Episodes
Filter by Date
417: Luther - A deep, evil corruption of nature that reason does not comprehend
November 21, 2025 |
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.
416: Luther - To this office of the law, however, the New Testament immediately adds the consoling promise of grace through the gospel
November 13, 2025 |
Don’t Look Back in Anger. In this episode, we continue reading Martin Luther’s Smalcald Articles, focusing on contrition, repentance, and freedom. Why does the law need to terrify and leave us hopeless? How does attention to the self lead us into death and hell? What happens when belief is preached as something “we do” rather than something “done to” us? Likewise, when repentance is self-activated and self-actuated, what are the consequences for our daily lives? This and much, much more on this episode of the show.
415: Luther - The Mass is a dangerous thing, fabricated and invented without God’s Word and will
November 7, 2025 |
Mass Effect. In this episode, we continue our reading of The Smalcald Articles, focusing on Luther’s critique of the Roman Mass and all its consequences for the churches and Christian life. We discuss mimetic desire, sacrificial religion, the exclusive work of Jesus.
Enjoying the 1517 podcast? Subscribe now! Stay connected,
never miss an episode, and support our mission. Your click counts. Thank you!
414: Luther - God is extravagantly rich in His grace
October 31, 2025 |
An Arm-Twisting Confession. In this episode, we read Martin Luther’s Smalcald Articles on the gospel, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Why did he have to have “his arm twisted” to write them? What is he trying to teach the churches about the gospel? How does the gospel circumscribe and define the Church, worship, and Christian life? Why does something written in the 1530s matter today? We look to answer all these questions and more on this episode of the Banned Books podcast.
413: Debrief on the Bondage of the Will
October 24, 2025 |
The Never-Ending Story of our Bound Will & Election. In this episode, we write an epilogue —so to speak— to our series on the Bondage of the Will and wrap up our thoughts about the Here We Still Stand Conference 2025. We ask, “From whence comes a preacher?” Where does one go for gospel-comfort and the gifts of salvation? What is the Gospel? What is the purpose of the Church? What are the practical consequences of having a will that is bound up to sin, the world, and the evil one? What happens when the churches reject the “hinge” upon which all doctrines turn? And we talk about fantasy and science-fiction writing, 80s children’s movies, and other pop culture nostalgia.
412: Forde - The gospel, and only the gospel, spells the end of the hidden God
October 11, 2025 |
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.
Enjoying the 1517 podcast? Subscribe now! Stay connected,
never miss an episode, and support our mission. Your click counts. Thank you!
411: Forde - Are we puppets, being jerked around against our wills by a malevolent puppeteer?
October 4, 2025 |
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.
410: Forde - Better not to let the "common herd" in on such lofty and dangerous academic secrets
September 27, 2025 |
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.
409: Forde - Take away assertions and you take away Christianity
September 19, 2025 |
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.
Enjoying the 1517 podcast? Subscribe now! Stay connected,
never miss an episode, and support our mission. Your click counts. Thank you!
408: Nestigen - Luther and Erasmus on the Bondage of the Will
September 12, 2025 |
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.
407: Paulson - The free will is demonstrably not Jesus Christ
September 6, 2025 |
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.
406: Giertz - The Parish Church
August 30, 2025 |
Take Me to Church. In this episode, we read Bo Giertz’s "Christ’s Church: Her Biblical Roots, Her Dramatic History, Her Saving Presence, Her Glorious Future." The Church, who is she? What kind of life is present within the church walls? Who wants to understand that life better and know more about it? We read Christ's Church and take you on a walk from her biblical roots toward her glorious future.
Hosts & Guests
Donavon Riley
HostInformation
Channel
1517 Podcast Network
Creator
1517 Podcasts
1517 Podcasts
2015 - 2023
Episodes
371
Rating
Clean
