Mere Fidelity
412 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 300 ratingsFrom the Mere Orthodoxy Podcast Network: thoughtful weekly conversations about theology, the culture, and the church, hosted by Matthew Lee Anderson, Derek Rishmawy, Alastair Roberts, and Andrew Wilson.
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Episodes
Thinking For Yourself
April 23, 2024 08:00 - 40 minutes - 56.3 MBWhen dealing with delicate, nuanced, disputed, or important issues, should Christians primarily rely on their own judgment or the authority of church leaders in their lives? Derek, Alastair, and Matt bring their own experience to bear, as well as a reliance on Scripture and authority, to answer this listener-submitted question. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Hot Deal [0:00] A Better Question Than It Sounds [2:21] Be Like Alastair [4:14] Clarification of Roles [8:55] Av...
Men and Women in I Timothy
April 17, 2024 03:23 - 48 minutes - 66.1 MBAndrew, Matt, and Alastair take up the oft-disputed passage from First Timothy that seems to restrict the authority of women in the church. What’s the best way to handle this in the twenty-first century? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Zwingli the Pastor [0:00] Old Conundrum, New Energy [1:39] One Weird Question [3:18] One Further Question [6:35] Ecclesiastical Evolution [11:22] vv. 11-15 [16:25] Load-Bearing Details [22:12] Autheneo and Didasko [27:27] Restricting Teac...
The Resurrection in John
April 02, 2024 23:29 - 49 minutes - 67.7 MBChrist is risen indeed, alleluia! The Easter season is upon us, and the regular cast and crew have the Resurrection on their minds. This year Matt, Alastair, and Derek dive into the Gospel of John to discuss what makes this account different than the other gospels, including, but not limited to: why Jesus told Mary Magdalene not to touch him but invited Thomas to touch him, why John waited for Peter before entering the tomb, and what is going on with those 153 fish. Full show notes at www.m...
The Cross and the Empty Tomb
March 19, 2024 08:00 - 33 minutes - 46.7 MBAs we approach Palm Sunday, Alastair, Matt, and Derek meditate—and ask incisive questions—upon the Cross, the Resurrection, the Triumphal Entry, the Transfiguration, and the true center of our faith. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: All Glory, Laud, and Honor [1:09] The Bible’s Third Day Problem [2:14] The Crucial Tension [3:12] Holy Saturday [6:13] Resurrection Art [8:42] Satellite Events [13:59] Watershed [17:05] Crossbearing [19:43] Triumphal Entry [22:08] Glorious D...
Quit Social Media
March 14, 2024 02:21 - 50 minutes - 69.8 MBWe can all feel it. Something about social media is just really unhealthy. But what to do about it? That’s the question on the table in this episode of Mere Fidelity. Should we pull the plug entirely? Should we seek balance? Should we embrace it? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: One More Episode [0:00] Like, Follow, Subscribe, Defend Yourself [1:47] Types of Social Media [4:14] The Twitter Shift [6:22] Gamification of Speech [9:20] The Attention Dimension [11:23] Defaul...
God’s Preferred Pronouns
March 05, 2024 19:15 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBIn yet another brazen foray into hot topics, Matt, Derek, and Alastair talk with eminent trinitarian theologian, Dr. Fred Sanders, about why masculine terms are used to refer to God. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Pastoral Ethics [0:00] Our Trinitarian Correspondent [1:54] Referring to God [3:22] Matt’s Second Publication [7:19] Personhood & Revelation [8:42] Trinity First, Then Creation [11:47] Now It’s Personal [15:13] Back to the Spirit [19:19] Feminine Imagery & F...
Ascesis and the Modern World
February 20, 2024 09:00 - 39 minutes - 54.5 MBIs asceticism good for the Christian life? Seems like a simple question at first, but there is a lot more there than you may realize. Matt, Derek, and Alastair unpack this deep issue on this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Davenant [0:00] “Ash What?” says the Presbyterian [2:26] Defining Ascesis [4:44] Negative Over Positive [5:51] Secular-Spiritual Fasting [10:51] Bodily Locus [13:57] Distorted Self-Perception [17:13] Sociology [20:29] Lenten...
C.S. Lewis for Everyone
February 13, 2024 19:41 - 48 minutes - 67 MBC.S. Lewis is an odd figure. Beloved, cited, and recruited by both progressive and conservative Christians, his works have a very broad appeal. The very fact of this broad appeal raises questions about his legacy. Alastair, Derek, and Matt examine this phenomenon and how Lewis is read both in fundamentalist America and evangelical Britain. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Brits and Yanks [1:24] A Very Broad Fanbase [2:23] Mere Universality [7:50] Lower Influences [9:43]...
Moral Complicity
February 06, 2024 09:00 - 46 minutes - 64.3 MBAlistair Begg hit a nerve with Christians online when he said in public that it might be ok for a Christian to attend an LGBTQ wedding. Given his opposition to same-sex marriage, this firestorm brings to the surface many questions about the nature of moral complicity, scandal, fraternal correction, and just how a Christian is to live day-to-day in a world so at odds with the truth. All in all, a perfect topic for Matt, Derek, and Alastair to tackle together. Full show notes at www.merefideli...
A Quiet Mind to Suffer With, with John Bryant
January 29, 2024 09:00 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBWhat does the Gospel of Jesus Christ have to say to those who wrestle with mental illness? This month’s Lexham Press book of the month arrested Matt’s attention. It’s like Augustine’s Confessions in a contemporary idiom as a really profound searching exploration of one man’s personal experience of OCD and his identity in Christ. So, today Matt and Alastair talk to the author, John Bryant. You will better understand how to simply be with a person with mental illness in a way that is best for t...
The Ethics of Shunning
January 26, 2024 02:34 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MBIt’s come up on the show before, but this time Andrew and Matt are going to settle this once and for all, with some help from Alastair. How should the church deal with flagrant sins of professing Christians? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Most Irregular [0:00] Digging Up the Past [1:51] Range of Interpretations [3:24] Levels of Affiliation [8:44] Clarifications [16:07] Church Discipline [21:31] A Hard Case [30:34] Publicity [41:24]
Christianity as a Way of Life, with Kevin Hector
January 09, 2024 09:00 - 45 minutes - 62.5 MBDr. Kevin Hector has written the theology for the rest of us. Normal, non-academic persons will find Christianity as a Way of Life approachable and rewarding to dive into. But he just walked into a podcast with an ethicist, a Biblical scholar, and systematic theologian. Will he come unscathed through the grilling that Matt, Alastair, and Derek give him? (Short answer: yes, and it’s awesome.) Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Trustworthy Alastair [0:00] Thrilled [2:24] How...
Creator, with Peter Leithart
January 03, 2024 04:04 - 54 minutes - 74.6 MBWhat is the most basic aspect of God’s identity? What do we know Him as first? One potential answer to those questions is God as Creator. Repeat Mere Fidelity guest, Peter Leithart, has written a book that sets out to examine the idea of God as Creator as found in Genesis 1. But this is not without controversy. Matt, Derek, and Alastair push back hard in this very fruitful discussion. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Alastair’s Boss [0:00] What’s the problem with Genesis...
The Theology of Blessings
December 30, 2023 23:14 - 39 minutes - 54.2 MBIn the wake of a controversial Vatican document favorable toward blessing those in same-sex relationships, Matt, Alastair, and Derek discuss what exactly blessings are, what they do, and why we should get this right. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Vatican Bomb [0:00] Having Been Blessed, We Bless [3:09] Genesis 1:28 [5:49] Asher vs Barak [9:31] Human Procreation [12:59] Priestly Blessing [16:53] But what does blessing DO? [19:28] Blessed Be God [23:24] New Testament [...
Reputation
December 11, 2023 09:00 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MBIn a time when “being canceled” is one of our greatest fears, thinking Biblically about reputation as a category is a very productive exercise. But when we turn to the Bible, there’s a prima facie tension about reputation. On the one hand, we’re told to rejoice when we are reviled; on the other, we’re told to have a sterling image for the sake of the Gospel. Derek, Alastair, and Matt dive into this conundrum and work it out in dialogue. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: ...
Biblical Critical Theory, with Christopher Watkin
December 07, 2023 02:57 - 52 minutes - 72.6 MBCritical Race Theory is not the only sort of critical theory out there. As a matter of fact, Augustine’s City of God may be the first example of critical theory. How can this kind of academic exercise be understood Biblically? What benefit can it give to theology? Dr. Christopher Watkin, author of Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture, joins Matt and Alastair to discuss this often confusing topic. Dr. Watkin argues that in order to ev...
Reforming Criminal Justice, with Matthew Martens
November 27, 2023 04:49 - 52 minutes - 71.9 MBCan we understand criminal justice Biblically? Criminal justice in America is in need of reform, and attorney Matthew Martens has put his theological mind into a Christian proposal for good reform. In this conversation with Matt, Derek, and Alastair, Martens covers mere sample of issues covered in his book, including coercion, social justice, presumption of innocence, and (this one really gets him going) absolute prosecutorial immunity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: ...
The Perplexing Book of Zechariah
November 14, 2023 09:00 - 50 minutes - 69.8 MBOccasionally on Mere Fidelity we have taken up difficult passages of Scripture. On this episode we take up an entire book that feels quite difficult: the book of the prophet Zechariah. What do all those oddly specific visions mean? Is Alexander the Great an actual Christ figure? How can you tell the difference between prophetic horizons? With Matt acting as everyman, Andrew asks the sharp questions, and Alastair sorts out the answers. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: An...
Guarding Our Souls in Wartime
November 03, 2023 05:39 - 59 minutes - 81.8 MBWith war in Israel functioning as a totemic marker in our polarized political climate, Derek, Matt, and Alastair talk frankly and vulnerably about how all of us can do justice, love mercy, and not lose our souls. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Matt on Trial [0:00] A Hard Season [2:13] An Urgent Question [3:54] Biblical Resources [13:37] Weighing the Victims [22:10] Loving Enemies [31:20] Unequal Deaths [37:10] Mercy [40:53]
Called Into Questions
October 24, 2023 08:00 - 55 minutes - 76 MBIs questioning your faith a good thing? We need not fear questions. By the grace of God, we have the safety and security to rush headlong into them and find ourselves better for it on the other side. Matt has literally written the book on questions. Derek, Alastair, and special guest Brad East join Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Mixed Reviewers [0:00] Ten Years Makes a Difference [3:19] Faith, Doubt, and Wonder [7:48] Church Application [12:25] Good Leading Questions [...
On Radical Integralism, with Dr. Kevin Vallier
October 17, 2023 08:00 - 57 minutes - 78.9 MBIntegralism is a philosophy of church and state that seemed to have been definitively rejected. And yet, it has received new life from prominent proponents in recent days. Dr. Kevin Vallier has written a new book that looks at the good and the bad of integralism. Matt, Alastair, and Derek discuss it with him. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Go and Listen [0:00] The Story So Far [1:29] The Revival [8:48] The Opposition [13:39] Liberalism [21:13] Favorite Arguments [28:56...
Knowing God, with Dr. Fred Sanders
October 03, 2023 08:00 - 46 minutes - 63.8 MBThe classic intro to Christianity, Knowing God by J.I. Packer, was published 50 years ago. To celebrate this anniversary, Derek, Alastair, and Matt welcome Fred Sanders back to the show to discuss the distinctives of evangelical spirituality and practice which shine forth in Packer’s book. They also discuss the doctrine of God, classic hymns, the Keswick movement, and the contemporary literary context of which Knowing God may be the apex. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps...
Are Mediocre Christians Allowed?
September 23, 2023 04:20 - 51 minutes - 70.2 MBSince at least the time of the Donatists, the Church has wrestled with how to relate to Christians who are just not that good at being Christians. Should we worship with Christians who are living in sin? Should we baptize, marry, and bury those who only attend church twice a year? Prompted by last episode’s discussion of Andrew’s new book, Matt, Alastair, and Andrew examine this question from theological, Biblical, and pastoral perspectives. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestam...
1776, with Andrew Wilson
September 13, 2023 03:24 - 53 minutes - 74.2 MBWhen answering the question, “How did we get here?” how far back do you have to go? Mere Fidelity’s own Andrew Wilson has identified a compelling candidate when it comes to the rise of the post-Christian West—namely, 1776. This year contains much more than the obvious historical paradigm shift that we all know. Andrew, Matt, and Alastair unpack this significant date with regard to both church and culture. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Numerical Patterns [0:00] Subtle ...
Reformation as Renewal, with Dr. Matthew Barrett
September 06, 2023 03:01 - 57 minutes - 79.6 MBWas the Reformation really as much a break with what came before it as we are often led to believe? Dr. Matthew Barrett says the Reformers themselves thought not. In his substantial new book, he shows how strongly the Reformers sought to establish their connection with the catholic and universal church. Alastair, Derek, and Matt join Dr. Barrett for a lively and fruitful discussion on this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Repeat Guest [0:00] 14...
The Biblical Trinity, with Brandon Smith
August 07, 2023 08:00 - 53 minutes - 73.8 MBIn The Biblical Trinity, Brandon Smith proclaims the Trinity from the Bible. The doctrine arises not from a handful of prooftexts but from the fullness of what the Bible says about God. In this edition of Mere Fi, Alastair and Matt chat with Brandon about what this project means in the broad landscape of contemporary theology. They also take a closer look at how the book of Revelation contributes to a Biblical picture of the Trinity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: That...
Should We Put Flags in Churches? with Dr. Miles Smith
July 25, 2023 08:00 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBDoes your church display an American flag or Union Jack or some other national flag? It’s been an active debate since the days of Caesar, through Christendom, and into the Modern American context: What should the relationship be between national symbols and Christian worship? Matt, Alastair, and Derek welcome Hillsdale Assistant Professor Dr. Miles Smith, IV, to bring a historian’s perspective to the debate. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: About Five or So [0:00] As a Hi...
Bulwarks of Unbelief, with Joe Minich
June 20, 2023 04:21 - 45 minutes - 62.9 MBIn Bulwarks of Unbelief, Joseph Minich argues that a felt absence of God, as experienced by the modern individual, offers a better explanation for the rise in atheism. Recent technological and cultural shifts in the modern West have produced a perceived challenge to God’s existence. Andrew, Alastair, and Derek jump right to the heart of the matter and ask some very penetrating and practical questions about Minich’s thesis. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Dun Dun Dunnn!...
Reading Advice
June 09, 2023 05:21 - 49 minutes - 68.1 MBMost of what we talk about on Mere Fidelity presupposes a lot of reading. What is the real use of reading? Is what we read more important than how we read? Why do some people who read for years never develop the habits of reading well? Alastair, Matt, and Derek discuss these questions as well as summer reading on this episode. #quitnetflix Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Extremely Illuminating [0:00] Reading well isn’t automatic. [2:56] Social Media Distractions [5:20] P...
Tim Keller’s Legacy
May 30, 2023 08:00 - 53 minutes - 73.6 MBFriend of the show, Pastor Timothy Keller, has entered into glory. He was a pivotal player in Evangelicalism over the last generation, and a great encourager of many ministers, including the cast and crew of Mere Fidelity. To pay tribute to his life and legacy, Derek, Alastair, and Matt talk to Editor-in-Chief of Mere Orthodoxy, Jake Meador. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The End of an Era [0:00] Dechurching Countercurrent [3:02] Model Pastor [7:56] Collegiality [17:0...
Pierced by Love, with Dr. Hans Boersma
May 16, 2023 08:00 - 45 minutes - 62.3 MBLectio Divina is a popular form of prayer using the reading of Scripture as a means of encountering God. While its origins are in Christian tradition, Lectio Divina is sometimes associated with a kind of individualistic loose spirituality. Dr. Hans Boersma, however, makes a strong case for its use in the devotional lives of faithful Christians. Alastair, Matt, and Derek probe his case in this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: It’s soo pretty! [0:...
The Nicene Creed, with Dr. Phillip Cary
May 10, 2023 04:37 - 44 minutes - 61.2 MBWhy do we need creeds? What are they for? Isn’t Scripture enough? Dr. Phillip Cary has a very useful and smart book introducing the Nicene Creed to not only a wider audience, but take those of us who say the Creed every week even deeper into this summary of the Christian faith. In this conversation Alastair and Matt talk with Dr. Cary about the basics and about the finer points of the Nicene Creed in particular. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Clear, Brief, and Useful ...
Beautiful Union, with Joshua Ryan Butler
May 01, 2023 08:00 - 55 minutes - 75.5 MBJosh Butler caused a big ruckus when an excerpt from his latest book was posted on a prominent Christian website. His approach using sex to talk about God drew a lot of criticism. The Mere Fi cast have a few criticisms of their own. Andrew, Matt, and Alastair discuss it all quite candidly with Josh himself in this episode of Mere Fidelity. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The Most Popular Theologian on the Internet [0:00] Upon Further Consideration [3:12] Procreative D...
Resurrection Bodies
April 18, 2023 03:58 - 49 minutes - 68.2 MBChrist is risen indeed! In this Easter season, Matt, Alastair, and Derek turn their attention to one of the most intriguing questions ever asked by Christians, namely, what exactly will our resurrection bodies be like? The answer may be more provocative than you think. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Good Question? [0:00] Not That Kind of Resurrection [4:13] Not That Kind of Flesh [9:58] Not That Kind of Spiritual [17:22] Continuity and Discontinuity [20:11] Like Jesus...
Analogies for God
April 05, 2023 04:10 - 41 minutes - 56.5 MBHow can we humans form a conception of God, Who is infinitely beyond our capacity for understanding? Analogies! They’re at least as great as sliced bread. But using analogies is like playing with fire. Each one is a path that can lead us into the light of truth and over the cliff of delusion. Fortunately, Mere Fidelity has its own elite team of theological sleuths. On this episode Andrew, Matt, Alastair, and Derek talk about how we can use the analogies in Scripture as tools to bring us close...
Neo-Calvinism, with Cory Brock and Gray Sutanto
March 31, 2023 03:21 - 50 minutes - 69.2 MBNeo-Calvinism is in the air. But is it theologically relevant or merely a political phenomenon? Or did the Americans just mess it up? Cory Brock and Gray Sutanto join Matt, Derek, and Alastair to make the case for Neo-Calvinism and discuss their new book on the subject. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Family Friendly [0:00] More than Politics [2:10] Misunderstood Doctrine [9:15] Lost in Translation [13:47] Apartheid [20:12] Too Programmatic? [24:01] Necessary Context? ...
The Age of AI, with Jason Thacker
March 21, 2023 08:00 - 57 minutes - 78.6 MBWhen students started turning in papers written by artificial intelligence, educators were caught flat-footed. We knew that machines would replace many human tasks, but we thought the humanities were immune to that. Have our writing standards fallen so low that we can no longer write better than computers? Or are we about to experience the awakening of Artificial Consciousness? Matt and Alastair discuss this situation with Jason Thacker, the Chair of Research in Technology Ethics at the ERLC....
Protestants & History, with Paul Gutacker
March 07, 2023 09:00 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBOn this episode of Mere Fidelity, historian of history Paul Gutacker joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to talk about the changing and sometimes fraught relationship that Protestants have had with the notions of “history” and “tradition.” Paul’s book, The Old Faith in a New Nation, particularly examines how nineteenth century debates about slavery, etc., influenced our ideas about the roles of Scripture and Church in regard to history. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Neo-...
A Billion Dollars
February 28, 2023 09:00 - 51 minutes - 70.2 MBWhat would you do with a billion dollars to strengthen the Western Church? The question is straightforward enough, but the answers are where it gets interesting. The full Mere Fi cast and crew (Andrew, Matt, Derek, and Alastair) put their heads together to figure out what project would move the needle most. Christian billionaires, pay attention! Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: An Expensive Museum [0:00] Matt: The Role of the Church [3:23] Barking Up the Money Tree? [9:2...
The Man of Lawlessness
February 22, 2023 02:53 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBWhen you come across a passage of Scripture that just throws you for a loop, who do you go to for guidance? Matt turns to Alastair and Derek. Let the Mere Fi cast and crew be your Scriptural support group. Today we look at another passage from the Apostle Paul that just doesn’t really sound like what we’d expect. Along the way we encounter the beasts of Revelation, ancient dictators, and fractal Mini-Me’s. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Matt Works Out His Apocalyptic P...
The Genesis of Gender, with Dr. Abigail Favale
February 16, 2023 04:45 - 48 minutes - 66.2 MBThese days, it seems nobody without a doctorate in biology knows how to tell men apart from women. How did it come to this? And what can be done about it? Andrew, Matt, and Alastair talk to Dr. Abigail Favale, author of The Genesis of Gender, about how the gender paradigm arose, swallowed the concept of sex (like a "giant Pac-Man monster"), and brought into question the very existence of human nature. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The Gender Paradigm [0:00] Sex Becom...
Tolkien Dogmatics, with Austin Freeman
February 01, 2023 03:16 - 47 minutes - 65.6 MBJ.R.R. Tolkien is known as the language professor who created a fantasy world and constructed several languages for fun. However, those who get to know his writing and thought well discover that behind those seemingly frivolous projects lie deeply seeded theological ideas. And where better to discuss the intersection of theology and fiction than here on Mere Fidelity. Austin Freeman, author of Tolkien Dogmatics, joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to delve into the wealth of thought hidden in Mid...
MAID in Canada
January 26, 2023 08:44 - 48 minutes - 67.1 MBWhy are so many Canadians choosing to make use of “medical assistance in dying” and ending their lives prematurely? The Mere Fidelity crew (including Alastair’s new Plus One) tackle this vexing question and disturbing trend. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: A Problem in Canada [0:00] The Situation [3:10] The Terminology [8:04] The Act Itself [14:22] Passing the Buck [16:22] Death Catechesis [20:39] Conditions of Dying [28:35] “Good” Death [35:04] Life Extension [42:43]
Antisemitism in Thessalonians
January 19, 2023 02:49 - 43 minutes - 59 MBThere is a passage in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians that is so jarring some have doubted whether Paul could actually have written it. On its face it seems like an easy tool for antisemites to grab on to. Even Matt is having issues with these few verses. So he and Andrew and Alastair got together to talk about, Mere Fi style. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Uncomfortable Questions [0:00] Doesn’t Feel Pauline [2:54] What Pauline Means [5:56] A Sudden Shift of ...
Mere Fidelity to Mere Orthodoxy
December 26, 2022 19:01 - 3 minutes - 4.92 MBLearn more about Mere Orthodoxy at www.mereorthodoxy.com.
Mere Fidelity for Mere Orthodoxy
December 26, 2022 19:01 - 3 minutes - 4.92 MBLearn more about Mere Orthodoxy at www.mereorthodoxy.com.
End of Year Extravaganza
December 20, 2022 09:00 - 56 minutes - 77.4 MBAt the end of each year, we like to take one episode of Mere Fidelity to give the hosts a chance to talk about their own projects and what has been their intellectual focus of the past year. We are blessed this year to have all four of the regular cast and crew together at once: Matt, Andrew, Alastair, and Derek. So listen in as they… [checks notes]… um… disagree over the first amendment, recite the meaning of every number in the Bible, and prevent one of Derek’s existential justifications fr...
Gratitude, with Dr. Kent Dunnington
November 22, 2022 09:00 - 47 minutes - 64.7 MBTalk of thankfulness pervades the Scriptures. But how well do we really understand the concept of gratitude. Matt has done some thinking about this recently with a fellow scholar from Biola University, Dr. Kent Dunnington. Along with Alastair, they tackle some tricky questions about gratitude. How should we understand the relationship between the gift and the giver? How important is it to have the emotions of thankfulness? And do you really need to send thank you cards? Full show notes at ww...
Uncommon Unity, with Dr. Richard Lints
November 15, 2022 09:00 - 54 minutes - 74.1 MBOur times are fragmented. Political and cultural differences rage, even among people who otherwise show goodwill. But what if Scripture actually provides the key for thinking about unity in diversity? Dr. Richard Lints joins Matt and Alastair to explore the nature of diversity as he wrote in his new book, Uncommon Unity. There are no easy answers, but there is a lot of good discussion. Join us! Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: What Kids Want [0:00] What This Book Is [1:23...
The Thrill of Orthodoxy, with Trevin Wax
November 02, 2022 17:43 - 54 minutes - 74.9 MBEvery generation faces the temptation to wander from orthodoxy and to drift with cultural currents. So every generation must be awakened again to the thrill of orthodoxy, and experience the astonishment that comes from stumbling afresh upon the electrifying paradoxes at the heart of the Christian faith. Trevin Wax wants to turn the tables on those who believe Christian teaching is narrow and outdated. In this episode, he joins Matt and Alastair to discuss how he accomplishes this in his new b...