A History of Christian Theology

Richard Burnett joins the podcast today to discuss his new book, "Machen's Hope: The Transformation of a Modernist in the New Princeton" (Eerdman's, 2024), a spanning biography on J. Gresham Machen, the founder of Westminster Theological Seminary and a main figure of the anti-modernist revolt at Princeton. This text attempts to reevaluate many of the common characterizations of Machen's life and the manner in which he navigated the theological tensions of early-20th century academic theology.Buy "Machen's Hope""Subscribe to out Patreontwitter: @theologyxianFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahistoryofchristiantheology

Dr. Jamie Kreiner joins us today to discuss her recently published translations of dialogues between John Cassian, a 4th century theologian credited with importing the ideas of early Christian monasticism to the Latin world, and various Egyptian monks on the subjects of distraction, concentration, and freedom from vice. In this podcast, Kreiner discusses the pertinence of these topics to the modern world as well as her approach to her translation of these previously-untranslated texts.

Join us for our interview with Brian Zahnd on his recently released book, "The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross" (IVP, 2024). Following a pilgrimage where he spent time contemplating the crucifix in many different churches, Zahnd realized the kaleidoscopic possibilities behind an interpretation to and an emotional response to such imagery, leading to the publishing of this book. In an interesting and engaging interview, Zahnd discusses his inspirations, his life as a Christian, and even the Lord of the Rings.Hope you enjoy this conversation!

Today's podcast features an interview with Dr. Gregory Wiebe concerning his book "Fallen Angels in the Theology of St. Augustine" (Oxford University Press, 2021). For our long-time listeners, this subject matter's inclusion in the podcast will come at no surprise. This conversation presents a wide-spanning dialogue on Angelology and Demonology in the work of St. Augustine. Hope you enjoy!LinksWiebe's BookSupport our Show on Patreon for exclusive content, early release episodes, and a forum for listeners and the hosts.twitter: @theologyxian Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ahistoryofchristiantheology

For a fun twist, my dad asked if he could interview me about my new book The Way of Humility, St. Augustine's Theology of Preaching (Catholic University of America Press, 2023). I had a very good time and appreciate all the time he took to read it. He has read plenty of my bad high school papers, but this one took a lot more time. I am blessed that both of my parents have beens so supportive in my academic and spiritual journey. Thank you to all parents who support their kids! You do tremendous and live changing work. You can support the podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/AHOCTYou can buy the book here: https://www.cuapress.org/9780813237398/the-way-of-humility/

Glen L Thompson, a historian specializing in early Christianity in China, dives into the hidden history of the Jingjiao, the earliest Christian church in the region. He shares intriguing tales, such as how a Chinese Christian once led the Syriac Church. The discussion touches on the interplay of early Christianity with Taoism, the linguistic hurdles faced by missionaries, and the significance of the Syriac language. Listeners will discover a richly woven narrative that connects cultural identities with Christian tradition.

For today's episode, we interview Dr. Brad Littlejohn on his recently published book Why Do Protestants Convert? (co-authored with Chris Castaldo). In this podcast, we explore some of the reasons behind the recent trend of conversions from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, especially among prominent Protestant intellectuals.  Far from an apologetic undertaking, this book takes on the approach of attempting to understand the phenomena which have led to this shift, and provides intrigue for those of all faith backgrounds.

Today we sit down with Dr. Tiffany Kriner, Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College, whose new book "In Thought, Word, and Seed: Reckonings from a Midwest Farm" (Eerdmans, 2023) discusses her recent life on a farm in Northern Illinois and how her interactions with the land have reconfigured her own faith. This literary work, engaging with a variety of themes and intersections of various fields, incorporates theological considerations in a manner that draws our focus toward the importance of attention and its constituent elements. 

Today our longtime Editorial Assistant, Grant Bellchamber, joins us for an interview with Dr. Dru Johnson on his recently published book "What Hath Darwin to Do With Scripture?: Comparing the Conceptual Worlds of the Bible and Evolution" (IV Press, 2023). We discuss the evolutionary notions of scarcity and fit in relation to the Old Testament writers' own conception of Creation as Dr. Johnson attempts to put the two understandings into a dialectical relation. Join us as we explore an interesting approach to an, often, highly-fraught intellectual relationship.

We welcome my good friend Drew Martin to the podcast today to talk about his book The Covenant with Moses and the Kingdom of God (Brill, 2023). His work crosses disciplinary boundaries like history, theology, and political theory. We talk mostly about how covenant theology works and how that overlaps with political theory.