Banned Books

A winding theological journey through Luther’s contrast with spiritual enthusiasm, the old Adam’s craving for control, and the Reformation’s institutional turn. The discussion explores how the Holy Spirit works through preaching, sacraments, and external promises, alongside debates over moral law, free will, medieval scholasticism, Christ crucified, Ruth’s sacramental imagery, and the difference between absolution and mere affirmation.

A pastoral debrief explores conference reflections, the preaching legacy of James Nestingen, and the power of storytelling in proclaiming law and gospel. Conversations range from imprecatory Psalms and spiritual inheritance to addiction, shame, church decline, and digital isolation. Throughout, personal stories expose bondage while preaching, confession, Word, and sacrament point toward Christ’s interruption of death with grace.

A deep dive into James Nestingen and Luther on the relationship between law, gospel, and repentance. The conversation explores the danger of abandoning Christ and the church, the role of preaching and absolution, rival gods and false repentance, and how faith shapes life in community, vocation, and service to neighbors.

A searching conversation on why repentance clashes with therapeutic Christianity, threatens church comfort, and demands accountability. The discussion explores Luther’s understanding of law, false gods, conscience, social order, and the preacher’s dangerous task of naming sin. It also considers how relentless accusation, including through social media, differs from the freedom offered by the gospel.

A wide-ranging exploration of Christian fellowship through Werner Elert’s study of the early church. The discussion examines koinonia, Eucharist, baptism, confession, local congregations, church authority, discipline, heresy, and the impact of Constantine. It also considers pastoral fraternity, mentorship, technology’s effect on community, and the challenge of radical individualism.

Athanasius’s Life of Saint Antony opens a spirited discussion of discipline, prayer, fasting, temptation, and spiritual warfare. The conversation explores solitude versus community, ancient views of demons and deception, vocation, virtue, possessions, and the tension between religious appearance and genuine faith. It also considers how Christians today might respond to fear, isolation, and evil through Scripture, the cross, baptism, and communal life.

Are You More Spiritual Than a Medieval Peasant? In this episode, we sit with The Book of the Craft of Dying to discuss how medieval spiritual warfare was explained in the 1415 text Ars Moriendi. What temptations do Christians experience in the midst of death? How do temptations to desperation, impatience, complacency, and concern about worldly matters seduce Christians? How do we distinguish between divine actions and nefarious powers at work? How many times can Gillespie interrupt and contradict Riley before he goes apoplectic? Are there patterns Christians can look for to recognize when temptations are approaching? Is there anything we can do to avoid temptations? Is being tempted the same as sinning? Why is so much of medieval piety and discipline no longer taught by the churches? This and much, much more on today's episode of the podcast. SHOW NOTES: Ars Moriendi (c. 1415), anonymous, from Frances Comper, The Book of the Craft of Dying (1917) https://archive.org/details/bookofcraftofdyi00caxtiala More from 1517: Give to the June 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! https://donate.overflow.co/1517/cash?config=2026-podcast-network-fundraiser Support 1517 Podcast Network https://www.1517.org/podcast-fundraiser 1517 Podcasts: http://www.1517.org/podcasts 1517 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1517org 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/1517-podcast-network/id6442751370 1517 Events Schedule: https://www.1517.org/events 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education: https://academy.1517.org/ What's New from 1517: The Turk at the Door by Adam Francisco https://shop.1517.org/collections/coming-soon/products/9781964419947-the-turk-at-the-door Luther and the Lion: A Narnian Catechism by Samuel Schuldheisz https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419985-luther-and-the-lion By Water and the Word by Brian Thomas https://shop.1517.org/products/9781967920013-by-water-and-the-word Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419961-being-family More from the hosts: Donovan Riley https://www.1517.org/contributors/donavon-riley Christopher Gillespie https://www.1517.org/contributors/christopher-gillespie CONTACT and FOLLOW: Banned Books Wiki https://bannedbooks1517.org Email mailto:[email protected] Instagram (1517)https://www.instagram.com/bannedbooks1517 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BannedBooks1517/ Twitter https://twitter.com/bannedbooks1517 Instagram (1517) https://www.instagram.com/1517org X/Twitter (1517) http://twitter.com/1517 Facebook (1517) http://www.facebook.com/1517org PODCAST: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BannedBooks Rumble https://rumble.com/c/c-1223313 Odysee https://odysee.com/@bannedbooks:5 Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books/id1370993639 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ahA20sZMpBxg9vgiRVQba Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1370993639/banned-books MORE LINKS: Tin Foil Haloes https://t.me/bannedpastors St John's Lutheran Church (Webster, MN) - FB Live Bible Study Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/356667039608511 Donavon's Substack https://donavonlriley.substack.com Gillespie's Sermons and Catechesis https://outerrimterritories.com Gillespie Coffee https://gillespie.coffee Gillespie Media https://gillespie.media

All Apologies. In this episode, we respond to another listener question. What does it mean to "sit with a text" and yet be prepared at all times to give an apology for the hope that is in us? How does the Holy Spirit work in and through believers to testify to the truth about Jesus? Does the Spirit work through non-Christians, and if so, how and to what purpose? How has modern Christian evangelism differed from pre-modern evangelism and apologetics? What do the gospels teach us about the character of evangelism? This and much, much more in this week's episode. SHOW NOTES: Triskellion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triskelion More from 1517: Give to the June 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! https://donate.overflow.co/1517/cash?config=2026-podcast-network-fundraiser Support 1517 Podcast Network https://www.1517.org/podcast-fundraiser 1517 Podcasts: http://www.1517.org/podcasts 1517 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1517org 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/1517-podcast-network/id6442751370 1517 Events Schedule: https://www.1517.org/events 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education: https://academy.1517.org/ What's New from 1517: The Turk at the Door by Adam Francisco https://shop.1517.org/collections/coming-soon/products/9781964419947-the-turk-at-the-door Luther and the Lion: A Narnian Catechism by Samuel Schuldheisz https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419985-luther-and-the-lion By Water and the Word by Brian Thomas https://shop.1517.org/products/9781967920013-by-water-and-the-word Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith https://shop.1517.org/products/9781964419961-being-family More from the hosts: Donovan Riley https://www.1517.org/contributors/donavon-riley Christopher Gillespie https://www.1517.org/contributors/christopher-gillespie CONTACT and FOLLOW: Banned Books Wiki https://bannedbooks1517.org Email mailto:[email protected] Instagram (1517)https://www.instagram.com/bannedbooks1517 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BannedBooks1517/ Twitter https://twitter.com/bannedbooks1517 Instagram (1517) https://www.instagram.com/1517org X/Twitter (1517) http://twitter.com/1517 Facebook (1517) http://www.facebook.com/1517org PODCAST: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@BannedBooks Rumble https://rumble.com/c/c-1223313 Odysee https://odysee.com/@bannedbooks:5 Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/banned-books/id1370993639 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2ahA20sZMpBxg9vgiRVQba Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1370993639/banned-books MORE LINKS: Tin Foil Haloes https://t.me/bannedpastors St John's Lutheran Church (Webster, MN) - FB Live Bible Study Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/356667039608511 Donavon's Substack https://donavonlriley.substack.com Gillespie's Sermons and Catechesis https://outerrimterritories.com Gillespie Coffee https://gillespie.coffee Gillespie Media https://gillespie.media

A wide-ranging conversation on suicide, its cultural roots, and how hyper‑individualism erodes communal care. They link theology, Scripture readings, and thinkers like Luther and C.S. Lewis to the problem. Practical emphasis on showing up, interrupting suicidal impulses, and rebuilding embodied community and hope.

A wide-ranging conversation about justification, sanctification, and theosis in Luther’s thought. They stroll through embodied worship, liturgy, and sacramental materiality. Cultural critique of consumerized church life and modern art appears alongside reflections on grief, prayer, and pastoral care. Historical theology meets practical formation in short, vivid segments.