Paul Capetz: Recovering Protestantism’s Original Insight

Homebrewed Christianity

How do liberal Protestant Christian theologians think? Few people are as capable as our guest, Dr. Paul Capetz, at articulating the heart of liberal Protestantism. Paul has been a friend for a long time. We first met at Claremont School of Theology when he was on sabbatical and we quickly realized how much we enjoy getting nerdy together. In this episode, we discuss his new book, Recovering Protestantism’s Original Insight and how liberal Protestantism inherited Luther’s critical theology.

In the conversation, we discuss…

• how to engage historical criticism of the Bible as a modern Christian
• the role and function of tradition for theologizing
• the contrast between Calvin and Luther when it comes to Biblical authority
• can the Bible help us think about ethics today?
• the need to free the Bible from an ancient worldview
• the existentialist impact of Gospel proclamation
• the priority of education within liberal Protestantism
• how to be honest in wrestling with and discerning our history
• America’s anti-intellectualism and its deep desire to repress its history
• Paul tells the story of the Presbyterian church wrestling with same-sex marriage
• the relationship between liberal and liberation theologies

Paul E. Capetz is professor of historical theology emeritus at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and is currently minister at Christ Church by the Sea in Newport Beach, California. He is the author of God: A Brief History and co-editor of James Gustafson’s Moral Discernment in the Christian Life.

Previous Episodes w/ Paul Capetz

• Existentialist Philosophy, Politics, & Theology
• Calvin’s 500th Birthday
• The Big Theological Throw Down with John Cobb & Paul Capetz

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