Mortification of Spin

In this episode of Mortification of Spin, Carl and Todd engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Brad Littlejohn, director of Programs and Education at American Compass, about Brad's newly published book, Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License.  

Christians in the modern West hear a lot about—and talk a lot about—"freedom." The word has taken on so many meanings that Christians often fail to realize how much our contemporary ideals of freedom stray from what freedom has meant in Scripture and the Christian tradition.

We need to redeem and recover a properly Christian way of thinking about freedom. – Carl Trueman

Today's conversation touches on the Reformation's impact on individual liberty, the tension between authority and conscience, and the contemporary challenges Christians face in understanding freedom. 

As Protestants, we have to care about freedom because it's central to our theological heritage. – Brad Littlejohn

Tune in for an insightful exploration of these critical themes!

Thanks to the generosity of B&H Academic, we are pleased to award three copies of Brad's book, Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License, to our listeners. Congratulations to Jonathan M. from Columbia, SC, Nancy J. from Albuquerque, NM, and Sean M. from Asheville, SC!

Show Notes:

Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License

https://bhacademic.bhpublishinggroup.com/product/called-to-freedom-3/#flipbook-sampler/

In this poignant episode, Todd and Carl welcome author Whitney Pipkin to discuss her book, We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us. Drawing from her own experience, Whitney sheds light and hope, reminding us that we are not alone in our grief. And she reveals the mysterious way God ministers to and transforms us through death and suffering.

"The places you are most afraid to go, feel most ill-equipped to venture to, are the places Christ has gone before you." – Whitney Pipkin

Tune in as they explore how facing mortality can lead to deeper faith and understanding.

This is coming for each of us. How then shall we live? This is the question that each of us has the opportunity to consider at a funeral, but also when we read the news and when loss is far away, and when it's close, really close to home. – Whitney Pipkin

Thanks to the generosity of Moody Publishing, we are pleased to give away three copies of Whitney Pipkin’s book, We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us. Congratulations to our winners: Katherine A. from Waterman, IL, Greg P. from Greenville, SC, and Timothy S. from Avondale, AZ!

Show Notes:

Whitney Pipkin’s Book https://www.moodypublishers.com/we-shall-all-be-changed/

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. – Proverbs 9:10

Today, Todd and Carl are joined by Chris Ansberry, associate professor at Grove City College, and a colleague of Carl's who refuses to wear socks, much to Carl's chagrin. Wardrobe choices aside, Chris recently wrote a commentary on the Book of Proverbs, published by Zondervan Academic as part of their Exegetical Commentary Series. Wisdom literature seems to be a little bit obscure to many students of the Bible, but Chris has a deep love for these books that have often been marginalized. 

"Proverbs is not only designed to form our intellect, but it's also cultivating and directing our desires, it's shaping our forms of life, it's helping our perception – how do we see people, how do we see the world? So within that realm of ethics, I think that there's a lot in which Proverbs can do for us…I can't read Proverbs without seeing the same sort of moral vision that's on offer in the Sermon on the Mount." – Chris Ansberry

Discover the intricacies of wisdom literature and its place in Christian life and pastoral teaching. Find out how Proverbs can shape ethical understanding and spiritual formation, and how pastors can approach preaching from this often-overlooked biblical text. And find out the answer to Carl's question, "What is the church missing if the pastor never preaches on wisdom literature in general, and specifically if the pastor never preaches on Proverbs?"

Thanks to the generosity of Zondervan Academic, we are pleased to award copies of Chris Ansberry’s Commentary on Proverbs to three of our listeners. Congratulations to Donald T. from Omaha, NE, Keith F. from Troy, IL, and Yulia S. from Mililani, HI!

Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series:

Chris Ansberry’s Proverbs Commentary: https://zondervanacademic.com/products/proverbs-2

Join Carl and Todd as they tackle the pressing issues of gender ideology and pastoral practice with special guests Mary Rice Hasson and Theresa Farnan from the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Mary and Theresa have worked on a book titled Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders, which Carl believes to be immensely valuable for Protestants and Catholics alike. Discover insights from their book as they discuss the challenges facing pastors today, from pronoun use to public education to the influence of social media on youth. 

Our children feel so lonely and alone, so what do they do? They go online, and they find a community of people. So we, as churches – our role has to be that online community. I don't care what denomination you are; if you're not there giving community to your young people, they will go looking for it somewhere, and what they will find is so toxic. – Theresa Farnan

Learn how pastors and churches can equip themselves to address these complex issues with love and truth.

Thanks to the generosity of Notre Dame Press, we are pleased to award two copies of Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders to our listeners. Congratulations to Shawn H. from Porter, TX and Hillary H. from Orange City, IA!

Show Notes:

Ethics and Public Policy Center:  https://eppc.org/

Person and Identity Project:  https://personandidentity.com/

Gender, Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors and Ministerial Leaders

Todd and Carl, the self-proclaimed Hall and Oates of podcasting, spend a few minutes reflecting on the longevity of Mortification of Spin – "We've been doing this for over a decade now. Easily we must be one of the longest-standing podcast partnerships in history." They then turn their attention to today's returning guest and their friend, Kevin DeYoung, to discuss his latest book, Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology. Deemed by Todd to be his "Book of the Year,” this daily devotional has been designed to make systematic theology clear and accessible for the everyday Christian.

Daily devotions are a huge privilege and a tremendous powerhouse for Christian living. – Carl Trueman

The conversation delves into the importance of understanding systematic theology, the value of daily devotions, and how Kevin's book aims to equip lay Christians with the historic vocabulary of the church.

Thanks to the generosity of Crossway Publishing, we were pleased to award three copies of Kevin DeYoung's book, Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology, to our listeners. Congratulations to Elizabeth P. from Sioux Center, IA, Daniel L. from Gardena, CA, and Caleb H. from Huntsville, AL!

Show Notes:

Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology

https://reformedresources.org/daily-doctrine-a-one-year-guide-to-systematic-theology-hardcover

Todd is pretty excited to have today’s guest on “his podcast,” who is none other than his Mortification of Spin co-host, Carl Trueman. Together, they discuss Carl’s latest book, To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse, where Carl examines the historical roots of critical theory, its evolution, and its impact on contemporary culture. 

I wanted to produce a book that was not a kind of “goodies” and “baddies” book…Everybody coming to critical theory has their opinion on whether the critical theorists are good guys or bad guys. I didn’t really want to address that. What I wanted to do was look at critical theory through the historical lens and say, okay, why did this group of men start thinking this way? What was going on? What sources are they using? What problems are they trying to address or questions are they asking in order to get below the surface? – Carl Trueman

Todd and Carl discuss some key figures of critical theory, such as Marx, Hegel, and Freud, and how they and other early critical theorists shaped modern thought. What are the implications for Christians today? Tune in to find out!

Thanks to the generosity of B&H Academics, we are pleased to award a copy of Carl’s book to Zach C. from Streator, IL!

Show Notes:

To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse

https://reformedresources.org/to-change-all-worlds-critical-theory-from-marx-to-marcuse-hardcover/

Carl and Todd welcome Yannick Imbert and Iain Wright to discuss their new book, Reclaiming the Dark Ages: How the Gospel Light Shone from 500 to 1500. An often overlooked period, Yannick and Iain challenge the notion of the "Dark Ages" by highlighting key Christian figures and their contributions to church history including Leo the Great, Anselm of Canterbury, and Jan Hus. 

We wanted to take a selection of church leaders across that thousand years...to show that God was not sitting on his hands for a thousand years. – Iain Wright

Discover how God’s work continued throughout this millennium and why these historical insights are relevant today. Whether you're a history enthusiast or new to church history, this episode offers a captivating exploration of faith across centuries.

Even we who are decidedly Reformed can actually acknowledge that there were Christians prior to the 16th century. – Carl Trueman

Thanks to the generosity of Christian Focus Publications, we awarded three copies of Yannick and Iain’s book to our listeners. Congratulations to Bruce M. from Conshohocken, PA, Aaron L. from Rochester Hills, MI, and Todd D. from Creston, IA!

Show Notes:

Reclaiming the Dark Ages: How the Gospel Light Shone from 500 to 1500

Join us in this enlightening episode as Todd and Carl welcome Thomas Bergler, a distinguished professor of ministry and missions at Huntingdon University, to discuss his insightful book, The Juvenilization of American Christianity. What exactly is “juvenalization?”

Juvenilization is the process by which the beliefs, traits, developmental characteristics of adolescence become normative or celebrated for people of all ages. – Thomas Bergler

Delve into the fascinating exploration of how youth ministry has shaped the modern church, its unintended consequences, and the cultural shift towards therapeutic faith. Discover the historical roots of adolescence, the impact of pop culture on spirituality, and the importance of intergenerational worship. 

If you are interested in the evolution of church practices and the future of faith communities, be sure to tune in.

Thanks to the generosity of Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, we were able to award two copies of Thomas Bergler’s book to our listeners. Congratulations to Jay C. from Bothell, WA and Andrew C. from Las Vegas, NV!

Show Notes:

Books by Thomas Bergler:

The Juvenalization of American Christianity

From Here to Maturity: Overcoming the Juvenilization of American Christianity

Recommended by Thomas Bergler:

Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation by Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk

Todd and Carl explore Christianity as a supernatural religion, diving deep into the Gospel of John and its portrayal of miracles as signs of Jesus' divine authority. Together they discuss the historical and philosophical shifts in belief systems from the Enlightenment to modern-day skepticism, and reflect on the modern quest for meaning and morality. 

"We are creatures who crave meaning, and any intelligent atheist is going to acknowledge that." – Carl Trueman

Discover the opportunities present in today's cultural landscape for engaging with the supernatural claims of Christianity and the hope it offers in a world seeking meaning.

What an opportunity then for the public witness of the church – a message of hope that’s anchored in something that’s real and eternal. – Todd Pruitt

Many young (and not-so-young) adults today struggle to figure out what they should do with their lives. Focusing on this significant issue, Todd and Carl talk with William (Bill) Boekestein about his new book, Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling.

If people are in the situation of not having a sense of what they ought to do with their life, or people who are highly motivated but maybe are motivated for the wrong reasons, if they could get a glimpse of what God says to us in his Word about how to work for him, and with him in meaningful calling that serves the Lord and blesses others, that's a project well worth spending some time on. – Bill Boekestein

Bill shares insights on guiding young people through career decisions, the importance of hard work, and the beauty of vocation. Whether you're a parent, pastor, or young adult, this episode offers wisdom on navigating the complex world of work and purpose.

"Vocation is not just about survival; it's about living in God's world and demonstrating that we've been made to glorify and enjoy Him." – Bill Boekestein

Thanks to the generosity of Reformed Free Publishing, we are pleased to award two copies of Finding My Vocation: A Guide for Young People Seeking a Calling to our listeners. Congratulations to Michelle D. from Chino, CA and Julie K. from Wyoming, MI!