On The Line

Join us at the long table as we rediscover the roots of Lutheran identity—not as a revolution that tore down the past, but as a recovery of the Church’s ancient beauty, order, and faith. From the Augsburg Confession to the Lutheran Missal Project, we examine how worship, doctrine, and continuity have shaped the living garden of Christ’s Church across the centuries.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/ Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/ Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netAbout Today’s Guest Rev. Stefan Gramatzki is a Lutheran pastor and liturgical scholar working to recover the historic treasures of the Church for the English-speaking world. He serves with the Lutheran Missal Project, a collaborative effort to make the Lutheran liturgical heritage accessible to pastors and congregations today. A graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Rev. Gramatzki brings theological depth, historical insight, and a love for the beauty of the Church’s worship to his writing and teaching.🔗 Stay Connected with Us 📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_ 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod 𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we explore how C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien fused reason and imagination, Athens and Jerusalem—showing how truth, goodness, and beauty still shape the Christian mind. In an age ruled by cynicism, reductionism, and disenchanted science, we rediscover how myth, wonder, and virtue can restore a truly Christian vision of the cosmos.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.netAbout Today’s GuestDr. Louis Markos is a professor of English and scholar in residence at Houston Christian University, where he has taught for over three decades. A prolific author of more than thirty books, he writes and lectures on classical education, the great books, and the Christian imagination. Drawing deeply from Lewis, Tolkien, and the Western tradition, Dr. Markos calls Christians to recover a holistic vision of faith—where reason and imagination, truth and beauty, walk hand in hand once again.🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we hear the story of persecution and faith in Nigeria, where thousands of Christians have been killed for confessing Christ. Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi bears witness to the cost of discipleship, the power of forgiveness, and the hope that endures even amid genocide.About Today’s GuestArchbishop Benjamin Kwashi is a global Anglican leader and former Archbishop of Jos, Nigeria, known for his courageous witness during periods of persecution. For decade,s he has led churches, built schools, and cared for orphans across northern Nigeria while speaking internationally on the plight of Christians in Africa. A survivor of multiple assassination attempts, Archbishop Kwashi continues to proclaim the gospel with unshakable faith—believing, as he says, that “the gospel is worth living for, and the gospel is worth dying for.”🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_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 texthttps://memento70.com/

Join us at the long table as we retrace the forgotten corners of American religion, from frontier revivalism and folk magic to the birth of Mormonism, and ask what these movements reveal about faith, authority, and the hunger for revelation in every age.About Today’s GuestRev. Willie Grills is a pastor in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and co-host of A Brief History of Power with Dr. Adam Koontz. Known for his vivid storytelling and historical insight, he explores how theology, history, and culture intertwine in shaping the Church’s witness. With a background in both pastoral ministry and American religious history, Pastor Grills brings clarity, humor, and perspective to the strange and fascinating landscape of faith in America.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 texthttps://memento70.com/

Evan Scamman, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and passionate advocate for confessional Lutheranism, shares his journey from Pentecostalism to embracing Lutheran liturgy. He discusses the importance of maintaining tradition amid modern trends and explains how infant baptism reflects God's grace, emphasizing its necessity and power. Evan addresses objections to infant baptism and highlights the comfort of Lutheran theology in difficult times. He also urges valuing historic worship practices as vital for nurturing faith in the next generation.

Dr. Jared Longshore, a pastor and political theologian, dives into America's historical roots as a Christian nation. He challenges the myth of secular neutrality and argues that the founders envisioned a civic framework rooted in Christianity. Longshore traces the shift away from ordered liberty to modern autonomy and discusses the importance of the family unit in shaping civil society. He advocates for a strong Christian presence in public life, calling for renewed commitment to covenantal marriage and family duties.

Dr. Angus Menuge, a professor of philosophy specializing in personhood and technology, explores the depths of consciousness and the limitations of materialism. He critiques reductionist views on love and how these philosophies can devalue human dignity. Angus warns against the dangers of overreliance on AI and the erosion of human skills, emphasizing the ethical implications of transhumanism. He invokes C.S. Lewis’ insights to highlight the necessity of prioritizing human relationships over technology and encourages a return to God-ordered values.

Join us at St. John's Lutheran Church in Racine, Wisconsin, as we talk about resilience in the pastoral life, the discipline of daily habits, and the courage to face adversity—not as exceptions to the Christian life, but as God’s very means of shaping His people for faithfulness and strength.About Today’s Guest:Rev. Jason Braaten is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tuscola, Illinois, and podcast host. A confessional Lutheran voice with a heart for liturgy and pastoral care, he brings insight into sanctification, vocation, and the daily practices that sustain faith. Through parish ministry, podcasting, and teaching, Pastor Braaten encourages Christians to embrace both the gifts and the demands of life under the cross.Check Out Our New Website: https://ontheline.net/Support the Launch of LIT: https://institute.ontheline.net/donation/Contact Bryan: bryan.stecker@ontheline.net🔗 Stay Connected with Us📷 Instagram: @otl_podcast_📘 Facebook: facebook.com/onthelinepod𝕏 Twitter/X: @otl_podcast_Send us a texthttps://memento70.com/

Join us at Concordia University Wisconsin as we enter a conversation that refuses to leave Christ as a vague center-point, but insists on Him as the very logic of theology, worship, and the Church itself. From liturgy to sacrament, from ontology to imagination, Dr. John Bombaro calls us to see Christ not as an idea, but as the living One who gives Himself wholly to His bride.About Today’s GuestDr. John Bombaro is a Lutheran pastor, naval officer, and theologian whose teaching and writing explore the intersection of Christology, liturgy, and culture. He has contributed widely to Lutheran thought, including with 1517, and currently serves as pastor of Saint James Lutheran Church in Lafayette. Known for his clarity and depth, Dr. Bombaro presses the Church to recover the sacramental imagination of her confessions—where all theology is Christology and all worship is grounded in Christ’s self-giving presence.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 texthttps://memento70.com/

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.