The word is complicated, but the idea is simple: sanctification is the process of growing more and more like Jesus Christ. In other words, growing in holiness. In this episode, Mark and Cameron unpack the basics — what sanctification is, what it isn’t, and (perhaps most importantly) who does the work.  

With the holidays approaching, Cameron and Mark discuss the theology of eating and drinking in anticipation of a season of, well, eating and drinking. The Bible’s teachings about food and drink are complex, but by thinking in terms of how creation, fall, and redemption impact our dependence on food, we can appreciate how to eat and drink to the glory of God. 

Mentioned in this episode:

For the Life of the World: Letters to the Exiles

For the Life of the World, by Alexander Schmemann

The Supper of the Lamb, by Robert Farrar Capon

Mark was featured on the cover of the November 2021 issue of Bible Study Magazine, prompting Cameron to ask some follow-up questions on designing, reading, and even annotating the Bible. 

Mentioned in this episode:

A Revolution in Bible Design: Meet the People Who Designed Your Bible, by Mark Ward

What is it, exactly, that we celebrate when we remember Reformation Day? Cameron and Mark explore that question in this episode, with a focus on why the Reformation still matters more than five centuries later, and what it means to be “always reforming.” 

This is the 40th episode of The Commentary, and we are returning to a topic we tackled back in Episode 16 — politics! What happens when the Bible challenges your deeply-held political convictions? What are the signs that you’re letting your politics override your faith? Cameron and Mark dig into these questions and try to understand the right place of politics in the larger conception of the true, good, and beautiful. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart, by Peter Wehner

In this episode, Mark and Cameron share their love of the Reformation-era theologian John Calvin, one of the unsung shapers of the modern world. Specifically, they discuss the pleasures of reading Calvin, and the insights to be gained not only from his systematic theology but from his expositions of Scripture. 

Mentioned in this episode:

J. I. Packer’s introduction to Owen’s The Death of Death in the Death of Christ

Calvin, by Bruce Gordon

Institutes of the Christian Religion (1541 Edition, Banner of Truth)

John Calvin: Steward of God’s Covenant: Selected Writings, preface by Marilynne Robinson

How does the design of a printed Bible influence the way it’s used? That’s the question Mark and Cameron pick up on in this episode. Traditionally, Bibles have been been designed to make it easier to look things up — like a dictionary! — with the unintended consequence of making them harder to read. The good news is, that's beginning to change.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bible Design Blog (Mark’s long-running blog about Bible design)

“Why Do Bibles Today Look So Good?” J. Mark Bertrand of the Bible Design Blog (YouTube)

The more information bombarding us, the more our capacity to pay attention seems to shrink. Could the process of regaining your ability to tune out distractions be as simple as reading a poem? In this episode, Cameron lays out the case for reading poetry now more than ever, while Mark asks how the same approach can be applied to Scripture. 

Mentioned in this episode:

“Training Our Attention: Why We All Need Poetry Now” (Cameron Brooks)

Is there more to presbyterian church government than just having elders? In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss another key factor: the checks and balances provided by the church’s “higher courts.” In addition, they talk about why Grace’s adult Sunday School class is tackling the Westminster Confession line by line. 

Mentioned in this episode:

A Good Confession: Sunday School Recordings

In this week’s episode, Mark and Cameron take a look at the Gospel According to Matthew — the subject of Grace’s new sermon series — from a 30,000 foot perspective. They talk about how this book relates to the other Synoptic Gospels, and how its unique structure informs our reading. There are also a few tips as we get started in this inaugural New Testament text.