Banned Books
Welcome to Banned Books, where we read and converse with the rebel children, the holy mischief-makers of God, who fight against the kind of useless religious, spiritual, and moral methods of life improvement that seeks to smother the glory of God in Jesus Christ. We want to introduce you to those who forgot everything except Jesus Christ and him crucified. We all struggle with fear of being last, lost, least, littlest, and dead, and so we are here to encourage, challenge, provoke, and maybe even offend you by introducing you to theologians who at one time or another were banned by their church, declared dangerous, or simply vilified for daring to confess that Christ alone is the way, truth, and life. Welcome rebel children, holy mischief makers, and fools for Christ. This podcast is for you.
Episodes
Don't Look Back in Anger.
In this episode, we continue reading Martin Luther's Smalcald Articles, focusing on contrition, repentance, and freedom. Why does the law need to terrify and leave us hopeless? How does attention to the self lead us into death and hell? What happens when belief is preached as something "we do" rather than something "done to" us? Likewise, when repentance is self-activated and self-actuated, what are the co...
Mass Effect. In this episode, we continue our reading of The Smalcald Articles, focusing on Luther's critique of the Roman Mass and all its consequences for the churches and Christian life. We discuss mimetic desire, sacrificial religion, the exclusive work of Jesus.
SHOW NOTES:
The Book of Concord - Smalcald Articles https://thebookofconcord.org/smalcald-articles/part-iii/
An Arm-Twisting Confession.
In this episode, we read Martin Luther's Smalcald Articles on the gospel, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Why did he have to have "his arm twisted" to write them? What is he trying to teach the churches about the gospel? How does the gospel circumscribe and define the Church, worship, and Christian life? Why does something written in the 1530s matter today? We look to answer all these questions and more ...
The Never-Ending Story of our Bound Will & Election. In this episode, we write an epilogue —so to speak— to our series on the Bondage of the Will and wrap up our thoughts about the Here We Still Stand Conference 2025. We ask, "From whence comes a preacher?" Where does one go for gospel-comfort and the gifts of salvation? What is the Gospel? What is the purpose of the Church? What are the practical consequences of having a will that...
For What It's Worth. In this episode, we conclude our reading of Gerhard Forde's "Captivation of the Will." We discuss the conclusion of Luther's treatise on the bound will, arriving at Christ and election, which reveals Erasmus's fundamental error — his argument for the human will is actually the original sin, choosing between good and evil.
SHOW NOTES:
Master of Puppets.
In this episode, we continue our exploration of the Bondage of the Will, with Gerhard Forde's book, The Captivation of the Will. We discuss the human will — what it is, what it does, what it wants — and why we are compelled to insist that we have free choice. We also talk about the two paths: one, the path of forgiveness, and the other, the way of morality. Why do we default to morality in matters of choice, and ...
Have You Herd? In this episode, we continue our reading of The Captivation of Will, discussing the problem of God, the death-ride of morality, scandalous election, the dilemma of sin and freedom and more sin, and the singular calling of Christ's preachers.
SHOW NOTES:
The Captivation of the Will: Luther Vs. Erasmus on Freedom and Bondage by Gerhard O. Forde https://amzn.to/4mOYuPx
Do You Understand the Words That Are Coming Out of My Mouth?
In this episode, we read Gerhard Forde's monograph on Luther's treatise on The Bondage of the Will. We discuss scriptural exegesis, its internal and external clarity, how modern readers interpret texts, and why we often misread the Bible, as well as why we frequently fail to understand biblical texts that are overt and explicit in their clarity. This, and a conversation a...
Dazed & Confused.
In this episode, we continue our series on The Bondage of the Will (1525), by Martin Luther. We read Dr. James Nestingen's historical introduction to the treatise and delve into the ways two theologians differed in their exegesis of Scripture, their interpretation of Christian doctrine, and the early and medieval church-theological traditions that influenced Erasmus and Luther as they engaged in a back-and-forth.
...
In this episode, we begin our series commemorating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's treatise, de Servo Arbitrio — The Bondage of the Will. We begin by reading Dr. Steven Paulson's theological analysis of what's at stake in Luther's treatise, as well as its sharp-edged consequences for churches today. As it was received then, so it is now by dedicated students of this work: it cleaves those who seek Jesus plus philosophy, id...
Take Me to Church.
In this episode, we read Bo Giertz's "Christ's Church: Her Biblical Roots, Her Dramatic History, Her Saving Presence, Her Glorious Future." The Church, who is she? What kind of life is present within the church walls? Who wants to understand that life better and know more about it? We read Christ's Church and take you on a walk from her biblical roots toward her glorious future.
SHOW NOTES:
Little Plastic Castles. In this episode, we read the first Inkling, Owen Barfield, as he defends the use of old words, old stories, and old ways of expressing what's good, beautiful, and true against modern proponents that argued for more modern "scientific" ways of judging language, esp., poetics and myth, as well as religion and culture.
SHOW NOTES:
Owen Barfield Bio https://en.wikiped...
Liturgy Amongst the Rubble. In this episode, we read poems by W.H. Auden about pulp fiction, ancient myths, conversion, liturgy, poetics, and how industrialization and corporatism build a new Babel inside and around the churches.
SHOW NOTES:
WH. Auden Bio https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._H._Auden
The Orators (1932) https://archive.org/details/oratorsenglishst0000aude/page/20/mode/2up
Wetly All the Way. In this episode, we visit with author Kathryn Morales about her new book, Remembering Your Baptism. We discuss who should be baptized and why. How many times does someone need to be baptized? Can someone fall away from baptism, and what if someone doubts that baptism saves them from judgment and death? This and much, much more on today's episode of the podcast.
SHOW NOTES:
Got A Machine Head. In this episode, we read J.R.R. Tolkien's letter to his son, Christopher, about a question of Genesis' unfashionable status amongst Christians and those who value beautiful 'stories.' He also discusses Eden as it was, as it is to faith, and will be on the last day, the war of the machine, its triumph, and the consequences for modern man.
SHOW NOTES:
The Secret of My Success. In this episode, we answer a listener's question about success and the Christian life. How does one measure success? What about when we fail? Is that God's will? How does the cross inform the Christian definition of success? This and much, much more on today's Christian podcast!
SHOW NOTES:
BBC4 - In Our Time, Dragons https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002dzy4
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away.
In this episode, we read the Outlaw God and discuss the hidden life of a Christian. How are Christians to understand the living Word, or Christ crucified before Adam and Eve, or being called into vocations that serve the kingdom of life rather than a culture of death?
SHOW NOTES:
Steven Paulson - Outlaw God ht...
What Do You Mean, There's More to This? In this episode, we answer a listener's question about Taylor Swift that leads us into a conversation about symbols and meaning, religious iconography, wild truth, and seeing reality through what's occurring in the sacraments.
SHOW NOTES:
Tolkein - The monsters and the critics, and other essays https://archive.org/details/monsterscriticso0000tolk
Little Willy Plays in Duty. In this episode, we read Steven Paulson's Outlaw God, discussing the appeal of the Law (in the abstract), why old Adam loves pretending he has free will, the Ninevite Conundrum, Jonah's wormy preacher, and our obsession with placing therapy alongside Christ as a means of grace.
SHOW NOTES:
Steven Paulson - Outlaw God https://amzn.to/4kHmP8s
The Long and Winding Road.
In this episode, we answer another listener's question about civil disobedience, understanding the tension for old Adam that's inherent within the two kingdoms doctrine, and we go down a bunch of alleyways picking through conspiracies, immigration, war, colonialism, and ice cream coveting.
SHOW NOTES:
The Night Manager https://www.amazon.com/The-Night-Manager/d...
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