The Thinking Fellows discuss movies they enjoy watching. The conversation revolves around the presence of theological and moral meaning in film. How should we interpret movies, and are they valuable or edifying for Christians to analyze and use in analogy?

Show Notes:

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What's New from 1517:

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• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

Bruce, Adam, and Caleb discuss the textual and narrative differences between the four gospel accounts of Jesus' life and ministry. Should the differences worry Christians? How should Christians respond when confronted with supposed contradictions and errors in Scripture?

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

• 1517 Podcasts

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What's New from 1517:

• Join the 1517 Academy

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

Is your happiness an indicator of God's relationship with you? Are emotions a good indicator of divine revelation? The Thinking Fellows consider the purpose and place of happiness in the Christian life. In doing so, they discuss why it's essential to re-center our definition of happiness and preach the happiness of the Gospel while not relying upon emotions for divine revelation.

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

• 1517 on Youtube

What's New from 1517:

• Join the 1517 Academy

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

The Thinking Fellows discuss the history and position of the Apocrypha for Lutherans. They present critical reasons for rejecting the Apocrypha from the biblical canon. Similarly, they discuss why the "removal" of the apocryphal books is not a strong polemic against Lutherans regarding Sola Scripture. However, they also discuss ways in which reading apocryphal books can be helpful.

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

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What's New from 1517:

• Join the 1517 Academy

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

Adiaphora is a theological term that means "indifference." It typically refers to practices that are neither commanded nor forbidden by God in Scripture. The Lutheran churches have historically used adiaphora as a method for explaining and allowing reasonable liturgical and personal piety differences between churches to exist while remaining unified around the core confessions of the church. The fellows discuss why understanding adiaphora is important and how it can benefit the church.

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

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What's New from 1517:

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• The New Quest for Paul and His Reading of the Old Testament by Timo Laato

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

In this episode, Dr. Paulson and Caleb go back yet again and discuss the events of the book of Exodus. Paulson uses the crossing of the Red Sea to demonstrate what it looks like to receive and be delivered by God's promises and what it looks like to stand in direct opposition to those same promises. This helps show why Luther so frequently referenced Pharoh while debating Erasmus. 

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

• 1517 on Youtube

What’s New from 1517:

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• The New Quest for Paul and His Reading of the Old Testament by Timo Laato

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Steven Pauslon

The Thinking Fellows weigh on one of the most tense issues that affect Churches. What are parents to do when their children's extracurricular activities get scheduled on Sunday? The Fellows discuss ways to increase parental and particularly paternal commitment to church attendance.

Show Notes:

• Support 1517

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

• 1517 on Youtube

What's New from 1517:

• Freedom Lessons Street Team

• The New Quest for Paul and His Reading of the Old Testament by Timo Laato

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

The Fellows give some books and other recommendations. In the early years of Thinking Fellows, book recommendation episodes were a frequent fan favorite. The Fellows return with recommendations, both new and old.

Show Notes:

• Support the Podcast Network Fundraiser

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

• 1517 on Youtube

What's New from 1517:

• The New Quest for Paul and His Reading of the Old Testament by Timo Laato

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

Book List:

The Small and Large Catechism

The Freedom of the Christian

The 1521 Loci Communes

Miroslav Volf

Kelsi Podcast Philip Carey

Philip Carey Books

Barth in Conversation

Lewis Markos

Narritive Apologetics

Iustitia Dei

G.K. Chesterton Orthodoxy

Steve Paulson

Robert Kolb

Paul Maier

Vocation The Setting of Human Flourishing

Structure of Lutheranism

Wingren Luther on Vocation

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

In this episode, the Thinking Fellows discuss the centrality and importance of Christians' doctrinal content and confessions. They ask how this doctrinal core differs from other world religions. The end of the episode focuses on the place and purpose of Christian practices and how they are shaped and impact doctrine.

Show Notes

• Support the Podcast Network Fundraiser

• 1517 Podcasts

• The 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts

• 1517 on Youtube

What's New from 1517:

• The New Quest for Paul and His Reading of the Old Testament by Timo Laato

• Finding God in the Darkness: Hopeful Reflections from the Pits of Depression, Despair, and Disappointment by Bradley Gray

More from the hosts:

• Caleb Keith

• Scott Keith

• Adam Francsisco

• Bruce Hilman

In this episode, the Thinking Fellows ask, what are sacred spaces, and do we need them? Bruce Hillman helps define what a holy space is while the fellows discuss the societal and religious functions that they serve. They conclude with examples of how Christianity uses sacred spaces such as churches but is uniquely authorized to do God's work in word and sacrament apart from a "temple" when necessary.

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1517 Podcasts

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More from the hosts

Caleb Keith

John Hoyum

Adam Francsisco

Bruce Hilman