Outside Ourselves

1517 Contributor, Katie Koplin, joins Kelsi to talk about her new devotional, Encouragement for Motherhood which is a compilation of devotionals for moms, written by moms. Kelsi and Katie talk about their experiences in motherhood, how mom's are often primed to hear the gospel and absolution, and how freedom in Christ allows moms to work in their vocation and love their children without looking for their ultimate value and righteousness in this good work.

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1517 Contributor, Haroldo Camacho, joins Kelsi to talk about how he found himself - without any previous background in Luther's works or Lutheranism - unexpectedly translating Luther's Commentary on Galatians in both Spanish and English. Kelsi and Haroldo touch on the need to constantly hear the gospel preached and the current opportunity to proclaim the gospel in Latin America and Central America - not simply as a conversion message but as both the central message of God's word for all people, in all circumstances.

Haroldo Camacho lives with his wife, Mercedes, and son, Orlando, in Davie, Florida. He obtained his doctorate from the School of Theology at Claremont in 1991 and served many years as a Certified Court Interpreter with the Judicial Council of California. He has translated Luther’s Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians (1535) to both Spanish and English.

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Many of us stay away from spending too much time in the book of Revelation out of fear or intimidation. This is exactly why today’s guest, Erick Sorensen, decided to dive into the book and differing interpretations. In today’s show, Erick not only answers Kelsi’s questions on the various approaches to Revelation and Christian eschatology, but offers a guide on how to rightly read Revelation with Christ and his kingdom at the center. Erick Sorensen is in charge of Church Partnerships in the Development Department at 1517. Prior to joining 1517, Erick served as a pastor for 16 years. He hosts the Law & Gospel Devotional on 1517’s YouTube channel, co-hosts the 30 Minutes in the New Testament and Field Guide to the Bible podcasts, and is co-author of Scandalous Stories: A Sort of Commentary on the Parables.  Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 1:20 About Erick 4:03 Theological background 7:20 The importance of experience in theology 8:55 Erick’s interest in the book of Revelation 13:05 Typical roadblocks to reading Revelation 15:00 Apocalyptic Literature 18:45 The first verse of Revelation 20:20 Two opinions on when Revelation was written 25:00 Four views on how to read Revelation 32:00 Three views on the end times 40:15 Literal or Metaphorical? 43:38 More background on Revelation 47:51 Tension between condemnation and comfort within Eschatology 52:30 The truth about the rapture 56:00 Trust not in princes 58:50 Who is the Antichrist? 1:01:43 The Good News of Revelation 1:04:50 More from Erick Show Notes:

Author and Poet, Rachel Welcher, joins Kelsi to talk about her collection of poems entitled, "Two Funerals, then Easter" in which Rachel shares personal stories of both grief and joy. Kelsi and Rachel talk about some of the characteristics of poetry, including honesty, double meanings and unresolved endings and how these characteristics often mirror both Scripture and the Christian life in general. Rachel also shares some wisdom on getting through Lent during difficult seasons in life and how Jesus' resurrection remains the anchor for her hope in this life and the resurrected life to come.

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Kelsi chats with singer/songwriter, Andy Gullahorn, about his writing process and the impact of ending stories with the good news of grace and the gospel. She asks Andy about the role of honesty and humor in his music, and Andy talks about the important role community plays in his life as a source of both law and gospel.

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Author and speaker, Elyse Fitzpatrick, talks with Kelsi about the condemnation and accusation of the law, and as a result, how no one is able to truly achieve perfectionism. The two discuss what remedies the gospel offers us to this condemnation through Christ's perfect righteousness which is not only given through his active obedience but through his death and resurrection.

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In this episode of Outside Ourselves, pastor and professor, Ken Jones, helps tackle the question, "What Does it Mean to Die a Good Death?" His answer, of course, has much to do with life and - in particular - the new life given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Using his background in 16th century funeral preaching, Kelsi and Ken also discuss how Martin Luther defined a good death in comparison to the religion of his day and age.

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In the first episode of 2024, Kelsi chats with 1517 Scholar in Residence, Chad Bird, about the benefits to reading the Bible in a Year, some helpful and guiltless ways to approach this goal and reading Scripture in general. For the second year in a row, Chad is leading people through reading the Bible in a Year according to the Blue Letter Bible Plan.

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On today's episode, Kelsi chats with friends, Gretchen Ronnevik and Katie Koplin from the Freely Given Podcast, about the Advent season and how a fuller expansion into the three different arrivals or comings of Jesus changes how we understand and celebrate Advent.

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In this episode of Outside Ourselves, Kelsi chats with illustrator Natasha Kennedy about her illustrations in the FatCat Children Series books (Lexham Press). Natasha talks about her process and the ongoing theological and artistic decisions that are necessary to bring the Bible to life.

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Kelsi interviews author Harrison Scott Key about his latest book, "How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told." The two discuss what daily forgiveness looks like in marriage - and other close relationships - and how honesty about our own flaws and failures is essential if we want others to be honest with us as well. Consider this an episode on all things concerning how to love your neighbor well!

Dr. Michael Ward is an English literary critic and theologian. He works at the University of Oxford where he is a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion. He is the author of the award-winning Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis. He joins Kelsi to discuss the theory behind Planet Narnia which asserts that C.S. Lewis intentionally tied each of his seven Chronicles directly to one of the seven planets: the sun, the moon, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Mercury, and Mars. This theory makes Lewis' work within the Chronicles not only much more intentional and intricate, but also has theological implications for how the author would have wanted readers to interact with his famous children's series.

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Kelsi and Daniel Emery Price talk about the function and telos of the law and the gospel before jumping into Dan’s book, Scandalous Stories: A Sort of Commentary on the Parables, and their discussion on what can go wrong when reading the parables and the reason Jesus uses them in the first place. Daniel Emery Price is the 1517 Operations Executive. He is also an author, church and conference speaker, and co-host of the podcasts 40 Minutes in the Old Testament and 30 Minutes in the New Testament. Daniel has served as a church planter, pastor and worship leader and currently lives in Northwest Arkansas, with his wife and two daughters.

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Loso is a hip-hop recording artist and one of the world's top battle rappers. He chats with Kelsi about what it looks like to be a Christian within the world of battle rap, the importance of authentic relationships when it comes to evangelism, and how vocation doesn't always include having a five year plan for your life.

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Dr. Lydia Jaeger discusses her book, Ordinary Splendor, with Kelsi and the implications of the doctrine of creation for the Christian's life. She answers Kelsi's questions about why a Biblical doctrine of creation is helpful and necessary for understanding who God is and what good gifts he gives us.

This week’s episode is a conversation between author John Bryant and Kelsi about John’s new book (out in September), A Quiet Mind to Suffer With: Mental Illness, Trauma, and the Death of Christ. John writes about what Christ’s suffering on the cross means for his own suffering with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). He talks to Kelsi about why he decided to write the book and how healing and recovery don’t always look like we would like and yet how we can rely on Christ’s mercy to be present for us all the same. 

As Gen Z and Gen Alpha grow into adolescence and early adulthood, what hope should we have for the future of the church? Founder and Executive Director of Storymakers, Melina Smith, joins Kelsi to talk about the Storymakers approach to teaching kids about the historical Christian faith through connection, empathy, and trust that the Holy Spirit works wherever God’s word is preached. 

In view of recent news events, Kelsi has Adam Francisco on to the theological implications of the existence of aliens and UAPs. Adam Francisco is Director of Academics and scholar in residence at 1517. He earned his DPhil from the University of Oxford and has two decades of experience teaching history, philosophy, and theology. He is cohost of The Thinking Fellows podcast, author of a number of books, articles, and translations, and popular speaker on the topics of Christian apologetics, worldview, and the religion of Islam.

Kelsi speaks with 1517 Senior Scholar in Residence, Dr. Steven Paulson, about the somewhat understated and yet essential Reformation idea that the Christian is simul iustus et peccator (simul), or simultaneously sinner and saint in this life. Dr. Paulson clarifies that the simul is not a matter of progress but instead the action of Christ separating two distinct wholes in us further and further apart. He also encourages the listener to practice ignoring what our feelings and actions as sinners tell us, while tuning our ears to instead hear and trust who Christ says we are as his raised-to-new-life saints.

Author and poet, Tanner Olson, joins Kelsi to talk about creativity and communicating hope. Together, Tanner and Kelsi discuss the difference between delivering the gospel directly and indirectly and the importance of both. 

Theologian and Biblical Scholar, John Kleinig, joins Kelsi to discuss his book, Wonderfully Made, and the vision the Bible gives us for God's redemptive plan as a wholly physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional endeavor. He talks about the dangers in splintering portions of our humanness and discusses how he approaches healing from a pastoral perspective.

With Christian deconstruction on the rise, 1517 Scholar in Residence Bruce Hillman joins Kelsi to properly define (and defend!) deconstruction according to its original definition within postmodern philosophy. Far from a boogeyman to avoid, Bruce advocates that deconstruction can serve as a helpful tool within the Christian life, specifically when it comes to confronting sin and challenging preconceived biases.

Sarah Condon is an Episcopalian priest, author, and co-host of the Mockingcast Podcast. In today’s episode, she shares her experience with grief and suffering after the death of her parents, and talks with Kelsi about how the gentleness of Jesus during times of loss changes everything.

Writer Jane Grizzle talks on what the body’s limitations can teach us about God’s work for us, and how despite our suffering and brokenness, his promise to redeem us comes through the broken body of Christ. Jane is a writer for Mockingbird Ministries and writes about the intersect between theology and everyday life. 

Dr. Phillip Cary joins Kelsi to discuss his newest book, The Nicene Creed: An Introduction, which leads to conversations about the two natures of Christ and the importance of church tradition in guarding against heresies, among other topics. Dr. Cary teaches philosophy at Eastern University and is the author of several books covering both philosophy and theology, including Good News for Anxious Christians. 

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Renowned Luther scholar and professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary St. Louis, Dr. Robert Kolb, sits down with Kelsi to discuss two kinds of righteousness (or two fold righteousness) and his latest edited volume,  The Alien and the Proper: Luther's Two-Fold Righteousness in Controversy, Ministry, and Citizenship. Dr. Kolb provides some helpful definitions for what the Bible means when it comes to righteousness and how we should most often view God’s grace. He talks about how Martin Luther came to understand God’s passive righteousness given to his children through their justification in Christ’s work on the cross and our resulting active righteousness when it comes to serving our neighbors in this life. Kelsi asks Dr. Kolb why and how these two types of righteousness so often get confused for the Christian, and together they work to untangle the proper placement for each, landing squarely on the continual need to return to God’s word and our salvation given through God’s grace and mercy in Christ - apart from any good works we do. 

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The 1517 Podcast Network: https://www.1517.org/podcasts 

Lexham Press associate publisher, Todd Hains, joins Kelsi in this episode to discuss his book, Martin Luther and the Rule of Faith, and the importance of reading and interpreting Scripture based upon the ancient catechism, or rule of faith. Kelsi asks how the catechism - comprised of the 10 Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed - came to be, and how we can assert it’s authority as an interpretive norm for the entirety of Scripture. Todd argues that it’s the generality of the catechism that, in fact, gives it specificity in our lives.

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Historian and 1517 Scholar in Residence, Dan van Voorhis, gives an overview on the history of Christmas covering everything from Santa Claus to Christmas movies. He talks with Kelsi about the underlying magic of Christmas and how, in freedom, Christians can celebrate both secular and sacred Christmas traditions.    

Join Kelsi and author Hannah Anderson in their discussion about the way in which we join with nature and the creation of all things in long for Christ's return during the season of Advent.

Writer and musician, Andy Squyres, talks with Kelsi about the grace and relief found in living a normal, mundane life and where to look for God in suffering. All of this and more in conjunction with Andy's latest installment of essays entitled, Poet Priest Volume II.

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Gretchen Ronnevik is the author of Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted and co-host of the podcast, Freely Given. She joins Kelsi to talk about research for her new book on the patience of God. Gretchen talks about God's steadfastness amplifies his grace and goodness, and makes it possible for us to ask tough - even wrong - questions. 

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Join Kelsi as she talks with 1517 Executive Director, Dr. Scott Keith, about how to interpret the Bible, specifically those really confusing, shocking, and tough texts. Kelsi and Dr. Keith take a look at what Christians mean by the perspicuity or clarity of Scripture and how the norms of Scripture as a whole, most specifically the message of Christ crucified for you, should influence the way we approach individual texts. 

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