In this episode of Mortification of Spin, Carl and Todd engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Brad Littlejohn, director of Programs and Education at American Compass, about Brad's newly published book, Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License.   Christians in the modern West hear a lot about—and talk a lot about—"freedom." The word has taken on so many meanings that Christians often fail to realize how much our contemporary ideals of freedom stray from what freedom has meant in Scripture and the Christian tradition. We need to redeem and recover a properly Christian way of thinking about freedom. – Carl Trueman Today's conversation touches on the Reformation's impact on individual liberty, the tension between authority and conscience, and the contemporary challenges Christians face in understanding freedom.  As Protestants, we have to care about freedom because it's central to our theological heritage. – Brad Littlejohn Tune in for an insightful exploration of these critical themes! Thanks to the generosity of B&H Academic, we are pleased to offer three copies of Brad's book, Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License. Enter here for the opportunity to win one.   Show Notes: Call to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License https://bhacademic.bhpublishinggroup.com/product/called-to-freedom-3/#flipbook-sampler/

In this poignant episode, Todd and Carl welcome author Whitney Pipkin to discuss her book, We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us. Drawing from her own experience, Whitney sheds light and hope, reminding us that we are not alone in our grief. And she reveals the mysterious way God ministers to and transforms us through death and suffering. "The places you are most afraid to go, feel most ill-equipped to venture to, are the places Christ has gone before you." – Whitney Pipkin Tune in as they explore how facing mortality can lead to deeper faith and understanding. This is coming for each of us. How then shall we live? This is the question that each of us has the opportunity to consider at a funeral, but also when we read the news and when loss is far away, and when it's close, really close to home. – Whitney Pipkin Thanks to the generosity of Moody Publishing, we are pleased to offer three copies of Whitney Pipkin’s book, We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us. Enter here for the opportunity to win one.   Show Notes: Whitney Pipkin’s Book https://www.moodypublishers.com/we-shall-all-be-changed/

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. – Proverbs 9:10 Today, Todd and Carl are joined by Chris Ansberry, associate professor at Grove City College, and a colleague of Carl's who refuses to wear socks, much to Carl's chagrin. Wardrobe choices aside, Chris recently wrote a commentary on the Book of Proverbs, published by Zondervan Academic as part of their Exegetical Commentary Series. Wisdom literature seems to be a little bit obscure to many students of the Bible, but Chris has a deep love for these books that have often been marginalized.  "Proverbs is not only designed to form our intellect, but it's also cultivating and directing our desires, it's shaping our forms of life, it's helping our perception – how do we see people, how do we see the world? So within that realm of ethics, I think that there's a lot in which Proverbs can do for us…I can't read Proverbs without seeing the same sort of moral vision that's on offer in the Sermon on the Mount." – Chris Ansberry   Discover the intricacies of wisdom literature and its place in Christian life and pastoral teaching. Find out how Proverbs can shape ethical understanding and spiritual formation, and how pastors can approach preaching from this often-overlooked biblical text. And find out the answer to Carl's question, "What is the church missing if the pastor never preaches on wisdom literature in general, and specifically if the pastor never preaches on Proverbs?" Thanks to the generosity of Zondervan Academic, we are pleased to offer three copies of Chris Ansberry’s Commentary on Proverbs. Enter here for the opportunity to win one. Show Notes: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: Old Testament: https://zondervanacademic.com/promotions/zec#1151215 New Testament: https://zondervanacademic.com/promotions/zec#1151637 Chris Ansberry’s Proverbs Commentary: https://zondervanacademic.com/products/proverbs-2

Join Carl and Todd as they tackle the pressing issues of gender ideology and pastoral practice with special guests Mary Rice Hasson and Theresa Farnan from the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Mary and Theresa have worked on a book titled Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders, which Carl believes to be immensely valuable for Protestants and Catholics alike. Discover insights from their book as they discuss the challenges facing pastors today, from pronoun use to public education to the influence of social media on youth.  Our children feel so lonely and alone, so what do they do? They go online, and they find a community of people. So we, as churches – our role has to be that online community. I don't care what denomination you are; if you're not there giving community to your young people, they will go looking for it somewhere, and what they will find is so toxic. – Theresa Farnan Learn how pastors and churches can equip themselves to address these complex issues with love and truth. Thanks to the generosity of Notre Dame Press, we are pleased to offer two copies of Gender Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors, and Ministerial Leaders to our listeners. Enter here for the opportunity to win one. Show Notes: Ethics and Public Policy Center:  https://eppc.org/ Person and Identity Project:  https://personandidentity.com/ Gender, Ideology and Pastoral Practice: A Handbook for Catholic Clergy, Counselors and Ministerial Leaders