By Adam Francisco

09/15/26

15mins

Josephus on Jesus

Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.

Political Polarization and Cultural Christianity

John W. Hoyum

09/18/26

Political Polarization and Cultural Christianity

Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.

Geography: How the “Where” Impacts the “Why” of the Biblical Story

Mark Duerr

09/16/26

Geography: How the “Where” Impacts the “Why” of the Biblical Story

The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

All Articles

Amy Mantravadi

08/12/26

The Legacy of Martin Luther's Father, Hans Luther

But while scholars are right to focus on the bond between Martin and Hans, the evidence of Martin’s own words suggests their relationship may not have been as troubled as some suppose. For Hans Luther was not a cartoon villain but a normal human being attempting to make his way in the world and raise his children to the best of his ability.

Adam Francisco

07/14/26

Luther, the Turks, and Islam

Philip Bartelt

06/30/26

What about the Apocrypha?

Luther neither removed the Apocrypha from the Bible nor discouraged its use. Rather, he received and preserved the ancient distinction inherited from the fathers: the Apocrypha is valuable, edifying, and worthy of reading, but it is not Holy Scripture and therefore cannot serve as the foundation of Christian doctrine.

Caleb Keith

06/25/26

Remembering and Commemorating the Augsburg Confession

The confessors at Augsburg remind us that every generation of Christians is called to bear witness to the gospel amid the challenges and pressures of its own age. As they confessed Christ before emperors and kingdoms, so the Church continues to confess Him before the world today.

Adam Francisco

06/19/26

The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

It is within this charged atmosphere that Luther’s writings take on their full significance. His responses to the Turkish threat were not merely reactions to military events; they were rooted in a deep theological reflection on the nature of God’s rule over the world, the responsibilities of Christian rulers, and the role of the Church in times of crisis.

Bradley Gray

05/26/26

Declared Clean

The same words of hope and peace that were entrusted to Israel are available to all, to “everyone who believes” (Acts 10:43).

Adam Francisco

05/14/26

Waking Up in Post Christendom

The temptation for many believers is either despair or outrage: despair that Christendom is fading, or outrage at the civilization replacing it.

Caleb Keith

05/11/26

Don't Sleep On Luther's Early Disputations

Do not disregard Luther’s early disputations, but appreciate their specificity and recognize their pastoral and theological continuity with his later works.

Russ Lackey

04/27/26

Practice Needs Promises: Martin Luther, John Mark Comer, and Christian Spirituality

May we, as preachers, rise and proclaim that Jesus Christ is sufficient for all our spiritual hunger.

Daniel Emery Price

04/03/26

Good Friday Reflections on Job

Job needs a savior, and he knows it. And in Jesus, he gets one.

Donavon Riley

03/27/26

The Hermit and the Blackbird

Lent exists because we are forgetful creatures. We forget how hungry we really are.

Magnus Persson

03/25/26

The Original Sin of Preaching: The Constant Craving for a Useful God in Pulpit and Pew

God is not a tool in our hands. He does not exist to serve our goals, our metrics, or our platforms.

1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.

1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.

Study

Resources

Churches

Events

About

My Donations

All Articles