In Episode 91 of Grace on Tap, Evan Gaertner and Mike Yagley dive into the turbulent years following Luther’s stay at the Wartburg Castle—when the Reformation teetered on the edge of chaos. While Luther hid under Frederick’s protection, self-proclaimed prophets like Nikolaus Storch and Thomas Müntzer began to claim direct revelations from God, turning reform into […]

The 90th episode of Grace on Tap traces Frederick’s efforts to secure a fair hearing for Luther in the face of papal pressure, culminating in the dramatic events at Worms. Listeners for how Frederick’s chancellor, Bruck, tirelessly negotiated with imperial and papal representatives, how Glampion tried to limit Luther’s protection, and how Frederick worked behind […]

Frederick the Wise shielded Martin Luther during the earliest and most uncertain years of the Reformation. Far more than a footnote in Luther’s story, Frederick emerges as a skilled statesman navigating the volatile mix of church corruption, shifting feudal structures, and the rising voices of peasants and humanists. This episode explores the events of 1520 […]

1518-1519 was a critical turning point in the politics of the Reformation. Join Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner as they follow Frederick the Wise as he navigates the turbulent waters between Pope Leo, Emperor Maximilian, and the rising voice of Martin Luther. From the tense Reichstag in Augsburg back-channel negotiations that kept Luther out of […]

Evan Gaertner and Mike Yagley continue a discussion about Frederick the Wise’s ability to protect Martin Luther from the combined pressure of the pope and the emperor. This episode largely focuses on the events of 1518. After Luther posted his 95 Theses, the Church wasted no time in seeking to silence him. Pope Leo X […]

Frederick the Wise: Reluctant Protector of the Reformation In this episode, Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner explores how Frederick the Wise’s relationship with Martin Luther evolved between 1516 and 1518. Though initially angered by Luther’s sermons against indulgences and relics, Frederick gradually reconsidered his stance—thanks in part to his advisor George Spalatin and Luther’s mentor […]

Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner continue the story of Frederick the Wise, the Elector of Saxon. From his birth in 1463 to his rise as a strategic ruler and devout leader, Frederick navigated political rivalries, financial struggles, and religious reform. Learn how he transformed Wittenberg into a center of learning and faith, laying the groundwork […]

Evan Gaertner presented to the Lutheran Luncheon Club in Detroit on January 8, 2025. Mike was unavailable, which is probably why Evan messed up the name of the town that Martin Luther was born in and died in. There was no beer break in this recording before a live audience.

Evan Gaertner and Mike Yagley begin a new unit on Grace on Tap. This podcast will take some episodes to explore the people who were not theologians during the Reformation but still significantly contributed to it. This episode introduces Frederick the Wise. In 2015, Sam Wellmen wrote the ultimate English biography of this noble, Frederick […]

Mike Yagley and Evan Gaertner continue a look at how Martin Luther guided spiritual care and concern for people through letters. This episode reviews a letter written by Luther in November 1527 to John Hess. The letter is about whether Christians are obligated to stay during a time of plague. Beer Break Soft Parade by […]