We are reposting our 2024 episode from our conversation with Volker Leppin. (The podcast will be on break through January and resuming in February with some exciting new content).

Volker Leppin is the Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology at Yale Divinity School. Prior to Yale, he taught church history at University of Jena and University of Tübingen. He is the author of many books, monographs, and articles in church history, especially on the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and Martin Luther. He is especially known for his biography of Luther titled Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life. 

The works about Luther that Dr. Leppin mentions were significant for him were:

Karl Holl's "Luther", presented as a lecture on Oct 31st 1917.

Gerhard Ebeling's book Evangelische Evangelienauslegung: Eine Untersuchung zu Luthers Hermeneutik

Heiko Oberman's book Luther: Man Between God and the Devil 

(Andrew also brought up Oberman's book The Dawn of the Reformation: Essays in Late Medieval and Early Reformation Thought)

In the past few years, Roman Catholicism (and to a lesser extent Eastern Orthodoxy) has been attractive to people (including younger people) looking for tradition, beauty, and stability in a world that is often chaotic. What are the "pitfalls and possibilities" (to quote Doc Brown) of this 'Current Catholic Moment'?

John brings up the following resources (which he also references in his article above):

-Jaroslav Pelikan's book The Riddle of Roman Catholicism

-Herman Sasse's book Here We Stand

We were delighted for Amy Mantravadi to return to the podcast to discuss her book Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation,the second of her two-part novel series. (She joined us to discuss the first book Broken Bonds on an episode earlier this year.) Amy is a regular contributor at 1517 and writes about theological and historical topics. 

The following works are brought up or referenced in this episode:

-Amy's previous work The Chronicles of Maud trilogy.

-Robert Kolb's Bound Choice, Election, and the Wittenberg Theological Method

-Rudolf & Marilynn Markwald’s book Katharina von Bora: A Reformation Life

-Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will 

-Martin Luther's “Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants” (1525), which can be found in Luther's Works, Volume 46

-Coming Soon: Amy's talk “How the Bondage of the Will Changes My Life” will be featured in an upcoming video from the 1517 YouTube channel.

A mix of topics on this episode. We continue to promote James' Substack Rogues and Reformers about his use of comic books as teaching tools for Reformational theology, and we focus particularly on what the Joker's story can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, we go to Andrew's latest Mockingbird article on what the former KISS guitarist the late Ace Frehley can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, yes, we get to the English Reformation and look at Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, & Lady Jane Grey.

–Peter Marshall's book Heretics & Believers

–Eric Ives' book Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery

–Diarmaid MacCulloch's book The Boy King: Edward VI and the Protestant Reformation

Andrew and James continue their chronological walkthrough of the English Reformation discussing Katherine Parr, Edward VI, Martin Bucer, and the 1549 and 1552 Books of Common Prayer. Enjoy!

We want to hear from you. Pease send feedback to [email protected]

Episode Shownotes

-Luther-scholarship that has identified Max Weber as a misinterpretor of Luther's 'two-kingdoms' teaching includes William Wright's book Martin Luther's Understanding of God's Two Kingdoms: A Response to the Challenge of Skepticism and Michael P. DeJonge's Bonhoeffer's Reception of Luther.

- A.G. Dickens' classic text The English Reformation

-

Andrew and James return to have a catch-up episode- with each other and with you. James started a substack called "Rogues & Reformers" on how Reformational theology can inform our read of comic books and superheroes. Andrew discusses a church trip he went on walking in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle. We offer what we hope can be a pastoral word on the murder of Charlie Kirk.

Shownotes

James' Substack "Rogues & Reformers"

Itinerary and info on Andrew's Trip

In this episode we look at Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves, Martin Luther's influence on English churchmen like William Tyndale and Robert Barnes, the influence of the English-Schmalkaldic dialogues on the 39 articles, and more. (Show correction: the author Andrew mentions is Michael Whiting, not Whitling! Apologies)

Shownotes:

The Reformation Essays of Robert Barnes, edited by Neelak S. Tjernagel

Henry VIII and the Lutherans: A Study in Anglo-Lutheran Relations from 1521 to 1547 by Neelak S. Tjernagel

Documents of the English Reformation, edited by Gerald Bray

Worship by Faith Alone: Thomas Cranmer, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Reformation of Liturgy by Zac Hicks

Did Henry VIII found the Anglican Church? That's one of many things we explore in this episode which will be the first of a multi-part series where James and Andrew discuss the 16th Reformation in England. In this part, we look at the so-called three 'streams' of Anglicanism, the Tudors, and Henry's reign up to his divorce with Anne of Cleves. Enjoy!

Shownotes

Ben Crosby's Substack Draw Near with Faith

The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness 

Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel from Christ to the Reformation by Nathan Busenitz

The English Reformation by A.G. Dickens

Documents of the English Reformation by Gerald Bray

The European Reformations by Carter Lindberg

*Andrew could not find where he drew the quote from Ian Hazlett from, but if you happen to know, please inform him. Thanks!

Matthew Barrett has recently made religious news: converting to Anglican Christianity from the Southern Baptist Convention and his new appointment at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge as research professor of theology. 

In this throwback episode, Dr. Barrett joined Andrew and James on the podcast to discuss his book The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. 

In the episode, we do a deep dive into the historical setting of the Reformation, the intellectual and philosophical milieu of which people like Luther emerged, the Reformation's roots in both patristic and medieval theology, and common caricatures of the Reformation. Enjoy!

Continuing on the topic of the generation of Lutherans after Luther's death from our preceding episode, Dr. Wade Johnston comes on the show to discuss his recent book Life Under the Cross: A Biography of the Reformer Matthias Flacius Illyricus. 

The story of Flacius alone gives us a big picture on 2nd-generation Lutheranism as he was a significant figure involved with most of the significant controversies and debates that happened in the time period from Luther's death to the Formula of Concord.

Wade Johnston is assistant professor of history and theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College and an ordained Lutheran pastor (WELS). He also is a contributor at 1517.org and hosts the podcast Let the Bird Fly. Tune in for a fascinating discussion.

Shownotes:

In addition to Wade's book (linked above), we bring up the books:

-Wade Johnston, The Devil Behind the Surplice: Matthias Flacius and John Hooper on Adiophora

-Robert Kolb, Bound Choice, Election, and Wittenberg Theological Method: From Martin Luther to the Formula of Concord

-Luka Ilić, Theologian of Sin and Grace: The Process of Radicalization in the Theology of Matthias Flacius Illyricus

-Oliver K. Olson, Matthias Flacius and the Survival of Luther's Reform