Posts by Mortification of Spin

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The Spin Team—yes, the fashion guru, the pastor to the “furries,” and the lead singer of the punk band “Feminist Outrage Machine”—have not one, but two special guests today! Kelly Kapic and Brian Fikkert, both at Covenant College, have authored Becoming Whole:...
David Ayers, Provost of Grove City College and professor of Sociology, is still Carl’s boss…and, he’s back in the bunker. David has recently done research on the sexual habits of evangelical teenagers and young adults, and he’s reporting some disturbing findings. What do...
One prodigal host has wandered off, so the other two discuss the many questions surrounding today’s topic. What is a prodigal child? Is every child that’s struggling with sin or indifferent to the Gospel a prodigal? Should parents take full blame for children who walk away from the...
Carl, Todd, and Aimee are joined by Rachel Green Miller. She writes for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals , and has a blog of her own. Rachel has recently published her first book, titled Beyond Authority and Submission: Women and Men in Marriage, Church, and Society. Rachel conducted several...
A listener asks "the famous Carl Trueman" what “to be Reformed” really means, as Aimee and Todd play the mediators. The term “Reformed” is full of meaning, but many times it’s reduced to simply mean holding to the five points of Calvinism or merely ascribing...
We enjoy a pleasant visit with Terry Johnson. He’s the senior minister of Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, GA, where he’s been serving since 1987. Eons ago, Terry had planned on teaching a 10-part series on the attributes of God…which turned into 82, as he immersed...
Worship: The Chief End of Man is the main theme of the Quakertown Conference on Reformed Theology, sponsored by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals , happening this November 8 and 9. The crew sits down with Quakertown conference speaker Jonathan Master to get a glimpse of the wonderful lineup...
Rutledge Etheridge is in the house. He’s assistant professor of Biblical Studies at Geneva College, a former chaplain in the same institution, and an ordained minister at Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. “Rut” is the author of God Breathed: Connecting Through...
A few sad recent events have caught the attention of the media, and our trio is talking through the high profile, so-called Christian “influencers” who have publicly declared their departure from the faith. Is it possible to pinpoint a pathological cultural pattern as a motive for such...
Unable to catch any decent waves this morning, Danny Hyde pumped up the volume of his hair and came over for a chat about his latest work, written in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort. Danny is the pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church in Carlsbad, California, and...
The gang gathers in the bunker to answer some listener questions. From the holy to the profane, funny to offensive, all kinds of queries drive today’s episode. Will Baptists go to heaven? Who in the world is Nate Diaz? Differences between the PCA and the OPC, the influence of Van Tilian...
Versace, Maserati, private jets. What do the lives of “Christian celebrities” look like? Costi Hinn pays a visit to the bunker to chat about the ostentatious lifestyle he experienced growing up around his uncle Benny Hinn. Costi has recently authored God, Greed, and the (Prosperity)...
Some issues in the church are unlikely to go away anytime soon. Unfortunately, reports of spiritual, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse keep surfacing in Christian circles everywhere, so the Spin team examines the scars of emotional abuse in particular and the parameters of the authority that...
Among his many qualifications, Neil Shenvi is a critical theory analyst. His broad understanding of the subject allows us to learn about critical theory’s greatest past and present supporters, as well as the danger it can pose for Christianity. Neil warns against uncritically adopting...
Carl, Todd, and Aimee are sitting on a blanket under a tree, bickering over who’s been reading the best summer books. As it’s hard to point to one book among the stacks and stacks of good stuff out there, the trio decides to compromise, and share some of their recent favorites. From...
Emily Zinos visits the bunker. Her Twitter description reads: “Woman, Wife, Mother, Catholic. I've given birth seven times; you don't scare me”. Emily has written an article addressing the latest transgender movement titled "Sex Is Better than Gender"; and the trio...
The Spin Squad strikes again! The current mission is to put the kibosh on the latest trend in evangelicalism: the dreaded “personality tests.” What are the origins of the Enneagram? Can people really be defined and perfectly fit into one of its nine categories? Should Christians rely on...
Kevin Vanhoozer joins the team for a conversation about his latest book Hearers and Doers: A Pastor’s Guide to Making Disciples through Scripture and Doctrine. Kevin is the Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a prolific author. In Hearers and...
While Todd is having some Tex-Mex with friends at the PCA General Assembly, Carl and Aimee take a look at the latest resolutions and issues happening there, and at the Southern Baptist Convention, because—frankly—nothing interesting ever happens in the OPC! The stalwart duo discusses...
Despite Carl’s incessant prayers, the Lord has not granted the desires of his heart concerning his co-hosts! Nevertheless, he’s learning to be content with Todd and Aimee. Does God always listen to the prayers of His people? If so, why don’t we always get a positive outcome? What...
Who would have thought a few years ago that today, blogging would be considered a great intellectual exercise…in comparison to the complex ideas we now try to discuss in 280 characters or less? The ugliness of Christians belittling other Christians on social media can be disheartening,...
Are Christians promised a life free from suffering? If not, how should we respond when trouble comes our way? The team considers suffering and the place of lament in the life of the Christian. Is it wrong or sinful to lament? What should one say to God when going through the valley of the shadow?...
It seems like a never-ending story, but there’s more disturbing news about the saga of a certain celebrity pastor. The crew finds cover in the bunker, and “takes a shot” at commenting on the allegations that this high-profile reverend tried to hire…a hit man. You can’...
It’s widely known that Carl and Todd are the Presbyterian symbols of natural good looks, and rumor has it that they’re working on a line of male grooming products. People are noticing how Carl has sloughed off a few decades of decay since starting to use Kiehl's Age Defender...
While Aimee is away, Todd and Carl are feeling pretty empowered to have a free conversation in their “safe space.” In light of the abhorrent shooting at a Poway, CA synagogue some weeks ago, the guys are pondering the extent of responsibility inherent upon church officers and members to...
The trio meets at the VA bunker, and—even without their morning coffee—they manage to answer a few listener questions. Aimee brings up the “bad book” box, as Carl tries to offer an eco-friendly disposal solution for hazardous theological material. What’s the difference...
John V. Fesko is the current Academic Dean and professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California…but, he’s packing up and getting ready to move to Jackson, MS where he’ll be teaching at Reformed Theological Seminary. The team rolls up its...
Simonetta Carr makes her return to the bunker. She’s written a number of Christian books (including some wonderful children’s biographies) and she’s also a contributor of Place for Truth , another Alliance website. This time around, Simonetta joins the team to talk about a very...
Matthew Barrett is the associate professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas, MO. Matthew joins in to chat about his latest work, None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God. If you’re wondering what Matthew means by the word “...
Carl and Aimee travel to a much nicer bunker this week, enjoying the comfort of Todd’s fully renovated quarters in VA. Joining them is Tim Geiger, president of Harvest USA, to chat about his sessions on Gender, Sexuality, and What it Means to be Human, the theme of this year’s Blue...
After the announcement that the physical Lifeway stores are closing down, the crew reflects on the nostalgic feeling of browsing through books in a brick and mortar bookstore, and the happiness derived from those “accidental findings” on the shelves. The three weigh the pros and cons of...
Along with the preached word, there’s another important aspect central to the life of a church: how the members of the body interact throughout the week. Tony Payne heads the Center for Christian Living at Moore College in Sydney, Australia. He’s also a director at Matthias Media. One...
The crew huddles in the bunker to discuss a two-volume work that has gotten a lot of attention since its publication last summer. The Devil’s Redemption by Michael McClymond is a thorough, scholarly work and honest critique of Universalism in all its forms. Is Universalism the same as...
At first glance, drinking coffee or watching birds on a telephone wire might not inspire a sense of wonder. But can we find more in these ordinary moments? Pierce Taylor Hibbs is the associate director of the Theological English Department at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and he...
The lines of battle are drawn early in this debate, as Todd accuses Carl and Aimee of being too “inclusive,” and Carl and Todd indict Aimee for being, well…female. Sounds like a typical day in the bunker! More importantly, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals , along with...
Carl is on his very best behavior today—his boss is in the house! David Ayers is professor of sociology, and interim provost of Grove City College. He joins us, not to talk about Carl’s performance at work (which could be very interesting), but about his own recent work: Christian...
Liam Goligher is back. He’s one of the speakers at the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology , coming up this March in Grand Rapids and April in Philadelphia. The theme of the conference this year is Redemption Accomplished and Applied . From the comfort of his living room couch, Liam...
The rising degradation of human life cannot be overlooked, as—recently—we witnessed New York’s governor signing an abortion bill into law as legislators celebrated their newly-expanded “right” to kill the unborn. If that wasn’t bad enough, a few days later...
About three years ago, the Reformed quarters of the Internet were consumed with a fiery debate over the doctrine of the Trinity. Fast forward, and we find the Spin revisiting the topic today with Glenn Butner. He’s assistant professor of theology and Christian ministry at Sterling College,...
One can only wonder what a Mortification of Spin band would look and sound like. But today it’s not about music; it’s about the most popular Mortification of Spin episodes of 2018. After a few minutes of squabbling between Todd and Aimee about toxic masculinity, razor commercials, and...
Back in the bunker, the three amigos meet with Julie Roys. Julie is the embodied combination of Sherlock Holmes and Lois Lane. She’s a longtime investigative reporter committed to uncovering the truth, and—much like Carl, Todd, and Aimee—interested in “mortifying the spin...
What do you do when you make a mistake that affects, perhaps, over a million people in their youth; an error that would cause many to regret their decisions more than 20 years later? The crew grabs some popcorn to watch and discuss Joshua Harris’ documentary, I Survived “I Kissed Dating...
Some churches are taking a break from worship on the Lord’s Day, and the crew brings the topic under the spotlight. A sound, biblical doctrine of worship, and of the means of grace, are essential to the understanding of why God’s people gather on the Lord’s Day. It’s how we...
Listener Sam has called upon the crew to address missions, in light of the terribly sad death of missionary John Chau in the North Sentinel Island. The topic has stirred up strong emotions and opinions about missions in the media; it has even compelled Todd to resume Tweeting. The death of Mr. Chau...
Is “out with the old, in with the new” something you can do with parts of the Bible? The crew takes a look at a statement made by Andy Stanley, suggesting that Christians “unhitch” the Old Testament from their faith. Meanwhile, Carl digs into his historical archives and...
After a delicious Christmas dinner and dessert, Aimee, Carl, and Todd relax around the fireplace and answer some Christmas ‘letters’ from listeners. For example: Are nativity scenes with baby Jesus in the manger a second commandment violation? Some attribute the origin of Christmas to a...
This week’s destination is the Evergreen State of Washington. The crew meets with Mark Ward, author of Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible. In his book, Mark considers—on one hand—the value of the KJV, and what we lose when we put aside the still most-read bible...
To put the brakes on the Spin, the crew is addressing some very important questions sent by the listeners…like this, from Scott S. in Orlando: Will there be peanut butter in the new heaven and new earth? And, if so—creamy or crunchy? The theological implications are staggering. It...
Most people have heard of the famous Charles H. Spurgeon, also known as the “Prince of Preachers.” Ray Rhodes dug deeper—delving into Spurgeon’s family life—and found Spurgeon’s greatest earthly treasure: his wife, Susannah. Ray serves as pastor of Grace...
The crew sits down with Michael Allen to chat about his latest, Grounded in Heaven - Recentering Christian Hope and Life on God. Allen is the John Dyer Trimble Professor of Systematic Theology and academic dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He’s also a multiple-time guest,...