Ron and John kick off Season 7 by revisiting some Orthodocs.faith basics. They reintroduce themselves as your hosts, clarify what the podcast aims to do, and explain why so much energy goes into the “heavy lifting” of careful reading, solid context, and clear theology. Along the way, you’ll get a peek at how an episode comes together—and a quick preview of what’s next this season.

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Ron and John conclude Season 6 of Orthodocs.faith with one of the most dramatic missionary stories of the early Middle Ages. They follow Boniface in northern Europe to the Oak of Thor—his axe raised, a crowd watching, and a test of the gods brewing. Was it courageous proclamation to cut down the sacred oak—or cultural vandalism? Join in as they ask what faithful witness looks like when the gospel confronts rival worship head-on.

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In Part 2 of Missionary Work, Medieval Style, John and Ron trace Gregory the Great’s mission to Britain in the early 600s. At the center is King Ethelbert of Kent and the monks who arrive in his territory asking to preach. How does a pagan king respond—and what unfolds next?

Featured image: James William Edmund Doyle, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Ron and John are back with a new series: Missionary Work, Medieval Style. In this premiere, they tell some stories that you likely haven’t heard. The accounts range from chilling to inspiring, but the guiding question is, “Where is the Holy Spirit at work here?” Travel with them into the mysterious world of the early Middle Ages, and see how Christians tried to live out their witness.

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How has the Church understood and practiced wisdom across the centuries? In this series finale, Ron and John move from Acts 6 and the Wisdom of Solomon, through Augustine and Aquinas, to Luther and Calvin. From there, they turn to today’s church to show how wisdom shapes our common life: What does a wise congregation look like?

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What does the New Testament have to say about wisdom—and how does it build on the rich tradition of the Old Testament? In this episode, Ron and John explore Jesus and wisdom, from the Sermon on the Mount to Paul’s claim that Christ crucified is “the wisdom of God.” Along the way, they trace how New Testament wisdom moves from parable to cross to creation itself.

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John and Ron begin their summer series on wisdom in the scripture. They start with a look at wisdom in the Old Testament, including the books traditionally called “wisdom literature” along with some narrative pictures of wisdom. They also dig into the meaning of the phrase, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and then examine how Israel’s idea of wisdom stacks up against other ancient Near Eastern traditions.

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With this episode, John and Ron conclude their series on the creeds. They look briefly at the Athanasian Creed and then discuss the influence of the creeds on several Protestant doctrinal statements.

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John and Ron take the next step in their series on the creeds by looking at the Chalcedonian definition. Nicaea definitively answered some questions, but it left others wide open. How do the human and divine natures combine in Jesus Christ? How do Christians talk about that? That’s where Chalcedon picks up.

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John and Ron move to the fourth century in this episode, a time of extraordinary historical intrigue and passionate disagreements. They survey just a few of the events that make the century so pivotal. They also introduce the Nicene Creed and the fundamental theological questions it addressed.

Featured image “Constantine – by this sign conquer” by Alastair Rae is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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