Author

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Tips on suffering well for the positionally righteous

    book
    07/23/25
    4 mins
    By Troy Neujahr | Craig Donofrio
    How can we be righteous even in the face of evil?
    Tips on suffering well for the positionally righteous

  7. 395: Questions Answered

    book
    06/09/25
    7 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Just Answer the Question. In this episode, we answer listener questions, specifically active and passive choices, active and passive righteousness, election and the bondage of the will, addiction, the limits of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the ultimate Good we all seek, and much, much more.
    395: Questions Answered

  8. 392: Keller - What Is the Church?

    book
    05/16/25
    11 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Come Together, Right Now… In this episode, we read from Tim Keller’s sermon, which asks, “What is the Church?” We discuss the relationship between churches and culture, what the church is and isn’t, where we locate faith, whether Christian faith changes one’s values, and much more.
    392: Keller - What Is the Church?

  9. 391: The gracious will and good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus

    book
    05/08/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Burning Down The House. In this episode, we continue our discussion of election, addressing the certainty of election, how we are chosen, the human limits of perseverance in faith, why the pope is a bad example of Christian piety, and how old Adam tries to invert election by burying it in our sacrifices and pious moralism.
    391: The gracious will and good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus

  10. 386: Pastoral Debrief with a bit of Flacius

    book
    04/04/25
    8 mins
    By Christopher Gillespie | Donavon Riley
    Kick Out the Jams. In this episode, we focus on the raw, real work of life in the parish—the ordinary burdens, the hidden insecurities, and the quiet faith that holds it all together. We explore the distinction between philosophy and theology and why attempts to fuse them often leave both diminished. There’s talk of reformation—its drama, its necessity, and its cost. We reflect on the pervasive victim-perpetrator dynamic that shapes so much of modern life and how the gospel when rightly preached, breaks that cycle. At the heart of it all is this: the power of Christ’s mercy to open what we’ve shut tight, to drive out the bitterness we’ve made into habit, and to speak a word stronger than shame.
    386: Pastoral Debrief with a bit of Flacius

  11. What Is the Church?

    book
    03/06/25
    5 mins
    By Steven Paulson | Caleb Keith
    Erasmus accused Luther of being outside of the church and having a novel understanding of Scripture.
    What Is the Church?

  12. The CHA Weekend Edition Presents: A Brief History of the World’s Most Famous Book, Part IV

    book
    01/04/25
    5 mins
    By Dan van Voorhis
    Weekend Edition for January 4-5, 2025
    The CHA Weekend Edition Presents: A Brief History of the World’s Most Famous Book, Part IV