Mortification of Spin

Our spin terminators are feuding about Carl’s citizenship status, the environment, and even boiled food, all before introducing their special guests. Both men join us virtually today, but will appear together in person to speak at the Bold North Conference on Reformed Theology November 5-6, 2021, at Mission Orthodox Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, MN. Camden Bucey is a minister at Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Grayslake, IL and the executive director of Reformed Forum. His friend Jim Cassidy is the pastor of South Austin Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX and the Reformed Forum board president. The pair check in to prepare us for the upcoming conference, themed Covenant Theology and the Promised Messiah. What is Covenant Theology, why is it important, and what are the distinctions between Covenant Theology and broader evangelicalism? Israel, the Church, how the Bible is structured, and the way we interpret Scripture are not mere doctrinal differences that can be overlooked, but are at the very heart of understanding the way God relates to his creatures. So listen in, and stay tuned for a very important announcement at the end of the show. Show Notes · Reformed Forum · Bold North Conference on Reformed Theology Congratulations to our winners of a free copy of Foundations of Covenant Theology: A Biblical, Theological Study of Genesis 1-3 by Lane Tipton: David R. from Williamsburg, VA Kyle A. from Clarksville, IN

On today’s encore presentation of Mortification of Spin the dynamic duo becomes a trio, as a third pessimist—that is, a third realist—joins in. Rod Dreher is an American writer and editor, culture critic, and the author of several books, including The Benedict Option and the freshly released Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents. Rod’s book is a wakeup call for Christians about ideas that have become prevalent in American society…notions already adopted in other countries that have proven to be a threat to civil liberties.  Is there still hope to turn from what he calls “soft totalitarianism”? What’s the course of action for Christians to preserve the faith in such an intolerant society, where words and actions are becoming highly surveilled and dealt with “accordingly?” Live Not By Lies is timely and absolutely relevant for Christian dissidents. You can’t afford to miss this conversation! Show Notes ·The American Conservative ·The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher

Our favorite spin slayers believe that Christians and non-Christians alike should care about religious liberty. So, Carl and Todd choose to revisit a prominent First Amendment case and note other offenses that are popping up all around. How should Christians view religious liberty and what should be our response when faced with religious opposition and hostility? How big of a deal is it, really, to bake a cake or arrange flowers for a gay wedding? Carl explains how the concepts of personhood and identity are determining factors in the way liberty is defined in today’s society—even in the opinion of some Christians.  Show Notes ·Public Discourse ·Alliance Defending Freedom ·Becket - Religious Liberty for All ·Pacific Justice Institute ·Freedom and Virtue Institute ·The Institute for Faith and Freedom - GCC ·The Heritage Foundation ·Ethics and Public Policy Center  We are pleased to offer our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Liberty for All: Defending Everyone’s Religious Freedom in a Pluralistic Age by Andrew T. Walker. Register! The copies are a generous gift from our friends at Brazos Press.

A very old and common problem in the pastoral world has recently returned to the headlines with allegations of sermon plagiarism lodged against the newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Why is sermon plagiarism such a big deal? Does it reach beyond the simple theft of intellectual property? What are the advantages and blessings of sermon preparation for the pastor and his congregation? Join Carl and Todd for an instructive conversation! We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to win a free copy of the classic Preaching and Preachers by Martin Lloyd Jones, published by Zondervan. Register!

He can no longer blend into the background. Carl Trueman is now officially an influencer; he’s a fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington D.C. and a clear and present danger to the unorthodox and “progressive” in this country.  The legendary secret bunker has been dusted off, equipped with new transmitting devices, and is now ready to harbor our two outspoken hosts. Trueman and his faithful sidekick Pruitt are now targets of “the mob” for bringing the “cultural transformation” movement to the discussion table. What was that movement supposed to be about, and did it fulfill its purpose? How does the Church participate in cultural transformation affecting ethics and public policy in today’s society? Our naïve duo claims it’s through the power of the Gospel, one soul at a time…but what do they know?  We have a few giveaway copies of Ethics beyond Rules: How Christ’s Call to Love Informs Our Moral Choices, compliments of our friends at Zondervan. Register for the opportunity to win one.

Todd Pruitt proves to be a good and supportive friend as he endures Carl’s insufferable bragging for being “canceled” by Instagram and YouTube. What’s more, Dr. Trueman informs that he was labeled as “distinguished” on the pages of The Wall Street Journal! All as our “nutty professor” continues to resist the notion of becoming a patriotic American citizen.  Seriously: Is it okay for a Christian to be patriotic? Is patriotism a virtue? What’s the distinction between nationalism and patriotism? The two friends help us separate our gratitude for the nation where God placed us from a much less healthy form of nationalistic fanaticism. Should the American flag be displayed in places of worship and church buildings? Listen for perspective from our resident Brit! For good insight on today’s topic, we’re offering our listeners the opportunity to win a free copy of Os Guinness’ The Magna Carta of Humanity - Sinai’s Revolutionary Faith and the Future of Freedom. Register! The books are a generous gift from our friends at InterVarsity Press.

Putting his reputation at risk once again, Dr. Thomas Weinandy makes a return visit to the podcast. The topic of conversation for his first visit was Tom’s impressive work, Jesus Becoming Jesus: A Theological Interpretation of the Synoptic Gospels. The scholar and prolific author is back with the follow-up tome Jesus Becoming Jesus Volume 2: A Theological Interpretation of the Gospel of John.  In this latest work, Father Weinandy takes an in-depth look at the historical systematic theology and interpretation of the Gospel of John–emphasizing the doxological aspect of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection and the significance of referring to Jesus as the Logos. Take note of what Thomas has to say regarding the miracles in John, and in particular, what the resurrection of Lazarus means for the interpretation of this book. Show Notes · Jesus Becoming Jesus - First Episode · Does God Change? By Thomas Weinandy · Does God Suffer? By Thomas Weinandy  Register for the opportunity to win a free copy of Jesus Becoming Jesus. These books are a complimentary gift from our friends at The Catholic University of America Press.

The podcasting world’s most interesting pair is joined by “the Queen,” as her husband calls her. It’s not Elizabeth II (sorry, Carl!) or the 80s rock band, but Mary Beeke; author, wife of Joel Beeke, mother of three adult children, a former nurse and elementary teacher, and long-time servant of the church.  Mary’s latest book will resonate with most parents as she writes about teaching our children the importance of work and instilling a godly and honorable work ethic. Mary offers an assessment of current societal values that inspire entitlement, complaining, a lack of motivation, and “living for the weekend”…while ignoring the value of earning one’s keep. Does Scripture have anything to say about the issue? Is there a correlation between work and joy? Parents, don’t lose heart! Enjoy Mary’s encouragement as you learn how to persist in “training up” your child! We have copies of Teach Them to Work that we are giving away. Register for the opportunity to win one! The books are a generous gift from our friends at Reformation Heritage Books.

Believe it or not, our hosts can be positive every once in a while. This week, they sit down to chat about the encouraging outcomes of this year’s PCA General Assembly. What happened at the GA that is giving Todd such encouragement about the future of the denomination? (It’s been well-documented that Carl couldn’t care less!) Todd explains the dynamics inside a denomination comprised of “tribes” (as some have called them) that have different interests and goals for the future. For example, some are committed to reforming Presbyterianism and its distinctives, while others see a more progressive kind of evangelicalism for the PCA. Todd reviews the “overtures” voted on at the Assembly and what they mean in the big picture. Overall, it’s an encouraging affirmation of biblical standards and reformed doctrine. To complement today’s topic, we would like to offer you the opportunity to win a free copy of Kevin DeYoung’s book Men and Women in the Church, A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction. Register! The copies are a complimentary gift from our friends at Crossway.

Despite the inestimable success of his most recent book, Carl finds himself “cancelled” by a school where he was to deliver a speech. It’s an outcome that raises Dr. Trueman to an even higher level of recognition; he’s now almost as important as Ryan T. Anderson, who was famously cancelled by Amazon! Now, Carl and Todd hope their special guest won’t be “cancelled” for merely being in their company. Michael Kruger is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, and professor of New Testament and Early Christianity. Although Michael is a scholar and has written some heavyweight theological volumes, he’s also penned some phenomenal books with a pastoral tone. Michael’s latest is Surviving Religion 101, which he says is--for a number of reasons--one of his most personal. This letter-format book is intended not only to help Christians survive the assault on their beliefs on campus, but many other challenges of college life. Confronting doubts, apologetics training, the role of the church in the life of the college student, philosophical and worldview issues—all are on the table as part of this great conversation. Listen in, and tell a friend to do so as well! We are giving away a few copies of Surviving Religion 101. Register for the opportunity to win one. The books are a generous gift from our friends at Crossway.