Tent Talks with Dr Stephen Backhouse

“The Evangelical movement right now is like a cruise liner that has been hit by a bunch of torpedoes.” Political theologian Vincent Bacote wants to be part of a movement that not only proclaims good news, it performs good news. 

Stephen sits down with Vince to be schooled in the ways of the politician and theologian Abraham Kuyper. We find out what drew Vince, an evangelical African American academic and rock fan in the present age to Abraham, a Dutch Reformed prime minister of the Netherlands who died in 1920. Along the way the conversation takes in Calvinism, common grace, KISS and Iron Maiden. We ask: are elections the hinge of history? Can people of diametrically opposite views ever work together? 

Vince is the Associate Professor of Theology and the Director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College. He is the author of several books on public theology and a signatory of Christians Against Trumpism.

You can find out more about him and his books HERE

You can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

Based on his book 'Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas,' co-host Chris Marchand explores the social and political implications of Serving at Christmas.  Sean and Stephen join the discussion at 35:40. 

This is the first of two episodes reimagining serving others at Christmas. Episode 2 will be available to Patreon subscribers, which can be found HERE. In the years to come Chris will be recording more Christmas Tent Talks on the subjects of resting, celebrating, and worshipping at Christmas.

You can find out more about Chris's thoughts and writings at Christmas on his podcast and blog PostConsumer Reports and you can listen to his recorded Christmas music on his Bandcamp page.

Putting the "theology" back into political theology with Lucy Peppiatt! Dr Peppiatt is the Principal of Westminster Theological Centre. She joins the Tent to talk with Stephen about all sorts of good things, including ways that trinitarian theology does and does not help us think about society and politics.

You can find out more about Lucy, her teaching and her writing HERE

You can find out more about WTC HERE

You can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

A study of Mark 3:1-21. The conversation with Sean and Chris starts at 32:25.

This is the fourth and final episode on the Gospel of Mark we are releasing on the podcast. For those who want to go deeper, the entire series on Mark is available to Patreon subscribers. You can become a Fellow Traveller HERE.

Dr. Kristin Kobez Du Mez joins the Tent to talk with Christopher Marchand. Kristin is Professor of History at Calvin University and is author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. Not to be confused with a "John Wayne Study Bible" her book is instead a sprawling history of 20th and 21st Century Evangelical Church culture detailing how unhealthy understandings of masculinity coupled with a desire for political power and influence have created a crisis in American Christianity.

You can find out more about Kristin here. 

This episode features an extra segment with Kristin which is available to our Patreon supporters. You can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

Jesus Christ does not have a degree in theology and he did not write any books.  He has never voted or ran for office. He does not have any social media followers. In fact he does not have many Followers at all.  Turns out his voice sounds like Abimbola Ademuyiwa's.

A study of Mark 2. The conversation with Sean and Chris starts at 29:20.

This is the third of four episodes on the Gospel of Mark we are releasing on the podcast. For those who want to go deeper, the entire series on Mark is available to Patreon subscribers. You can become a Fellow Traveller HERE.

We get our big guns out for Election Day, as Dr Luke Bretherton joins the Tent.  Luke is the author of Christ and the Common Life and the professor of moral and political theology at Duke University. He is also a kind, gentle, and wise person. Just what the times demand.

You can find out more about Luke HERE and HERE

You can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

A study of Mark 1:16-45. The conversation with Sean and Chris starts at 35:20.

We are releasing four episodes on the Gospel of Mark on this podcast. For those who want to go deeper, the entire series on Mark is available to Patreon subscribers. You can become a Fellow Traveller HERE.

Clinical psychologist Dr Ellie Riley joins the Tent to talk us through dealing with anxiety, managing our mental health and more during these times of extraordinary stress. But are they really so extraordinary?

You can find out more about Dr Riley and her practice HERE

You can become a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.