In this special announcement, Dr. James Spencer shares details about the upcoming German Reformation Tour, running from October 30 to November 9, 2025. Explore the theological and political heritage of Germany with stops in Wittenberg, Munich, Nuremberg, and beyond. From the legacy of Martin Luther to the resistance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this unique tour blends biblical insight, historical depth, and cultural discovery.

James will be joined by Reformation expert Dr. Greg Quiggle and political theology scholar Dr. Michael McDuffee—two former Moody Bible Institute professors with extensive experience in Germany and a deep love for its history.

🚨 Booking deadline is May 31, 2025.
📍 Visit thomastours.com for more info and to reserve your spot.

In this special announcement, Dr. James Spencer shares details about the upcoming German Reformation Tour, running from October 30 to November 9, 2025. Explore the theological and political heritage of Germany with stops in Wittenberg, Munich, Nuremberg, and beyond. From the legacy of Martin Luther to the resistance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this unique tour blends biblical insight, historical depth, and cultural discovery.
James will be joined by Reformation expert Dr. Greg Quiggle and political theology scholar Dr. Michael McDuffee&mdash;two former Moody Bible Institute professors with extensive experience in Germany and a deep love for its history.
🚨 Booking deadline is May 31, 2025. 📍 Visit <a href="http://www.thomastours.com/germanreformation.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJRQKpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHTSEypuZsAyMEuswCKCuGLFL4BUlovwrz2v9YPBR1z8LCxjVTlredQ0ZLA_aem_HPoTFZNfKMFcMTQr0ntJPA">thomastours.com</a> for more info and to reserve your spot.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Find more from James at https://usefultogod.com/.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/</a>.

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.

Thinking Christian: Clear Theology for a Confusing World

Christians shouldn’t just think. They should think Christian. Join Dr. James Spencer and guests for calm, thoughtful, theological discussions about a variety of topics Christians face every day. The Thinking Christian Podcast will help you grow spiritually and learn theology as you seek to be faithful in a world that is becoming increasingly proficient at telling stories that deny Christ.
Find more from James at <a href="https://usefultogod.com/">https://usefultogod.com/.</a>

Join Me in Germany: 2025 Reformation Tour 

What if the most spiritually formative season of the Christian year isn’t Advent or Lent—but the long stretch of ordinary time in between?

In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Amy Peeler, Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College, to discuss her book Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth, part of the Fullness of Time series from IVP. Together, they explore how the church’s longest season—often overlooked or misunderstood—shapes Christian maturity, patience, and attentiveness to God’s work in everyday life.

Amy shares her own journey from a free-church background into the Anglican tradition, where the church calendarprovides a shared rhythm for worship, discipleship, and formation. Ordinary time, she explains, is neither feast nor fast. Marked by the color green, it reflects growth—slow, patient, often unseen—rather than dramatic spiritual highs. This season mirrors how most of life is actually lived: meals, conversations, work, rest, and faithful obedience in the ordinary.

James and Amy discuss how modern Christians—both liturgical and non-liturgical—often struggle with cadence, reflection, and rest. Without intentional rhythms, churches can become overly programmatic, while individuals drift into distraction, passivity, or burnout. Ordinary time offers a corrective: a space to reflect on God’s work, attend carefully to Scripture, and allow spiritual growth to “catch up” after seasons of intense focus.

The conversation also explores how ordinary time functions formatively:


As a season of growth rather than spectacle


As an extended invitation to rest and receptivity, not spiritual laziness


As a reminder that God is present in the mundane—not just in mountaintop moments

Amy draws on biblical texts (especially Genesis 18) to show how God often appears not in dramatic events, but in ordinary hospitality, conversation, and faithfulness. She also reflects on Trinity Sunday, explaining how ordinary time helps Christians attend more deeply to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not as abstract doctrine, but as lived worship shaped by prayer, posture, and participation.

Throughout the episode, James and Amy examine how formation happens over time, why Christians need both structure and reflection, and how ordinary time can function almost like an extended Sabbath—a season where believers learn to cease striving and trust God’s work in them.

You can get Ordinary Time at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

Topics include:


What “ordinary time” is—and why it matters


The church calendar and Christian formation


Growth, patience, and rest in discipleship


Green as the color of spiritual formation


Ordinary practices as places of divine presence


Genesis 18 and encountering God in the everyday


Trinity Sunday and worshiping the triune God


Liturgical vs. free-church approaches to time and rhythm


Why reflection is essential in a distracted age

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ 

What if the most spiritually formative season of the Christian year isn&rsquo;t Advent or Lent&mdash;but the long stretch of ordinary time in between?
In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer is joined by Dr. Amy Peeler, Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College, to discuss her book Ordinary Time: The Season of Growth, part of the Fullness of Time series from IVP. Together, they explore how the church&rsquo;s longest season&mdash;often overlooked or misunderstood&mdash;shapes Christian maturity, patience, and attentiveness to God&rsquo;s work in everyday life.
Amy shares her own journey from a free-church background into the Anglican tradition, where the church calendarprovides a shared rhythm for worship, discipleship, and formation. Ordinary time, she explains, is neither feast nor fast. Marked by the color green, it reflects growth&mdash;slow, patient, often unseen&mdash;rather than dramatic spiritual highs. This season mirrors how most of life is actually lived: meals, conversations, work, rest, and faithful obedience in the ordinary.
James and Amy discuss how modern Christians&mdash;both liturgical and non-liturgical&mdash;often struggle with cadence, reflection, and rest. Without intentional rhythms, churches can become overly programmatic, while individuals drift into distraction, passivity, or burnout. Ordinary time offers a corrective: a space to reflect on God&rsquo;s work, attend carefully to Scripture, and allow spiritual growth to &ldquo;catch up&rdquo; after seasons of intense focus.
The conversation also explores how ordinary time functions formatively:
<ul data-start="2427" data-end="2645">
<li data-start="2427" data-end="2478">
As a season of growth rather than spectacle
</li>
<li data-start="2479" data-end="2560">
As an extended invitation to rest and receptivity, not spiritual laziness
</li>
<li data-start="2561" data-end="2645">
As a reminder that God is present in the mundane&mdash;not just in mountaintop moments
</li>
</ul>
Amy draws on biblical texts (especially Genesis 18) to show how God often appears not in dramatic events, but in ordinary hospitality, conversation, and faithfulness. She also reflects on Trinity Sunday, explaining how ordinary time helps Christians attend more deeply to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit&mdash;not as abstract doctrine, but as lived worship shaped by prayer, posture, and participation.
Throughout the episode, James and Amy examine how formation happens over time, why Christians need both structure and reflection, and how ordinary time can function almost like an extended Sabbath&mdash;a season where believers learn to cease striving and trust God&rsquo;s work in them.
You can get Ordinary Time at <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/ordinary-time-fts">ivpress.com</a> (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)&nbsp;
Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Useful_toGod">YouTube channel</a>
🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: <a href="https://www.usefultogod.com">www.usefultogod.com</a>
To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on <a href="https://www.christianity.com/author/james-spencer/">Christianity.com</a>.
📢 Stay Connected &amp; Keep Growing!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!
Topics include:
<ul data-start="3351" data-end="3804">
<li data-start="3351" data-end="3397">
What &ldquo;ordinary time&rdquo; is&mdash;and why it matters
</li>
<li data-start="3398" data-end="3445">
The church calendar and Christian formation
</li>
<li data-start="3446" data-end="3492">
Growth, patience, and rest in discipleship
</li>
<li data-start="3493" data-end="3538">
Green as the color of spiritual formation
</li>
<li data-start="3539" data-end="3590">
Ordinary practices as places of divine presence
</li>
<li data-start="3591" data-end="3642">
Genesis 18 and encountering God in the everyday
</li>
<li data-start="3643" data-end="3691">
Trinity Sunday and worshiping the triune God
</li>
<li data-start="3692" data-end="3752">
Liturgical vs. free-church approaches to time and rhythm
</li>
<li data-start="3753" data-end="3804">
Why reflection is essential in a distracted age
</li>
</ul>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management.&nbsp;&ldquo;Whether we&rsquo;re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk.&nbsp;Call us at&nbsp;1-800-793-8548&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org/</a>&nbsp;

Ordinary Time: Spiritual Growth in the Everyday Rhythms of Life (Amy Peeler)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/b705f6d9-b8fe-4844-926e-b3d7016f9854/transcript

The abortion conversation in the church is often framed as a political battle—pro-life versus pro-choice, red versus blue. But what if that framing itself is the problem? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencertalks with Angela Weszely, author of Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice and founder of the Pro-Grace movement, about why Christians need a distinctly theological framework for engaging abortion—one rooted in Jesus rather than political parties.

Angela shares her personal journey into abortion ministry, beginning with work at a Christian pregnancy center in downtown Chicago. What she encountered there unsettled her: well-intentioned Christians operating with a deeply legalistic mindset, prioritizing agendas over people and persuasion over presence. That experience led her into a years-long theological reexamination of how grace, dignity, and the gospel should shape Christian engagement with one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time.

At the heart of the Pro-Grace framework are two core theological commitments. First, equal value and equal dignity—the Imago Dei applies fully to both the woman and the child, rejecting the false binary that pits them against each other. Second, grace as the path of transformation—real change does not come through coercion, shame, or law alone, but through the radical grace of Jesus that heals hearts and restores relationships.

James and Angela explore how political language and party loyalty often distort Christian witness, training believers to see one another as enemies rather than brothers and sisters in Christ. They discuss why laws, while important, are limited tools that can manage brokenness but cannot heal it—and why the church has too often abdicated its responsibility by outsourcing moral formation to government.

The conversation also dives into the lived experience of unintended pregnancy. Drawing on years of qualitative research, Angela highlights three dominant emotional realities women face: panic, isolation, and shame. These realities are rarely acknowledged in political debates, yet they shape nearly every decision made in crisis. James reflects on his own family’s experience with a difficult prenatal diagnosis, underscoring how support, community, and compassion dramatically alter the moral landscape.

Rather than offering a simplistic solution, Pro-Grace calls the church to something deeper: humility, listening, and imagination. What would it look like for Christians to lead with their kingdom identity, allowing political engagement to be shaped—rather than defined—by allegiance to Christ? What if churches became the safest places for women, men, and families navigating pregnancy, loss, and fear?

This episode challenges listeners to rethink not only what they believe about abortion, but how they engage the conversation—inviting Christians into a posture that looks more like Jesus and less like partisan combat.

Topics include:


Why political frameworks distort Christian witness on abortion


The Pro-Grace theological model explained


Equal dignity of women and children (Imago Dei)


Grace versus legalism in Christian ethics


Emotional realities of unintended pregnancy


The limits of law and the responsibility of the church


Why Christians must lead with kingdom identity, not party loyalty


How churches can become truly welcoming communities

You can get Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ 

The abortion conversation in the church is often framed as a political battle&mdash;pro-life versus pro-choice, red versus blue. But what if that framing itself is the problem? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencertalks with Angela Weszely, author of Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice and founder of the Pro-Grace movement, about why Christians need a distinctly theological framework for engaging abortion&mdash;one rooted in Jesus rather than political parties.
Angela shares her personal journey into abortion ministry, beginning with work at a Christian pregnancy center in downtown Chicago. What she encountered there unsettled her: well-intentioned Christians operating with a deeply legalistic mindset, prioritizing agendas over people and persuasion over presence. That experience led her into a years-long theological reexamination of how grace, dignity, and the gospel should shape Christian engagement with one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time.
At the heart of the Pro-Grace framework are two core theological commitments. First, equal value and equal dignity&mdash;the Imago Dei applies fully to both the woman and the child, rejecting the false binary that pits them against each other. Second, grace as the path of transformation&mdash;real change does not come through coercion, shame, or law alone, but through the radical grace of Jesus that heals hearts and restores relationships.
James and Angela explore how political language and party loyalty often distort Christian witness, training believers to see one another as enemies rather than brothers and sisters in Christ. They discuss why laws, while important, are limited tools that can manage brokenness but cannot heal it&mdash;and why the church has too often abdicated its responsibility by outsourcing moral formation to government.
The conversation also dives into the lived experience of unintended pregnancy. Drawing on years of qualitative research, Angela highlights three dominant emotional realities women face: panic, isolation, and shame. These realities are rarely acknowledged in political debates, yet they shape nearly every decision made in crisis. James reflects on his own family&rsquo;s experience with a difficult prenatal diagnosis, underscoring how support, community, and compassion dramatically alter the moral landscape.
Rather than offering a simplistic solution, Pro-Grace calls the church to something deeper: humility, listening, and imagination. What would it look like for Christians to lead with their kingdom identity, allowing political engagement to be shaped&mdash;rather than defined&mdash;by allegiance to Christ? What if churches became the safest places for women, men, and families navigating pregnancy, loss, and fear?
This episode challenges listeners to rethink not only what they believe about abortion, but how they engage the conversation&mdash;inviting Christians into a posture that looks more like Jesus and less like partisan combat.
Topics include:
<ul data-start="3944" data-end="4387">
<li data-start="3944" data-end="4010">
Why political frameworks distort Christian witness on abortion
</li>
<li data-start="4011" data-end="4056">
The Pro-Grace theological model explained
</li>
<li data-start="4057" data-end="4108">
Equal dignity of women and children (Imago Dei)
</li>
<li data-start="4109" data-end="4154">
Grace versus legalism in Christian ethics
</li>
<li data-start="4155" data-end="4202">
Emotional realities of unintended pregnancy
</li>
<li data-start="4203" data-end="4261">
The limits of law and the responsibility of the church
</li>
<li data-start="4262" data-end="4331">
Why Christians must lead with kingdom identity, not party loyalty
</li>
<li data-start="4332" data-end="4387">
How churches can become truly welcoming communities
</li>
</ul>
You can get Becoming Pro-Grace: Expanding the Abortion Conversation Beyond Life Versus Choice at <a href="https://www.ivpress.com/becoming-prograce">ivpress.com</a> (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)&nbsp;
Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Useful_toGod">YouTube channel</a>
🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: <a href="https://www.usefultogod.com">www.usefultogod.com</a>
To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on <a href="https://www.christianity.com/author/james-spencer/">Christianity.com</a>.
📢 Stay Connected &amp; Keep Growing!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management.&nbsp;&ldquo;Whether we&rsquo;re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk.&nbsp;Call us at&nbsp;1-800-793-8548&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org/</a>&nbsp;

Becoming Pro-Grace: A Christian Response to Abortion Beyond Politics (Angela Weszley)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/37db013a-7878-4c03-984b-b3d3014e35f9/transcript

Was America founded as a “new Israel”? And if so, what happens when biblical conquest narratives are used to justify colonization, displacement, and violence? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer speaks with Dr. Daniel Hawk, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice, about how Christian theology became entangled with the American settler story—and why that story now needs to be reexamined.

Drawing on decades of Old Testament scholarship, especially his work on the Book of Joshua, Daniel Hawk explains how biblical narratives meant to form Israel’s identity were gradually transformed into templates for empire in the American imagination. Early Christian colonists interpreted their arrival in the New World through conquest theology—believing God had given them the land and authorized the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Over time, this reading hardened into a powerful civil religion, blending Christian language with national mythology.

James and Daniel explore how Manifest Destiny functioned as a theological story—one that framed American expansion as divinely sanctioned while masking injustice behind a “myth of innocence.” They discuss how the Exodus and conquest narratives were selectively used to legitimize political freedom and territorial expansion, while conveniently excluding Scripture’s deep moral critique of power, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness.

The conversation also addresses the enduring effects of settler colonialism—not merely as a historical event, but as a set of social, economic, and cultural structures that continue shaping American life. Daniel argues that unresolved colonial sin damages everyone: Indigenous communities who bear the weight of dispossession and trauma, and white Christians whose imaginations have been warped by unexamined dominance and control.

Rather than assigning blame, Hawk calls Christians to a posture of discipleship, humility, and repentance. Undoing the settler narrative begins with learning local histories, listening to Indigenous voices, and allowing uncomfortable truths to challenge long-held assumptions. Healing, he suggests, requires telling the whole story—without mythologizing the past or silencing pain.

James and Daniel also reflect on the role of globalization, modern capitalism, and environmental exploitation as ongoing echoes of colonial logic, as well as Daniel’s work with the First Nations Version Bible translation project—an effort to hear Scripture through Indigenous linguistic and cultural frameworks.

This episode invites Christians to ask hard questions: How should Scripture shape our understanding of land, power, and justice? What does repentance look like at a communal level? And how might the church become an agent of reconciliation rather than a guardian of national mythology?

Topics include:


The Book of Joshua and Christian identity


Manifest Destiny as civil religion


How biblical narratives were misused to justify colonization


Settler colonialism vs. other forms of empire


The “myth of innocence” in American history


Structural sin and enduring injustice


Listening to Indigenous voices and histories


Discipleship, repentance, and reconciliation


Christianity beyond nationalism

You can get Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice at ivpress.com(use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God:www.usefultogod.com

To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

📢 Stay Connected & Keep Growing!

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. “Whether we’re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org/ 

Was America founded as a &ldquo;new Israel&rdquo;? And if so, what happens when biblical conquest narratives are used to justify colonization, displacement, and violence? In this episode of the Thinking Christian Podcast, Dr. James Spencer speaks with Dr. Daniel Hawk, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice, about how Christian theology became entangled with the American settler story&mdash;and why that story now needs to be reexamined.
Drawing on decades of Old Testament scholarship, especially his work on the Book of Joshua, Daniel Hawk explains how biblical narratives meant to form Israel&rsquo;s identity were gradually transformed into templates for empire in the American imagination. Early Christian colonists interpreted their arrival in the New World through conquest theology&mdash;believing God had given them the land and authorized the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Over time, this reading hardened into a powerful civil religion, blending Christian language with national mythology.
James and Daniel explore how Manifest Destiny functioned as a theological story&mdash;one that framed American expansion as divinely sanctioned while masking injustice behind a &ldquo;myth of innocence.&rdquo; They discuss how the Exodus and conquest narratives were selectively used to legitimize political freedom and territorial expansion, while conveniently excluding Scripture&rsquo;s deep moral critique of power, violence, and covenant unfaithfulness.
The conversation also addresses the enduring effects of settler colonialism&mdash;not merely as a historical event, but as a set of social, economic, and cultural structures that continue shaping American life. Daniel argues that unresolved colonial sin damages everyone: Indigenous communities who bear the weight of dispossession and trauma, and white Christians whose imaginations have been warped by unexamined dominance and control.
Rather than assigning blame, Hawk calls Christians to a posture of discipleship, humility, and repentance. Undoing the settler narrative begins with learning local histories, listening to Indigenous voices, and allowing uncomfortable truths to challenge long-held assumptions. Healing, he suggests, requires telling the whole story&mdash;without mythologizing the past or silencing pain.
James and Daniel also reflect on the role of globalization, modern capitalism, and environmental exploitation as ongoing echoes of colonial logic, as well as Daniel&rsquo;s work with the First Nations Version Bible translation project&mdash;an effort to hear Scripture through Indigenous linguistic and cultural frameworks.
This episode invites Christians to ask hard questions: How should Scripture shape our understanding of land, power, and justice? What does repentance look like at a communal level? And how might the church become an agent of reconciliation rather than a guardian of national mythology?
Topics include:
<ul data-start="3882" data-end="4305">
<li data-start="3882" data-end="3927">
The Book of Joshua and Christian identity
</li>
<li data-start="3928" data-end="3966">
Manifest Destiny as civil religion
</li>
<li data-start="3967" data-end="4031">
How biblical narratives were misused to justify colonization
</li>
<li data-start="4032" data-end="4081">
Settler colonialism vs. other forms of empire
</li>
<li data-start="4082" data-end="4129">
The &ldquo;myth of innocence&rdquo; in American history
</li>
<li data-start="4130" data-end="4171">
Structural sin and enduring injustice
</li>
<li data-start="4172" data-end="4220">
Listening to Indigenous voices and histories
</li>
<li data-start="4221" data-end="4269">
Discipleship, repentance, and reconciliation
</li>
<li data-start="4270" data-end="4305">
Christianity beyond nationalism
</li>
</ul>
You can get Undoing Manifest Destiny: Settler America, Christian Colonists, and the Pursuit of Justice at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ivpress.com/undoing-manifest-destiny">ivpress.com</a> (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount)&nbsp;
Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Useful_toGod">YouTube channel</a>
🔗 Download a free resource "Making Everyday Decisions So That God Gets the Glory" from Useful to God: <a href="https://www.usefultogod.com">www.usefultogod.com</a>
To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on <a href="https://www.christianity.com/author/james-spencer/">Christianity.com</a>.
📢 Stay Connected &amp; Keep Growing!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian so you never miss an insightful conversation!
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management.&nbsp;&ldquo;Whether we&rsquo;re helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk.&nbsp;Call us at&nbsp;1-800-793-8548&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org/</a>&nbsp;

Joshua, America, and the Myth of Innocence: Undoing Manifest Destiny (Daniel Hawk)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/d877cc74-c7ba-4de6-a996-b3d30163f616/transcript

Join Me in Germany: 2025 Reformation Tour

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