Jonathan Huggins joins us on the podcast today with a sermon for the season of Advent reflecting on peace. How does the Gospel redefine shalom—peace—with God, within ourselves, and with others? How can we maintain relational and psychological rest in our souls when facing the anxiety-producing situations of our modern world?
For our December episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading (and, on this occasion, watching):
JRR Tolkien, Return of the King, (1955)
Mark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (1995)
Stephen King, Carrie (1974)
Cormac McCarthy, The Border Trilogy, (1999)
Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen, American Nietzsche: A History of an Icon and His Idea, 2011
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (2024)
Today, Chris Ganski shares a sermon on Acts 17:1-9. In the wake of the 2024 election, the book of Acts can be an excellent resource to consider the relationship between church and politics. In the context of Acts 17, does Caesar have anything to fear from the church? What is the church, and what does it mean to belong to the church? How does the church’s identity influence our understanding of the gospel as political? This and more on today’s podcast.
Pastor Caleb Campbell joins the podcast to discuss how pastors might guide their congregations through the results of the 2024 election, drawing from his experience pastoring in Phoenix, AZ. He also discusses his book "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor." How can we helpfully engage those in their community who align with combative political perspectives? How can pastors support members who are struggling to have conversations with family members, or for whom the election stirs up difficult emotions? This and more on today's episode.
Douglas Estes joins the podcast once again to discuss the second volume of a collection of essays he edited on theology in the works and worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. We talk about the role of narrative fiction in shaping pastoral theology and how works like The Lord of the Rings can serve those who lead the church in the present day.
Are there legitimate "conservative" and "liberal" impulses in the Christian faith? How does personality and temperament relate to political affiliation for church leaders and congregants? How can pastors shepherd their congregations well during a time of heightened political polarization? We discuss these and other questions with CPT Co-founder Gerald Hiestand, who serves as the Senior Pastor of Calvary Memorial Church, a politically diverse congregation in the near west suburbs of Chicago.
What do apologetic discussions look like in a post-Christian age? How can pastors prepare to answer the apologetic questions raised by contemporary culture and the individuals in their congregations? All humans think in stories and narratives. What is the Christian story? What are the contemporary stories being told in our culture? CPT fellow Josh Chatraw joins the podcast to his unique angle on the task of apologetics and to discuss his new book Telling a Better Story: How to Talk about God in a Skeptical Age.
What is the connection between gnosticism, the incarnation, and contemporary controversies related to race and racial injustice? Cherith Fee Nordling joins the podcast to discuss this question, the over-individualization of Christianity, and the tension of living in the radical middle.
CPT Podcast host Todd Wilson and co-host Zachary Wagner discuss Zach's journey of faith and education so far. How does the so-called "anti-intellectualism" of evangelicalism manifest in local churches? Is this a fair characterization of this Christian tradition? What are the strengths and drawbacks of both Bible college education and a liberal arts education for Christians? Zachary Wagner is the Managing Director of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
CPT fellow Gavin Ortlund joins the podcast gain to discuss his habits of study and writing, as well as his recently published Retrieving Augustine's Doctrine of Creation: Ancient Wisdom for Current Controversy (IVP Academic, 2020). What were the important emphases of Augustine's doctrine of creation and view of what we would call "science"? What can we learn from this church father on humility? In what other surprising ways is Augustine's surprisingly relevant for theological controversies related to evolution, animal death, and creation ex nihilo?
CPT fellow JT English joins the podcast again to share the story of how he gave up his “dream job” at the Village Church in Dallas to accept a call as Lead Pastor of Storyline Fellowship in Colorado. Listen now to this amazing story of God’s provision and guidance.
How should Christians and pastors approach the 2020 election? How have the two major political parties changed in recent years? How can Christian leaders influence politicians rather than being influenced by politicians? Karen Swallow Prior joins the podcast do discuss her approach to voting, political parties, and the importance of character when Christians engage in politics.
On this episode of the podcast we are joined by CPT fellow Rachel Stahle. Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Towanda, PA. Rachel shares her story of life, education, and conversion, which involved a unique and dramatic experience where Jesus appeared to her during college.
What makes the pastor theologian different from the academic theologian? What types of theological reflection is the pastor particularly well-positioned to engage? What has been lost as the theological task has moved away from the church and into the academy? This episode features a conference lecture from Dr. Gerald Hiestand, co-founder of the CPT.
Gerald Hiestand is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL. He is a co-founder of the Center for Pastor Theologians, and currently serves as the Board Chair. He is the co-author of The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision.
What are the good works that God has prepared for the church to do in 2020? How can white pastors love their black congregants well? What does it look like for Christians as individuals and the church as a whole to reckon with hard questions about politics and faith? On this episode we are joined by Dr. Vincent Bacote, Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics.
This resource is part of the series More than Imago Dei: Theological Explorations on Race. Click here to explore more resources from this series.
Vincent Bacote is an Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics. He is the author of several books, including The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life (Zondervan, 2015).
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