Life and Books and Everything
103 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -Life and Books and Everything is a podcast hosted by Kevin DeYoung where discussions center on, well, life and books and everything. As a church pastor and theology professor, Kevin loves to talk about faith, theology, history, current events, and the occasional hot topic. The format for LBE includes interviews with leading authors and thinkers, recurring conversations with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen, and the occasional solo musing from Kevin. Listen in and we hope you will learn something, laugh a little, and get some good book recommendations along the way.
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Episodes
A Lifetime of Books and Ministry with D.A. Carson
September 28, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 85.8 MBWith more than 50 books and hundreds of articles, not to mention scores of edited works, Don Carson has written a lot. In this retrospective on life and books and everything, Kevin asks Dr. Carson about his father, how he sees the state of the church, and what books he especially enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy) writing. From Bible commentaries to books on current events to a grammar on Greek accents, Kevin explores the why, what, and how of Don’s remarkable writing career. Timestamps: Intro and...
From Silence, to Complexification, to Capitulation
September 26, 2022 16:47 - 6 minutes - 8.6 MBEvangelicals who set down the path toward LGBTQ acceptance rarely turn around and head back in the other direction. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions about why evangelicals surrender to the LGBTQ agenda.
Apologetics and Critical Race Theory with Neil Shenvi
September 12, 2022 20:11 - 1 hour - 38.2 MBAlthough Neil has a PhD in theoretical chemistry, he’s made a name for himself as an expert on Critical Race Theory (and Critical Theory more generally). Is CRT just a legal theory? Can anyone know what it really is? Is CRT just a plot by conservatives to gin up votes? Should Christians take CRT and chew the meat and spit out of the bones? Kevin and Neil answer these questions and many more. They also dive into Neil’s new book on apologetics and explore the wild world of evangelical Twitter....
"Judge Not"
September 09, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 9.4 MBThe injunction not to judge is a necessary warning for us all, not least the religious person who can easily be tempted to look down on those who seem less religious. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for Tabletalk magazine about how Matthew 7:1 is one of the most needed and most abused statements in the Bible.
Keep a Close Watch on Your Life with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
August 30, 2022 07:00 - 58 minutes - 66.8 MBAfter a summer break, the triumvirate is back together to talk about books and biography. Kevin and Justin highlight some of their favorite books from the past few months, and Collin talks about the Tim Keller biography (of sorts) he has coming in the months ahead. Before getting to the books, the three friends discuss the latest news regarding Matt Chandler’s leave of absence from The Village Church and what lessons there may be for all of us. Timestamps: Intro and Sponsor #1: Crossway [0...
A Lesson from Liz Cheney’s Loss
August 26, 2022 14:40 - 6 minutes - 5.64 MBPeople know when their leaders no longer like them In this episode, Kevin reads from an article he wrote for WORLD reflecting on one lesson from Liz Cheney’s 37-point defeat in Wyoming’s Republican primary.
75. Just War and Our Cultural Conflict
August 11, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 5.95 MBWe’re in a battle whether we like it or not, but how we fight matters. In this episode, Kevin reads from the third of a series of articles for WORLD Opinions on how to think about Christianity and politics.
Just War and Our Cultural Conflict
August 11, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 5.95 MBWe’re in a battle whether we like it or not, but how we fight matters. In this episode, Kevin reads from the third of a series of articles for WORLD Opinions on how to think about Christianity and politics.
Death to the Patriarchy?
August 03, 2022 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MBTo ignore, minimize, or repudiate the differences between men and women is to reject our creational design. In this episode, Kevin reads from an article written for Desiring God, reasoning why we should be careful not to banish patriarchy to the ash heap of history too quickly.
The Pitfalls and Possibilities of Being “Political”
July 20, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.41 MBThere is no category called “politics” that can be safely quarantined from the category we call “religion.” In this episode, Kevin reads from the second of a series of articles for WORLD Opinions on how to think about Christianity and politics.
When Roe Was Overturned
July 06, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.72 MBMaybe the movie ends with the good guys smiling with grateful satisfaction, knowing that whatever failures lay in the past, and whatever dangers lie ahead, this was a day for celebration. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions on why Christians should rejoice in the destruction of an instrument of death.
The Spirit and Flesh of Thomas Jefferson with Thomas Kidd
June 30, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBKevin welcomes Tommy Kidd to LBE to talk about Tommy’s new biography on Thomas Jefferson. How should we understand Jefferson’s many inconsistencies and contradictions? How do we make sense of his significant moral failings? Was he a Christian? Is his legacy worth commemorating and celebrating? Kevin and Tommy talk about these questions and many others in an hour-long discussion that goes deep into history and helps us think about the Declaration of Independence that Americans will celebrate ...
"Let the Little Children Come To Me"
June 25, 2022 16:45 - 6 minutes - 7.18 MBAs much as abortion has been indefensible on constitutional grounds, the real monstrosity of Roe was not legal but moral. For 50 years the two sides of the debate have been called “pro-choice” and “pro-life,” and those are accurate labels. The ability to freely terminate a pregnancy—at any point in the pregnancy and for any reason—is certainly about the right to make a choice. But that invented constitutional right has been, even more fundamentally, about the ending of life. Everyone with ey...
How to Think about Christianity and Politics
June 21, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.92 MBNo doubt, we need a lot of smart people reflecting on the intellectual principles and the practical priorities of our moral philosophy. That’s a crucial conversation. But that’s not the conversation most ordinary people are having online, in church, and around the dinner table. They (and I should say we) are having a messy—but if done right, a really important—conversation about how to approach the conversation itself. As Christians in an age dominated by politics, we are trying to think abo...
Reclaiming the Lost Vision of Family Life with Erika Bachiochi
June 08, 2022 07:00 - 59 minutes - 71.3 MBIn this episode of LBE, Kevin visits with Erika Bachiochi—a pro-life legal scholar, an author, a wife, and a mother of seven children. After discussing the Dobbs case which, we hope will overturn Roe, Kevin and Erika turn their attention to the Enlightenment writer Mary Wollstonecraft. In this wide-ranging discussion through Erika’s book The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (University of Notre Dame Press, 2021). Kevin and Erika talk about the staunch anti-abortion views of early wo...
The Indelible Conscience and a Month of “Pride”
June 07, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.33 MBPride Month turns a moral argument—about which the Bible has clear and unequivocal answers—into a quest for personal self-acceptance, which is why many soft-hearted and muddle-headed Christians line up for the parade just like everyone else. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions on the LGBTQ quest to turn a moral argument into an emotive appeal for affirmation and acceptance.
The Power of the Two-Parent Home
June 01, 2022 07:00 - 16 minutes - 18.4 MBAfter the gospel, there is no bigger gift you can give to the world than your children and no better gift you can give your children than to be raised by a mom and dad who love them and love each other. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for the Spring 2022 issue of Eikon: A Journal for Biblical Anthropology.
Harry Emerson Fosdick and the Spirit of American Liberalism
May 27, 2022 07:00 - 16 minutes - 3.01 MBOn May 21, 1922, Harry Emerson Fosdick took to the pulpit of Old First—the historic First Presbyterian Church (est. 1716) located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan—to deliver what would be his most famous sermon. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for the journal of Reformed Theological Seminary as part of “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” A Centennial Symposium.
The Good News of Limited Atonement
May 19, 2022 07:00 - 4 minutes - 5.24 MBThe doctrine of particular redemption is worth defining and defending because it gets to the heart of the gospel. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for byFaith on the good news of limited atonement.
The Heart of the Cross with Phil Ryken
May 17, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 91.8 MBKevin welcomes Phil Ryken, President at Wheaton College, to the podcast to talk about “The Heart of the Cross,” a newly reissued book comprised of sermons from Dr. Ryken and James Montgomery Boice. But before they get to the book, Kevin and Phil talk about preaching, the challenges of higher education, Tenth Presbyterian Church, the ministry of James Boice, and a little bit about pickup basketball. Timestamps: Intro and Sponsor [0:00-1:39] Guest: Phil Ryken [1:40-10:43] The Merits of Gue...
Seven Principles for Cultivating a Christian Posture toward the World
May 13, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 7.55 MBImportant lessons to learn as we deal with negativity and hostility In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions on seven principles for cultivating a Christian posture toward the world.
Hoping for the Fall of Roe with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
May 10, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 93.4 MBAfter the unprecedented leak of the possible Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Kevin talks to Justin and Collin about the pro-life movement in America, how the church ministers well, and why political polarization is not always a bad thing. The triumvirate also talk about the books they're reading, and they try to keep the sports banter to a minimum. Timestamps: Intro and Sponsor 1: Crossway [0:00-1:41] Life and Family Banter [1:42-10:43] Roe v Wade Decision and Effects [10...
Lessons From Mainline Decline
May 04, 2022 07:00 - 6 minutes - 8.02 MBRelevant Christianity doesn’t stay relevant for long. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions on the decline of the mainline church.
Daily Worship, Creation Days, and Feisty Presbyterians with Jonathan Gibson
April 26, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 99.3 MBIn this freewheeling conversation, Kevin talks to Jonny Gibson about his life, his books, and some of everything. Gibson, an Old Testament professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, opens up about the loss of his daughter in 2016, why he believes in 24-hour creation days, and the need for old forms and old prayers to help us in our daily devotions. Timestamps: Intro, sponsor, and guest [0:00-4:46] The State of the UK Church(es) [4:47-15:34] Edited Series on the Five Points [15:34-20:...
John Witherspoon on Justification and Regeneration with Peter Lillback
April 18, 2022 07:00 - 23 minutes - 27.9 MBIn this bonus episode, Kevin talks with historian and WTS president, Peter Lillback, about the life and ministry of John Witherspoon. In particular, they discuss Witherspoon’s treatises on justification and regeneration, a new (old) book being published by Westminster Seminary Press. Listen in as Kevin and Pete talk about their shared love of history and old books.
The Story of Us All
April 15, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutes - 6.42 MBThe fundamental story of the world is not the story of good guys and bad guys, or of oppressors and the oppressed, but of sinners and a Savior. In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORLD Opinions for Holy Week, examining how we are all sinners in need of a Savior.
Covenant Theology with John Fesko
April 06, 2022 09:00 - 1 hour - 101 MBIn this wide-ranging discussion, Kevin sits down (actually, they were both standing up) with his RTS colleague, John Fesko, to talk about covenant theology. In addition to doing a deep dive on the covenant of redemption and the covenant of works, Kevin and John talk about life and ministry and writing more broadly. They finish their time by talking about a never-before-translated-into-English volume of Vos’s lectures on natural theology. Want to know more about biblical theology, systematic ...
We Live in Confusing Times
April 04, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutes - 6.49 MBI know, it’s complicated. But don’t worry, the less you think about it the more it will make sense.
The Biggest Story Bible Storybook with Don Clark
March 31, 2022 07:00 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MBIn this bonus episode, Kevin talks with the brilliant artist, Don Clark, Kevin’s co-collaborator on The Biggest Story and on (their new book) The Biggest Story Bible Storybook. In this fascinating conversation, Don talks about the joys and challenges of working on such a massive project and how he goes about the artistic process.
Worship as Covenant Renewal
March 24, 2022 07:00 - 5 minutes - 6.89 MBThe historic liturgy of the Christian church did not originate in evangelicalism, or in the Reformation, or in Europe. It grew out of Old Testament (and then New Testament) assumptions about what it meant for God’s people to gather and renew the covenant.
Lessons Learned with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
March 23, 2022 07:00 - 47 minutes - 65.7 MBThe band gets back together to talk about lessons learned from the two biggest events of the past two years: Covid and the war in Ukraine. Without pretending to be experts in infectious diseases or in international affairs, the three amigos explore what we can learn about humility, evil, tradeoffs, and prayer. The episode concludes with an update on what everyone has been reading over the past couple months. Timestamps: Intro and Sponsor [0:00-3:13] Lessons After (?) the Pandemic [3:14-22...
The Dangers of Digital Discourse
March 21, 2022 07:00 - 7 minutes - 8.53 MBIn an age where digital immediacy can be confused for personal intimacy, we often forget that public communication will not have all the features of private communication.
Is Every Sin the Same in God’s Eyes?
March 17, 2022 07:00 - 10 minutes - 15 MBAs much as it shows admirable humility or apologetic concern, we must not act or teach as if every sin is the same in God’s eyes.
Defending Shame with Te-Li Lau
March 09, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 90.2 MBWe think of shame as destructive, manipulative, and toxic. And it can be all those things. But shame can also be a powerful and healthy part of our moral formation. In this fascinating conversation, Kevin talks to Te-Li Lau, a professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, about his recent book Defending Shame: It’s Formative Power in Paul’s Letters. Together, Kevin and Te-Li explore the pervasiveness of our therapeutic assumptions, the central theme of shame throughout the Bible, and goo...
American History and the Historian’s Task with Wilfred McClay
February 23, 2022 10:00 - 51 minutes - 70.7 MBPlease note: Unfortunately the audio on this episode cuts in and out from time to time. Kevin is joined by the distinguished historian, Dr. Wilfred McClay as the two of them talk about the task of the historian in being a “recording angel” of the past. After discussing McClay’s perceptive article “The Surprising Persistence of Guilt” (2017), they turn to McClay’s recent book on American History, A Land of Hope (Encounter, 2019). McClay talks about his conversion to Christianity early in his...
What’s Going Right in the Church?
February 09, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 106 MBIn this episode, Kevin is joined once again by Justin and Collin as they discuss all that is going right in the church. While there are many problems we can—and at times should—point out, there are also many signs of blessing, reform, and faithfulness in the church today. Kevin, Justin, and Collin make a special point to encourage pastors. Turning to books, they discuss two recent books Kevin has read—one book about global politics shifting from left/right to insider/outsider divisions, and ...
Natural Law and Natural Theology with Andrew Walker
January 27, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBAndrew Walker, a professor of ethics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the managing editor for World Opinions, comes on to talk with Kevin about the importance of natural law and natural theology. Although some Protestants reject natural law, and others are nervous about it because of caricatures they may have, the broad sweep of Protestant theology has affirmed the legitimacy and importance of making natural law arguments. Kevin and Andrew talk about where the idea of natural...
Puritans, Preaching, and Productivity with Joel Beeke
December 25, 2021 05:24 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBDr. Joel Beeke is the president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, a pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, and editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books. In this conversation, Dr. Beeke, Kevin, and Justin dive into the theological and historical world of the Puritans, providing reading suggestions for both beginners and experts. They also talk about improving your preaching through expository and experiential content. Life and Books and Everything is sp...
What We Love (and Hate) About Christmastime
December 15, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBKevin and Collin enjoy a fun conversation about the best parts, and the worst parts, of the Advent/Christmas season. Were the Puritans right to strip all the fun out of it? Are Christmas cards worth it? Can we bear another rendition of “Last Christmas”? Plus, by popular demand, time management and productivity tips! Learn how Kevin manages to read so many books and also be present for his family. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Be Thou My Vision: A Litur...
What We Love About Christmastime
December 15, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBKevin and Collin enjoy a fun conversation about the best parts of the Advent/Christmas season, as well as some of those things that are just more annoying. Plus, by popular demand, time management and productivity tips! Learn how Kevin manages to read so many books and also be present for his family. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship, by Jonathan Gibson. In Be Thou My Vision, Jonathan Gibson has created a 31-...
Evangelism, with William Taylor
November 19, 2021 04:02 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MBFrom the 2021 Faithful Conference, Kevin interviews keynote speaker William Taylor. Taylor is the rector of St. Helen’s Church in Bishopsgate, London. There is a lot of fun banter, book recommendations, and a wealth of advice about evangelism, but what shines through most clearly is William Taylor’s firm faith in the Word of God to accomplish the mission of the church. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of The Death of Porn, by Ray Ortlund. In The Death of P...
'A Theology of Paul and His Letters,' with Dr. Douglas Moo
November 02, 2021 10:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBDr. Douglas Moo, theologian and professor at Wheaton, joins Kevin, Collin, and Justin to talk about his new and substantial contribution, A Theology of Paul and His Letters. Weighing in at 784 pages, there is a lot to unpack. Among the topics they cover are: how to balance text and tradition, the biggest change in Pauline theology, Paul’s instructions on the family and sex, the work of N.T. Wright, and how substitution makes everything work. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Cro...
Evangelical Elites
October 19, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBHow do you use the term ‘elite?’ Is it positive or is it a term of derision? Elites, and especially Evangelical elites, have been criticized a lot lately. Collin, Kevin, and Justin have given this matter some consideration, and on this episode they offer their thoughts, turning the focus both internally and externally, with both positive and negative critiques. But first… books! They’ve been reading a lot. You’ll hear about productivity, theology, classic fiction, and of course a lot of hist...
‘Robert E. Lee: A Life’, with Dr. Allen Guelzo
October 06, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBOn this episode, Kevin interviews Civil War historian Dr. Allen Guelzo , Senior Research Scholar at Princeton. Dr. Guelzo’s new biography of Robert E. Lee paints a portrait of neither a sinner nor a saint, but a full picture of a complex human being. Dr. Guelzo is a historian with a solid theological background. He and Kevin address how General Lee could be both opposed to slavery and commit treason to defend it. The South came very close to victory: How would that have changed history? How ...
Abortion, Threats to the Church, and Depicting Jesus
September 21, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 65.7 MBIn this episode Kevin and Justin take a long, hard look at abortion in America. With the new law in Texas making news, and a potential challenge to Roe v. Wade, they help us get back to basics with practical resources for changing hearts and minds regarding abortion. They also ask where the primary threat to the American church is coming from. Is it secularism from outside, or corruption and sin inside? And in a moment of light disagreement, they discuss the pro and cons of depicting Jesus i...
Thinking Biblically About Abuse
August 24, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 38.3 MBIn this episode, Kevin is joined by Dr. James Newheiser, theDirector of the Christian Counseling Program and Associate Professor ofChristian Counseling and Pastoral Theology at RTS Charlotte. Attitudes towardabuse, both inside and outside the church, have changed dramatically withinrecent generations. How can pastors deal with this issue Biblically in theircongregations? Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of What God Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allber...
Thinking Biblically About Abuse, with Jim Newheiser
August 24, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 50.2 MBIn this episode, Kevin is joined by Dr. James Newheiser, theDirector of the Christian Counseling Program and Associate Professor ofChristian Counseling and Pastoral Theology at RTS Charlotte. Attitudes towardabuse, both inside and outside the church, have changed dramatically withinrecent generations. How can pastors deal with this issue Biblically in theircongregations? Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of WhatGod Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allberr...
Current Events
August 17, 2021 02:19 - 1 hour - 46.8 MBCatching up with friends after a long summer is one of the great joys of life. In this first episode of Season 4, Kevin, Collin, and Justin chat about some of their summer activities as well as some of the events that are currently happening in our world. They range from the serious (How should we pray for the Church in Afghanistan?) to the silly (Cornhole must become an Olympic sport!) You will discover some intriguing book recommendations too. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by...
Afghanistan, Olympics, & Mars Hill
August 17, 2021 02:19 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBCatching up with friends after a long summer is one of the great joys of life. In this first episode of Season 4, Kevin, Collin, and Justin chat about some of their summer activities as well as some of the events that are currently happening in our world. They range from the serious (How should we pray for the Church in Afghanistan?) to the silly (Cornhole must become an Olympic sport!) You will discover some intriguing book recommendations too. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by...
The Meaning of America
June 28, 2021 08:00 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBFor this special Independence Day bonus episode, Kevin goes solo to talk about what America means and how Christians should relate to our nation. The most contentious debates that we currently have are about history, and we can’t agree on which story to tell about America. Kevin examines two books that approach this problem of America’s story differently. Are they incompatible? Which way do you take? Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of The Supremacy of God ...