Theology In The Raw

Oftentimes, we don’t know what to do with the ascension. I mean, we believe in it, but we don’t often appreciate the theological necessity of it. Get your Bible’s out for this episode, because Patrick and I dance through various passages of Scripture to reconstruct the lost doctrine of the ascension of Christ. Patrick Schreiner is Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously taught at Western Seminary in Portland Oregon (2014–20) and received his Ph.D. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (2014).He is the author of a number of books, including The Body of Jesus: A Spatial Analysis of the Kingdom in Matthew (T&T Clark), The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross (Crossway), Matthew, Disciple and Scribe: The First Gospel and Its Portrait of Jesus (Baker),  and The Ascension of Christ: Recovering a Neglected Doctrine (Lexham Press). He has also contributed chapters to God’s Glory Revealed in Christ: Essays on Bibli

Is it possible for Christians to maintain unity when they are so divided over hot-button issues like politics, race, and points of doctrine? Do you have to sacrifice conviction for the sake of unity? Is it possible for a zealous Trump-supporter and an ardent Biden-supporter to worship together in the same church without thinking the other person is evil? There is no better person to help us navigate these issues than Dr. Tim Muehlhoff. Tim Muehlhoff (Ph.D., University of North Carolina) is the co-author (with Rick Langer) of the recent book Winsome Conviction and is a professor of communication at Biola University's Department of Communication Studies in La Mirada, California, a speaker and research consultant for the Center for Marriage and Relationships, and an author of several books on communication. In addition to being an educator and author, he is the co-host of a podcast entitled, The Art of Relationships which is produced by Biola University and is currently heard in 100 countries. Tim and his w

Dr. Sandy Richter is one of my favorite--and one of the most provocative--biblical scholars, and she comes back on Theology in the Raw for the second time in 10 months to help us think through this important question: should Christian care for the environment? The answer, of course--if you read the Bible--is yes. But why are so many Christians resistant to this question? (Pssst...it’s because we’re often shaped more by American political tribal identities than the actual Bible.) We also wrestle with questions like: What age will we be in the resurrection? Will animals be resurrected in the new creation? And why won’t there be marriage in the resurrection? Internationally known for her work on Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History, Dr. Richter brings the Old Testament to life by exploring the real people and real places from which it comes. Dr. Richter is a graduate of Valley Forge University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and earned her doctorate from the Near Eastern Languages and

Kurt is the author of the brand new book: Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain (https://www.amazon.com/Echoing-Hope-Humanity-Jesus-Redeems/dp/0593193504/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=kurt+willems&qid=1613502655&sr=8-1) And his forms the bulk of our discussion. Do we believe Jesus was really human? Do we overemphasize his deity and therefore lose out on embracing the beauty of his humanity? When did Jesus realize he was God? Do his miracles prove his divinity or show that he was empowered by the Spirit? Kurt Willems is a pastor, writer, and spiritual director. After several years in student and adult church ministry in Central California, he partnered with the Brethren in Christ to plant a Christian community in Seattle called Pangea Church. Kurt maintains a resource website, which hosts articles and podcasts, called Theology Curator (formerly called, The Paulcast). He is passionate about taking dense ideas and communicating them in ways that are empowering for people in all

Clare De Graaf is a cancer survivor, sort of “retired” businessman, a friend, a mentor, the chairman of the board for The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender, founder of many Christian non-profit ministries, and one of the most zealous, faithful, wise Christian leaders I’ve ever met. In this conversation, Clare talks about his journey in the faith--which involves many twists and turns, ups and downs--and his contagious outlook on the kingdom of God. You can read more about Clare, his life and ministry, and his book The Ten Second Rule, on his website: https://www.claredegraaf.comSupport PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

As the title suggests, this episode is all about the question of multi-ethnicity in the body of Christ. And Dr. Gray is the right person to challenge us in this conversation. Dr. Derwin L. Gray is the founding and lead pastor of Transformation Church, one of the largest multiethnic, multigenerational, mission-shaped communities in the U.S., located in Indian Land, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte, North Carolina.Dr. Gray is a graduate of Southern Evangelical Theological Seminary and Northern Seminary, where he received his Doctorate of Ministry under Scot McKnight. In addition to his role at Transformation Church, Derwin teaches at conferences nationwide. He is the author of Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart (2010), Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future (2013), Crazy Grace for Crazy Times Bible Study (2015), The High-Definition Leader (2015), and The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness (2020).Oh, and Dr. Gray played for 6 years in

Ed Shaw is Associate Pastor at Emmanuel Bristol and part of the editorial team at Living Out. He loves his family and friends, church and city, gin and tonic, and music and books. He is the author of Same-Sex Attraction and the Church: The Surprising Plausibility of the Celibate Life (IVP) and the recently released Purposeful Sexuality: A Short Introduction (IVP). Ed is attracted to the same-sex and has committed his life to celibacy and the ministry of the gospel. In this episode, we talk about his journey as an SSA Christian man and minister and about the themes unpacked in his latest book Purposeful Sexuality.Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

We discuss three issues in this podcast: (1) Imperial critical readings of the New Testament (i.e. how the NT critiques the Roman empire in its language), (2) the benefit of studying first-century philosophy for understanding the New Testament, and (3) why Romans 7:9-25 is not talking about a Christian or Christians. My guest is Dr. Joey Dodson. Joey joined Denver Seminary in July 2019 as an associate professor of New Testament. Dr. Dodson received his PhD in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen. He has written articles for journals such as Novum Testamentum, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, and the Journal for Jewish Studies. His most recent books include A Little Book for New Bible Scholars with E. Randolph Richards (2017) and a co-edited volume with David E. Briones, Paul and Seneca in Dialogue(2017). Dr. Dodson’s current research includes a Romans commentary in the Brill Exegetical Commentary Series and a Colossians-Philemon commentary in The Christian Standard Commentary Series. Dr. Dodson come

Don Pape is the master Yoda of Christian publishing. He has over 35 years of experience working for some of the biggest Christian publishers and has also been a literary agent. Don is responsible for finding a relatively unknown pastor from Simi Valley named Francis Chan and signing him to a book deal. In this conversation, Don and I talk about what it takes to be a successful writer, the pros and cons of Christian publishing, the role that having a platform plays in landing a book deal, what to do if you feel called to write a book, the kind of financial advances that new authors should expect, and many other things related to the industry. Don recently launched another adventure to serve authors. It’s called “Pape Commons”--check it out! https://papecommons.comSupport PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf y

The last couple of years has kicked up a lot of dust regarding race relations in America and in the church, but why did it take so long? Thabiti, or “Pastor T,” helps us understand some of the concerns and frustrations that black people have had about how white people (progressives and conservatives) have gone about the race conversation. Pastor T helps us understand what Critical Race Theory is, the real meaning of systemic racism, why issues of justice are not subsidiary to the gospel, and how the church can have better conversations about race. Pastor T is one of the pastors for Anacostia River Church in Washtington D.C. He has served as an elder and pastor in churches in NC, DC and the Cayman Islands. After a few years as a practicing Muslim, Thabiti was converted under the preaching of the gospel in the Washington DC area. He and his wife, Kristie, have three children. Thabiti is the author of several books, including The Life of God in the Soul of the Church; The Gospel for Muslims; What Is a Healt

Justin Bronson Barringer is a pastor, consultant, writer, editor, and a PhD candidate in religious ethics at Southern Methodist University. He’s also a star in the hit reality show Duck Dynasty. (Just kidding.) I met Justin many years ago when he agreed to read (and critique!) early drafts of my book Fight, now called Nonviolence: The Revolutionary Way of Jesus. He was very influential in helping me understand Christian nonviolence and the ethical challenges it presents. In this episode, we talk about his new book that he edited: The Business of War: Theological and Ethical Reflections on the Military-Industrial Complex​. Once we understand how profitable war can be, it sort of changes your view on the whole military industrial complex.  We also talk about a theology of country music. So, yeah...Along with his wife, Justin hosts the Rogue Ministry Podcast, a show dedicated to helping people create and sustain faithful ministries. Justin and Rachel founded Diapers, Etc. a ministry which "exists to pr

While many Christians read the book of Revelation as mostly about future events, it’s best understood as a piece of political protest. John is writing to confront Chrisitan Nationalism--in a first-century sort of way. There’s no better person to help us read Revelation in this way than Dr. Dan Morrison. Dan is assistant professor of New Testament at George Fox University and he wrote his doctoral dissertation on Revelation. It’s called: “Apocalypse as Protest: Reading Revelation from Places of Poverty, Privilege, Power, and Persecution”Dan Morrison joined George Fox in 2020 as an assistant professor of New Testament, working remotely on a half-time basis. He worked the previous three years as an assistant professor of New Testament and expository preaching at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary at Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. During that same span, he served as a U.S. Navy reserve chaplain at Navy Operation Support Center (Springfield, MO). He was also director of the Cordas C. Burnett

Jon Tyson is a brother from another Australian mother (or mum). Jon’s one of the wisest, most intelligent, astute, prophetic, and spiritually authentic Chrisitans leaders in the church today. This dude walks with Jesus in both heart and mind. In this episode, I wanted Jon to give a prophetic perspective on 2020. How should we think about this crazy year? What should we learn from it? How should we look forward in 2021 and beyond? What should the church keep doing after Covid, and what should the church leave behind? Oh, and we also discuss the roots and symptoms of Trumpism and I actually say “you are Trump; we are Trump.” Or something like that. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I know I’ll get some emails. You can address them to JonTyson@hotmail.com (Just kidding...as if Jon has a hotmail account.) Jon Tyson is a Pastor and Church Planter in New York City. Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Jon moved to the United States twenty years ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the We

Dr. Hruz (pronounced “rooz”) is an associate Professor of Pediatrics, Cell Biology & Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He has a Ph.D. and an M.D. and specializes in pediatric endocrinology. Dr. Hruzhas clinical interest in a wide range of endocrine disorders, with a special interest in diabetes mellitus. Dr. Hruz's research interests include intermediary carbohydrate metabolism, glucose transporter structure and function and mechanism of insulin action.Dr. Hruz has also become an expert in the discussion currounding puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and trans* teenagers seeking transition. This is what we focused on in our discussion. We looked at the health risks and benefits of blockers and cross sex hormones and some of the ideology surrounding the discussion. If you would like to learn more about the trans* conversation from a Christian perspective, check out my new book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say: https:

Addie was raised in a conservative Christian home and has always had a strong faith in Jesus. Addie also has experienced severe gender dysphoria from a young age, and after much prayer, study, and seeking counsel, she decided to transition from male to female toward the end of college. Add is very happy with her decision, believes it was the right thing for her to do, and still has a robust faith in Jesus. Addie is still theologically and politically conservative, so she doesn’t fit neatly into the categories that people often have of trans* people. If you would like to learn more about the trans* conversation from a Christian perspective, check out my new book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say: https://www.amazon.com/Embodied-Transgender-Identities-Church-Bible/dp/0830781226Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Presto

Helena is one of many females who have experienced “Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria,” where gender dysphoria seems to come out of nowhere and is allegedly brought on, in part, through social contagion. Helena talks honestly and opening about her journey where, as a teenager, she used to identify as trans* but later renounced that identity and detransitioned back to her biological sex as female. Helena believes she was brainwashed into this identity through various online social media sites such as Tumblr and Reddit. My book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say releases today! Pick up your copy today: https://www.amazon.com/Embodied-Transgender-Identities-Church-Bible/dp/0830781226Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

In this third part of our series “Diversity of Trans*,” I sit down with my good friend Kyla Gillespie. Kyla is female, transitioned to male 10 years ago, then back to female 4 years ago. She tells her story in this episode and discusses why she transitioned in the first place, the results of that transition, her encounter with Jesus in 2017, her decision to detransition back to her birth sex, and her ongoing journey in the gospel. Pre-order my book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say from this website to recieve pre-order incentives: https://davidccook.org/books-preston-sprinkle-embodied/Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

Renee has experienced gender dysphoria from an early age and it’s never gone away. She hates wearing dresses and has never worn make-up, which means she doesn’t at all resonate with the culturally defined gender stereotypes of western culture. Renee is also a radical follower of Jesus, has a masters in Theology and is pursuing a Ph.D., and aspires to be a writer and theological educator. While she experiences ongoing gender dysphoria and doesn’t fit your typical narrow box of femininity, she also doesn’t agree with many things in a “gender affirming” ideology. Pre-order my book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say from this website to recieve pre-order incentives: https://davidccook.org/books-preston-sprinkle-embodied/Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enj

Miranda Yardley is an engaging writer, an astute thinker, and a atheist #transsexual (Miranda's preferred term) who's been very outspokenly critical of many tenets of trans* activist ideology. In this episode, we talk about #autogynephilia, the meaning of sex and #gender, human nature, why it’s impossible to change sex, the role that porn plays in the rise of youth exploring sexual and gender identities, and many other things. Check out Miranda's work here: https://mirandayardley.com/en/Pre-order my book Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say from this website to recieve pre-order incentives: https://davidccook.org/books-preston-sprinkle-embodied/Support PrestonSupport Preston by going to patreon.comVenmo: @Preston-Sprinkle-1Connect with PrestonTwitter | @PrestonSprinkleInstagram | @preston.sprinkleYoutube | Preston SprinkleCheck out his website prestonsprinkle.comIf you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave a review.

Tish Harrison Warren is the real deal. Super raw, super wise, down to earth, yet can hang in the loftiest ivory towers. Tish is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She is the author of Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, which was Christianity Today's 2018 Book of the Year, and the forthcoming Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work, or Watch, or Weep (IVP, 2021). These two books form the backbone of our conversation, and toward the end of the podcast we get super raw and real about the problem of evil and stuff.Tish has worked in ministry settings for over a decade as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, with addicts and those in poverty through various churches and non-profit organizations, and, most recently, as the writer-in-residence at Church of the Ascension in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a monthly columnist with Christianity Today, and her articles and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Religion