Freely Given

Are the concepts of "spiritual formation" and Lutheran doctrine compatible? Gretchen Ronnevik discusses this concept with Rev. Alan Johnson who is finishing up his dissertation on this very topic. He says that we Christians feel we should love the Lord our God with all our mind, all our mind, and all our mind. After graduating from seminary, he contemplated about how he knew more about God, but questioned whether he knew God himself better. He started asking questions about what it means to love God with our heart, and the all consuming, holistic aspect of faith. They talk about spiritual disciplines/practices, the difference between Christian spiritual practices and spiritual practices in other religions, and how they feel about contemplative practices, and the concept of "lone-ranger Christianity." This is 1 of 2 episodes on our conversation. Next week we will discuss the concept of spiritual direction. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Bible in One Year with Chad Bird Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

What does Jesus mean that we should be perfect, as Jesus is perfect? Gretchen Ronnevik and Katie Koplin look at the context of the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5 where this passage is found. Curiously, the command to be perfect comes right after the command to love your enemies. We often think that being righteousness as repelling sin, and repelling sinners, when the righteousness of Christ is goodness and holiness running toward sin and sinners to heal them. We also must define perfect correctly, as it means "complete" in this context. Another translation could be "be complete, as I am complete." This whole sermon is a paradigm shifting lecture on what it means to be righteous. It isn't about doing good enough, or trying our hardest. It's understanding the fullness of the law, and the fullness of our need for Christ, and the fullness of his redemption for us. And as we are full of his righteousness, not our own, we run toward our enemies with love, not away from it, as our self-righteousness prescribes. So how do we deal with our enemies? We get into that, and more. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi Junk Drawer Jesus By Matt Popovits Listen to 1517 Executive Director Scott Keith and Magnus Persson on the latest Re:Formera podcast Signup For Free Advent Church Resources for 2024 Clothed with Christ by Brian William Thomas More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

Katie Koplin and Gretchen Ronnevik talk about what it means to grow in Christlikeness. This can be taken a couple of different ways, of trying to do what Christ did, or walking in what Christ did. They also talk about what it means to stir one another up for good works. Looking at the full context of several verses, as well as giving word pictures, everything somehow keeps coming back to Christ. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: The Inklings: Apostles and Apologists of the Imagination with Sam Schuldheisz Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

In this episode, Katie Koplin and Gretchen Ronnevik interview their friend Raleigh Sadler, who is the founder and executive director of "Let My People Go" which is a ministry that empowers churches to fight human trafficking, and reaching those most vulnerable. These guys have had a lot of laughter together at various conferences, and we start by talking about the weird humor that comes from working in such heavy, dark places. He wrote a book called "Vulnerable: Rethinking Human Trafficking" and how everyday, regular church goers can reach their most vulnerable neighbors--not by being a superhero, but by tapping into their own vulnerablity. He gives the old youth group illustration of standing up on a chair, and trying to pull someone up, and how much easier it is for them to pull us down. He invites us instead to step off of our chair, and be vulnerable in the low places. It's an interesting conversation on righteousness, holiness, vulnerability, and what it means to love our vulnerable neighbors. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: The Inklings: Apostles and Apologists of the Imagination with Sam Schuldheisz Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

Working through the book, "Making Christian Counseling More Christ-Centered," Katie Koplin and Gretchen Ronnevik discuss how the theology of the cross impacts how we view ourselves. Luther put the focus on idolatry rather than ethics or morality. This puts our works in the hot seat, as we need to ask the question: why are we doing what we are doing? What is our striving for? Do we need God because we are sinners, or do we need God because we are his creation? Did we need God before the fall? We did! We just called it good back then. Now we despise our neediness, and so often use our good works as a defense against his grace. The theology of the cross boils down to: you are not crazy, it is that hard and God is that good. It is a core theology that fights the gaslighting of ourselves that we "should be" doing better, if we could just get on top of the law. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: The Inklings: Apostles and Apologists of the Imagination with Sam Schuldheisz Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

The rest of Gretchen Ronnevik's interview with Nathan and Joy Hoff had a handful of technical difficulties, but the conversation was so rich that none of it seems to matter. They talk about teaching young adults in their internship what it means to be hospitable, and how to serve your neighbors. She also asks them about the yearly "storm" that happens within community as the ideal fades into reality, and what happens when the commitment to reconcilation comes down to earth. They distinguish between forgiveness and reconcilation, and how the community defines that and attempts to live that out. They talk about the language of intention, and "real apology and real absolution." They talk about "where 2 or 3 are gathered together" is in the context of dealing with sin and reconcilation. They talk about the difference between discipleship and coersion, and how to infuse freedom into community. Paying attention and discernment, spiritual direction, and supporting one another--there's so many good things we talk about. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: When You Meet Jesus | Gospel Encounters Conference (Sep 6-8 in Flower Mound, TX) Available Now: Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin More from our Guests: https://www.trinitysanpedro.org/internship

Does believing in a sin nature, or that all our works have sin, lead to depression? Gretchen Ronnevik and Katie Koplin talk about how law and gospel aren't always linear--it's more circular, and it involves our whole life, as the entire Christian life is one of repentance. They joke Lutherans can sometimes come across as the "goth" of the Christian world, as we They talk about how a right understanding of our sin nature impacts our vocation in serving others. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Available Now: Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin Pre-order: Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Available Now: Be Thou My Song by Kerri Tom More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin

In part 3 of Gretchen Ronnevik's conversation with Amy Mantravadi, they discuss specifically the unusual marriage of Martin Luther and Katharaina Von Bora. There were many who did not like Katie, and didn't like the dynamic within their marriage. She was a very opinionated person, and many people did not consider her an ideal wife. Much of what we know about their marriage are from the "Table Talks" recorded by students and scholars who ate at Martin and Katie's dinner table. Each person who recorded these table talks had differing opinions on Katie, and they must have taken great pleasure in recording the spats and one liners that they slung at each other. She held a lot of sway with Luther, which made a lot of people uncomfortable. He would endlessly tease her, and she would tease him right back. When he fell into massive spells of depression and anxiety, unable to leave bed, she would lay next to him, and speak encouragements to him until he was able to get up again. They dealt with child death together, they had foster kids together. Their house was recorded as being chaotic, full of young boys and older widows staying with them. Luther's health and her ability to nurse the sick ended up being a huge part of their marriage as well. Amy reads one of Katie's letters after Luther's death, and we discuss the sad ending to her life and what we can consider that sadness. Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Available Now: Encouragement for Motherhood Edited by Katie Koplin Pre-order: Hitchhiking with Prophets: A Ride Through the Salvation Story of the Old Testament by Chad Bird 30 Minutes in the NT on Youtube Remembering Rod Rosenbladt Available Now: Be Thou My Song by Kerri Tom More from the hosts: Gretchen Ronnevik Katie Koplin