In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Dr. Andrew E. Steinmann to discuss his latest book, co-authored with Rev. Dr. R. Reed Lessing, Wrestling with God: Understanding Difficult Old Testament Passages. Andrew makes the case for why the Old Testament is indispensable to the Christian faith, and walks through some of Scripture's most…

In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with returning guest Rev. Dr. R. Reed Lessing to discuss his latest book, co-authored with Dr. Andrew E. Steinmann, Wrestling with God: Understanding Difficult Old Testament Passages. Reed shares why we shouldn't skip or soften the Old Testament's hardest passages — and what we gain when we…

In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Rev. Dr. Leonard Payton, author of Prayerful Living in a Post-Christian Culture. Dr. Payton brings pastoral wisdom and biblical depth to the challenge of faithful Christian living amid cultural upheaval.  Episode Timestamps 0:12 — Introduction 1:52 — Dr. Payton’s Ministry Context: Pastoring in a Progressive Community…

In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Dr. A. Andrew Das, author of Dinner with the Doctor: Luke’s Gospel for the Hungry. Dr. Das brings his scholarly expertise to a broader audience, guiding readers through the unique voice, motifs, and theology of Luke’s gospel. He explores Luke’s distinctive emphasis on food, women, and…

How do we actually raise our children in the faith? In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Rev. Dr. W. Mart Thompson, author of Family Discipleship with Christ. Dr. Thompson maps out a partnership between the home and the congregation that is both theologically grounded and practically usable. He draws on Luther’s Small…

We live in a world that constantly tells us to look inward — to follow our heart, trust our feelings, and find our identity within ourselves. But Christians are called to a completely different posture. In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Rev. Joshua Pfeiffer, author of Lift Your Eyes: How to Live…

Shame affects us all — but do we truly understand it? In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Rev. Dr. John Kleinig, author of From Shame to Glory: God’s Surprising Remedy for Injustice and Failure. Dr. Kleinig draws on decades of pastoral experience to help us understand what shame is, how it differs…

May 27th, 2026, marks the 350th anniversary of the death of Paul Gerhardt — one of the most beloved hymn writers in the history of the Lutheran Church. In this episode, host Elizabeth Pittman is joined by Peter Reske from the CPH music team for a deep dive into Gerhardt's life, his enduring hymns, and…

What can a 19th-century history of a 16th-century Lutheran school teach us about education today? More than you might expect.  Dr. Gene Edward Veith, Jr. joins us to discuss a new translation from Concordia Publishing House — The History of the Gymnasium and Educational Institutions of Wittenberg, written in 1830 by Franz Spitzner. The Wittenberg…

How did our modern culture get here—especially when it comes to sex, marriage, and family life? In this episode, Elizabeth Pittman sits down with Dr. Erkki Koskenniemi, a Finnish Lutheran pastor and scholar, to explore how closely today’s world mirrors the ancient Greco-Roman world. Drawing from history, Scripture, and early Christian teaching, Dr. Koskenniemi explains…