Mere Fidelity

Hannah Anderson is captivated by Genesis chapters 1 and 2. Her writing comes from that deep wonder at God's creation, and she approaches practical-theological issues in a poetic-devotional mode. This is a delightful conversation with the entire Mere Fidelity team. They talk about being formed in the school of nature, why we have lost the ability to read natural revelation, and so much more. There is also a new benefit for the Merrie Band™ of Patreon supporters: Exclusive Confessions wall prints from Scale House Print Shop. Listen for details. https://www.patreon.com/merefidelity Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

In the second part of the Mere Fidelity discussion of the Beatitudes, Matt, Alastair, and Derek tackle the first bombshell that Jesus drops: Blessed are the poor in spirit. There's a strong urge in most of us to spiritualize the "poor in spirit" part of that phrase. But it seems as if Jesus is talking about people who are literally lacking in money. How do we reconcile that with our Christian faith and trust in God? Listen. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Dr. James Eglinton from the University of Edinburgh joins us to discuss the great theologian Herman Bavinck. Dr. Eglinton just released Bavinck: A Critical Biography. The conversation ranges from a deep exploration of Bavinck's polymathic tendencies to the very basics of where to begin learning about him. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

With all four of the Mere Fidelity crew on mic, the theological insights fly fast and furious as they take up the discussion of the Beatitudes. Highlights of this episode include: What is a blessing? What are the two kinds of blessings in the Bible? Why the Beatitudes are different in Matthew and Luke? Do the Beatitudes replace the 10 Commandments? And which authors should you skip to listen to Mere Fidelity instead? The answer to that last one will not surprise you. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

There are so many questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Are they safe? Are they ethical? Do they work? In this episode, Matt, Derek, and Alastair ask the really burning questions really well, and the guest give really good and insightful answers. Dr. C. Ben Mitchell was a long-time professor at Union University and is now a fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Bioethicist Dr. Gilbert Meilaender published a short article in the Hastings Report questioning whether bioethicists should be making expert pronouncements about public policy. But if we can't turn to bioethicists for answers, where do we turn? Our local pastors? Dr. Meilaender helps Matt, Alastain, and Derek think through the hard questions about masks, vaccines, and church. You will be interested to hear where they end up. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

For the first episode of 2021, Matt, Derek, and Alastair apply their expertise and experience to thinking theologically about the pro-Trump protest that turned into an attack on the U.S. Capitol. Is this the fruit of ejecting God from our public life? Is it possible to seek power in good faith? How should the church shepherd their congregations in this chaos? Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

As 2020 ends and 2021 begins, the entire cast and crew of Mere Fidelity has gathered to examine in their own inimitable way how this year has affected both the church at large and the individual Christian. Matt, Derek, Andrew, and Alastair share their personal experiences of joy and anxiety in 2020, and they offer practical advice on how they have thrived and what their plans are going forward. You'll also hear an amazing impersonation by Andrew. Thank you for listening and for sharing the joy of Mere Fidelity! Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Merry Christmas! For the Mere Fidelity Christmas show this year, Matt, Derek, and Alastair examine the theology embedded in three perennially favorite Christmas hymns. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Can you think of a single issue—political, cultural, religious, or anything—that is uniting Americans more than it is dividing them? David French joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss the nature, causes, and responses to our current extreme polarization. David French's new book on this very topic is Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Alastair, Derek, and Matt dive into a rousing discussion of the role of John the Baptist in salvation history. Is he the end of the Old Testament or the Beginning of the New? Why did Jesus call him the "greatest born of woman?" What's his connection to Elisha? And what's with the camel hair? Get your answers, or at least better questions, here. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Dr. Carl Trueman has written the book of the moment for Christian intellectuals this winter. He joins the entire Mere Fidelity cast and crew in this episode to where the modern notion of the self came from (at least since Rousseau) and how it led to the victory of sexual identity politics. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Derek, Matt, and Alastair are so excited about this book by Dr. Matthew LaPine. You will be too. LaPine tells the story of the separation of psychology from theology in the modern era, and what was lost, and how it can be regained. They also discuss practical issues about emotions and trauma that touch on very personal experiences. Show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Every year Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a secular, not a Christian, holiday. But gratitude is baked into the very foundation of Christianity, and even of Creation itself. On this episode, Matt, Derek, and Alastair unpack the role of gratitude in theology and in Christian practice. One could even say Christianity is gratitude. And at the end, they enjoy an awkward moment of traditional sharing. Show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

How does Evangelicalism differ between the UK and the US? The Mere Fidelity crew is perfectly situated to address this question from personal experience and expertise. Andrew Wilson joins this episode to round out the full complement. The two Brits and the two Yanks discuss how the profit incentive affects Christian writing for good and for bad, the effect that a state church has on excellence, how controversies are handled differently, and much more.

If all being originates in God, and God is One, how can there be many beings? This is just one of the questions that Dr. Thomas Ward discusses here with Matt and Derek, and in his book, Divine Ideas. Dr. Ward and Matt go way back. And Duns Scotus gets no fist bumps from Derek, even though he might be the hero of Divine Simplicity. Lexham Press Book of the Month discount code: MEREFIDELITYNOV

In the Christian Life, there is often a disconnect between our hearing and confessing and our doing. In light of this perennial problem, Dr. Kevin Vanhoozer joins Matt, Alastair, and Derek to discuss his work, "Hearers and Doers: A Pastor's Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine," and share why we should never be content to let doctrine live in the abstract untethered from our hearts.

What is the everlasting destiny of animals? This is just one of the many fun and stimulating questions we recently discussed with our Patreon supporters. Enjoy a sample of this discussion, and if you wish to hear all 1 hour and 8 minutes of this particular episode, consider signing up and becoming a Patron of Mere Fidelity. Once you do so, you will instantly be able to hear this episode and be invited to similar events in the near future.

How do people keep ahold of the goodness of God in the face of the horror of death? While there is no easy answer to such a question, Dr. J. Todd Billings—professor of Reformed theology at Western Theological Seminary and a terminal cancer patient himself—joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his recent book, 'The End of The Christian Life: How Embracing Our Mortality Frees Us to Truly Live.' Listen in as Dr. Billings helps the cast and crew reflect on death, life, and what it means to be united in the death and life of our Lord.

Jake Meador, Editor-in-Chief at Mere Orthodoxy, joins Matt and Derek to discuss religious institutions. Listen in to hear discussions on what makes institutions different than websites, how to avoid institutional drift, what to do when charismatic figures effectively function as the institution itself, and more.

The pitfalls surrounding our speech and public proclomations are many: Why is it that we avoid topics so as to appease certain constituencies, and why is it that we are more than happy to engage others and make a show out of the speck in another's eye? The full cast and crew of Matt, Derek, Alastair, and Andrew sitdown to discuss these issues and divulge when and why they each decide to speak out on a given topic. This episode is sponsored by Lexham Press. Mere Fidelity is excited to announce our new partnership with Lexham, a publisher that seeks to increase biblical literacy, thoughtful Christian reflection, and faithful action around the world by publishing a range of Bible study materials, scholarly works, and pastoral resources.

What hath Jerusalem to do with Paris, or Carthage with Milan? Dr. Robert Covolo joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his latest work, 'Fashion Theology,' where he gives an account of the dynamic relationship between theology and fashion through the rich history of Christian thought as well as recent political, social, aesthetic, literary, and performance theory.

When considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure, many today depict Jesus as a prophet who, in his ministry, was against Jewish laws and purity rituals. However, does this telling of the gospel accounts do justice to Jesus's handling of the impure and the dying? Dr. Matthew Thiessen joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his work, 'Jesus and the Forces of Death: The Gospels' Portrayal of Ritual Impurity within First-Century Judaism,' to discuss these questions and more.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair discuss the recent scandal of Jerry Falwell Jr., former President of Liberty University, and what biblical and theological resources Christians have to view scandals in the church more broadly. Listen in to hear about the corporate implications of our sin, the difficulty and necessity to expose scandals, and how sin can take us from being Nathans one day to Davids the next.

What does it mean to be human? Who am I? and Why do I exist? Dr. Joshua Farris—Chester and Margaret Paluch Lecturer for 2019-2020 at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and former assistant professor of theology at Houston Baptist University—joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his new volume, 'An Introduction to Theological Anthropology Humans, Both Creaturely and Divine,' where he seeks to answer these questions using the vast tradition of Christian theology. Listen in to hear theological reflection on anthropological issues such as sexuality, gender, race, posthumanism, the image of God, vocation, the constitution of man, the beatific vision, and more.

What is the best polemical posture? Or are there ways to creatively rearticulate the truths of the faith that prevent the necessity of polemics in the first place? The full cast and crew of Matt, Derek, Alastair, and Andrew sit down to discuss these questions and a host of others about how to engage theological trends and care for those struggling in the church.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair discuss the passage in the gospels that depict Jesus's encounter with the Syrophoenician woman. At first, and perhaps even at a second, glance, this complicated passage appears to incriminate Jesus of some sort of racial prejudice. But is this the right reading of the text?

Dr. Harold Senkbeil joins Derek and Alastair to discuss his latest book, 'Christ and Calamity: Grace and Gratitude in the Darkest Valley.' Listen in to hear them discuss why mere ideas are not sufficient to help those who are suffering, why calamity is its own category of suffering, how to endure tragedy without immediately trying to fix it, and more.

The Imago Dei is one of the most used theological categories to argue why all humans deserve dignity and sanctity. However, is this all that the imago dei should be used for? The entire cast and crew of Matt, Derek, Alastair, and Andrew are here to discuss how to think and speak about the imago dei: was Barth right about the image, should it be used to describe human rights, and what are the actual contents of the imago dei? Listen in to hear all of these questions and more.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair take a respite from discussions surrounding current events to take up the biblical theological topic of the tabernacle. Listen in to hear how the tabernacle motif is carried throughout scripture and why it isn't merely a tool of foreshadowing or a recipe for aesthetics in churches today.

How should Christians think and act with respect to guns and gun ownership? Dr. Michael Austin (Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University), joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his recent book, "God and Guns in America." Listen in to hear questions like, are assault rifles necessary, why has owning a gun become a right of passage for some, and how do we steer clear from polarization on the topic of guns?

Tim Schultz, the president of the 1st Amendment Partnership, a partner of the Ethics and Public Policy Center's American Religious Freedom Program (ARFP), joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss the Bostock v. Clayton County ruling.

While formal religious adherence has decreased in the modern age, spirituality has not. To answer why intuitions seem to be replacing institutions, Dr. Tara Isabella Burton joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss her new book, Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World. Listen in to hear how millennials and GenZers are finding their religions in fan-culture, occultism, wellness and self-care, social justice activism, and the alt-right.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair sit down to discuss why people are attracted to conspiracy theories. Listen in to hear the difference between credulity and conspiracy, why fringe groups matter, and how to handle those in the church who embrace QAnon and conspiracy theories.

How have black protestant's responded to their lynchings through American history? Malcolm Foley (PhD Candidate in Religion at Baylor University)joins Matt and Derek to discuss his research on this issue and how it illumines some of the current events surrounding George Floyd, protests, unrest, and racism in America.

Justice issues are ever prevalent in modern society. Moreover, conversations around justice are often co-opted by overly simplistic solutions. Dr. Anthony Bradley joins Matt and Derek to get into the details of some of these issues and to share his insights from his book, "Ending Overcriminalization and Mass Incarceration: Hope from Civil Society." Listen in to hear questions on the flaws in the New Jim Crow thesis, what factor race plays in criminalization, and how the church should think theologically about its own task with respect to prison reform.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair discuss the struggles and misconceptions surrounding prayer: how prayer becomes burdensome, prayer has experiencing God in a veiled way, and what petitions in prayer should we not ask for? All of this and more.

What exactly is the gospel? Is it merely the message that Jesus is king, or is the forgiveness of sins and justification also constitutive to the gospel? The entire cast and crew are here to discuss the resuscitated debate between Matthew Bates, Scot McKnight and Greg Gilbert as to what the gospel truly is, pointing out strengths and weaknesses and political proclivities on both sides.

College debt, an economic crisis, and the potential problem of aristocratic elitism are just some of the issues facing Christian higher education today. Dr. John Mark Reynolds joins Matt and Derek to talk about these issues and shares the creative ways in how he is addressing them at St. Constantine's College.

Amidst life's demands and pastoral burnout, how does a pastor care for a soul? Dr. Harold Senkbeil joins Matt and Derek to discuss his recent book, "The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor's Heart," where he invites a new generation of pastors to form the godly habits and practical wisdom needed to minister to the hearts and souls of those committed to their care.

What kind of political theology do we need in an age after Christendom? Dr. David VanDrunen joins Matt and Derek to discuss his latest book, Politics After Christendom: Political Theology in a Fractured World, where he aims to answer this question in a way that prepares Christians to live in societies that are indifferent or hostile to the faith, and how our own political responsibilities might look for sojourners and exiles.

Matt, Derek, and Alastair discuss how they are celebrating Easter in the time of coronavirus, and how the Eastertide season looks to them in quarantine: How to celebrate the victory over death in the midst of suffering and death itself, how we are theologizing our current events, and how to cultivate joy, fear, and gratitude. All of this and more.

While Matt, Derek, and Andrew practice staying in-place, they decide to take about the topic and question of who are the proper subjects of baptism? Derek argues for the legitimacy of paedobaptism, Andrew argues for the view of credobaptism, Matt moderates, and fun is had by all. Even amidst the pandemic that the world is experiencing, topics like the sacraments always remain salient for the church. And while it may be important for us to discuss and perhaps debate how to respond to our current public health crisis, it remains important to continue to discuss one of the things that only the church does and is marked by: baptism.

What hath St. Thomas to do with predestination? Dr. Taylor Patrick O'Neill joins Matt and Derek to discuss his recent book, "Grace, Predestination, and the Permission of Sin: A Thomistic Analysis," to examine the Thomist understanding of predestination and how it relates to Calvinism, concursus, and the difference between God's actions and permission of actions in history.

The whole cast and crew of Matt, Derek, Alastair, and Andrew, are here to answer questions from listeners of Mere Fidelity: Where does one start reading the early church fathers, does the incarnation mean that God changes, how should one go about picking their denomination, and where exactly do theologians come from?

Matt, Derek, and Alastair sit down to discuss COVID-19 and how the church can respond to the current global pandemic.

Dr. Molly Worthen joins Matt and Derek to talk all things evangelicalism, not the least of which is her book, "Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism." As someone outside of the camp of evangelicalism, Dr. Worthen helps bring a new look at the many paradoxes in the evangelical movement.

Nearly every Christian tradition has its own view on Christ & Culture; that is, how the Christian church relates to secular and political powers. Pater Edmund joins Matt and Derek to discuss the classic Roman Catholic view of Integralism.

God is all-powerful. God is all-knowing. God is ever-present. But is God humble? Dr. Matthew Wilcoxen joins Derek and Alastair to discuss his recent book, 'Divine Humility: God's Morally Perfect Being.' Listen in as he traces the theme of a doctrine of humility from Augustine to Karl Barth and more.

How do we pray to our Father? Dr. Wesley Hill joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss his latest book, "The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father." Is the prayer an exact model or more of a paradigm for Christians? What are the implications of spiritual warfare in the prayer? Will we not be forgiven unless we also forgive others? In conversation with the Christian tradition, Dr. Hill draws out the significance of Jesus' words to answer these questions and more.