Author

  1. Mysticism Through Suffering

    book
    02/19/26
    5 mins
    By Steven Paulson | Caleb Keith
    n this episode of the Outlaw God, Caleb Keith and Dr. Steven Paulson continue their look into suffering, the theology of the cross, and the historical context of mysticism in relation to faith.
    Mysticism Through Suffering

  2. 428: Postman - A great narrative... has sufficient credibility, complexity, and symbolic power to enable one to organize one's life around it

    book
    02/14/26
    12 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    We Don’t Need No Education. In this episode, we read The End of Education by Neal Postman, discussing the mechanisms of public education, religious catechesis, the influence of the Enlightenment and psychoanalysis on contemporary learning, and what happens when fiction replaces truth as the basis of meaning. This and much, much more on today’s show!
    428: Postman - A great narrative... has sufficient credibility, complexity, and symbolic power to enable one to organize one's life around it

  3. 426: Thielicke - The Alluring Miracle of Display

    book
    01/31/26
    12 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Fight the Power! In this episode, we learn from pastor and theologian Helmut Thielecke about the gods we worship, the God that encounters us, and what technology actually does to us. What do Satan’s temptations teach us about Jesus, God’s Word, piety, and making sense of mystery? Is Christianity supposed to be a sensible religion? What kind of “opium” does the evil one offer us to lead us away from the Truth? What is distinctive about the worshippers of the God of power? What happens when technology becomes a means of power rather than merely a tool? What does God’s fight for the world look like, and how does it conclude?
    426: Thielicke - The Alluring Miracle of Display

  4. 424: Kleinig - The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Divine Service

    book
    01/16/26
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    In this episode, we learn about the Holy Spirit and the Divine Service from Dr. John Kleinig. In particular, we discuss how Christ gives the Spirit to the church through his word, how Christ institutes the divine service and empowers it with God’s Spirit, and how the church receives the Holy Spirit by faith in God’s word as it is proclaimed and enacted in the divine service. The conversation revolves around the central question: How then can we be sure that the Spirit is at work in our worship?
    424: Kleinig - The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Divine Service

  5. Monday, January 5, 2026

    book
    01/05/26
    12 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Today on the Christian History Almanac, we head to the mailbag to answer a question about Eastern Orthodoxy and the Bible.
    Monday, January 5, 2026

  6. Grace and Absolution in Wake Up Dead Man with David Zahl

    book
    12/19/25
    3 mins
    By Kelsi Klembara | David Zahl
    Kelsi chats with David Zahl about themes of faith and grace in Rian Johnson's newest film, Knives Out: Wake Up Dead Man.
    Grace and Absolution in Wake Up Dead Man with David Zahl

  7. 417: Luther - A deep, evil corruption of nature that reason does not comprehend

    book
    11/21/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    How Deep Is Your Love! In this episode, we continue our reading of the Smalcald Articles, focusing our attention on sin and the law. What is sin? What does it do to us? What are its effects? And, in following, what is the relationship of the law to sin? Does the law empower us to sin less? Can the law produce good works and good fruits? What is the function of pastoral care in relation to sin and the law? All this and much, much more on this episode of the podcast.
    417: Luther - A deep, evil corruption of nature that reason does not comprehend

  8. Written vs Spoken

    book
    10/31/25
    4 mins
    By Steven Paulson | Caleb Keith
    In this episode of the Outlaw God, Dr. Steven Paulson and Caleb Keith focus on Paul's interpretation of Moses in 2 Corinthians.
    Written vs Spoken

  9. 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

  10. On Apathy and Excuses

    book
    09/10/25
    4 mins
    By Adam Francisco | David Andersen
    David and Adam discuss religious apathy and the excuses people give for avoiding church.
    On Apathy and Excuses

  11. The Gift of Holy Scripture with Jonathan Linebaugh

    book
    09/09/25
    9 mins
    By Kelsi Klembara
    Kelsi is joined by Jonathan Linebaugh to discuss his new book, The Well that Washes What it Shows: An Invitation to Holy Scripture.
    The Gift of Holy Scripture with Jonathan Linebaugh

  12. Spiritual but not religious, nones, et cetera episode artwork

    book
    09/03/25
    4 mins
    By Adam Francisco | David Andersen
    David and Adam begin a conversation on what to think and do about the religiously unaffiliated--those who claim to be spiritual but not religious and/or check the "none" box on religious surveys.
    Spiritual but not religious, nones, et cetera episode artwork