On The Line

In this conversation, Doug Wilson, a prominent pastor and cultural commentator from Idaho, dives deep into the concept of Christian nationalism. He discusses how household voting can empower families and critiques the misconceptions surrounding theocracy. Doug emphasizes the significance of aligning laws with a moral framework and shares insights on raising boys and girls intentionally. He also proposes practical steps for nurturing a Christian America, including reforms in governance and a bold approach to writing and satire.

Join us at the long table as we trace the story of education from the Reformation to today, uncover how classical models form character and cultivate virtue, and ask what it means to recover wisdom, truth, and beauty in a modern age of confusion.About Today’s GuestDr. Susan Mobley is a professor of history at Concordia University Wisconsin, where she has taught since 1998. A historian of education and the Reformation, her research explores how Lutheran and Catholic schools shaped faith and culture in sixteenth-century Germany. She is a frequent speaker on classical education and its relevance today, helping students and teachers recover an approach that unites faith, learning, and character formation.🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a text

In this thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Joel Biermann, a systematic theology professor, and Rev. David Ramirez, a parish pastor and political-theology scholar, tackle the complexities of Christian nationalism. They explore the role of government as a God-given institution and the risks of imposing Christianity on society. The guests debate the church's public witness through liturgical actions and the responsibilities of Christians in maintaining moral order. They also examine lessons from history, immigration, and the balance between political action and the church's mission.

Join us at the long table as we reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing confessional Lutheranism today, from sustaining faithful congregations in rural America to building institutions that serve future generations of the Church.About Today’s GuestRev. John Hill is president of the Wyoming District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and a longtime parish pastor. With decades of pastoral experience and a heart for strengthening Lutheran identity, he has served congregations across the Mountain West while providing leadership to the wider church. Rev. Hill brings a steady pastoral voice and confessional clarity to the pressing questions of Lutheran life and witness in our time.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we explore the Lutheran confessional revival of the nineteenth century, uncover the lives and thought of its key theologians, and consider what their witness offers the Church today in an age of doctrinal confusion and historical amnesiaAbout Today’s Guest:Dr. James Ambrose Lee II is a church historian and theologian specializing in the nineteenth-century confessional revival, Lutheran worship, and German theology. He teaches courses on church history, religion in America, and Martin Luther, and is the author of Confessional Lutheranism and German Theological Wissenschaft (De Gruyter, 2022), along with numerous articles in leading theological journals. Holding degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School, and Saint Louis University, Dr. Lee brings scholarly depth and pastoral insight to his work in teaching, writing, and the study of Lutheran identity.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we take an unflinching look at the numbers shaping the future of Lutheranism—and consider how honesty, clarity, and confessional faithfulness can guide the Church through challenge and change.About Today’s GuestRev. Tim Wood is a pastor and data analyst serving the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod with a rare blend of theological conviction and statistical insight. With a sharp eye for demographic trends and a heart for the Church’s future, he helps Lutheran institutions read the signs of the times—faithfully and fearlessly. Whether interpreting numbers or proclaiming the Word, Rev. Wood brings clarity, candor, and care to the work of Christ’s Church.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we question the official story, explore the rise of conspiracy thinking, and ask how Christians can remain anchored in truth and humility while navigating a world of collapsing narratives and contested realities.About Today’s GuestRev. Willie Grills is an LCMS pastor and co-host of A Brief History of Power, where he brings historical insight and pastoral clarity to bear on the crises of modern life. Known for his deep knowledge of church history, American folklore, and the strange undercurrents of our cultural moment, he helps listeners connect the dots between the past and the present.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we recover the moral imagination, rediscover the wisdom of the ancients, and explore how story—rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness—forms the heart and mind for Christian living in an age of fragmentation.About Today’s GuestDr. Louis Markos is a professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he teaches classical literature, Christian thought, and C.S. Lewis. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and is a prolific author and speaker, known for making ancient wisdom and Christian truth come alive for modern audiences. His books include From Achilles to Christ, The Myth Made Fact, and On the Shoulders of Hobbits. A passionate advocate for classical education and cultural renewal, Dr. Markos brings the voice of the ancients into dialogue with the Church today.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/📧 Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we explore how stories shape the Christian imagination, from the parables of Christ to the poetry of Tolkien, where beauty, suffering, virtue, and vocation meet in the narrative of redemption.About Today’s GuestRev. Jacob Benson is director of admissions and assistant professor of humanities at Luther Classical College in Casper, Wyoming. Ordained in 2019, he previously served parishes in Connecticut and Wyoming, and holds degrees from Concordia Theological Seminary and the University of Wyoming. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English at Trinity College Dublin, where his research explores how fiction and hagiography shape virtue. Known for his love of classical education and his deep pastoral care, Rev. Benson brings theological clarity and a joyful sense of vocation to both church and academy. He and his wife, Mary, have one son.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/📧 Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text

Join us at the long table as we dig into what it means to be wholly citizens of both heaven and earth, recover a robust Lutheran ethic, and consider how virtue, identity, and vocation shape Christian witness in a fragmented age.About Today’s GuestRev. Dr. Joel Biermann is professor of systematic theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and one of the LCMS’s leading voices on vocation, virtue ethics, and Christian identity in the public square. He holds a Ph.D. from Concordia Seminary and is the author of A Case for Character and Wholly Citizens. Dr. Biermann’s work challenges Christians to live faithfully in both the Church and culture, rooted in doctrine, yet active in the world.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/📧 Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netSend us a text