Welcome to Banned Books, where we read and converse with the rebel children, the holy mischief-makers of God, who fight against the kind of useless religious, spiritual, and moral methods of life improvement that seek to smother the glory of God in Jesus Christ. We want to introduce you to those who forgot everything except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Welcome rebel children, holy mischief-makers, and fools for Christ.
You’re not making Christianity better; you’re making Stoicism worse. Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion of free will and predestination by reading Clement of Alexandria. Where does the doctrine of free will originate? What happens when a Christian blends biblical…
I thought we had something, but then you do and pull this. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Iranaeus on free will and predestination. What part do Christians play in their salvation? Do we choose to sin? Who goes to…
Just Think of This As a Friendly Test That Could Get You Thrown into Hell, Or Not... Your Choice. Why do we demand that the choice be ours as regards our salvation or damnation? How does the doctrine of free…
The Only Wrong Choice Is to Not Make a Choice... Where does the belief in free will originate? Is free will a biblical doctrine? How does Justin’s teaching on free will and salvation still influence the church and western culture…
They’re just psalms! It’s OK to pray them! They’re psalms! Gillespie and Riley take a listener request. They read and discuss the collects of Thomas Cranmer. Why pray? What should be the content and focus of prayer? How does old…
Must... continue... thinking... in... ways... that... lead... to... dying... with... meaning. Gillespie and Riley finish their reading and discussion of Viktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning. How has Frankl's book changed the way people discuss identity and meaning? How…
We’re all going to die. Come watch TV. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Viktor Frankl's, Man's Search for Meaning. Why has a book that was written by a psychoanalyst and neurologist about his experience in the Nazi death camps…
I mean, if you spend all day shuffling words around, you can make anything sound bad. Gillespie and Riley finish their discussion of the book, Mission to Nuremberg. What happens when a pastor is called to minister to Nazi war…
There's a lesson here and we're not going to be the ones to figure it out. What happens when a pastor is called to minister to Nazi war criminals? This is the second of three episodes, where we talk about…
Believing stuff is about the stuff, not the believing. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss the book, Mission to Nuremberg. What happens when a pastor is called to minister to Nazi war criminals? This is the first of three episodes…
Click on the button with the picture of the Nazi on it.Gillespie and Riley read and discuss an excerpt from Hermann Sasse’s 1932 article against National Socialism. What happens when the message of the church and state are indistinguishable?
Click on the button with the picture of the Nazi on it.Gillespie and Riley read and discuss an excerpt from Hermann Sasse’s 1932 article against National Socialism. What happens when the message of the church and state are indistinguishable?
Cheap Grace, a monument to compromise. Gillespie and Riley continue their conversation about Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship. This episode, more talk about grace, Nazis, and why the Gospel “but” is so important.
Cheap grace... some people would pay top dollar for that kind of breakthrough. Gillespie and Riley take a listener request and discuss Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, The Cost of Discipleship. Grace, discipline, Nazis, and why context matters in this episode.
Christmas? This Is Pretty Much The Whole Package. Gillespie and Riley read and so discuss Augustine’s sermon “Why Celebrate Christmas?” This episode, more rabbit trails, laughs, and discussion of Psalm 85 as the perfect Christmas sermon text.
Break the cycle. Rise above. Focus on Christ in the manger. In their monumental 100th episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss G.K. Chesterton’s “The Christmas Ballads.” This episode, it’s a lot of incarnation talk and a few rabbit trails…
Sometimes, the end is just the beginning. Gillespie and Riley conclude their reading of Martin Luther’s treatise on The Bondage of The Will. This episode, they discuss the relation of emotions to God’s Word and why Christians aren’t skeptics…
I’m sorry, but your opinion means very little to me. Gillespie and Riley start to wrap up their reading of Martin Luther’s Bondage of The Will with a discussion of the Bible’s clarity and why personal feelings and our need…
What about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley wrap up (but, not really) their series on Martin Luther's treatise on The Bondage of the Will. This episode, Erasmus and Luther butt heads about how to interpret Scripture. Luther…
Free choice? It'll blow your mind and crush your soul. Gillespie and Riley start to wrap up their series on Martin Luther's treatise on The Bondage of the Will. This episode, what is free choice according to Erasmus? What's at…
Law and Gospel? Let us grab our whiteboard. This has been a long time coming, anyways. Gillespie and Riley talk about what happens when we fail to distinguish God's word of Law from Gospel. More talk about why grammar matters…
Worshipping the hidden God is basically a funeral with cake! Gillespie and Riley discuss the distinction between God hidden and revealed, and the consequences for how we read the Bible, preach, teach, and care for each other.
Break the cycle. Rise above. Focus on letting God be God. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther’s treatise on the Bondage of The Will. This episode, why Erasmus, deep down, doesn’t want to let God be God for…
C’mon. Free choice? It’s a thought we’ve all had. Gillespie and Riley discuss why free choice is nothing in relation to God and Satan. Why do we insist on participating in our salvation? What’s our end game in arguments for…
But, what about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley discuss original sin and free choice as they continue to read Martin Luther's treatise on "The Bondage of The Will." In this episode, free choice, grace, and Paul paint…
Oh, wow... that's an intense line of questioning. Gillespie and Riley discuss the vital distinction between the righteousness of works and faith in Martin Luther's "The Bondage of The Will." In this episode, it's Abraham, Paul, and the destruction of…
Gotta rip the bandaid off now. You’ll thank us later. Gillespie and Riley continue to read and discuss Martin Luther’s work on The Bondage of The Will. This week, reading the Bible categorically, doing theology categorically, and why rejecting election…
Look: You’ve Got Two Choices, Well, Maybe One... Or None. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther’s work on The Bondage of The Will. This week, the discussion focuses on where there’s room for choice [as regards to our…
What I Choose Is My Choice! Gillespie and Riley continue their reading and discussion of Luther’s treatise on the bound will. This episode, what happens when God’s election of sinners in Christ Jesus is de-emphasized?
You Want The Truth? You Can’t Handle The Truth! Gillespie and Riley begin their series on "The Bondage of The Will," one of only two books Martin Luther wrote that he claimed were worth preserving. In this episode, we begin…
Sane People Would Pay Top Dollar for This Kind of Podcast. Gillespie, Riley, and special guest Chad Bird read from his book, "Your God is Too Glorious." They then discuss baptism, suffering, and vocation.
I’m spiritual, not Spiritual. Gillespie and Riley continue hijacking their podcast to honor their spiritual father, Norman Nagel. This week, we discuss how to sort out gifts we give ourselves and gifts given by God.
There was Gospel, and blood, and he killed a guy with a trident. Gillespie and Riley continue hijacking their podcast to honor their spiritual father, Norman Nagel, this time on the Lord's Supper from his “The Spirit’s Gifts in the…
He has a way of expressing himself that could make a wolverine purr. Gillespie and Riley hijack their own podcast to pay tribute to their theological hero, Norman Nagel, by reading his article, “The Spirit’s Gifts in the Confessions and…
What about the reality we left behind? Gillespie and Riley get to the last chapter of The Pilgrim's Progress. This episode, baptism, carrot on a stick Jesus, and why verbs matter.
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fu... wait, wrong story! Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress. This week, giants, good friends, and more cages.
Despite all my rage, I’m still just a baptized sinner in a cage. Gillespie and Riley respond to a listener request about The Pilgrim’s Progress. This week, we go back to the Interpreter’s House to see about a man in…
Get it all together and put it in a backpack, all your vanity, so it’s together. Gillespie and Riley read The Pilgrim's Progress and discuss the "both-and" of Vanity Fair for Christians.
So we bailed on that reality and we came to this one. Gillespie and Riley continue to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress. This episode, why fight demons when God will do it for you?
Life... say this out loud with an aspirational sigh. Gillespie and Riley continue their series on Pilgrim's Progress. This episode, the cross, present-tense Jesus, and getting the direction right.
So I exist in this wasteland. A man reduced to a single instinct: get to Mount Zion. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress." This week, chapter one and two, The City of Destruction and Interpreter's…
Once I was a pilgrim, a road warrior searching for a righteous end. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress." This week, chapter one, The City of Destruction. We talk about apocalyptic literature, our old friend…
I like to think of Jesus as a mischievous badger. Gillespie and Riley again read and discuss C.S. Lewis' The Joyful Christian. This episode, the Incarnation. Do we go far enough with Jesus' incarnation, to where He wants us to…
And I'm Free, Free Falling... Gillespie and Riley read and discuss C.S. Lewis' meditation on the Fall into Sin. They go deep into the subjects of free will, dualism, retributive justice, and why discussing sin isn't as easy as we'd…
It’s inconceivable! Gillespie and Riley continue to read and discuss Robert Capon’s “The Mystery of Christ... and why we don’t get it.” Faith, works, and more Christian absurdity.
Banned Books Jumps The Shark. Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Crucifying Religion, by Donavon Riley so Riley can have a discussion about himself with himself. It’s a meta, meta episode!
Would You Like to Play a Game? Gillespie and Riley return to Robert Capon to read and discuss the incarnation of Jesus and how we try to turn free grace into a transaction.
There's Something About Mary — Gillespie and Riley dive deep into an early church argument about Mary, why a bishop named Nestorius, and Mohammed, rejected the virgin birth, and why it's important to discuss the topic today.
Fat Camels and Catchy Songs — Gillespie and Riley finish their reading of John of Damascus’ critique of Islam, then jump into the writings of Arius to better understand the foundation of Islam and modern American Christianity.
An enthusiast came in here looking for you — real God and country-type. I don't know. Might further the plot? Gillespie and Riley read and discuss John of Damascus again this week. What’s an enthusiast? Why are footnotes important? How…
And Your Bird Can Sing! Gillespie and Riley conclude their discussion of hymnody with Chad Bird’s hymn, The Infant Priest Was Holy Born. Again, they focus on pastoral care, comfort for Christians, and what happens when the church ignores the…
Do You Have a Great Hymn This Week? Go Fish! This week, Gillespie and Riley discuss Thomas Chisholm’s poem turned hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. More discussion of hymnody, church music, and how what we sing can help or hinder…
Jesus joins us in our weirdness. In this episode, Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion of how to judge a hymn with Joseph Scriverner’s classic hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
Pump the hate brakes, Riley! This week, Gillespie and Riley begin a four-episode discussion on how to judge a hymn. In the first installment, they look at Amazing Grace and ask: "Is this a great, good, or bad hymn?" What…
Daddy needs to discuss some law and grace.... Chicka-chickahhhhh! This week, Gillespie and Riley go live, reading, discussing, and responding to your questions and comments about Bunyan's writing on law and grace.
How does it... umm... how does it work? In this episode, Gillespie and Riley continue to read and discuss the Schwabach Articles. Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Church, and all things churchy.
You’re using theological coconuts! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss The Schwabach Articles. Sin, faith, lots of Holy Spirit, and why the Schwabach Articles are the roots of Lutheran, Reformed, and Protestant confessions of faith.
Papa, can you hear me? In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss the Marburg Theses. The Reformers, Luther and Zwingli (and their colleagues), sat down to try to find common theological ground. What resulted has influenced the Church…
Dear Rome... Yeah, It’s Probably For The Best That We Never See Each Other Again. This week, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Ulrich Zwingli’s 67 Theses defending the theological reforms in Zurich. Zwingli is provocative, sometimes hyperbolic, but driven…
You have us the Good News now give us the goods! This week, Gillespie and Riley give Oswald Chambers a second go-round, reading and discussing The Collision of God and Sin.
When You’re a Christian Communicator... Sometimes You Have to Not Talk About Jesus?! Riley and Gillespie tackle a request from a listener to engage with Beth Moore, popular author and speaker among evangelical Christian women.
In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Charles Spurgeon's sermon, "God or Self - Which?" This week, traditions, rituals, and a lot of talk about pastoral care.
This week, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Flannery O’Connor’s short story, Good Country People. What does it mean that someone is a good Christian?
This week, Gillespie and Riley read from Dostoevsky's novel, The Idiot, and discuss the roots of the Roman Catholic church, atheism, socialism, and distinguishing between Christ and the Gospel and our own need to be God in God's place.
This week, we read from Bo Giertz’s novel, “The Hammer of God,” and discuss belief, revivalism versus liturgy, and what happens when Jesus alone is the focus of all our attention.
In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Billy Graham’s sermon, and the consequences of preaching law after the Gospel, adverbs, and the importance of staying away from God where He isn’t preached, revealed, and worshipped in Christ Jesus…
In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read St. Augustine’s response to the Pelagians, who used his earlier writings against him, about misrepresentation concerning the effect of baptism.
This week, Gillespie and Riley read a pastoral letter written by Martin Luther advising a friend to not avoid being a sinner and put all his sins on Christ, who became the chief of sinners for us.
The Brutal, Humiliating, Joyous Christmas Gospel! Gillespie and Riley return this week with another episode dedicated to Martin Luther's Christmas sermon. This time, they dig into the underlying brutality of the Christmas Gospel, Mary's humiliation, and Joseph's dilemma.
Christmas: the Perfect Time of Year for a Theologian of the Cross! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read from a Christmas sermon by their favorite heretic, Martin Luther. They discuss Mary's example of how God makes theologians of the…
Planking with Brennan Manning... Gillespie and Riley follow up their reading of Brennan Manning's Advent Meditation, "Shipwrecked at The Stable" by discussing why Roman Catholic theology, as Manning presents it, is so appealing to Protestants.
Planking with Brennan Manning... This week, Gillespie and Riley dive into Brennan Manning's Advent Meditation, "Shipwrecked at The Stable," and they go deep into Manning's expression of Roman Catholic theology.
This week, Gillespie and Riley tackle your questions and comments. We discuss election, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Bible translations, Sunday School, and much, much more.
Please, Love Me Like You Do... This week, Gillespie and Riley wrap up their reading of Gerhard Forde's "On Being a Theologian of The Cross." What are the ramifications for Christians when God creates (He does not find) that which…
Don't Like That We're Righteous Apart From Works? We're Not Done Yet. Continuing their conversation from episode #31, Gillespie and Riley follow Gerhard Forde, and with him examine Luther's Heidelberg Disputation. This week, Aristotle, righteousness, and whose work is worth…
Don't Like That We're Righteous Apart From Works? Good. Gillespie and Riley return this week, in conversation with Gerhard Forde about death, doing your best, and getting the "good" of works put in its proper place.
If there's one thing a theologian of glory doesn't understand, it's the cross! Gillespie and Riley continue their conversation about thesis nineteen of Luther's Heidelberg Disputation (with commentary by Gerhard Forde), and what distinguishes a theologian of the cross from…
If there's one thing a theologian of glory doesn't understand, it's the cross! This week, Gillespie and Riley read Luther's nineteenth thesis from his Heidelberg Disputation, and (with Gerhard Forde's help) converse about whether a theologian of glory is really…
I Want What I Want When I Want It... Again! This week, Gillespie and Riley return to the problem of the will (with much help from Gerhard Forde) as Martin Luther expresses it in thesis thirteen of the Heidelberg Disputation.
I Want What I Want When I Want It! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley dig into section two of Forde's book, "On Being a Theologian of the Cross: Reflections on Luther's Heidelberg Disputation. This week, the problem of the…
Let out the Viking, but keep him on the chain… In this episode, Gillespie and Riley dive into Forde’s use of the analogy of addiction to explain original sin, passive righteousness, Jesus as Giver and gift, and Riley lets out…
All this damage - and it's old Adam’s fault. This week, Gillespie and Riley dive back into Forde’s “On Being a Theologian of the Cross.” With the help of Paul, Augustine, and Luther they discuss God’s revealed Law, righteousness, and…
Your Theology Is Creating A Nice Little Climate of Panic! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley continue their reading of Gerhard Forde’s “On Being a Theologian of The Cross.” This week, they discuss the two ways of being a theologian…
You'd think that killing people would make them like you? This week, in preparation for the HWSS Conference, Gillespie and Riley jump into On Being a Theologian of the Cross, by Gerhard Forde. Why did Luther say, "The cross alone…
I'm stepping - I'm stepping in it! What does it smell like? In this episode, Gillespie and Riley discuss Menno Simon's writing on faith, why prepositions matter, and the practical consequences of Gospel-law sermons.
Just Follow The Step by Step Instructions. This week, Gillespie and Riley dig into a sermon by William Seymour, who was a key figure in the Asuza Street Revival outpouring. In particular, they zero in on baptism, the means of…
One sermon, two men, maximum effort! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley jump back into Whitefield's sermon, "The Folly and Danger of Being Not Righteous Enough." This week, they turn a more critical eye on Whitefield's sermon, discussing revivalism, sermonizing…
One sermon, maximum effort! This week, Gillespie and Riley discuss a sermon by George Whitefield, who defends his theology against the attacks of an “old light.”
Now... okay, so, angels as people, tell me about that. Walk me through it. Gillespie and Riley touch down on Origen's commentary on John's Gospel this week. They discuss martyrology, whether angels come disguised as people, and why it's important…
I feel the need… the need for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ! In this episode, Gillespie and Riley jump back into another letter from John Hus. This week, they discuss Hus’ letter to the people of Prague, urging…
No, boys. There's two "O"s in Goose. In this episode, Gillespie and Riley dive into another letter from John Hus. This week, they take a critical look at Hus and discuss the influence of traditional Roman doctrine on Hus’ calls…
With this collar on, my superpower is just unbridled preaching! Pastors Gillespie and Riley read a letter from John Huss to John Barbatus about the biblical teaching on who can (and cannot) preach.
We're not going to walk this one off. Riley and Gillespie continue their theological adventure through Robert Capon's "The Astonished Heart." This week, they examine the corporate model of the church, then get transparent critiquing themselves in relation to the…
Pump the moralistic, therapeutic, deism brakes, American Christianity. Pastors Riley and Gillespie can't get enough of Robert Capon's "The Astonished Heart," so this week, they talk about the roots of American Christianity, and how to establish churches that function without…
According to the Kübler-Ross model, starting your own church is just one of the five stages of divorce. Pastors Riley and Gillespie jump back into Robert Capon's "The Astonished Heart," to discuss Henry VIII, Catholic elasticity, and mini-Christendoms.
I Guess Reformation Theology and Dubstep Never Dies. Pastors Riley and Gillespie jump back into Robert Capon's "The Astonished Heart," to discuss Martin Luther, the Reformation, and what happens when justification by faith alone busts loose in Christendom.
Who are you? I'm Batma... I'm Constantine. Pastors Riley and Gillespie jump into Robert Capon's "The Astonished Heart," to discuss Constantine, Christendom and it's consequences.
Rounding up all the Christendom in the world and launching it into space so it cannot ever hurt us again. Pastors Riley and Gillespie continue to discuss Soren Kierkegaard’s “Preparation for Christianity,” where the Dane criticizes the church for making…
Rounding up all the Christendom in the world and launching it into space so it cannot ever hurt us again. Pastors Riley and Gillespie discuss Soren Kierkegaard’s “Preparation for Christianity,” where the Dane criticizes the church for offering people a…
Two Natures and Maximum Effort! Riley and Gillespie continue to talk about Athanasius’ “On The Incarnation”, but this week they get into the historical, bodily resurrection of Jesus, and why Jesus’ resurrection upends our search for self-discovery and meaning.
Two Natures and Maximum Effort! Riley and Gillespie talk about Athanasius’ apology in his writing, “On The Incarnation”, for the historical, bodily death of Jesus, and why Jesus’ death and resurrection is the end of religion.
Theological Inception! Riley and Gillespie continue to talk about C.S. Lewis talking about Athanasius talking about Jesus, and offer lots of explanations for what they said in episode 2.
Theological Inception! Riley and Gillespie continue to talk about C.S. Lewis talking about Athanasius talking about Jesus, but there’s no tub of water to fall back into at the end of this podcast.
Theological Inception! Welcome to the inaugural episode. Listen to Pastors Riley and Gillespie talk about C.S. Lewis talking about Athanasius talking about Jesus.
