Robots are not people, information does not want to be free, and the internet has no consciousness of its own. Meanwhile, human society trades on outrage and no one can tell what is true and what is false. Among the many enduring themes of human experience is how we create tools that in turn re-create us, and the past couple decades are only an accelerated and amplified version of that. With the help of tech critic Jaron Lanier, in this episode Dad and I explore the roots of how the whole world has gone mad, what it means to be and remain a person in the midst of it, and the urgency of doing so. Otherwise, "those who make them become like them," as Psalm 135 puts it. Notes: 1. All of Lanier's books are highly recommended: You Are Not a Gadget, Who Owns the Future?, and Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. 2. Scott, Seeing Like a State 3. Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism 4. Asimov, "Robbie," in I, Robot 5. For more on this topic, see my blog post "Quitting Facebook... Again," our previous QotS episodes What Is a Person? and How to Hack the Law, and my new podcast with my husband Andrew, The Disentanglement Podcast, with explanations of digital tech and practical tips for getting free of its tentacles. Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on Patreon. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Robots are not people, information does not want to be free, and the internet has no consciousness of its own. Meanwhile, human society trades on outrage and no one can tell what is true and what is false. Among the many enduring themes of human experience is how we create tools that in turn re-create us, and the past couple decades are only an accelerated and amplified version of that. With the help of tech critic Jaron Lanier, in this episode Dad and I explore the roots of how the whole world has gone mad, what it means to be and remain a person in the midst of it, and the urgency of doing so. Otherwise, "those who make them become like them," as Psalm 135 puts it. Notes: 1. All of Lanier's books are highly recommended: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-Gadget-Manifesto/dp/0307389979/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">You Are Not a Gadget</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Owns-Future-Jaron-Lanier/dp/1451654979/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who Owns the Future?</a>, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Arguments-Deleting-Social-Media-Accounts/dp/1250239087/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now</a>. 2. Scott, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-like-State-Certain-Condition/dp/0300078153/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seeing Like a State</a> 3. Zuboff, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Age-Surveillance-Capitalism-Future-Frontier/dp/1541758005/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Age of Surveillance Capitalism</a> 4. Asimov, "Robbie," in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Robot-Isaac-Asimov/dp/055338256X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I, Robot</a> 5. For more on this topic, see my blog post "<a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/blog/2021/1/8/quitting-facebook-again" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quitting Facebook... Again</a>," our previous QotS episodes <a href="https://www.queenofthesciences.com/e/what-is-a-person/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What Is a Person?</a> and <a href="https://www.queenofthesciences.com/e/how-to-hack-the-law-but-also-why-you-shouldn-t/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to Hack the Law</a>, and my new podcast with my husband Andrew, <a href="https://disentanglementpodcast.podbean.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Disentanglement Podcast</a>, with explanations of digital tech and practical tips for getting free of its tentacles. Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahhinlickywilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Cybertech and Personhood

Lincoln observed that both slaveholders and abolitionists appealed to the Bible to make their case—but who was right, and why? Slaves appear throughout the Old Testament, yet the core story is the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. The Pauline and Petrine letters exhort peace and fair treatment between masters and slaves, but do not openly advocate for manumission. In Paul's shortest letter, a personal address to Philemon, he sends home a (runaway?) slave, Onesimus, not making it clear what Philemon ought to do with him—and yet, at the same exact time, Paul radically transforms the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus, and between the two of them and Paul, too. Joyful exchanges abound in these twenty-five verses, which proved to be a leaven in the lump of toxic human social systems. Notes: 1. Saarinen, The Pastoral Epistles with Philemon and Jude 2. Fitzmyer, The Letter to Philemon 3. Ruden, Paul among the People 4. Kreider, The Patient Ferment of the Early Church 5. Here's a few of me moonlight on Fresh Text podcast (highly recommended if you're a lectionary preacher): Psalm 37, 2 Corinthians 5, James 5. 6. Zahl, The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on Patreon. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Lincoln observed that both slaveholders and abolitionists appealed to the Bible to make their case—but who was right, and why? Slaves appear throughout the Old Testament, yet the core story is the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. The Pauline and Petrine letters exhort peace and fair treatment between masters and slaves, but do not openly advocate for manumission. In Paul's shortest letter, a personal address to Philemon, he sends home a (runaway?) slave, Onesimus, not making it clear what Philemon ought to do with him—and yet, at the same exact time, Paul radically transforms the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus, and between the two of them and Paul, too. Joyful exchanges abound in these twenty-five verses, which proved to be a leaven in the lump of toxic human social systems. Notes: 1. Saarinen, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pastoral-Epistles-Philemon-Theological-Commentary/dp/1587435071/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Pastoral Epistles with Philemon and Jude</a> 2. Fitzmyer, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Letter-Philemon-Anchor-Bible-Commentaries/dp/030014055X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Letter to Philemon</a> 3. Ruden, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Among-People-Reinterpreted-Reimagined/dp/0385522576/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul among the People</a> 4. Kreider, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Patient-Ferment-Early-Church-Christianity/dp/0801048494/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Patient Ferment of the Early Church</a> 5. Here's a few of me moonlight on Fresh Text podcast (highly recommended if you're a lectionary preacher): <a href="https://freshtext.fireside.fm/164" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Psalm 37</a>, <a href="https://freshtext.fireside.fm/128" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 5</a>, <a href="https://freshtext.fireside.fm/143" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James </a>5. 6. Zahl, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Christian-Experience/dp/0198827784/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience</a> Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahhinlickywilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Philemon

In this episode we turn to the great emancipator—not that he started out with that intention. From the covenant between the States in one Union to the painful perception of necessary bloodshed for the North as well as the South on account of its collusion, Lincoln out-Jeffersoned Jefferson, invoking the equality of all human beings according to the Declaration over against the evasion of the slavery issue in the Constitution. And yet, young Lincoln has about as much regard for orthodox Christianity as Jefferson did. What was that brought about such different results in conscience and action? What did Lincoln perceive of God that others could not, as he expressed so powerfully in the Second Inaugural? Notes: 1. Lincoln, Speeches and Writings (Library of America). See in particular: 1860 Speech at the Cooper Institute, 1861 First Inaugural, 1862 Annual Message to Congress, 1862 Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day, 1863 Gettysburg Address, 1865 Second Inaugural 2. See Dad’s essay, “Lincoln’s Theology of the Republic According to the Second Inaugural Address,” The Cresset (May 2002: LXV/6) 7-14 3. Guelzo, Mr. Lincoln and Redeemer President Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on Patreon. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

In this episode we turn to the great emancipator—not that he started out with that intention. From the covenant between the States in one Union to the painful perception of necessary bloodshed for the North as well as the South on account of its collusion, Lincoln out-Jeffersoned Jefferson, invoking the equality of all human beings according to the Declaration over against the evasion of the slavery issue in the Constitution. And yet, young Lincoln has about as much regard for orthodox Christianity as Jefferson did. What was that brought about such different results in conscience and action? What did Lincoln perceive of God that others could not, as he expressed so powerfully in the Second Inaugural? Notes: 1. Lincoln, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Speeches-Writings-1859-1865-Library/dp/0940450631/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Speeches and Writings (Library of America).</a> See in particular: 1860 Speech at the Cooper Institute, 1861 First Inaugural, 1862 Annual Message to Congress, 1862 Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day, 1863 Gettysburg Address, 1865 Second Inaugural 2. See Dad’s essay, “Lincoln’s Theology of the Republic According to the Second Inaugural Address,” The Cresset (May 2002: LXV/6) 7-14 3. Guelzo, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Lincoln-Life-Abraham/dp/B00DTO40I2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mr. Lincoln</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Abraham-Lincoln-President-Religious-Biography/dp/0802842933/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Redeemer President</a> Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahhinlickywilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Abraham Lincoln, Theologian

One last bonus episode! Dad and I talk about his impressions so far of A-Tumblin' Down, six chapters in and just through the devastating tragedy that scared me off of writing the book for nearly 15 years. Also, what is it exactly that has caused the book of Joshua to haunt our lives for so long?! Subscribe now to the serialization of the novel—it starts next week!

One last bonus episode! Dad and I talk about his impressions so far of <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A-Tumblin' Down</a>, six chapters in and just through the devastating tragedy that scared me off of writing the book for nearly 15 years. Also, what is it exactly that has caused the book of Joshua to haunt our lives for so long?! <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe now</a> to the serialization of the novel—it starts next week!

Dad Weighs in on My Novel

Last chance to subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. The story begins on June 6, so don't delay! On today's bonus episode, meet Carmichael Abney, English professor, pastor's wife, and mother of three, content with her life--that is, until alternate versions of herself appear and demand her dissatisfaction...

Last chance to <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down</a> about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. The story begins on June 6, so don't delay! On today's bonus episode, meet Carmichael Abney, English professor, pastor's wife, and mother of three, content with her life--that is, until alternate versions of herself appear and demand her dissatisfaction...

A-Tumblin’ Down #4 of 4: Introducing Carmichael Abney

Another installment for Queen of the Sciences listeners! Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down  about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Saul and Asher Abney, brothers born within a year of each other but with diametrically opposed personalities...

Another installment for Queen of the Sciences listeners! <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down </a> about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Saul and Asher Abney, brothers born within a year of each other but with diametrically opposed personalities...

A-Tumblin’ Down #3 of 4: Introducing Saul and Asher Abney

Another sneak preview--or rather prehear--for Queen of the Sciences listeners! Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down  about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Donald Abney, gentle grandson of a fiery revivalist, afflicted by the one and only appearance of the Book of Joshua in the Common Lectionary...

Another sneak preview--or rather prehear--for Queen of the Sciences listeners! <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down </a> about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Donald Abney, gentle grandson of a fiery revivalist, afflicted by the one and only appearance of the Book of Joshua in the Common Lectionary...

A-Tumblin’ Down #2 of 4: Introducing Donald Abney

Being great afficionados of great thinkers who are impossible contradictions, we turn our attention to American founding father Thomas Jefferson: the man who penned the stirring words of the Declaration of Independence that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" ... and yet, in his lifetime, owned over 600 slaves including a (for lack of a better term) concubine, Sally Hemings (who also happened to be his deceased wife's half-sister...!!), manumitted only two of those slaves and none of them his own children by Sally until after his death according to his will, and made at best lackluster gestures toward the injustice of it all, not to mention its moral corruption of slaveholders. In this episode, we try to make sense of this "American sphinx" and especially his revisionist attitude toward Christianity, producing a variation on the faith with no power to set slaves free—or Jefferson himself. Notes: 1. Ellis, American Sphinx 2. Meacham, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power 3. Jefferson, Writings (Library of America). See in particular the following: Notes on the State of Virginia, 1787 letter to Peter Carr, 1803 letter to Joseph Priestley, 1803 letter to Benjamin Rush, 1813 letter to John Adams, 1816 letter to Charles Thomson, 1819 and 1820 letters to William Short, 1822 letter to Benjamin Waterhouse, 1826 letter to James Heaton. 4. Locke, Second Treatise of Government and Letter concerning Toleration 5. Havel, “The Power of the Powerless” 6. Manseau, The Jefferson Bible Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on Patreon. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Being great afficionados of great thinkers who are impossible contradictions, we turn our attention to American founding father Thomas Jefferson: the man who penned the stirring words of the Declaration of Independence that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" ... and yet, in his lifetime, owned over 600 slaves including a (for lack of a better term) concubine, Sally Hemings (who also happened to be his deceased wife's half-sister...!!), manumitted only two of those slaves and none of them his own children by Sally until after his death according to his will, and made at best lackluster gestures toward the injustice of it all, not to mention its moral corruption of slaveholders. In this episode, we try to make sense of this "American sphinx" and especially his revisionist attitude toward Christianity, producing a variation on the faith with no power to set slaves free—or Jefferson himself. Notes: 1. Ellis, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/American-Sphinx-Character-Thomas-Jefferson/dp/0679764410/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Sphinx</a> 2. Meacham, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-Power-Jon-Meacham/dp/0812979486/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power</a> 3. Jefferson, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-Writings-Autobiography-Addresses/dp/094045016X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Writings (Library of America).</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-Writings-Autobiography-Addresses/dp/094045016X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a>See in particular the following: Notes on the State of Virginia, 1787 letter to Peter Carr, 1803 letter to Joseph Priestley, 1803 letter to Benjamin Rush, 1813 letter to John Adams, 1816 letter to Charles Thomson, 1819 and 1820 letters to William Short, 1822 letter to Benjamin Waterhouse, 1826 letter to James Heaton. 4. Locke, <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7370/7370-h/7370-h.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Treatise of Government</a> and <a href="https://slaverylawpower.org/john-locke-letter-concerning-toleration/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Letter concerning Toleration</a> 5. Havel, <a href="https://hac.bard.edu/amor-mundi/the-power-of-the-powerless-vaclav-havel-2011-12-23" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“The Power of the Powerless”</a> 6. Manseau, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jefferson-Bible-Biography-Lives-Religious/dp/0691205698/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Jefferson Bible</a> Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahhinlickywilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Thomas Jefferson, Theologian

Sneak preview--or rather prehear--for Queen of the Sciences listeners! Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down  about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Kitty Abney, an 11-year-old about to learn some shocking news concerning her grandparents. And there is more yet to come...

Sneak preview--or rather prehear--for Queen of the Sciences listeners! <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/store" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to the serialization of my novel A-Tumblin' Down </a> about the lives, tragedies, and triumphs of a Lutheran pastor and his family in the late 1980s. On today's bonus episode, meet Kitty Abney, an 11-year-old about to learn some shocking news concerning her grandparents. And there is more yet to come...

A-Tumblin’ Down #1 of 4: Introducing Kitty Abney

Experience of God is all very well and good... until your experience is being afflicted by an evil spirit from the Lord. Especially after first being called to be the first king of Israel, and then having that calling revoked. And yet still being king while a new king has been anointed, this new king respecting your former kingship more than the Lord God Almighty. Yikes! In this episode, we explore the saga of King Saul, ask whether his story is one of tragedy or just deserts or something else, and whether and how to read the Old Testament's Saul in conversation with the New Testament Saul-also-known-as-Paul. Notes: 1. Here is the series of sermons on I Samuel that I preached last year 2. Murphy, I Samuel 3. Brueggemann, First and Second Samuel 4. Sign up here for Theology &amp; a Recipe—I’ll do an issue on the two Sauls later in 2022! (plus, you get all the other great issues in the meanwhile) Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on Patreon. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Experience of God is all very well and good... until your experience is being afflicted by an evil spirit from the Lord. Especially after first being called to be the first king of Israel, and then having that calling revoked. And yet still being king while a new king has been anointed, this new king respecting your former kingship more than the Lord God Almighty. Yikes! In this episode, we explore the saga of King Saul, ask whether his story is one of tragedy or just deserts or something else, and whether and how to read the Old Testament's Saul in conversation with the New Testament Saul-also-known-as-Paul. Notes: 1. Here is the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQuTngO0qmAcN8mHsEZ6vqA/search?query=I%20Samuel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">series of sermons on I Samuel</a> that I preached last year 2. Murphy, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Samuel-Brazos-Theological-Commentary-Bible/dp/1587431726/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I Samuel</a> 3. Brueggemann, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Second-Samuel-Interpretation-Commentary/dp/0804231087/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">First and Second Samuel</a> 4. <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology-a-recipe" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign up here for Theology &amp; a Recipe</a>—I’ll do an issue on the two Sauls later in 2022! (plus, you get all the other great issues in the meanwhile) Do you rejoice every other Tuesday to see a new Queen of the Sciences episode appear? Then consider supporting us on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/sarahhinlickywilson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. You can start at just $2 a month; more gets you swag. Or just pay us a visit at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

The Saul Saga

Conversations between a Theologian and Her Dad

I have really enjoyed listening to this podcast!  Thank you for continuing to develop excellent content for each episode.

Excellent Content

I love this podcast especially this last episode on Anselm! Great conversations between an insightful theologian and her dad. I have deep conversations with my two lovely daughters but not quite like this!

Good even for Methodists

Queen of the Sciences

Here's the first part of a two-part lecture on the distinction between law and gospel that I gave at the Johannelund School of Theology in Uppsala, Sweden, in October 2019. Don't forget to listen to the second part! More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Here's the first part of a two-part lecture on the distinction between law and gospel that I gave at the <a href="http://www.johannelund.nu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Johannelund School of Theology</a> in Uppsala, Sweden, in October 2019. Don't forget to listen to <a href="https://www.queenofthesciences.com/e/2019-bonus-episode-4-law-and-gospel-part-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the second part</a>! More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

2019 Bonus Episode 3: Law and Gospel, Part 1

Paul R. Hinlicky (aka Dad) presents "How the Holy Spirit Disappeared in Lutheranism" at the Braaten-Benne Lectures in Theology in Indianapolis on August 6, 2019.

Paul R. Hinlicky (aka Dad) presents "How the Holy Spirit Disappeared in Lutheranism" at the <a href="https://thenalc.org/2019-lutheran-week-archive/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Braaten-Benne Lectures in Theology</a> in Indianapolis on August 6, 2019.

2019 Bonus Episode 2: How the Holy Spirit Disappeared in Lutheranism

The Sermon on the Mount is the address by which Jesus makes us children of God, and tells us what that means for our words, bodies, and relationships... or does it? Can anyone actually live this way? Maybe it's just for the experts and the aspirational. Or maybe it's a clever rhetorical ploy to make us see our sin but doesn't actually place any claims on us. Any maybe it doesn't matter one way or another because the words are so familiar we can hardly even hear them anymore. Tune in for a refresher course on the most famous and influential sermon in all of human history. In other news, we're nearing the end of our first season! But don't worry, there will be some bonus episodes between now and when we resume in January 2020. In the meanwhile, drop us a line at our respective websites (see below) or leave a comment here to let us know what you liked and what you didn't, questions or follow-up, and suggestions for next season's topics. Also, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes (or Apple Podcasts as I guess we're supposed to call in now) and tell a friend about the show! Notes: 1. The Sermon on the Mount appears in Matthew 5–7; see also the Sermon on the Boat in Mark 4:1–34 and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17–49. 2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship 3. Thomas Jefferson, The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth 4. Some Anabaptist interpretations in Christianity and Revolution: Radical Christian Testimonies, 1520–1650 5. Martin Luther, Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount 6. I'll be giving a talk on the Sermon on the Mount at the June 2020 conference of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

The Sermon on the Mount is the address by which Jesus makes us children of God, and tells us what that means for our words, bodies, and relationships... or does it? Can anyone actually live this way? Maybe it's just for the experts and the aspirational. Or maybe it's a clever rhetorical ploy to make us see our sin but doesn't actually place any claims on us. Any maybe it doesn't matter one way or another because the words are so familiar we can hardly even hear them anymore. Tune in for a refresher course on the most famous and influential sermon in all of human history. In other news, we're nearing the end of our first season! But don't worry, there will be some bonus episodes between now and when we resume in January 2020. In the meanwhile, drop us a line at our respective websites (see below) or leave a comment here to let us know what you liked and what you didn't, questions or follow-up, and suggestions for next season's topics. Also, don't forget to leave us a review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/queen-of-the-sciences/id1450933835" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">iTunes</a> (or Apple Podcasts as I guess we're supposed to call in now) and tell a friend about the show! Notes: 1. The Sermon on the Mount appears in Matthew 5–7; see also the Sermon on the Boat in Mark 4:1–34 and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17–49. 2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Discipleship-Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Works-Vol/dp/0800683242/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=bonhoeffer+discipleship&amp;qid=1570691032&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discipleship</a> 3. Thomas Jefferson, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jefferson-Bible-Smithsonian-Morals-Nazareth/dp/158834312X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=jefferson+bible&amp;qid=1570691065&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth</a> 4. Some Anabaptist interpretations in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Christianity+and+revolution%3A+radical+Christian+testimonies+1520-1650&amp;i=stripbooks&amp;ref=nb_sb_noss" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christianity and Revolution: Radical Christian Testimonies, 1520–1650</a> 5. Martin Luther, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luthers-Works-Sermon-Magnificat-Concordia/dp/057006421X/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=martin+luther+sermon+mount&amp;qid=1570691127&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount</a> 6. I'll be giving a talk on the Sermon on the Mount at the June 2020 conference of the <a href="http://www.e-ccet.org/conferences/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology</a>. More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

The Sermon on the Mount

Who can or should get baptized, at what age, and how? Is baptism our work or God's work? How can you remember your baptism when you don't remember getting baptized—or how should you think about a baptism you do remember when you've fallen away from the faith and then returned? In this episode Dad and I try to move the conversation beyond petty legalisms of all kinds toward a strong teaching and practice of baptism with some real heft to it and prospects for ecumenical agreement to boot. No one can accuse us of aiming too low... 1. On liturgical renewal, see Aidan Kavanaugh, The Shape of Baptism. 2. For more on the difference between John’s baptism and Christian baptism, see my article “Water Baptism and Spirit Baptism in Luke-Acts: Another Reading of the Evidence.” More generally on the topic of baptism, see my article “Still Life with Baptism.” 3. The Greek word that means both “from above” and “again” in John 3:7 is ἄνωθεν (anōthen). 4. For Luther on baptism, see “Concerning Rebaptism” in Luther’s Works vol. 40 and the relevant section in the Large Catechism; note also his invocation of Deuteronomy in the Introduction to the Large Catechism: “And if this were not sufficient to admonish us to read the Catechism daily, yet we should feel sufficiently constrained by the command of God alone, who solemnly enjoins in Deut. 6:6ff that we should always meditate upon His precepts, sitting, walking, standing, lying down, and rising, and have them before our eyes and in our hands as a constant mark and sign.” 5. For more on worship in Luther’s Wittenberg, see Martin Brecht, Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation 1521–1532, chapter 7, pp. 251-292. 6. The Latin phrase ordo salutis means “order of salvation” and refers to the various schemas of the precise order in which the various stages of salvation have to take place. 7. For Dad on baptism, see Beloved Community, Chapter 3, pp. 19 –292. 8. Karl Barth discusses “indiscriminate infant baptism” in Church Dogmatics IV.4 pp. 1–39; see Dad's discussion of it in Beloved Community, 270–281. 9. Volkskirche means the “people’s church,” defined primarily by its relationship to the state and, in Nazi Germany, by ethnicity. Bekennende Kirche means “confessing church,” and refers to the protest community that Dietrich Bonhoeffer among others belonged to against a political and racial basis for church. 10. For Menno Simons, see Dad's Beloved Community, pp. 260-270. 11. Timothy George is the Dean of Beeson Divinity School and has done lots of great work to interpret the Reformation for American Baptists especially; see for example his book Theology of the Reformers. More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Who can or should get baptized, at what age, and how? Is baptism our work or God's work? How can you remember your baptism when you don't remember getting baptized—or how should you think about a baptism you do remember when you've fallen away from the faith and then returned? In this episode Dad and I try to move the conversation beyond petty legalisms of all kinds toward a strong teaching and practice of baptism with some real heft to it and prospects for ecumenical agreement to boot. No one can accuse us of aiming too low... 1. On liturgical renewal, see Aidan Kavanaugh, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Baptism-Christian-Initiation-Reformed/dp/0814660363/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=Aidan+Kavanaugh%2C+The+Shape+of+Baptism&amp;qid=1559944931&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmr0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Shape of Baptism</a>. 2. For more on the difference between John’s baptism and Christian baptism, see my article “<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eq4T6fIZwbjRMeHIvss7DIEL37DEzmHs/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Water Baptism and Spirit Baptism in Luke-Acts</a>: Another Reading of the Evidence.” More generally on the topic of baptism, see my article “<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58374b5629687ff9ecf3dc40/t/5bf0034b1ae6cf7a6949f3bc/1542456144992/LF2017-3_SHW_Still+Life+with+Baptism.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Still Life with Baptism</a>.” 3. The Greek word that means both “from above” and “again” in John 3:7 is ἄνωθεν (anōthen). 4. For Luther on baptism, see “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luthers-Works-40-Church-Ministry/dp/B000NK8Y32/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Luther%E2%80%99s+Works+vol.+40&amp;qid=1559615514&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Concerning Rebaptism</a>” in Luther’s Works vol. 40 and the relevant section in the <a href="http://bookofconcord.org/lc-6-baptism.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Large Catechism</a>; note also his invocation of Deuteronomy in the Introduction to the Large Catechism: “And if this were not sufficient to admonish us to read the Catechism daily, yet we should feel sufficiently constrained by the command of God alone, who solemnly enjoins in Deut. 6:6ff that we should always meditate upon His precepts, sitting, walking, standing, lying down, and rising, and have them before our eyes and in our hands as a constant mark and sign.” 5. For more on worship in Luther’s Wittenberg, see Martin Brecht, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Defining-Reformation-1521-1532/dp/0800624637/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Martin+Brecht%2C+Martin+Luther%3A+Shaping+and+Defining+the+Reformation&amp;qid=1559944982&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Martin Luther: Shaping and Defining the Reformation 1521–1532</a>, chapter 7, pp. 251-292. 6. The Latin phrase ordo salutis means “order of salvation” and refers to the various schemas of the precise order in which the various stages of salvation have to take place. 7. For Dad on baptism, see <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1559945021&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a>, Chapter 3, pp. 19 –292. 8. Karl Barth discusses “indiscriminate infant baptism” in Church Dogmatics IV.4 pp. 1–39; see Dad's discussion of it in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1559945021&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a>, 270–281. 9. Volkskirche means the “people’s church,” defined primarily by its relationship to the state and, in Nazi Germany, by ethnicity. Bekennende Kirche means “confessing church,” and refers to the protest community that Dietrich Bonhoeffer among others belonged to against a political and racial basis for church. 10. For Menno Simons, see Dad's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1559945021&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a>, pp. 260-270. 11. Timothy George is the Dean of Beeson Divinity School and has done lots of great work to interpret the Reformation for American Baptists especially; see for example his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theology-Reformers-Timothy-George/dp/0805401954/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=timothy+george&amp;qid=1559615647&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Theology of the Reformers</a>. More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Baptism, Infant and Otherwise

It's the championship fight! Just kidding. It's just the opposite, in fact—an exhortation to the warm embrace of both Testaments by Christians and how they mutually illuminate one another. In this episode we look at all the ways Christians have done the Old Testament wrong—and man, they are legion—en route to commending a more excellent way. We tackle outright rejection of the OT, artificially forcing the OT to say things Christians want it to say, and even piously keeping hands off out of respect for Jewish believers. But how to get it right? Have a listen! Notes 1. On gnosticism and docetism, see Dad’s book Divine Complexity, chapters 2 and 3. 2. Some of my reflections on the problems in the Christian relationship to the Old Testament are in this article “The Top Ten Reasons the Lectionary Sucks and Five Half-Assed Solutions” and in my review of Luther’s Jews by Thomas Kaufmann. 3. Donald H. Juel, Messianic Exegesis. 4. For commentary on the New Perspective on Paul, see Dad’s book Luther and the Beloved Community, chapter 7. 5. For a critique of 19th-century progressivist history of religions theories, see Dad’s Between Humanist Philosophy and Apocalyptic Theology, chapter 1. 6. Harnack, Marcion: The Gospel of the Alien God. 7. Neusner, Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity. 8. Lincoln, Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural. 9. Richard Lischer talks about Martin Luther King’s use of Scripture in The Preacher King. 10. Deanna Thompson, Deuteronomy. 11. Jenson, Ezekiel. 12. Ephraim Radner, Time and The Word 13. Martin Luther, “How Christians Should Regard Moses” and “A Brief Instruction on What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels,” both in Luther’s Works vol. 35. More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

It's the championship fight! Just kidding. It's just the opposite, in fact—an exhortation to the warm embrace of both Testaments by Christians and how they mutually illuminate one another. In this episode we look at all the ways Christians have done the Old Testament wrong—and man, they are legion—en route to commending a more excellent way. We tackle outright rejection of the OT, artificially forcing the OT to say things Christians want it to say, and even piously keeping hands off out of respect for Jewish believers. But how to get it right? Have a listen! Notes 1. On gnosticism and docetism, see Dad’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Complexity-Rise-Creedal-Christianity/dp/0800696697/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=divine+complexity+hinlicky&amp;qid=1557307651&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Divine Complexity</a>, chapters 2 and 3. 2. Some of my reflections on the problems in the Christian relationship to the Old Testament are in this article “<a href="https://www.mbird.com/2019/04/the-top-ten-reasons-the-lectionary-sucks-and-five-half-assed-solutions/?shared=email&amp;msg=fail" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Top Ten Reasons the Lectionary Sucks and Five Half-Assed Solutions</a>” and in my review of <a href="https://www.lutheranforum.com/blog/review-of-luthers-jews-by-thomas-kaufmann" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Luther’s Jews</a> by Thomas Kaufmann. 3. Donald H. Juel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Messianic-Exegesis-Christological-Interpretation-Christianity/dp/0800608402/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=donald+h+juel&amp;qid=1556870627&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Messianic Exegesis</a>. 4. For commentary on the New Perspective on Paul, see Dad’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luther-Beloved-Community-Christian-Christendom/dp/0802864929/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=luther+beloved+community+hinlicky&amp;qid=1557307768&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Luther and the Beloved Community</a>, chapter 7. 5. For a critique of 19th-century progressivist history of religions theories, see Dad’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Between-Humanist-Philosophy-Apocalyptic-Theology/dp/0567660184/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Between+Humanist+Philosophy+and+Apocalyptic+Theology+hinlicky&amp;qid=1557307838&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Between Humanist Philosophy and Apocalyptic Theology</a>, chapter 1. 6. Harnack, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Marcion-Gospel-Adolf-von-Harnack/dp/0939464160/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=harnack+gospel+alien+god&amp;qid=1557307867&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-spell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marcion: The Gospel of the Alien God</a>. 7. Neusner, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Judaism-Beginning-Christianity-Jacob-Neusner/dp/0800617509/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=neusner+Judaism+in+the+Beginning+of+Christianity&amp;qid=1557307923&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Judaism in the Beginning of Christianity</a>. 8. Lincoln, <a href="http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gettysburg Address</a> and <a href="http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/lincoln2.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Inaugural</a>. 9. Richard Lischer talks about Martin Luther King’s use of Scripture in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Preacher-King-Martin-Luther-America/dp/B0026QS3PU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lischer+preacher+king&amp;qid=1557307946&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Preacher King</a>. 10. Deanna Thompson, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deuteronomy-Theological-Commentary-Bible-Belief/dp/0664233430/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=2FK3EG8EV2BDM&amp;keywords=deanna+thompson+deuteronomy&amp;qid=1556870752&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=deanna+thompson+%2Cstripbooks%2C465&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Deuteronomy</a>. 11. Jenson, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ezekiel-Brazos-Theological-Commentary-Bible/dp/1587431661/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jenson+ezekiel&amp;qid=1556870771&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ezekiel</a>. 12. Ephraim Radner, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Time-Word-Figural-Christian-Scriptures/dp/0802872204/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ephraim+radner+time+and+the+word&amp;qid=1560997319&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Time and The Word</a> 13. Martin Luther, “How Christians Should Regard Moses” and “A Brief Instruction on What to Look for and Expect in the Gospels,” both in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luthers-Works-35-Sacrament-Augsburg/dp/0800603354/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=luther%27s+works+35&amp;qid=1556870921&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Luther’s Works vol. 35</a>. More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

The Relationship between the Old and New Testaments

Oh, wait, there's a third member of the Trinity! In this episode we shower a little love on the much-neglected Holy Spirit, following the story of how the Christian doctrine of the Trinity parted company from the Neoplatonic Triad, and why the issue at stake is not just the Spirit's divinity but the Spirit's personhood. But this personal divine Spirit is also holy—suggesting that there are spirits that are unholy. Who and what are they, how should we think about them, and what does that mean for Christian ministry here and around the world? Notes: 1. Although we say Platonism and Neoplatonism, the really important philosophical figure here is not Plato but Plotinus. Read his Enneads here. 2. Our favorite book on Neoplatonism and its persistence in Western culture is Lovejoy's The Great Chain of Being 3. For more on the development of trinitarian doctrine regarding the Holy Spirit, see Dad's Beloved Community, ch. 4, and on demonology, see ch. 4 of The Substance of the Faith. 4. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit 5. On Beelzebul and the unforgivable sin, Mark 3:22–30 6. Two books to introduce you to exorcism and healing ministry in Madagascar are Rich's The Fifohazana and Bennett's I Am Not Afraid. 7. Here's something I've written on prosperity gospel and another piece on preaching the Trinity. 8. Luther, Small Catechism, 3rd article of the Creed on the Holy Spirit More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Oh, wait, there's a third member of the Trinity! In this episode we shower a little love on the much-neglected Holy Spirit, following the story of how the Christian doctrine of the Trinity parted company from the Neoplatonic Triad, and why the issue at stake is not just the Spirit's divinity but the Spirit's personhood. But this personal divine Spirit is also holy—suggesting that there are spirits that are unholy. Who and what are they, how should we think about them, and what does that mean for Christian ministry here and around the world? Notes: 1. Although we say Platonism and Neoplatonism, the really important philosophical figure here is not Plato but Plotinus. Read his Enneads <a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Plotinus/enneads.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. 2. Our favorite book on Neoplatonism and its persistence in Western culture is Lovejoy's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Great-Chain-Being-Study-History/dp/0674361539/ref=sr_1_1?crid=129JBBOZ6X6LN&amp;keywords=lovejoy+great+chain+of+being&amp;qid=1562789959&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=lovejoy+great+chain+%2Cstripbooks%2C124&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Great Chain of Being</a> 3. For more on the development of trinitarian doctrine regarding the Holy Spirit, see Dad's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RE8I8DJ0Q8KH&amp;keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1562790043&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=hinlicky+belo%2Cstripbooks%2C129&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a>, ch. 4, and on demonology, see ch. 4 of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Substance-Faith-Luthers-Doctrinal-Theology/dp/B002SG6WBK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hinlicky+substance+of+the+faith&amp;qid=1562790087&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1#reader_B002SG6WBK" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Substance of the Faith</a>. 4. Basil the Great, <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf208.vii.i.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">On the Holy Spirit</a> 5. On Beelzebul and the unforgivable sin, Mark 3:22–30 6. Two books to introduce you to exorcism and healing ministry in Madagascar are Rich's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fifohazana-Madagascars-Indigenous-Christian-Movement/dp/1604975814/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=fifohazana&amp;qid=1562790275&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fifohazana</a> and Bennett's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0758641982/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I Am Not Afraid</a>. 7. Here's something I've written on <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58374b5629687ff9ecf3dc40/t/5bf0042c88251b677dea32cb/1542456368610/LF2014-3_SHW_Prosperity.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">prosperity gospel</a> and another piece on <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58374b5629687ff9ecf3dc40/t/5bf00568562fa782870372b2/1542456684957/LF2010-1_SHW_Preaching+the+Trinity.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">preaching the Trinity</a>. 8. Luther, Small Catechism, <a href="http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php#creed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3rd article of the Creed on the Holy Spirit</a> More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Spirits, Holy and Otherwise

Dad gave this talk, "Struck Down But Not Destroyed," at the 2019 conference of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology on the theme "What's the Good of Humanity?" More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Dad gave this talk, "Struck Down But Not Destroyed," at the 2019 conference of the <a href="http://www.e-ccet.org/conferences/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology</a> on the theme "What's the Good of Humanity?" More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

2019 Bonus Episode 1: Struck Down But Not Destroyed

In this episode I give voice to my cri de coeur that argumentation, debate, and even discussion have been ruled out of court by the present cultural currents, which reduce us to disputing sources instead of drawing out implications of facts, and in which every witness reads as either will-to-power or advertising. Who shall rescue us from this mind of death and how? Does reason need faith's help nowadays? If so, how can we bring it to bear in civil contexts where we cannot presume, much less impose, convictions of faith? Dad advises epistemological humility and interpersonal charity—easier said than done. Follow our conversation if you too are wondering how on earth to say anything anymore. 1. Tertullian is attributed with the expression credo quia absurdum, but on investigation I found out that he didn’t really say it quite like that. 2. Anselm did actually say fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding) in his Proslogion. Whew! 3. Not quite sure about Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” But a good line, whoever said it first. 4. Reinhold Niebuhr discusses the limitation of the social sciences in The Nature and Destiny of Man 5. Arnold Kling, The Three Languages of Politics 6. Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil 7. Gilles Deleuze, Nietzsche and Philosophy 8. Plato talks about how lousy a form of knowledge pistis (faith) is in The Republic 9. For Bonhoeffer's discussion of reason and faith in his Ethics, see pp. 339–341 of this edition, and the opening chapter for more on God’s love for the world. 10. Thomas Aquinas’s insistence on treating your opponent’s argument with charity and understanding is exemplified in the formal method of disputation he employs; see pretty much anything in his Summa Theologiae 11. “Hinlicky’s Law” paraphrases this into a hermeneutical rule: “You are not permitted to criticize until you can restate an opponent’s position with such sympathy and insight that, were your opponent present, she would exclaim, ‘That’s it! I couldn’t have said it better myself!’ Then and only then may you criticize because then and only then are you dealing with the real thing, not a convenient fiction of your own imagination.” 12. Michelle Obama is the first lady who said: “When they go low, we go high.” (See everywhere on the internet.) 13. The Martyrdom of Polycarp 14. For Luther on pacifism and civil resistance, see my article “Martin Luther, Pacifist?” 15. See Dad’s Beloved Community pp. 42–55 for more on the ubiquity of believing in human reason and pp. 82-84 on the tripartite form of knowledge with subject, object, and audience. 16. President Lincoln spoke most famously and eloquently about the cost of slavery extracted by the war from white Americans in his Second Inaugural Address. 17. Michael Rectenwald, Springtime for Snowflakes 18. For Kant on the subject-object split, see Frederick Beiser, The Fate of Reason 19. Auguste Comte, Introduction to Positive Philosophy 20. Charles Saunders Peirce, "How to Make Our Ideas Clear" 21. For more on the denominational competitiveness lurking behind theories of church history, see my article “Beggars All: A Lutheran View of the 2017 Reformation Anniversary,” in Remembering the Reformation More about us at www.sarahhinlickywilson.com and www.paulhinlicky.com!

In this episode I give voice to my cri de coeur that argumentation, debate, and even discussion have been ruled out of court by the present cultural currents, which reduce us to disputing sources instead of drawing out implications of facts, and in which every witness reads as either will-to-power or advertising. Who shall rescue us from this mind of death and how? Does reason need faith's help nowadays? If so, how can we bring it to bear in civil contexts where we cannot presume, much less impose, convictions of faith? Dad advises epistemological humility and interpersonal charity—easier said than done. Follow our conversation if you too are wondering how on earth to say anything anymore. 1. Tertullian is attributed with the expression credo quia absurdum, but on investigation I found out that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credo_quia_absurdum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">he didn’t really say it quite like that</a>. 2. Anselm did actually say fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding) in his <a href="https://www.ccel.org/ccel/anselm/basic_works.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Proslogion</a>. Whew! 3. Not quite sure about Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s “<a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Daniel_Patrick_Moynihan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts</a>.” But a good line, whoever said it first. 4. Reinhold Niebuhr discusses the limitation of the social sciences in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Destiny-Man-Christian-Interpretation/dp/0664257097/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G0QL2BFFGIKG&amp;keywords=niebuhr+nature+destiny&amp;qid=1565257396&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=niebuhr+nature+%2Cstripbooks%2C335&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Nature and Destiny of Man</a> 5. Arnold Kling, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Three-Languages-Politics-Talking-Political/dp/1944424466/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2P7ESERIJ2IYR&amp;keywords=the+three+languages+of+politics+by+arnold+kling&amp;qid=1563566607&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=kling+three+lan%2Cstripbooks%2C303&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Three Languages of Politics</a> 6. Nietzsche, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Good-Evil-Prelude-Philosophy/dp/0679724656/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3D0UG4AD64NCQ&amp;keywords=nietzsche+beyond+good+and+evil&amp;qid=1563566641&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=nietzsche+beyond+good+and%2Cstripbooks%2C494&amp;sr=1-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beyond Good and Evil</a> 7. Gilles Deleuze, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nietzsche-Philosophy-Columbia-Classics/dp/0231056699/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Gilles+Deleuze%2C+Nietzsche+and+Philosophy&amp;qid=1565257431&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nietzsche and Philosophy</a> 8. Plato talks about how lousy a form of knowledge pistis (faith) is in <a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Republic</a> 9. For Bonhoeffer's discussion of reason and faith in his Ethics, see pp. 339–341 of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ethics-Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Works-Vol/dp/0800683064/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=bonhoeffer+ethics&amp;qid=1563566738&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this edition</a>, and the opening chapter for more on God’s love for the world. 10. Thomas Aquinas’s insistence on treating your opponent’s argument with charity and understanding is exemplified in the formal method of disputation he employs; see pretty much anything in his <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/summa/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summa Theologiae</a> 11. “Hinlicky’s Law” paraphrases this into a hermeneutical rule: “You are not permitted to criticize until you can restate an opponent’s position with such sympathy and insight that, were your opponent present, she would exclaim, ‘That’s it! I couldn’t have said it better myself!’ Then and only then may you criticize because then and only then are you dealing with the real thing, not a convenient fiction of your own imagination.” 12. Michelle Obama is the first lady who said: “When they go low, we go high.” (See everywhere on the internet.) 13. <a href="https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.iv.iv.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Martyrdom of Polycarp</a> 14. For Luther on pacifism and civil resistance, see my article “<a href="https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/nonviolence/martin-luther-pacifist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Martin Luther, Pacifist</a>?” 15. See Dad’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RXQBZ1SWZAK4&amp;keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1565304741&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=hinlicky+beloved+%2Cstripbooks%2C301&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a> pp. 42–55 for more on the ubiquity of believing in human reason and pp. 82-84 on the tripartite form of knowledge with subject, object, and audience. 16. President Lincoln spoke most famously and eloquently about the cost of slavery extracted by the war from white Americans in his <a href="https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/lincoln-second-inaugural.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Inaugural Address</a>. 17. Michael Rectenwald, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Springtime-Snowflakes-Justice-Postmodern-Parentage/dp/1943003181/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4N9POWFIEJLX&amp;keywords=springtime+for+snowflakes&amp;qid=1563567185&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=springtime+for+snow%2Cstripbooks%2C295&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Springtime for Snowflakes</a> 18. For Kant on the subject-object split, see Frederick Beiser, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fate-Reason-German-Philosophy-Fichte/dp/067429503X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Frederick+Beiser%2C+The+Fate+of+Reason&amp;qid=1565304818&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fate of Reason</a> 19. Auguste Comte, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Positive-Philosophy-Hackett-Classics/dp/0872200507/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=comte+positive+philosophy&amp;qid=1565304855&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Introduction to Positive Philosophy</a> 20. Charles Saunders Peirce, "<a href="http://www.peirce.org/writings/p119.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to Make Our Ideas Clear</a>" 21. For more on the denominational competitiveness lurking behind theories of church history, see my article “Beggars All: A Lutheran View of the 2017 Reformation Anniversary,” in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Reformation-Commemorate-Celebrate-Ecclesia/dp/1532616686/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Remembering+the+Reformation+root+buckley&amp;qid=1563567516&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Remembering the Reformation</a> More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/books" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.paulhinlicky.com</a>!

Faith to the Aid of Reason

As theologian Alfred Loisy once quipped, "Jesus came proclaiming the Kingdom, and what arrived was the Church." If nothing else gets people excited about theology, talk about the church usually does—though not always in a good way. The Nicene Creed's description of the church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic" seems more an exercise in wishful thinking than anything else. Is the church a betrayal of Christianity or its proper expression? If the latter, what is the right expression of that expression? Does the church sin or only its members? Can you be a Christian without the church? After wading through a lot of ecclesiological pain, Dad and I conclude this episode with a testimony as to why we continue to "go to church." Notes: 1. Healing Memories: Reconciling in Christ: Report of the Lutheran-Mennonite International Study Commission 2. A title so nice Dad used it twice: Luther and the Beloved Community (2010) and Beloved Community (2015) 3. Josiah Royce discusses "beloved community" in The Problem of Christianity 4. Tillich discusses "spiritual community" in vol. 3 of his Systematic Theology 5. Augustine, The City of God 6. Andy Crouch talks about singing involving love of God with heart, mind, soul, and strength in The Tech-Wise Family 8. Though I didn't mention it on the show, Charles Williams wrote a remarkable novel on the possibility of Christians bearing one another's burdens through time, Descent into Hell.

As theologian Alfred Loisy once quipped, "Jesus came proclaiming the Kingdom, and what arrived was the Church." If nothing else gets people excited about theology, talk about the church usually does—though not always in a good way. The Nicene Creed's description of the church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic" seems more an exercise in wishful thinking than anything else. Is the church a betrayal of Christianity or its proper expression? If the latter, what is the right expression of that expression? Does the church sin or only its members? Can you be a Christian without the church? After wading through a lot of ecclesiological pain, Dad and I conclude this episode with a testimony as to why we continue to "go to church." Notes: 1. <a href="https://www.lutheranworld.org/content/resource-healing-memories-reconciling-christ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healing Memories</a>: Reconciling in Christ: Report of the Lutheran-Mennonite International Study Commission 2. A title so nice Dad used it twice: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luther-Beloved-Community-Christian-Christendom/dp/0802864929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hinlicky+luther+beloved+community&amp;qid=1562790715&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Luther and the Beloved Community</a> (2010) and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/135-5623247-5847959?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=0802869351&amp;pd_rd_r=c42f6671-a351-11e9-bd3f-4b85b1506dc1&amp;pd_rd_w=G4K9B&amp;pd_rd_wg=ZAZBi&amp;pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&amp;pf_rd_r=61N84EB3BHXHX5VNWJ50&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=61N84EB3BHXHX5VNWJ50" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a> (2015) 3. Josiah Royce discusses "beloved community" in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Problem-Christianity-introduction-Frank-Oppenheim/dp/0813210720/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=josiah+royce+problem+christianity&amp;qid=1562790760&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Problem of Christianity</a> 4. Tillich discusses "spiritual community" in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Systematic-Theology-vol-History-Kingdom/dp/0226803392/ref=sr_1_4?crid=38EUASFGGPJNC&amp;keywords=tillich+systematic+theology&amp;qid=1562790795&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=tillich+syst%2Cstripbooks%2C123&amp;sr=1-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">vol. 3 of his Systematic Theology</a> 5. Augustine, <a href="https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102.iv.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The City of God</a> 6. Andy Crouch talks about singing involving love of God with heart, mind, soul, and strength in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Wise-Family-Everyday-Putting-Technology/dp/0801018668/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=crouch+tech+wise+family&amp;qid=1562790821&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Tech-Wise Family</a> 8. Though I didn't mention it on the show, Charles Williams wrote a remarkable novel on the possibility of Christians bearing one another's burdens through time, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Descent-into-Hell-Charles-Williams/dp/0802812201/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1GO05J0LVPN3P&amp;keywords=descent+into+hell+charles+williams&amp;qid=1563487438&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=descent+into+hell+charles%2Cstripbooks%2C295&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Descent into Hell</a>.

One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church: The Worst Thing in the Best Words

Here's the second of two lectures on the distinction between law and gospel that I gave at the Johannelund School of Theology in Uppsala, Sweden, in October 2019. More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Here's the second of two lectures on the distinction between law and gospel that I gave at the <a href="http://www.johannelund.nu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Johannelund School of Theology</a> in Uppsala, Sweden, in October 2019. More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

2019 Bonus Episode 4: Law and Gospel, Part 2

In this episode we revisit the early church, earlier even than Athanasius in fact, to gaze upon the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas... only to discover Perpetua gazing right back at us, with an unbearable intensity. This early martyr story is extraordinary and powerful in its own right, but it also touches on a lot of neuralgic issues for our society today, and ultimately confounds all our attempts to claim any identity for ourselves than the one Perpetua claimed: christiana. In other news, we're nearing the end of our first season! Drop us a line or leave a comment here to let us know what you liked and what you didn't, questions or follow-up, and suggestions for next season's topics. Also, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes (or Apple Podcasts as I guess we're supposed to call in now) and tell a friend about the show! 1. The Passion of the Holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas 2. Dad talks about this story in Beloved Community, pp. 87–93 3. Karl Barth said Nein! (“no”) originally to natural theology (and Emil Brunner), but you can borrow it whenever heresy rears its ugly head. 4. For more on the theological evaluation of Montanism and how Perpetua, Felicitas, and Tertullian fit into the story, see Cecil M. Robeck’s Prophecy in Carthage. 5. “He descended into hell” appears in the Apostles’ Creed, the Latin of which is uncertain: either ad infernos (“to hell”) or ad inferos (“to the underworld”). The idea draws on I Peter 3:18–20: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.” 6. For more on the sacrificed children in Carthage, see Jon D. Levenson’s The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son (highly recommended anyway—a phenomenal book) 7. Augustine’s three sermons on the feast day of Perpetua and Felicitas 8. You can get a summary by Elizabeth A. Goodine of contemporary academic studies on Perpetua at the World Religions and Spirituality site. 9. Sojourner Truth, “Ain’t I a Woman?” 10. J. Louis Martyn in his commentary on Galatians 3:28 translates the clause “there is no ‘male and female’” (and rather than or). He argues that the author of the formula (possibly not Paul) drew upon Genesis 1:27, thereby saying that “in baptism the structure of the original creation had been set aside” (p. 376). More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

In this episode we revisit the early church, earlier even than <a href="https://www.queenofthesciences.com/e/athanasius-against-the-world/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athanasius</a> in fact, to gaze upon the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas... only to discover Perpetua gazing right back at us, with an unbearable intensity. This early martyr story is extraordinary and powerful in its own right, but it also touches on a lot of neuralgic issues for our society today, and ultimately confounds all our attempts to claim any identity for ourselves than the one Perpetua claimed: christiana. In other news, we're nearing the end of our first season! Drop us a line or leave a comment here to let us know what you liked and what you didn't, questions or follow-up, and suggestions for next season's topics. Also, don't forget to leave us a review on iTunes (or Apple Podcasts as I guess we're supposed to call in now) and tell a friend about the show! 1. <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf03.vi.vi.ii.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Passion of the Holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas</a> 2. Dad talks about this story in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1WK7ZEO6PR03D&amp;keywords=hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1567908002&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=hinlicky+beloved%2Cstripbooks%2C-1&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a>, pp. 87–93 3. Karl Barth said Nein! (“no”) originally to natural theology (and Emil Brunner), but you can borrow it whenever heresy rears its ugly head. 4. For more on the theological evaluation of Montanism and how Perpetua, Felicitas, and Tertullian fit into the story, see Cecil M. Robeck’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Carthage-Perpetua-Tertullian-Cyprian/dp/0829809244/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cecil+robeck&amp;qid=1567877086&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Prophecy in Carthage</a>. 5. “He descended into hell” appears in the Apostles’ Creed, the Latin of which is uncertain: either ad infernos (“to hell”) or ad inferos (“to the underworld”). The idea draws on I Peter 3:18–20: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.” 6. For more on the sacrificed children in Carthage, see Jon D. Levenson’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Resurrection-Beloved-Son-Transformation/dp/B01FEOKJPC/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Death+and+Resurrection+of+the+Beloved+Son&amp;qid=1567877299&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Death and Resurrection of the Beloved Son</a> (highly recommended anyway—a phenomenal book) 7. Augustine’s <a href="http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/allan.fitzgerald/Ser280-2.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">three sermons on the feast day</a> of Perpetua and Felicitas 8. You can get a summary by Elizabeth A. Goodine of contemporary academic studies on Perpetua at the <a href="https://wrldrels.org/2019/03/29/15737/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">World Religions and Spirituality site</a>. 9. Sojourner Truth, “<a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/sojourner-truth.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ain’t I a Woman?</a>” 10. J. Louis Martyn in his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Galatians-Anchor-Yale-Bible-Commentaries/dp/0300139853/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=louis+martyn+galatians&amp;qid=1567908195&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">commentary</a> on Galatians 3:28 translates the clause “there is no ‘male and female’” (and rather than or). He argues that the author of the formula (possibly not Paul) drew upon Genesis 1:27, thereby saying that “in baptism the structure of the original creation had been set aside” (p. 376). More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas

Usually, when a person asks what or who makes for a person, it's to dehumanize some person or group of persons. Our intention in this episode is to head in the opposite direction. Dad takes us on a worldwind tour of Western civilization (which, frankly, he often does) to see that what counts as personhood or humanity has been under dispute from the get-go and continues to be disputed up to this very day. Meanwhile, I explore the striking fact that, in the doctrine of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are called "persons"—coincidence or not? (Not.) What does trinitarian personhood imply about human personhood? And could a robust nature-person distinction actually solve all the besetting problems of the modern world?! 1. Locus classicus = classical location or point, namely the verse of Scripture that is the foundation for a doctrine. For imago dei ( = image of God), it’s Genesis 1:26–28; see also Genesis 9:6. 2. The Mesopotamian creation epic is Enuma Elish 3. Plato records Socrates’ attempt to die without the interference of hysterical women in Phaedo 4. The things I’ve written mentioned in this episode are: “Blessed Are the Barren” and Woman, Women, and the Priesthood in the Trinitarian Theology of Elisabeth Behr-Sigel 5. Dad discusses Leibniz vs. Voltaire &amp; Spinoza in Paths Not Taken 6. John Locke, Second Treatise of Government 7. Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence 8. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan 9. For more on the Lincoln-Douglas debates, see Harry V. Jaffa, A New Birth Of Freedom: Abraham Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War 10. In this episode we both said that US law granted that enslaved Africans could be counted as 2/3 of a human in the census, but the actual number was 3/5 of a human (which is even less than what we remembered). Let us state for the record that all persons of African descent are 100% human. 11. Vladimir Lossky, In the Image and Likeness of God 12. Plato discusses the Forms in The Republic 13. Aristotle theorizes about “natural slaves” in Politics 14. Fritz Oehlschlaeger, Procreative Ethics 15. René Descartes ruined everything with his mind/thing distinction in Meditations On First Philosophy 16. Luther, Disputation against Scholastic Theology 17. Here’s the extraordinary story of the paralyzed man 18. "Leiblichkeit ist das Ende der Werke Gottes" (Bodiliness is the goal of the work of God) —Friedrich Christoph Oetinger More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Usually, when a person asks what or who makes for a person, it's to dehumanize some person or group of persons. Our intention in this episode is to head in the opposite direction. Dad takes us on a worldwind tour of Western civilization (which, frankly, he often does) to see that what counts as personhood or humanity has been under dispute from the get-go and continues to be disputed up to this very day. Meanwhile, I explore the striking fact that, in the doctrine of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are called "persons"—coincidence or not? (Not.) What does trinitarian personhood imply about human personhood? And could a robust nature-person distinction actually solve all the besetting problems of the modern world?! 1. Locus classicus = classical location or point, namely the verse of Scripture that is the foundation for a doctrine. For imago dei ( = image of God), it’s Genesis 1:26–28; see also Genesis 9:6. 2. The Mesopotamian creation epic is <a href="https://www.ancient.eu/article/225/enuma-elish---the-babylonian-epic-of-creation---fu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Enuma Elish</a> 3. Plato records Socrates’ attempt to die without the interference of hysterical women in <a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/phaedo.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Phaedo</a> 4. The things I’ve written mentioned in this episode are: “<a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/december/21.22.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blessed Are the Barren</a>” and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Priesthood-Trinitarian-Theology-Elisabeth-Behr-Sigel/dp/0567662497/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Woman%2C+Women%2C+and+the+Priesthood+in+the+Trinitarian+Theology+of+Elisabeth+Behr-Sigel&amp;qid=1567830327&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Woman, Women, and the Priesthood in the Trinitarian Theology of Elisabeth Behr-Sigel</a> 5. Dad discusses Leibniz vs. Voltaire &amp; Spinoza in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paths-Not-Taken-Theology-through-ebook/dp/B003980GDG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=paths+not+taken+hinlicky&amp;qid=1567830356&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paths Not Taken</a> 6. John Locke, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Treatise-Government-Concerning-Toleration-Editions/dp/0486424642/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ohn+Locke%2C+Second+Treatise+on+Government&amp;qid=1567830378&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2-spell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Second Treatise of Government</a> 7. Thomas Jefferson, <a href="https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-s-three-greatest-achievements/the-declaration/transcript-of-the-declaration/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Declaration of Independence</a> 8. Thomas Hobbes, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Thomas-Hobbes/dp/1463649932" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Leviathan</a> 9. For more on the Lincoln-Douglas debates, see Harry V. Jaffa, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Birth-Freedom-Harry-Jaffa/dp/1538114321/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Harry+V.+Jaffa%2C+A+New+Birth+Of+Freedom&amp;qid=1567861126&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A New Birth Of Freedom: Abraham Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War</a> 10. In this episode we both said that US law granted that enslaved Africans could be counted as 2/3 of a human in the census, but the actual number was 3/5 of a human (which is even less than what we remembered). Let us state for the record that all persons of African descent are 100% human. 11. Vladimir Lossky, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Image-Likeness-God-English-French/dp/0913836133/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Vladimir+Lossky%2C+In+the+Image+and+Likeness+of+God&amp;qid=1567830510&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In the Image and Likeness of God</a> 12. Plato discusses the Forms in <a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Republic</a> 13. Aristotle theorizes about “natural slaves” in <a href="http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.1.one.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Politics</a> 14. Fritz Oehlschlaeger, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Procreative-Ethics-Philosophical-Christian-Approaches/dp/1606082302/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Procreative+Ethics&amp;qid=1567830765&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Procreative Ethics</a> 15. René Descartes ruined everything with his mind/thing distinction in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Meditations-First-Philosophy-Hackett-Classics/dp/0872201929/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Meditations+On+First+Philosophy&amp;qid=1567861150&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Meditations On First Philosophy</a> 16. Luther, <a href="http://courses.washington.edu/hsteu402/Luther%20against%20scholastic%20philosophy.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disputation against Scholastic Theology</a> 17. Here’s the <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/june/martin-pistorius-trapped-inside-my-own-body-for-12-years.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">extraordinary story of the paralyzed man</a> 18. "Leiblichkeit ist das Ende der Werke Gottes" (Bodiliness is the goal of the work of God) —Friedrich Christoph Oetinger More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/theology/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

What Is a Person?

Why only two-thirds? In this episode we look at a specific aspect of the immensely complex literary work known as the Acts of the Apostles: namely, the Holy Spirit’s gathering in of all human communities that have been estranged from God. The story begins with the Spirit’s gathering of the Jews, moves on to Samaritans and proselytes, then Gentiles in the form of Cornelius the centurion… at which point you might think all the possibilities have been covered. But wait! There’s one more group. Any guesses? You’d have to read Luke-Acts pretty closely to figure it out. Or you could just listen and we’ll give away the answer for free. Notes: 1. Ernst Haenchen, The Acts of the Apostles 2. “Wie es eigentlich gewesen ist” (or sometimes "wie es eigentlich geschehen ist"): Dad quoted this bit of German, which means “how it actually was/happened,” as the ideal to which the discipline of history aspires. 3. Oscar Cullmann, Christ and Time 4. Hans Conzelman, Acts of the Apostles 5. Krister Stendahl, Paul among Jews and Gentiles 6. Ernst Käsemann, Perspectives on Paul 7. Joseph Fitzmyer, The Acts of the Apostles 8. Cheryl Peterson, Who Is the Church? 9. Paul R. Hinlicky, Beloved Community (see especially pp. 348–355 where he talks about Peterson’s book) 10. The Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg undertakes scholarly and dialogue work with other Christian churches on behalf of the world’s Lutherans. I worked there for 7½ years and continue as a Visiting Professor. For resources specifically on Lutheran-Pentecostal dialogue, take a look here, or check out my book, A Guide to Pentecostal Movements for Lutherans. 11. We talked briefly about the difference between “apocalyptic” and “salvation history.” For more about this, see Lutheran and the Beloved Community, ch. 7. 12. Pentecost = Shavuot in the Jewish tradition. 13. Troy Troftgruben is my Acts guru and teaches at Wartburg Theological Seminary. He’s working on a book on Acts… we’ll let you know as soon as it’s out! In the meanwhile, check out his book Rooted and Renewing. 14. Sarah Ruden, Paul among the People 15. For more on this topic generally, see my articles “The Second Pentecost” and “The Acts of St. Alban’s in Strasbourg.” More about us at sarahhinlickywilson.com and paulhinlicky.com!

Why only two-thirds? In this episode we look at a specific aspect of the immensely complex literary work known as the Acts of the Apostles: namely, the Holy Spirit’s gathering in of all human communities that have been estranged from God. The story begins with the Spirit’s gathering of the Jews, moves on to Samaritans and proselytes, then Gentiles in the form of Cornelius the centurion… at which point you might think all the possibilities have been covered. But wait! There’s one more group. Any guesses? You’d have to read Luke-Acts pretty closely to figure it out. Or you could just listen and we’ll give away the answer for free. Notes: 1. Ernst Haenchen, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Acts-Apostles-Commentary-English-German/dp/066420919X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Ernst+Haenchen+acts&amp;qid=1558666169&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Acts of the Apostles</a> 2. “Wie es eigentlich gewesen ist” (or sometimes "wie es eigentlich geschehen ist"): Dad quoted this bit of German, which means “how it actually was/happened,” as the ideal to which the discipline of history aspires. 3. Oscar Cullmann, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Time-3rd-Oscar-Cullmann/dp/1532657013/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Oscar+Cullmann%2C+Christ+and+Time&amp;qid=1558666217&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christ and Time</a> 4. Hans Conzelman, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Acts-Apostles-Hermeneia-Historical-Commentary/dp/0800660188/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Hans+Conzelmann+acts&amp;qid=1558666313&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-spell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Acts of the Apostles</a> 5. Krister Stendahl, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Among-Gentiles-Other-Essays/dp/0800612248/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Stendahl%2C+Paul+among+Jews+and+Gentiles&amp;qid=1558666337&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul among Jews and Gentiles</a> 6. Ernst Käsemann, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Perspectives-Paul-Ernst-Ka%CC%88semann/dp/0800600304/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=perspectives+on+paul&amp;qid=1559730324&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Perspectives on Paul</a> 7. Joseph Fitzmyer, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Anchor-Bible-Joseph-Fitzmyer/dp/0385468806/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Joseph+Fitzmyer+acts&amp;qid=1558666364&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Acts of the Apostles</a> 8. Cheryl Peterson, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Who-Church-Cheryl-M-Peterson/dp/0800698819/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cheryl+peterson+who+is+the+church&amp;qid=1558666385&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who Is the Church?</a> 9. Paul R. Hinlicky, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Community-Critical-Dogmatics-Christendom/dp/0802869351/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=paul+hinlicky+beloved+community&amp;qid=1558666406&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beloved Community</a> (see especially pp. 348–355 where he talks about Peterson’s book) 10. The <a href="https://www.strasbourginstitute.org/en/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Institute for Ecumenical Research</a> in Strasbourg undertakes scholarly and dialogue work with other Christian churches on behalf of the world’s Lutherans. I worked there for 7½ years and continue as a Visiting Professor. For resources specifically on Lutheran-Pentecostal dialogue, take a look <a href="https://www.strasbourginstitute.org/en/dialogues/lutheran-pentecostal-dialogue/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, or check out my book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Pentecostal-Movements-Lutherans/dp/1498289851/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sarah+hinlicky+wilson+guide+to+pentecostal&amp;qid=1558666469&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Guide to Pentecostal Movements for Lutherans</a>. 11. We talked briefly about the difference between “apocalyptic” and “salvation history.” For more about this, see <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Luther-Beloved-Community-Christian-Christendom/dp/0802864929/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=luther+and+the+beloved+community+hinlicky&amp;qid=1559730399&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lutheran and the Beloved Community</a>, ch. 7. 12. Pentecost = <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shavuot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shavuot</a> in the Jewish tradition. 13. <a href="https://www.wartburgseminary.edu/staff/rev-dr-troy-m-troftgruben/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Troy Troftgruben</a> is my Acts guru and teaches at Wartburg Theological Seminary. He’s working on a book on Acts… we’ll let you know as soon as it’s out! In the meanwhile, check out his book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rooted-Renewing-Imagining-Churchs-Testament/dp/1506439764/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=troy+troftgruben&amp;qid=1558666555&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-2-fkmrnull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rooted and Renewing</a>. 14. Sarah Ruden, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Among-People-Reinterpreted-Reimagined/dp/0385522576/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sarah+ruden+paul+among+the+people&amp;qid=1558666608&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul among the People</a> 15. For more on this topic generally, see my articles “<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58374b5629687ff9ecf3dc40/t/5bf00486aa4a996c65ab0042/1542456458429/LF2013-2_SHW_Second+Pentecost.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Second Pentecost</a>” and “<a href="https://livingchurch.org/2016/10/16/the-acts-of-st-albans-in-strasbourg/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Acts of St. Alban’s in Strasbourg</a>.” More about us at <a href="https://www.sarahhinlickywilson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sarahhinlickywilson.com</a> and <a href="https://www.paulhinlicky.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paulhinlicky.com</a>!

The First Two-Thirds of Acts

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