The Pastor Theologians Podcast

Pastor Caleb Campbell joins the podcast to discuss how pastors might guide their congregations through the results of the 2024 election, drawing from his experience pastoring in Phoenix, AZ. He also discusses his book "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor." How can we helpfully engage those in their community who align with combative political perspectives? How can pastors support members who are struggling to have conversations with family members, or for whom the election stirs up difficult emotions? This and more on today's episode. Living Church - Awe and Presence

Douglas Estes joins the podcast once again to discuss the second volume of a collection of essays he edited on theology in the works and worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. We talk about the role of narrative fiction in shaping pastoral theology and how works like The Lord of the Rings can serve those who lead the church in the present day.Living Church - Awe and Presence

Kevin Vanhoozer, a distinguished professor of systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, delves into the art of reading Scripture in this engaging discussion. He contrasts academic reading with the transformative experience of entering God's presence. Vanhoozer emphasizes the importance of community in shaping reading cultures and the role of interpretive virtues. He introduces concepts like grammatical eschatological exegesis and explores the interplay between academic and ecclesial reading, urging pastors to model authentic biblical literacy.

For our November episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These (2021)James Davison Hunter, Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis (2024)Yuval Noah Harari, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (2024)Kelly Kapic, You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good NewsLiving Church - Awe and Presence

We are joined on the podcast today by Justin Allison. Justin shares his story of faith and how the Lord has worked through different seasons in his life, from a bout with illness as a child, to serving as a hospital chaplain, and now in his current ministry context.  Living Church - Awe and Presence

This week, Gavin Ortlund joins us to discuss his recent book “What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church.”  Many evangelicals have recently begun to explore more sacramental and liturgical church traditions, such as Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. What underlying desires drive this renewed interest? Can these desires only be met outside of Protestantism? How can the strengths of historical Protestantism aid us when wrestling with issues like the authority of Scripture? What role do platforms like YouTube play in these conversations? All this and more in this week’s episode!Living Church - Awe and Presence

Cory Wilson joins the podcast to tell his story of becoming a pastor theologian. He shares about his work as a missionary in West Africa and how that significantly shaped the trajectory of his life and ministry. What is the nature of theology? Why do we pursue it? And why does it find its home in the church?Living Church - Awe and Presence

Nathan Chang joins the podcast to tell his story about becoming a Pastor Theologian. Nathan shares about his experiencing growing up with deaf parents and in a deaf church and the impact that had on his vision of and for the church. He explains his journey of faith, his passion for the word of God, and his journey of education and ministry. Living Church - Awe and Presence

Collin Hansen, Editor-in-Chief of the Gospel Coalition, reflects on the political vision and legacy of Tim Keller. Politics is not the first subject anyone would associate with the life and work of pastor Tim Keller. And yet when you review his teaching, you find someone who may have written more deeply and insightfully about politics than any other contemporary pastor. In this session, Hansen explains what Keller believed the American church should do as politics increasingly shift from ideology to identity politics.This is the first talk from the CPT's 2024 conference Kingdom Politics.Living Church - Awe and Presence

Ryan Fields joins the podcast again to share a sermon he preached on 1 Peter 2:12, calling the church to pursue commendable conduct "among the Gentiles" in the turmoil of a divisive moment in America's public and ecclesial life. What does God call us, the church, to pursue, both among fellow believers and in the public sphere?Living Church - Awe and Presence