Features
#46: Fake ID: You Do You and the Lies of Life
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk identity, discuss where the meaning of life comes from, and why it’s Good News that we don’t have to define ourselves.
Justice or Judgment: On Englishing Mishpat
In all our inquiring to discern what exactly “Biblical Justice” is — we need to return to a more careful understanding of the judicial meaning of mishpat…
Would I Have Told You
YOLO is a stupid slogan. The choices before us are all terrible. Whether we live or whether we die, what does it matter if we will never be able to have a “normal” life, or have any of the people back who have perished.
#45: Your Dogma Ate My Gospel? Mission, Culture, and Truth
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the supposed tension between dogmatism and mission, look at some of the church’s past attempts to be “relevant,” and wonder where the person and work of Jesus fits in.
Book Review: Fault Lines by Voddie Baucham
Knowing “Math is racist” is absurd is easy; knowing how an educated person could say such a thing with a straight face is not so easy.
Dethroning Satan on Palm Sunday
Indeed, one could not have more perfectly articulated the Christian view of evil than, “We see ourselves as our own god.” It’s like they read the book of Romans and then decided to make a music video.
#44: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 3)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda finish their discussion of Du Mez’s book with a wide-ranging discussion including lies about evangelicalism, James Dobson vs Hillary Clinton, and life at the Air Force Academy.
#43: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 2)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda continue their discussion of Jesus and John Wayne. This time: Communism, the evangelical “influence” on the Vietnam War, and “hyper” masculinity.
“20 Theses on Justice”–a Decidedly Anglican Response
In "20 Theses on Justice," the Revs. Esau McCaulley and Jonathan Warren invite us to reflect on "the role the ACNA should play in the present moment as it relates to justice," which we are attempting here. We have been explicitly involved in the discussion of Anglican...
Another One Bites The Dust
In spite of having the word of God clearly and plainly on the page, many Christians think that first, there is no problem and so no remedy is needed, and second that those who do think there is a problem are themselves the problem.
#42: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 1)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda begin a Stand Firm series discussing the popular book Jesus and John Wayne. In this episode: What is an evangelical? and Is the book’s entire premise flawed?
Bishop Todd Hunter and the “Gift” of Critical Race Theory
ACNA has a bishop who rather uncritically endorses Critical Theory.
Is “Christian Flourishing” the Real Gospel?
The Christian isn’t really called to flourish, or even to be ok on his or her own terms and by his or her own power. The Christian is called to remain, to stay on the vine, no matter what happens—which often feels like a kind of death, ironically
#41: Still Talking About Sex: More on the Pastoral Statement
Matt, Jady, and Nick reflect on the ongoing discussion around the ACNA Bishops’ Pastoral Statement on Sexuality and Identity and dig into a recent article to answer some common criticisms.
The Choice To Die
Jesus apparently doesn’t fear the possibilities of human ruin on the shoals of dichotomous thinking. Is he insane? Does he not know that we already have the inclination to think in too tribally exclusive ways? Doesn’t he want us to stop catastrophizing about everything?
#40: Dear Gay Anglicans: Faithful Shepherds and Stubborn Sheep
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the recent “Dear Gay Anglicans” letter, talk about some of the historical and theological implications, and explore what it means to be obedient to a bishop.
A Statement in Support of Sexuality and Identity: A Pastoral Statement From the College of Bishops
We, the undersigned clergy and laity of the Anglican Church in North America do hereby express our support for the unanimous statement of the College of Bishops
There but for the Grace of God Go I
Is it really the case that the person who says, “There but for the grace of God go I?” is drawing all the attention to himself and away from the victim? Or is it possible, in the very human mess that is this kind of scandal, to think of both at once? Isn’t it possible to feel the sickening horror of all those women being manipulated and destroyed, to pray for them, to beg God that this will never happen again, and also to be glad that men would this morning quake as they considered all that they have the power to do? Shouldn’t both of those go together?
#39: Fallen Pastors in a Fallen World: Celebrities, Evangelicals, and Sex
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the recent revelations about Ravi Zacharias, wonder if anyone is immune to their sin nature, and address the idea that evangelical belief actually contributes to the prevalence of sexual sin.
Who Are You? A Reflection for Ash Wednesday
We don’t identify ourselves by anything other than the identical ashen crosses on our foreheads and the identically undeserved saving death and resurrection of Christ that has been credited to our accounts.

#46: Fake ID: You Do You and the Lies of Life
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk identity, discuss where the meaning of life comes from, and why it’s Good News that we don’t have to define ourselves.

#45: Your Dogma Ate My Gospel? Mission, Culture, and Truth
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the supposed tension between dogmatism and mission, look at some of the church’s past attempts to be “relevant,” and wonder where the person and work of Jesus fits in.

#44: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 3)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda finish their discussion of Du Mez’s book with a wide-ranging discussion including lies about evangelicalism, James Dobson vs Hillary Clinton, and life at the Air Force Academy.

#43: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 2)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda continue their discussion of Jesus and John Wayne. This time: Communism, the evangelical “influence” on the Vietnam War, and “hyper” masculinity.

#42: Stand Firm Book Club: Jesus and John Wayne (Part 1)
Anne, Jady, and Ralinda begin a Stand Firm series discussing the popular book Jesus and John Wayne. In this episode: What is an evangelical? and Is the book’s entire premise flawed?

#41: Still Talking About Sex: More on the Pastoral Statement
Matt, Jady, and Nick reflect on the ongoing discussion around the ACNA Bishops’ Pastoral Statement on Sexuality and Identity and dig into a recent article to answer some common criticisms.

#40: Dear Gay Anglicans: Faithful Shepherds and Stubborn Sheep
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the recent “Dear Gay Anglicans” letter, talk about some of the historical and theological implications, and explore what it means to be obedient to a bishop.

#39: Fallen Pastors in a Fallen World: Celebrities, Evangelicals, and Sex
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the recent revelations about Ravi Zacharias, wonder if anyone is immune to their sin nature, and address the idea that evangelical belief actually contributes to the prevalence of sexual sin.

#38: Likes and Dislikes: The Gospel and False Gospels
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about starting a Facebook group; sheep, shepherds, and wolves in an online world, and how being “for” something necessarily means being “against” other things.

#37: For God So Loved the World: The Why of Monogamous Sex
Matt, Jady, and Nick have a conversation about why God would create a beautiful gift like sex and then decree that it exist only in the context of a lifelong marriage between a man and woman.

#36: Let’s Talk About Sex: Identity and Christian Hope
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the recent statement from the ACNA Bishops about sex and identity, talk about the difference between temptation and sin, and explore the relationship between truth-telling and pastoral care.

#35: Onward Christian Soldiers? Nationalism, Patriotism, and Faith
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about “Christian nationalism” and “white evangelicalism,” discuss the ways faith in Jesus Christ impacts our involvement in politics, and find (more) fault with progressive Christianity.

#34: A Stand Firm Conversation: Alisa Childers
Anne, Liza, and Ralinda welcome Alisa Childers to talk her life story, her new book, progressive Christianity, Critical Race Theory, and more.

#33: Amen and…Well, Amen: Salvation in Jesus’ Name
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the strange ending to the recent Congressional prayer, look at Article 18 of The 39 Articles, and talk about why God can only be Good News as revealed in Jesus Christ.

#32: The Stand Firm Year-End Awards
Matt, Jady, and Nick hand out some awards at the end of a crazy year. They discuss their “issue of the year” and their “surprise of the year,” including Covid-19, Critical Theory, Trans activism, feminism, and more.

#31: Blood, Sweat, and Tears: The Incarnation Conversation
Jady and Nick discuss the different ways people have tried to make sense of the Incarnation, God come to Earth in Jesus Christ. Who was Jesus, and who must he be to be Good News for us?

#30: Stand Firm FAQ: Does God Love Everyone?
Matt, Jady, and Nick respond to a frequently-asked question: if God doesn’t save everyone, does that mean he doesn’t love everyone?

#29: Teach Your Children Well: Catechesis and Political Engagement
Matt, Jady, and Nick wonder about putting too much faith in politics, discuss how politics is downstream from culture, and talk about the importance of passing the faith on to our kids.

#28: Signs, Sealed, Delivered: Unraveling the Sacraments
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the sacraments of communion and baptism. They talk about what makes a sacrament, their symbolic-and-more nature, whether or not they “work,” and where the Good News is in these “holy mysteries.”

#27: Who Are These People? The Limits of Compassion
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss election reactions, compassion (both real and fake), and having conversations with people who disagree with you.