The Perspectivalist
By Uriesou Brito
The PerspectivalistMar 02, 2023
Season 5, Episode 5: ACTS 29 and the Antisemitism Awareness Bill with Chase Davis
Dr. Chase Davis returns to the Perpsectivalist to discuss what is taking place at ACTS 29 as well as the bill that passed overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives called the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which puts serious limitations on free speech as well as hinders Christians from speaking clearly on the role of the Jewish leaders in the death of Jesus.
Season 5, Episode 4: 10 Ways to Keep Eastertide
For so many people, Easter Sunday is a one-day event. However glorious it may be for the church's life, it ceases when the day ends. But what if Easter were this 50-day extravaganza meant to mock evil and increase the Christian's joy?
In this episode, I offer ten practical ways to keep Easter alive in the home for the next 40 days of Eastertide. This is especially helpful for moms out there.
Season 5, Episode 3: Life in the Negative World with Aaron Renn
We discuss Aaron's new book, Life in the Negative World. We walk through his taxonomy of positive, neutral, and negative world. Then, we speak about the role of the Church in an age antagonistic to the Gospel and how Christians can respond to our present discourse.
Resources:
Season 5, Episode 2: The Place of Comedy in the Christian Life with Keith Foskey
Keith is an example of someone who takes himself lightly and takes denominational differences as a reason for good dialogues but also an opportunity to comedically address our theological idiosyncracies. I have benefited from his YouTube channel and had the joy of hosting him in Pensacola for a talk to our men. This interview will solidify Chesterton's theme that we should be more like angels because they take themselves lightly.
Resources:
Season 5, Episode 1: How to Sing Church Music Like you Mean It, with guest, Jarrod Richey
Welcome to our inaugural episode of Season 5!
I love talking to good friends, and Jarrod is among the best of them all. I have known him for a long time and receive a double-portion of musical inspiration every time we are together. I cannot recommend his Substack enough to be filled with musical gems. You will also get an intro to RSA, one of the coolest things in the market.
In this episode, we wax eloquently and sillily into the dialogue of church music, a topic we cherish and have dedicated much time to in the last couple of decades.
Finally, you really need to show some appreciation for Mr. George Reed, whose music in season 5 is strikingly bueno. I owe the editing work and the sound quality to his labors.
Season 4, Episode 20: Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life with David Bahnsen
In Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life, David Bahnsen makes the case that our understanding of work and its role in our lives is deeply flawed – we are unmoored from what he calls “created purpose.” He argues that the time has come to stop tiptoeing around the issues that matter, that separating one’s identity from what they do is demonstrably false, and that this era of alienation is for many a direct result of a low view of work. It is in work -- effort, service, striving -- of every kind that we discover our meaning and purpose; a significant and successful life is one rooted in full-time productivity and cultivation of God’s created world.
Season 4, Episode 19: Beauty and the Arts in the Church with Magnus Gautestad
Magnus Gautestad is a composer and entrepreneur from Norway, committed to the revival of beauty in Western arts and church life. Through his podcasts Beauty and the Faith and SDG Music Radio, Magnus hopes to unite the voices ready to transcend the dehumanizing aspects of modernism to deepen worship and empower evangelism. He is starting a chain of cinema and arts centers called Beauty and the Faith to take dominion of culture while helping CREC start churches in beautiful buildings in central locations, and Composers for Beauty to reform music to the appropriateness of the present Kingdom of God.
The Beauty and the Faith podcast on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@beautyandthefaith
Composers For Beauty - official website:
https://www.composersforbeauty.org/
Season 4, Episode 18: Politics and Liturgy in the CREC with Steve Jeffery
I joined Dr. Steve Jeffery on this episode to discuss the growth of the CREC and our expectations for the years to come. Steve is an accomplished debater and lecturer, and it was a joy to chat and encourage his congregation in Fort Worth, TX.
Steve contributed to a wonderful book on the atonement.
For more on the CREC, visit our website.
Season 4, Episode 17: The Case for Gold with Jim Hunter
I had Jim Hunter come on the show to discuss gold. Jim has been a strong proponent of gold and views its role as fundamental in the current market.
This will be a highly informative discussion, and even if you approach the entire subject from a different angle, you learn a significant amount about its history and has happened since gold was divorced from the modern economic conversation.
You can find a lengthier interview with Jim Hunter at CROSSPOLITIC.
Jim has made his information available for anyone interested in learning more:
1) Phone call or text: 251-377-2197
2) E-mail:
jhunter@alpspmg.com
Season 4, Episode 16: The Generosity of Advent with Dustin Messer
It is always a delight to talk with my friend, Dustin Messer. Dr. Messer is vicar of All Saints Dallas and visiting professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Dallas. Messer has contributed dozens of articles at Kuyperian Commentary and has co-hosted dozens of podcasts with me over the years. We re-gather the band to talk about Advent: its practices and meaning and generosity.
Subscriber-Only Episode: The Case for Church Membership with Dr. Mitch Chase
I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Mitch Chase, Professor at Southern Theological Seminary, on a recent substack making the case for Church Membership. You can subscribe to Dr. Chase's excellent substack and support his writing.
Subscriber-Only Episode: Did Samson Go to Heaven?
I interacted with a TikTok bible teacher who raised the question and offered a response to his analysis, as well as considered the phrasing of the question itself.
For more details, see my summary of the life of Samson in this episode.
Season 4, Episode 15: How the Grinch Stole Advent
My old friend, Alastair Roberts, joins me to discuss the Advent Calendar and its relation to Christmas. This is a really important conversation about the calendar and biblical chronology.
This episode looks at the Season of Advent with new eyes; contemplating its place in the Calendar of the Church. Advent precedes Christmas because the emotional and normative demands the meditation of promise before fulfillment.
Dr. Alastair concludes with some practical thoughts on celebrating Advent.
Subscriber-Only Episode: My Response to Lecrae's View of the Church
In this video, I answer Lecrae's most recent monologue against the institutional church.
Season 4, Episode 14: Giving Thanks Like a Christian
This episode offers a quick overview of Thanksgiving and the distinctive nature of giving thanks. Tomorrow, we celebrate a more sacred, religious holiday than Christmas in the U.S. Even unbelievers sit around sharing their reasons for gratitude, but they have to borrow the Christian language of Thanksgiving in order to give thanks.
Gratitude has always been a Christian virtue, and it is articulated most clearly at the table of the Lord. When we feel grateful, we are moved to share our received goodness with others.
Resources:
Thanksgiving and the Church Calendar
The Discipline of Thanksgiving by Joel Ellis
Music and Editing by George Reed
Season 4, Episode 13: Samson: God's Misunderstood Hero
What if I provided a dummies' guide to the life of Samson in 15 minutes? Would you listen to it?
Judges 13-16 is fraught with misunderstandings because people want to treat Samson like a 21st-century monk. But Samson is a Nazarite/Priest chosen from his mother's womb. His covenantal context and calling are radically different than just about anything in the Old Testament Scriptures, which means the Bible compels us to see him with different eyes.
Music and Editing by George Reed
Resources:
Sermons Series on Samson -15 Sermons
Season 4, Episode 12: A Culture of Coffee
I had a great time chatting with Brandon Lansdown from Reformation Coffee. We met at the Grace Agenda in Moscow, ID and I was really pleased with the coffee beans and the robust quality of their coffee.
This was a back porch conversation about coffee experiences and how to move our culture to a more mature coffee-drinking corpus.
Type SUBFREE with any subscription to get the first 12oz bag for free.
Subscriber-Only Episode: Review of TNE, Chapter 4 on HEAVEN as TYPOLOGY
Welcome to this subscriber-only episode, where I continue to offer a chapter-by-chapter review of Through New Eyes.
As James Jordan summarizes it: “The highest heaven is invisible to us, but the firmament-heaven gives us a visible blueprint.” So, when we look at the firmament, we see God’s blueprint; we see his heavenly creation and should think about how that reflects the highest heaven. Birds are like angels; sun is like God’s mercy; rain is like his gentleness; the moon is like his glory; but they are also rulers of the day and night. They reflect different kinds of earthly rulers.
You can continue listening to these special episodes for $1 a month, or you can get the whole package by subscribing to the Substack Perspectivalist where you will get all these audios, special essays, and special videos.
Season 4, Episode 11: Loor.TV - The Next Netflix Nemesis
The rise of Oliver Anthony with his hit song, "Rich Men of North Richmond," was a prime example of the anger of the average American with what goes by the mainstream. It is evident that such tyrannical attempts to shape our imagination are not bringing in the ratings they thought they would. Thus, alternative voices have risen from the music, media, and movie industries. Netflix no longer holds the monopoly on entertainment.
In this episode, I speak with Loor.TV CEO and Founder, Marcus Pittman, about their project to bring a new standard to Christian movies. Christians shouldn't suck at their efforts, and Loor is a worthy attempt to provide quality movie entertainment.
Visit these guys who were endorsed by Eric Metaxas and many others.
Season 4, Episode 10: The Case for a Hilarious God
If you are not listening to or watching The Wade Show With Wade, you are missing out on five exhilarating minutes of humor and insight. Wade has brought a unique flavor to comedy. He's Trinitarian and he is embarrassed about the God who made a funny world. So, he looks at the world and ponders, "What's Stupid About it?" then he navigates the news through those lenses. Truly, the enemy makes a mockery of their own lives, and the Christian sees the world with the eyes of laughter.
In this interview, we talk about how God's creation is funny in its biblical narrative, its historical realities, and in our own lives. Without humor, we can't take ourselves lightly like angels.
Season 4, Episode 9: A Dialogue on Worship and Christian Nationalism
Dr. Scott Aniol is a Reformed Baptist scholar working at G3. His works on worship are essential for anyone interested in developing a rich Psalmic community.
On this episode, I sat down with Scott in Monroe, LA, to discuss the richness of worship and why the evangelical church must recapture a mature perspective on God's requirements for the worship of his Church.
We then discuss our differences in eschatology and where we can find common ground in the modern Christian Nationalism discourse.
My gratitude to Jarrod Richey for the excellent audio quality and George Reed for the intro and outro music.
Season 4, Episode 8: Typology and Literature
This week's guest is Rev. Zach Parker, Assistant Pastor and Athanasius Press Managing Editor in Monroe, LA. Zach is an award-winning journalist, gifted writer, and thinker. We sat down in his office to discuss the role of typology in biblical interpretation and how typology strengthens our reading of good literature.
Zach shares some of his unique insights into Moby Dick and other pieces from Herman Melville.
Follow Zach's substack
Season 4, Episode 7: ACTS 29 and the BIG SORT
The ACTS 29 Network, once the undeniable powerhouse in the Church Planting universe, has significantly declined in the last ten years. Pastors Chase Davis and Matt Patrick speak openly in this American Reformer piece about the root causes of this abysmal failure among the leadership and what eventually led them to leave the Network.
Chase and Matt exposed the video interaction where they were officially disfellowshipped from the network. Since then, God has blessed their labors in Boulder, CO, and the Network continues declining significantly and turning the leadership over to woke ideologues. As Chase observes in the article:
Acts 29 was always committed to gospel-centered ministry, complementarian theology, missional innovation, Spirit-led pneumatology, and Calvinist soteriology. However, the scandal-plagued organization has failed to meet the needs of the hour with grace and truth. Churning through leaders and tolerating trans ideology in pulpits, this once strong church network has outkicked its coverage, losing the moral clarity our times of disorder and particular depravity demand and the courageous conviction it once possessed. Constant board turnover, network realignment, and bloated bureaucracy speak to an organization building the plane as it flies rather than instilling confidence and stability in its member churches. This is a fascinating interview to give you a summary of the past, present, and future of ACTS 29.
You can follow Chase on Twitter.
Season 4, Episode 6: Infant Baptism and Circumcision
Adam McIntosh, the pastor of St. David's Reformed, published a great article at Theopolis with a provocative title, "Christians Should Baptize Their Children, but Not Because of Circumcision." Adam builds on the biblical theology of the Old Testament and argues that the infant baptism argument, which equates circumcision and baptism, can be confusing and unhelpful at times. Instead, Rev. McIntosh says that the case for infant baptism is infant baptism all throughout the Bible. A baptismal theology must begin in creation.
We also touch on the mode of baptism at the end of the conversation.
Season 4, Episode 5: The Trinity and Covenant Theology
In light of Trinity Sunday, I wanted to describe the Trinitarian union as a paradigm for historical relations. This episode was designed for those new to covenant theology. I am hoping to offer a few more episodes on the topic.
Resources:
Season 4, Episode 4: Image-Bearing Poetry
Getting Joffree on the podcast is always a blast of fresh insights. This giant Brazilian has just published a gem of a work! It's brief, but its brevity encompasses the longevity of the human experience. Poetry on pipes and martyrdom, food and manly churchmen.
I think this is just in time for Father's Day. Ladies get two joys in purchasing this for their husbands/sons:
a) Men fully in touch with their masculine whole.
b) Men who think poetically about life.
Made In The Image: Plain Poems by Joffre Swait
To wield a world, to work a deed,
To speak it soft or stern, at need,
Whether with much chanting, or cheering with delight,
Or thundering strength forth from the height,
This is to gods only given, and getting should be dear.
But the Lord of love, who allows no peer,
Has untwisted our tongues and tooled us new,
To wield our words and whole worlds hew.
Season 4, Episode 3: The Devil's Diet: An Exposition of the Seven Deadly Sins
We are quite pleased to see this work available for purchase. The book is entitled "The Devil's Diet: The Seven Deadly Sins Revisited." I speak with my friend and editor, Rev. Jack Phelps, about the nature of the book. We especially talk about the two contributions from the late R.J. Rushdoony. These are unpublished works, and we are honored to see these essays published for the first time. And we also delve into the applicability of these seven deadly sins to the political and religious world of the 21st century.
Here's an overview of the book:
Introduction.......................................................................................Jack E. Phelps
Pride.....................................................................................................Jack E. Phelps
Envy....................................................................................................Otto Scott
Anger..................................................................................................Dennis R. Tuuri
Sloth....................................................................................................Rousas J. Rushdoony
Avarice................................................................................................Marcus Van Eichrodt
Gluttony............................................................................................Jack E Phelps
Lust....................................................................................................Ben House
Appendix A: Docilitas.....................................................................Rousas J. Rushdoony
Appendix B: Pharisaism..................................................................Jack E. Phelps
Season 4, Episode 2: A Theology of BITCOIN
I sat down with Mr. Jordan Bush, a contributor to Thank God for Bitcoin: The Creation, Corruption, and Redemption of Money.
We had a good conversation on the nature of Bitcoin and why it offers a dramatic shift in how to think about money in our day. We discuss the favorability of it among missionaries and its future among evangelical ministries. In an age of devaluation of values and morals by our political legislators, is it time to begin thinking about a currency that cannot be devalued by central banking?
We hope you will join the conversation.
Music by George Reed
Season 4, Episode 1b (Subscriber-Only Episode): Gary DeMar and the Heretical Appeal of Hyper-Preterism
In this subscriber-only episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Samuel Frost on full preterism. We delve into the Gary Demar controversy and offer our continued concerns with his trajectory, especially his affiliation with notable Hyper-Preterist thinkers. Gary's language today reflects much of the language used by full-preterists at the height of their movement, which is even more troubling.
Sam and I also discuss the universalist and syncretistic appeal of hyper-preterism and offer examples of how full-preterism has ended in cultish places. Once you re-consider classic Christian categories, you begin to re-consider everything else
Season 4, Episode 1: Why I Left Full Preterism
Welcome to this new season of The Perspectivalist!
Episode 1 of Season 4 begins with an interview with one of the world's foremost scholars on full-preterism, Dr. Samuel Frost. This movement has gained some notoriety recently due to controversies that erupted on social media. Sam was deeply invested in the movement speaking at their main conferences and engaging their main leaders. Still, he recognized that the movement lacked biblical ground and sought to re-invent central doctrines of the Christian faith. He wrote a book to tell his story. You can purchase his book here.
We discussed many things, including the history, appeal, and esoteric nature of the movement, questions concerning infinity, Christology, and a look at the central Ascension text in Acts 1.
In addition, we will provide tomorrow another 30-minute conversation for our paid subscribers, where we discuss the Gary Demar controversy and a few pertinent biblical passages in this present discussion. You can subscribe for special episodes and interviews for $1 a month.
Our music for this season is from Mr. George Reed.
Season 3, Episode 8: The Death of Death in the Death of the Devil (Rev. 20)
In our last episode of the season, I argue that the devil is finally vanquished at the end of history, which is at the end of 1,000 years. His death is narrated in three themes:
a) The Devil Descends from Misery to Misery: His life is a history of failures and head-crushing.
b) The Devil Cannot Keep the Gospel From Going to the Ends of the Earth: While he had much liberty in deceiving the nations in the Old Covenant, he is bound and, therefore, cannot prevent the Gospel from reaching the world.
c) The Devil is released at the end of history for his final humiliation: He will be destroyed, but prior he will be maximally humiliated. The triumph of Jesus will lead to his mockery before all the nations.
Intro and Outro Music by George Reed
Resources:
See Season 3, Episode 7, for the first part of this short series
Season 3, Episode 7: The Progressive Defeat of Satan-A Response to Full Preterism (Part 3)
The letter sent to Gary DeMar a few weeks ago carries immense repercussions for the life of the Church. Anyone who cherishes the ecclesia for whom Christ died must find refuge in the hope of the resurrection. To deviate from such hope is to lose hope.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
In this episode, I offer a brief sketch of Satan's progressive defeat in history, showing that such a final defeat could not have happened in the first century but is dependent on a longer historical model that accentuates the defeat of the devil and progressively builds on his humiliation.
Resources:
Ecclesiastical Dogma and Practice
Intro & outro music by George Reed
Season 3, Episode 6: The Priesthood of the Believer and the Gary DeMar Controversy
In the last episode, I argued that DeMar was playing with historical fire. His interest in re-considering the CREEDs carry far more repercussions than he may assume. To deny a physical, glorious Second Coming is to deny the very life of the Church in its liturgical and organizational form.
I do not believe that the issue is to ask the question, "What does the Bible say?" through the lens of interpretive neutrality. I believe the question deserves a bigger platform that includes the normative, situations, and existential, but more than that, the work of the Spirit in the Scriptures.
The question "What does the Bible Say?" assumes an interpretation of the priesthood of the believer. I believe Gary is assuming a papal interpretive perspective which sets a terrible precedent for future students to question the very core of redemptive history.
My hope is that DeMar would see the need to restore a proper perspective on reading the Bible and return to Luther's priesthood, which is a re-statement of the corpus of all biblical priesthood.
INTRO & OUTRO by George Reed
Season 3, Episode 5: Gary DeMar, the Second Coming, and the Gravity of the Matter
Andrew Sandlin and many others (myself included) sent an open letter to Gary Demar concerning his theological transitions. We posed a few straightforward questions for him to consider. Gary offered an initial podcast response today.
In this episode, I begin by addressing the gravity of the matter and whether this is simply a topic for dialogue or whether this trespasses historical boundaries. While Gary Demar has done much good in his public ministry, we hope that these exchanges will draw him back to the biblical and historical position of the Church.
Resources:
Season 3, Episode 4: The Psalter Spirit Songs
Church music is generally relegated to some preference. We are at ease with musical segregation. After all, why would children appreciate great hymns? But does God ordain a certain kind of music for congregational worship that encompasses young and old? Should the Psalms saturate our worship or is it merely a matter of taste? What is Paul's wisdom for singing?
We discuss these questions in this episode.
Resources:
Singing Together: Bonhoeffer's Lessons to the Evangelical Church
Season 3, The Mode of Baptism (Subscriber-only episode)
While there is a lot of debate on the recipients of baptism, what does the Bible say about the mode? Does the Old Testament play a role in shaping how we apply water? Is the case for immersion so clear that any alternative is irrelevant?
In this subscriber episode, I offer a vision for a mode of baptism rooted in the language of the Old and New Testament.
Resources:
The Biblical Mode of Baptism by Robert C. Harbach
The Mode of Baptism by Robert L. Reymond
Books:
The Priesthood of the Plebs by Peter Leithart
The Meaning and Mode of Baptism by Jay Adams
Season 3, Episode 3: Gnosticism for Dummies, or, "Why the Gnostic Monster is Coming out to Play."
This is the longest episode I have done so far! I wanted to offer an accessible episode focusing on the nature of Gnosticism and how it has crept into the Church today. The episode delves into its origin, its leader, Marcion, and the evangelical absorption of gnostic thought in worship and practice. I conclude the episode by discussing ways to rid ourselves of this monster.
Resources:
Subscribe to special episodes for $1 a month
Season 3, Episode 2: The Case Against Mr. Collins, or, "Why High-Churchism Sucks!"
What happens when you explore Mr. Collins' character in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice?" The answer is that you gain an accurate critique of high-churchism; a Collins syndrome that offers the epitome of boredom to those in attendance.
In this episode, I explore the nature of high-churchism and how to criticize your own people with a dose of mockery.
"There is plenty to mock in the pastor-as-CEO business-tie combo. It conveys little seriousness and glory, but I think we should spend most of our time mocking the high-churchism of gay egalitarianism robed in white outwardly and spandex beneath."
Season 3, Episode 1: Ten Theses on the Church, Family, and State
Welcome to season 3!
I wanted to begin this season with an overview of crucial relational components that help us think more clearly about how spheres interact. Here are the first five:
a) Each sphere possesses distinct responsibilities and hierarchies (Church, Family, and State).
b) The Church is the headquarters since it is fundamentally Edenic in symbols and types.
c) Roles may overlap, but they should be fundamentally distinct.
d) The Church should speak into the civil sphere because she is the mouthpiece of the kingdom.
e) The Church cannot impose ordinary habits and rituals upon families outside her formal gathering.
Note: I will be in Monroe, LA speaking at the Christendom Lectures from January 9-11. Here is the registration link: https://redeemertwincities.org/christendom
Overview of Chapter Three of Through New Eyes by James B. Jordan
Chapter three is perhaps the most succinct vision of biblical symbolism in TNE. In this chapter, James B. Jordan elaborates on the primary and secondary symbols of the Bible but then focuses attention on the three special symbols that God uses to communicate himself to his people. This is the rosetta stone of chapters on symbolism, and it's hard to grasp the rest of the book without this gem.
Season 2, Episode 6: National Conservatism and Moving Forward as Christian Nationalists
I offer my observations as a participant in the National Conservatism Conference in Miami, Fl. The #natcon was a considerable success primarily because of the Protestant conservative voices. This episode summarizes the three days of lectures and fellowship and is also a bit of a case for why such movements need to blossom. This is my subtle attempt to bring Moscow, ID, Theopolis, and #natcon together.
Resources:
Prayer at #natcon 2022 by Rev. Uriesou Brito
Ten Theses of Ecclesiastical Conservatism
TALKS AT NATCON:
Florida is a model for America by Gov. DeSantis
Your God Will Have Been Supplanted by an Idol by Dr. Al Mohler
The Tao in America: The Abolition of Man and the Culture War by Dr. Joe Rigney
How Pastors are Compromising the Gospel to Appease the Left by Megan Basham
A Christian Case for an 'America First' Government by William Wolfe
Book Review & Overview of Chapter Two of Through New Eyes by James B. Jordan
My 11-year-old son is a voracious reader. His community stirs him to absorb good literature and cherish good things. In some ways, I am still playing catch up with my reading world. But I am grateful that he carries a love of learning. In this episode, I asked him to start us off with a review of a massive biography of George Washington by the president of Westminster Theological Seminary, Peter Lillback. I hope his brief review offers enough of a sample of this great apologia for Washington's Christian beliefs.
We then delve rather quickly into the overview of chapter two of James B. Jordan's masterpiece, Through New Eyes. The second chapter focuses on man's role in creation, the role of creation in illuminating man in his role, and how to understand God properly in his creation.
I hope you will subscribe to these episodes and send your questions for our next subscriber's only episode.
Season 2, Episode 5: Culture Wars and the Massive Roe v. Wade Migration
In this episode, I read an essay that I wrote in the last edition of the "Fight, Laugh, Feast" edition. My essay is entitled: "Culture Wars and the Land God Promised." I argue that the church needs to be prepared to fight the greater battles to win the lesser ones. Further, I offer five suggestions as the Church in conservative states begins to receive folks from leftist parts of the country.
The essay has been well received, and I am eager to offer it to you all for free.
If you wish to subscribe to receive the physical copies of the FLF magazine, subscribe here.
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Subscriber-Only Episode: Review of Chapter One of Through New Eyes by James B. Jordan
I do not believe there has been a more theologically impactful book on the interpretive biblical sphere than James B. Jordan's "Through New Eyes: Developing a Biblical View of the World." This book has shaped much of my own thinking, and it has forced me to see and develop a more biblicized approach to the Bible itself. The reason I say "forced" is because at times, it is easier to bring foreign hermeneutics into the text to explain basic concepts. But the Bible contains its own hermeneutics as well as its own language.
My goal through these podcasts is to offer an overview of James Jordan's TNE and some additional insights to build a healthy interpretive guide to biblical passages.
This episode covers chapter one, which focuses on the following:
a) The necessity of understanding Genesis 1 & 2 as a paradigm for reading the rest of the Scriptures.
b) The importance of a six-day creation hermeneutic
c) The case against the Framework hypothesis
d) Reading biblically means associating the Bible with the Bible
e) The need to return to Psalm-singing
f) Five rules for interpretation
This episode is for subscribers only, but if you do not wish to subscribe for $1, I can send you a direct link.
Season 2, Episode 4: Introduction to Through New Eyes by James B. Jordan
This is the first of many podcasts offering an overview of Through New Eyes by James B. Jordan. In this episode, we discuss the nature of symbols and types and how creational language serves as patterns throughout the Scriptures. This is a quick-and-dirty intro to stir your appetite for more content.
My Interview with Canon Calls on "Who is James B. Jordan" is here.
Even though many free episodes are coming, this series is for Subscribers only. Subscribe for $1 a month.
Season 2, Episode 3: The Purpose of Food
This is a follow-up episode to the primer on food. These ten delicious minutes communicate the three purposes of food: a) Dependence, b) Dominion, and Divine Worship. I argue, among other things, that the eucharist is not an appendix to our worship, it is the response to our worship. Christians are theological gastronomers. Further, I make the point that only Christians have the intellectual and emotional capacity to consume with true gratitude. So, pour a glass of wine and listen with your mouths.
Season 2, Episode 2, A Primer on Food
In seven minutes, I discuss the role of food in the creation account and I try to lay an outline for a future episode on the purpose of food for Christian consumption. This should be a quick meal, but a delicious primer.
Music theme: Wake Up
by George Reed
SUBSCRIBER ONLY: The Legacy of Gary North and the Preterist Debate: A Special Interview with Gary Demar
Gary Demar is one of those iconic figures in the eschatological world. He has been writing, debating, and persuading for almost 40 years. He has a host of interests, but the one that has garnered the most attention is his sophisticated, yet, simple approach to eschatology. Gary holds to a position called "preterism," which affirms that most prophesy in the New Testament was speaking to something that would take place within that generation and not some futuristic generation divorced from that present context.
Gary Demar was also a close friend of Gary North, who passed away a month ago. They both attended the same congregation and cooperated on numerous efforts for over four decades. We spoke about the Gary North legacy and how North impacted Demar's discipline.
For those interested in an overview of the preterist debates and the life of the inimitable Gary North, there is no person more equipped than Gary Demar.
Season 2, Episode 1, The Case Against Weird Christianity
In this episode, I argue against weird Christendom. This expression adds strange practices to their lives in order to show their different-ness from others in the Christian community. It's a form of exalted separationism. The case against weird Christendom can only find a solution in mere Christendom: mere creeds, mere lives, mere wine, and mere merriment.
P.S. I play a rendition of "religious man." Please leave tips.
"Wake Up" Intro and Outro music by George Reed
Episode 14, The Case for Weekly Communion
Thanks for tuning in! I am really grateful for the increase in listeners these last couple of weeks.
In this episode, we offer a few crumbs from the rich table of weekly communion for your consideration.
Resource: Given For You: Reclaiming Calvin's View of the Lord's Supper by Keith Mathison