Episodios

  • 212. Ed Romine on Spurgeon's Christ-Centered Hermeneut

    212. Ed Romine on Spurgeon's Christ-Centered Hermeneut
    Mar 23 2026

    In this episode, we welcome back Pastor Ed Romine to discuss his book The Booming Baritone Bell of England, specifically his third chapter: “The Christ-Centered Hermeneut: A Christ-Centered Hermeneutical Foundation for Spurgeon’s Evangelism”. What is Hermeneutics, and how should the methodological principles of interpretation be tuned to the type of text we are engaging with? Given Spurgeon’s view of the Bible, how does (and does not) that mean he interprets the Bible like any other book? What did Spurgeon mean by “spiritualizing” the text, and how did he think that should be limited when both interpreting and preaching the text of Scripture? Moreover, Ed gives us a sample of a worship service at The Metropolitan Tabernacle and how the Word of God was at the center. He also helps us understand the distinction between expositions and sermons, and gives us some insight and samples into how these played out for those attending. Ed writes, “For Spurgeon, all of the Bible speaks of Christ Jesus”. Listen in and hear how that was the case, and why that matters for today.


    Book: The Booming Baritone Bell of England

    Check out: First Baptist Church of Provo


    Past interview with Dr. Romine about Spurgeon: Part One, Part Two


    Other resources:

    Tethered to the Cross by Thomas Breimaier

    Spurgeon the Pastor by Geoffrey Chang


    Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition; Contemplating God with the Great Tradition by Craig Carter
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    1 h y 14 m
  • 211. Stephen Presley on Irenaeus of Lyons

    211. Stephen Presley on Irenaeus of Lyons
    Mar 16 2026

    In this episode, we welcome Dr. Stephen Presley to discuss his book Irenaeus of Lyons: His Life and Impact. Who was Irenaeus (c. AD130-200), and why does he matter? From a deep engagement with the Bible, to a key figure in the development in both Biblical Theology and Apologetics – Irenaeus combines both the desire for rigorous analysis and pastoral care. What was his apologetic method, and how did he view the relationship between faith and reason, Scripture and philosophy? What was the “rule of faith”, and did he subordinate Scripture to tradition? Who was the God Irenaeus worshipped, and is it valid to call him “Trinitarian”? Dr. Presley takes us through some highlights from the gnostics – and how their errors are relevant to issues faced by Christians today, and how Irenaeus can aid us in understanding how to approach both the gnosticism being identified, and how the essentials of the Christian faith contrast and respond to him. How do Christians, on one hand, balance the unity and diversity of Christianity – and yet know where the line is between Christianity and what can fairly be deemed non-christian? Listen in as Dr. Presley takes us through this, as well as some basics of his anthropology, Christology and addresses the claims the Irenaeus believed men can become gods.


    Book: Irenaeus of Lyons: His Life and Impact


    Other books by Dr. Presley:

    Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World Like the Early Church

    Biblical Theology in the Life of the Early Church


    Irenaues: Against Heresies, The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching


    Other resources:

    LDS Gospel Topics Essay: “Becoming Like God”

    Wrestling the Angel by Terryl Givens

    The Gnostic New Age by April DeConick


    Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelly

    Veritas by Ariel Sabar

    A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Mary: Mother of God? by Leonardo De Chirico (and here)


    Scourby: The Gospel of John
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    1 h y 54 m
  • 210. Jason Wallace on Critiquing the Influence of John Henry Newman

    210. Jason Wallace on Critiquing the Influence of John Henry Newman
    Mar 9 2026

    In this episode, we welcome back Pastor Jason Wallace of Ancient Paths TV to discuss some of his recent video “The Patristic Roots of the Reformed Faith”. Who was John Henry Newman and what does he represent to so many who likewise seek certainty in the midst of a chaotic and fallen world? What was his actual argument on the development of doctrine, and what are some reasons Protestants should be skeptical? What is really at stake in this moment in regard to the perfect storm of perfectionism, mysticism, distorted ecclesiology – and the activism that dominates so much of the frustration today? Listen in as Pastor Wallace takes us through the mess of history, and how Protestants should adhere to the standard that should be the basis upon which developments should be determined as legitimate and faithful, or innovative and destructive. Far from “ceasing to be Protestant” as we are “deep in history” – perhaps, the opposite is the case: To accept the truth of a messy history is to begin to be Protestant. Moreover, actually dealing with history exposes the twin errors of the fantasy of imagined unanimity and the false claim of apostasy and the need for restoration. Reform, not revolution, should be the Protestant cry - with the clear recognition about the necessary and fallible church being subject to the infallible Word of God. Far from needing a personal “burning of the bosom”, or prioritizing some ecclesiastic authority’s equivalent – the Apostolic authority is not found within one’s own heart, subjectively, nor is it found in a continuing (or restored) office, charismatically; rather, Christ and the Apostles’ authority are to be found in what we have that has truly and historically come from them in Scripture. Listen in as Pastor Wallace gives his earnest plea that the Christian message continues to be Christ and Him Crucified rather than either the hollow mysticism of a new monasticism, or a new Caesar and the tyranny of a “new Christendom”.


    Video: “The Patristic Roots of the Reformed Faith”

    Channel: Ancient Paths TV


    “An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine” by John Henry Newman

    • declared a “saint” by Pope Francis (Oct. 13, 2019)
    • declared a “doctor” by Pope Leo XIV (Nov. 1, 2025)


    Also mentioned:

    “The Failure of Eastern Orthodoxy” (also here and here)

    “Cyril Lucaris: Calvinist Patriarch/Orthodox Saint” (also here and here)

    Also check out a previous interview here.


    Other resources:

    The Courage to Be Protestant by David Wells

    The Patristic Roots of Reformed Worship by Hughes Oliphant Old

    Justified in Christ: The Doctrines of Peter Martyr Vermigli and John Henry Newman and Their Ecumenical Implications by Chris Castaldo

    “No Longer Accretions. The Problem of Roman Catholicism in Dialogue with Gavin Ortlund”; Engaging Thomas Aquinas by Leonardo De Chirico
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    1 h y 55 m
  • 209. Matthew Johnston on The Person of Jesus Christ

    209. Matthew Johnston on The Person of Jesus Christ
    Mar 2 2026

    In this episode, we welcome Pastor Matthew Johnston to discuss his chapter in the recent book The Nicene Creed titled: “The Person of Jesus Christ”. What does the Nicene Creed teach about Jesus of Nazareth, and how does it aid us in terms of both grammar and guardrails? At the same time, what does it mean over time as both heresies and orthodoxy develops, and how should one understand the place of the creed over time? What was the main points at issue in the Christological debates between the Reformed, with their emphasis on the distinction of the two natures of Christ – and Roman Catholicism, with their emphasis on the unity of the two natures of Christ. Given texts like Mark 13.32 and Matthew 24.36, how should one understand the knowledge of Jesus – and what is the place of suffering given Christ’s divine (impassible) nature? Pastor Johnston takes us into this now-oft-forgotten debate between Calvin and Turretin and Robert Bellarmine which includes a Roman Catholic emphasis on “the doctrine of the beatific vision in Christ’s soul from conception”, and a Protestant emphasis on “the doctrine of Christ’s two states (status duplex) – humiliation and exaltation”. Moreover, these distinctions lead into differing conceptions of the sacraments and the church. Ultimately, we ask about whether Roman Catholics and Evangelicals truly confess and worship the same Jesus.


    Book: The Nicene Creed: The Nature of Christian Unity and the Meaning of Gospel Words edited by Mark Gilbert and Leonardo De Chirico

    Support Pastor Matthew Johnston here


    Also check out the Reformanda Initiative:

    - “Claiming Catholicity: What Does It Mean to Be Catholic?”

    - “Is Rome a True Church? Wrestling with History, Reformers, and Rome Today”


    Other resources:

    “Robert Bellarmine and His Controversies with the Reformers: A Window on Post-Tridentine Roman Catholic Apologetics”; Engaging Thomas Aquinas; A Christian’s Pocket Guide to the Papacy by Leonardo De Chirico

    “The Catholicity of Christianity and the Church” by Herman Bavinck


    Nicaea and Its Legacy by Lewis Ayres

    The Apostles’ Creed by Albert Mohler

    Historical Theology (2 vol.) by William Cunningham

    Union with Christ and the Life of Faith by Fred Sanders

    Roman Catholic Theology and Practice: An Evangelical Assessment by Gregg Allison
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    1 h y 7 m
  • 208. CFM: Genesis (Part 2/2)

    208. CFM: Genesis (Part 2/2)
    Feb 25 2026

    In this episode, Casey and Skyler continue their discussion about, and critique of, the 2026 official LDS Come, Follow Me manual's coverage of Genesis.

    Please read (and even listen) to Genesis (ESV, KJV)


    Come, Follow Me – Home and Church (Old Testament Manual)

    Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual


    Messages of the First Presidency compiled by James Clark

    A Rational Theology by Elder John Widtsoe

    Doctrines of Salvation by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

    Pearl of Great Price Commentary by Milton R. Hunter


    Wrestling the Angel by Terryl Givens; The Pearl of Greatest Price: Mormonism’s Most Controversial Scripture by Terryl Givens with Brian Hauglid

    “This Is My Doctrine”: The Development of Mormon Theology by Charles R. Harrell

    Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique by Dan Vogel

    Mormons and the Bible by Philip Barlow


    The Pentateuch: Life in the Presence of God by J. Daniel Hays

    The Meaning of the Pentateuch by John Sailhamer

    The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt

    Interpreting Eden by Vern Poythress

    An Introduction to the Old Testament by E.J. Young

    Rethinking Genesis by Duane Garrett

    Thinking Through Creation by Christopher Watkin


    Against the Gods by John Currid

    The Royal Priest by Matthew Emadi

    From Prisoner to Prince by Samuel Emadi

    Adam in the New Testament by J.P. Versteeg

    The Imputation of Adam’s Sin by John Murray

    Original Sin by Henri Blocher

    God, Language and Scripture by Moises Silva

    Genesis 1 Through the Ages by Stanely Jaki


    Biblical Theology; Reformed Dogmatics by Geerhardus Vos

    The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton

    An Introduction to Systematic Theology; Defense of the Faith by Cornelius Van Til

    Reformed Dogmatics (4 vol.’s) by Herman Bavinck
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    2 h y 48 m
  • 207. CFM: Genesis (Part 1/2)

    207. CFM: Genesis (Part 1/2)
    Feb 23 2026

    In this episode, Casey and Skyler begin their discussion about, and critique of, the official 2026 LDS Come, Follow Me manual's coverage of Genesis.

    Please read (and even listen) to Genesis (ESV, KJV)


    Come, Follow Me – Home and Church (Old Testament Manual)

    Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual


    Messages of the First Presidency compiled by James Clark

    A Rational Theology by Elder John Widtsoe

    Doctrines of Salvation by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith

    Pearl of Great Price Commentary by Milton R. Hunter


    Wrestling the Angel by Terryl Givens; The Pearl of Greatest Price: Mormonism’s Most Controversial Scripture by Terryl Givens with Brian Hauglid

    “This Is My Doctrine”: The Development of Mormon Theology by Charles R. Harrell

    Book of Abraham Apologetics: A Review and Critique by Dan Vogel

    Mormons and the Bible by Philip Barlow


    The Pentateuch: Life in the Presence of God by J. Daniel Hays

    The Meaning of the Pentateuch by John Sailhamer

    The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt

    Interpreting Eden by Vern Poythress

    An Introduction to the Old Testament by E.J. Young

    Rethinking Genesis by Duane Garrett

    Thinking Through Creation by Christopher Watkin


    Against the Gods by John Currid

    The Royal Priest by Matthew Emadi

    From Prisoner to Prince by Samuel Emadi

    Adam in the New Testament by J.P. Versteeg

    The Imputation of Adam’s Sin by John Murray

    Original Sin by Henri Blocher

    God, Language and Scripture by Moises Silva

    Genesis 1 Through the Ages by Stanely Jaki


    Biblical Theology; Reformed Dogmatics by Geerhardus Vos

    The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til by Lane Tipton

    An Introduction to Systematic Theology; Defense of the Faith by Cornelius Van Til

    Reformed Dogmatics (4 vol.’s) by Herman Bavinck
    Más Menos
    3 h y 4 m
  • 206. Newell Bringhurst on President Harold B. Lee

    206. Newell Bringhurst on President Harold B. Lee
    Feb 16 2026
    In this episode, we welcome Dr. Newell G. Bringhurst to discuss his book Harold B. Lee: Life and Thought, 1899-1973. Master administrator and one who helped shape a new generation of orthodox LDS thought and leadership, Harold B. Lee served as the 11th President of the LDS Church. Though only serving as President officially from July 1972-December 1973, the influence of President Lee far outweighs his official tenure. From founding the church-wide Church Welfare Program, serving as an LDS apostle from 1941-1972, to centralizing all church programs under the Priesthood leadership in Correlation (sometimes called “the Lee Revolution”) – Dr. Bringhurst calls Harold B. Lee “the major architect of modern Mormonism”. Given his origins in rural Idaho riding on horseback, one may not have expected President Lee to be the key figure in streamlining and orchestrating the administrative framework that helped facilitate the LDS church in becoming a global institution. Having been President J. Reuben Clark’s protege, Dr. Bringhurst takes us into how this helped shape Lee into one who would himself run the LDS church - as a kind of de facto church president behind the scenes - even long before he became the public head of the institution. With an emphasis on worthiness and obedience in the theology he taught, Harold B. Lee also had a significant impact on maintaining and handing on the LDS church’s longstanding temple and priesthood ban on black people. Listen in as Dr. Bringhurst takes us through some highlights and big picture analysis of the legacy of President Harold B. Lee, including his battle between personalities like Elder Hugh B. Brown and future church President Ezra Taft Benson. From his administrative changes, to those whom he mentored and tutored – one can truly say that the legacy of Lee is has not yet ended, as we continue to see his influence throughout the LDS church today.Book: Harold B. Lee: Life and Thought, 1899-1973Other resources by Dr. Bringhurst:- Saints, Slaves, and Blacks: The Changing Place of Blacks People within Mormonism- Brigham Young and the Expanding American Frontier- Fawn McKay Brodie: A Biographer’s Life- The Persistence of Polygamy: Joseph Smith and the Origins of Mormon Polygamy- The Mormon Church and Blacks: A Documentary History - Thunder from the Right: Ezra Taft Benson in Mormonism and Politics- Reconsidering No Man Knows My HistoryAlso, some important resources by Dr. Matthew Harris:- Watchman on the Tower: Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right(also check out our interview about the book here and here)- Second-Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial EqualityPresident Harold B. Lee resources:Official ManualYouth and the Church (1945)Decisions for Successful Living (1973)Stand Ye in Holy Places (1974)Ye are the Light of the World (1974)"The Iron Rod” (April 1971)“’Watch That Ye May Be Ready’” (October 1971)“Responsibilities of the Priesthood” (October 1971)“The Strength of the Priesthood” (April 1972)“A Time of Decision” (April 1972)“’May the Kingdom of God Go Forth’” (October 1972)“Teach the Gospel of Salvation” (October 1972)“Admonitions for the Priesthood of God” (October 1972)“A Blessing for the Saints” (October 1972)“Strengthen the Stakes of Zion” (April 1973)“Follow the Leadership of the Church” (April 1973)“’Stand Ye in Holy Places’” (April 1973)“Understanding Who We Are Brings Self-Respect” (October 1973)“General Priesthood Address” (October 1973)“Closing Remarks” (October 1973)BYU Devotionals
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    2 h y 24 m
  • 205. Matthew Bowman on President Joseph Fielding Smith

    205. Matthew Bowman on President Joseph Fielding Smith
    Feb 8 2026
    In this episode, we welcome Dr. Matthew Bowman to discuss his book Joseph Fielding Smith: A Mormon Theologian. President Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth president of the LDS Church (from January 1970-July 1972), is “without question the most important Latter-day Saint theologian of the twentieth century”. Writing at least twenty-five books and pamphlets that touch upon every doctrinal subject, from the nature of God to eschatology, and debating everyone from Protestants to the RLDS to even fellow General Authorities – it is nearly impossible to measure the influence Fielding Smith had upon the LDS church, laity and general authority alike. From his emphasis on LDS scripture and ritual to his pessimism toward notions of progress based upon science, Dr. Bowman takes us through highlights and paradoxes that define and characterize his work from start to finish. How did Fielding Smith define scripture, given his commitment to essentials beyond the text (such as LDS Temples)? Why did Fielding Smith oppose the work of his fellow general authorities who were much more open to synthesizing modern science with Mormon theology? What was the story behind the publication of Fielding Smith’s “crowning achievement” Man: His Origin and Destiny in 1954? Is there reason to believe that Fielding Smith hid Joseph Smith’s 1832 First Vision account? Listen in, as Dr. Bowman takes us through this and more as we hear about some highlights of one of the most theologically and administratively significant LDS apostles and LDS church President-Prophets.Book: Joseph Fielding Smith: A Mormon TheologianOther resources by Dr. Bowman:- The Mormon People: The Making of an American Faith- Christian: The Politics of a Word in America- The Urban Pulpit: New York City and the Fate of Liberal EvangelicalismCheck out: Official ManualSome resources by Joseph Fielding Smith:Essentials in Church HistoryTeachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (edited)The Way to PerfectionThe Progress of ManSigns of the TimesMan: His Origin and DestinyDoctrines of Salvation (3 volumes)Answers to Gospel Questions (5 volumes)Some Talks:“The Law of Divine Witnesses” (October 18, 1949)“The Origin of Man” (April 22, 1953)“The Immutable Laws of God” (June 15, 1953)“The Knowledge that Saves” (June 23, 1954)“The Atonement of Jesus Christ” (January 25, 1955)“The Purpose of Mortal Life” (May 1, 1956)“Seeking Salvation in the Kingdom of God” (January 22, 1961)“Essentials of Faith” (June 24, 1964)“The Blessings of Eternal Glory” (April 23, 1968)“Sealing Power and Salvation” (January 12, 1971)General Conference Talks as President of the Church:“Out of Darkness”“Our Responsibilities as Priesthood Holders”“A Witness and a Blessing”“I Know That My Redeemer Liveth”“Blessings of the Priesthood”“Let the Spirit of Oneness Prevail”“Counsel to the Saints and to the World”“Eternal Keys and the Right to Preside”“A Prophet’s Blessing”Other resources:“Another Look at Joseph Smith’s First Vision” by Stan LarsonHistory of the Idea of Progress by Robert NisbetProgress and Religion by Christopher Dawson
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    2 h y 24 m