The Bible has some tricky passages. Occasionally here on Mere Fidelity the crew likes to pick one of these up and try to unravel it. On the discussion table today: How do we reconcile clear laws and murky narratives? For instance, it seems that the commandments against lying are absolute, and yet in Exodus 1, God blesses the Hebrew midwives for their deception. Let's dive in with Matt, Alastair, and Derek. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

Is it licit for Christians to be anonymous on the internet? What role could anonymity play in evangelism? Should you tell your pastor about your secret accounts? And is Twitter the only problem? Andrew, Alastair, and Matt (n.b., not anonymous) discuss. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

What exactly does it mean for God to "vindicate," "sanctify," or "glorify" His name? Derek has been giving this question a lot of systematic theology thought. Alastair and Matt join him in this intellectual workout, starting with the Lord's Prayer and proceeding through Athanasius, Aquinas, honor culture, and our own times. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

In a perfect, though not fully intentional, follow-up to the conversation in the previous episode about Conservative Nationalism, Dr. Paul Miller joins Matt and Alastair to discuss his critique of Christian Nationalism as laid out in his new book The Religion of American Greatness. The big question: What is the Biblical model of the relation between church and state? The next question: Are Baptists part of the problem or solution? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

What hath Enlightenment Liberalism wrought? According to Dr. Yoram Hazony, chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation, it has led us to the place we are today where Neo-Marxism is ascendant and we cannot conceive a higher good than consent. What's the alternative? National Conservatism. Listen to this lively conversation with Derek, Alastair, Matt, and Dr. Hazony. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

There's been a divorce between the disciplines of Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology. Representing both of those disciplines, Dr. Bobby Jamieson and Dr. Tyler Wittman authored a book that bridges the divide and shows explores how the principles of each enriches the understanding of the other. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

Does the philosophical knowledge of God known as Classical Theism enrich our reading of Scripture? Or does it get in the way? Derek and Alastair have a conversation with Dr. Steve Duby about the retrieval of Classical Theism and its interaction with good Christology. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

What has six thumbs and doesn't understand that passage where Jesus says blasphemy against the Holy Spirit won't be forgiven? The hosts of this podcast, that's who. Let's talk about it. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

When James Wood wrote about the drawbacks of certain strategies for Christians to transcend the political divide without compromising evangelism, he didn't expect it to spark such a contentious discourse. Never afraid of controversy, Matt, Derek, and Alastair dive into the conversation with him, seeking to understand the best way to deal with political disagreements as Christians. NOTE: Because of the nature of the conversation, this episode mentions our good friend Tim Keller quite frequently. Please pray for Tim and his family in the midst of his ongoing health struggles (see: https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1537878466984656896). Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.

Now that Alastair has returned from his honeymoon, Mere Fidelity jumps right back into the liturgical year with a lively discussion of Pentecost. The guys endeavor to find the Holy Spirit in Scripture and to see His gifts in the Church. They also (with apologies to Andrew) touch briefly on the perennial question: What's the deal with charismatics? Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com.