Episode 21: How many of us are Orthodox? Trinitarian theology is widely misunderstood according to a recent survey.

Last updated on: October 31, 2014 at 5:33 pm By Jordan Cooper

On today’s show Matt and Levi discuss a recent survey that revealed some troubling heresies that are widespread in Evangelicalism today. Trent was sadly unable to join us do to a death in his family. The two Pseudo-Theologians continue on alone and discuss why Orthodoxy is important, the implications of a growing loss of Orthodoxy in Pop-Christianity, and some practical steps we might take to become more Orthodox in our beliefs. Featured Content: New Poll Finds Evangelicals’ Favorite Heresies (christianitytoday.com)... Read more

Sermonic Double-Shot

Last updated on: October 30, 2014 at 6:56 am By ericphillips

Did I preach two different sermons last Sunday? No, I just never posted my sermon from the preceding week, since I was busy driving to Texas, driving back from Texas, and running over deer-sized roadkill, not necessarily in that order. So here’s my sermon from two Sundays ago, on Divine Providence and Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Cyrus the Great (Is. 45:1-7, with I Thess. 1:1-10 and Matt. 22:15-22 being the other texts): And here’s my sermon for the Festival of the... Read more

Preaching the Two Kinds of Righteousness

Last updated on: October 29, 2014 at 1:37 am By Jordan Cooper

On today’s program, I played a lecture given by Dr. Joel Biermann at the AALC pastor’s retreat held on the campus of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. The theme of the lecture is preaching and the two kinds of righteousness. Here is the program Read more

The Coming Vindication of Martin Luther – Summary and Conclusion

Last updated on: October 28, 2014 at 1:01 pm By nathanrinne

So maybe Luther had some good points (careful Mr. Douthat….). But will God (and perhaps the Church at large?) vindicate Him for His actions (as we hear endlessly: unleashing thousands of denominations, each man his own Pope…)? Over at my own blog, theology like a child, I have been re-cycling previous posts on the Reformation. Here is a summary of my 2012 series The Coming Vindication of Martin Luther (this was “Part V”) I invite challenges to the account and... Read more

Theoretical Ethics by Milton Valentine

Last updated on: October 24, 2014 at 10:47 pm By Jordan Cooper

Price: $14 Kindle: $9 The question of the grounds and basis for ethics is an essential one in today’s morally confused society. In this work, Milton Valentine gives answers to the important ethical questions which philosophers have have pondered for centuries, and gives guidance to several of the questions which are asked in contemporary society. Throughout the book, Valentine shows the flaws in non-theistic ethical proposals, and presents the Christian ethical system... Read more

The Third Use of the Law in the Large Catechism

Last updated on: October 24, 2014 at 9:06 pm By Jordan Cooper

In some contemporary debates regarding the third use of the Law, it is contended that Article VI of the Formula of Concord does not promote a positive use of the Law, whereby the Christian is guided in his daily walk in light of the Gospel. Rather, it is simply stating that the Christian is simul, both saint and sinner, and thus still needs the Law. The Law then functions only externally, to force the old man into obedience. The definition of the third... Read more

Episode 20: Legal Fictions and how do we get that good stuff in us?

Last updated on: October 24, 2014 at 5:47 am By Jordan Cooper

On today’s show we discuss whether the doctrine of Sola Fide is actually a legal fiction. When God declares us righteous, is he actually telling the truth? The Pseudepodcast lads read obscure Luther quotes that make it sound like he said things other than “sin boldly”. Featured Content Justification — Forensic and Real: How the East gets it wrong (and we Lutherans don’t get it…) A Brief Response To Subdeacon Benjamin Harju (on the Role of Regeneration in the Lutheran... Read more

The Doctrine of Justification

Last updated on: October 22, 2014 at 5:10 pm By Jordan Cooper

On today’s program, I gave an overview of the doctrine of justification as it is taught in the Lutheran scholastics. This is a follow up to the programs on the Ordo Salutis and on the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Here is the program Read more

Is the distinction between mortal and venial sin helpful?

Last updated on: October 22, 2014 at 2:01 pm By nathanrinne

This blog’s own Trent Demarest and his two Pseudepodcast colleagues recently did a show on mortal and venial sin, “Mortal Sin – a light and fluffy topic for a change…”, which I highly recommend checking out (I cover ground here that they also cover in their show, which features more than what is offered here). A guy commenting on their show hits the nail on the head: “So I’ve listened to last week’s show twice now. What I’ve come away... Read more

Interviews on Reformed Confessions

Last updated on: October 21, 2014 at 11:24 pm By Jordan Cooper

I recently did a five part series of interviews on Issues etc. on the Reformed confessions. Here are the programs: The Three Forms of Unity The Westminster Confession The Westminster Confession Part 2 The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion Read more