This week Rhys, Colin, and Jonathan continue the podcast's readthorugh of Begotten or Made? This time they discuss the relational and procreative good of marriage and how they relate, why IVF is Nietzschean, and what Protestants think of contraception. Timestamps 00:00:00-00:09:38 - intro, recap, the unitive/relation good of marriage 00:09:47-00:18…

This week, Rhys and Colin are joined by Davenant House Groundskeeper Jonathan McKenzie to discuss the virtue of moderation. Prompted by Davenant Press's recent publication A Treatise on Christian Moderation, they discuss the philosophical history of moderation, how it relates to both physical and intellectual pursuits, and how it fits into the purs…

Recorded in August 2023, Colin hosts this special live episode with the return of Onsi Kamel and our most featured guest, Colin's brother Justin. Colin, Onsi, and Justin discuss a paper Onsi delivered at the Bay Area Thomas Aquinas Society conference on a Thomistic view of "place". Albert the Great, Thomas' mentor, saw close links between metaphysi…

Happy New Year! Rhys and Colin are back together to discuss Made Like the Maker, the second volume in Colin's modernization of Thomas Traherne's Christian Ethics. They talk about who Traherne was, before diving into the nature of Christian ethics, what wisdom of "the whole" means, and Colin's provocative introductory essay to the book. Subscribe to…

It's a Christmas special! This week, Rhys and Colin discuss an unlikely candidate for a Christmas story: The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Is there anything festive to be fount in this famously bleak post-apocalyptic story? Much in every way! Subscribe to Ad Fontes from just $2.50 per month! Gain access to our quaterly print editions and exclusive inter…

This week, Rhys and Colin continue their readthrough of Begotten or Made? by Oliver O'Donovan. Continuing through Chapter 3, they discuss the realities of artificial insemination by donor, covering the ethics of donor anonymity, and the motives behind AID verses adoption. Subscribe to Ad Fontes from just $2.50 per month! Gain access to our quaterly…

This week, Rhys and Colin continue their readthrough of Begotten or Made? by Oliver O'Donovan. In Ch. 3, O'Donovan finally addresses the topic of artificial insemination, addressing questions about the ends of medical intervention; the differences between cure, compensation, and circumvention in treatment; and the ethics of involving a third party …

This week, Rhys and Colin are joined by Nathan Johnson, Provost of Davenant Hall, to discuss his Ad Fontes article "When Rights Go Wrong: Simone Weil on Uprootedness and the Way Forward". Why are obligations more important than rights? What roots do human societies need to flourish? And is rootedness compatible with multiculturalism? They discuss a…

This week, Rhys and Colin resume their walkthrough of Begotten or Made? by Oliver O'Donovan. Having discussed "the psychological case" in transsexualism, they now discuss O'Donovan's account of "the social case". What are we saying when we refuse to admit someone is "in the wrong body", yet make social allowances for them? Should medicine be marhsa…

We're back! This week, Rhys and Colin are joined by James Wood, discussing his recent Ad Fontes article "How Abraham Kuyper Lost the Nation and Sidelined the Church." They discuss Kuyper's approach to church and state, the critiques made by his forgotten foil Hoedemaker, and how their debates are relevant to contemporary debates about politics and …

In Onsi's final episode as a host, he, Colin, and Rhys talk about the dominant force in American Protestantism: the non-denominational megachurch (or, to its truest admirers, "hot dog church"). Does Davenant do hot dog church? What are its strengths? How does it fit into the Reformation tradition? NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org.…

The classical education world has experienced some healthy internal debate recently. Two significant features of modern education - an emphasis on diversity and the prevalence of standardized testing - have come into focus in discussions around the increasingly popular Classical Learning Test (CLT). Here, we repost audio of a Twitter Spaces convers…

Recorded LIVE at our 2023 National Convivium Irenicum, Colin and Onsi are joined by Pastor Daniel Doleys to discuss the sessions from our annual gathering, which focussed on "Christ and the Nations: A Protestant Theology of Statecraft". They talk about Schleirmacher, kingship, supererrogation (whatever that is), and more. NOTE: most books below are…

This week, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys answer YOUR questions! They talk about Onsi's problem with C.S. Lewis, working in a Catholic college, a curriculum for the classics, Protestant and Thomism, whether modernity exists, and why they've remained silent on the topic of fairies. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you make vi…

How does our society perceive gender confusion? Continuing their readthrough of Begotten or Made? Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss what Oliver O'Donovan calls "the psychological case", one of two ways our society tries to explain the problem, but which he argues is fraught with insonsistencies. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any p…

People talk a lot about "the image of God" these days, or the imago dei. But what do they mean by this? Often, it's not what people used to mean. This week Onsi, Colin, and Rhys talk about shifting views of "the image of God", the lack of traditional consensus on the topic, and whether you even need the idea to talk about human dignity. NOTE: most …

Procreation is linked to the male-female binary. But how do we respond to that reality: with welcome, or resentment? Onsi, Colin, and Rhys continue their readthrough of Oliver O'Donovan's Begotten or Made? and tackle this question and more as they reach Chapter 2, "Sex By Artifice." NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases …

Should Christian classical education teach Plato? Or any philosophy, for that matter? This week, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss Colin's recent Ad Fontes article, responding a to a review of his chapter in Reforming Classical Education. They discuss whether Christian high schoolers should really be learning philosophy, and why Christians who believe …

How did our society's view of freedom come about? And why would Christians ever have a problem with compassion? Continuing their readthrough of Begotten or Made?, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss these big questions, which ends up involving a surprisng conversation about opera. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you make…

How should Christians approach Bible translation? Should Scripture be fitted into out native language, or should our native language stretch to make room for Scripture? This is a key question for Protestantism, which was birthed in the context of new biblical translations. Translations produced by Protestants, such as Luther's Bible and the KJV, ha…

Should technology have a role in human reproduction? This is the basic question tackled by Oliver O'Donovan's book Begotten or Made?, one of the 20th century's most important works of medical ethics, and recently republished by the Davenant Press. This week, our co-hosts continue their walkthrough of the book, unpacking its riches. They discuss wha…

Thomas Traherne is an overlooked figure from church history. But this 17th century cleric, poet, and mystic has grown in popularity since being rediscovered in the 1890s. The Davenant Press is now publishing a new edition of his "Christian Ethics", a rich Christian meditation on how God made man to live. Our very own Colin Chan Redemer has moderniz…

Should technology have a role in human reproduction? This is the basic question tackled by Oliver O'Donovan's book Begotten or Made?, one of the 20th century's most important works of medical ethics, and recently republished by the Davenant Press. This week, our co-hosts begin a walkthrough of the book, unpacking its riches. They discuss definition…

The workplace has changed beyond recognition. We live an an age of robots, offshored jobs, megacorporations and more. How can Protestant Christians begin to think about an economy that has undergone such sea changes? This week, Colin, Rhys, and special guest Joseph Minich discuss Colin and Joe's chapter on work and labor in Davenant's recent book P…

Do you smoke? The question provokes a lot of reactions these days, including among Christians. This week (still together live at ETS!) Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss the topic of smoking from a Christian perspective, bringing the Westminster Larger Catechism, Aristotle, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien to bear on the conversation. NOTE: most books below are …

For the tirst time ever, all three of our hosts are together IN PERSON! Recorded live at ETS 2022, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys sit down to talk about rhetoric. What are our words for? Should we use words to shape the world? Is truth a monologue or a dialogue? Using Plato's Gorgias as a starting point, they get into these questions and more from a Christi…

This week, Alastair Roberts joins the crew to discuss his and Onsi's chapter on sex, marriage, and divorce in "Protestant Social Teaching: An Introduction", the Davenant Press's upcoming publication (due 10/13/22). The guys talk about how Augustine set the scene for Reformation debates on these topics, what Luther thought about marriage, Protestant…

Our very own Onsi Kamel has embarked upon his Ph.D studies, and is focussing on the intellectual relationship between Europe and the Islamic world in the early modern period. We take this chance to ask him what he'll be looking at, and what there is to be gained from digging into this neglected part of church history. NOTE: most books below are lin…

We're back! With summer over, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys are talking about the phenomenon of "going back to school." Why is our society built around this September rhythm, and the school year in general? Is it something that comes from Christendom? And how will it fare in an age where alternative online education options are becoming increasingly popula…

With Colin on vacation, Onsi and Rhys decide to talk about vocation. These days, people get pretty het up trying to find their "calling" or "vocation" in life - but they don't often realise that, in doing so, they're rehashing a foundational Protestant doctrine. Onsi and Rhys discuss how Luther kicked back against the medieval view of vocation, and…

Colin recently wrote a provocative piece on the future of the university as an institution, and so he and Onsi have gone public with their longstanding personal debate about the topic. What is the university meant to be? What has it been seen as historically? Is it really in crisis, or just parts of it? Do we still need it today? And where does Dav…

Marking the arrival of the Davenant Press's newest release, Serious Comedy, author Patrick Downey joins Onsi, Colin, and Rhys to discuss the republication of his work. They talk about the history of tragedy and comedy in the ancient world, how seriously Plato and Aristotle took writing, how the Bible changed everything, and how a post-Christian wor…

In another special episode recorded at our 2022 National Convivium, Onsi and Colin are joined by Tim Jacobs, Davenant Teaching Fellow and (in a surprise apperance) Evan Zhuo, our Davenant House intern. They talk about the unique vibe of the Convivium, the surprising appeal of Reformed irenicism among Baptists, Herman Bavinck's forgotten teacher, an…

In a special episode recorded at our 2022 National Convivium, Onsi and Colin are joined by Sam Bray, editor of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (International Edition). They talk about Thomas Cranmer, the prayer book's development, and the nature of liturgy, regulating worship, and the endless debate about the regulative principle. NOTE: most books b…

It comes to us all: death. This week, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys talk about the last enemy, discussuing what death actually is metaphysically, how different philosophical traditions like the Socratics, the Stoics, and Existentialists have said we should prepare for death, and how Christianity uniquely transforms our approach to death. NOTE: most books b…

Man is the rational animal - but what are the limits of his reason? That's this week's question. Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss the limits of human reason with regard to God, with some help from Descartes, Pascal, and Aquinas. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you make via these links give The Davenant Institute a 10%…

Why is online theological education as exciting as an NFL draft? Davenant's Chief Development Director, Justin Redemer, joins the show again to talk about the first ever Davenant Hall Apocalypse - a special event unveiling the year ahead at Davenant Hall, and changes to our programs. The hosts use this as a chance to talk about the revolutionary wo…

It's all about the Council of Nicaea folks. This week, Onsi, Colin, and Rhys begin a new series on the Seven Ecumenical Councils, kicking off with the Council of Nicaea. They talk about Constantine and church-state relations, the power of "homoousios", eternal generation, medieval astronomy, and more. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.…

Dead languages are pointless, right? Wrong. This week, our hosts have a blast when they're joined by Ryan Hammill of the Ancient Language Institute, a partner of the Davenant Institute. They discuss the different reasons we learn ancient languages, whether they're for "normal" people, whether some languages are better than others, and more. NOTE: m…

Why is preaching not a sacrament? That's the question this week. Onsi and Colin talk about what Protestants mean by "means of grace", look closely at some different confessions, explore the Law-Gospel distinction, and meditate on the nature of salvation and union with Christ. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you mak…

John Calvin, father of Presbyterianism thought Anglicanism was a wishy-washy compromise, right? Wrong - dead wrong. This week, Rev. Steven Wedgeworth joins the hosts to discuss his recent writing on Calvin's surprisingly positive appraisal of the Church of England, and what contemporary Reformed Christians can learn from Calvin's approach. They als…

This week, our hosts are talking about the Psalms. What role have they played in Christian piety and worship over the centuries? Why did the Reformers place such importance on them? And why have they lost their spiritual primacy today? NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you make via these links give The Davenant Insti…

In a LIVE special Colin is the sole regular host, and is joined (again!) by Justin Redemer, and Davenant's new Research Fellow, Paul Shakeshaft. This motley crew debrief on our First Annual Bay Area Fundraiser, and how Davenant is supporting Christian witness in a hostile culture. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases yo…

With a ground war in Europe filling the news once again, this week Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss the long Christian tradition of "Just War" theory. Rather than discussing current events specifically, they take a step back to consider what the tradition has to say, and discuss whether just war theory is actually of any practical use to political lea…

Is there more to Tolkien than The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings? You betcha. This week, Colin and Rhys are joined by Dr. Jason Lepojärvi to discuss Tolkien's intellect and imagination, and to preview Jason's upcoming course on the subject next term at Davenant Hall (register by March 25th!) NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any…

Medieval England - a land of tyrannical kings and popish superstitions, right? Maybe not. This week, Onsi and Rhys are joined by Matthew Hoskin, Visting Fellow at Davenant Hall, to discuss the Church in medieval England, stretching from Anglo-Saxon times to the Reformation. Matthew is teaching an upcoming course on this topic for Davenant Hall next…

What's the role of financial generosity as the Church moves into an increasingly hostile culture? To mark the first annual Davenant Dinner Bay Area fundraiser (March 11th), Colin and Rhys are joined by Justin Redemer, Davenant's Chief Development Officer, to talk about generosity and magnificence from a philosophical and church historical perspecti…

What on earth is the Coptic Church? Most of us only know about the 21 Coptic martyrs of 2015, or about the Coptic Church rejecting the Council of Chalcedon in 451. But who are the Copts? Why did they part ways with the rest of the Church? And has persecution prompted us to reconsider if we're closer to them than we think? This week, Onsi (our resid…

David Brooks recently gave evangelicals some advice in the New York Times about how to do evangelism. But should the Church take advice from the World about how to reach the World? Onsi, Colin, and Rhys discuss whether, biblically and historically, we should listen to the unbaptized about how we should do things. NOTE: most books below are linked v…

Family devotions can, for many, feel like a continuous struggle. Is there anything historically minded Protestants can bring to the table to help? Onsi, Rhys, and Colin get real about family life this week. NOTE: most books below are linked via Bookshop.org. Any purchases you make via these links give The Davenant Institute a 10% commission, and su…