Mere Fidelity

For the first episode of 2021, Matt, Derek, and Alastair apply their expertise and experience to thinking theologically about the pro-Trump protest that turned into an attack on the U.S. Capitol. Is this the fruit of ejecting God from our public life? Is it possible to seek power in good faith? How should the church shepherd their congregations in this chaos? Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

As 2020 ends and 2021 begins, the entire cast and crew of Mere Fidelity has gathered to examine in their own inimitable way how this year has affected both the church at large and the individual Christian. Matt, Derek, Andrew, and Alastair share their personal experiences of joy and anxiety in 2020, and they offer practical advice on how they have thrived and what their plans are going forward. You’ll also hear an amazing impersonation by Andrew. Thank you for listening and for sharing the joy of Mere Fidelity! Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Merry Christmas! For the Mere Fidelity Christmas show this year, Matt, Derek, and Alastair examine the theology embedded in three perennially favorite Christmas hymns. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Can you think of a single issue—political, cultural, religious, or anything—that is uniting Americans more than it is dividing them? David French joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss the nature, causes, and responses to our current extreme polarization. David French’s new book on this very topic is Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Alastair, Derek, and Matt dive into a rousing discussion of the role of John the Baptist in salvation history. Is he the end of the Old Testament or the Beginning of the New? Why did Jesus call him the “greatest born of woman?” What’s his connection to Elisha? And what’s with the camel hair? Get your answers, or at least better questions, here. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Dr. Carl Trueman has written the book of the moment for Christian intellectuals this winter. He joins the entire Mere Fidelity cast and crew in this episode to where the modern notion of the self came from (at least since Rousseau) and how it led to the victory of sexual identity politics. Full show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Derek, Matt, and Alastair are so excited about this book by Dr. Matthew LaPine. You will be too. LaPine tells the story of the separation of psychology from theology in the modern era, and what was lost, and how it can be regained. They also discuss practical issues about emotions and trauma that touch on very personal experiences. Show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

Every year Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a secular, not a Christian, holiday. But gratitude is baked into the very foundation of Christianity, and even of Creation itself. On this episode, Matt, Derek, and Alastair unpack the role of gratitude in theology and in Christian practice. One could even say Christianity is gratitude. And at the end, they enjoy an awkward moment of traditional sharing. Show notes at www.mereorthodoxy.com/categories/mere-fidelity.

How does Evangelicalism differ between the UK and the US? The Mere Fidelity crew is perfectly situated to address this question from personal experience and expertise. Andrew Wilson joins this episode to round out the full complement. The two Brits and the two Yanks discuss how the profit incentive affects Christian writing for good and for bad, the effect that a state church has on excellence, how controversies are handled differently, and much more.

If all being originates in God, and God is One, how can there be many beings? This is just one of the questions that Dr. Thomas Ward discusses here with Matt and Derek, and in his book, Divine Ideas. Dr. Ward and Matt go way back. And Duns Scotus gets no fist bumps from Derek, even though he might be the hero of Divine Simplicity. Lexham Press Book of the Month discount code: MEREFIDELITYNOV