Mere Fidelity

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.

Can science tell us how we should live or why we should be good and not evil? Paul Nedelisky joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to explore this question and discuss his latest book (co-written James Davidson Hunter), "Science and the Good: The Tragic Quest for the Foundations of Morality."

Christians are told to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, but should we also pray for justice and judgment to befall our enemies? Trevor Laurence joins Derek and Andrew to discuss the imprecatory psalms and their implications in the Christian Life, their biblical-theological framework, and how they can and should be incorporated in our liturgy and worship.

Matt introduces the latest podcast at Mere Orthodoxy, "Sacred Season." Sacred Season is a new podcast hosted by Danielle Hitchen & Erin Morrow Hawley that covers the vocation of parenting. As Hitchen and Hawley talk about the season of life that is parenting, they do so by structuring and tying it into the church calendar. Listen in to this sample of the show, and as long as you are a subscriber to Mere Fidelity, please do subscribe to Sacred Season as well.

Derek and Alastair sit down with pastor and theologian, Dr. Jeremy Treat to talk about his latest book on the Kingdom of God, 'Seek First: How the Kingdom of God Changes Everything.' Treat helps the guys work through the Christianese that surrounds discussions of "the kingdom," clarifies supposed dichotomies between the kingdom and the cross, and shares pastoral insights from this salient topic.

Matt and Derek are at ETS in San Diego and are joined by friends of the show, Dr. Fred Sanders, Dr. Gavin Ortland, and Dr. Matthew Emerson. Banter aside, this episode gives a great look at what kind of fun and rich conversations take place at ETS. Today's episode ranges from discussions on John Webster's trinitarian theology, evangelical theological retrieval, and Jesus' descent to the dead.

Derek, Alastair, and Matt catch up and talk about the miscellaneous issues they are seeing and experiencing today. Kid's sports on Sundays, Kanye West, the problem of over-booked and busy schedules, the death of New-Atheism, and more.

Is there a theological system that includes future promises regarding Israel that is not dispensational? Dr. Gerald McDermott is here to introduce Derek and Alastair to 'New Christian Zionism.'

Break out your bibles and join Alastair, Derek, and Matt for an old fashion bible study of Genesis 32:22-32, the story of Jacob's name change. Why does Jacob demand the name of the one he wrestles? Why do the Psalms refer back to Jacob as 'Jacob,' and not 'Israel'? What do wrestling and blessing have to do with each other? Listen to Alastair explain all this and more.

Andrew, Matt, and Derek sit down to discuss the phenomenon of multi-site churches. Andrew argues for the soundness of such an ecclesiastical practice and Matt and Derek aren't so sure.

Who is an evangelical? Dr. Thomas Kidd joins Matt and Derek to discuss this pertinent question which is also the title to his recent book. Listen in on why Dr. Kidd does not include activism as an identifiable factor for evangelicals, why evangelicals are susceptible to politicization, and if being "born again" unmoors evangelicals from historical institutions?