
Restitutio
Restitutio is a Christian theology podcast designed to get you thinking about biblical theology, church history, and apologetics in an effort to recover the original Christian faith of Jesus and the apostles apart from all of the later traditions that settled on it like so much sediment, obscuring and mutating primitive Christianity into dogma and ritual. Pastor Sean Finnegan, the host of Restitutio, holds to a Berean approach to truth: that everyone should have an open mind, but check everything against the bible to see how it measures up. If you are looking for biblical unitarian resources, information about the kingdom of God, or teachings about conditional immortality, Restitutio is the Christian podcast for you!
Latest episodes

Sep 26, 2024 • 1h 3min
567 Are the Dead Conscious? (Dustin Smith, Sam Tideman)
Dustin Smith and Sam Tideman discuss whether people are conscious in the intermediate state (between death and resurrection). Interestingly, neither of them think the deceased are currently in heaven or hell. Smith affirms the sleep of the dead, seeing all the dead, whether good or bad, as unconscious and unaware of the passage of time. Tideman puts forward the idea that the souls of the dead are in a semi-conscious dreamlike state in a chamber called Sheol or Hades. Today is part one of their discussion in which both lay out their positions and then discuss Ecclesiastes 9.10 and Isaiah 14.9-11. This is part one of their conversation. Stay tuned for part two next week.
Dr. Dustin Smith currently serves as a New Testament scholar at Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina. Smith has authored or edited six books, including the 2024 monograph, Wisdom Christology in the Gospel of John. He is also the weekly host of the Biblical Unitarian Podcast.
Sam Tideman is a Harvard educated data scientist at Google who has keen interests in biblical studies, theology, and especially church history. He hosts the YouTube channel, "Transfigured," which has a total of nearly 250k views with interesting guests like Tim Mackie, Alister McGrath, and John Vervaeke.
https://youtu.be/v6IBqLHlzQ4
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
More about Dustin Smith here
More about Sam Tideman here
Check out these other episodes discussing the intermediate state
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Sep 20, 2024 • 1h 4min
566 Kingdom Seminar 5: Kingdom Ambassadors
This is part 5 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey.
This episode begins by delving into the history of how the theologians of the third and fourth centuries rejected the kingdom since they thought it was too crude, too hedonic, and too Jewish. Next I briefly cover three rediscovery movements, including the Anabaptists of the 16th century, the Adventists of the 19th century, and the New Testament scholars of the 20th century. Still, the majority of Christendom lies in the shadow of heaven-at-death mythology, hidden from the light of God's grand vision for our world. You and I have work to do. The kingdom of God is not a side doctrine--a footnote in eschatology. It's extremely important. We are kingdom ambassadors. And we have a winning message to tell the world.
https://youtu.be/QduueQxY-jo
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey here.
Check out the full Kingdom Seminar series
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Sep 12, 2024 • 46min
565 Kingdom Seminar 4: Kingdom Allegiance
This is part 4 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey.
Jesus didn't just believe in a future kingdom that didn't affect the present. His entire ministry was saturated with kingdom symbology and activity. Wherever he went, he brought a bubble of the kingdom with him. As Christ-followers, we too, are called to prophesy the kingdom in how we live. This should include adopting the kingdom's culture, as well as pledging allegiance to the kingdom.
https://youtu.be/xsynGDjUjP0
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey here.
Check out the full Kingdom Seminar series
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Sep 5, 2024 • 59min
564 Kingdom Seminar 3: Defining the Kingdom
This is part 3 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey.
The kingdom of God is the golden thread running throughout the whole Bible from beginning to end. In this presentation, we'll consider some of the key texts from the Old and New Testaments that define what the kingdom is. In contrast to many who think the goal of Christian salvation is to go home to be with the Lord in heaven, the Bible offers a consistent vision of God's children living forever on a restored world. Rather than leaving the planet or physicality, the kingdom is the idea that God will fix up this place, healing everything in it from national strife to animal violence--and everything between.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l66rBsPzYU&feature=youtu.be
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey here.
Check out the full Kingdom Seminar series
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Aug 30, 2024 • 46min
563 Kingdom Seminar 2: Defining Heaven
This is part 2 of the Kingdom Seminar, based on the book Kingdom Journey.
What is heaven? Although it is not the place where the dead go when they die, it is, still, a real place. Today we'll survey different ways in which the Bible talks about heaven, including the sky, God's throne, the storehouse, and the heaven of heavens. Next we'll consider what other religions teach about the afterlife. Finally, we'll conclude by seeing how the Biblical authors courageously took a radically unpopular view about life after death.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fryp8pkMJHA
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey here.
Check out the full Kingdom Seminar series
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Aug 22, 2024 • 42min
562 Kingdom Seminar 1: Why Should You Care
Last December, my first ever published book came out, called Kingdom Journey. Recently I recorded a seminar on the kingdom at a church in South Carolina based on the book that I will be playing out over the next 5 weeks. In this seminar I highlight some of the key points in my book and also add in some new content. Today we're going to start by asking the question, "Why should I care about the kingdom of God?" In what follows I make the case that we should care because Jesus said to prioritize the kingdom and because he preached it as gospel. Whether you've long believed in God's kingdom coming to earth at Christ's return or you're new to it, I hope this message will encourage and inspire you to share the message with others.
https://youtu.be/_33DdEnbyKE
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
—— Links ——
Get your copy of Kingdom Journey here.
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Aug 15, 2024 • 36min
561 United Kingdom UCA Conference Review (Daisy Jones, Mark Cain)
Last month the Unitarian Christian Alliance put on the first conference in Europe. A mixture of British and American speakers presented on various aspects of unitarian Christianity. In today's episode I speak with Daisy Jones, one of the main coordinators of the event as well as Mark Cain who assisted in planning and in recording the presentations. They share some highlights from this year's conference as well as what they are planning for next year.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/bG62n-JyEv8
—— Links ——
Find out more about the Unitarian Christian Alliance as well as about future events
Listen to the interview with Josh and Daisy Jones: Walking with God
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Aug 9, 2024 • 60min
560 Pentecost Reversing Babel (Sean Finnegan)
Pentecost, as described in Acts 2, was a strange event. We read about unusual miraculous signs such as the sound of a great wind and tongues of fire. Still, the most interesting moment is when the apostles of our Lord began speaking in foreign languages that they didn't know. Such divine utterance is called speaking in tongues and everyone, it seems, has an opinion about it. But, have you ever asked yourself why?
God is launching the church to go into Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Christ pours out the spirit to enable them to be his witnesses. OK. But, why have them speak in foreign languages? Now, this can't just be a nifty trick to grab people's attention, though it certainly did that. Join me as we consider the Old Testament background to Pentecost, which I believe goes all the way back to Babel when God originally confused the languages.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/eRgD-t0tskw
—— Links ——
Check out these other episodes about speaking in tongues
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Aug 2, 2024 • 41min
559 Youth Ministry Matters (Joshua Michael Smith)
Last week Joshua Michael Smith began sharing his testimony from childhood to his college years when he changed his mind about Jesus's identity. In part two he talks about cage stage unitarianism--where one seeks to confront everyone about this important truth regardless of their interested or antagonism. Smith shares how he matured while continuing to work within Assemblies of God and Baptist churches in Tennessee. Then we broach the topic of youth ministry. Smith explains why it is so important and what he hopes to accomplish as the new youth ministry coordinator at Living Hope.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmk5_q7Lh9w
—— Links ——
Visit Guthrie Grove in Pelzer, SC (Aug 11-14)
Sign up to come to Kingdom Fest at Living Hope near Albany, NY (Sep 13-15)
Register to attend the UCA conference near Little Rock, AK (Oct 17-19)
Check out these other interviews about people leaving the Trinity to embrace a biblical unitarianian understanding of God.
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here

Jul 26, 2024 • 1h 7min
558 Courageous Baptist Seeks Biblical Truth (Joshua Michael Smith)
Joshua Michael Smith grew up in northern Florida in a Baptist church. In this interview he shares his journey of faith, including how came to Christ as well as how he ended up in ministry training at Word of Life before earning a bachelors at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga. While there, he began questioning his received doctrinal package based on the Bible. As a result, he came to discover the human Messiah of scripture and courageously embraced this new understanding despite the consequences. This is part one of his story.
Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
https://youtu.be/bMDi7DMGPsE?si=ABYRX2wrLdNbiOFv
—— Links ——
Check out these other interviews about people leaving the Trinity to embrace a biblical unitarianian understanding of God.
Get the transcript of this episode
Support Restitutio by donating here
Join our Restitutio Facebook Group and follow Sean Finnegan on Twitter @RestitutioSF
Leave a voice message via SpeakPipe with questions or comments and we may play them out on the air
Intro music: Good Vibes by MBB Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) Free Download / Stream: Music promoted by Audio Library.
Who is Sean Finnegan? Read Sean's bio here