Dead Theologians Podcast

In Part 2 of our conversation on women in ministry, we pick up where we left off—returning to one of the most discussed passages in this debate: 1 Corinthians 14.What does Paul mean when he says women should “remain silent in the churches”?Is this a universal command—or a response to a specific situation?We look at how the Church has historically understood and practiced this, including examples of women serving in leadership and ministry roles throughout church history. We also explore broader theological approaches—including whether questions like this should be grounded primarily in biblical interpretation, church tradition, or the character of God.Finally, we bring it down to the practical level:How should we approach this conversation today?What if we disagree?And how do we remain unified as the body of Christ?This is an “in-house” conversation—one where faithful Christians may land in different places, but share the same desire to honor God and be faithful to His Word.Resources & Documents ReferencedAssemblies of God Position Paper on Women in Ministry.Personal study notes & annotated materials (including prior version of the A/G position paper).If you have questions, thoughts, or want to continue the conversation, we’d love to hear from you:📩 [email protected]'ve got a lot to learn, if we're willing to listen.

Few topics generate more discussion in the Church today than women in ministry.In this episode, we begin that conversation by bringing together voices from across church history alongside a biblical framework for understanding the issue. Through guided readings, we hear from Macrina the Younger, Thomas Aquinas, and Catherine Booth—three figures who represent different moments in how the Church has recognized, structured, and defended women’s roles in ministry.From there, we turn to Scripture.We walk through key passages often discussed in this conversation, including 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2, and begin asking the deeper question:Are these instructions universal, or are they addressing specific cultural situations?This is Part 1 of a larger discussion. We don’t resolve everything here, and that’s intentional.Our goal is not to force a quick answer, but to think carefully, read faithfully, and approach this conversation with both conviction and humility.If you have questions, thoughts, or want to continue the conversation, we’d love to hear from you:📩 [email protected]📄 Resources & Documents ReferencedAssemblies of God Position Paper on Women in MinistryPersonal study notes & annotated materials (including prior version of the A/G position paper)

How do we read the Bible today?Is there only one correct interpretation of a passage?Are some interpretations simply wrong?How do we know?In this episode, Matt & Matt talk teaching approaches, practical frameworks like SOAP Bible study, and how to responsibly apply Scripture to our own lives.Our goal isn’t to make interpretation feel elusive or academic — but empowering. Scripture was given to the people of God. You can read it. You can grow in it. And you don’t need a seminary degree to engage it faithfully.If you have questions, thoughts, pushback, or episode ideas, reach out to us at:📩 [email protected]’d love to hear from you!//📚 Show Notes & Resources MentionedIf you’d like to go deeper in your own study of Scripture, here are some helpful tools and resources we referenced in this episode:StudyLight (studylight.org) – Free access to commentaries, dictionaries, cross-references, and multiple translationsBible Study Tools – Devotionals, commentaries, concordances, and searchable Bible toolsBibleRef – Clear, concise verse-by-verse explanationsBibleHub – Greek/Hebrew tools, parallel translations, interlinear text, and cross-referencesLogos Bible Software – Offers a free base version and optional paid theological librariesOlive Tree Bible Software – A strong mobile-friendly Bible study platform for building your own digital libraryFireBible Study Bible – A Pentecostal study Bible with strong theological and ministry notesArchaeological Study Bible – Excellent for historical and cultural backgroundCompare multiple Bible translations when studying a passageUse a simple structure like SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)Bring questions to your local church small group and pastor

How should Christians read the Bible?In this opening episode of Season 2 of the Dead Theologians Podcast, we step back to ask one of the most foundational—and often overlooked—questions of the Christian faith: how do we interpret Scripture in the first place?To explore this, we listen in on a moderated conversation between two towering early church thinkers with sharply different approaches to biblical interpretation: Origen of Alexandria and Theodore of Mopsuestia. Origen argues that Scripture contains multiple layers of meaning meant to draw believers toward Christ and spiritual transformation, while Theodore insists that faithful interpretation must begin with history, authorial intent, and the literal sense of the text.Their exchange highlights a tension the Church has wrestled with from the very beginning—between spiritual depth and historical grounding, allegory and literal meaning, transformation and doctrinal clarity.After the dialogue, hosts Pastor Matt Jones and Matt Lingafelt reflect on why hermeneutics matters for everyday Christians, how interpretation shapes theology and practice, and why no one truly reads the Bible “without interpretation.”This episode sets the stage for Season 2’s deeper conversations on Scripture, theology, and how we faithfully read God’s Word today.

We loved bringing Season 1 of the Dead Theologians Podcast to you.In this in-between episode, we reflect on the highs, lows, and unexpected moments from Season 1—and respond to listener questions covering theology, church life, calling, Scripture, and more. We’ll also share a glimpse of what’s ahead as we prepare for Season 2.If you have questions or topics you’d like us to explore in the future, you can contact us at [email protected] for listening. We’ve got a lot to learn—if we’re willing to listen.

We loved bringing Season 1 to you.Before Season 2 begins, we’re answering listener questions and reflecting on what we’ve learned so far. Here’s a sneak preview of what we’ll be discussing next.

After our conversation on faith and science with Augustine and Galileo, Matt & Matt return to explore one of the most defining cultural moments in that conversation: the Scopes Monkey Trial, now 100 years later.In this episode, we revisit the trial that became a national spectacle — not just a legal case, but a symbolic showdown between Scripture and science, tradition and modernism, fear and discovery. Together, we walk through how the trial shaped American education and church culture, and why its ripple effects are still felt today. We address some of the biggest misconceptions the trial helped create:Is Christianity anti-intellectual?Does science make God unnecessary?Is evolution the same as “all of science”?Does being a faithful Christian mean choosing between Scripture and scientific discovery?Finally, we ask how believers can pursue truth in both God’s Word and God’s world.If you’ve got questions, topics, or theologians you’d love to hear discussed, email us at [email protected]’ve got a lot to learn if we’re willing to listen — and we’re listening.

In this episode, Augustine of Hippo and Galileo Galilei step across time to wrestle with one of the oldest and most misunderstood tensions in Christian history: the relationship between faith and science. Through their imagined dialogue, we explore how Scripture, reason, tradition, and discovery were never meant to be enemies—but partners in the pursuit of truth.Matt & Matt reflect on where the Church has sometimes stumbled, where it has grown, and how believers today can engage scientific curiosity without abandoning biblical conviction.What is Scripture actually trying to teach us?Does scientific discovery threaten faith, or strengthen it?And how do we discern when to read the Bible literally, poetically, or theologically?Whether you’ve wrestled with Genesis, wondered about miracles, or asked how Christians should think about the natural world, this episode invites you into a deeper, more integrated way of seeing God’s Word and God’s world.If you’ve got questions, topics, or theologians you’d love to hear discussed, email us at [email protected]’ve got a lot to learn if we’re willing to listen — and we’re listening.

After our lively theological encounter between John Calvin and John Wesley, Matt & Matt return to explore the everyday implications of those deep doctrinal debates.In this episode, we unpack the practical questions surrounding Calvinism and Arminianism:What do these positions mean for evangelism and discipleship?Is salvation secure, or can we fall away?Who is really accountable — and what does that say about God's justice?How do these views affect the way we see God’s role in our daily lives?Whether you’ve wrestled with TULIP, find comfort in God’s sovereignty, or feel the weight of human responsibility, this episode invites you into humble reflection rather than heated debate. We're not choosing sides — we're listening, learning, and trying to live faithfully with the tension.Grab a seat at the table. Let's talk about what it means to be predestined… or persuaded.

Can God be sovereign and still give us free will?In this episode, we sit down with two towering theological figures—John Calvin and John Wesley—to explore one of the most debated tensions in church history: how divine sovereignty and human freedom interact in salvation.Calvin’s teachings gave rise to Reformed Theology, with its well-known TULIP acronym (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints). Wesley, on the other hand, emphasized free will, prevenient grace, and the believer’s ability to respond to God.Together, they represent two vibrant streams in Christian thought: Reformation and Revival. Though they never met in person, their legacies continue to shape evangelical dialogue on grace, predestination, assurance, and spiritual growth.Far from being abstract theories, these doctrines affect how we worship, how we make decisions, and even where we go to church. They influence how we view God’s character, how we understand our role in His plan, and how we live out our faith.🔗 Want more on this topic? We recommend the Assemblies of God Position Paper: A Response To Reformed Theology for a deeper dive from a Pentecostal Perspective.

What if I don’t feel God?In this follow-up to our conversation with Augustine and Gregory of Nyssa, we explore the tension between intellect and emotion in the Christian life. What role do feelings play in worship, doubt, and discipleship? And what happens when the emotions fade?Matt Jones and Matt Lingafelt reflect on their own journeys of faith—shaped by both apologetics and steady commitment, as well as emotional experience and spiritual hunger—and wrestle with the question: Can I trust my faith even when I feel nothing?This episode tackles the pendulum swing between cold certainty and emotional chaos, asking how we can love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. From the Psalms to personal stories, we rediscover how Scripture speaks to the head and the heart—and how God meets us in both.

What does it really mean to know God?In this episode, we bring together Augustine of Hippo, one of the Church’s greatest theological minds, and Gregory of Nyssa, a mystical voice from the early church, for a fascinating dialogue on faith, intellect, and the mystery of God’s presence. Augustine wrestles with understanding God through reason and reflection, while Gregory calls us into the depths of divine encounter beyond words.This conversation explores how belief shapes behavior and why our view of God impacts everything about the Christian life. Drawing on timeless questions about knowledge, worship, and transformation, we discover that the tension between head and heart isn’t new—and it still matters for believers today.

What we believe shapes how we live. Orthodoxy isn’t about cold creeds—it’s about seeing Jesus clearly and letting that truth transform everything. After hearing Athanasius and Arius debate, we reflect on why right belief still matters today. In a time when it’s easy to drift into vague spirituality or personal truth, how can Christians stay anchored to the gospel? We explore how orthodoxy guards our faith, strengthens unity, and keeps us from going off course.

Is Jesus fully God—or something less? In this episode, we feature Athanasius, the passionate defender of Christ’s divinity, and Arius, whose controversial teaching claimed Jesus was a created being. Their debate rocked the early church and led to the formation of the Nicene Creed—a confession still shaping Christianity today. With modern views of Jesus constantly shifting, this ancient debate remains just as relevant now as it was then.

Martin Luther never set out to start a movement; he just wanted to reform his church. But what started as protest sparked the Protestant Reformation. What about us? How do we know when it’s right to leave a church? What’s the difference between church hurt, conviction, and a genuine need to move on? We talk honestly about how to recognize the difference and how Scripture calls us to stay anchored in the body of Christ.

What happens when Scripture and tradition collide? In this premiere episode, we sit down two theological titans—Martin Luther and Thomas Aquinas—for a conversation that shaped church history and still impacts us today. With the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, American Christians continue to wrestle with questions of authority, church tradition, and the role of Scripture.