Mortification of Spin

As they continue “social distancing,” the team gets together virtually with Matthew Barrett. He’s associate professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, executive editor of Credo Magazine, and author and editor of several great theological books. His latest—Canon, Covenant, and Christology—is the topic of today’s conversation.

Barrett encourages us to read Scripture more like Christians and not like deists. We can do so, Matthew suggests, by observing what he calls the “fuller sense”…by recognizing the divine authorial intent, and observing how the story of salvation progresses from the Old to the New Testament…as the ultimate author and character in this story brings all things to culmination.

Barrett explains how Jesus himself uses typology and how it plays a fundamental role in one’s reading and interpretation of Scripture. Don’t miss it!

We have a few copies of Canon, Covenant, and Christology.Register for the opportunity to win one!

Defendant Aimee Byrd is called in, and the trial has begun. She’s representing herself in the court case, The Patriarchy vs. Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

It is alleged that the defendant is the ringleader in an underground hysterical feminist movement. Among her crimes: refusing to be barefoot and confined to a yellow wallpapered kitchen making sandwiches for men. Byrd is also considered a dangerous threat for being an avid student of theology, and for possessing the ability to peel and mash a sack of potatoes with her ever-present nunchucks.

Two men are called to play the devil’s advocate by interrogating the defendant. Will the evidence be enough to exonerate Byrd, or will she face the same fate as Anne Hutchinson? 

Listen in as Aimee makes a case for her new book. Be prepared for some surprising statements and to learn that gynocentric interruption is not a medical condition.

Register for an opportunity to win a copy of Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. The books are a courtesy of our friends at Zondervan.

A listener sends a question via paper airplane, in accordance with social distancing guidelines, and the crew responds from the quarantine bunker.

Due to reports of some cases of conversion to Roman Catholicism by a few Reformed ministers, theologians, and laypeople, said listener is intrigued if Reformed Theology tends to steer Protestants towards the Roman Catholic Church—more than, say, the average Baptist or other evangelical beliefs. Can we pinpoint a specific cause or a set of factors as the driving force leading Reformed Christians to Rome? What could be some of the possible attractions of Roman Catholicism? Put on your mask and listen in!

Be sure to visit our website, Reformation21.org, and our store for more resources.

The team is excited to welcome an old friend and returning guest. Michael Kruger is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC, and professor of New Testament and Early Christianity. He’s contributed much to the Reformed theological world with his writings about the Canon and scriptural authority. Recently, Michael has written on a more popular and ever-current topic.

 

The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity is a small, easy to read book that provides a cautionary look at what are, in essence, ten very appealing half-truths. Why is progressivism so attractive and persuasive? Michael talks about false dichotomies…how always assuming the best of people can sometimes be harmful…and how to discern the full system of thought an author draws from. Does Progressivism affirm that questions are more important than answers? Don’t miss Carl’s answer based on a profound quote from the movie Kung Fu!  

We are pleased to give away copies of Michael’s book. Register for the opportunity to win one. The copies are a complimentary gift from our friends at Cruciform Press.

After a quick break, the crew just had to return to the pandemic topic, as they remain in bunker lockdown. Stay-at-home orders and global shutdowns have had a huge impact on how we do almost everything—including, how we “do church.” What do church membership and commitment to the local body look like in times like this? How can one be a faithful Christian—serving one other, giving, loving our neighbor—when regular gatherings are not possible? 

You’re about to hear a case for tithes and offerings—giving when you miss church—along with the implications of not doing so in times of need for the brethren and the community at large. Not to mention, a few suggestions for ways in which we can serve the most vulnerable.

Visit MortificationofSpin.org to read the blogs, and log on at ReformedResources.org to check out what's available at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals’ online store.

The Spinners are quarantined in the underground bunker and take a break from all the pandemic talk to address a listener question: What should a church be looking for when searching for a new pastor, and how might they go about it?

Of course, a candidate’s online presence can tell much about who he is and how he treats people. What else may be used as reliable indicators of character? What are some ways to assess the prospective pastor’s family life? Does he love and treat his wife and children well? Might the applicant's sermons reveal not only his theology, but also his character and the way he views others? Does he view himself as a shepherd or CEO? The team offers some valuable tips on gathering information about a prospective pastor. 

Cruise to MortificationofSpin.org to read the blogs, and visit ReformedResources.org to check out what's available at the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals online store.

This is a special pandemic edition of The Spin, as Carl, Todd, and Aimee record—not just 6 feet away, but—100 miles distant from one another, just to be on the safe side. COVID-19 times can be challenging, and they’ve afforded Todd a new opportunity to complement his pastoral calling. The megachurch minister is now a gifted “Mental Toughness Expert,” and he’s making his services available when churches are unable to meet, due to mandatory isolation.

Seriously…what do Christians lose when they can’t meet to worship? Is online “church” a good substitute? What could be the lasting effects of not physically assembling with the saints on the Lord’s Day? And, most intriguingly: is social distancing turning some Roman Catholics into Lutherans?

Check our website for valuable resources, and—if you’re so inclined--make a donation to help keep us afloat!

Show Notes

· Moral Matters: A Philosophy of Homecoming by Mark Dooley

The Spin Team gathers once again to answer some of the great questions they’ve received from listeners. The first query concerns must-read classic books from authors long gone. Next, the intrepid trio considers just how many doctrinal differences a congregant should bear in a church before he or she knows that it’s time to move on.

Moving to a more controversial topic: Should churches be gun-free zones, or should they have a security team and/or members who are concealed-carrying in case of a threat? The Virginian, the Marylander, and the gun-deprived Englishman offer their two cents...and expect change!

We would love to offer our listeners the opportunity to win one of Todd’s “sleeveless T-shirts,” but he would not donate any from his collection. Perhaps that’s for the best. However…we do encourage you to register for the opportunity to win a free copy of Saint Augustine’s Confessions!

Show Notes

The Church of Christ by James Bannerman

Confessions by St. Augustine

Pensées by Blaise Pascal 

The City of God by St. Augustine

Church Mother: The Writings of a Protestant Reformer in XVI Century Germany by Katharina Zell

The Life of Macrina by Gregory of Nyssa

Daily Readings-The Early Church Fathers by Nick Needham 

Orations by Gregory of Nazianzus

A Body of Divinity by Thomas Watson

NewAdvent.org

The Christian’s Reasonable Service(4 Vol.) by Wilhelmus À Brakel

Reformed Dogmatics by Herman Bavinck

The Valley of Vision

This week, the team receives a tall order. Listener Chad is requesting the return of Liam Goligher to the theological boxing ring. Can the outspoken pastor handle another two year-long battle for orthodox doctrine of God? As it has often been the case, the conversation quickly digresses to men’s fashion and colorful pants—that’s trousers, for our British audience. 

Finally arriving at today’s topic…Carl, Todd, and Aimee share their thoughts about the public fall of a number of non-denominational pastors and leaders, and if such events might drive Christians to consider confessional churches. How do confessional churches differ from the non-denominational? What might the generally smaller size of Reformed congregations indicate about those churches?  

Last but not least: today’s seminary. Are there limits to academic freedom concerning institutional standards? Does the teaching in the seminary classroom line up with what students pay for, and believed they’d be learning? There’s much to chew on this week!

We’re happy to offer you the opportunity to win a free copy of the helpful book So You’re Thinking About Going to Seminary by Derek Cooper. Register!

Due to popular interest, and the large number of allegations emerging across the country, the team continues to address the topics of emotional and spiritual abuse.

A broken bone may be evidence in a case of physical abuse, but emotional/spiritual abuse can go undetected, and the victim may be unsure of what he or she is experiencing. What are some indicators of emotional/spiritual abuse, and what may be the characteristics of a manipulator? 

Is teaching tithing a form of spiritual abuse? What about fear instilled concerning the possible punishment of God? Even the exhortation, correction, and church discipline mandated by Scripture can be applied in an abusive way. Not everything that makes a person uncomfortable is abuse, but the crew brings much clarity to these difficult issues.

Show Notes

·Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work by Paul Babiak and Robert Hare

·How to Spot Spiritual Abuse