Episodes

  • Volker Leppin on the Solas and the Leipzig Debate (Repost)
    Jan 7 2026

    We are reposting our 2024 episode from our conversation with Volker Leppin. (The podcast will be on break through January and resuming in February with some exciting new content). Check out Volker Leppin's latest works that have come out since this episode originally aired: United with Christ: Martin Luther and Christian Mysticism and Francis of Assissi: The Life of a Restless Saint. Formally published Episode Details: Renowned Luther scholar Volker Leppin comes on the podcast to for a great discussion on his most recent book Sola: Christ, Grace, Faith, and Scripture Alone in Martin Luther's Theology from Lutheran Quarterly Books and the famous debate between Martin Luther and Johann Eck in June and July of 1519 known as the Leipzig Debate which proved to be a turning point in Luther's understanding of Scripture's authority.

    Volker Leppin is the Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology at Yale Divinity School. Prior to Yale, he taught church history at University of Jena and University of Tübingen. He is the author of many books, monographs, and articles in church history, especially on the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and Martin Luther. He is especially known for his biography of Luther titled Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life.

    SHOWNOTES:

    The works about Luther that Dr. Leppin mentions were significant for him were:

    Karl Holl's "Luther", presented as a lecture on Oct 31st 1917.

    Gerhard Ebeling's book Evangelische Evangelienauslegung: Eine Untersuchung zu Luthers Hermeneutik

    Heiko Oberman's book Luther: Man Between God and the Devil

    (Andrew also brought up Oberman's book The Dawn of the Reformation: Essays in Late Medieval and Early Reformation Thought)

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    58 mins
  • Today's Catholic Moment (with John Hoyum)
    Dec 19 2025

    In the past few years, Roman Catholicism (and to a lesser extent Eastern Orthodoxy) has been attractive to people (including younger people) looking for tradition, beauty, and stability in a world that is often chaotic. What are the "pitfalls and possibilities" (to quote Doc Brown) of this 'Current Catholic Moment'? John Hoyum, a Lutheran pastor and academic, joins Andrew and James on the podcast today to discuss this topic and things related to it. This conversation was inspired from his recent article "Reformation Christians and the Current Catholic Moment". SHOWNOTES: In today's episode, James brings up the book Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel from Christ to the Reformation

    John brings up the following resources (which he also references in his article above): -video of Ryan Burge's statistical analysis of the alleged religious revival -Daphne Hampse's book Christian Contradictions: The Structures of Lutheran and Catholic Thought

    -Jaroslav Pelikan's book The Riddle of Roman Catholicism

    -Herman Sasse's book Here We Stand

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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Perfect Love Drives Out Fear: Amy Mantravadi on her book Face to Face
    Nov 14 2025

    We were delighted for Amy Mantravadi to return to the podcast to discuss her book Face to Face: A Novel of the Reformation,the second of her two-part novel series. (She joined us to discuss the first book Broken Bonds on an episode earlier this year.) Amy is a regular contributor at 1517 and writes about theological and historical topics. SHOWNOTES

    The following works are brought up or referenced in this episode:

    -Amy's previous work The Chronicles of Maud trilogy.

    -Robert Kolb's Bound Choice, Election, and the Wittenberg Theological Method

    -Rudolf & Marilynn Markwald’s book Katharina von Bora: A Reformation Life

    -Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will

    -Martin Luther's “Against the Robbing and Murdering Hordes of Peasants” (1525), which can be found in Luther's Works, Volume 46

    -Coming Soon: Amy's talk “How the Bondage of the Will Changes My Life” will be featured in an upcoming video from the 1517 YouTube channel.

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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • The English Reformation (Part 4), James on the Joker, & Andrew on Ace Frehley
    Nov 5 2025

    A mix of topics on this episode. We continue to promote James' Substack Rogues and Reformers about his use of comic books as teaching tools for Reformational theology, and we focus particularly on what the Joker's story can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, we go to Andrew's latest Mockingbird article on what the former KISS guitarist the late Ace Frehley can teach us about human depravity and gospel-grace. Then, yes, we get to the English Reformation and look at Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, & Lady Jane Grey. Shownotes: -Rogues & Reformers Issue #6: The Joker- The Laughable Myth of Inherent Goodness -Andrew's article "Ace and Grace" –We reference former Doth Protest episode "Lady Jane Grey"

    –Peter Marshall's book Heretics & Believers

    –Eric Ives' book Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery

    –Diarmaid MacCulloch's book The Boy King: Edward VI and the Protestant Reformation

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Story of the English Reformation (pt. 3)
    Oct 7 2025

    Andrew and James continue their chronological walkthrough of the English Reformation discussing Katherine Parr, Edward VI, Martin Bucer, and the 1549 and 1552 Books of Common Prayer. Enjoy!

    We want to hear from you. Pease send feedback to dp.pod2020@gmail.com

    Episode Shownotes

    -Luther-scholarship that has identified Max Weber as a misinterpretor of Luther's 'two-kingdoms' teaching includes William Wright's book Martin Luther's Understanding of God's Two Kingdoms: A Response to the Challenge of Skepticism and Michael P. DeJonge's Bonhoeffer's Reception of Luther.

    -Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook's article ”Katherine Parr and the Reformed Religion” in Anglican Theological Review Vo. 72, No. 1

    - A.G. Dickens' classic text The English Reformation

    -

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • James' New Substack, Andrew's Greece & Turkey Trip, Charlie Kirk
    Sep 26 2025

    Andrew and James return to have a catch-up episode- with each other and with you. James started a substack called "Rogues & Reformers" on how Reformational theology can inform our read of comic books and superheroes. Andrew discusses a church trip he went on walking in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle. We offer what we hope can be a pastoral word on the murder of Charlie Kirk.

    Shownotes

    James' Substack "Rogues & Reformers"

    Itinerary and info on Andrew's Trip

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Story of the English Reformation (pt. 2)
    Aug 16 2025

    In this episode we look at Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves, Martin Luther's influence on English churchmen like William Tyndale and Robert Barnes, the influence of the English-Schmalkaldic dialogues on the 39 articles, and more. (Show correction: the author Andrew mentions is Michael Whiting, not Whitling! Apologies) We also took the first segment of the episode to discuss recent feedback from our friend Fr. Isaac Rehberg. (Previous two-time guest on the podcast). Sharing feedback in the beginning of our episode will be a regular part of our routine going forward! Please reach out to us with your thoughts, questions, or suggestions: dp.pod2020@gmail.com

    Shownotes: Michael Whiting's book Luther in English: The Influence of His Theology of Law and Gospel on Early English Evangelicals (1525-1535)

    The Reformation Essays of Robert Barnes, edited by Neelak S. Tjernagel

    Henry VIII and the Lutherans: A Study in Anglo-Lutheran Relations from 1521 to 1547 by Neelak S. Tjernagel

    Documents of the English Reformation, edited by Gerald Bray

    Worship by Faith Alone: Thomas Cranmer, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Reformation of Liturgy by Zac Hicks

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Story of the English Reformation (pt. 1)
    Aug 6 2025

    Did Henry VIII found the Anglican Church? That's one of many things we explore in this episode which will be the first of a multi-part series where James and Andrew discuss the 16th Reformation in England. In this part, we look at the so-called three 'streams' of Anglicanism, the Tudors, and Henry's reign up to his divorce with Anne of Cleves. Enjoy! Give us feedback on the podcast. Please reach out to us at dp.pod2020@gmail.com or leave us a review on wherever you listen to us at.

    Shownotes We reference or quote from the following works:

    Ben Crosby's Substack Draw Near with Faith

    The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark Noll

    Love's Redeeming Work: The Anglican Quest for Holiness

    Long Before Luther: Tracing the Heart of the Gospel from Christ to the Reformation by Nathan Busenitz

    The English Reformation by A.G. Dickens

    Documents of the English Reformation by Gerald Bray

    The European Reformations by Carter Lindberg

    *Andrew could not find where he drew the quote from Ian Hazlett from, but if you happen to know, please inform him. Thanks!

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    1 hr and 15 mins