Advent sets us free to make an absolute train wreck of the incarnation. And the miracle of Advent is that we still end up reading about the birth of Jesus. Joel Hess from Ringside Preachers Podcast and Donavon Riley from Banned Books Podcast expose things that you won’t hear in church. in this micro-series, “The Ringers” talk philosophy, heresy, art, and faith focused on the Advent of our Lord.

TOPICS & SOURCES:

The Cultivation of Christmas Trees, T.S. Eliot

Priscillianism and Advent

If Nietzsche heard about the Incarnation

The Simul 

The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

To a God Unknown, Steinbeck

Incarnation is the Gospel

Small Catechism, Third article of the Creed

Bondage of the Will, Martin Luther

Christmas depression and suicide

The humiliation of Jesus 

Luther on the Magnificat 

Check out Joel’s & Donavon’s Regular Podcasts:

Ringside Preachers 

Banned Books

Music: "Emmanuel" by Joel A Hess

Artwork: Donavon Riley

Topics:

1. Paternity Leave 
2. Can modern-day theologians beat old-school scholars?
3. Kingdom is Now: John 5: 24-27 

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess - "christmas time" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

Fire and Ice, Robert Frost

Woodcuts from Weimar Edition

Ringside Stocking Stuffers

Topics:

1. Singles are changing politics
2. Hero stories: are they heroic?
3. Wrong BE-Attitudes

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess - "no heroes" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

If, Rudyard Kipling

What's Wrong with the World? G.K. Chesterton

Joe Rogan and Matt Walsh, YouTube

War and Peace, Tolstoy

Jaber Crow, Wendell Berry

Topics:

1. Forgiveness for COVID
2. Accidental A.A. member
3. Fasting in  November
4. Politics in Church

RINGSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE EVENT:

“What is Wrong with Christianity” at Grace in Ventura!! Check it out on Ringside Preacher’s Youtube channel!!

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess - "sure as hell" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

LET’S DECLARE A PANDEMIC AMNESTY, The Atlantic

More Americans Want Their Church to Share Their Politics, ChristianityToday.com

Topics:

1. What’s changed with Christians
2. Culture and faith
3. Do you have to preach directly from the Bible?
4. The long game of Preaching

Guest: Dr. Joel Okamoto

Professor of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Thank you: 

1517.org 

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

thejaggedword.com

ITO Radio America

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

YOU CAN SPONSOR RINGSIDE:

 https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess  "Pandemic lullaby"- More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

Concordia Journal

Protestant-Catholic-Jew, Will Herberg

Culture and Anarchy, Matthew Arnold

Dover Beach, Matthew Arnold

Topics:

1. Tipping is getting out of hand
2. Luther’s Flood Prayer
3. The unexamined Faith is not worth believing
4. Is there an end game to making disciples?

RINGSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE EVENT:

“What is Wrong with Christianity” November 4, 6-10 pm at Grace Lutheran Ventura

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess - "to the sun" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

Donovan Riley Podcasts: Warrior Priest, Banned Books

Luther’s Flood Prayer

Gustave Dore, The Deluge (ark)

Branden Gerbracht - thank you for the topic!!

Topics:

1. Expanding Christian Schools
2. B.C. Scriptures 
3. Gospel competing with the voices
4. Distracted generations, back to the basics!

Guest: Dr. Paul Raabe

Professor in Biblical Studies at Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ 

Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St Louis (retired)

Thank you: 

1517.org 

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

thejaggedword.com

ITO Radio America

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

YOU CAN SPONSOR RINGSIDE:

 https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess  "Let's Roll"- More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

Concordia Commentary Series

You Need a Better Gospel, Klyne Snodgrass

Deep Work, Cal Newport

Topics:

1. Angel Numerology in the Clouds
2. Artist Above the Narrative: Ye says
3. Is Boredom a Sin?

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess - "real love" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

The Red Wheelbarrow, William Carlos Williams

The Lonely Way, Herman Sasse

Topics:

1. What is the CTCR?
2. Process of Persuasion
3. The intended audience of CTCR documents
4. Documents that led to the LCMS Walkout
5. How to use CTCR in the congregation
6. Lutheran Fundamentalism?

Guest: Dr. Rick Serina

Associate Executive Director Commission on Theology and Church Relations, LC-MS

Thank you: 

1517.org 

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

thejaggedword.com

ITO Radio America

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

YOU CAN SPONSOR RINGSIDE:

 https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music:

Joel Allen Hess  "Sure as Hell"- More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

lcms.org (CTCR)

A Statement on Scriptural and Confessional Principles, Ralph Bohlmann, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. 

Fundamentalism in the Missouri synod, Milton L Rudnick 

Martin Franzmann’s Seven Theses on Reformation Hermeneutics

1. God’s Wrath in Natural Disaster
2. A healthy body makes better pastors
3. Corrupt politics
4. Communion brings community

Thank you: 

1517.org 

and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

and thejaggedword.com

Grace Lutheran Ventura

St. James Lutheran, Chicago

Monthly Sponsors: Frances Meadows, Eddie Switek, Blayne Watts, ITO Radio America

YOU CAN BE A RINGSIDE SPONSOR: 

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=TZBU7UQQAWEVN

Music/Photo:

Joel Allen Hess - "I see a light" More on bandcamp

Dead Horse One - I love my man

Other stuff:

Rebuilding Church Community, christianitytoday.com