As Lutheran As It Gets: Recent Episodes
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As Lutheran As It Gets delves deep into the deep tracks, B-sides, and basement tapes of our Lutheran fathers. As Lutheran As It Gets is hosted by Rev. Donavon Riley with Rev. Christopher Gillespie interrupting the monologue and producing.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley wrap us their series on Norman Nagel’s “Luther’s Understanding of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.” For this final episode, they read and discuss Luther’s battle with Andreas Karlstadt about Christ Spirited Away.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley again read and discuss Norman Nagel's work: Luther's Understanding of Christ in the Lord's Supper. This episode, the word, the sign, and the efficacy of the Lord's Supper.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley continue to read and discuss Norman Nagel's work: Luther's Understanding of Christ in the Lord's Supper. This episode, our relation to Christ in the Supper.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Norman Nagel’s work: Luther’s Understanding of Christ in the Lord’s Supper. This week, the Word, the testament, and the “for-you” of the Gospel.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley wrap up their discussion of Philip Melanchthon's Loci Communes. This week, Philip's concluding theses on Law and Gospel.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion with Philip Melancthon on the power of the Gospel from his Loci Communes. This week, what is righteousness?
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion with Philip Melancthon on the power of the Gospel from his Loci Communes. This week, what is grace?
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Philip Melanchthon’s work on the power of the gospel from his Loci Communes.
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley wrap up their reading and discussion of Philip Melanchthon's Loci Communes on the power of the law. How does God use his word of law to curb our sinful urges and cravings, drive us to Jesus for salvation, and instruct Christians in their vocations?
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley dive back into Philip Melanchthon's Loci Communes. More on the power the law, how God works through the law to reveal our sin, and distinguishing between afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted in pastoral care.
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Martin Luther referred to Philip's Loci Communes as "one of the clearest statements of the Christian religion ever written." With this in mind, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Philip Melancthon's Loci on the power of the law and the gospel. What is the power of the Law? What distinguishes God's Word of Law from human definitions of the law?
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Hermann Sasse’s “This Is My Body.” Sasse examines the events at the Marburg Colloquy and how it influenced Lutheran and Protestant sacramental theology for centuries.
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Werner Elert’s examination of the Lord’s Supper as the heart of the Church, the liturgy, and Christian life.
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss another one of Luther’s commentaries on the penitential psalms.
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This week, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther’s commentary on Psalm 38. A lot of conversation about sin, grace, and militant piety.
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In this episode, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Dr. Luther’s comments on Psalm 143.
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In this episode, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther’s commentary on Psalm 6 - God’s two kinds of discipline
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In this episode, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther's commentary on Psalm 32. This week, they talk about sins forgotten. blessedness, and the upside down, the backward reality of the comfort of confessing one's sin to God.
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This week, Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Martin Luther’s commentary on Psalm 51. This episode is all about repentance, conscience, sin, and grace.
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In this episode, Pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Christoph Homburg's "Christ, The Life of All The Living." Affliction, church militant and triumphant, holding the "simul" tension in pastoral care.
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This week, Gillespie and Riley discuss Franzmann’s “Preach You the Word” - God’s Word, pastoral ministry, singing doctrine, and always repenting.
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In this episode, pastors Gillespie and Riley read and discuss Selnecker’s hymn of prayer, to be kept safe by and in God’s Word and Sacraments
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This week, Pastors Gillespie and Riley discuss Neale's translation of Fortunatus' hymn, prayer, the two kingdoms, right and left-handed power, and the importance of a "catholic" confession of the Christian faith.
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In the fall of 1523 Paul Speratus penned his most famous hymn, Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, “Salvation Unto Us Has Come.” It was one of the hymns in the first Lutheran hymnal in 1524, commonly known as Achtliederbuch.
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For the next four episodes, Gillespie and Riley dig into Lutheran hymns that are “as Lutheran As It Gets.”
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In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read Luther’s Galatians lectures on Christ and those who cut off from Christ by their works.
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Gillespie and Riley begin to wrap up their reading in Luther’s Galatians lectures. This week, we discuss Christ becoming most Savior and most sinner for us.
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In this episode, Gillespie and Riley go back to Luther's Galatians lectures, to read and discuss how to measure the true Christian.
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Continuing from Part 1, Gillespie and Riley ride the wave of Luther's introduction to Paul's letter to the Galatians as he doubles and triples down on the language of promise, old man versus new man, and the proper relation of God's Word of Law to Christians.
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In the second part, Gillespie and Riley continue to read Martin Luther's Magnificat, to discuss how God makes Mary a theologian of the cross.
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In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read Martin Luther's Magnificat, to discuss how God makes Mary a theologian of the cross.
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Gillespie and Riley continue their discussion about the Catechism Prayerbook, examining the Seventh Petition of the Lord's Prayer: "But deliver us from evil."
Get the print or Kindle for yourself and anyone this Christmas!
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This week, Gillespie and Riley discuss The Catechism Prayerbook and dig into Article Three of the Creed.
Text: The Catechism Prayer Book, Third Article of the Creed, Part 1
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Continuing from Part 1, Gillespie and Riley ride the wave of Luther's introduction to Paul's letter to the Galatians as he doubles and triples down on the language of promise, old man versus new man, and the proper relation of God's Word of Law to Christians.
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This week, Gillespie and Riley ride the wave of Luther's introduction to Paul's letter to the Galatians as he doubles and triples down on the language of promise, old man versus new man, and the proper relation of God's Word of Law to Christians.
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In this episode, Gillespie and Riley read Luther's opening lecture on Paul's letter to the Galatians - mic drop moment after mic drop moment as Luther lays out his case for active versus passive righteousness.
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In this episode, Gillespie and Riley continue to read Luther’s commentary on Galatians (1535). This week, Luther goes full Luther, sarcasm, and Luther’s preface to his Galatians lectures.
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This week, Gillespie and Riley begin an epic reading of Luther’s epic Commentary of Galatians (1535). This episode, Luther’s preface to his lectures on Galatians.
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Another week, another episode reading Heiko Oberman’s biography of Martin Luther. In this episode, Luther as a Bible translator.
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Here they go again... Pastors Gillespie and Riley continue with Heiko Oberman's biography of Martin Luther. This week, they discuss the consequences, then and now, of Luther’s debate with Erasmus on the Bondage of the Will.
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In this episode, Pastors Gillespie and Riley continue with Heiko Oberman's biography of Martin Luther. This week, Luther’s debate with Erasmus on the Bondage of the Will.
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In this episode, Pastors Gillespie and Riley dive back into Heiko Oberman's biography of Martin Luther. This week, Oberman explains how The Freedom of a Christian was Luther's formulation of the Christian as "simul" in order to counter the theological arguments of both Johann von Staupitz and Johannes Tauler.
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This week, Pastors Gillespie and Riley read Heiko Oberman's remarkable biography of Martin Luther. In this episode, Oberman explains the force of exegesis in Luther's earliest Psalms lectures.
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This week, Riley and Gillespie go back one more time, into the sermons of Dr. Norman Nagel. In this episode, a lot of temptation talk.
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This week, Riley and Gillespie continue their adventure through the sermons of Dr. Norman Nagel. In this episode, fig tree Jesus.
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This week, Riley and Gillespie dive into the sermons of Dr. Norman Nagel. In this episode, Jesus' yoke is easy, and His burden light.
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Pastors Gillespie and Riley dive into Klaus Detlev Schulz's "Mission From The Cross," to discuss the Christian faith and its mission in relation to other religions and ideologies.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dive into a conversation about Luther, Law & Gospel, and how the church goes about its mission
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie triple dip into Albrecht Peters' commentary on Martin Luther's Small Catechism, Baptism and Lord's Supper. This week they discuss the Lord's Supper, nostalgia, ego and old Adam, and real versus wished-for change.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie double dip into Albrecht Peters' commentary on Martin Luther's Small Catechism, Baptism and Lord's Supper. This week it's all about Baptism!
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dive back into Albrecht Peters' commentary on Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This week, they read “Baptism and the Lord’s Supper“ and go deep into Luther’s theology of the sacraments, with the specific critique of the Roman mass. It’s not about your giving but your receiving, promise and trust.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dive back into Albrecht Peters' commentary on Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This week, they read "Lord's Prayer" and discuss how the Gospel opens the way for us to receive and enjoy forgiveness for Christ's sake, and how God's blood-soaked forgiveness frees us to extend absolution to others, even our enemies.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie return to the excellent series from Albrecht Peters, this time delving deep into the Third Article of the Creed and the perennially hot topic: sanctification.
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Text: Albrecht Peters, Commentary on Luther’s Catechisms: Ten Commandments, p.83ff Show Notes: Stephen R Lawhead, Avalon: The Return of King Arthur The Evil Dead The Ten Commandments The History of the World: Part I 95 Theses The Heidelberg Disputations “I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.” Johnny Cash Mark Zuckerberg Explains the Internet (to […]
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The church is invisible and visible, of the Spirit but in the world. The nuances of this distinction have many implications for how you understand the church. Join Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie for a free-wheeling journey through F. Edward Cranz's essay.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dig deep into a brilliant biography of Luther, enjoying a tasty bit of sharp satire from Luther. Join in the conversation and hang on for the ride.
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Do Penance. Now. It's Lent after all. Or maybe not? Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dig deep into an exhaustive treatment of Luther's Christology.
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Not every Lutheran writer worth reading is well known, especially a French Lutheran (no offense). Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie dig deep into an exhaustive treatment of Luther’s Christology. Our Text: Luther: Witness to Jesus Christ (Stages and Themes of the Reformer’s Christology) by Marc Lienhard (1982) Boston Dynamics Dog video More Show References: Firefly TV Series Tucker and Dale […]
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Listen to Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie riff off this excellent book from 2008. Our Text: The Genius of Luther’s Theology by Charles Arand and Robert Kolb More Show References: Jordan Peterson – The Marxist Idea of White Privilege Loving v. Virginia (1967) Fyodor Dostoyevsky – Demons Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn – The Gulag Archipelago Nature’s Wild Side (Instagram) Nature is […]
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie go for a deep dive into this obscure classic on worship from Concordia Publishing House. You never know what you’ll find on your church library shelves! Our Text: Worship in Word and Sacrament – 1959 by Ernest Benjamin Koenker Koenker’s Bio Other References: Jordan Peterson: Do You Believe that God […]
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2018 is the 500th Anniversary of the Heidelberg Disputations. Never heard of them? You’re not alone! Listen in to Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie as they discuss “free will” (airquotes intentional) and what Luther and Lutherans confess. Our text: Faith Victorious: An Introduction to Luther’s Theology (Lennart Pinomaa) Bio: Lennart Pinomaa Show Notes: Predestination (Reformed) […]
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By way of introduction we consider why As Lutheran As It Gets exists and why podcasting is an appropriate platform for theological discussion. Or jump in at ~45m and join in on the conversation between Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie as they consider Luther and the radical reformers via Mark Edwards' classic historic work. As always, we allow the text to lead us to interact with pop culture and other conversation and then find our way back into the text.
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In another attempt to try your patience, Pr. Riley and Gillespie discuss the article before actually discussing the article. In our Upside Down, this makes complete sense. Some might call it inductive, others probably chaotic. If you're so inclined, we'd suggest reading the excerpt first as a sort of secret decoder ring.
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Our Text: Glory Versus the Cross by Gene Edward Veith Show Notes: Dr. Gene Keith is not Dr. John Kleinig. Pr. Riley flubbed it. By way of apology, we introduce you, faithful listener, to Dr. Veith himself. You can read more from Dr. Veith at his blog: Cranach. Or read God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All […]
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Our Text: Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel, Sermon on Luke 2 Show Notes: It’s Christmas with Dr. Nagel. Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie riff off Dr. Nagel’s sermon for Christmas from Luke 2. Questions? Comments? Show Ideas? Send them to us at http://higherthings.org/contact. Please rate and review the show in Apple Podcasts, via https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/simulcast/id1037828387?mt=2. To […]
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Piety doesn’t demand signs and wonders. It’s not about obedience or works. Biblical piety is grounded in the Small Catechism, God’s handbook for family devotions, His textbook for evangelical piety. Our text: Luther on the Practice of Piety – Dr. John Kleinig Show Notes: Levitius Commentary – Dr. John Kleinig Violence and the Sacred (1972) – René […]
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Your hosts dig deep into heavy duty historian Heinrich Bornkamm's exploraton of Luther and the Old Testament.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie free range graze on James Kittleson's "Luther the Reformer."
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No one is more quintessentially Lutheran and the American Martin, C.F.W. Walther himself. Riley and Gillespie delve deep in the capstone thesis of Walther’s Magnum Opus. Show Notes: Carl Ferdinand Wilhelm Walther Perry County Missouri Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible Thesis XXV – Lecture 39 Flacius – How to Understand Sacred […]
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Is Luther's "Bondage of the Will" the most Lutheran of all of Luther's writings? Let's see if Pr. Riley can convince you.
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Riley and Gillespie dive deep into Oswald Bayer's "Living by Faith: Justification and Sanctification"
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Riley and Gillespie dive deep into Henry P. Hamann's "On Being a Christian: A Personal Confession."
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie listen to Bo Giertz preach in 1961 on the difference between belief and false belief.
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Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie listen to Norman Nagel on the distinctiveness of First, Second, and Third Article gifts.
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In our second episode, Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie consider the Hermann Sasse on the uniqueness of each Sacrament.
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The first episode of the HT podcast from Pr. Riley and Pr. Gillespie: AS LUTHERAN AS IT GETS. In our inaugural episode, we delve deep into Luther's letter/commentary on Psalm 118:17.
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