New Persuasive Words

Episode 398: WWGD: What Would Genghis Do?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 22:00:00 -0400

What happens when Jesus Christ and Genghis Khan get dragged into the same geopolitical argument? You get one wild quote from Benjamin Netanyahu—and one even wilder episode of New Persuasive Words.

This week, Scott and Bill react to Netanyahu’s eyebrow-raising claim that history suggests goodness doesn’t really have an edge over ruthless power. In other words: nice guys…don’t finish first. Or second. Or maybe even at all.

Naturally, the guys introduce a new moral framework for our troubled times: WWGD — What Would Genghis Do? (Spoiler: it’s not “turn the other cheek.”)
Along the way, they wrestle with some uncomfortable questions:

Is history just a scoreboard for the strong?
Does moral goodness actually “win,” or does it just write better memoirs afterward?
And are we supposed to take geopolitical advice from a 13th-century warlord now?

It’s sharp, a little irreverent, and just self-aware enough to know that comparing Jesus and Genghis Khan might say more about us than about history itself.
Come for the hot take. Stay for the existential crisis.

Episode 397: Is this a Religious War?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:00:00 -0500

Is the war with Iran actually a religious war? That’s the explosive question posed by Tucker Carlson in a viral clip that has ricocheted across the internet. In the video, Carlson suggests that beneath the geopolitical rhetoric—nuclear weapons, regional stability, national security—there may be something deeper and more dangerous at play: religious narratives about holy sites, prophecy, and the possibility of rebuilding the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill react to Carlson’s question and ask what it reveals about the current moment. Are religious ideas actually shaping foreign policy—or is this just another conspiracy-flavored explanation for a complicated geopolitical conflict? Along the way, they unpack the strange alliance of nationalism, theology, and online discourse that now frames debates about Iran, Israel, and America’s role in the Middle East. Is Carlson raising an uncomfortable question… or just lighting another rhetorical fire? Scott and Bill dig in.

Episode 396: Was the Enlightenment a Mistake?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott dig into “Rod Dreher Thinks the Enlightenment Was a Mistake,” a provocative Atlantic feature that explores how one of today’s most influential conservative thinkers is challenging the very foundations of modernity. They unpack Read the full Atlantic article here, which profiles Rod Dreher’s journey from cultural critic to a leading voice in religious conservatism and the surprising influence his ideas now have on figures like Vice President J.D. Vance.

Bill and Scott discuss Dreher’s critique of secularism, his call for a return to pre-Enlightenment Christian values, and what that philosophical shift means for American politics and public life. They also debate how Dreher’s worldview intersects with political movements that mix faith with nationalist and cultural concerns — and what it says about the fractures within conservatism today. Whether you’re intrigued by the role of faith in political identity or skeptical about the consequences of rejecting Enlightenment ideals, this conversation offers a thoughtful, critical take on one of the most talked-about ideas shaping the right.

Tune in for a deep dive into culture, belief, and the future of persuasion.

Episode 395: The Second Death of Charlie Kirk

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

In this week’s episode, Bill and Scott unpack The Atlantic’s provocative analysis of how Charlie Kirk’s assassination has reshaped the conservative movement and exposed deep ideological fractures within the Trump-aligned right. Drawing from Yair Rosenberg’s Atlantic article, “The Second Death of Charlie Kirk,” they examine how Kirk’s absence has opened space for previously marginalized figures — including extremists and provocateurs — to vie for influence and redefine the coalition’s boundaries.

Bill and Scott explore questions at the heart of contemporary American politics:
• Was Kirk the glue holding together a diverse — if fraught — conservative coalition?
• How are debates over antisemitism, ideology, and legitimacy playing out between figures like Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Nick Fuentes?
• What does the rising prominence of antisemitic rhetoric within parts of the right mean for the future of conservative persuasion and political identity?

Episode 394: Mansplaining God to the Pope

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0500

In this week’s episode, Bill and Scott are joined by their Onbudsman Emily Acrigg to unpack one of the oddest culture-war moments yet: House Speaker Mike Johnson mansplaining religion to the Pope. We dive into a recent article from The Daily Beast detailing how Johnson responded to Pope Leo XIV’s critique of U.S. immigration policy by offering up his own theological interpretation of Scripture — arguing that borders, assimilation, and strict civil authority are actually biblical. Was this a sincere religious argument, a political power play, or just an overreach? We break down what Johnson actually said (and the longer 1,300-word follow-up he posted on X), how the Pope’s comments on Matthew 25 about welcoming the stranger sparked this back-and-forth, and what this clash tells us about religion’s role in public policy.

Episode 393: The Myth of Post-Religious America

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0500

This week, Bill and Scott take on Ross Douthat’s conversation with Ryan Burge and ask whether the story we’ve been telling about America’s religious collapse is actually wrong—or at least wildly incomplete. If the “nones” are leveling off, what replaces the old secularization narrative? Is Christianity really dying, or just losing its cultural monopoly? And what does it say about us that astrology, psychedelics, and UFOs are filling the spiritual vacuum? Bill and Scott spar over the data, the myths we tell about belief, and what this weird religious moment reveals about the future of faith and American life.

Episode 392: Is it Time to use the "F" Word?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:00:00 -0500

Is “fascism” finally the right word for American politics—or is it still a category mistake? In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott take on a provocative Atlantic essay that argues the U.S. has crossed a line. Longtime liberal skeptic Jonathan Rauch now says the evidence is undeniable: Trump, MAGA, and the use of state power—especially through agencies like ICE—fit the historical pattern of fascism. Bill and Scott debate whether this diagnosis clarifies our moment or dangerously inflates the rhetoric. What actually counts as fascism? Are we witnessing authoritarian drift, full-blown fascism, or something uniquely American? And does naming it sharpen moral clarity—or accelerate political paralysis? A fast-moving, unsparing conversation about power, language, fear, and what’s really happening to the American experiment.

Episode 391: Progressive Faith and the Question of Theology

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill tackle one of the most provocative conversations of the moment: Ezra Klein’s interview with Texas State Representative James Talarico about reclaiming Christianity for the left and what that really means for the faith and for politics. Klein brings Talarico — a seminary student and rising national voice — onto his show to explore how his Christian faith animates his politics and his critique of both the “rage economy” and Christian nationalism.

At the heart of the discussion is a fundamental question: How does Talarico define Christianity — and is that definition substantively theological, or simply a window into progressive public ethics? According to Talarico, the core of the Christian life is grounded in Jesus’ two great commandments — to love God and love neighbor — and this, he argues, should shape how we approach every civic issue, from health care to economic justice.
Scott and Bill dive into this expansive, love-centered portrayal of the faith and ask whether it risks reducing Christianity to a set of progressive policy goals and public ethics. Talarico openly suggests that Jesus didn’t speak to many of the flashpoint cultural issues of today and that Christians need to derive moral bearings from broader commitments to neighbor-love and justice — a stance that many see as a meaningful reorientation, while others worry it sidelines core theological claims.

The hosts also explore how Talarico’s faith-driven politics compares to traditional Christian doctrinal anchors and whether his version of Christianity stands as a distinct theological vision or rather a moral framing for left-of-center politics. This episode will be essential listening for anyone curious about faith in public life, the limits of religious language in pluralist politics, and whether Christianity can be persuasive without being partisan.

Episode 390: Reforming the Reformers? Dave Fitch, Neo-Baptists, and a Misread Reformation

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott respond to a recent post by Neo-Baptist theologian Dave Fitch, taking up his critique of Protestant power, ecclesiology, and the legacy of the 16th-century Reformers. While appreciating Fitch’s concern for faithfulness, witness, and the dangers of Constantinian Christianity, Bill and Scott argue that his reading of Luther, Calvin, and the broader Reformation tradition collapses important distinctions—and ends up shadowboxing with a caricature.

They explore how the Reformers understood authority, vocation, and the limits of political power, pushing back against the claim that magisterial Protestantism simply baptized coercion or state control. Drawing on theology, history, and contemporary church debates, the conversation probes whether Neo-Baptist critiques mistake tragic compromise for theological intent—and whether the Reformers’ insights might actually offer better resources for resisting domination than Fitch allows.

Along the way, Bill and Scott reflect on the ongoing temptation to narrate church history as a morality play, the risks of flattening complex traditions into cautionary tales, and what it means to retrieve the Reformation without turning it into either a golden age or a villain. The episode closes with a larger question: does the future of the church require abandoning the Reformers—or reading them more carefully?

Episode 389: Invasion and Enforcement: A Week That Shook America

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500

This week on New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott unpack one of the most tumultuous stretches in recent U.S. political news. First, they dive into the Trump administration’s bold military operation in Venezuela — including airstrikes and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro — an unprecedented intervention that has sparked fierce debate over sovereignty, international law, and America’s role abroad. Back on home soil, they turn to the shocking fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. The incident — occurring amid expanded federal immigration enforcement — quickly polarized the nation. The Trump administration defended the agent’s actions as self-defense, while local officials and protesters called for accountability, questioning federal narratives and transparency.

Episode 388: Wonder in the Dark: The Mystery of Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500

On this special Christmas episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott slow things down on the night before Christmas Eve to reflect on the mystery and miracle at the heart of the season. Stepping back from headlines and hot takes, they explore why Christmas continues to matter in a restless, disenchanted world—and what it means to speak of incarnation, hope, and divine interruption in a culture shaped by cynicism and spectacle. Together, they consider how the story of Christmas resists easy sentimentality, inviting instead wonder, humility, and a renewed imagination for what God is doing in and through ordinary human life. It’s a contemplative, warm, and quietly provocative conversation—an invitation to pause, listen, and rediscover the strange good news announced in the dark.

Episode 387: Who Gets To Belong?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:00:00 -0500

What happens when nationalism tries to draw a moral boundary—and discovers it’s already fraying? In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott dig into Ross Douthat’s recent Interesting Times conversation with political theorist Yoram Hazony on the unsettling rise of antisemitism on the American Right. Hazony, one of nationalism’s most prominent intellectual defenders, argues that this resurgence isn’t mainly about Israel or foreign policy, but about deeper cultural, theological, and identity-based resentments that predate our current moment.

Bill and Scott wrestle with that claim: Does naming “ancient tensions” help us confront modern antisemitism—or does it risk normalizing it? Where does legitimate critique of liberalism or globalism end, and where do dangerous tropes about power, influence, and loyalty begin? And what does all of this mean for persuasion in an era when political movements are increasingly shaped by grievance and identity rather than policy?

This is a conversation about nationalism’s moral limits, the power of narrative, and the responsibility of public intellectuals when ideas migrate from theory to movement. Thoughtful, critical, and urgent.

Episode 386: Arian Heresy, Aryan Headaches

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Scott and Bill take a provocative historical detour, exploring whether there’s a meaningful connection between the ancient Arian theological heresy and today’s ascendant Aryan-inflected white nationalism. What happens when a 4th-century doctrinal struggle over the nature of Christ echoes—however faintly—into modern movements animated by racial mythmaking and pseudo-spiritual identity? We trace the parallels, interrogate the contrasts, and ask what lessons the past might offer a culture increasingly vulnerable to distorted stories of power and purity. We also welcome a new and very special addition to the NPW universe: Emily Acrigg, our freshly installed ombudsman. Emily joins us to help keep the show honest, sharp, and maybe even a little more civilized. It’s a lively, wide-ranging conversation—equal parts history, theology, and social diagnosis—that you won’t want to miss.

Episode 385: Converting the Barbarians

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0500

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill take a deep dive into the long, complicated, and often surprising history of Christian missions to the so-called “barbarians”—those peoples and cultures living at the outer edges of the empire and the church’s imagination. Drawing on episodes from late antiquity through the medieval world, they explore how the Church has, at its best, found creative, relational, and incarnational ways to reach those on the cultural margins. What happens when mission looks more like listening than conquering? When the gospel adapts without losing its heart? When the “barbarians” end up reshaping the Church as much as the Church shapes them? Scott and Bill unpack the lessons—both hopeful and cautionary—that history offers for engaging cultural outsiders today. Whether you’re a student of history, a leader navigating cultural change, or simply curious about how faith travels across boundaries, this conversation offers a fresh and provocative lens on the ongoing work of persuasion and conversion.

Episode 384: The Afternoon of Christianity

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill dive into Chapter 4 of Tomáš Halík’s The Afternoon of Christianity, exploring Halík’s provocative vision for faith in a rapidly changing world. Drawing on Halík’s rich metaphors of spiritual maturation, they unpack what it means for Christianity to move beyond its “adolescent certainties” and into a deeper, more contemplative season. Scott and Bill wrestle with Halík’s challenge to embrace mystery over dogmatism, dialogue over defensiveness, and a renewed openness to the hidden work of God in unexpected places. Along the way, they connect Halík’s insights to the cultural, political, and ecclesial tensions of our moment—asking whether an “afternoon Christianity” might be exactly what our fractured world needs. Thoughtful, candid, and characteristically hopeful, this conversation invites listeners to ponder where faith is headed, and what kind of wisdom the afternoon light might yet reveal.

Episode 383: Christian Nationalism and the Future of the Republic, LIVE from Manchester, Vermont!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 07:00:00 -0500

_New Persuasive Words _goes live! Recorded at the First Congregational Church of Manchester, Vermont, this special episode dives into one of the most pressing conversations of our time: Christian Nationalism and the Future of the Republic. Hosts Scott Jones and Bill Borror are joined by moderator Rev. D. Mark Blank and respondent Rabbi Michael Cohen for an evening of spirited, thought-provoking dialogue about faith, politics, and the future of American democracy. Engaging, challenging, and full of insight, this live event captures what New Persuasive Words does best—inviting listeners into honest, hopeful conversations about the stories shaping our public life.

Special Guests: Rabbi Michael Cohen and Rev. D. Mark Blank.

Episode 382: Does The Reformation Still Matter?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500

In this provocative episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill dig into the Reformation — not as a museum piece of church history, but as a radical, world-upending movement that redefined faith, authority, and freedom. Was it a holy revolt or a spiritual jailbreak gone wrong? They explore the passion and peril at the heart of the Reformation: a longing for authenticity that shattered Christendom and still shapes the modern soul. Five hundred years later, are we due for another reformation — or have we forgotten what one even looks like?

Episode 381: The New Axial Age?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the show Scott and Bill reflect on how the deepest movements of theological renewal have always begun in places of authentic spirituality rather than positions of power. They trace how the Church’s greatest upheavals often come when authority refuses to listen to the voices calling for reform. In what some have called a new Axial Age—an era marked by technological noise, stress, and spiritual hunger—they explore why so many people, both inside and outside the Church, are seeking a more vital, grounded spirituality for our time.

Episode 380: Something Is Stirring — And It’s Not Revival

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Bill and Scott dig into a recent New York Times piece Something Is Stirring in Christian America, and It’s Making Me Nervous, by David French— a sharp look at how faith, politics, and power are fusing in post-Kirk America. The article argues that what many are calling a spiritual awakening might actually be a political uprising dressed in religious language. The hosts break down the rhetoric, the myth-making, and the media framing — asking what happens when “revival” becomes a rally cry, and belief turns into brand. A fast, provocative conversation about faith, persuasion, and the dangerous seduction of moral certainty in American life.

Episode 379: The Freedom of Letting Go: Surrender, Sacrifice, and the Culture of Control

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott unpack Chapter 3 of Richard Rohr’s Breathing Under Water, where Rohr draws a powerful contrast between surrender and sacrifice. They explore why authentic transformation begins not in striving or control, but in letting go—and how that truth speaks to more than personal faith. In a culture addicted to performance, outrage, and winning, Rohr’s call to surrender offers a radical alternative. This episode dives deep into what it means to live freely—in our spiritual lives, our politics, and our public culture.

Episode 378: The Case Against The Case For Christian Nationalism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill dive into Kevin DeYoung’s review of Stephen Wolfe’s The Case for Christian Nationalism for The Gospel Coalition. They unpack Wolfe’s vision of a distinctly Christian nation—its emphasis on cultural Christianity, civil authority, and national identity—and weigh it against DeYoung’s sharp theological and historical critiques. Is Christian nationalism a faithful response to cultural decline, or a distortion of the gospel’s public implications? With wit and depth, the hosts explore what it really means to seek the common good in a pluralistic society and whether the church’s power should ever be political.

You can find the article we reference by Kevin DeYoung.

Episode 377: When Persuasion Fails

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

A new NPR–Marist poll shows rising acceptance of political violence, distrust in institutions, and deep divides over truth itself. In this episode, we confront the cultural, spiritual, and theological stakes of a society where persuasion is breaking down. What happens when violence replaces discourse? And what resources—religious, moral, and communal—can help us reclaim a shared life before it’s too late?

Episode 376: The Poor Mind's Gnosticism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Bill and Scott dive deep into the provocative Wall Street Journal opinion piece “Candace Owens Is a Latter-Day Gnostic.” The article argues that today’s conspiratorial “truth seekers” echo the thinking of ancient Gnostics—believing that hidden, malevolent forces control the visible world—and places Candace Owens within that framework. They explore what it means to call someone a “latter-day Gnostic,” whether the analogy holds or stretches too far, and how modern conspiracy theories mirror the dualistic worldview of classical Gnosticism. They also wrestle with the way religion, metaphor, and symbolism shape political commentary.

The article discussed on the show can be found here.

Episode 375: New Persuasive Words Live: America After Kirk

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this special live recording from Philadelphia’s Green Line Café, Scott and Bill take the conversation out of the studio and into the heart of the city. Against the backdrop of community and caffeine, they grapple with the shockwaves still reverberating from the assassination of Charlie Kirk. What does this moment mean for our public life? How do we make sense of the anger, polarization, and grief shaping the American imagination right now? With the energy of a live audience and the urgency of the moment, this episode invites listeners into a raw, reflective dialogue about where we go from here.

Episode 374: Hitler, Fascists, and Nazis: Naming Evil or Feeding It?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In the wake of the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk, we take a hard look at the language of our politics. Is it ever right—or wise—to call our opponents Hitler, fascists, or Nazis? In a culture already boiling with suspicion and outrage, does this kind of rhetoric sharpen moral clarity or simply fuel more division? Bill and Scott wrestle with the weight of our words, the dangers of toxic labeling, and the challenge of disagreeing without dehumanizing.

Episode 373: The Shooting of Charlie Kirk and the Soul of America

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast Scott and Bill wrestle with the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk and what it reveals about the deeper fractures in American life. Beyond the headlines and hot takes, they explore what this moment says about the condition of our politics, the rising tide of anger and alienation, and the spiritual vacuum shaping our national conversation. Can we find a way to move beyond violence, fear, and resentment toward a more life-giving vision of civic and spiritual renewal?

Episode 372: Do Our Rights Come From God?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0400

In this thought-provoking episode of New Persuasive Words, hosts Bill and Scott explore an op-ed by Bishop Robert Barron—published on September 7, 2025—titled “The dangers behind Sen. Kaine’s rejection of God-given rights as a founding principle.” Bishop Barron raises serious concerns about Senator Tim Kaine’s remarks during a Senate confirmation hearing—where Kaine questioned the idea that our rights originate from God, likening that notion to the theocratic governance of Iran. In response, Barron passionately reminds listeners that the Declaration of Independence, penned by Thomas Jefferson, affirms that our inalienable rights come from a Creator—and that government exists merely to secure them—not grant them. Bill and Scott unpack what’s really at stake. It’s a conversation about first principles, political theology, and why the question of where rights come from still matters.

You can find the article we reference by Bishop Barron here.
.

Episode 371: Why Do So Many People Think Trump Is Good?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Scott and Bill discuss various topics ranging from personal anecdotes to serious public health issues, particularly focusing on vaccination mandates and public opinion. They explore the moral implications of leadership in contemporary society, the influence of Enlightenment thought on modern morality, and the challenges of navigating cultural and economic interests in politics. The conversation delves into the crisis of moral philosophy and the need for a more robust ethical framework in education, ultimately reflecting on the chaotic moral landscape of today's world.

This episode was inspired by a David Brooks piece in The Atlantic which we reference in the show. You can find the piece here.

Episode 370: Is Stoicism Christian?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott dive into the provocative little book _The Let Them Theory _and ask a big question: can the stoic mindset and the Christian vision really coexist, or are they fundamentally at odds? Along the way, they explore how “letting them” might be a healthy act of detachment—or a spiritual cop-out—and whether the calm of Marcus Aurelius can live in harmony with the compassion of the Gospels.

Episode 369: The Gaul of Bitterness

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:00:00 -0400

In this conversation, Scott and Bill explore various themes ranging from light-hearted banter about summer drinks and streaming services to deeper discussions on the gall of bitterness as presented in the Bible. They reflect on the nature of sin in Christianity, the politics of resentment, and the role of grace in the Christian life. The dialogue also touches on cultural reflections and the dangers of spiritual vices, concluding with a call to repentance and self-reflection.
**_
Takeaways_

The gall of bitterness is a significant theme in Christianity.
Streaming services are becoming a common alternative to cable.
Summer in Philadelphia offers a unique social dynamic.
Christianity is not free from original sin.
Bitterness can persist even after baptism.
Grace should not be seen as a mere ticket to salvation.
Spiritual vices can be more dangerous than physical vices.
The politics of resentment can stem from bitterness.
Repentance is essential for spiritual growth.
Cultural reflections can influence our understanding of grace.

Episode 368: Making Demythologizing Great Again

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 22:00:00 -0400

In this conversation, Scott Jones and Bill Bohr explore the concept of demythologizing, particularly in relation to Donald Trump's influence on contemporary beliefs and narratives about Jeffrey Epstein. They discuss the implications of demythologizing in religion, the cognitive dissonance experienced by Trump supporters, and the nature of grace and redemption. The conversation also touches on the importance of small acts of kindness and the ongoing struggle between good and evil in society.

Episode 367: The Airing of Grievances

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode Scott and Bill explore various themes surrounding grievances in American society, including military spending, Medicaid myths, immigration issues, and the complexities of American identity. They discuss the cultural and creedal aspects of patriotism, the challenges of Christian realism, and the need for a national myth while navigating the current political landscape. The dialogue reflects on the past, present, and future of American ideals and the importance of understanding the narratives that shape them.

Takeaways

The airing of grievances is a common theme in public discourse.
Military spending for celebrations raises questions about public funds.
Medicaid fraud is often exaggerated in political rhetoric.
Immigration policies are influenced by economic incentives.
American identity is shaped by both cultural and creedal elements.
The left and right have diverging narratives on patriotism.
Christian realism requires a balance between faith and national identity.
Historical context is crucial for understanding current American ideals.
Political identity is complex and often contradictory.
Coalition building is essential in navigating political landscapes.

Chapters

00:00 Airing of Grievances: Setting the Stage
02:56 The Cost of Celebration: Military Spending and Public Funds
05:58 Medicaid Myths: The Reality of Fraud and Abuse
08:54 Immigration and Economic Incentives: A Complex Dilemma
11:51 Cultural Identity vs. Creed: Understanding American Values
14:50 The Left and Right: Diverging Narratives on Patriotism
17:44 Christian Realism: Balancing Faith and National Identity
20:46 The Future of American Ideals: Learning from History
23:49 Coalition Building: The Complexity of Political Identity

Episode 366: Why is there so much Bullsh#*???

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this conversation, Scott and Bill explore the decline of American pride, the erosion of the middle class, and the pervasive nature of 'bullshit' in political discourse. They discuss how political identity fluctuates based on party affiliation, the cultural implications of consumerism, and the role of rhetoric in shaping public opinion. The dialogue culminates in a reflection on sincerity and self-awareness in a world filled with misinformation and superficiality.

Takeaways

Only 58% of Americans express extreme pride in their country.
Democratic pride in America fluctuates significantly with political leadership.
The middle class in America has been eroding since the 1980s.
Cultural commentary often highlights the contradictions in American values.
Bullshit in politics is a greater threat to truth than outright lies.
Rhetoric can distort truth, serving neither honesty nor deception.
The rise of social media has amplified the spread of bullshit.
Self-reflection is crucial in understanding our own beliefs and biases.
Sincerity is often mistaken for truth in public discourse.
The conversation emphasizes the need for skepticism towards our own convictions.

Sound bites

"We're killing the middle class."
"Born in the USA is a sad song."
"Sincerity itself is bullshit."

Chapters

00:00 American Pride and Political Identity
03:53 The Erosion of the Middle Class
09:47 The Nature of Bullshit in Politics
19:35 The Role of Rhetoric and Communication
29:31 Self-Reflection and Sincerity in Discourse

Episode 365: Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:00:00 -0400

In this special live episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill record in person at The Green Line Café in Philadelphia, reflecting on the recent bombing of Iran ordered by President Trump. With coffee in hand and other patrons in the room, they unpack the political and ethical dimensions of this act of war. What does it say about American power, the role of conscience in foreign policy, and the ever-thinning line between calculated strategy and reckless provocation? Join us for a real-time theological and political conversation rooted in moral seriousness and public faith.

We reference an anonymous open letter from an Iranian living abroad. You can find it here.

Episode 364: History as Revelation

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott explore the idea of history as a form of divine revelation—alongside nature and the Bible—drawing inspiration from Tomáš Halík’s provocative new book, The Afternoon of Christianity. As Halík invites us to reimagine faith for a postmodern, post-Christendom world, we consider how historical consciousness itself can become a sacred text, revealing God’s presence not just in the past but in the unfolding of time. From the Incarnation to modern crises, we ask: What if salvation history hasn’t ended, but continues to speak in the afternoon light of our contemporary moment?

Episode 363: Dying to Live: Death and Resurrection as the Key to Life

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott explore how the pattern of death and resurrection—so central to the Christian story—is also the essential rhythm of a thriving personal and public life. From letting go of ego and outdated identities to embracing new beginnings in our relationships, vocations, and politics, they argue that true transformation always passes through some form of dying. Drawing on theology, personal experience, and cultural analysis, they reflect on how this pattern can help us navigate a time of great institutional and existential upheaval. This isn't about escapism or sentimentality—it's about finding hope and renewal on the far side of surrender.

Episode 362: Can The Trinity Save Democracy?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill and Scott explore the deep theological mystery of the Trinity in light of Trinity Sunday. But this isn’t just a church calendar check-in—we argue that the doctrine of the Trinity offers more than abstract metaphysics. It might just be the key to renewing the moral and relational foundations of liberal democratic society. Drawing from both ancient theology and contemporary political concerns, we ask: What does it mean to live in a world shaped by communion, difference, and love? And can the Trinitarian vision help us resist the isolating forces of individualism, authoritarianism, and despair? Tune in for a conversation that’s equal parts creed and critique.

We reference two articles in the piece. You can find them here:

https://www.persuasion.community/p/a-chilling-prediction-by-leo-strauss

https://firstthings.com/fukuyama-gets-leo-strauss-wrong/

Episode 361: Come On Spirit, Light My Fire

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill turn their attention to Pentecost—the wild, world-tilting moment when the Spirit descends, tongues ignite, and the Church is born not with decorum, but with fire. We explore what it means to be a Spirit-filled people in an anxious age, how Pentecost upends our tidy categories, and why divine disruption might be the most faithful thing to pray for. Along the way, we ask: is the Spirit more dangerous than we’ve let on? And could the chaos be the point? Come, Holy Spirit—and bring matches.

Episode 360: Lifted Up: The Meaning of Christ’s Ascension

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 29 May 2025 18:00:00 -0400

On this Ascension Day, Scott and Bill turn their attention to one of the most theologically rich and often overlooked events in the Christian calendar: the Ascension of Christ. What does it mean that Jesus was "lifted up" into heaven? Why does it matter that the risen Christ ascends rather than remains? In this episode, the hosts explore the biblical, historical, and spiritual dimensions of the Ascension, reflecting on how this event reorients our understanding of power, presence, and promise. Join us as we consider how the Ascension is not the absence of Christ, but the beginning of his reign—and what that means for the Church today.

Episode 359: An Augustinian on the Chair of Peter: Further Reflections on Pope Leo XIV

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 21 May 2025 07:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Scott and Bill explore the historic election of Pope Leo XIV and what it means for the Catholic Church—and the broader Christian imagination—to have an Augustinian pope. Drawing on their theological backgrounds and love of ecclesial history, they unpack the significance of Augustinian thought in shaping Christian identity, politics, and hope. What might Leo XIV's theological grounding signal for the Church’s engagement with modernity, moral complexity, and spiritual formation? Tune in as they consider the possibilities of this new papacy and its potential to reframe conversations across the Christian world.

We reference an essay by James K.A. Smith in the conversation. You can find it here.

Episode 358: The American Pope

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 09 May 2025 14:00:00 -0400

n the latest episode of the New Persuasive Words podcast, hosts Scott Jones and Bill Borror delve into the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost. As the first American and first Augustinian to ascend to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV's election marks a significant moment in the Catholic Church's history.

The hosts explore the implications of this unprecedented choice, considering how Pope Leo XIV's background and perspectives might influence the Church's direction. They discuss his emphasis on peace, dialogue, and missionary evangelization, as highlighted in his inaugural speech, where he called for unity and building bridges among people .

Additionally, the episode addresses the varied reactions to Pope Leo XIV's election, including criticisms from certain political commentators who have labeled him as anti-Trump and pro-open borders . The hosts analyze these perspectives, offering insights into the intersection of religion and politics in contemporary discourse.

For a comprehensive discussion on Pope Leo XIV's election and its potential impact on the global Catholic community, you can listen to the episode on the New Persuasive Words website or find it on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 357: Grace In Politics

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, we explore the radical implications of grace for the political sphere through the lens of Paul Zahl’s chapter “Grace in Politics” from his book Grace in Practice. What does it mean to bring a theology of one-way love into the often merciless arena of public life? Can grace shape policy, dialogue, and civic engagement in a culture of outrage and polarization? Join us as we consider how Zahl’s vision challenges both left and right, and invites us into a different kind of political imagination—one rooted not in power, but in mercy.

Episode 356: Paganism, Power, and the Promise of Rehumanization

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 04 May 2025 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, Bill Borror and Scott Jones reflect on the cultural and spiritual atmosphere of our time — an era increasingly shaped by power, ego, and domination. Drawing a sharp contrast between ancient pagan ideals and the Judeo-Christian moral tradition, they examine how figures like Donald Trump symbolize more than political authority; they reflect a deeper cultural drift toward spectacle, conquest, and narcissism.

The conversation explores the idea of a “pagan century,” where authoritarianism, tech-driven individualism, and Christian nationalism converge into a new civilizational mood. Against this backdrop, Bill and Scott warn of the moral costs of abandoning humility, empathy, and shared purpose — not just for democracy, but for the human soul.

Yet amid this dehumanizing trend, the hosts identify a surprising countercurrent: a quiet but growing spiritual hunger, particularly among younger generations. From renewed interest in Christian faith in the West to the rediscovery of meaning through art, service, and community, they ask whether a moral and spiritual revival may already be stirring.

Together, they explore how religious and secular humanists alike might help lead a movement of rehumanization — one rooted in beauty, truth, and hope.

Episode 355: Proper Confidence Revisited

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 01 May 2025 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we’re diving into an essay Scott wrote for Mockingbird Ministries. It's called “A Proper Confidence,” and it's reflection on what it really means to have faith in the modern world. Drawing heavily on the work of theologian Lesslie Newbigin, he hallenges the idea that faith needs to be about absolute certainty. Instead, he argues that Christian confidence should be grounded in a personal, lived commitment to following Christ—not in proving something beyond doubt.

You can find the essay here.

Episode 354: From Order to Chaos: The Unraveling of the Post-Cold War Dream

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, we trace the dramatic rise and fall of the liberal democratic order that shaped the world after the Cold War. Between 1988 and 2003, liberal democracy flourished, free trade expanded, and a rules-based international order took root. But by 2014, that world was coming apart.

We explore how the 2008 financial crisis, endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the meteoric rise of authoritarian China shattered the pillars of the old consensus. And we follow the thread through the global convulsions of 2014—Putin’s annexation of Crimea, Modi’s election, ISIS’s rise, and the wave of right-wing populism that would soon sweep across Europe and America.

Now, in the era of Trump’s second act, we consider what it means to live in a “shadow world”—where liberal democracy shades into authoritarianism, free trade gives way to protectionism, and power, not principle, shapes international relations.

It’s a story of transformation, disillusionment, and the uncertain road ahead.

Much of the insights from this podcast come from Rory Stewart's recent conversation with Jon Stewart. You can watch the conversation here.

Episode 353: The Death of the World's Conscience

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the New Persuasive Words podcast, we reflect on the life, legacy, and passing of Pope Francis. From his unexpected election as the first Jesuit pope and first from the Global South, to his efforts to shift the tone of the Catholic Church toward mercy, justice, and care for the marginalized—Pope Francis was a singular figure in a time of deep cultural and religious change. We discuss what his papacy meant for both Catholics and non-Catholics alike, how he navigated the complexities of modernity with humility and courage, and what his death might mean for the future of the Church and the world.

Episode 352: What's so Holy about this Saturday?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, we reflect on the meaning of Holy Saturday—the in-between day of waiting, silence, and uncertainty. We explore its theological significance, its emotional resonance in times of personal and collective loss, and what it can teach us about living faithfully in the tension between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Join us as we consider how Holy Saturday might speak to our contemporary moment, inviting us to sit with mystery, grief, and hope.

Episode 351: Spy Wednesday

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast, recorded on Holy Wednesday—also known as Spy Wednesday—we turn our attention to one of the most enigmatic and troubling figures in the story of Jesus: Judas Iscariot. Traditionally remembered as the day Judas conspired to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, Spy Wednesday invites us to reflect not only on the act of betrayal, but on the deeper questions it raises about loyalty, fate, forgiveness, and the role of evil in a redemptive story. What do we make of Judas? Was he a necessary part of the divine plan, or simply a tragic figure lost to greed and disillusionment? Join us as we explore the complexity of Judas’s role and what it means for how we understand the Passion narrative today.

Episode 350: Holy Moly, it's Holy Monday!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast, we talk a little bit about Holy Monday—the often-overlooked day in Holy Week that nonetheless carries rich theological and spiritual significance. We reflect on the stories and symbols associated with the day, and what they might have to say to us in our own moment. Join us as we explore how the drama of Holy Week continues to speak to faith, justice, and the human condition.

Episode 349: The Politics of Palm Sunday

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast, we explore the political implications of Palm Sunday. Far from being a quaint prelude to Easter, Palm Sunday is a dramatic act of public protest—Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is a deliberate, provocative counter-procession to the powers of this world. We unpack how this story speaks to the tension between religious hope and political realism, between divine kingship and human authority. What does it mean to follow a king who rides a donkey? And how might Palm Sunday reframe our understanding of power, resistance, and public witness in a time of political uncertainty? Join us as we reflect on the subversive message at the heart of Holy Week.

Episode 348: Liberation Day!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast, recorded as Trump delivered his "liberation day" address, we wrestle with a fundamental question at the heart of American political life: what happens when a society loses its sense of meaning? Inspired by a striking passage from Robert Jenson’s Story and Promise, we explore the creeping influence of nihilism in our political culture—how it erodes trust, hollows out institutions, and leaves us grasping for narratives that can hold us together.

Is there a way forward? Can we recover a sense of shared purpose in an era of cynicism and fracture? Join us as we take a thoughtful, clear-eyed look at the challenge ahead and consider what it will take to rebuild faith—not just in politics, but in the very idea of a common good.

Episode 347: Is Trump Waging a War on Christianity?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode of New Persuasive Words, hosts Bill and Scott examine a provocative argument by conservative commentator Charlie Sykes, who contends that former President Donald Trump is engaged in a war with Christianity. Through a discussion of Sykes’ assertions, they explore the broader implications for the Republican Party, the religious right, and the shifting landscape of faith in American politics. With thoughtful commentary and historical context, this discussion sheds light on the tensions between political allegiance and theological integrity in the Trump era.

You can find the link to the Sykes piece here.

Episode 346: Betting on Pascal

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode we delve into theologian Graham Tomlin’s thought-provoking article, “Blaise Pascal is Haunting Our Unbelieving Age.” With the modern world increasingly defined by skepticism and a crisis of meaning, we explore how Pascal’s insights—his Pensées, his famous wager, and his reflections on faith and reason—speak powerfully to our contemporary moment. How does a 17th-century polymath continue to shape our understanding of belief and doubt? And why does his voice seem more urgent than ever? Join us as we unpack Pascal’s enduring influence in a world searching for certainty.

Episode 345: The New Constantine?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode, we examine a provocative question: Is Donald Trump a modern-day Constantine, ushering in a new era of promise for the Christian church in America? For his supporters, Trump has championed religious freedom, strengthened the political influence of Christian institutions, and waged a culture war against what they see as rising secular hostility. His administration’s faith-based initiatives and efforts to combat perceived anti-Christian bias have fueled comparisons to the Roman emperor who legitimized Christianity.

Yet, critics argue that Trump’s policies have had unintended consequences, from cuts to faith-based social services to renewed debates over church-state separation. Some analysts even suggest that his polarizing rhetoric has contributed to a decline in church attendance. As the nation navigates the intersection of politics and faith, we explore whether Trump’s legacy aligns with Constantine’s—or if the comparison reveals deeper tensions within the American religious landscape.

Join us as we unravel this complex and controversial debate.

Our conversation was inspired by this piece by Graham Tomlin, which we reference throughout the episode.

Episode 344: The Negative Space

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we explore the concept of "Negative Space," a term coined by writer Aaron Renn to describe the increasingly hostile environment that, he argues, Christians in America have faced since 2014. Renn contends that this shift marks a departure from an era of neutrality, ushering in a cultural landscape where openly professing Christian beliefs—particularly those aligned with traditional or conservative values—is now viewed as a social liability.

You can find the New York Times piece we reference here.

Episode 343: Christian Realism or Pagan Cynicism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 14:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we delve into the recent dispute between former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, analyzing the ideological and theological foundations that shape the foreign policy perspectives of Trump's supporters. We explore how nationalist and isolationist sentiments, intertwined with elements of Christian nationalism, influence some Republican's approach to global affairs, particularly regarding U.S. assistance to Ukraine.

Episode 342: Is MAGA The White Man's Rastafarianism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode, inspired by a quote from Ezra Klein, we consider the mythic and mystical components of the MAGA movement. Do they correspond to a broader current in the culture that some on the left are out of step with today?

Episode 341: Where is the Progressive Outrage over Kfir Bibas?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we wonder why there isn't more progressive outrage over strangled babies and other recent atrocities committed by Hamas.

Episode 340: Hillbilly Curia?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode we unpack Vice-President Vance's recent comments about the Ordo Amoris. We ask the age old question: what's love got to do with it?

Episode 339: A House Divided Against Itself?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider the different ways in which identity is constituted, and how our identities might be in tension or even conflict.

You can find the substack piece we reference here.

Episode 338: Whose Christ? What Culture?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider some classic questions about the ethics of Jesus and the Church's relationship to culture.

Episode 337: American Political Heresies

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode we examine the current intellectual and ideological foundations of the New Right in America, and consider how the right and the left seem to mirror some ancient Christian heresies.

We reference and quote a recent episode of The Ezra Klein Show. You can find the episode and the transcript of it here.

Episode 336: An Ode To Repugnance

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about what to do when you come across a repugnant idea. With T.S. Eliot as our guide, we consider what strong visceral reactions to ideas and ideologies might tell us about ourselves.

The inspiration for the conversation was a Substack piece Scott published today. You can find it here. We actually discussed the Eliot essay we reference in episode 154 of this podcast, which you can find here.

Episode 335: What would Capon have said to President Trump?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about Bishop Mariann Budde's recent sermon, in which she personally addressed and exhorted President Trump. We wonder what the Gospel is for President Trump, and the great Robert Farrar Capon would have done in Bishop Budde's shoes.

You can find Bishop Budde's sermon here.

You can find a host of Capon quotes for your reading pleasure here.

Episode 334: Shall We Overcome?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about what it means to walk by faith and not by sight in public life.

Episode 333: Has Democracy's Expiration Date Passed?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider whether our democracy can adequately respond to the concerns and crises that face the American citizenry.

We were inspired in part by a conversation Jon Stewart just had with American historian Jon Meacham. You can watch the conversation here, or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 332: Monday Monday!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:00:00 -0500

It's Monday and we have a few things to say with the Inauguration just a week away!

Episode 331: The Philosophical Roots of "Wokeism"

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 07:00:00 -0500

In this episode we engage with a talk given by Bishop Robert Barron at the Acton institute. The topic of the address is the philosophical roots of "wokeism."

You can listen to the talk here, or read a transcript of it here.

Episode 330: The Quest for the Historical Adam

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about Original Sin and human origins, inspired in part by an essay on the work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin that appeared in a recent issue of the Christian Century.

You can find the article we reference here..

Episode 329: A Shocking Faith

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about a recent piece by New York Times columnist David Brooks Entitled "The Shock of Faith: It’s Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be." We also consider some of the response it's generated in public discourse by people of many faiths and no faith at all.

You can find the original David Brooks piece here.

You can find Mark Oppenheimer's responses here and here.

You can listen to Scott's conversation with Mark here.

To see what states received campaign visits during the 2024 Presidential election click here.

If you're curious about the Dead Poet's Society poetry scale reference, you can watch the clip here.

[You can go here](patreon.com/scottkentjones) to become a Patreon sponsor of the show.

If you want to make a one time gift to contribute to the work of the show you can do so here.

Lastly here's Scott's Amazon podcast production wishlist.

Episode 328: The Jewishness of Jesus

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the Jewishness of Jesus and what it means in the context of contemporary antisemitism.

Episode 327: The Ecology of Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we contrast the ecology of the Roman Empire with the ecology of the Christmas story.

Episode 326: The Wind Cries Mary, with special guest Matt Milliner

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:00:00 -0500

In this special holiday episode we talk with our good friend Matt Milliner about the Virgin Mary and her significance for the spiritual life.

Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

Episode 325: Bad Religion?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:00:00 -0500

Can we have a truly secular society, or does religion always play some animating role in public life? If this is the case, are all religious cultural foundations created equal? And what does any of this have to do with Christmas?

Episode 324: An Address to some of Christianity's "Cultured Despisers"

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode we address a listener's question and concerns. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree and is finding herself consistently confronted with criticisms of her religious faith. We offer some insights into how we might approach some of the criticisms of Christianity that she's regular hearing.

Episode 323: The Rise of Cultural Christianity

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the new "cultural Christianity" that's growing in the United States. Is it taking over the conservative movement?

You can click here for The New Republic article that inspired our conversation. You can find a link to the Pew Study we reference here.

You can find Bill's sermons here. You can find Scott's conversational interview show Give and Take here.

Please consider supporting the podcast! You can become a Patreon supporter here.

Episode 322: A Manichean Memento

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the new HBO Max series "The Penguin." We consider what it tells us about the nature of good and evil, the dangers of dualism, and the goodness of creation.

Episode 321: The Gospel according to Peterson

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about psychologist and public intellectual Jordan Peterson. He's been interacting with the Bible and the Western religious tradition for years, and now has a new book on the subject.

We reference a couple of articles and a discussion Peterson did with Slavoj Žižek a few years back. You can find the links to them below.

You can find the link to Martha Gill's Guardian review here.

Click here for the review of Peterson's newest book by Rowan Williams.

You can find the Žižek/Peterson conversation here.

Episode 320: It's Friday, Sunday's Coming!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we pay tribute to the recently deceased evangelist, sociologist, and activist Tony Campolo. He was pivotal in the development of late 20th century progressive evangelicalism and served as a spiritual advisor to former President Bill Clinton in the wake of the Monica Lewinski scandal.

We mentioned two of Tony's books in the podcast, A Reasonable Faith and_ Partly Right_. You can find links to them below.

https://a.co/d/d03rAMt

https://www.amazon.com/Partly-Right-Learning-Critics-Christianity/dp/0849920868

Episode 319: Christ the King

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:15:00 -0500

In this episode we reflect on the liturgical history and meaning of Christ the King Sunday. But first we banter about the news of the day.

You can find the song "Suzanne" that we reference here.

Click here for a link to Rowan Williams' book Tokens of Trust.

Episode 318: The Real Election Podcast

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode, amidst the political tsunami that hit last week, we talk about the election that counts. We look at the doctrine of election in the history of the church and what it means for us today amidst a moment of massive cultural change and anxiety.

Episode 317: Confessing the Faith Today, part 1

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the nature of Christian confession. Why do we confess the faith? When do we do it and why? We'll talk specifically about the Barmen Declaration today in this ongoing occassional series.

Click here for the text of the Barmen Declaration itself.

Episode 316: Our Post-Election Autopsy

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we reflect on the results of this week's 2024 Presidential election. How'd we get here? What's next? Where is the country going?

Below are the links to the Ezra Klein podcast and the piece from Quillette, both of which we reference in the podcast.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-election.html

https://quillette.com/2024/11/06/the-revenge-of-the-silent-male-voter-trump-vance-musk/

“While the Heavenly City , therefore, is on pilgrimage in this world, she calls out citizens from all nations and so collects a society of aliens, speaking all languages. She takes no account of any difference in customs, laws, and institutions, by which earthly peace is achieved and preserved – not that she annuls or abolishes any of those, rather, she maintains them and follows them, provided that no hindrance is presented thereby to the religion which teaches that the one supreme and true God is to be worshiped. Thus even the Heavenly City in her pilgrimage here on earth makes use of the earthly peace and defends and seeks the compromise between human wills in respect of the provisions relevant to the mortal nature of man, so far as may be permitted without detriment to true religion and piety.”
-St Augustine, The City of God, Book 19.

Episode 315: A Requiem for the Evangelical Left

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss the death of a progressive evangelical community in Philadelphia. We also consider what it means for the ongoing legacy of the "evangelical left."

You can find The New Yorker article we reference in the podcast here.

Episode 314: The Promise of Presuppositionalism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about presuppositional apologetics. It's a 20th century strategy for defending religious faith. We consider what it tells us about the nature of religious faith, and what insights it gives into the process of thinking and making intellectual commitments.

Episode 313: Two Truths Are Better Than None

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about our culture's propensity toward reductionism. We make the case that living with two truths in tension is better than settling for a truth.

If you want to support the work of this podcast, you can go to our Patreon page here:

patreon.com/scottkentjones

Episode 312: Theological Family Trees

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about theological family trees. What influences shape our core religious convictions and make us who we are? We also talk a little about the debate and the near extinction of humanity that almost happened 900,000 years ago.

Episode 311: The Birth of Tragedy

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded minutes after Biden announced he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, we talk Nietzsche. We think a bit Nietzsche's early work, The Birth of Tragedy. We try to think through what it might speak to a dramatic, polarized political situation, and what it might teach us about how both parties understand the human condition.

Episode 310: Hulkamaniacs Are Running Wild!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode Bill and Scott talk about Donald Trump, his shooting, and his convention where he accepted the Republican nomination for President of the United States. We were both excited to see the Hulkster back in public life!

Episode 309: Failure of Nerve

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss a phenomenal text on leadership, Failure of Nerve. We think with the author about what's behind the emotional limitations to change in church, society, and our personal lives. We conclude with some Christian reflections on Rabbi Friedman's work, which we think could be useful inside and outside the church.

You can find Rabbi Friedman's book here.

Episode 308: Hamilton, Burr and Atheistic Arguments

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded on the anniversary of the historic duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, we consider some of the best arguments against the existence of God.

Episode 307: We're all Dogmatic...Get over It!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the nature of faith in a modern and pluralistic world. What does it mean to have faith and have it challenged? What do you do when people call you dogmatic for believing? How do you share that faith in an inviting, reasonable, and humble way?

Episode 306: Motel Six or Seal Team Six?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about recent Supreme Court decisions and their short term and long term implications for life in the Republic.

Episode 305: Our First 2024 Post-Debate Show

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:00:00 -0400

Continuing in the New Persuasive Words tradition, we bring you our legendary post-debate coverage.

Episode 304: The French Connection

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the Presbyterian Church of America's "cancelling" of NY Times columnist David French.

Click here for David French's account of the affair. Click here if you'd like to hear the affair chronicled in song.

Episode 303: Israel, Antisemitism, and the War in Gaza

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode, actually by listener request, we talk about Israel, Antisemitism, and the war in Gaza.

Episode 302: By Popular Demand, We're Back Again!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 17:00:00 -0400

Bill and Scott are back after a bit of a hiatus. We talk about the current electoral climate, the politicization and polarization of everything, and the spiritual implications of it all.

Episode 301: The Dove Awards and Underrated Neanderthals

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss something neither of us are sure we care about or completely get: the 2023 Dove Awards. We also discuss recent scientific discoveries about human DNA in neanderthals , as well as the current state of leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Episode 300: We Celebrate Episode 300, with Benyamin Cohen

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we reflect on a multi-year journey that has led us to our 300th episode. In a change of pace, we are interviewed by renowned author and journalist Benyamin Cohen. Thanks to our listeners for making it all worth it!

Special Guest: Benyamin Cohen.

Episode 299: My Country for a Speaker!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the historic motion to vacate the Speaker of the House of Representatives. What's next?!?

Episode 298: Republican Debates and Original Sin

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode we do a little post debate analysis. But first we stumble unexpectedly into a discussion of Original Sin. We conclude with a little Aristotlean reflection on the nature of politics. Thanks again for all your feedback recently. Keep it coming!

Episode 297: The Day of Atonement

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded on Yom Kippur 2023, we reflect a bit on the nature of atonement. We delve into the possibility of atoning for one's wrongdoings, whether or not it's possible and what Kant has to say about it. We also talk about the recent squabble involving Donald Trump, Howard Stern and Bill Maher. Again, glad to be back!

If you have topic suggestions for future shows feel free to email us:

scottkentjones@gmail.com
billborror@gmail.com

Episode 296: We're Back!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:45:00 -0400

In this episode we return from our long hiatus. We're glad to be back!

Episode 295: Shall The Fundamentalists Win?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we reflect on the hundredth anniversary of the sermon that was at the heart of the fundamentalist/modernist controversy. It was preached by Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1922 at the Riverside Church in New York City. It's still discussed because it's still relevant. We'll be revisiting this them throughout 2022 so stay tuned!

The article we reference in the show can be found here: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2022/01/did-the-fundamentalists-win-a-centennial-retrospective/.

Episode 294: Our Holiday 2021 Wrap Up

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0500

In this episode we give our reflections on 2021 as we head into the New Year.

Episode 293: Our Rittenhouse Report

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we share our thoughts on the Rittenhouse verdict. It will be an ongoing conversation in public and private life in North America for sure. This is our initial contribution. We offer it with a lot of mixed emotions. We hope it serves the public good.

Episode 292: 1776: Should We Have Fought The Revolutionary War?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode we pose a historical what if: What if the American colonists didn't fight the Revolutionary War in 1776?

Episode 291: Illiberal Liberalism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode we ponder the relationship between classical liberalism and the contemporary left. Is the left illiberal? When does one get cancelled? And we even tell you how you can get us to do a live show in your neighborhood. Happy listening!

Episode 290: Should We Fear God?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, after some recap of the news of the week, we ask a question: should we fear God?

Episode 289: We're Back!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:00:00 -0400

We're back...enough said!

Episode 288: To Be Free Or Not To Be

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 08:45:00 -0500

We continue talking about the romance of Christian orthodoxy by looking at some of the ideas and figures that challenged it. This episode deals with one of Augustine's most famous opponents: Pelagius. They debated the nature of original sin and the capacity of human beings to choose the ultimate good, God.

Episode 287: American Paganism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode, our first one in the "new bunker", we discuss an article from Commonweal Magazine. In it David Albertson, a religion professor at USC, argues that many conservative intellectuals justify supporting Trump in the name of defending Christianity and fighting a new kind of American paganism. But what is paganism? What if it's not what we think it is?

You can find the article here: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/american-paganism.

Episode 286: Infinite Love?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 13:00:00 -0500

In this episode, joined by our friend Adam Morton, we discuss a controversial tweet that Tim Keller posted about the Trinity and the Cross.

You can find the tweet and a host of replies and comments to it here: https://twitter.com/timkellernyc/status/1221485536415768576?s=20.

Special Guest: Adam Morton.

Episode 285: The Two Popes

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the recently released Netflix film The Two Popes.

Episode 284: Merry Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:00:00 -0500

This is our annual Christmas episode. Have a great holiday!

Episode 283: Iconoclasm

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 07 Dec 2019 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode, joined by Matthew Milliner, we talk about iconoclasm. The Iconoclastic Controversy, was a dispute over the use of religious images (icons) in the Byzantine Empire in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Iconoclasts (those who rejected images) objected to icon veneration for several reasons, including the Old Testament prohibition against images in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:4) and the possibility of idolatry. The defenders of the use of icons insisted on the symbolic nature of images and on the dignity of created matter.

You can download Matt Milliner's review essay "Everything you know about Byzantine art is wrong" here.

Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

Episode 282: Fully Human, Fully Divine

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 18:00:00 -0500

We continue our "Romance of Orthodoxy" series. We've been considering the development of Christian orthodoxy and some of the major challenges and debates that helped formulate the heart of the Christian faith. In this episode we consider the Fourth Century controversies that led to the Chalcedonian Council, which declared that Christ had two natures in one person, and the relationship between the natures.

Episode 281: Arianism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 20:15:00 -0500

In this episode we continue talking about the Romance of Christian Orthodoxy, considering what many consider to be the grandest heresy of them all: Arianism.

Episode 280: No Gnosis is Good Gnosis...

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode we continue our series on the Romance of Orthodoxy. We consider the heresy that seems to have perennial appeal in Christian history: Gnosticism.

Episode 279: Modalism: The Clark Kent/Superman Trinity

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:00:00 -0400

Continuing our series about the Romance of Orthodoxy, we consider the modalist heresy, which holds that Father, Son, and Spirit are really not persons but more like masks or roles God puts on in relationship to the world.

Episode 278: Marcion, Thor and YHWH

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 20:15:00 -0400

In this episode we continue to talk about the Romance of Orthodoxy. We talk about Marcionism, a heresy that claims the God of the Hebrew Bible is fundamentally different than the God revealed in Jesus Christ. We find a surprising modern example of the position in renowned theologian David Bentley Hart. We consider a recent exchange he had with First Things contributor Peter Leithart.

Episode 277: Docetism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 17:00:00 -0400

Continuing our series on the Romance of Orthodoxy, we discuss the "docetic" heresy, which claims that Jesus Christ was divine, but not really human.

Episode 276: Jesus, Judaism and the Early Church

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 18:00:00 -0400

Continuing our discussion of the romance of orthodoxy, we consider controversies in the history of the church. In this episode we discuss the early church's struggle with the role of Torah observance and the inclusion of Gentiles.

We reference an atonement chart put together by Brad East. You can find it here.

Episode 275: The Romance of Orthodoxy

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 17:00:00 -0400

Fresh off of our summer vacations, we talk about how Christian orthodoxy has romanced us both and continues to do so.

We reference two podcast interviews in this episode. You can find them below.

https://giveandtake.fireside.fm/175

https://giveandtake.fireside.fm/174

Episode 274: Summer Potpourri

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 15:00:00 -0400

We're both looking toward summer vacation! In this episode we mix it up, like the Jeoprady Potpourri category. You never know what's coming next.

Episode 273: Guns, God and White Supremacism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio and how to face what they tell us about ourselves as Americans.

Episode 272: Kissing The Faith Goodbye

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about renowned former megachurch pastor Josh Harris's announcement that he has left the Christian faith.

Episode 271: Us, Them, Trump, and The Squad

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired in part by David Fitch's new book, we talk about the recent inflammatory statements President Trump made about four women of color in the House of Representatives.

Episode 270: Apocalypse Now?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 21:00:00 -0400

Many are troubled by evangelical love affair with President Trump. Sometimes people talk like it means that the sky is falling or that the end is near. Is this overstated? Might historical perspective teach us a thing or two in this cultural moment?

Episode 269: The Gift of Wonder, with Christine Sine

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk with a special guest, Christine Sine. Her new book is entitled The Gift of Wonder: Creative Practices For Delighting In God.

Can you imagine a God who dances with shouts of joy, laughs when you laugh, loves to play, enjoys life, and invites us to join the fun? Like many of us, Christine Sine had spent many years with an image of God who was "a very serious, workaholic type of God." And even when her theology told her this was not true, she struggled to live into this new way of thinking. What she needed was a childlike spirituality. In this book, Christine Sine, online host of the Godspace community, invites us to pay attention to childlike characteristics that have the power to reshape us. Each chapter addresses a childlike characteristic to embrace, including delight, playfulness, imagination, awe and wonder, love of nature, the ability to live in the present, and much more. Fresh spiritual practices that engage all our senses help us live a new spiritual life that embraces the wonder and joy that God intends for us.

Episode 268: The One, The Three and The Many

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and it's connection to reality and everyday life.

We reference a book by our friend Glenn Scrivener. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-God-World-You/dp/1909611948.

Episode 267: Game of Thrones and the End of Empathy

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss our thoughts on the Game of Thrones Finale and a recent Invisibilia episode on empathy.

You can find the Invisibilia episode we reference here: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/11/712276022/the-end-of-empathy.

Episode 266: Can a Command be a Gift?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 13 May 2019 01:00:00 -0400

In this episode we continue to talk about the moral life, with some theological help from Karl Barth and John Milbank. We also talk a bit about Game of Thrones, and consider the reactions to the untimely and sad death of Rachel Held Evans.

Episode 265: The Battle of the Dead and the Source of Life

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk Game of Thrones, legalism and antinominiasm, in that order pretty much.

Episode 264: Is The Christian Life Worth Living?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:00:00 -0400

Check out this crossover episode we did with our friends from Crackers and Grapejuice in New York City. We talk about the nature of the Christian life and what it means to live it.

Episode 263: Christological Exegesis?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a post on Facebook by our friend Kenneth Tanner, we talk about how Christians ought to read the Hebrew Bible, which we call the Old Testament.

Episode 262: Navigating Social Change

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by revelations about Joe Biden's "touchiness", we talk about changing norms and navigating social change.

Episode 261: Bullgeschichte, with Adam Borneman

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 21:00:00 -0400

In this Bullgeschichte episode we're joined by Adam Borneman. He's a Presbyterian minister (PCUSA) and the Program Director of Macedonia Ministries. We talk about 19th century theology, the relevance of the Gospel for public life, and a host of other things.

Special Guest: Adam Borneman.

Episode 260: The Prodigal God

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the parable of The Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15. We consider what roles we play in it at different parts in our public and private lives, and how it speaks to them all.

Episode 259: The Mueller Malaise, Part 2

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode we continue to discuss the Mueller Report now that Attorney General Barr's summary of it has been made public.

Episode 258: Are We Heading For Mueller Malaise?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 16:30:00 -0400

We recorded this episode a half hour before the release of the summary of the Mueller report by U.S. Attorney General William Barr. We talk about it what it might mean for the country. We also talk about how people generally deal with uncertainty.

Episode 257: The Person vs The Principle

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a piece published on the site of our friends over at Mockingbird, we talk about the relationship of the person of Christ to principles that we devise and even cherish.

You can find the piece we reference, written by Jared Jones, here: https://mbird.com/2019/03/the-living-christ-and-the-principle-of-grace/.

Episode 256: Our Culture of Contempt

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by NY Times op-ed piece, we talk about the problem of contemptuousness in our culture.

You can find the NY Times piece we discuss here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/opinion/sunday/political-polarization.html.

Episode 255: The Methodist Church Controversy

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 19:00:00 -0500

In this episode, after a few minutes talking news, we turn to the recent controversy about sexuality and LGBT inclusion in the United Methodist Church.

Episode 254: The Visible and the Invisible

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the visible and invisible church, and our ideals and the church's realities.

Episode 253: Facts Don't Change People's Minds

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 10:00:00 -0500

In this episode, inspired by something we read online, we talk about the inability of facts to change minds. If facts are stubborn things, are our minds even more stubborn? Why is this the case?

You can find the article we reference here.

Episode 252: The Righteous and The Woke...Flip Sides of the Same Coin?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 18:00:00 -0500

In this episode, inspired by a piece written by Valerie Tarico, we talk about the strange similarities between some types of conservative evangelicals and woke activists. Most people wouldn't see these groups having much in common. But does their particular sort of tribalism make their similarities greater than their differences?

You can find Valerie Tarico's piece here: http://new.exchristian.net/2019/02/the-righteousness-and-woke-why.html.

Episode 251: Talking Theology, Culture and Counter-Culture with Dave Fitch

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 10:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk with friend and always interesting interlocutor David Fitch. Dave is a theologian, pastor and church planter. He's also a self-described "Neo-Anabaptist." He also identifies as an evangelical Christian. We ask him about his Neo-Anabaptist theological vision and how it relates to the evangelical tradition in North America.

Special Guest: David Fitch.

Episode 250: 250!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 21:00:00 -0500

In this our 250th episode, we are joined by our friend Matt Milliner. We discuss a host of issues and ideas and do a lot of laughing along the way.

Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

Episode 249: Grace is Grace

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 21:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about grace. Specifically, we talk about the term common grace, and how to us grace always seems particular and special.

Episode 248: What We Worry About

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the things that keep us up at night, and the things that don't.

Episode 247: Origen, Irenaeus, and The Meaning of Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider two different ancient approaches to the meaning of redemption and the role of Jesus in it, and how it shapes our understanding of Christmas.

Episode 246: Keep the Christendom in Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the blessing of Advent and Christmas traditions and the benefits of living in a culture even superficially shaped by the Christian story.

Episode 245: Keeping The Faith

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 13:00:00 -0500

In this episode we interact with a recent piece that appeared on the Gospel Coalition website. The author claims that there is slippery slope (or natural progression?) from progressive evangelical Christianity to atheism. We're less than convinced.

You can find the piece, written by Alisa Childers, here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-beliefs-progressive-christians-atheists-share/.

Episode 244: Talking Politics at Thanksgiving

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about how to deal with contentious hot button issues at the holiday dinner table.

Episode 243: Why We Need Evil

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about what happens in the wake of horrific things when we lose the capacity to call them evil in a meaningful way.

We referenced two books on the episode: People of the Lie and Evil in Modern Thought. You can find the links below:

https://www.amazon.com/People-Lie-Hope-Healing-Human/dp/0684848597

https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Modern-Thought-Alternative-Philosophy/dp/0691168504

Episode 242: It's Been a Rough Week in America

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 29 Oct 2018 21:00:00 -0400

This past week we saw 16 people killed in hate crimes in 2 states, one of which was the biggest killing of Jews in American history. We also saw a crazed man send bombs to some of the Democratic party's leadership and key supporters. We try to think about where we go next.

Episode 241: The Rich White Civil War

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about a new study of the American electorate, inspired by a recent op-ed in the NY Times by David Brooks. New research shows that the political tribalism that characterizes American political culture is actually fueled by the elites on the right and the left.

You can find the David Brooks piece here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/opinion/politics-race-white-tribalism.html.

You can find the research he cites here: https://hiddentribes.us.

Episode 240: The Politics of the Cross

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we reflect on America's deep political divisions and tribalism in light of the theology of the cross.

Episode 239: Politics after Kavanaugh

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded as the Senate was voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, we discuss the events that led up to his confirmation and what they might mean for the future of American politics and culture.

We reference two articles during our discussion. They can be found below.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/10/02/brett-kavanaugh-lying-politics-220812

http://mbird.com/2018/10/hiding-in-plain-sight-the-lost-doctrine-of-sin/

Episode 238: Is There a Philosophy of the Cross?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by an essay that appeared in the Expository Times, we talk about the relationship between Christianity and philosophy. Specifically we consider what Christ crucified, "the foolishness of God," has to do with the philosophical enterprise.

You can find the essay we discuss here:

This is the Von Balthasar quote referenced:

Neither religious philosophy nor existence can provide the criterion for the genuineness of Christianity. In philosophy, man discovers what is humanly knowable about the depths of being; in existence, man lives out what is humanly livable. But Christianity disappears the moment it allows itself to be dissolved into a transcendental precondition of human self-understanding in thinking or living, knowledge or deed. It thus seems at first that the extrinsicist and historical approach of the newer apologetics is the only way forward. This approach does not altogether collapse before philosophy and existence, but only because they both serve to justify the approach in a secondary and subsequent sense. Once the act of faith has been carried out as faith in the historical kerygma, it fulfills metaphysics and ethics even as it elevates them.

-Balthasar, Hans Urs von. Love Alone is Credible (Kindle Locations 418-424). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

Episode 237: Death

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about life's most universal experience: death.

Episode 236: A Post-Christian Conservatism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss the results of a recent study that show that there is an increasing number of secular and irreligious people forming Trump's GOP base. These less religious Republicans tend to share more of Trump's views that their religious counterparts. What does this mean for the future of the Republican party and the conservative movement?

We found out about the study in a recent New York Times piece by Ross Douthat.

Episode 235: What Was Paul's Problem Anyway?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, drawing inspiration from a book by Stephen Westerholm, we discuss the Old and New Perspective on Paul and whether Paul's "problem" was a Gentile issue or a problem facing the entire human race.

Westerholm's book is entitled Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking A Pauline Theme. You can find a conversation with Westerholm about the book here.

Episode 234: Does The Media Get The Church?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a piece in Commentary Magazine about the current crisis in the Catholic Church and the controversy surrounding President Trump's recent dinner with prominent evangelical leaders, we talk about how the media covers and sometimes misunderstands the church and church controversies.

Episode 233: Socialism on the Rise?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a discussion on the Commentary Magazine podcast, we discuss the rising popularity of socialism in America today.

Episode 232: Infrastructure and Tradition

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 16 Aug 2018 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about Roman roads, the importance of infrastructure and the nature of preservation and innovation in traditions.

You can find the story about the study of Roman roads and current economic activity here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5673247/Roman-roads-contributing-spread-prosperity-scientists-claim.html.

Episode 231: Patriotism and Nationalism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:00:00 -0400

William F. Buckley once said: "I’m as patriotic as anyone from sea to shining sea, but there’s not a molecule of nationalism in me.” Inspired by this quote, we consider whether one can be an American patriot and a nationalist at the same time.

Episode 230: Nature and Grace

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, continuing a series on law, grace, the Christian life and the nature of the human condition, we discuss the relationship of nature and grace.

Episode 229: The Show About Nothing

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 22:00:00 -0400

We welcomed friend of the show Geoff Holsclaw into the bunker for the first time. We went into this episode without a topic. It was a show about nothing that became something. This goes down as one of our favorite Bullgeschicte episodes. Can't wait to have Geoff back.

Episode 228: When Politics Shapes Religion

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0400

Inspired by a recent piece in the New York Times, we discuss new research that shows how political affiliations and commitments are shaping religious one, not the other way around.

You can find the New York Times piece, written by Michele Margolis, here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/11/opinion/religion-republican-democrat.html.

Episode 227: God, Predestination and Evil

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, continuing a series on law, grace, the Christian life and the nature of the human condition, we offer a postscript to our previous episode on Calvin and predestination. We grapple with questions about providence, predestination and evil.

Episode 226: Calvin and Predestination

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode, continuing a series on law, grace, the Christian life and the nature of the human condition, we talk about Calvin and predestination.

Episode 225: The Little Luther

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, continuing a series on law, grace, the Christian life and the nature of the human condition, we talk about Luther and the Reformation reception of Augustine, in conversation with Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, popularly know as "The Little Flower of Jesus."

Episode 224: The Laodicean Augustine

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 13:00:00 -0400

La·od·i·ce·an

adjective
adjective: Laodicean

lukewarm or halfhearted, especially with respect to religion or politics.

noun
noun: Laodicean; plural noun: Laodiceans

a person with a halfhearted attitude toward religion or politics.

In this episode, continuing a series on law, grace, the Christian life and the nature of the human condition, Bill argues for a "Laodicean" Augustinian understanding of human nature.

Episode 223: Creation and Fall

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode we begin a new series of indeterminate length. We're attempting to talk through Creation, Fall and Redemption and everything in between and how this shapes how we discuss our understanding of salvation and the human condition.

Episode 222: Creation In Anticipation

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by Richard Rohr and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, we talk about what it means for creation to look forward to its fulfillment.

You can find the Richard Rohr piece we reference here: https://cac.org/evolving-the-universe-2018-06-08/.

Episode 221: Faith Without Understanding

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 31 May 2018 23:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider what happens when faith is unreflective and ceases to seek continued understanding.

Episode 220: The Forgotten Trinity

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 28 May 2018 13:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a provocative and self-admittedly unorthodox sermon Trinity Sunday sermon posted on The Episcopal Cafe website, we reflect on the enduring significance of the doctrine of the Trinity.

We reference Colin Gunton's book The One, Three and the Many: God, Creation and the Culture of Modernity. You can find it here.

Episode 219: Original Sin

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 22 May 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a piece in the New York Times by a contemporary philosopher, we reflect on the contemporary relevance of an often maligned ancient Christian doctrine.

The article we mention by Professor Crispin Sartwell can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/opinion/original-sin-ethics.html.

Episode 218: Greater Things

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 17 May 2018 09:00:00 -0400

In this Bullgeschichte episode we are joined by Doug Pagitt. Doug is the founder and director of the non-profit Greater Things Foundation, which is the umbrella organization that much of his work operates within. We talk about faith, life, evangelicalism and politics. And of course, a little Donald Trump.

Special Guest: Doug Pagitt.

Episode 217: Jerusalem

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 15 May 2018 20:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about Jerusalem and the tragedy in Gaza. We consider how things got here and if there's hope on the horizon. We also consider a past conversation "The Grace of Doing Nothing."

Episode 216: Rabbi

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 09 May 2018 18:00:00 -0400

This is the fourth episode of a short series of podcasts we are doing on the identity of Jesus Christ. In this episode we consider Jesus as rabbi.

We regularly reference Robert Sherman's King, Priest, and Prophet: A Trinitarian Theology of Atonement. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/King-Priest-Prophet-Trinitarian-Atonement/dp/0567025608.

Episode 215: King

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 06 May 2018 20:00:00 -0400

This is the third episode of a short series of podcasts we are doing on the identity of Jesus Christ. Our first episode considered Jesus as prophet. The second considered Jesus as priest. In this episode we consider Jesus as king.

Episode 214: Law, Grace, Life and Love

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 21:00:00 -0400

In this Bullgeschichte episode we talk with our friend and colleague Dr. Matt Milliner about a host of things that matter to us all. This was one of our favorite episodes.

Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

Episode 213: Priest

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:00:00 -0400

This is the first of a short series of podcasts we are doing on the identity of Jesus Christ. Our first episode considered Jesus as prophet. In this episode we consider Jesus as priest.

We reference Robert Sherman's King, Priest, and Prophet: A Trinitarian Theology of Atonement. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/King-Priest-Prophet-Trinitarian-Atonement/dp/0567025608.

Episode 212: Prophet

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 12:00:00 -0400

This is the first of a short series of podcasts we are doing on the identity of Jesus Christ.

Episode 211: Kierkegaard and Comey

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider what Kierkegaard's philosophy can tell us about James Comey and Donald Trump.

Episode 210: The Humor of Christ

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode we reflect on and riff off of Bill's most recent contribution to "The Mockingbird", the magazine of Mockingbird Ministries (www.mbird.com). The issue's theme was humor and Bill's essay argues that Jesus really did have a sense of humor.

Episode 209: The Future of the Politics of Freedom

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast, inspired by a conversation between Bill Kristol and Peter Berkowitz II, we consider the future of classical liberalism in light of contemporary challenges to it that come from both the Left and the Right.

You can find the conversation between Kristol and Berkowitz here:

http://conversationswithbillkristol.org/video/peter-berkowitz-ii/?start=15&end=2375.

Episode 208: Jordan Peterson on the Significance of Easter

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss a piece Jordan Peterson wrote for the London Times which appeared in the newspaper on Easter Sunday.

The article can be found here:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/the-sunday-times-magazine/jordan-peterson-the-bestselling-author-and-clinical-psychologist-on-why-theres-still-power-in-the-easter-story-rx5njr0zl.

Episode 207: God's Death, Our Life

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 31 Mar 2018 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded on Good Friday 2018, Bill and I talk about the events that preceded Easter and their meaning for us today.

Episode 206: Bullgeschichte Session, with Todd Littleton

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:45:00 -0400

Occasionally we invite someone on to talk with us about a host of things, or whatever comes to mind. We call it a "Bullgeschicte" Session. Our guest for this episode is Todd Littleton. He's a pastor, writer, consultant, professor, blogger and podcaster. We talk love, death, necrophobia and food.

Special Guest: Todd Littleton.

Episode 205: More on the Essence of Christianity

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:00:00 -0400

From time to time on the podcast we reflect on the essence of Christianity. We return to this theme, with a little help from Hans Urs von Balthasar.

Episode 204: Self-Deception

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast we talk about self-deception and how hard it is to know when you're deceiving yourself.

Episode 203: Evangelicals and the Trump Temptation

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about two recent pieces, one in the Atlantic and the other in the National Review, that discuss the continued support for Trump in the evangelical community. The authors, Michael Gerson and David French, are both conservative evangelical never Trumpers.

Below are the links to both pieces:

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/04/the-last-temptation/554066/

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/evangelicals-support-donald-trump-political-realities-2016-election/

Episode 202: Baptism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:00:00 -0500

We're at episode 202, and we realized we have never talked about baptism! Thanks to Nathan Smith, a regular listener, for asking us to share our thoughts. Keep the suggestions coming friends.

Episode 201: Billy Graham the Evangelist and Our Thoughts on Evangelism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 18:00:00 -0500

In this episode we reflect on the legacy of Billy Graham and consider the nature and future of evangelism in the modern world.

Episode 200: Our 200th episode! With Special Guest Mark Oppenheimer

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:30:00 -0500

When we began this podcast we never imagined we'd get to 200 episodes. It's been a wild ride. We were joined on our 200th episode by Mark Oppenheimer, Editor at Large at Tablet Magazine and co-host of the wildly popular Unorthodox podcast. We talk faith, politics, public life and even epigenetics. Thanks to all our listeners. Here's to 200 more!

Special Guest: Mark Oppenheimer.

Episode 199: To Ash or Not to Ash...

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 16:00:00 -0500

In this Saturday Night Special episode of the podcast we talk a little about Ash Wednesday, its origins and the practice of serving "ashes on the go."

Episode 198: Two Natures? One Person?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we continue our recent discussions of Luther and the Reformation. We focus specifically on Luther's Christology, asking whether or not it's really what's behind some of the 16th century sacramental controversies.

Episode 197: The Game of the Century and Theology as Language Game

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the Eagles big Super Bowl victory! We also consider the legacy of the recently deceased theologian George Lindbeck

Episode 196: Luther's Dark Side

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 07:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider the dark side of Martin Luther's personality, how it shaped the Reformation and how we should consider it today.

Episode 195: Why Do Evangelicals Still Support Trump?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 21:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider why prominent evangelical leaders still support President Trump, even amidst recent revelations of an affair with an adult film star.

In the intro we mentioned Glen Scrivener's podcast. You can find it here: http://speaklife.org.uk/tep/.

Episode 194: What's in a Name?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider the late medieval philosophical movement called Nominalism. Many think it's the movement that gave birth to the modern world.

Episode 193: Is It Getting Better?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 22:00:00 -0500

In our second episode of 2018 we ask if the world is getting better. We reflect on Time Magazine's interview with Bill Gates and Rowan Williams' review of John Millbank's newest book, The Politics of Virtue, co-authored with Adrian Pabst.

You can find the Bill Gates interview here: http://time.com/5086907/bill-gates-nancy-gibbs-interview/.

The Rowan Williams review is here: https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2016/10/liberalism-and-capitalism-have-hollowed-out-society-so-where-do-we-turn-now.

Episode 192: A New Tone for a New Year?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider what it would look like to have a more civilized public discourse in 2018.

Episode 191: The Mystery Of Christmas

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the mystery at the heart of Christmas: the Incarnation.

Episode 190: Does The Virgin Birth Make Sense, part 2

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 19:00:00 -0500

In the last episode we wanted to talk about whether or not the Virgin Birth still makes sense for modern Christians. We initially wanted to tackle three issues: (1) the biblical witness, (2) the theological truth and (3) the existential significance. We only got to part 1 in the last episode. We hit part 2 and 3 in this one. Merry Christmas.

Episode 189: Does The Virgin Birth Make Sense, part 1

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode we think about whether or not the Virgin Birth still makes sense for modern Christians. We initially wanted to tackle three issues: (1) the biblical witness, (2) the theological truth and (3) the existential significance. We only got to part 1 in this episode. Our endeavor is parts 2 and 3 before Christmas Eve.

Episode 188: Reflecting on The Legacy of R.C. Sproul

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0500

We are joined on a "Friday Night Lights" episode by Greg Strawbridge. The Rev. Dr. Greg Strawbridge is the pastor of All Saints Church in Lancaster, Pa. He's authored and edited several books and is the founder of Wordmp3.com.

Special Guest: Gregg Strawbridge.

Episode 187: What Does Roy Moore's Defeat Mean For America and Its Christians?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 20:00:00 -0500

In this episode, recorded the day after the special Senate election in Alabama to fill Jeff Sessions' seat, we talk about the signficance of Roy Moore's defeat for American public life.

Episode 186: From Ideology To Tribalism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider whether tribalism is a more decisive force in our culture than ideology.

We mention a new book written by Alan Jacobs called _How To Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds. _ You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Survival-Guide-World/dp/0451499603.

Episode 185: Theology In Outline, Part 6: Advent and Eschatology

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0500

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation, commemorating its 500th anniversary, through a comparison of brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish. In this episode, recorded during the beginning of Advent, we talk about the end of all things and Christian hope.

Links to Gerrish and Jenson can be found below:

https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Faith-Dogmatics-B-Gerrish/dp/0664256988

https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Outline-These-Bones-Live/dp/0190214597/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1512730297&sr=1-1&keywords=robert+jenson+theology+in+outline

Episode 184: Friday Night Lights...Robin Hood, Taxes, Kickers and Punters

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 13:00:00 -0500

In this episode, a Friday Night Lights edition, we talk about current events. We hit on taxes, field listener questions from Facebook live and even talk about football.

Episode 183: Revolution and Reform

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the 13th century, a century G.K. Chesterton claimed was great because it was one of reform without revolution.

Episode 182: Escaping Roy Moore's Evangelicalism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode of the podcast we discuss a recent New York Times piece by UNC historian Molly Worthen. You can find the article here:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/17/opinion/sunday/escape-roy-moores-evangelicalism.html.

Episode 181: Sober Faith

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 10:00:00 -0500

In this episode we consider what it means to have a faith that does not simply react to the turbulent and sometimes outrageous times in which we live, but actually serves as a kind of calming reality in the eye of the storm.

The episode was inspired by this quote from one of Bill's recent sermons:

I think one of the pressing needs for Christians in this current time is to develop spiritual sobriety. A sober faith is one that is not in crisis because Christians behave badly and think poorly; a sober hope is not influenced by the 24-hour news cycle or declining church attendance; a sober love is one that both channels and models the disinterested and unconditional love of God in Christ for both sinners, saints and everyone in between.

Episode 180: Where Does Creativity Come From?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 11:00:00 -0500

In this episode we reflect on the nature of creativity. Where does it come from? What makes it flow? What kills it?

Episode 179: Manners, Motives and Public Discourse

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 19:00:00 -0500

Inspired by a recent Atlantic piece by Peter Beinart, we talk about what it might take to have more understanding public discourse today.

You can find the essay we mention here:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/12/conservatism-without-bigotry/544128/.

Episode 178: The Euthyphro Problem?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode of the podcast we discuss a Platonic dialogue entitled "Euthyphro." It poses timeless questions about the relationship between justice, piety and the nature of truth.

We were inspired by a blog post comparing C.S. Lewis and Cornelius Van Til on the so called "Euthyphro dilemma."

Episode 177: Glorious Things Of...?...A Reformation Reflection

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode we have a conversation with Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch about the legacy of the Reformation and what it means today.

Episode 176: Gods, Gopniks and Godlessness

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 22:00:00 -0400

We were recently inspired by something David Bentley Hart wrote about atheism in First Things in 2014. For this we thank Facebook.

You can find the article here:https://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/05/gods-and-gopniks.

Episode 175: Is Liberalism Conservative?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 21 Oct 2017 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about a recent Wall Street Journal piece by Yoram Hazony entitled "Is 'Classical Liberalism' Conservative?".

Our current political and cultural moment should invite self-reflection on every level. We probably wouldn't agree with him on a host of political issues, but Mr. Hazony does it well.

Episode 174: What Is Sacred?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 08:00:00 -0400

This week there was a controversy involving President Trump and a phone call he made to the family of a fallen Special Forces soldier who was one of four that died this month in Niger. After much back and forth between the President, a Congresswoman, the press and staffers of former presidents, Trump's Chief of Staff weighed in during a press conference, at one point asking if anything is sacred anymore. We ponder that question.

This article from the Atlantic summarizes the exchange that began the controversy.

Episode 173: The Eight Hour Sermon?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss a recent book entitled 8 Hours or Less: Writing faithful sermons faster, by Ryan Huguley. We also consider the nature of preaching and the life and calling of preachers.

Episode 172: Theology In Outline, Part 6: Where Does One Begin?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 12:00:00 -0400

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation, commemorating its 500th anniversary, through a comparison of brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish. In this episode we discuss whether theology should begin with the universal and move to the particular or do it the other way around.

Episode 171: Guns

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about guns. It wasn't our first choice for today, but reality impinges like that. We also attempt to do justice to the memory of Tom Petty (probably impossible, but it hasn't stopped us yet). May he rest in peace, alongside the countless victims of senseless violence.

Episode 170: The Lost Art Of Disagreement

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode, recorded on International Podcast Day, we talk about the virtues of real disagreement, built not on misunderstanding but serious attentiveness and comprehension.

We were inspired by a NY Times op-ed piece written by Brett Stephens earlier this week. You can find it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/24/opinion/dying-art-of-disagreement.html.

Scott also revealed his ignorance about the Canadian music scene. Penance to come in a future episode.

Episode 169: Theology In Outline, Part 5: The Problem of Evil

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 19:00:00 -0400

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation, commemorating its 500th anniversary, through a comparison of brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish. In this episode we're looking at the problem of evil.

Episode 168: Praying Angry?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 12:00:00 -0400

In this Friday Night Lights/Bullgeschichte episode we welcome a new guest to the bunker. Brian Toews joins us to talk about imprecatory Psalms, the verses in the Bible that wish bad things on people that have wronged the ones praying. What do we do with these Psalms today?

We reference a lecture about Calvin and Julian of Norwich on divine anger. It can be found in this volume: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0075D1WE8/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1.

Special Guest: Brian Toews.

Episode 167: Theology In Outline, Part 4: The Nature of Sin

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 14:00:00 -0400

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation, commemorating its 500th anniversary, through a comparison of brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish.

In this episode we focus on Brian Gerrish's understanding of sin. Below you'll find some key quotes from the chapter we discussed.

Thesis 7: Estrangement from the Creator may, as mistrust, be guiltless; but as defiance to the Creator it is sin, which arises from inborn egocentrism and the collective pressures of society, infects a person's entire existence with self-interest, and makes the self powerless to achieve the purpose of its creation without redemption.

What is sin? can be fully answered only from the perspective of redemption. Hence, in harmony with his consistently christological approach, Karl Barth changed the traditional dogmatic order and dealt with sin in the context of the divine work of reconciliation in Jesus Christ, not as a separate dogmatic locus that comes before reconciliation (CD IV/ 1: 359). But there can be no objection to treating the sin of humanity, as well as the original perfection of humanity, before Christology if, with Calvin and Schleiermacher, we recognize that the measure of both is the person of the Redeemer. The conviction of sin, as Christian faith understands it, arises from confrontation with the Christ who is proclaimed in the gospel. But this experiential sequence need not determine dogmatic order. The christological reference may govern the account of sin either by the order adopted, as in Barth, or by conscious and explicit anticipation, as in Calvin (Institutes, 1: 189, 248; Comm. Gal. 2: 21) and Schleiermacher (CF 270, 279). We can more readily retain the link with our two principal guides if we take the second option. It is precisely the connection of sin with the words and work of Jesus Christ that raises doubts about the one-sided concept of sin in the Western theological tradition. The identification of sin with active resistance to the will of God is an unwarranted narrowing of all that comes between God and fallen humanity in Scripture generally, and particularly in the message of Jesus. There seem, then, to be two choices for dogmatic theology: either to enlarge the concept of sin or else, as in my thesis 7, to acknowledge

Gerrish, B. A.. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (p. 77). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

Augustine's view of Adam's sin as an act of pride, and its transmission to others by natural procreation, has exercised a fateful influence on Christian theology in the West. (Eastern Orthodoxy has been more inclined to the opinion of Augustine's Pelagian adversaries that we can incur guilt only by imitation of Adam's sin.) But Augustine's view has also evoked dissent that goes well beyond Calvin's slender modifications, and dissent has been furthered by the recognition that “Adam” does not name an individual in prehistoric time but stands for humanity in every time. Schleiermacher approved of Augustine's view of sin as a turning away from the Creator, but on the transmission of sin he broke relatively new ground. And Søren Kierkegaard (1813– 55) gave the discussion another fresh direction by his searching psychological reflections on anxiety and the sickness of despair.

Gerrish, B. A.. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (p. 82). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

Perhaps the commonest idea of sin in Christian literature is (3) the self-love that goes with the first humans' pride, ambition, and temptation to become like gods (Gen. 3: 5). But Christians infer the precise nature of sin not just from the story of the fall but also, and decisively, from the proclamation of redemption. The message of Jesus came as a summons to self-denial (Mark 8: 34), and Paul's gospel announced the crucifixion of the old self (Rom. 6: 6; Gal. 2: 19– 20; 5: 24). It follows from the remedy that those who have identified the sickness of sin with amor sui (love of self) are not mistaken: the root of sin is egocentrism. The source of this condition is in part the natural perception of early childhood that the entire environment is there to meet the child's needs. We might say that sin (rather than religion, as the Freudians say) is infantile regression. In this sense, we can agree with the traditional doctrine that we are born sinners. We need not dismiss even Calvin's gloomy observation that the entire nature of infants is a kind of “seed-bed of sin” (Institutes, 1: 217 [Beveridge]). But are not infants also seedbeds of grace?

Gerrish, B. A.. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (p. 86). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

But self-love is not simply innate: it is constantly fed by the interaction of one self with other selves, the other being perceived as both a threat to one's own ego and the material for its fulfillment. Sin is always (5) social sin. The collective pressures of society, open to daily observation, have encouraged modern attempts to reinterpret original sin precisely as solidarity in sin. Augustine's harsh verdict that humankind is a single damnable lump (a massa perditionis) can then be retrieved as the recognition that each of us is not merely an individual sinner but inextricably entangled in a network of sinful (that is, self-serving) relationships, to which we make ourselves captive and for which we share responsibility. In Emil Brunner's vivid simile, we are “like the individual strawberry plants which, underneath the surface, are tied up with one another in a texture of roots.” 13

Gerrish, B. A.. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (p. 87). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

It is no doubt true that in the Old Testament the emphasis falls on sin as rebellion. But due account must be taken of the historical context. In the story of Israel, sin is naturally viewed as a rebellious people's spurning the covenant. The gospel of Jesus, on the other hand, did not come only as judgment on the sin of going after other gods. It was also— and foremost— addressed as good news to persons who were burdened by hardship and pain. Jesus could certainly denounce the presumptuous sins of the self-righteous. But, according to the Gospels, he understood his ministry to be the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: the Spirit had anointed him to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind (Luke 4: 16– 22; see Isa. 61: 1– 3). Matthew testifies that Jesus fulfilled another passage from Isaiah: “He will not wrangle or cry aloud. . . . He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick until he brings justice to victory” (Matt. 12: 17– 21; Isa. 42: 1– 4; cf. Ps. 147: 3). Remarkably, this was not the angry messiah John the Baptist anticipated (Luke 3: 7– 9; in Matt. 3: 7– 12 the angry words are addressed to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, not to the crowd generally). Jesus' mission was to the lost (Matt. 10: 6; 15: 24; 18: 11; Luke 19: 10; but see Luke 12: 49), and the series of parables in Luke 15 suggests that there are more ways than one of being lost. The prodigal son was lost willfully, but the sheep wandered off aimlessly, and the coin went uselessly out of circulation.

The nature of estrangement is understood not simply from the sin of Adam, nor from Paul's controversy with the Pharisees, but mainly from the gospel: the malady is known in the cure, and what we need is disclosed in what we are given. In terms of our concept of faith, there are at least two kinds of faithlessness: mistrust as well as defiance. Alongside the word of judgment that shatters the defiant ego, there are the words of gentle rebuke to those of little faith (Mark 4: 40; Matt. 6: 30; 8: 26; 14: 31; 16: 8; Luke 8: 25; 12: 28; 17: 5) and words of compassion to the weary, who carry heavy burdens (Matt. 11: 28). The message comes as reassurance to the mistrustful, and it calls the defiant to account. As such, it stirs the two-sidedness of elemental faith in an intelligible world that makes moral sense to us. Elemental faith is seen on reflection to belong to the class of inevitable beliefs, but in actual experience it sometimes slips away. The gospel is a reaffirmation of something in the depths of every human being so that it is heard not as heteronomous, or imposed from without, but as corresponding to the law of our being: it resonates within. This, to be sure, is not all the gospel is and does! More belongs to the doctrines of redemption, to which the present chapter is only a prelude.

For now, thesis 7 sums up my critical comments on the vocabulary of sin and is structured by the recognition that there are more ways than one of lacking or losing faith. Estrangement from God may be grounded in willful rebellion, but it may also be a lack of trust that has more to do with depletion of the self than with self-assertion. Of course, this does not exhaust the varieties of estrangement, and there is no need to suppose that these two are wholly exclusive. Mistrust may be blameworthy if it refuses the reassurance of grace and reflects the pathological self-preoccupation of the victim. Defiance, when it comes to itself, discovers that not guilt but the Father's compassion has the last word (Luke 15: 17, 20). But mistrust and defiance will serve as ideal types for the dogmatic presentation of what it means to live by faith.

Gerrish, B. A.. Christian Faith: Dogmatics in Outline (pp. 88-90). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.

Episode 166: The Challenge of Living in the Present

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 17:00:00 -0400

We're taking a break from our "Theology In Outline" series to talk about midlife crises and the challenge of the living in the present. Our conversation was inspired by a NY Times piece and a forthcoming book, both by the philosopher Kieran Setiya.

You can find the NY Times piece here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/11/opinion/the-problem-of-living-in-the-present.html?mcubz=1.

You can find out more about his forthcoming book here: http://www.ksetiya.net/midlife.html.

Episode 165: Theology In Outline, Part 3

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 22:00:00 -0400

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation, commemorating its 500th anniversary, through a comparison of brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish. In light of Jenson's recent passing, we focus on his retelling of the story of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Trinity in "Can These Bones Live?"

The texts in question are brief, which is one of the reasons we chose them. Both authors also highly esteem the Reformation tradition. At the same time both have their feet firmly planted in the modern world. If you wish to read along with us you can find links to the books below.

A Theology In Outline, by Robert Jenson: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Outline-These-Bones-Live/dp/0190214597.

Christian Faith: Dogmatics In Outline, by B.A. Gerrish: https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Faith-Dogmatics-B-Gerrish/dp/0664256988/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504008132&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=gerrish+dogmatic+outine.

Episode 164: Theology In Outline, Part 2

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 18:00:00 -0400

We continue our revisiting of the Reformation through brief works of Robert Jenson and Brian Gerrish. We consider why Jenson moves quickly to the story of Israel after his introduction, whereas Gerrish focuses on the experience of the world as creation.

Episode 163: Theology In Outline, Part 1

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 07:00:00 -0400

This year marks the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. To commemorate it we are considering what it would mean to be continually reforming our understanding of the Gospel and the theological enterprise. We'll be doing this through engaging two brief theological works, one by Robert Jenson and the other by Brian Gerrish.

A Theology In Outline, by Robert Jenson: https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Outline-These-Bones-Live/dp/0190214597.

Episode 162: Luther Versus Augustine

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider the difference between the traditional Augustinian conception of the spiritual life and Martin Luther's conception of it.

We were inspired by a post on the Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard's blog: http://www.pastormattrichard.com/2015/08/augustinian-influenced-sanctification.html?m=1.

In the post he quotes from a book written by Steven Hein. See below for the full quotations.

Excerpt from: Steven A. Hein, The Christian Life: Cross or Glory (Irvine, CA: NRP Books, 2015), 64, 74-82.

Much of western Christian thought from post-Apostolic times to Luther was absorbed by a quest for personal holiness. This was certainly true for St. Augustine [354-430 AD]. Even though Augustine championed salvation by grace apart from works, he understood the grace of God primarily as a divine power that progressively transforms the sinner. In other words, God requires a holy and righteous life, and by grace He continually produces what He demands. He infuses divine grace into the baptized Christian which gradually reforms the sinful character of the believer, eventually making him righteous and fit for the coming Kingdom. Augustine worked with a moral model of sin and grace. The dominant element of God's salvationing the sinner was understood to progressively reform the sinner's character and produce an increasingly virtuous life.

Augustine's moral model of grace as an infused, reforming power dominated the thinking of the western Church for the next 1200 years. . . .

[In the 1500s though, Luther] repudiated any kind of reform in God's salvationing of the sinner. God's justification does not make his sinful character progressively more righteous. [But rather,] the righteousness of Christ that brings the sinner favor with God covers the sinner with Christ's righteousness as completely as the metaphor of the robe of righteousness; it does not infuse and then reform the human soul, contrary to the doctrines of Rome. . . . [Indeed, Luther's] understanding repudiated Augustine's moral model of grace as a divine power that progressively heals the sin-sick soul unto righteous spiritual health.

. . .

Since Luther's rediscovery of the Gospel of Christ's free pardon, many thinkers within the Protestant world (and even some that bear the name Lutheran) returned to Augustine's understanding of grace, but now under the banner of sanctification. . . . [Otherwise stated,] Augustine's moral model of grace has dominated Rome's understanding of justification and, ironically, was appropriated by John Wesley to become Protestantism's standard understanding of a second work of grace called sanctification. In both instances, the grace of Christ is understood as a reforming power that makes the sinner's character progressively more righteous when coupled with the efforts and works of the believer. . . . They have depicted sanctification as a program that gradually reforms the inner character of the sinner - an additional work of grace that follows after the justification. This second grace involves a special working of the Holy Spirit that enables the Christian to experience a progressive victory over sinful habits and achieve a growing holiness in life and works. Jesus saves the sinner in conversion by bestowing his free pardon. Then, the Spirit and the committed Christian join forces to put away sinful living and bring forth a growing Christ-like life of obedience. The former work is understood as justification, the latter as sanctification. Two different works of grace are involved. We are justified by the grace of Christ's pardon, and then we are sanctified by the grace of the Spirit's power that progressively reforms the Christian's sinful character, and energizes a holy obedience to the precepts of the Law. The focus of justification is conversion, and the focus of sanctification is the Christian life that follows. As reflected in the Wesleyan take on the old revivalist hymn, Rock of Ages: Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure. The Son saves us from the wrath of God in conversion (justification), and then the Spirit progressively makes us pure (sanctification).

With this understanding, justification becomes simply a prelude to the dominate focus of Christian life, sanctification. The believer's quest for holiness and obedience in daily living takes center stage after conversion. The astonishing reality that Christ pardons wretched sinners like me fades into the background of daily Christian concern. The attention is now on greater obedience to the Law and acquiring the Holy Spirit's resources to energize the task. The Savior from sin and death vanishes, and the Holy Spirit takes over to help us in the service of holiness through the works of Moses.

When the sanctifying work of the Spirit is believed to be progressing appropriately, according to this model, a significant victory over sinful behavior takes place. Moreover, greater levels of obedience to the Law are being achieved, and the blessings of God are increasing in one's life. If these results are not unfolding successfully, the problem is understood to lie with the believer. The Christian is somehow failing to do his part. The problem may be a lack of trust in the Holy Spirit, a failure to yield to the Spirit, insincere repentance, or a weak commitment to a life of obedience - any or all of the above. In any event, the Christian has failed to do his part. Here sanctification is depicted as a cooperative affair where the believer's role is critical for success. Often the believer is told that his role is important to appreciate for a true God-honoring faith, lest one become lackadaisical and lapse into a dangerous attitude of cheap grace.

. . .

[The Lutheran view of sanctification differs from this drastically. In other words,] we miserable unholy sinners are apprehended by Christ and recreated back into the image of God in our baptism. The water and the Word where we are splashed with grace is the beginning of God's work of sanctification. We may think of Baptism as a portal through which God has His way with us, remaking us anew, and dragging us into His Kingdom. It is where God enters our space and time, sinks down into the mud of this fallen world, and makes what He desires us to be. Baptism is where God first nailed and killed us in the cross of Christ and then raised us up in faith as a new creation. We may think of Baptism as the gate to God is where He descends to us; where He deals with us according to His pleasure; and where the Savior makes himself and His saving gifts manifest. . . . He comes to kill and bring us into a spiritual death, drowning us in a word-joined watery grave. From such a watery bath, we are brought forth as a New Creation fashioned in the image of God.

. . .

[This Lutheran emphasis of] Baptism marks how God carries the Christian from the beginning of life in Christ to the fullness of salvation. Christians can actually say: I was baptized, and I will be baptized. Baptism is simultaneously a dying and rising work that is accomplished at the beginning (as the gateway to God); it is a work that God continually accomplishes in the Christian's life; and, it is what He promises to accomplish in the end. The Christian lives and grows by a dying to sin and a living and growing in Christ that returns him to his baptism again and again. Notice the radical difference here. This does not involve human choice and commitment to get more spiritual goodies from God - as if Christianity provides us with an edge for better spiritual living - life goes better with God! Rather God is the whole show. We are apprehended by Christ. He moves in on us and crucifies us to die with Him to sin - and then gives us His righteousness and life itself.

We make progress in Christian life by starting over again by God's baptismal work. We are always beginning anew - dying to sin and being made alive by His saving Word. Dying to live is Baptism's signature on the whole character of Christian life. God slays and makes alive again. He does not stop at the baptismal font, but His baptismal covenant is renewed in us continually through His ministry of Law and Gospel. Dying to sin by the Law and rising again by the Gospel constitute the present-tense of Baptism for all of God's children. These words kill and make alive, rendering us sinners and saints at the same time.

. . .

We do not have to look else where for a second plan or word from God. The pardon of Christ's righteousness is the power that renews and matures us into the stature of Christ. Sanctification happens when we are grasped ever anew by the unconditional grace of God's pardon in Christ. It happens when we are transformed by the reality that living under grace is the end of all striving to fulfill what He demands in His Law. True sanctification is the hidden secret of God that continually happens when we are captivated again and again by the free grace of Christ. . . .

This does not imply that sanctification is not the business of the Holy Spirit or the result of of His power in our lives. This is certainly true and important. A problem arises, however, if we identify the work of the Spirit in sanctification apart from the power of the Gospel which bestows the righteousness of Christ. Here is where God has chosen to do everything for our salvation. When we look for the Spirit's power separated from the saving Word of Christ, or conditioned by anything we must do or not do, we have vacated both the work of the Spirit and the Gospel's power unto salvation. Sanctification is not related to a supplemental power of God separate from, but then added to the pardoning grace of by which we are justified. Rather, sanctification results from the powerful impact that God's justifying pardon has on our faith and life in Christ. From our new life in Baptism, the Gospel pardon matures us as a new creation, frees from the slavery of sin, and empowers us to walk in the Spirit. It strengthens and develops faith. The Holy Spirit's power in sanctification and the Gospel's power that saves sinners (justification and sanctification) are the same power!

Episode 161: Bullgeschichte: Nietzsche and the Neo-Nazis, with Ben Maddison

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 15:00:00 -0400

On this Bullgeschichte episode we welcome Ben Maddison to the bunker. Ben is an Episcopal priest serving in Southern New Jersey. He joins us to talk about the way the Alt-Right (as well as many others) completely misread the work of Friedrich Nietzsche.

Special Guest: Ben Maddison.

Episode 160: A Lasting Hope

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider where to find hope at a time that seems for many so dark in our country right now.

Episode 159: Anxiety and Hope

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 23:00:00 -0400

Where do we go from here? That seems to be the question of the moment. We live in a tribal, angry, isolated culture. New York Times columnist David Brooks has some ideas that we like in his most recent column. So we decided to do a little riffing off of him. We even go from the 21st century to the 16th at the end.

You can find David Brooks' column here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/15/opinion/fanaticism-white-nationalists-charlottesville.html.

Episode 158: Bullgeschichte: Horton hears a...?, with Nikki Kelley Kleinberg

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 11:00:00 -0400

Our guest for this bullgeschichte episode is Nikki Kelley Kleinberg. She's a United Methodist pastor and a hospital chaplain. We talk about a wide range of things, including the theology of Dr. Seuss.

Episode 157: Charlottesville Reflection Roundtable, hosted by the Crackers and Grape Juice Podcast

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 10:00:00 -0400

We were grateful to be invited to participate in a roundtable discussion about the recent events in Charlottesville and what they mean for our country and the church. It was hosted by our friends at the Crackers and Grape Juice podcast.

Episode 156: The Death of Ambition

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 18:45:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss ambition, mortality and everything in between. Our conversation was inspired by Bill's recent article in The Mockingbird print magazine.

You can get a copy of the most recent issue of the magazine at www.mbird.com.

Episode 155: Bullgeschichte, Friday Night Lights & Law/Gospel, with Adam Morton

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 17:00:00 -0400

|n this Bullgeschichte/Friday Night Lights episode we talk with the Prince of Lutherans (according to us), Adam Morton. He and Bill argue the finer points of Luther and Lutheranism. Scott cracks bad jokes.

Special Guest: Adam Morton.

Episode 154: T.S. Eliot on Revelation

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider an essay T.S. Eliot wrote as an introduction on the topic of revelation in the modern world in a volume that listed among its contributors renowned theologians like Karl Barth and Gustav Aulen.

Show Notes:
You can find the essay we reference here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7p24zxr9v7k5uy/eliot_essay.pdf?dl=0.

Episode 153: We Need Humanism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 17:00:00 -0400

We read a weird article. It looks like the atheist left is getting as crazy as the evangelical right. We're nervous.

Episode 152: The Hermeneutics Episode?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 20:00:00 -0400

We don't talk hermeneutics very often on this podcast. At least explicitly. But Jace Broadhurst got us talking about it. It's Bullgeschichte and Friday Night Lights rolled into one! God help us all.

Special Guest: Jace Broadhurst.

Episode 151: The Lost Prophecy of Father Joseph Ratzinger

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss a 1969 radio address about the future of the church in a secular age. It was delivered by a young priest known as Joseph Ratzinger, the man who would become Pope Benedict XVI. His insights are certainly provocative and worth pondering.

The piece comes to via www.ucatholic.com. You can find the post which contains the entirety of Ratzinger's address here: http://www.ucatholic.com/blog/the-lost-prophecy-of-father-joseph-ratzinger-on-the-future-of-the-church/.

Episode 150: Happy Anniversary To Us!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 10:00:00 -0400

We celebrate the milestone of our 150th episode with listener and friend Josh Retterer. We reflect on where we've been and where we're going.

Special Guest: Josh Retterer.

Episode 149: Friendship Revisited

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0400

We revisit one of the themes of our earliest podcasts, friendship.

Episode 148: Judge Not...

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the powerful temptation to judge other people, which most of us give in to all the time.

Our launching point was one of Bill's blog posts: https://www.residentexile.com/single-post/2017/07/08/As-You-Judge.

We also quote Jason Micheli: http://tamedcynic.org/the-worm-at-the-core-of-the-apple/.

This is the full context for the Karl Barth quote we reference:

This fact that God has here come amongst us in the person of His Son, and that as a man with us He exercises judgment, reveals the full seriousness of the human situation. In this judgment God obviously has something to say to man which apart from this direct confrontation with God he is unwilling to say to himself, and caught in this unwillingness he cannot say to himself. Man has obviously given himself quite a different account of himself than that which he is now given by God. It obviously was and is something strange to him that he, for his part, can be in the right and do right only in subjection to the judgment of God. Obviously the righteousness of God is something strange to him as the measure of all righteousness, and therefore God Himself is a stranger. Obviously he for his part is estranged from God; although as the creature, the human creature of God, he is V 4, p 220 p 220 appointed to know God, although he is as near, no, nearer to God, than he is to himself, and therefore can and must be truly acquainted with Him. Obviously he does that which in the knowledge of God he could never do: he sets up his own right against God; he measures himself by this right; he thinks that measuring himself by this right he can pronounce himself free and righteous. He wants to be his own judge, and he makes himself his own judge. All sin has its being and origin in the fact that man wants to be his own judge. And in wanting to be that, and thinking and acting accordingly, he and his whole world is in conflict with God. It is an unreconciled world, and therefore a suffering world, a world given up to destruction.

It is for this reason—the fault and evil are evidently great and deep enough to make it necessary—it is for this reason that God Himself encounters man in the flesh and therefore face to face in the person of His Son, in order that He may pass on the one who feels and accepts himself as his own judge the real judgment which he has merited. This judgment sets him in the wrong as the one who maintains his own right against God instead of bowing to God’s right. We will have to explain this when we come to speak of sin as such. For the moment it is enough to maintain that because it is a matter of the appearance and work of the true Judge amongst those who think they can and should judge and therefore exalt themselves, therefore the abasement of the Son to our status, the obedience which He rendered in humility as our Brother, is the divine accusation against every man and the divine condemnation of every man. The whole world finds its supreme unity and determination against God in looking for justification from itself and not from God. And as a world hostile to God it is distinguished by the fact that in this way it repeats the very sin of which it acquits itself. In this way that which is flesh is flesh. And for this reason the incarnation of the Word means the judgment, the judgment of rejection and condemnation, which is passed on all flesh. Not all men commit all sins, but all men commit this sin which is the essence and root of all other sins. There is not one who can boast that he does not commit it. And this is what is revealed and rejected and condemned as an act of wrong-doing by the coming of the Son of God. This is what makes His coming a coming to judgment, and His office as Saviour His office as our Judge.

Barth, K., Bromiley, G. W., & Torrance, T. F. (2004). Church dogmatics: The doctrine of God, Part 1 (Vol. 4, pp. 219–220). London; New York: T&T Clark.

Episode 147: Fight or Flight Revisited

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 12:00:00 -0400

As we approach our 150th episode, we're revisiting some topics we did early on at the beginning of the podcast. This episode is about the human tendency to go into fight or flight mode in response to anxiety provoking realities.

We quote from the book "Failure of Nerve" by Edwin Friedman a few times. Below are the excerpts cited:

the possible exception of the first half of the twentieth century, since. While there have been other half-centuries of extraordinary progress, few have involved such fundamental change of direction all across the board. A person born in 1492 could have witnessed in their lifetime: an extraordinary flowering of artistic imagination concerning form and perspective in painting, sculpture, literature, architecture; the Reformation led by Luther and Calvin, ramifying out into almost every subculture and presaging the way religious differences would be formulated for centuries thereafter; the invention of the watch, enabling an unheralded fine-tuning in the measurement and coordination of daily time periods; observations of space and experimentation with lenses that would lead to the creation of the telescope; and the dissemination of the first newspaper, initiating the effects of widespread information-sharing within a community. Underlying all of this artistic, philosophical, and scientific upheaval was an even more basic, all-embracing change: the two worldviews by which European civilization had oriented itself for almost fifteen hundred years (based largely on the scholarship of the second-century Greek thinker and mapmaker, Ptolemy) were turned on their heads. One misperception was the view that the land mass on our planet was situated entirely above the equator, extending contiguously from western Europe to eastern Asia, with the Indian Ocean a land-locked lake. The other was the notion that our planet’s relationship to the rest of the planets and other heavenly bodies was “geocentric”— that is, the other planets and stars revolved around the Earth, which according to this orientation was situated at the center of the universe.

Friedman, Edwin H.. A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (Kindle Locations 596-613). Church Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Anyone who has ever been part of an imaginatively gridlocked relationship system knows that more learning will not, on its own, automatically change the way people see things or think. There must first be a shift in the emotional processes of that institution. Imagination and indeed even curiosity are at root emotional, not cognitive, phenomena. In order to imagine the unimaginable, people must be able to separate themselves from surrounding emotional processes before they can even begin to see (or hear) things differently. Without this understanding, it becomes impossible to realize how our learning can prevent us from learning more. After all, when Galileo, a century later, tried to reorient the cosmic perspective of his world, he offered in rebuttal to those who were unwilling to learn what he had learned a look for themselves through his telescope. And there were people who not only disagreed with his views but, when offered the opportunity, even refused to peek.

Friedman, Edwin H.. A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (Kindle Locations 617-624). Church Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Episode 146: Secular Modern Life?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode we reflect on a 2008 article by the recently deceased Peter Berger which originally appeared in First Things. In it Berger argues that while modernity pluralizes it doesn't really secularize or make culture anti-religious, whether it tries to or not.

The Berger article can be found here: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2008/02/secularization-falsified.

The article from Sean Kelly can be found here: https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/navigating-past-nihilism/.

Here's the Halik quote we reference:
"Were Christianity to turn its back on modernity it would sink into bigotry and fundamentalist religion; and conversely, were modernity to turnaway completely from Christianity it would itself become an intolerant pseudoreligion."
Halík, Tomáš. I Want You to Be: On the God of Love (p. 150). University of Notre Dame Press. Kindle Edition.

Episode 145: Freedom then and Now

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 15:00:00 -0400

In this episode, in light of the upcoming Fourth of July celebration, we reflect on the nature of freedom and life together in the United States.

Episode 144: Why The Saved Need Saving

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 17:00:00 -0400

Do you think you're right and they're wrong? Who's on your heretic list? Liberals? Conservatives? Calvinists? Vegans? Valentians? We continue our musings on truth, heresy and learning the art of life together.

Episode 143: Truth, Heresy...can you know the Difference?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0400

In this podcast we talk about a recent statement by Pope Francis, an article about Rob Bell, and the nature of disagreement in communities that care about their convictions.

Show notes:

-You can find the article about Pope Francis' homily here: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2017/05/19/pope_francis_doctrine_unites,_ideology_divides/1313444

-You can find the article about Rob Bell here:
http://archives.relevantmagazine.com/god/what-continued-crucifying-rob-bell-says-about-modern-christianity

Thanks for listening!

Episode 142: Love The World?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0400

We go back to Tomas Halik's work "I Want You To Be: On The God Of Love", considering how Christians can really love the world.

Episode 141: Narcissism and the Love of Self

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 18:00:00 -0400

We go back to our teacher Tomas Halik to consider narcissism and the possibility of really loving and being loved.

Episode 140: Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In light of the recent shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise and the combative political and cultural rhetoric of the day, we consider what it means to be in the American project together.

Episode 139: Highway to...Hell?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 08:00:00 -0400

Our guest for this midweek Bullgeschichte episode is Jason Micheli. He's an author, pastor and podcaster and he's not sure he believes in hell, which is the topic for our conversation.

Special Guest: Jason Micheli.

Episode 138: Can God Be God Without Us?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about Pope Francis' recent statement, "God Cannot Be God Without Man."

Show Notes...
You can read an account of the Papal audience and find a link to the text of Francis' statement here: http://www.christianpost.com/news/god-cannot-be-god-without-man-pope-francis-says-187045/.

Episode 137: Friday Night Lights: More on the Spirit

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this Friday Night lights episode, recorded on Bill's birthday, we continue reflecting on the Holy Spirit and spirituality.

Episode 136: The Holy Spirit

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 18:45:00 -0400

In this episode, the day after Pentecost, we talk about the Holy Spirit.

Episode 135: Friday Night Lights: Gods Old & New

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 18:00:00 -0400

We talk about an article in the Aeon journal on the Frankfurt School entitled "Theory from the ruins", among other things.

Show Notes:

The article we reference is here: https://aeon.co/essays/how-the-frankfurt-school-diagnosed-the-ills-of-western-civilisation.

Episode 134: Monuments and Memory

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 30 May 2017 17:15:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the recent removal of Confederate Civil War monuments in New Orleans and the nature of historical memory.

Episode 133: Ascension Matters

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 25 May 2017 12:00:00 -0400

Today is Ascension day 2017, the most overlooked day on the Christian religious calendar. We think that's a shame. It's an important doctrine that offers real hope to real people living a complex, messy world.

Episode 132: The Alienated Mind

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 23 May 2017 16:00:00 -0400

This is a bullgeschichte episode where we're joined by Jace Broadhurst to talk about a recent David Brooks column in the NY Times entitled "The Alienated Mind".

Show Notes:
-You can find the Brooks article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/opinion/alienated-mind-trump-supporters.html?_r=0.

Special Guest: Jace Broadhurst.

Episode 131: Where Do Words Come From?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 20 May 2017 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode, inspired by a short essay written by the renowned novelist Cormac McCarthy. It deals with the origins of human language, and whether evolutionary explanations do it justice.

Show Notes:
The essay that inspired the podcast can be found here: http://nautil.us/issue/47/consciousness/the-kekul-problem?utm_campaign=5.11+Bill+Ringa+%28PVZrqH%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Official+-+The+Newsletter+%28US+-+East+Coast%29+.

Episode 130: From Russia With Love

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 16 May 2017 11:15:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss President Trump's recent sharing of code-word clearance intelligence information with the Russian Foreign Minister and the Russian Ambassador to the United States.

Show Notes:
The Washington Post article that first broke the story can be found here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html?utm_term=.45503c59605f.

Episode 129: The Road Not Taken

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 15 May 2017 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider the meaning of a poem often quoted during commencement season, Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken".

Episode 128: Faith, Fragility and Friendship

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 12 May 2017 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode, which is a combo of our Friday Night Lights and Bullgeschichte episodes, we talk with Matt Milliner. Our conversation is all about friendship, life's fragility and the life of faith.

Special Guest: Matt Milliner.

Episode 127: What Is Sophistry?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 08 May 2017 14:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about Sophistry and its role in contemporary public life.

Show Notes:
We reference a NY Times Op-Ed piece by Bret Stephens. It can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/28/opinion/climate-of-complete-certainty.html?_r=0.

Episode 126: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 05 May 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about break ups. It happens to friends, families, lovers, churches, even countries. Break ups and loss are a part of life, but can you come out of them ever feeling alive again?

Episode 125: A House Divided?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 02 May 2017 12:15:00 -0400

Reflecting on a recent podcast by Dan Carlin and an Opinion piece in the New York Times, we consider the future of our country as a united one.

Show Notes
-You can find the Dan Carlin podcast here: http://www.dancarlin.com/product/common-sense-315-war-on-a-whim.
-You can find the NY Times piece here:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/opinion/the-collapse-of-american-identity.html.

Episode 124: Wisdom

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 11:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the podcast we talk about wisdom and its connection to a life well lived.

Episode 123: The Myth of the Christian Worldview

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 18:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about "the myth of the Christian worldview" inspired by a recent podcast interview with Molly Worthen and an op-ed piece she wrote for the NY Times.

Show Notes:
The podcast interview with Molly Worthen can be found here:https://giveandtake.fireside.fm/7.

Her NY Times piece can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/13/opinion/sunday/the-evangelical-roots-of-our-post-truth-society.html?_r=0.

Episode 122: Bullgeschichte...Thoughts On Things "Constantinian"

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:00:00 -0400

This is our first "Bullgeschichte" where we invite a friend or colleague to chat with us about something on our minds. Our first guest is Josh Retterer. We talk with him about Christendom, Constantinianism and how these terms are used today, and whether they're helpful.

Special Guest: Josh Retterer.

Episode 121: Humility

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:00:00 -0400

In a recent NY Times Op-ed piece Peter Wehner writes: "Over breakfast with a social psychologist I know, I asked him what constructive contribution Christians could make to public life. An atheist who finds much to admire in religion, he answered simply: 'Humility.'" We reflect on that exchange a bit in the podcast.

Show Notes:
The article in the NY Times can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/opinion/sunday/the-quiet-power-of-humility.html?_r=0

Episode 120: Saturday Night Dead

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 13:00:00 -0400

In this podcast we reflect on Holy Saturday, the day between Christ's death and Resurrection, and what it means for Christian existence and identity.

Episode 119: The Hysterical Quest For The Historical Jesus

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode we tackle the thorny questions about the historical Jesus and the Christ of Faith.

Episode 118: Friday Night Lights...Proper Confidence & The Copa Cabana

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 18:00:00 -0400

In this Friday Night Lights episode we talk about Leslie Newbigin, epistemology, Syria, Don Rickles and Barry Manilow. Enjoy!

Episode 117: Law and Gospel or Gospel is Law?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about Karl Barth's understanding of the relationship of Law and Gospel, inspired by this piece: http://postbarthian.com/2017/03/31/gospel-law-karl-barth-relationship-law-gospel/#KarlBarth.

Episode 116: Friday Night Lights...Kung Fu Fighting

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 19:00:00 -0400

In our weekly Friday Night Lights show we answer a question that the one and only Benson Shelton posed to us via Facebook. He's an Episcopal priest and a certified ninja.

Episode 115: The Death of Truth?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we discuss the recent Time Magazine cover story "The Death of Truth?"

Show Notes:
The article we discuss can be found here: http://time.com/4710614/donald-trump-fbi-surveillance-house-intelligence-committee/?xid=homepage&pcd=hp-magmod.

Episode 114: Liberal Fundamentalism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode we talk about the increasing intolerance that seems to be arising on the cultural left today. As a specific example we consider a recent controversy involving Princeton Seminary and Tim Keller.

Episode 113: Love Wants You To Be

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:00:00 -0400

We continue talking about the work of Tomas Halik and what loving God looks like in a today's day and age.

Episode 112: Peace, Love and Understanding

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 09:00:00 -0400

We continue to talk about Tomas Halik, love, and what love looks like in what seems like tumultuous times.

Episode 111: Love and The Remoteness of God

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 12:00:00 -0400

We continue talking about love, inspired by Tomas Halik.

Episode 110: Love & The Zacchaeus Option

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode we give a response to Rod Dreher's "Benedict Option", inspired by Tomas Halik.

Show Notes:
The article we reference can be found here: http://www.mbird.com/2017/03/the-zacchaeus-option/.

Episode 109: Crazy Little Thing Called Love

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 11 Mar 2017 11:00:00 -0500

We continue to reflect on the nature of love, inspired by the work of Tomas Halik.

Episode 108: To Know Is To Love

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 22:00:00 -0500

In this episode we keep talking about love. And we recorded it on Scott's birthday.

Episode 107: All You Need Is Love?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about what may be the most important reality in human existence: love. Our conversation is inspired by Tomas Halik's newest book.

Show Notes:

You can find Halik's new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Want-You-Be-God-Love/dp/0268100721.

Episode 106: Science Versus Faith?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 17:00:00 -0500

In this episode we look at the relationship between science and faith.

Show Notes:

We mention an article from relevant magazine: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/science-and-faith-shouldnt-be-odds.

We also mention a piece from Peter Leithart: https://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2017/02/when-science-went-modern.

Our opening song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-tZ1gbc2pQ.

Episode 105: The Age of Rudeness?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 19 Feb 2017 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about the role of rudeness and manners in contemporary life, inspired by a piece in the NY Times magazine.

Show Notes:

You can find the NY Times magazine piece by Rachel Cusk here: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/magazine/the-age-of-rudeness.html.

You can find David Zahl's thoughts on the piece here: http://www.mbird.com/2017/02/another-week-ends-rude-saviors-happy-students-married-valentines-fifty-shades-christo-singularity-and-crashing/.

Episode 104: Trump Around

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 20:00:00 -0500

We were going to talk about the history and philosophy of science. Then the press conferences happened!

Episode 103: A New Relativism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 16:00:00 -0500

Traditionally relativism has been something that conservatives blamed on liberals. But in a new world of alternative facts is there a new relativism on the rise? We talk about this, and Bill's frustrations after doing a google search.

Episode 102: American Exceptionalism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 19:15:00 -0500

In this episode we discuss the concept of American Exceptionalism, in addition to rehashing Bill's recent chastisement by a Facebook Group administrator.

Show Notes:

We reference this article by Kevin Baker which appeared in the New York Times on January 21, 2017:
https://goo.gl/nMPckO.

Episode 101: Natural Law

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 09:00:00 -0500

The most recent Supreme Court Nominee is Neil Gorsuch. Mr. Gorsuch is a respected legal scholar and intellectual whose work has focused on, among other things, natural law. He wrote a monograph on the topic which served as his doctoral thesis at Oxford. We talk a little about natural law and its role in public life.

Episode 100: More On The Truth

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we continue thinking about the nature of truth in a world of alternative facts.

Episode 99: Truth and Bull@#!$

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 17:47:58 -0500

In this episode we continue to reflect on the nature of truth, specifically the relationship between truth, lies and bull@#!$. We reference the following pieces in the podcast:

Harry Frankfurt’s On Bull@#!$ and On Truth.
We also discuss C.J. Green’s “The Only Thing You’ve Got Is What You Can Sell”: Making Peace with the Stories We Tell Ourselves.

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Episode 98: The Myth Of Objectivity?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 20:13:56 -0500

In this episode we talk about a recent NY Times exchange about objectivity in a post-fact world. You can find the piece here.

The post The Myth Of Objectivity? appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 97: Conversation and Criticism

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 08:32:05 -0500

We talk about conversation and criticism and the importance in our culture, inspired by Richard Rohr and A.O. Scott.

The post Conversation and Criticism appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 96: Love Is What We Need

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 18:05:00 -0500

In this episode we take inspiration from a passage from Tomas Halik’s new book I Want You To Be.

The post Love Is What We Need appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 95: Lights Old And New

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 31 Dec 2016 09:58:53 -0500

In our last podcast of 2016 we discuss what may be the most important theological conflict in American religious history: the Old/New Light controversy.

We reference a previous podcast we did in this episode. You can find it here: https://www.blubrry.com/npw/19068505/do-i-have-to-believe-in-my-belief/.

The post Lights Old And New appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 94: The Variety of Religious Experience

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 10:56:24 -0500

We talk about religious experience in a secular age inspired in part by a recent article in the NY Times by Ross Douthat. You can find the piece here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/24/opinion/sunday/varieties-of-religious-experience.html.

The post The Variety of Religious Experience appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 93: Patience

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 12:09:37 -0500

We dedicate this most recent podcast about the work of the Czech theologian and philosopher Tomáš Halík to our beloved friend, of blessed memory, Dr. Howard Baker. We continue to miss him and wish we could have listened in on a conversation between Drs. Halík and Baker. Someday….

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Episode 92: Born of a Woman

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 17:13:32 -0500

In this episode we consider the birth of Jesus and what it means for us today.

The post Born of a Woman appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 91: The Electoral College

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 16:53:03 -0500

In this episode we share our thoughts about the venerable electoral college, among other things.
Show Notes:

We reference a Freakonomics episode on public trust. You can find it here: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/trust-me/

The post The Electoral College appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 90: West World Wrap Up

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:46:52 -0500

QWe’re joined by a special guest to unpack the Season Finale of West World!

The post West World Wrap Up appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 89: Do I Have To Believe In My Belief?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 14:20:01 -0500

In this episode we do a little Luther vs. Calvin on the question of faith in the spiritual life. We ask if our faith is something in which we should in any sense believe. Our thinking was originally stimulated by Philip Cary’s extremely helpful essay, Why Luther is not Quite Protestant: The Logic of Faith in...

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Episode 88: Let’s Get (Meta)Physical!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 26 Nov 2016 17:14:09 -0500

In this episode we get metaphysical…BIGLY! We consider the relationship between philosophy and theology, inspired by the work of one of, if not the greatest, living theologians, Robert Jenson.

The post Let’s Get (Meta)Physical! appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 87: Are The Times Changing?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 20:05:56 -0500

Bill and Scott emerge from the bunker. We offer our post-election thoughts one week out…BIGLY!

The post Are The Times Changing? appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 86: Election Matters

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:15:56 -0500

In this podcast Bill and I continue to talk about the legacy of the Reformation. This time we consider a subject where we both agree the Reformation didn’t go far enough….the doctrine of election.

The post Election Matters appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 85: Law V Grace…Part 2?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:07:35 -0400

We answer a listener question: can grace really be abused? Are there really “antinomians?”! Keep the questions coming.

The post Law V Grace…Part 2? appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 84: The Reformation…Was Anything Lost?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 20:50:09 -0400

In this episode we have a friendly debate about the legacy of the Reformation today.

The post The Reformation…Was Anything Lost? appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 83: Prayer For A Nation?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 23 Oct 2016 18:07:40 -0400

The 2016 election is almost upon us and many people in the United States are unsettled, anxious or angry. We talk about the days ahead.

The post Prayer For A Nation? appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 82: The True, The Good, And The Beautiful

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 20:01:10 -0400

We take a break from the daily grind and turn to the things that matter yesterday, today and tomorrow. The true, the good and the beautiful.

The post The True, The Good, And The Beautiful appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 81: Debate Wrap Up #2, Once More Into The Breach My Friends!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 00:51:31 -0400

No one asked, but we offered it up, with guests! Our own focus group!

The post Debate Wrap Up #2, Once More Into The Breach My Friends! appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 80: The Nature Of Freedom, Part 2

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 12:10:18 -0400

We continue our conversation about freedom, inspired in part by the new HBO drama Westworld. We also define deviant Calvinism.

The post The Nature Of Freedom, Part 2 appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 79: Libertarianism And The Nature Of Freedom

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:25:09 -0400

This looked like the year for the Libertarians. But it seems like their moment came and went. We ask why, and consider the nature of true freedom.

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Episode 78: One Toke Over The Line

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 13:57:42 -0400

We continue our 2016 occasional series ranking the greatest pop songs about or featuring Jesus.

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Episode 77: Trump V Hillary

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 00:32:31 -0400

You didn’t really ask for it. But we gave it to you! Hear’s our first Presidential debate post-game podcast. Enjoy!

The post Trump V Hillary appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 76: Thank You For Being Our Friends

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 09:47:54 -0400

Bill and Scott are both coming from vacations and hitting the Fall in full effect, reflecting on some recent events and happenings in our culture. We also wanted to thank our listeners. We’ve been at this for a year now and it’s been a great ride.

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Episode 75: Not All Atheism Is Created Equal

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 12:19:57 -0400

On this episode the guys talk atheism, reflecting on Scott’s recent conversation with evangelist turned humanist Bart Campolo. Show Notes: We reference an article Scott wrote: http://www.mbird.com/2016/08/the-justification-of-faith/. You can find the original conversation with Bart Campolo here: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-mockingcast/e/46071969?autoplay=true.

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Episode 74: The Anger Index

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 15:12:53 -0400

In this episode we discuss whether or not the anger in our culture is at a boiling point and what implications that might have for our future as a society. Show notes: Our inspiration for this podcast came from a podcast by Dan Carlin, which you can find here. We reference an article by Andrew...

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Episode 73: Have You Been To Canaan…And Do You Want To Go Back Again?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 04:00:00 -0400

We plunge again into some deep questions about where our culture is going and why. Fasten your seatbelts….

Episode 72: Wasteland?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 04:47:41 -0400

Despite many listener pleas to get back to Bill’s sweetspot, the 5th century, we continue to be mesmerized by current events (current events for Bill are anything after the Reformation). In this episode we talk about where our culture is going, with one eye on November, and another to the near distant future. We’re going...

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Episode 71: Evangelicals Politicizing The Trinity?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 23:00:00 -0400

In this episode, which is a crossover with the Theology On Mission podcast, we discuss the current debates in the evangelical world over the Trinity and gender roles in church and society, joined by Geoff Holsclaw.

Episode 70: Another Week In Review

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 17 Jul 2016 12:57:50 -0400

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, from the ridiculous to the sublime. Bill and Scott take a little time to reflect on the week’s events.

The post Another Week In Review appeared first on New Persuasive Words.

Episode 69: World On Fire…?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 05:00:00 -0400

Six days into the history of the show on August 12th of last year we wondered if the possibility of a seismic event in the Pacific Northwest was signaling the end of the world as we know it. We’re coming up on the first anniversary of the show.

Episode 68: Was 1776 A Mistake?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 15:53:51 -0400

In this episode we consider the virtues of the Revolutionary War. Would the world be a better place if we didn’t fight it?

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Episode 67: Donald Trump Is Born Again (?)

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:00:00 -0400

On this episode Bill and Scott cover what could be the religious news story of the year: Donald Trumps born again evangelical experience.

Episode 66: Should Tragedies Change Our Thinking?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode Bill and Scott spend some time trying to find words to understand the Orlando mass shooting and what it means for thinking about modern life.

Episode 65: The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 09:26:09 -0400

In this episode we consider some events in the news recently and wonder whether there is precedent for them or not. We then ask whether or not there is anything new under the sun.

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Episode 64: The Eve Of Destruction?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 17:44:44 -0400

Why are we so interested in post-apocalyptic fiction and film these days? Is it because we sense something about our world is ending? What is it that’s passing away, and why does it matter? Show Notes: We reference a book in this episode: How to Survive the Apocalypse: Zombies, Cylons, Faith, and Politics at the...

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Episode 63: Looking For Love In All The (Wrong?) Virtual Places

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00:00 -0400

In this episode we consider the funny and frightful world of online dating and what it tells us about modern culture and ourselves. Show Notes: This podcast grew out of a piece Scott wrote for Mockingbird. You can find it here: http://www.mbird..com/2016/05/faith-the-future-the-frightening-reality-of-online-dating.

Episode 61: Hell

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 17 May 2016 07:14:47 -0400

In this episode we take some time to talk about Hell. Who believes in it and why and does it still matter? Show Notes: We reference an essay by George Hunsinger which is found in his book Disruptive Grace. We also reference a book by David Powys, ‘Hell’: A Hard Look at a Hard Question: The...

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Episode 60: A Church Of Thrones?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 11 May 2016 11:37:44 -0400

In this episode we talk about Game of Thrones. Enough said?

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Episode 59: What’s Scarier Than Us Talking About Science?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Mon, 02 May 2016 17:05:19 -0400

The answer to the question that serves as the title to this podcast is…Bill Nye, “the science guy”, talking philosophy. He answers a question from a fan on YouTube about whether to study philosophy in college. And what an answer it is! Show Notes: An article that discusses the video and links to it: http://qz.com/627989/why-are-so-many-smart-people-such-idiots-about-philosophy/.

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Episode 58: Solid Gold Jesus: Jesus, By The Velvet Underground

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 21:50:37 -0400

We begin the official Top Ten list of the greatest songs about Jesus with a discussion of “Jesus”, by The Velvet Underground.

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Episode 57: Fighting Fair

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 12:47:02 -0400

In this episode we talk about conflict. It’s inevitable in life. The question isn’t whether or not we’ll find ourselves involved in conflict in public and private life. It’s what we will do in the midst of it. Show Notes: We reference two articles on polemics. The piece by Tim Keller can be found here,...

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Episode 56: Bare Necessities

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 06:49:52 -0400

In this podcast, inspired by Dan Carlin, we reflect on the essential commitments and values that we wouldn’t (or at least shouldn’t) compromise. What are they? How are they formed? When is it OK to change them and why?

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Episode 55: The Death Of Moral Relativism?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 09:23:46 -0400

In this episode we discuss an article by Jonathan Merrit that appeared in The Atlantic announcing the death of moral relativism and the rise of the new shame based moralism. Show Notes: You can find Jonathan Merritt’s article here. We discuss another article, “Why Our Children Don’t Think There Are Moral Facts”, by Justin P....

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Episode 51: Guilt

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 08:34:19 -0400

In this episode of the show we discuss about guilt. We talk about how it feels and what to do with it when it’s weighing you down.

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Episode 49: Loss

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:58:53 -0500

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of those depths. -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross In this episode we deal with loss. It’s an experience that shapes and affects every human life. How we deal with it is often a...

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Episode 48: This American Religious Life: Greg Strawbridge

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:19:29 -0500

We’re going to do a non-scientific profile of different religious communities and personolaties and how they shape the American religious landscape. We’re not sociologists, but that’s never stopped us before. This is the first edition of the series, which we’ll we do whenever the spirit moves us. We’re privileged to kick it of with the...

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Episode 46: Trump Vs. Francis

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:44:39 -0500

Pope Francis alluded to the fact that Donald Trump might not be a Christian in a recent press conference on his flight back from Mexico. Is he wrong or right? Is it even his place to make these kind of judgments. We consider all this and more in this episode of New Persuasive Words.

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Episode 39: The Faces of Jesus

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 16:43:34 -0500

This [pop culture] Jesus may be our champion and friend, but he is no one’s mediator. The news he brings may be pleasant, or it may be harsh, but it is not urgent or particularly new—not for those who are perishing. In sum, there is much to emulate in the Jesus we find in pop...

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Episode 36: Is The God Of Muhammad The Father Of Jesus Christ?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:01:56 -0500

There’s been some recent controversy at Wheaton College involving a professor who was put on administrative leave for statements she made about the relationship of Christianity and Islam. In response to the controversy Miroslav Volf wrote an op-ed piece in the Washington Post addressing the question: do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? We...

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Episode 35: Is This A Wonderful Life?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 15:39:28 -0500

won·der·ful adjective 1. inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous. Is this a wonderful life? It’s the question behind one the great Christmas films of all time. It’s also a question people find themselves asking in a world that increasingly feels more lonely, chaotic and cold. What makes a wonderful and meaningful life?...

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Episode 34: There’s Something About Mary

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 07:42:15 -0500

There is a reason Mary is everywhere. I’ve seen her image all over the world, in cafés in Istanbul, on students’ backpacks in Scotland, in a market stall in Jakarta, but I don’t think her image is everywhere because she is a reminder to be obedient, and I don’t think it has to do with...

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Episode 33: Mirror Mirror On The Wall…A Demographic Reflection Of American Values

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 11 Dec 2015 10:17:42 -0500

Donald Trump made headlines yet again with a proposed plan to ban all Islamic entry to the United States. Almost every candidate and public political figure rushed to condemn Trump’s proposal. But a recent comprehensive study of American values and attitudes by the Public Religion Research Institute reveals that most Americans seem to agree with...

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Episode 32: The Official Guide To Surviving Political Arguments With Family and Friends During The Holidays

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 11:04:31 -0500

We're living in one of the most divided times in our country's history since the period that preceded the Civil War. It seems that more and more we have less and less in common as a country. We're divided into red states and blue states and increasingly we shop, eat and play in different places depending on our political and moral values. Then comes the holidays!

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Episode 31: Where Do We Sleep When Our Beds Are Burning?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 04 Dec 2015 19:42:49 -0500

The “Benedict Option” refers to Christians in the contemporary West who cease to identify the continuation of civility and moral community with the maintenance of American empire, and who therefore are keen to construct local forms of community as loci of Christian resistance against what the empire represents. Put less grandly, the Benedict Option —...

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Episode 24: How Do People Change?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 08:27:38 -0500

We have the capacity to imagine changing into something different than we are. This can be the blessing and the curse of the human condition.

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Episode 21: Fight or Flight?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 03:03:49 -0400

What do you do when your back is against the wall? Most of us either run in hope that we're faster than whatever frightens us, or we fight thinking that we're stronger than it.

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Episode 20: I Think Therefore…?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:18:17 -0400

...how much do we know about our thought process? And how important is what we know? Is it is important as being known?

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Episode 18: Friends

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 00:13:04 -0400

We need not view a friendship with another human being either as having no other end but itself or as being solely a means to friendship with God. God is known in communion, but of course communion, the eucharist, is not passed between God and the individual alone, but shared among the community of...

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Episode 17: Don’t Worry, Be…Happy?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 09:50:47 -0400

JOY IN NONSENSE. How can men take joy in nonsense? They do so, wherever there is laughter-in fact, one can almost say that wherever there is happiness there is joy in nonsense. It gives us pleasure to turn experience into its opposite, to turn purposefulness into purposelessness, necessity into arbitrariness, in such a way that...

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Episode 13: Know Thy Selfie

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 13:33:38 -0400

We can probably all agree that smartphones are now an inseparable part of ourselves (if you can afford one, that is), and so is the Internet. Whether that’s a good thing is still undergoing intense philosophical scrutiny. What is not up for debate is that a lot of our socializing occurs online, and as...

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Episode 12: Beware The Maelstrom

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 20:24:24 -0400

MAELSTROMS — THOSE POWERFUL SWIRLING whirlpools in the open seas — have been known to pull hapless fishing boats, crew, and cargo down into a deadly vortex to the ocean’s dark depths. Maelstroms take on epic proportions in the world of fiction. In Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “A Descent into the Maelstrom,” the lone...

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Episode 10: I Fought The Law

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:13:13 -0400

Contemporary American culture, however, holds a much more optimistic view of human moral capabilities than does the Bible, and this has unfortunately crept into churches. How else to explain the fact that a religion based on acknowledging our own faults and shortcomings has become widely associated with extraordinary judgmentalism and self-righteousness?…American Christianity now is in...

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Episode 9: Blessed Are The Vulnerable

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 14:22:48 -0400

Some things you make. Some you recover. Some you discover. This podcast is a combination of all three. Often times after people see, hear or read something they connect with want to know where it came from. This came from our interaction with the work of Brene Brown, specifically around our need for relational connections,...

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Episode 8: Did God Kill Jesus?

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:05:05 -0400

We recently had the privilege of talking with pastor, professor and author Tony Jones. You can find out more about Tony and his most recent Did God Kill Jesus? at his website: tonyj.net. Enjoy the conversation and grab a copy of Tony’s book!

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Episode 4: The End Of The Word As We Know It…But Please Not In Winter!!!

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 17:55:46 -0400

This converastion was inspired by an article in the New Yorker by Katherine Schultz. She describes a massive earthquake heading for the Pacific Northwest. It’s not if but when will this monster hit. Despite the certainty that this awful monstrous event will happen, there has been little or no preparations made for it. What does...

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Episode 3: Lost In Translation, Part 2

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 11:22:30 -0400

We continue reflecting on the complexities of translating ideas from an ancient sacred text into contemporary concepts and language. The conversation was partly inspired by N.T. Wright’s review of Wesley Hill’s new book Paul and the Trinity. Click here for a copy of the review. WARNING: This conversation will have special appeal to theological nerds.

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Episode 2: Lost In Translation, Part 1.

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 10:09:26 -0400

This podcast was inspired by some questions asked by an old friend of Bill Borrer’s. Bill and I attempt to wrestle with how you hold onto faith amidst confusion about things like biblical interpretation and frustration with the church using the Bible like a weapon. We mention the following quote by Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI....

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Episode 1: Summer Super Hero Movie Extravaganza

scottkentjones@gmail.com (Scott Jones & Bill Borror) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 09:51:32 -0400

In the next four years there are 30, YES 30, comic book super hero movies or sequels scheduled to hit theaters near you. Why are there so many films being made about comic book heroes and why do we keep going to see them again and again?

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