The Pastor Theologians Podcast

As the pandemic continues, how can pastors and Christians cope with the feelings of weariness, isolation, and depression in these unique circumstances? What challenges has the length of the crisis raised for pastors and churches? How can we be attuned to our embodiment and the ordinary means of grace as we tend to our emotional and spiritual health? CPT fellow Ryan Davidson joins again for this episode.Living Church - Awe and Presence

Podcast host and CPT President Todd Wilson is joined by Zachary Wagner and Joel Lawrence to discuss the fallout from recent events at the US Capitol. What has gone wrong in the church and in our nation to lead to such a deep ideological divide? Where do we go from here?Living Church - Awe and Presence

On a special midweek episode, we share a sermon by CPT co-founder and board chair Gerald Hiestand. This sermon was preached at Calvary Memorial Church outside Chicago on Sunday, January 10, 2021, in response to the deadly assault on the US Capitol by pro-Trump conservatives.Living Church - Awe and Presence

CPT Podcast co-hosts Todd Wilson and Zachary Wagner are joined by CPT Executive Director Joel Lawrence. We discuss the year that was and what its implications are for pastoral ministry and the role of theology in the local church. Join us as we look back on some of the most listened to moments from the podcast in 2020.Living Church - Awe and Presence

How can parents and pastors find a balance between emphasizing the theological significance of Christmas alongside the cultural trappings associated with the holiday? How can this season be an opportunity for discipleship and catechism of children? On this episode, we are joined by CPT fellow Dillon Thornton, author of Give Them Jesus: Raising Our Children on the Core Truths of the Christian Faith.Living Church - Awe and Presence

Is Advent merely an extended Christmas season? What is the function of this season in the liturgical calendar? What is lost when we rush past the penitential season of Advent into the celebratory season of Christmas? CPT fellow Benj Petroelje joins the podcast to discuss the significance of the season of Advent in the church's life – particularly in a year like 2020. How can pastors make the most of this time of year for their congregation?Living Church - Awe and Presence

We continue our conversation with CPT fellow Tim Fox on his story of life, education, and ministry. Tim discusses ministry in obscurity,  avoiding pastoral burnout, reading widely, and the story the the birth of his daughter and her diagnosis with downs syndrome.Living Church - Awe and Presence

CPT fellow Tim Fox joins the podcast to share his story of becoming a pastor theologian. Tim Pastor of Christ the King Presbyterian in Austin, TX. We discuss the importance of focused research on the biblical text, the way a love of reading connects to a love of theology, and the significance of staying connected with a local church during academic studies. Tim earned his PhD in New Testament from the University of St Andrews.Living Church - Awe and Presence

How has the Christian faith and its virtue tradition influenced the science of positive psychology and virtue research? Many social scientists acknowledge that virtue reaches its full expression when embedded in a tradition, such as the Christian tradition. Gratitude, for instance, involves the realization that the good that comes to us in our lives often comes from a source outside of ourselves, which Christians often associate with God. We discuss these and other questions, including how pastors and Christians can cultivate the virtue of gratitude.Living Church - Awe and Presence

[This episode was recorded on Thursday, November 5, before the election was called by media outlets in favor of Joe Biden.] Now what? What is the significance of the 2020 election going forward? How can the church be a witness for the gospel in a divided age? Todd Wilson and Joel Lawrence discuss division, unity, and hope in the church.Living Church - Awe and Presence