Theology on Mission

Is Jesus' death a substitute for our penalty? Or does his substitution work in a different way? After David Fitch gets a little coffee (he needed it so bad he was stuttering), he and Geoff Holsclaw about the death of Jesus, the different ways of understanding it as a substitute, and what it means for the gospel. Don't miss this episode as you prepare for Easter.

Should Christians withdraw from a hostile culture? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw discuss Rod Dreher's "Benedict Option" as a Christian response to American culture. While appreciative, Dave and Geoff offer points of concern and criticism.

Have we returned the favor and created God in our image? In Harlem, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was confronted with the reality that German Christians had fashioned Jesus in their own image, leading to the tragic rise of Hitler. What can we learn from this today? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about Bonhoeffer's Black Jesus, a book by Reggie L. Williams. They discuss two pitfalls of the German Church and how they might affect us now.

Can we find peace in a polarizing world? Can we cultivate true dialogue in a defensive world? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about living on the thin line between stoking and reenforcing the cultural and political antagonisms of our day, and the need for staying alert to injustices in the world. What Ya Reading? The Souls of Black Folk ~ W.E.B. Du Bois Jesus and the Gospel in Africa ~ Kwame Bediako

How is joy a source of strength? Why was it joy for Jesus to endure the cross? Is joy just happy-clappy sentimentality? Mandy Smith and Scott Jones join Geoff Holsclaw to talk about the need to return to joy. Joy is not merely happiness connected to circumstances. Joy is connected to relationships. Beyond our politics that may seem hopeless, can we connect our longing and joy to the God who is always with us?

Is our world hopeless? Is engaging in politics hopeless? Author Michael Wear joins David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw to talk about Christian engagement in the world. Michael, working in the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama administration, calls us to hope in a world that often seems hopeless.

What does it mean to be subject to the government? What did Paul have in mind by that? And how does it fit with being submitted to Christ? After a long break, David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw finally get together for another episode of Theology on Mission. They tackle the issue of how the church relates to government and what Romans 13 has to say about it. Quote of the episode: "I need music. Music is the, the uh, juice, of the nectar of life." ~ Fitch

Do you need a 1st Century Church Planting Manual? Or, What does 1 Peter teach us about being faithful to Jesus? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk with Dennis Edwards, a pastor and scholar, about exiles, the vocation of the church, and submitting to all human institutions (and what that might mean). They use Edwards' forthcoming commentary on 1 Peter as a springboard for their discussion.

Sometimes the best thing to do is listen. With so much going on in America, Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch slow down and talk with two area ministers, Juliet Liu Waite and Greg Armstrong, about what they are seeing, feeling, and experiencing.

This Thanksgiving, what are you to do when your only relationship with someone is that they are your relative? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw offer three quick tips on how to bring Jesus into every Thanksgiving situation without being all religious. They are: 1) Be present to others, 2) Find the deeper common ground, and 3) submit to others (or even ask for forgiveness). No problem, right?