NOTES:  Transcript of Sermon: https://opentheo.org/i/6710363444782272749/the-end-of-the-world Balfour Declaration https://www.britannica.com/event/Balfour-Declaration ...

Sober Up, He’s Coming! In this episode of the Banned Books podcast, we read Aelfric’s Advent homily while discussing decorating churches for Christmas, the importance of symbolism for the Christian faith, what a tide is, and why the books Genesis and Revelation reference everything regarding faith and life. SHOW NOTES:  The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38334/38334-h/38334-h.htm#page601 Bio ...

We Need More Mother’s Milk & Pomegranate Seeds. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss the Song of Songs and read the seventh-century monk, Bede, who takes us on a wild ride through the text; we converse about exegesis, cosmology, the church, why the meaning of words matters, how to read the Bible like an early medieval theologian, and why the story about Jesus changes the world. SHOW NOTES:  Bede bio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede The Venerable Bede: On the Song of Songs and...

The Parable of the Lawless, Polygamist Groom. In this episode, we discuss the parable of the ten virgins as preached by John Piper. We converse about law and promise, red herrings, who’s wise and foolish in the parable, the bondage of the will and the doctrine of election, and the consequences for hearers of such parabolic sermons. SHOW NOTES:  Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, Past and Future https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/jesus-christ-the-bridegroom-past-and-future John Piper bio...

In this episode, we discuss preaching to those in prison, the consequences of sin, and the power of the gospel. We read excerpts from Karl Barth’s prison sermons and converse about preaching, pastoral care to the vulnerable, where Jesus locates himself for the preaching of the Gospel, and how we can all “set the captives free” through the power of the Gospel proclaimed for the forgiveness of sin. SHOW NOTES:  Karl Barth’s Sermons to the Basel Prisoners: How to Preach the Church Dogmatics ...

I’m A Loser, Baby, So Why Don’t You Resurrect Me? In this episode, we discuss the difference between our ideas of Jesus as a “winner” who gives us big wins in life versus Jesus, who wins by losing to sin, death, and the devil. We read Gerhard Forde’s article “Loser Takes All” and consider how we bend Jesus to our ideas of satisfaction, safety, and success. SHOW NOTES:  LOSER TAKES ALL: The Victory of Christ by Gerhard O. Forde (Lutheran Standard September 2, 1975: 3-5. Reprinted in 2004 A...

One More Movie Reference Ought to Do It. In this episode, we discuss God’s Word and Armor. We return to Harold Ristau’s book, Spiritual Warfare: For the Care of Souls, to converse about God’s Word, ministry, being a soldier in the army of Christ, and angelic backup, and we make many movie references as we go! SHOW NOTES:  Spiritual Warfare: For the Care of Souls (Lexham Ministry Guides) by Harold Ristau https://amzn.to/3ZNPIGW or ...

In this episode, we discuss spiritual warfare and its effects on clergy and laity alike. We read Harold Roseau’s book to discuss the realities of spiritual warfare, what’s at stake, and what happens when we take seriously what the Bible teaches us about the unseen and seen war raging around us. SHOW NOTES:  Spiritual Warfare: For the Care of Souls (Lexham Ministry Guides) by Harold Ristau https://amzn.to/3ZNPIGW or ...

Saddle Up! This episode discusses prayer and spiritual warfare while reading Dr. Ken Korby’s essay, Prayer: Pre-Reformation to the Present. We converse about the purpose and goal of prayer, what Jesus is doing when we pray, and how the Holy Spirit acts in and through prayer. SHOW NOTES:  Text—Christians at Prayer, p. 113 https://archive.org/details/christiansatpray0000unse/mode/2up Come and See (1985) https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/come-and-see In Memoriam – Kenneth Korby (1924-2006) ...