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.
On this episode of the podcast, we are joined by CPT fellow Nathan Chambers, pastor of Wiser Lake Chapel in Lynden, WA. Nathan earned his MCS in Old Testament at Regent College and his PhD in Biblical Studies from Durham University. In the first part of our conversation, Nathan shares about archetypes of evangelicalism, growing up in the faith, and his educational path through philosophy and Old Testament studies.
How has theological education served to denigrate the African American preaching tradition? What is the distinction between the style and theory of preaching? How does an emphasis on disenfranchisement, hope, and the practical immediacy of the text make Black preaching unique? We continue our conversation with CPT Fellow Eric Redmond as he discusses the history of expository preaching in the African American Church church.
CPT Fellow Eric Redmond rejoins the podcast to discuss the recent guilty verdict rendered against Derek Chauvin in the George Flloyd murder trial. We discuss the response of conservative evangelicals, as well as the different historical perspectives of white and black Christians on police violence. What are the biblical and theological dynamics at play in these discussions? How do we as Christians cultivate our integrity in the way we engage social issues, avoiding selectivity and fearful self-protection.
This episode features a presentation from our 2019 conference on technology, given by CPT Fellow Dan Brendsel. Dan joins Zach Wagner to reflect on his talk in a now post-Covid world. Technology is like a road, a tool that is formed with pre-determined purpose and utility that separates us from something naturally vital to reality. A path on the other hand is different. A path is a way of moving through the world that does not view the environment around it as something to be used and torn through. The church is to be a path, a distinct culture that orients itself around creation rather than technology. The technology of the church, its liturgy, should not resist its context but cultivate its sense of place. How does the liturgical "technology" of bread and wine inform the way we as Christians view technology in general?
CPT fellow Paul Morrison joins the podcast to discuss his story of life, education, and becoming a pastor theologian. Paul serves as a Pastor at the Church at West Creek in Ohio and is a co-founder of the Ohio Theological Institute.
CPT co-founder and board chair Gerald Hiestand joins the podcast to discuss some of the recent history of the CPT and how his transition from an associate pastor to senior pastor role affected his research and theological reflection. What are the challenges and advantages of doing theology from a pastoral post? Is it possible to live out the historic vision of the pastor theologian in today's cultural and church climate? How does the pastoral vocation tend towards simplicity but not "dumbing it down" in theological reflection?
In this episode, we continue our conversation with award-winning author Carolyn Weber. We discuss her story of life and her academic career, including balancing her witness while engaging fruitfully in her discipline. How should Christians and aspiring pastors think of cultivating their writing and word-craft? How can faithful Christian thinker maintain a posture of humility and openness to new ideas and thinkers that challenge them?
We are joined on this episode by Carolyn Weber, professor of English and the award-winning author of Surprised by Oxford and Sex and the City of God. We talk with Dr. Weber about her story of life and faith, including her conversion while studying English literature at the University of Oxford.
Beginning in Fall 2021, the CPT will partner with the Wheaton College Graduate School in offering an M.A. in Theology with a concentration in Ecclesial Theology. This program is designed for students interested in studying theology with a specific orientation toward ministry in the local church. On this special mid-week podcast episode, CPT staff are joined by Marc Cortez, a Professor of Theology at Wheaton, to discuss this new program, its unique value for students, and how you can find out more and apply.
Is there a liturgical renewal movement in low-church evangelicalism? How can pastors and worship ministers rehearse the story of redemption through the liturgy of worship every week? How can we view music and preaching not as separate parts of the worship service, but as synchronized ways of embedding the gospel in our hearts? Listen now to our interview with Paul van der Bijl, Director of Worship and Music at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chicago.
ARTICLE: Life Is Hard, Be Humble: Thomas Aquinas on Humility
NATHAN BARCZI
PODCAST: What We’re Reading — December 2024
CPT STAFF
ARTICLE: Christians and the Virtues
BENJAMIN BURKHOLDER
NEWS: Announcing Two New Learning Cohorts
CPT NEWS UPDATE
