Thinking Fellows

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Are Lutherans Catholic? May 29, 2025

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In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, the hosts explore the complexities of Lutheran identity, particularly in relation to Catholicism. They discuss the meanings of 'Catholic' in both small and large contexts. What are the historical implications and the ongoing challenges of using the word "catholic?" The fellows discuss the effectiveness and downfalls of ecumenical movements that rally around small c catholic identity and critique how they can overlook core theological differences, particularly regarding the gospel.

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Are Lutherans Protestant? May 21, 2025

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Lutherans started the Protestant Reformation. However, they shy away from the term today. The Thinking Fellows discuss why the term became contentious but why Lutherans must still identify with it. The conversation highlights Lutherans' challenges in identifying themselves within the broader Christian community and the need for more effective engagement with other traditions. The episode concludes with reflections on the future of Lutheran identity and a teaser for the next episode.

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Are Lutherans Evangelicals? May 10, 2025

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The Fellows continue their conversation about Lutheran identity. This time, they discuss the term "evangelical." Lutherans have used the term to describe themselves since the early Reformation. In recent times, confessional Lutherans have turned away from the term. Caleb, Scott, Adam, and Bruce discuss why the word is worth using and qualifying, even though it has come to gain new definitions in Western Christianity.

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What is a Confessional Lutheran? May 02, 2025

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The Thinking Fellows continue discussing the issue of a Lutheran identity crisis. This week, they deal with the moniker: confessional. They define confessional and explain why it is essential to Lutheranism. They also cover how the term has been used within specific movements in American Lutheranism, particularly the LCMS, to bludgeon people over a reasonable disagreement. Overall, Lutherans must subscribe to the Lutheran Confessions and thus be confessional, but it is not necessary to be involved in the gatekeeping that "confessional" movements can participate in today.

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A Lutheran Identity Crisis Apr 22, 2025

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In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith engage discuss an ongoing identity crisis within Lutheranism. They explore various terms such as confessional and missional, their meanings, and the implications for the Lutherans. The conversation explores the historical context of Lutheran identity, the role of tradition and doctrine and how they shape the identiy of a church.

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Things Christians Shouldn't Do Apr 10, 2025

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How should Christians navigate the shoulds and shouldnots of daily life, especially on matters not explicitly covered in Scripture? The Fellows look at common questions about civil behavior that Christians ask online. They also consider the idea of Christian behavior as a witness to their neighbor.

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Let's Talk About Infant Baptism Mar 28, 2025

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There are lots of objections to infant baptism floating around in American Christianity today. In this episode, the Fellows respond to some common objections leveraged against advocates of baptizing infants. The objections came from X-post comments; they do not represent the most sophisticated arguments for the credo-baptist position but rather some ordinary objections that real people believe and profess.

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Can You Make The Gospel Relevant? Mar 17, 2025

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In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Adam Francisco, Bruce Hillman, and Scott Keith discuss the relevance of the gospel in contemporary society. The conversation delves into the roles of law and gospel, cultural contextualization, and the challenges faced by churches in effectively communicating the gospel message. The Fellows emphasize that while the gospel itself cannot be changed. They also discuss the potential roadblocks that can hinder understanding, the importance of context in evangelism, and the dangers of conflating the gospel with law.

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Hypocrisy or Consistency? The Church and Sexual Sins Mar 11, 2025

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In this episode of The Thinking Fellows, the hosts take on a challenging question: Are Christians hypocritical when it comes to sexual sins? This discussion is often raised in conversations about LGBTQ issues and the Church's stance on morality.

The Fellows explore how the Sixth Commandment applies to all sexual sins and emphasize that the Church's teaching should be consistent—preaching repentance and forgiveness for every violation, not just the culturally controversial ones. They also push back on the common accusation that churches are obsessed with homosexuality, pointing out that society, not the Church, is hyper-fixated on the issue.

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Should We Still Send Our Kids to College? Feb 26, 2025

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In this episode of the Thinking Fellows podcast, Caleb Keith, Scott Keith, and Adam Francisco engage in a friendly discussion about the current state of university education. They explore whether the traditional concept of the university is dead, the role of universities in preparing students for the job market, and the cultural influences that shape modern education. The conversation also touches on the challenges of implementing a liberal arts curriculum and the varying expectations of what a university should provide to its students.

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