This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 in Sinner Saint: A Surprising Primer to the Christian Life (1517 Publishing, 2025). Sinner Saint is available today from 1517 Publishing.
On its journey from Byzantium to Constantinople to Istanbul, this special place helps us understand the broader arc of Christian history, which goes on until Christ's return.
We needn’t fear statistics and studies as palm readings into a certain future. God is God, and his Spirit is alive through his Word.

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God gives his church a story that helps to make sense of this life.
Your justification isn’t a matter of “Jesus plus” anything.
It would serve us well to embrace the beauty of our diversity within the unity of the body of Christ.
Jesus reveals to them again who He is. And that life can only be given when we feed on Christ.
Paul has zero patience for the gospel of God to be called into question, especially when the ones questioning it are the ones who should’ve known better.
In this article Amy Mantravadi give a short but helpful summary of the differences in Lutheran and Reformed thought regarding assurance.
An Analysis of Galatians 5:1-6
Amy Mantravadi asks if we should forgive others even if they are not repentant
In this piece Bob Hiller follows C.S. Lewis’ lead from Screwtape Letters and offers a sequel of his own.
No plot spoilers here just some really Good News
Curious about what Lutherans mean by “Two Kingdom”? In this short piece John Hoyum sums up the doctrine and some of its potential consequences.
A pastor shares his own experience of loneliness and hope