Forging Ploughshares

Paul Axton preaches: Rene Girard pictures the body of the scapegoat as the original sign and signification, which accords with the depiction of religion in the Bible and in the religions of the world, and Christ directly reverses this sign and provides a new order of meaning.

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Matt and Paul talk with David Artman, author and host of the podcast Grace Saves All. In this conversation we discuss how universal redemption is necessarily through Christ and may be completed through and beyond death. David also details his recent reading and podcasts on the rise of fascism through Pentecostalism.

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Paul Axton preaches: Death and judgment are not the end of the story in Scripture but either the continuation of the work begun in Christ or a restorative judgment in which all are drawn into restoration and salvation.

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The author of the book and podcast "Grace Saves All," David Artman, describes his entry into universalism and the development of his book and raises the issue of its playing the role of a theodicy.

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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Paul Axton preaches: In this sermon, linking the left/brain right/brain theory of Iain McGilchrist with Paul's distinction between letter and Spirit, a connection is made between how it is the left hemisphere of the brain can take predominance in the same way the law can become its own end, and this is suspended in the opening up of Christ to the thought of God on the order of a full utilization of the right brain.

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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In this continuation of our podcasts on Imaginative Apologetics, Paul addresses the moral argument as posed by Kant, and traces his coining the term "radical evil" and provide illustrations showing this is not simply a philosophical but a real world cause and effect - certain conceptions of morality are directly linked to the worst forms of evil. 

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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Paul Axton preaches: When asked the reason for following Christ, Axton poses a one word answer upon which he builds an alternative understanding to the partial answer of being saved and shows that the choice is between meaning or no meaning. 

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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In part 2 J. Denny Weaver, the foremost Mennonite thinker, describes the role of the Church as an alternative peaceable kingdom to the violent kingdoms of the world. 

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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In part 1 of a 2 part conversation Paul and Brad interview J. Denny Weaver, the most prominent theologian among contemporary Mennonites, on his understanding of the atonement he calls "narrative Christus Victor."

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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In this second part of our conversation with Girard expert, Anthony Bartlett, we discuss the upcoming class Anthony will teach and also discuss the necessity to go beyond Girard to the fulness of peace and nonviolence of the Gospel.

(Sign up for the class Human Language, Signs of God: using Anthony Bartlett’s two books, Theology Beyond Metaphysics and Signs of Change, as one continuous argument.  The course will run from 2025/9/16 to 2025/11/4. Register here: https://pbi.forgingploughshares.org/)

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