We continue our discussion of G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy with his third chapter on how modernity's abandonment of Christianity not only lets vices go wild, but also virtues. We also discuss how Chesterton identifies modern false humility that remains skeptical about everything except its own skepticism. Here are some solid quotes from chapter three: "The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone." "A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed. Nowadays the part of a man that a man does assert is exactly the part he ought not to assert—himself. The part he doubts is exactly the part he ought not to doubt—the Divine Reason. Huxley preached a humility content to learn from Nature. But the new sceptic is so humble that he doubts if he can even learn." "A man does not go mad because he makes a statue a mile high, but he may go mad by thinking it out in square inches." "Every act of will is an act of self-limitation. To desire action is to desire limitation. In that sense every act is an act of self-sacrifice. When you choose anything, you reject everything else." "But it is impossible to be an artist and not care for laws and limits. Art is limitation; the essence of every picture is the frame. If you draw a giraffe, you must draw him with a long neck. If, in your bold creative way, you hold yourself free to draw a giraffe with a short neck, you will really find that you are not free to draw a giraffe. The moment you step into the world of facts, you step into a world of limits." 

Ryan Hurd from the Davenant Institute joins us to talk about the "spiritual" and "literal" readings of Scripture. Evangelicals often misunderstand the "literal" sense as referring only to the historicity of the Bible. But the church throughout the ages understood the literal sense in terms of the "letters" of the text in addition to its historicity. The "literal" and "spiritual" readings do not oppose one another, but work together as a cohesive unit in order to deepen our understanding of God through his word. Ryan draws upon Origen, Augustine, and Aquinas in order to retrieve the classic senses of Scripture that Christians utilized for ages. We also talk about ways ordinary lay readers can grow in their reading of Scripture in a way that furthers their joy and worship of God. Show Notes Ryan Hurd is a systematic theologian whose area of expertise is doctrine of God, specifically the Trinity. His primary training is in the high medieval and early modern scholastics as well as the 20th century ressourcement movement. He has written a number of articles and regularly does translations of early modern theology sources; but his primary project is writing a systematics of the Trinity. Master of the Sacred Page Video Series by Ryan Hurd

This is the second part of our interview with Dr. Matt Colvin. Many speculate that the Apostle Paul, as a faithful Pharisee, likely married at a young age, but lived a life of celibacy after his conversion. Some believe Paul to be a widow, but others see him as a man abandoned by an unbelieving wife after his conversion. Matt Colvin takes us through 1 Corinthians 7 with a mind toward Paul's Jewish worldview in order to establish a compelling vision of marriage, divorce, and the meaning of conversion. We also discuss the "permanence" view of marriage that does not permit divorce or remarriage under any circumstances and the effects of divorce upon our society as a whole.

This is the first part of a two-part interview with Dr. Matt Colvin who joins us again to provide a provocative perspective on 1 Corinthians 7 and its application to Paul's life. Drawing upon the work of scholar David Daube, Colvin argues that Paul likely experienced abandonment from his wife which dissolved their marriage and led to his teaching in 1 Corinthians 7. Along the way we discuss how Daube's perspective reframes the debate over the permissibility of divorce and remarriage. Don't miss this episode. Show Notes Sexual Identity: Can We Rebuild? by Matt Colvin

We continue our series through G.K. Chesterton's classic work Orthodoxy by looking at the similarities between atheists, liberal Christians, and lunatics. Here are some zingers from Chesterton himself: "The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums.” "Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom." "The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits." "The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason."  

We begin a new series on G.K. Chesterton's classic book "Orthodoxy" which features a series of essays by the controversial author about faith, tradition, and the modern world. Chesterton's prose and wit allowed him to entertain while also provoke skeptics of the faith in an unparalleled way. His influence on writes such as C.S. Lewis demonstrates the effectiveness of his logic and style with commentary on society that seems prophetic in the modern day. He did not pull any punches, yet remains one of the most winsome figures in Christianity. He was not afraid to polarize and state his opinions openly without fear of ridicule, but also understood how narrative, imagination, and humor disarms opponents and points them to consider the truth claims of Christianity. In the first chapter, Chesterton likens returning to Christianity to a man who thinks he discovers a new land, but in fact re-discovers his home. If you've never read Chesterton or find him difficult to understand this series is for you.  I never in my life said anything merely because I thought it funny; though of course, I have had ordinary human vainglory, and may have thought it funny because I had said it. It is one thing to describe an interview with a gorgon or a griffin, a creature who does not exist. It is another thing to discover that the rhinoceros does exist and then take pleasure in the fact that he looks as if he didn’t. -- except from Orthodoxy

Rev. David Pileggi joins us to talk about his ministry in Christ Church Jerusalem and the unique challenges Christians face ministering in the holy land. He also talks about how the Jewish roots of Sabbath unlock the meaning of rest and the importance not only of holy people, but holy time. 

The New York Times recently posted an online tool that allows users to create their own university rankings based on customized criteria. Students can rank schools based upon metrics like party scene, income level, racial diversity, and athletics. These metrics reveal a lot about how the purpose of education has changed over the decades. A university education used to be a way for people to grow in their moral and spiritual formation in order to become good citizens of a nation. Now universities exist to prepare students for a career. There are many financial and cultural reasons for this which should prompt Christians to approach education with thoughtful reflection.  Should this be the primary lens through which we view college? In this episode we not only discuss how the purpose of education has changed over the decades, but also the process of education. Paul argues that education exists to show people the proper way to think, reason, and live in the world rather than provide various options for the student to choose from. Not all ideas are equal. A college education ought to exist for more than just career preparation. It should shape the intellectual and moral lives of students. Show Notes "Build Your Own College Rankings" the New York Times

A.I. is all the rage with ChatGPT and Bing's new artificial intelligence making the waves on campuses and in the wider culture. A.I. opens up new possibilities and exciting applications, but also comes with a set of ethical questions. How do we know what A.I. learns? In what sense does A.I. "understand" morality and what unforeseen consequences arise from that? Bryan and Paul discuss concerning aspects of A.I. and whether Christians should embrace the rapid acceleration of development. We also discuss the merits of taking time before accepting new technology. Also, Paul continues to plan his cult/commune.

Dr. Warren Gage joins us to discuss one of the most mysterious and complex books in the Bible -- Revelation. We discuss the Old Testament narratives behind the book and how they unlock Revelation's visions and symbols in surprising ways. Jesus comes as the new Joshua summoning his holy army, the church, to bring down the new Jericho of Babylon who carries a Rahab-like whore. But the identity of the whore shocks the Apostle John -- it is Jerusalem herself twisted by her sin and rejection of Christ. But hope remains for God turns whores into brides by the blood of his Son. Revelation at its heart depicts the both the terrifying judgement and the overwhelming mercy of God. God redeems Rahabs and turns sinners into saints. Revelation presents the gospel through a vivid and dramatic narrative that utilizes our imagine to view the world through the eyes of faith. It also forces us to view the Bible through a first-century lens by taking into account the Jewish roots and Hellenistic context of the early church. Taking on such a lens allows us to grasp details of the text that would otherwise elude us. We also explore how the genre and literary structure of the ancient Greco-Roman world allows us to grasp the meaning not only of Revelation, but the gospels as well. Gage dives into how John's Gospel ties the woman at the well in John 4 with the whore of Babylon in Revelation 17. He identifies parallels within the gospel accounts of Jesus's birth and resurrection that shed light on the world-changing nature of the gospel. You will not read the Bible the same after the episode. Show Notes John & Revelation Project with Dr. Warren Gage and Dr. Chip Bennett Dr. Gage's Ministry Website: https://www.watermarkgospel.com/ Bryan's Online Revelation Series: tinyurl.com/mtu75ajx