
Church Grammar
The Church Grammar podcast engages theology and the church in a fresh way, centered on wide-ranging conversations with scholars and Bible teachers.
Latest episodes

Jun 20, 2023 • 54min
Collin Hansen on Tips from Tim Keller’s Life and Ministry
This episode is a conversation with Collin Hansen of The Gospel Coalition. We discuss writing a book about Tim Keller during his last days (1:41), his major influences (13:25), projecting his legacy (27:07), lessons from his life and ministry (32:50), and more. Buy Collin's books.
Check out Brandon’s recent books: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation (IVP Academic, 2022) and The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023).
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Producer: Ryan Modisette. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

May 3, 2023 • 45min
Lynn Cohick on Women in Evangelicalism, Academia, and the Early Church (Repost)
This episode is a repost of a conversation with Dr. Lynn Cohick of Houston Christian University. We discuss becoming a scholar (5:30), the present and future of the United Methodist Church (9:40), being a female scholar in evangelicalism (14:15), women in the early church (38:30), and more. Buy Lynn's books.
Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023).
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Episode sponsor: B&H Academic. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Apr 7, 2023 • 59min
John Behr on Easter and John’s Gospel (Repost)
This episode is a conversation with Fr. John Behr of the University of Aberdeen. We discuss his transition from St. Vladimir's Seminary to the University of Aberdeen (2:35), how to read John's Gospel (4:00), the authorship of John's Gospel (9:13), John as "the high priest of Pascha" (16:22), the relationship between the Gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper (27:00), the fuller meaning of "it is finished" (28:44), and recovering the ancient Easter (52:45). Buy John's books.
Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity (Lexham, 2023).
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Episode sponsors: B&H Academic and Lexham Press. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Mar 27, 2023 • 11min
The Trinity and Blaspheming the Holy Spirit
This episode is a short talk based on my post at the Center for Baptist Renewal, "The Trinity and Blaspheming the Holy Spirit." Read it here.
Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Feb 1, 2023 • 34min
Daniel Treier on Evangelical Theology in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Creedal Perspective (Repost)
This episode is a conversation with Dr. Daniel Treier of Wheaton College. We discuss sports heroes (3:29), defining evangelical theology (6:16), the Nicene Creed and theological method (9:10); the Ten Commandments as moral formation (12:00), the Lord’s Prayer as spiritual formation (14:16), the Trinitarian shape of theology (19:00), and more. Buy Dan’s books.
Check out Brandon’s new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John’s Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University’s Graduate School. Episode sponsor: Speak for the Unborn. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Jan 16, 2023 • 47min
The Trinity in the Book of Revelation with Madison Pierce
Today's episode features a discussion about my new book with Madison Pierce of Western Theological Seminary. You can purchase the book here and also preorder my next one, The Biblical Trinity, here.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University's Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Jan 2, 2023 • 56min
Thomas Weinandy on Christology in the Gospels and the Mystery of the Incarnation
This episode is a conversation with Fr. Thomas Weinandy. We discuss the making of the Jesus Becoming Jesus series (1:50), the Synoptic Gospels' contribution to Christology and Trinitarian theology (11:14), Christology and Trinitarian theology in John's Gospel (22:49), immutability and impassibility in the incarnation (42:50), and more. Read Thomas's books.
Check out Brandon's new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John's Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022).
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University's Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Dec 1, 2022 • 53min
Trevin Wax on Orthodoxy and Heresy in Theology and Cultural Engagement
This episode is a conversation with Dr. Trevin Wax of the North American Mission Board. We discuss our years serving and podcasting together (2:32), the definition of orthodoxy (6:13), the inclusivity of orthodoxy and the exclusivity of heresy (10:08), orthodoxy and cultural engagement (24:28). Buy Trevin's books and his new podcast, Reconstructing Faith.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University's Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
You can preorder Brandon's new book, The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John's Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022).
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Oct 26, 2022 • 52min
William Marsh on Luther’s Hermeneutics and Reformation Truths and Myths
This episode is a conversation with Dr. William Marsh of Cedarville University. We discuss truths and myths regarding the late medieval church and Luther's concerns (3:03), Luther's hermeneutics and their relationship to the Christian tradition (19:37), the Reformers on reading and preaching Scripture (31:57), how the Reformation can help the church today (40:09), and more. Buy William's books here, here, and here.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University's Graduate School. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
You can preorder Brandon's new book, The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John's Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022).
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Oct 12, 2022 • 51min
Darian Lockett on Reading the Catholic Epistles and the Biblical Canon
This episode is a conversation with Dr. Darian Lockett of Talbot School of Theology. We discuss how the Catholic Epistles fit together in the biblical canon (1:22), faith and works in Paul and James (22:52), scholarship on James (28:05), scholarship on 2 Peter and Jude (34:17), and more. Buy Darian's books.
Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson.
You can preorder Brandon's new book, The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John's Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022).
Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.