S3 E8: Dr David Fitch: Church on the Wrong side of Power

Liminal Living

English - February 21, 2024 11:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MB - ★★★★★ - 10 ratings
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Previous Episode: S3 E7: Jason and Lori Adams-Brown: Interpreting Preda-Pastors Controlling Narratives

Next Episode: S3 E9: Dr Andrew M Davis: Philosophy, Theology, and Alien Life

S3 E8: Dr David Fitch: Church on the Wrong Side of Power

What happens when the church uses the power of the world to accomplish the purposes of God? You get the Church on the wrong side of power, with a reckoning that needs to take place. Today I talk with David Fitch about his new book, Reckoning with Power, Why the Church Fails when it’s on the Wrong Side of Power. In this work he describes three kinds of power the world uses, and contrasts it with the kind of power that God has. Indeed this is a reckoning of power moment, and Fitch’s book is a wonderful guide. Trigger warning, while our conversation spans theology, politics, culture, and ecclesiology, and made my brain explode a few times, we do talk about modern political figures and events openly.

Fitch has been a pastor for 30 years, planting 9 churches, he is the Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary Chicago, IL where he runs a few of their doctoral and masters programs. He is the author of many books, a writer for Missio Alliance, a blogger, and a cohost of the Theology on Mission podcast.

You can purchase Fitch’s new book here: https://rb.gy/3k9zlc

You can find Fitch’s podcast here: https://rb.gy/9ycm3m

You can subscribe to Fitch’s substack here: https://davidfitch.substack.com/

Time Stamps for the episode:

02:31 Call me Fitch

08:17 My second conversion

15:12 A different kind of power

20:45 4 kinds of power

26:16 Using worldly power for God’s purposes

29:38 The temptation of authoritarian leaders

34:41 Why January 6th was not a wake up call

40:40 Sequestering God’s power to the inner life

45:41 Promised land nationalism vs Acts ecclesiology

51:29 When worldly power mixes with theology

57:07 Politics and the pulpit

1:01:55 Weaponized ideas

1:06:36 Conclusions

All Music for this episode is provided by Axeltree

Find us on the web: https://liminalliving.simplecast.com/

All Music for this episode composed by Axeltree