Mere Fidelity

Why are so many Canadians choosing to make use of “medical assistance in dying” and ending their lives prematurely? The Mere Fidelity crew (including Alastair’s new Plus One) tackle this vexing question and disturbing trend. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: A Problem in Canada [0:00] The Situation [3:10] The Terminology [8:04] The Act Itself [14:22] Passing the Buck [16:22] Death Catechesis [20:39] Conditions of Dying [28:35] “Good” Death [35:04] Life Extension [42:43]

There is a passage in Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians that is so jarring some have doubted whether Paul could actually have written it. On its face it seems like an easy tool for antisemites to grab on to. Even Matt is having issues with these few verses. So he and Andrew and Alastair got together to talk about, Mere Fi style. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Uncomfortable Questions [0:00] Doesn’t Feel Pauline [2:54] What Pauline Means [5:56] A Sudden Shift of Tone [11:01] The Real Bombshell [15:26] There’s Jews and There’s Jews [21:27] But Antisemitism! [26:06] In this Case, Read the Greek [38:57]

Learn more about Mere Orthodoxy at www.mereorthodoxy.com.

At the end of each year, we like to take one episode of Mere Fidelity to give the hosts a chance to talk about their own projects and what has been their intellectual focus of the past year. We are blessed this year to have all four of the regular cast and crew together at once: Matt, Andrew, Alastair, and Derek. So listen in as they… [checks notes]… um… disagree over the first amendment, recite the meaning of every number in the Bible, and prevent one of Derek’s existential justifications from unplugging the internet? Hey, it’s Mere Fidelity, folks! Timestamps: Tolkien Dogmatics [0:31] Looking Backward and Forward [4:14] Andrew is writing books. [5:27] Alastair is making connections. [18:44] Derek is thinking about life. [34:56] Matt is revisiting and rewriting. [46:39] Full links and show notes at merefidelity.com.

Talk of thankfulness pervades the Scriptures. But how well do we really understand the concept of gratitude. Matt has done some thinking about this recently with a fellow scholar from Biola University, Dr. Kent Dunnington. Along with Alastair, they tackle some tricky questions about gratitude. How should we understand the relationship between the gift and the giver? How important is it to have the emotions of thankfulness? And do you really need to send thank you cards? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

Our times are fragmented. Political and cultural differences rage, even among people who otherwise show goodwill. But what if Scripture actually provides the key for thinking about unity in diversity? Dr. Richard Lints joins Matt and Alastair to explore the nature of diversity as he wrote in his new book, Uncommon Unity. There are no easy answers, but there is a lot of good discussion. Join us! Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: What Kids Want [0:00] What This Book Is [1:23] Marital Difference [5:07] Anxiety about Discrimination [7:24] Created Constituently Different [12:53] Wisdom About Real Differences [16:41] Regional Differences [22:15] Why Difference Qua Difference? [27:44] The Public Good IS the Public Good [37:25] Unity & Diversity in Church [41:20]

Every generation faces the temptation to wander from orthodoxy and to drift with cultural currents. So every generation must be awakened again to the thrill of orthodoxy, and experience the astonishment that comes from stumbling afresh upon the electrifying paradoxes at the heart of the Christian faith. Trevin Wax wants to turn the tables on those who believe Christian teaching is narrow and outdated. In this episode, he joins Matt and Alastair to discuss how he accomplishes this in his new book, The Thrill of Orthodoxy. Until November 7, save 30% on this title (either hard copy or eBook) and get free shipping when you order it from ivpress.com with the code MERE22. Timestamps: Who Blogged First [1:23] Confidence in the Beauty of Truth [3:57] How Orthodoxy Functions [5:47] Jadedness & Disillusionment [8:34] Offensive & Defensive Orthodoxy [18:10] Full-orbed Vision [26:03] Worship [30:12] Baptism [35:16] When the Thrill Is Gone [40:39] Communal Thrill [47:38] Find all mentioned resources linked at merefidelity.com

When one advocates for good practices that are quite old and abandoned, these things that have been forgotten can seem new and radical. Peter Leithart returns to Mere Fidelity to discuss the vision and principles of the Theopolis Institute, especially as written in his new book, On Earth as in Heaven. The book is large but it reads well as a manifesto of how the church and the Bible are related in liturgy. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Theopolis Principles [1:44] Bible and Church [8:01] Wanting More than Liturgical Renewal [20:52] Fundamentals [29:41] Competing Visions [32:09] Protestant Catholicity [40:59] Practical Steps [49:25]

For generations of evangelicals lacking good catechesis, Martin Luther is often seen as a primitive, unsophisticated, or backwards reformer. Into this negative environment, Dr. Todd Hains is bringing forth the richness of Luther’s thought and Lutheranism’s tradition. There is so much more than just justification by faith. Alastair and Matt discuss with Dr. Hains his latest book, and they get at the central question: What does it mean to interpret Scripture with Scripture? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: The OG Reformer [2:06] Reading Scripture with Luther [10:55] Christian Pedagogy [17:40] Catholic Luther [25:52] Catechesis from Scripture [30:33] Gimme the Lutheran Pitch [39:48] Practical Advice for Churches [48:39]

What counts as doing God’s mission? How do we measure the success of Christian mission? It’s very tempting to turn it into a numbers game, or to rely on our own strategies. But Dr. Michael Niebauer has written the Mere Fidelity Book of the Month about this very topic. Matt and Alastair examine with him this very crucial aspect of our Christian life. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.