Our Church Speaks

Good news: Santa is real! Hosts Ben and Dan discuss the true story of Saint Nicholas ("Santa Claus") and how his care for the poor and helpless coexisted with his passion for precise Trinitarian theology. Ben and Dan discuss Nicholas' life and times, his legacy to the church, and traditions associated with his memory. Cover art by Ben Lansing. Order the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place" by Ben Lansing & D.J. Marotta (published by InterVarsity Press) wherever books are sold. More info - www.ourchurchspeaks.com.

Daniel Payne, a classical education teacher at Veritas School and co-host of The Lamp Post Listener, joins the conversation to explore the life and impactful works of C.S. Lewis. They discuss Lewis's remarkable journey from atheism to faith and how his writings, especially 'The Chronicles of Narnia,' resonate with both adults and children. The talk delves into Lewis's reflections on grief after losing his wife, his critiques of societal elitism in 'That Hideous Strength,' and his lasting influence on Christian thought and literature.

Hosts Ben Lansing and D.J. Marotta talk about Hilda of Whitby, an inspiring 7th century saint who served as a monastic leader at a critical time in the history of the church in England. Ben and Dan trace the story of the English church to the earliest centuries of church history and reflect on the growing need for a revival of abbesses, abbots, monastic communities, and church mothers in our own day. Cover art by Ben Lansing. Order the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place" by Ben Lansing & D.J. Marotta (published by InterVarsity Press) wherever books are sold. More info - www.ourchurchspeaks.com.

In this episode, hosts Ben Lansing and D.J. Marotta discuss the remarkable Russian saint, Herman of Alaska, his ministry to the subarctic Aleut people, and his significance as a Christian example of embodied, incarnational service. // Art by Ben Lansing. Order the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place" by Ben Lansing & D.J. Marotta (published by InterVarsity Press) wherever books are sold. More info - www.ourchurchspeaks.com.

Ben and Dan explore the story of the South American Saint Martin of Porres, who overcame prejudice and hardship through a life of faith that was fed by his profound discipline of prayer. ----------- Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com.  

Ben and Dan's book launches this week! "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place" (published by InterVarsity Press) will be officially released October 29, 2024. You can get your copy at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. To celebrate the book's release, Ben and Dan discuss "On the Reading of Old Books," a short essay by C.S. Lewis that has inspired much of the Our Church Speaks project. They discuss why the voices of the saints throughout the centuries are so important for a well-rounded Christian perspective and how we can be enouraged by the saints in our own life's circumstances. ---------- Order "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place" by Ben Lansing and D.J. Marotta at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. Read C.S. Lewis' "On the Reading of Old Books" here - https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/christina.hemati/phil1301/readings/lewis-on-the-reading-of-old-books/view Cover art by Ben Lansing. 

Ben and Dan talk about Chinese Christianity, its history from ancient times to today, and the incredible witness of three 19th century Chinese women who helped to expand the Chinese church at the cusp of a wave of modern evangelization.  ----------- ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. Cover art by Ben Lansing.

Ben and Dan talk about the courage of the 20th century African martyr, Janani Luwum and what it means to submit to governing authorities while living in the freedom of the Gospel. ----------- Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com.

Ben and Dan chat about the Roman priest Valentine and the Eastern European missionaries Cyril and Methodius and they discuss why these three saints are often associated with each other and why their unique witness reveals what true love is. Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com.

Recorded the week of July 4, this episode focuses on Absalom Jones, an American revolutionary-war era minister and one of the first African Americans ordained in the United States. Ben and Dan discuss the historical context of the American revolutionary war and how it created the world in which Absalom Jones served as a minister. The conversation meditates on the purpose of freedom and the responsibility that comes with it.  Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com.