Author

  1. 412: Forde - The gospel, and only the gospel, spells the end of the hidden God

    book
    10/11/25
    12 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    For What It’s Worth. In this episode, we conclude our reading of Gerhard Forde’s "Captivation of the Will." We discuss the conclusion of Luther’s treatise on the bound will, arriving at Christ and election, which reveals Erasmus’s fundamental error — his argument for the human will is actually the original sin, choosing between good and evil.
    412: Forde - The gospel, and only the gospel, spells the end of the hidden God

  2. 411: Forde - Are we puppets, being jerked around against our wills by a malevolent puppeteer?

    book
    10/04/25
    9 mins
    By Donavon Riley | Christopher Gillespie
    Master of Puppets. In this episode, we continue our exploration of the Bondage of the Will, with Gerhard Forde’s book, The Captivation of the Will. We discuss the human will — what it is, what it does, what it wants — and why we are compelled to insist that we have free choice. We also talk about the two paths: one, the path of forgiveness, and the other, the way of morality. Why do we default to morality in matters of choice, and why is the preaching of God’s grace over against morality so offensive to Christians who confess that our knowledge of good and bad is a direct consequence of the original sin in the garden? We also talk about drunkenness, women’s ordination, the offense of irresistible grace, and what the Holy Spirit is up to amidst the disruption that occurs when he sends his preachers to declare an end to the illusion of free choice and reveal his death sentence to bound wills.
    411: Forde - Are we puppets, being jerked around against our wills by a malevolent puppeteer?

  3. 410: Forde - Better not to let the "common herd" in on such lofty and dangerous academic secrets

    book
    09/27/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Have You Herd? In this episode, we continue our reading of The Captivation of Will, discussing the problem of God, the death-ride of morality, scandalous election, the dilemma of sin and freedom and more sin, and the singular calling of Christ’s preachers.
    410: Forde - Better not to let the

  4. 409: Forde - Take away assertions and you take away Christianity

    book
    09/19/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Do You Understand the Words That Are Coming Out of My Mouth? In this episode, we read Gerhard Forde’s monograph on Luther’s treatise on The Bondage of the Will. We discuss scriptural exegesis, its internal and external clarity, how modern readers interpret texts, and why we often misread the Bible, as well as why we frequently fail to understand biblical texts that are overt and explicit in their clarity. This, and a conversation about Erasmus’s word study method, Luther’s assertions, living words, and the vibrating, dangerous energy of Scripture.
    409: Forde - Take away assertions and you take away Christianity

  5. 408: Nestigen - Luther and Erasmus on the Bondage of the Will

    book
    09/12/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Dazed & Confused. In this episode, we continue our series on The Bondage of the Will (1525), by Martin Luther. We read Dr. James Nestingen’s historical introduction to the treatise and delve into the ways two theologians differed in their exegesis of Scripture, their interpretation of Christian doctrine, and the early and medieval church-theological traditions that influenced Erasmus and Luther as they engaged in a back-and-forth.
    408: Nestigen - Luther and Erasmus on the Bondage of the Will

  6. 407: Paulson - The free will is demonstrably not Jesus Christ

    book
    09/06/25
    9 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley | Steven Paulson
    In this episode, we begin our series commemorating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s treatise, de Servo Arbitrio — The Bondage of the Will. We begin by reading Dr. Steven Paulson’s theological analysis of what’s at stake in Luther’s treatise, as well as its sharp-edged consequences for churches today. As it was received then, so it is now by dedicated students of this work: it cleaves those who seek Jesus plus philosophy, ideology, or personal interests from those who insist on Christ alone in all things relating to matters of salvation, faith, etc.
    407: Paulson - The free will is demonstrably not Jesus Christ

  7. Monday, July 28, 2025

    book
    07/28/25
    12 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we head to the mailbag to answer a question about the Virgin Mary in Church history.
    Monday, July 28, 2025

  8. Luke 12:13-21 – Pentecost 8 (C)

    book
    07/28/25
    5 mins
    By Steven Paulson | John W. Hoyum
    On this episode of Preaching the Text, John Hoyum and Steve Paulson take up an inquiry of the crowd with Jesus in which a man asks him to divide his inheritance between himself and his brother.
    Luke 12:13-21 – Pentecost 8 (C)

  9. 401: Q&A on Christian Success

    book
    07/26/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    The Secret of My Success. In this episode, we answer a listener's question about success and the Christian life. How does one measure success? What about when we fail? Is that God’s will? How does the cross inform the Christian definition of success? This and much, much more on today’s Christian podcast!
    401: Q&A on Christian Success

  10. 398: Paulson - A Preacher like Jonah

    book
    06/28/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Little Willy Plays in Duty. In this episode, we read Steven Paulson’s Outlaw God, discussing the appeal of the Law (in the abstract), why old Adam loves pretending he has free will, the Ninevite Conundrum, Jonah’s wormy preacher, and our obsession with placing therapy alongside Christ as a means of grace.
    398: Paulson - A Preacher like Jonah

  11. A Right Sacrifice

    book
    06/27/25
    4 mins
    By Steven Paulson | Caleb Keith
    What is the right sacrifice before God? Dr. Paulson continues to examine Cain and Able in an effort to refute the notion that the difference between the two was a result of the correct use of free will.
    A Right Sacrifice

  12. Cain and Abel

    book
    06/19/25
    4 mins
    By Steven Paulson | Caleb Keith
    Dr. Paulson opens up an examination of the story of Cain and Abel.
    Cain and Abel