Join us as we discuss technology and how the internet shapes our human desires with Samuel James, the author of “Digital Liturgies.” James encourages us to use Biblical wisdom as we navigate technology in our online age. He writes, “Rather than being a neutral tool, the internet is an epistemological environment– a spiritual and intellectual habitat–that creates in its members particular ways of thinking, feeling, and believing.” Technology is powerful. Therefore, we must evaluate how to use it wisely. We also cover topics like how the internet has changed the publishing industry and the importance of the physical gathering, congregational singing, and friendship in our disembodied age.
Resources Referenced-
Digital Liturgies by Samuel James
The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
Completely Unsolicited, Totally Anecdotal, But Perhaps Marginally Helpful Thoughts on Being a Christian Writer by Samuel James
Most would agree that Christ had emotions, but they have not given a great deal of thought to the significance of Christ’s emotional life. By neglecting to reflect on the Lord’s emotional life, we fail to think deeply about what it means that the Son of God became a true human being for our sakes. Our understanding of the significance of the incarnation itself is at stake.
Join us as we discuss B.B. Warfield’s excellent book, The Emotional Life of Our Lord. We talk about some common errors we make when thinking about Christ’s emotions, what we can learn from the emotional life of Christ, and what this means for our own emotions.
Resources mentioned:
The Emotional Life of Our Lord by B.B. Warfield
Warfield on the Christian Life by Fred Zaspel
Good and Angry by David Powlison
Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
In this episode we interview Alex DiPrima on his latest book: “Spurgeon: A Life” and discuss Charles Haddon Spurgeon who was the most-well known minister of the gospel in the nineteenth century. We also discuss whether Spurgeon should be considered a “celebrity pastor” and why he was appealing to so many. We cover a few of the many things we can learn from Spurgeon and ways we should seek to emulate him. Alex shares with us how Spurgeon has personally affected him as a Christian and as a pastor. We also discuss the criticism that Spurgeon faced and the Downgrade Controversy, which was one of the most significant events in Spurgeon’s life.
Resources mentioned:
Spurgeon: A Life
Spurgeon: A Biography by Arnold Dallimore
Spurgeon the Pastor by Geoff Chang
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels by J.C. Ryle
Holiness by J.C. Ryle
Simplicity in Preaching by J.C. Ryle
Spurgeon’s sermons (Alex especially recommends sermons in the early 1880s)
The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon
All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon
The Soulwinner by Charles Spurgeon
Servants of Christ, Lovers of Men by Alex DiPrima
Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine
Susie by Ray Rhodes
Episode 2: The Life of Susannah Spurgeon and "Susie" with Guest Author Ray Rhodes Jr.
C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography
The Forgotten Spurgeon by Ian Murray
Episode 27: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael
Do women need theology? Join us as we interview Natalie Brand and discuss Priscilla in Acts 18 and what we can learn from her example. Natalie makes the argument that the church needs women to be theologically astute. Listen as she answers the question, “what can you do if you feel intimidated and overwhelmed by studying theology?” We also discuss how theology should move us to worship and that the gold in theology is God himself.
Recommended Resources:
"Priscilla, Where are You?" by Natalie Brand
"Acedia" discussed in Episode 30
"The Scuttlebutt Letters" by Natalie Brand
Episode 4: Spiritual Warfare and "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis
In this episode we discuss Abigail Favale’s book The Genesis of Gender. We give a quick survey of feminism and defend why we believe Christians cannot embrace Feminism. We talk about postmodernism, embodiment, consumerist sex, the incarnation and divine revelation. In addition, we touch on transgenderism and the influence of social media. Finally we end with the goodness of the givenness of our gender and the hope of the gospel.
Recommended Resources
The Genesis of Gender by Abigail Favale
All Things Bright and Beautiful Episode 7: Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
Notes
Jenna mentions Peter Singer’s approval of Zoophilia. While he did not write the article, on November 8, 2023, he tweeted in praise of an article entitled, Zoophilia is Morally Permissible. Peter Singer is a well known and influential philosopher, infamous for his applied ethics in favor of infanticide and eugenics. He is a professor of Bioethics at Princeton University.
In this episode we interview Mike McKinley. As we discuss his book, Friendship with God, we touch on the Puritans– and the common myths that surround them, the heart of the gospel, and the good news that we can have friendship with God. We talk about the Lord’s Supper, the gift of being adopted by God, how to better understand the Holy Spirit, and the importance of the local church in the life of a Christian.
*Our apologies for the sound quality. Unfortunately we experienced a number of technical issues in this interview. Thankfully Mike McKinley was patient, and despite these hiccups he nonetheless communicated encouraging, wonderful thoughts throughout the interview.
Resources Mentioned
Friendship with God: A Path to Deeper Fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit by Mike McKinley
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortland
In our culture authority is looked upon with skepticism at best and loathing at worst. Is the answer to all the misuse of authority we see a signal that we should completely do away with it? Or is authority in some way part of the very fabric of reality? How should Christians think about authority? In this episode we interview Jonathan Leeman on his book Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing. We discuss abuse of authority, the cultural temperature on authority, and the necessity of authority in our lives. Jonathan Leeman makes his case for God’s good design for authority, elaborates on the tie between authority and submission, and explains how submitting to good authority leads to our flourishing.
Resources Mentioned
Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing by Jonathan Leeman
Why is reading important? Join us as we discuss how to create a culture of reading individually, in our families, and in our churches. Reading good books helps us grow in wisdom and knowledge and gives us an opportunity to rest and experience joy. We discuss the "why" behind reading as well as practical tips to become a better reader.
Episode 1- "Lit" by Tony Reinke
Goodreads
Episode 14- Discipline and "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life" and "Atomic Habits"
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Einstein's Theory of Relativity
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Fierce Convictions by Karen Swallow Prior
Remaking the World by Andrew Wilson
Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Parenting by Paul Tripp
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot
Salt by Mark Kurlansky
The Two Part Invention by Madeline L'Engle
The Odyssey by Homer
Paradise Lost by John Milton
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The River of Doubt by Candace Millard
The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs
Why should we care about philosophy? Is philosophy only for academics? In this episode we interview Dr. Douglas Groothius, professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary. He makes a compelling case that philosophy is for everyone in his book Philosophy in Seven Sentences by introducing us to seven important sentences by key philosophers in history. In our time with Dr. Groothius we discuss apologetics, the law of non-contradiction, self-hood, and what it means to be a distinctly Christian philosopher.
Resources mentioned
Philosophy in Seven Sentences by Douglas Groothius
Beyond the Wager:The Christian Brilliance of Blaise Pascal by Douglas Groothius
The Dust of Death by Os Guinness
Christian Apologetics by Douglas Groothius
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Long Journey Home by Os GuinnessMockery in Apologetics by Douglas Groothius
Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman
Strange New World by Carl Trueman
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
We need to understand history to navigate our current cultural moment. According to Andrew Wilson, we especially need to understand the year 1776: all that led up to it and how it created the narrative of the West. In this episode we discuss the Enlightenment, romanticism, industrialization, and how the ideas they birthed shape the church and the world around us.
Notes:
Lydia mentions the composition of silence, it is titled 4'33'' by John Cage.
Jenna mentions C.S. Lewis' introduction to On The Incarnation: “We may be sure that the characteristic blindness of the twentieth century - the blindness about which posterity will ask, "But how could they have thought that?" - lies where we have never suspected it... None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. Where they are true they will give us truths which we half knew already. Where they are false they will aggravate the error with which we are already dangerously ill. The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books.”
Resources mentioned:
Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson
All Things Bright and Beautiful Episode 1: On Reading and "Lit" by Tony Reinke
You are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World by Alan O Noble
The Hunger Game Series by Suzanne Collins
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
We’re back! In this episode we talk about where we’ve been this last year: the good and the difficult. We share our thoughts on suffering, the sovereignty of God, and how God’s goodness, provision, and nearness were magnified in the events that transpired in our lives most recently. We discuss the most helpful books we’ve read on the topic (and some of our favorite more light-hearted reads).
Resources Mentioned
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Calvinism and Cancer by Jenna DiPrima
Calvinism is Getting Me Through Cancer by Jenna DiPrima
Psalms by the Day by Alec Motyer
Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot
Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller
The Treasury of David by C.H. Spurgeon
Songs of Suffering by Joni Eareckson Tada
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Friendship with God by Mike McKinley
Communion with God by John Owen
Holiness by J.C. Ryle
Remaking the World by Andrew Wilson
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Truemen
The C.S. Lewis Biography Trilogy by Harry Lee Poe
What can we learn from an Irish woman who lived in the 19th century? In this episode we discuss Elisabeth Elliot’s biography of Amy Carmichael, A Chance to Die. We talk about the importance of reading Christian biographies, and various modern topics that Amy Carmichael can help us navigate. We cover self-care and sacrifice, the tension of word and action, and holiness and compassion.
Resources Mentioned
A Chance to Die by Elisabeth Elliot
O, Church Arise by Keith and Kristyn Getty
Amy Carmichael by Iain Murray
If by Amy Carmichael
Mimosa by Amy Carmichael
The Elisabeth Elliot Podcast
C.S. Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath
A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Laconte
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fierce Convictions by Karen Swallow Prior
John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitkan
Susie by Ray Rhodes
Theologians on the Christian Life by Crossway
Christians Heroes Then and Now
Do Great Things for God Series by The Good Book Company
How do we grapple with a world that seems, as T.S. Eliot puts it “advances progressively backward.” In his book You Are Not Your Own, Dr. Alan Noble argues that the increasing cultural emphasis on efficiency, and increasing isolation have created an inhuman world. In this episode we talk with Dr. Noble about how our unity with Christ gives us meaning, purpose, and hope as we live in this world. We discuss despair, self-medication and escapism, and the antidotes of gratitude toward God, examining ourselves, death to self, and resting in belonging to Christ, our only hope in life and death.
Resources Mentioned
Disruptive Witness by Alan Noble
You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble
Strangely Bright by Joe Rigney
Episode 18: Can You Love God and Enjoy This World?
Ethics by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
Why is the local church important? In this episode we’re joined by Erin Wheeler to discuss the centrality of the church in the life of the Christian. We discuss how culture has impacted our ecclesiology, the gift the church can be in how we serve one another, and the necessity of our physical presence in the local church. We discuss the purpose of the church, criticisms of the church and how we should think about them, how we can prioritize the local church in various stages of our lives, and the ins and outs of discipleship.
Resources mentioned
The Church: Delighting in the Doctrine of the Church by Erin Wheeler
Episode 16: “How Can Women Thrive in the Local Church” with Guest Keri Folmer
Christ: The Doctrine of Christ, for Every Woman by Jenny Manley
Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus by Mark Dever
Fix Your Eyes by Amy Gannett
Jesus Through the Eyes of Women by Rebecca McLaughlin
Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
Why do we take the time to introduce ourselves as “confessionally reformed?" In this episode we discuss Carl Trueman’s book The Creedal Imperative. We talk about why we think confessionalism is important and warn against the cultural influence that causes us to approach tradition with suspicion. We discuss authority, tradition, the power of words, and how embracing creeds and confessions can lead to worship and unity.
Resources Mentioned
The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman
Rediscovering Conservatism by Yoram Hazony
Episode 20: Expressive Individualism and Strange New World by Carl Trueman
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
The Apostles Creed for All God’s Children By Ben Myers
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
The Good News We Almost Forgot by Kevin DeYoung
Affirming the Apostles Creed by J.I. Packer
Art and humor can be difficult to define, but we all know it when we see it. But how should Christians think about the arts and humor? Are there boundaries and rules to what Christians produce and consume? In this episode we’re joined by BBC comedy writer, author, and podcaster, James Cary. We discuss the importance of enjoying the arts, how comedy is about truth-telling yet still seems to be at odds with religion. Cary discusses his view that Art is important, life is poetry, the Bible is funny (and that Jesus is too). He answers questions on the risks of reading the Bible without a sense of humor, and the essentially human component of humor.
Resources mentioned
The Sacred Art of Joking by James Cary
How Lightyear is a bit of a Buzzkill by James Cary
Life is Beautiful (movie)
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
1984 by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
The Gospel According to a Sitcom Writer by James Cary
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme
Cynical Discourses by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay
The Real Great Escape by Guy Walters
Stranger Things Season 4
At the heart of the transgender debate is the issue of human dignity. Therefore, it is crucial that Christians should care about current public policy and firmly defend biblical principles that promote truth telling and human flourishing. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Andrew Walker. Together we discuss the overturn of Roe, how to think about current social and political issues from a biblical perspective, and what the average Christian should think of as their duty in the face of ethical issues such as abortion and transgenderism. Dr. Walker gives practical, compassionate advice on how we should think about gender, the call we have all been given for truth-telling, and what the landscape of religious liberty looks like now (and may look like in the future) as we engage with these pressing issues.
Resources
Liberty For All: Defending Everyone’s Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age by Andrew Walker
God and the Transgender Debate by Andrew Walker
The Case for Life by Scott Klusendorf
The Transgender Fantasy: What I Wish Every Pastor Knew by Andrew Walker
How should we address the issue of abortion and what should we do in the wake of the recent overturn of Roe? In this special episode we interview Dr. Brent Boles, discussing his book Supremely Wrong: The Injustice of Abortion. He gives a thorough overview of abortion and the issues surrounding it, historically, medically, and legally. He addresses common myths about abortion, what Roe accomplished, and what its overturn means for those of us who value life.
Resources mentioned
Supremely Wrong: The Injustice of Abortion by Brent Boles M.D.
Should I? Things to Consider Before an Abortion by Brent Boles M.D. and Julia Boles MSN
Surrendering the Secret by Pat Layton
American Association of Pro-Life Obstericians and Gynecologists
The Case for Life by Scott Klusendorf
Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Questions by Randy Alcorn
Unplanned by Abby Johnson
What is the “authentic self” and does it have the authority our culture leads us to believe it has? In this episode we discuss Carl Trueman’s latest book, Strange New World; a book we both believe every Christian should read. We talk about expressive individualism, education, the sexual revolution, transgender ideology, personhood, ethics, religious freedom, and how Christians ought to respond.
Resources mentioned
Strange New World by Carl Trueman
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
The London Lyceum: Karl Marx and Marxism with Carl Trueman
All Things Bright and Beautiful Episode 7: Frankenstein: A Guide to Reading and Reflecting
When Harry Became Sally by Ryan T. Anderson
The Coddling of the American Mind By Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
PresbyGirls Podcast: Rosaria Butterfield: Sin, Side B, and Hospitality
The Compelling Community by Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop
Are emotions good, bad, or neutral? How should Christians think about them? In this episode we discuss Untangling Emotions, by J Alasdair Groves and Winston T Smith. We talk about a theology of feelings, how we should engage our negative emotions—like anger and sorrow, and what God’s role is in our emotional life.
Resources mentioned
Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
The Emotional Life of our Lord by BB Warfield
Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd Jones
Emotions Like Christ by Jenna DiPrima